The Guard (The Selection #2.5) by Kiera Cass - Ashley's Review

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Title:  The Guard (The Selection #2.5)
Author: Kiera Cass
Year Published: 2014

My The Elite (#2) Review
My The Elite (#2) Pre-Reading
My The Selection (#1) Review
My The Selection (#1) Pre-Reading
My The Prince (#0.5) Review

Paul's The Elite (#2) Review
Paul's The Elite (#2) Pre-Reading
Paul's The Selection (#1) Review
Paul's The Prince (#0.5) Review

Synopsis: Before America Singer met Prince Maxon . . . 
Before she entered the Selection . . . 
She was in love with a boy named Aspen Leger.

Don't miss this digital original novella set in the captivating world of Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection trilogy. This brand new 64-page story begins just after the group of Selected girls is narrowed down to the Elite and is told from Aspen's point of view. The Guard also features a teaser to The One, the thrilling conclusion to The Selection trilogy

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Review: So, if I'm being totally honest... Aspen Leger is not who I think America should end up with. He broke her heart, and then he decides that was a mistake and now he's at the palace and hes probably going to get America into trouble by sneaking around with her. Sure, he says it's because he loves her... but he's been kind of a real jerk and I wouldn't be as quick to forgive as America.

Now that that's out of the way, I actually did enjoy this story. I liked being able to get into Aspen's head and to see what he thinks of this whole Selection thing. Also, to see his thoughts about America and how he really does love her. He's really an interesting character and probably has a lot more going on for him than I want to give him credit for. He also cares about his friends and family, and often goes out of the way to make sure everyone is taken care of. 

Maybe because I'm disinclined to be Team Aspen, but one thing that still really bothers me about his character is how he's so concerned with how the Selection might change America. I mean, I can totally understand that he doesn't want her to become some snotty brat like Celeste, but I wish he would understand that maybe change isn't a bad thing. She's never going to be the same girl from the treehouse. And also, she might fall in love with someone else. I know that he keeps telling her that he'll only ever love her... which I guess is sweet if you're Team Aspen, but it just annoys me now.

I digress. Seeing some of the events from The Elite from the perspective of one of the guards adds a whole new depth to the story that wasn't there before. If you've read the rest of the series, and The Prince, I definitely recommend giving this story a read! Even if, like me, you're 100% Team Maxon (even though he has his flaws too). I don't think Aspen gets enough screen time in the main series (although I'm glad he doesn't take away from Maxon Time), and I'm glad we got to see more of him and how caring he really is. 4/5!

--Ashley

Phoenix Overture (Newsoul #2.5) by Jodi Meadows - Paul's Review

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Title: Phoenix Overture (Newsoul #2.5)
Author: Jodi Meadows
Year Published: 2013

My REVIEW of Incarnate
My REVIEW of Asunder
Ashley's REVIEW of Incarnate
Ashley's REVIEW of Asunder

Synopsis: This breathtaking and lyrical novella captures a thrilling and momentous decision for a young man and the people he loves. Told from the perspective of Sam, the sensitive musician from Jodi Meadows’s Incarnate series, lifetimes before he meets Ana, Phoenix Overture is a story of love and loss, strength and courage, and facing the consequences of the hardest of decisions.

Phoenix Overture offers existing fans a deeper insight into a favorite character and the intriguing history of Heart, while new readers will find a stunning introduction to this rich world and the romantic, captivating fantasy of the Incarnate series.

In the wilds around the Community where Sam and his family have taken shelter, life is dangerous. Dragons, trolls, centaurs, and other monsters fill the world. The word comes from the council that everyone must leave and journey to rescue their leader, Janan, who has been abducted by a mysterious new enemy in the north. Faced with overwhelming threats that bring death and destruction, Sam and the others reach the northern Range and, reunited with Janan, are given an unimaginable opportunity. Although it would give them the privilege to live and learn and love without fear, the choice is not without its own dire consequences. And lives—though not theirs—are sure to be lost. Just how much are they willing to give up to save themselves?

HarperTeen Impulse is a digital imprint focused on young adult short stories and novellas, with new releases the first Tuesday of each month.


Review: I didn't know what to expect with this novella. I was kind of hoping for a bunch of stories from Sam's perspective of him living and dying as different bodies in different lives. That's not what this story is. It is the story of how everything came to be the way it is. 

The Cataclysm happened two generations ago and there are not many humans alive. They struggle to survive in a strange new world. 

The Sam everyone loves from Incarnate and Asunder is present, just beginning his love of music. Stef also is starting his work as an inventor. 

I liked seeing Sam before everything happened. Reading this made me want to reread the first two books before Infinite's release. There are so many questions I have that I hope are answered in the final book.

If you've read Incarnate and Asunder, you should definitely read this. I still want a novella compiling the dragon deaths of Sam, though. I give this novella a 4/5.

-PAUL

A Dawn Most Wicked (Something Strange and Deadly #0.5) by Susan Dennard - Ashley's Review

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Title: A Dawn Most Wicked
Author: Susan Dennard
Year Published: 2013

My Something Strange and Deadly Review

Synopsis: Daniel Sheridan is an engineer’s apprentice on a haunted Mississippi steamer known as the Sadie Queen. His best friend – the apprentice pilot, Cassidy Cochran – also happens to be the girl he’s pining for … and the captain’s daughter. But when it looks like the Sadie Queen might get taken off the river, Daniel and Cassidy have to do whatever they can to stop the ghosts that plague the ship.

Fortunately, there happens to be a Creole gentleman on board by the name of Joseph Boyer – and he just might be able to help them…

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Review: I loved Daniel in Something Strange and Deadly, and was so stoked to find out that there was going to be a novella about his past. I mean, it's about the girl before Eleanor, but still, it's all about Daniel! I especially liked that it's written as a flashback - we start and end in Eleanor's hospital room at the end of the events of Something Strange and Deadly. I thought it was really neat how the two stories and the two girls are tied together. 

I also really enjoyed seeing how the Spirit Hunters become a group. I mean, we know that they all meet at the same time, but we don't know much about how or why they end up together. And even though this is Daniel's story, we still get a glimpse into Jie's and Joseph's past. It just adds so much more to those characters, and I love when we learn back stories for minor characters. 

The story itself is also really intriguing. A haunted Mississippi steam boat? I had so many questions going into it about why it was haunted and how it came to be that way, and how in the world Joseph would help Cassidy and Daniel (although I already had a pretty good idea about that last one). Plus, why did Daniel leave the ship anyway? All of these questions and more are answered! I don't want to ruin it for you, so you should definitely just go read it yourself. I read this all in one sitting and didn't want to put it down until I reached the end. It's pretty fast paced and attention grabbing.

I would totally recommend this to anyone who has read Something Strange and Deadly and is anxiously awaiting A Darkness Strange and Lovely. And if you haven't read Something Strange and Deadly you should go do that ASAP! Especially if you like books about zombies and steampunk and romance and just really like a good book. You won't be disappointed. A 5/5 for this novella! I can't wait for the next book to come out in July!

--Ashley

The Prince (Selection #0.5) by Kiera Cass - Ashley's Review

Title: The Prince
Author: Kiera Cass 
Year Published: 2013

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Synopsis: Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection...

Before Aspen broke America's heart...

There was another girl in Prince Maxon's life...

Don't miss this thrilling 128-page original novella set in the world of the New York Times bestselling novel The Selection. Also features a teaser to The Elite, Kiera Cass's hotly anticipated sequel to The Selection.

Review: I totally expected this to be a romance story between Maxon and some other girl. What I got was a retelling of The Selection (and a few events leading up to it) told from Maxon's perspective. Which was totally fine with me, don't get me wrong. But don't go into this thinking you're going to learn about a completely hidden side of Maxon.

Although this wasn't what I expected, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked that we finally got to see things from Maxon's point of view, and that we got to find out what he really thought of America and her yelling at him on the first night she was in the palace. And I think it just made me like him even more, if that's even possible. Still 100% Team Maxon. 

I read this before I devoured The Elite, and I think that really helped. Not that there's anything that's super important that you HAVE to know before reading The Elite, but it just helped refresh my memory since I read The Selection so long ago. I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed the other two books in Kiera Cass' series, or to anyone who would be interested in reading them. And especially if you like kings, queens, princes, princesses, and things like "The Bachelor." I don't like "The Bachelor," but the rest of the story is enough to make it feel so much different from that awful TV show. 

I would give this story a 3/5, and I hope we get more stories from Maxon in the future!


--Ashley