The third and final installment of America's whirlwind of a story wraps up all of the action and romance in a truly beautiful manner. The complicated relationship between Maxon Schreave, the future king, and America Singer, one of the Selection's Elite, is intricately written and displayed for readers to swoon and sigh, as well as cringe, at. While the tensions of their situation nearly broke my heart in more than one instance, I was truly on the edge of my seat, invested in the love that the couple was unable to admit until all odds had been tested. The writing style of this novel adds to the beautiful romance depicted. America is a well-rounded, spunky, brave character full of what I think most girls want to see in themselves. And Maxon, well, Maxon is the epitome of a dreamy prince. You really can't go wrong with this series! I highly recommend it to any fantasy-lover. If you have not already read The Selection or The Elite, do so before picking this one up. You won't regret it!

Some of my favorite quotes from The One:

"Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway."

"Bravery hides in amazing places."

"You are not the world, but you are everything that makes the world good."

"When you love someone, you sacrifice."

"This isn't happily ever after. It's so much more than that."

After a lot of preparation and hard work, I am so proud to be able to say that my dad wrote a book! After his twenty plus years in the field of education, my father has more than enough experience to fill just one book. Through the power of vivid storytelling, he decided to highlight on the various lessons he has learned over these years in the classroom as a teacher as well as an assistant and head principal.  I enjoyed it reading my dad's handiwork very much. Holding a copy of his finished product in my hand inspires me even more to one day publish my own book. Through eleven chapters, my dad focuses on the power that all educators have in their field to harness the influence they have over not only students but the other adults around them. His stories range from humorous to bittersweet to awkward, but never cease to possess facets of knowledge from which to absorb and take into account. Even though I am certainly not a teacher or administrator, the lessons and values he describe can be put towards all aspects of life and help deepen our communication skills. Again and again, I will say how proud I am of my father's amazing accomplishment. This was truly an enjoyable read!

 I can honestly say that I have picked up and set aside this book a number of times since it was gifted to me. I think I now understand why that seems to be. I read completely through this book while in the midst of a certain season. That season has to do with the loneliness the title describes. I was dealing with crippling rejection and felt God calling me to tuck myself into the pages of this book for the comfort and answers I was seeking. So I took its bound pages off of the shelf and into temporary residence on my nightstand. This book is incredibly profound. Not only is its author an  extremely talented wordsmith, but her wisdom is incomparable to any other Christian author I have read thus far. Her ability to write as if naturally engaging in conversation pierces deep and dark parts of the heart that, for me at least, needed to be touched. Her humorous and relatable stories add to the effectiveness of her main message: the Lord is the one who is able to offer the love and healing our souls crave amidst the rejection we inevitably face. As I already said, I found myself drawn to this book in the middle of my cloud of rejection. But I would just as quickly recommend it to a friend on the mountain as one in the valley. Its raw beauty and intrigue is food for the soul and incredibly insightful. It's truly helped me alter my perspective and start trusting the Lord with the matters of my heart even more so than before the rejection I faced.

Some of my favorite quotes from this book (it was so hard to choose; this book is chock-full of them!):

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"Things of this world all eventually reveal what incapable anchors they really are."

"And since I'm so very aware of my own need for grace, I must be willing to freely give it away."

"A woman's eyes often hold conversations within their stare."

"Believing God has purposed our days will save us from the trouble of stepping into plans that aren't meant for us."

"Wisdom makes decisions today that will still be good for tomorrow."

"Lies flee in the presence of truth."

"Inspiration and information without personal application will never amount to transformation."

"We must feel the pain to heal the pain."

 The Selection series proves to continue an exciting story of political unrest and love in its second addition, The Elite. America is still in the running as one of Prince Maxon's potential brides, but she is drawing closer and closer to having to decide if she can truly let herself love him as he loves her, or turn to her first love and embrace a completely different kind of life. The state of the character's nation, Illea, is seen to have more expanded dangers that play into the complicated romance of the prince and the Selected. All in all, I greatly enjoy the fantasy of these books as well as the realistic portrayal of divisions and complications in relationships. The story continually keeps its readers on the edge of their seats in regards to America's relations to the prince and her place in the disillusioned palace. I recommend that fans of The Selection continue the series with this second addition.

Some of my favorite quotes from The Elite:
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"Love is beautiful fear."

"Sometimes I feel like we're a knot, too tangled to be taken apart."

"We danced. Remember? I was so proud to have you there, in my arms, in front of other people. Even if you did look like you were having a seizure."