The One by Kiera Cass

The One is the third book in the Selection series.  America Singer is still in the running to be queen and married to Prince Maxon. There are six girls left, and one of them will be chosen to help rule the country.

There is a lot of unrest in the country.  There are uprisings in the North and the South, and sometimes intruders break into the palace, wreak havoc, and sometimes kill before they are stopped.  There are those who would choose to kill the king and his family, along with the ladies who were final choices to be Maxon's wife.

America also isn't sure she loves Maxon enough to become his wife.  She loves him, she thinks, but she also knows that the job comes with the marriage.  She also knows there needs to be sweeping changes in the country, but she knows the current administration will not allow these changes to take place.

There is also Aspen.  Aspen, the king's guard who is America's first love.  Aspen, the king's guard who is also assigned to guard America.  Who does America really love, and was she ever in love with Aspen?

These books are quick reads, and even though there are times I would like to shake America, I did enjoy the escape to another kingdom.  

The Fate of the Tearling by Erica Johansen

I honestly didn't want it to end. I didn't want it to end because I really felt like the author had an important message for all of us, and I wanted to make sure I didn't miss a thing.  I devoured the first two books, and I have been impatiently waiting for the third and final book in the series. The Fate of the Tearling is the third book in the Tearling series.

 William Tear has found an opening to another world - a better world where there will be no walls, hunger, controlling religion, or violence.  He and several thousand chosen people sail to the new world to begin a new life without technology and the modern conveniences we are used to.  Fast forward to Kelsea, the Raleigh queen who must try to save the Tear kingdom and everything that William tried to create.

The story opens with Kelsea in the clutches of the evil Red Queen.  The Red Queen also has the powerful sapphires that were part of Kelsea's power.  Kelsea's kingdom is rapidly crumbling, and she feels powerless to save herself or her kingdom.

I dreamed about this book, and at one point, I was trying to figure out a solution for Kelsea in my sleep.  In my waking hours, I thought a lot about what the author was trying to tell me as a reader.  Here is one of the quotes that made me stop and re-read the passage at least twice. "Entire countries would close their borders and build walls to keep out phantom threats. Can you imagine?" Sadly, I can imagine and realize that this is my reality.  

The author also speaks about organized religion and how we have somehow lost the true meaning of what church is meant to be.  Too often our churches spew hatred and tell people what and how to think.  "Sometimes I think: if they want to walk around armed and build fences and let a church tell them what to do, let them wallow in it. They can build their own town of closed thinking, and live there, and find out later what a sh**** place it really is." 

Will Good win over Evil?  Can one person save the kingdom from the darkness of humanity? Take the time to read the Tearling series, but also take the time to delve deeper into the author's message.