Book Review- The Selection

I just finished reading The Selection by Kiera Cass for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
 
Okay, I'm going to be honest right up front.  I love The Bachelor tv show.  Yup, it's horrible, but I do!  I love the drama and the catty girls but still have hope that love with work out in the end (yeah, I know the probability is low....oh and I can't stand Ben this season.  Yuck!)  Anyways, when I read the summary, I immediately thought of the tv show and knew that I HAD to read it.  And I'm so glad it did!
 
It read just like a reality love show, yet set in a different time.  I'm not quite sure if it's considered dystopian, but it's set in the future after wars and the country now has another name and a king.  But the whole aspect of drama and catty girls and the hope that love works out in the end is still there.
 
I love, love, LOVED America!  Fiesty and funny and honest (well, most of the time).  So down to earth and always keeping herself real.  And I found that I liked Maxon too.  He turned out not to be so stuffy and a pretty sweet guy.  But Aspen, the guy from back home and America's ex--I didn't care for him too much.  I didn't really get what America saw in him.
 
The whole book had me so enthralled.  No, it's not deep or anything.  But oh my!  I was just hooked! I really thought this was going to be my first "5" rating of the year (or only since I've only had one in each of the past two years) but unfortunately, something happens towards the end that I didn't like.  I get that yes, it's needed for the story line but I would have been perfectly happy with this scenario not happening at all and for the book to end like I hoped it would.  But my rating didn't drop too far.  The last page says that it's the end of Book One, but I can't find anything about the second book which makes me think that it's not coming out for a while and that makes me sad because I don't want to wait!  I want to read it NOW!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.
 
The Selection will be released on April 24, 2012.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 15
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 13
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 13
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.