The Heir

The narrator's sharp breaths drove me crazy, and I didn't love the sound quality even on higher download size.

She's spoiled and obnoxious. I get that it's the point. I'm sure she will develop beautifully into an amazing person. But it's hard, after three books of investing in her parents, not to be angry throughout the book at what a terrible job the did with their daughter and country. She has fundamental flaws that were her mother's strengths. So I'm not just disappointed by this book, I'm retroactively disappointed in the others as well. There are several parts that are blatantly manipulative. Feel the feels now, readers.

Overall this was just really boring – nothing actually happens until the end which was disappointing. I did like all the ‘Selected’ guys but I did not like princess Eadlyn. This had so much potential but just couldn’t live up to the previous books. I will most likely continue with this series as I am hopeful it will get better.

The story is a great addition to the selection series but I had a hard time with the narrator. She actually does quite well except for her breathing. I cringed at the end of almost every sentence in the book because the narrator takes a big loud breath after each. It is something that most people probably won't notice but if you are sensitive to things like that like I am then it will drive you insane. I almost couldn't keep listening after a few minutes into it. If the breathing thing doesn't bother you then other than that the narrator does a great job and the story is entertaining. Can't wait for the next one!

It was a hard book to read, and even harder to listen. There is no exciting story like the series before. The main character is impossible to relate too and the situation is plain boring. No real exciting plot twist and the book ends with no new idea who she will pick or anything really valuable to have happened. Save your money.

SAVE YOUR MONEY/CREDIT! Reviews aren't something I normally write, that said, I had to write something about this 4th installment of a series I'd grown to love. I was entirely disappointed in this book. One, the princess is horrible, how we go from two loveable characters to ... her ... is beyond me. The same story but years later. It's just not my cup of tea, been there done that. The start of the first book had a Queen Esther meets Hunger Games (Minus the death) feel to it as it was but then to redo the entire thing in the newest book? And then the ending ... Do NOT get me started on that! For those who haven't read it I will not give a spoiler just in case you do waste your money/credit on this but you'll be pissed. I will not buy the next one. Ms. Cass lost my business. You do not do that to a beloved character. Period. The end.

P.S. Your selection men are not loveable enough to hold the story either and having your main character attacked? Bad form since you have her bounce right back. Yeah right.

this was a terrible ending to a good series. the story was poorly written and the narrator sucked. very disappointed!

This story was as good as the ones we all love from the Selection series! I can easily feel for this character, she is stubborn like her mother, but rich and entitled like her father was. I get her motivations and can feel her frustration and pain. She also has been sheltered her whole life and through the selection gets to see that many of her suitors didn't grow up with the same privileges as she did! I enjoyed following her on this journey and seeing her grow up in a way she never knew she could or would. If you consider yourself to have empathy, even for a fictitious character, then you will love this story too!

The print version was better on this one. Brittany gasps for air noisily in the gaps between sentences. Became an irritant ..

Just seeing the princess grow. From spoiled arrogant snob, to smiling cracking facade.

I liked all of the performance barring the gasping fish noises.

No not really. It's a slow build up.

Keep reading the series. I think we are in for twists and fun.

Things happened, although slowly and with less excitement than usual. The new storyline is fun, but we don't really learn much about America and Maxons daughter, so I couldn't picture her or get a feel for her personality very well, which would have brought her to life. The parts of her personality that you do learn aren't very lovable or appealing and you wait the whole book for her to redeem herself, and it never really happens. We wait all book to figure out the answers to some questions, like why does she hold back so much from love, what scares her, and why in the world is she so selfish, but we never get answers. It's also disappointing that she knows basically nothing about her parents, and SPOILER, it's sort of sad to learn that Maxon and America basically utterly failed in their mission to restore peace and prosperity with the elimination of the caste system. I kept waiting for something great, or positive, or just exciting to happen, and when something exciting (but definitely not positive) finally happened, the book ended. I loved the other books, but this one fell a little short for me.

STORY (romance) - If you're a newbie to The Selection series, welcome to one of my favorites! If you like The Bachelorette TV show, you will probably like these books. The competitors are younger and the story takes place in a future dystopian society, but otherwise the processes are very similar. As background, Books 1-3 are about Prince Maxon's selection where he choses America Singer to be his future queen. This is Book 4, The Heir, which begins the selection where their daughter, Princess Eadlyn, will chose her future king. So this book is good, but I think the first three were all much better. At the conclusion of this book, I can honestly say I'm not crazy about any of the guys Eadlyn will be chosing from. I have a hint how things might end up, but I'm going to have to wait till Book 5 (The Crown) to see if I'm right. Eadlyn herself is kind of stuck-up and entitled, but she's not unlikeable. She begins to see her flaws and wants to work on them. At the same time, she doesn't really want to go through the selection process and sometimes acts in a way to "turn off" the guys in the competition, making it difficult to tell what is real and what is not. All in all, this book isn't as romantic and sweet as the first three, but I suspect things will change in The Crown, which has just become available today!

PERFORMANCE - I enjoyed Amy Rubinate's performance of Books 1-3, but I like Brittany Pressley, who does this book, more. She does a better job of distinquishing between characters and performing male voices for the guys.

OVERALL - As I said, this is the first book of Eadlyn's selection process, so it DOES NOT stand alone. If you want to find out who she selects and if she changes into a beloved queen, you will have to listen to The Crown. There is no sex, cursing or violence. Hopefully The Crown will shift into high gear and have the romance, twists and turns of the first three books. If you're not already a fan, I'd recommend you skip this book and start with Book 1, The Selection. If you liked the first three books, well, you won't be able to keep yourself away from this one either.