Keeper's Book Reviews: Mini Review: The Guard (The Selection #2.5) by Kiera Cass

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.

~Owned as eBook; 64 pages~

Even before I picked up this book I knew that it was based mainly on Aspen, so I don't know why it came as such a shock to me when I started reading. Maybe it was the force of how hard Kiera was trying to push Aspen on us and make us like him. Or maybe it was just because my hatred of Aspen was toned down because I didn't see him in a while and then it flared up again when we met once more. Or maybe it was just because this novella truly wasn't good. Whatever it was, I didn't like it, and I hope that America makes the right decision in the next book (psst...look at my 'My Dream Team' widget in the sidebar), because if she doesn't, I swear that I will unfriend her and this series then and there.

Besides Aspen's unappealing personality, there were two things that made this book suck a bit. The first is that by getting into Aspen's mind, I kind of started feeling for him, which got me kind of mad at Kiera for forcing me to understand his point of view. So he was trying to sacrifice himself in order to make America's life better. I guess I didn't remember that part about the big breakup. But honestly, at this point, all I can say is good for him. That was his choice, and he has no right to assume that America will choose him. Which he doesn't. But still, he's a hateable character. And I do have a new plausible reason for not liking the guy as well. Whenever Aspen saw America with Maxon after (The Elite SPOILER ALERT) the whole whipping debacle concerning America's friend Marlee and her lover (SPOILER OVER), Aspen seemed so sure that, like him, America would feel nothing more than disgust for the Prince. Every time he said that I just felt like smacking him. Maxon may not be perfect Aspen, but he sure is a heck of a lot better than you *humph*.

So anyways, the second reason this novella was probably so unappealing to me was that because Aspen is a guard, a large part of this book was about the King, how he did some not very good things (I'm trying to keep it vague), how Maxon would probably be a terrible prince (yup, Aspen said that), and the rebel groups. Not really my kind of book. Be that as it may, things picked up at the end of the novella, about the time America runs off into the forest with the rebels chasing after her. Why? Because that's when we get our first look at Maxon at a time America never did. His reaction to America running through the forest is something you definitely won't want to miss, even if it is only a few short pages.

Now, I know this is slightly crazy of me, but I figure you should know the lengths of how much I didn't enjoy this book. As many of you know, The Guard contains an excerpt from The One, the first two chapters from it to be specific. BUT I DIDN'T READ IT. Yes, it's true, I got so bored that I didn't even have the patience to take advantage of a TEASER. I think that should tell you something about the novella >.<