First of all I am going to apologize to all the fans of the series for what I am about to say in my review. I know you must have loved it but forgive me for I am not that impressed with the book.

I know the series has gone on to become famous and have lots of fan following but somehow I am failing to see the reason behind all the hype about this book. I guess Selection is what you get if you pageant-ize hunger games.

Katniss Everdeen + beauty pageant = Selection (my math teacher would be so proud today)

While hunger games was a little more rough, exhilarating and filled with adrenaline rush, selection is powdered with rouge and wrapped in delicate gowns, shimmering so much that you need protective glasses to prevent from going blind but then all this is not to say that the book was bad.

Selection, for me was a wrap up of everything I have read so far in young adult sans any paranormal elements.

How? Well let me try without giving away any spoilers

Heroin: I am a very Hard working girl,  I am also very benevolent, fighter for the rights of the suppressed,  I don’t go for make up, I will not drool over a boy that millions swoon over, I am good to the poor, I am very grounded yet will insult and be rude to “that guy” ..just because I can, I am the prettiest of all but I will not admit that, clear concise (well according to her but not necessarily to the readers ) and I can go on and on…. So you basically get the point.  It is your usual goody two shoes, Barbie reincarnation.

Hero: gentle, well mannered, kind, attractive enough to make women faint at his mere site,  even in the middle of the night will woke up looking like a model. Will fall for the only girl who does not drool for him and insults him. Will agree to do anything for the honor of the girl, absolutely adores kids and his mother, will standby to catch in case the girl trips or faints (after all when will those muscles come to use)

Now add in another angle: A triangle. The other guy whose main purpose is to fight for the girl till he dies or the author decides… “That’s it !!!… Off with his head”

So you see my problem here. Selection is a combination of everything read and heard so far. You might argue that the plot line is different..but then is it ? is it that different?

I am not boasting when I say that right from the beginning I knew what was going to happen in fact not having read the second book yet, I still can predict what is going to happen. I fell that even the word predictable is shouting predictable at this book. But apart from that Selection is a smooth ride and pretty quick read too. It is simple and fast and has good narration.

Though selection is not a bad book, the problem I had with it was only that it was too cliché, predictable from the very first page. Everything seemed to be your typical plotline and character. Though in theory everything is proportional and good, the books does not bring something new to the genre but apart from that if you are a lover of the dystopian, young adult genre then this is a good book with fluid narration and fast pace. I think the word simple defines it much more. No complications in the characters or the plot. Just a smooth read like a good bedtime story

So, this was (and may possibly still be) FREE on Amazon UK. I don't usually bother with authors who've been involved with internet shenanigans, but, yannow, free. It's like sticking it to the man.

I began reading it last night and honestly - it's amazing. I'm waiting to find out it started life as Hungar Games fanfic because it mirrors that book so closely.

It's everything which is bad about YA (flat writing, characters whose live revolve around teh romance, the MC is the centre of all activity and they alone can fix their family's problems), plus everything which is bad about teenage girls in general (a desire to be constantly told you're the most beautiful/popular/desired person in the room while absolutely, genuinely feeling like you're not because humility makes you even more attractive).

It is hilariously bad. Honestly, it's appalling. Thank god I wasn't drinking anything when it mentioned King Clarkson.

BUT, it's pretty damn readable. It's like Dan Brown or James Patterson. It's like the film Supergirl. It's terrible in almost every conceivable way, but I will almost certainly have had it read by tomorrow.

If you've never understood why people write gif reviews, read this. Words cannot do it justice.

Kiera Cass, author of the best-selling novel The Selection and The Elite, is going to the Philippines for two book-signing events, courtesy of National Book Store. It's going to be held in two locations -- Manila and Cebu on August 3 and August 4 respectively.

For the Manila stop, it is going to be at the National Bookstore branch in Glorietta 1, Makati. The event starts at 4pm but registration starts at 10am. While, for the Cebu stop, it's going to be held at the Ayala Center Cebu Activity Center by 3pm. Registration starts by 12noon.

You may RSVP in the Facebook event page.

Who else is going? :D