Review: The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass

The One (The Selection) by Kiera Cass
Publication: May 2014, HarperCollins Children's Books, 323 pages
My Source: I borrowed a copy from the library.

Description: THE SELECTION changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. Now, only one will claim Prince Maxon’s heart…

It’s swoon meets the Hunger Games in the final instalment of THE SELECTION trilogy!

For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives.

Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

The breathtaking finale to THE SELECTION trilogy will make you swoon!

My Review: I've been dying to read this one since Book 2 (The Elite) ended! The One picks up right where The Elite left off--there are 4 girls left in the competition to win Prince Maxon's love and the crown. The events that unfold were not always expected and left me feeling on edge a lot of the time. America is a very outspoken, kind young woman, who longs for things to be fair in the kingdom. Some of the decisions that she made didn't make sense and caused issues for her, yet she stood her ground. She seems a little more certain and content in what she wants in life, but she just can't let go of her old dreams. I went through a range of emotions with this one and was satisfied with the way it all wrapped up.

I loved the relationships between a lot of the characters--friendships, family, loyalty, new friends and old, romance, etc. I kept thinking of the quote, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." I wish America would have taken care of all that right from the start. There's so much more that I could say, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. I really enjoyed it and was sad to see it come to an end.

Content: some swearing (maybe 6); some violence (shootings, death, fighting), but nothing too graphic; kissing (one scene was a little more suggestive and could have lead to more but they were interrupted and stopped), a couple sleeping in the same bed, but nothing happened. I would consider it technically clean. The one scene didn't get into anything that should be kept behind closed doors, yet it might not be appropriate for a younger reader (pages 268-273).

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About the Author:
100 Things I Love:

Being married. Cake. The smell of Autumn. Motherhood. Books. Elephants. Back rubs. On demand movies. Actually going out to movies. Faith. Cinnamon rolls. My family. Butterflies. When my kitchen is clean. Crayons. Pink. Tote bags. Dancing. Organizing via color coordination. That my wedding dress was tea length, not floor. Baking. My house. Writing utensils. Paper. India. The sound of water. Making videos. Buttons. The word Episcopalian. Making people laugh. Layering clothes. British accents. Pinterest. Animation. Fireworks. The smell of the Ocean. My wedding rings. Aprons. Reasons to get dressed up. Sex. Pop music. Stars. Taking walks. Daydreaming. Stickers. School Spirit. My friends. Living in a small town. Japan. Singing. Painting my toenails. Pranks/ practical jokes. Painting. Stretch canvas. Costumes. Dipping my fingers in melted wax. Style. Soda. Spending an hour typing at a coffee shop. Musicals. Back to school season. Mopeds. Good hair days. Naps. Not walking up but looking at a beautiful staircase. Driving alone. My ankles. Playlists. Spending entire days in pajamas. Holidays. Telling stories. Spontaneity. Theme parks. Bookshelves. The word copacetic. Boxes. Empty journals. Surprises. Doing things in groups. Doing things alone. Getting real mail. Decorating. Small forks. A good hug. Gift cards. New Years Goals. Going out to dinner. When someone else remembers some great story about me/us that I’ve forgotten. Toy stores. Fireplaces. Breakfast foods. Journaling. Crying for a good reason. Doorbells. Pointless adventures. Voting. My birthday. Reasons to make wishes. Recycling.

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