Title: The Selection Stories: The Prince & The Guard
Series: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Format: Paperback
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Two novellas set in the world of Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series are now available in print for the first time. The Prince and The Guard both offer captivating views into the hearts and minds of the two men fighting to win America Singer's love. This collection also features exclusive bonus content, including a sneak peek at The One, the eagerly anticipated third novel in the Selection series.
Before America arrived at the palace to compete in the Selection, there was another girl in Prince Maxon's life. The Prince opens the week before the Selection begins and follows Maxon through the first day of the competition.
Raised as a Six, Aspen Leger never dreamed that he would find himself living in the palace as a member of the royal guard. In The Guard, readers get an inside look at Aspen's life within the palace walls—and the truth about a guard's world that America will never know.
My Review
Okay... so we all know by now that these novellas are really just a way for authors to make more money and entertain anxious readers while other books in their series are in the pre-publication stage. I don't think this trend is going to stop any time soon, so of course, most of us try to read them to figure out some new things that are happening in the worlds of our favorite books.
This bind up of novellas from Kiera Cass' Selection world includes two short stories, The Prince and The Guard. It also includes an excerpt from The One, the third book in her Selection series. I've already read that book, and you can check out my series review for the first three novels here.
I really enjoyed The Prince, which takes place during the events of Cass' novel, The Selection. I really enjoyed getting to see Maxon's thoughts leading up until the Selection and a few days after it began. It gives the book a fresh new experience. Kiera also reveals some little details about King Clarkson and Queen Amberly that one would not know by only having read The Selection. Oh... and if you haven't read this novella, it's worth reading just to see the garden date scene from Maxon's point of view!
The Guard didn't really appeal to me, but I will admit that I did not like Aspen at all in The Selection, and those feelings of him rubbing me the wrong way have stayed with me throughout my Selection reading experience. I wouldn't call Aspen completely selfish in this story, but I did get the vibe that he was selfish, especially in the beginning of the novella. Aspen did mature a little bit in the novella, and that was nice to see, but there were parts that revealed his immaturity and rash decisions.
There's also some bonus content. I didn't bother to re-read the first three chapters from The One because I already read it, but the other stuff is nice, and gives readers a little more insight about Cass' world-building. The family tree graphics are nice, and I loved reading about each family's history, but some of the other materials, like the playlists, can be found on Cass' website.
So... my final decision... If you have an e-reader and you really want to read the stories, get them on your device and check out the other stuff online.
