The Selection by Kiera Cass; HarperTeen, 2012.

It is 300 years in the future; World War IV has ended, and the United States is no more.  It has been replaced by new countries, complete with a numbered caste system based on occupations.  Everyone is limited on their life choices based on their ancestors’ ability to help the government.  Thus, the rich and royalty are deemed as “1”, while the homeless, wandering, and poorest people are labeled as “8”.

Living in Illѐa, America Singer and her family are all classified as “5” because they are performers and artists.  While they do well during the holiday seasons, they barely scrape by other times during the year.  America’s boyfriend, Aspen Leger, is a “6” because he and his family are servants, trained for indoor work.  America and Aspen have secret midnight meetings in the tree house in her backyard because it is forbidden for people of different classes to have relationships with each other.  Despite this, they hope to marry sometime in the future.

Prince Maxon Schreave has come of age, and it is time for him to choose a wife.  It is a tradition in Illѐa for male royalty to choose brides from its citizenry.  A lottery is held, whereby thirty-five girls are chosen to compete for the honor of being the prince’s bride.  Since America is determined to marry Aspen, she has no desire to enter into the lottery.  However, her mother and Aspen have other ideas.  Aspen urges her and America’s mother bribes her to enter the lottery, and, despite all odds, she is one of the thirty-five girls chosen to compete for the crown!

From this moment on, America is considered the property of Illѐa.  She must leave home and move into the royal palace in order to compete.  There are many restrictions placed upon her, and her every waking moment, as well as the other girls’, is televised all across Illѐa.  Her status is immediately upgraded to that of a “3”, and for every week she stays in the competition, her family is handsomely compensated.  Her life becomes one of luxury—beautiful clothes and jewelry, delicious food, three maids to take care of her, and a lovely palace to live in!  But there is also danger, for rebel attacks often occur at the palace.

Although her first impression of Prince Maxon is that of a haughty, selfish individual, America soon changes her mind.  She is actually falling for the Prince, until Aspen shows up at the palace.  He has been drafted into the military and has been named to the Royal Guard.  He is still in love with her and vows to win her back.  It is now up to America to decide what course she wants her life to take—does she choose the life of luxury with the prince or does she choose her first true love?

What a wild ride this book is—this dystopian fairy tale!  I love the descriptions of the gowns the girls wear, the palace food, the rooms in the palace—I feel I am actually a part of this magical story!  The contrast between America’s life at home with her life in the palace is like night and day.  She becomes an instant celebrity and heroine to everyone in her province when she is selected!  Once she moves into the palace, she feels bad that her maids are waiting on her and taking care of her needs!  America is such a likable, compassionate character, despite being outspoken and blunt!  Many of the girls want to completely change how they look and act, but she has the self-esteem to stay true to herself!

Aspen aggravates me.  He is portrayed as such a nice guy in the beginning of the book.  However, he leaves America high and dry when, knowing he is hungry, she gives him food she has prepared.  Then he begs her to take him back when he shows up at the palace!  What a jerk!  I really want to like him, but I just can’t!  On the other hand, I did not originally like  Maxon, but I could not resist his charm!  He is so well-mannered, polite, and thoughtful--a real prince, through and through!

Some of the other girls in the competition are likable, while others are so catty and cutthroat.  This is so similar to teenage girls in today’s world—what a contrast in personalities!  And what about that love triangle!???!!!!  Who will Maxon choose, and who will America choose?  We will have to wait until the next book in the series to find out more!

I have read that the television rights to the book have been bought by the CW Network, and they are working on the pilot.  I’m anxious to see how true they stay to the book!

I recommend this delightful book to middle school, high school, and public libraries! 

Shusterman, Neal.  Unwholly.  Simon & Schuster, 2012.

In this highly-anticipated sequel to Unwind, organ procurement has become a very lucrative business.  There is a black market for organs, and a new group, Proactive Citizenry, has released pro-unwinding public service announcements.  This same group has a new creation, a being completely made up of all unwound parts.  Camus Composite Prime, or “Cam”, has been schooled, cultured, and unveiled to the world as the “greatest hope” of the human race.

Connor, Risa, and Lev, are survivors of the Happy Jack Harvest Camp disaster.  Most of the world thinks Connor Lassiter, the “Akron AWOL”, is dead, but he is actually now running the airplane graveyard for AWOLs.  Additionally, AWOLS from the graveyard are carrying out secret rescue operations for teens scheduled to be taken to Harvest Camps.

Risa Ward, now confined to a wheelchair, is also at the AWOL graveyard, working and living in the infirmary jet, helping AWOL kids who have minor injuries.

Lev Calder, “the clapper who didn’t clap”, has been sentenced to house arrest and has a tracking device imbedded in his shoulder.  He must perform community service until he reaches age eighteen and can never publicly speak about unwinding.  He has not contacted either Connor or Risa, for fear of them being exposed.

New characters have made an appearance.  Miracolina is conceived and raised in order to save her brother, is dying from leukemia.  Her parents have decided to tithe her in their repayment to God for letting her cure her brother.  Starkey, a stork, has escaped from his unwinding order and killed a Juvey Cop.  He is now AWOL and in hiding, moving from place to place.  He is a survivor who craves and thrives on control and power.

Nelson, who got shot by his own tranquilizer gun by Connor in Unwind, is no longer a Juvey-Cop.  He now supplies black market harvesters with kids in exchange for cash and for the kids’ eyes.  But when it comes to Connor, he is out for revenge and wants more than just his eyes.

Proactive Citizenry is hiding deep, dark secrets, and Starkey’s stay at the airplane graveyard ey-causes the future of the AWOLS there to be in jeopardy.  Risa has an unplanned rendezvous with Cam, and Lev tries to help Miracolina.  The book comes to an exciting conclusion, leading to the final installment, Unbroken.

Neal Shusterman has again displayed his skills as a fabulous storyteller.  The way he weaves the characters’ stories and the book’s plot together is both extremely deft and masterful.  Characters from Unwind become even more developed and other complex characters are introduced.

The creation of Cam is an intriguing, creepy idea.  The scenes where he is relearning to talk and think are funny and creative.  I love the way that clichés, metaphors, and similes are thrown into the dialogue when Cam cannot come up with the right words to vocalize his feelings.  Likewise, I like the way the personalities from his many unwound parts invade his thoughts and startle him.  While Cam initially comes across as a villain, readers will find he has a softer side to him.

Starkey’s portrayal as a sneaky, passive-aggressive bad-boy was very smart.  He is given the ability to gain others’ confidence and use that to his advantage.  Additionally, Nelson, who is already despicable, becomes even more so.  I like that although he is seeking revenge, it is Lev and Connor who actually get their revenge on him, instead.

The book is organized into parts, namely Violations, Whollies, Windows of the Soul, Leviathan, Matters of Necessity, Fight or Flight, and Landings.  Within each of those parts, there are eighty-four chapters, each identified by a main character’s name.  A helpful addition to the book is a glossary located in the front of the book, which gives readers a look back into Unwind.  The glossary is actually an answer and question section based on the “Carnac the Magnificent” segments from the old Johnny Carson “Tonight Show”. 

Readers will not be disappointed in Unwholly.  Just like Unwound, it is a real page turner!  It is scheduled for release on August 28, 2012.   I highly recommend it for middle school, high school, and public libraries.