I loved the Selection series and I had high hopes for this book. Though I did enjoy the story, it was definitely too long and not as gripping as previous books.

The King of Kadir was once a loving father to Annika, but he has transformed into a cold, shell of a man who is sending her off to be married to a man she neither knows or loves. Lennox is heir to the Dahrainian throne, but he feels more at home as a soldier on the front lines of a battlefield and has no desire to find a wife or fall in love. When a twist of fate throws these two together, they feel an instant connection and before long, their hearts beat for one another, but they will have to uncover secret threats and forge a new path if they want the life their hearts yearn for.

I was so excited for this one, I loved the Selection series. It wasn't baaaad....but it didn't grip me like that series. My high school readers will be a fan though.

Would you sacrifice your happiness for the wellbeing of a kingdom? This is a dilemma that hunts Annika's heart. Like any young woman her age, Annika dreams of finding love and marrying the man of her life. Dream that she puts aside until she meets Lenox. Since this is the first book that I’ve read by the author Kiera Cass, I'd started reading it with high expectations. Although, the passing of the story was kind of slow, once Annika and Lenox meet the story changes its course. I’m definitely looking forward to read the next book by Kiera Cass.

I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was an immersive fantasy land full of twists and turns. A couple who despite all odds fought to be together, rival families, so much that should have kept them apart, making their HEA that much well earned. A sweet YA read.

Steam: 1

Annika, Princess of Kadier, is in a tough spot. Her father is pushing her into an arranged marriage for political gain as there is much unrest in the kingdom. There’s a group of people who believe Kadier belongs to them and there’s rumblings up an uprising. Then there’s Lennox, a soldier, who plans to make a name for himself. He hopes to sneak into the kingdom. When he meets Annika, they are enemies at first, but slowly they realize they have more in common than not and dare I say there’s a heaping dose of chemistry, too. Despite all the potential, A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cast is a stand-alone fantasy that left a lot to be desired.

As I said, there’s so much potential in A Thousand Heartbeats, but so much of it fell flat for me. For starters, it takes quite awhile to get going. I will say things pick up eventually, but I can imagine many teens putting this one down for more engaging novels. I also didn’t find the characters to be as compelling as in her Selection series. So, all in all, this star-crossed lovers tale was a middle-of-the-road read for me and I would only recommend it to the most patient of readers.

An epic tale of star-crossed lovers who are never meant to be. Chunky but easy to read; I powered through it!

A Thousand Heartbeats was a sweet YA Fantasy Romance. I feel like the world building and character building could have been stronger and made me feel more.

<I>First, a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an eARC of this book.</I>

I was so excited for this series, I preordered a signed first edition before I had even taken a dive into the eARC.

Listen, I LOVED The Selection series. Was it trashy? Was it unoriginal? Was it filled with drama and teen angst? YES, but that is exactly what I loved about it. That series was reality TV in fantasy book form.

And I gobbled it up. I read that series so fast. And it was fun - never a dull moment. So even if the writing wasn’t great, who cares? Not the point of the series!

This book committed one of the greatest sins - it was boring and slow as hell for literally no reason. I spent the first 50% bored to tears, waiting for something to happen.

And then when it DID happen… cringey as hell. Bombastic side eye. I literally threw my kindle across the bed at the scene in the cave where the FMC decides she’s in love with the teen who killer her mother, kidnapped her, and is a boring piece of shit. And the way she was like “oh I thought I heard something outside but NO it was the sound of LOVE which is the sound of a THOUSAND HEARTBEATS” made me rage quit. I just cannot.

So even though I am DNF’ing this book at 62% I am STILL counting this as a book read because I deserve compensation for my pain and suffering.

Please do not torture yourself and read this book. I think we just need to accept that The Selection was a one hit wonder and move on.

✨✨✨ARC REVIEW✨✨✨
A Thousand Heatbeats
By: Kiera Cass
Pages: 561
Release Date:
Thank you @netgalley for giving me this ARC

This book was good but not great. This book could have been half as long and told the same story. But it was a good book and I am glad I read it. However, i was bummed I didn’t love it like I didn’t the selection series by her. However fantasy isn’t my go to genre so it is possible I was the wrong audience so please if they book is on your TBR give it a chance.

Tropes:
YA Fantasy Romance
Forbidden love
Enemies to lovers
Arranged marriage
Royalty
Soon-to-be warring countries
Polical intrigue
Found family
Swords

Trigger:
Death of Parents

Synopsis:
“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.”
Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain.
Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people.
But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart. 
Kiera Cass brings her signature sparkling romance to this beautiful story of star-crossed lovers and long-held secrets.

I didn't actually end up having time to finish this book. I do love Kiera Cass and would probably really enjoy it and I will consider purchasing it for my collection but I am not 100% sure if I will.

3.5 stars. As a HUGE fan of The Selection series, and a MS/HS librarian, I knew I had to read this book. I had a feeling it was going to be a definite add to my library's collection.

Kierra Cass does not disappoint. While this book had a bit of a slow beginning (hence the 3.5 stars versus 4), the intrigue, action, and romance kept me hooked. I loved that Annika was not a "helpless" princess, and I was rooting for her from the beginning. Lennox is such a perfect morally grey hero. The side characters added SO MUCH, and I honestly couldn't decide who was my favorite.

All my fans of The Selection will want to read this, and I can't wait to add it to the collection.

Thanks for NetGalley for the digital arc!

Kiera Cass had such a way of writing these seemingly magical worlds that have all the things I need in a YA fantasy and truly sticking to the genre and age that can be read by so many. I do think this book was on the longer side, so sometimes the story was a little bit slow. I feel like her previous books were shorter so the pace stayed up and consistent.

This was a beautiful and well-wtitten novel by the queen of YA. I always love Cass' work, and this has been no different.

What a sweet book! A lovely story of kings and queens, princes and princesses, love and hate, and redemption. Annika is princess of Kadier, while Lennox dreams, along with his people, of reclaiming their lands, Dahrain. He’s hard and dangerous, while she is beautiful, clever, and charming. The story between them is action packed and utterly romantic. While I won’t spoil it, the ending is sweet and perfect!

This book was AMAZING! I loved every part of it!


Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of this book!

This book was not for me, it felt too simplistic, the characters dealt with issues, but dealt with them like children , which isn’t for me, I’m sure others will enjoy Android won’t say much more on this.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the eARC.

I...didn't love this one. There was a lot of telling regarding the characterizations, and I found them unbelievable. For example, Lennox is supposed to be a hardened killer, but...I couldn't see it.

The plot was simplistic, the ending was conveniently tied up, and there was a part in the middle that went on forever.

Not my favorite, but still entertaining.

This book was not for me. My middle-school self would have eaten this up, so I know it has a place out there. But it just wasn’t my flavor.

The characters dealt with mature problems but had immature inner dialogue that made it hard for me to get through. I didn’t finish this book and don’t plan to, but I know there is an audience out there that would really like this book which I why I refrain from saying anything negative further.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

As a big fan of The Selection, I was so excited to receive an arc of this from NetGalley! I was sucked in from the start and binged this 14 hour audiobook in 2 days! Such a delightful ride. If you liked The Selection, you’ll enjoy this standalone epic novel of two kingdoms and forbidden love.