I really enjoyed this one. It had great world building, and the plot kept me hooked. I didn’t get bored once.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me - the premise was intriguing however the writing is very YOUNG adult, rather than skewing to an older category of young adult. Because of this writing still I didn’t relate to any of the characters and struggled to get into the story. I’m sure younger YA readers would be very engaged from this book as the writing style is good, just for a younger audience.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Review courtesy of NetGalley.

I absolutely loved this book! I thought I would try something new with this genre, and I was not disappointed! The mystery, the angst, the friendships… Amazing! There were even points I was internally screaming and kicking my feet like a little girl. So good!

The Sorted Selection is book one of Pretty Little Robots by Jerry Chisholm. With such a subdued tidal you don’t have a clue at the heart palpitating ending. Alex is at the age where it’s time for her selection to find out her career and future spouse the main frame goes through the data of your life and find the job in person you are most suited for since Alex has spent her life reading learning to fly planes and the piano she just knows she will either be a librarian pilot or a pianist but when her counselor tells her she is going to be the handmaiden to the Viscount of Strathglenn which is the royalty of Airo-aurora. This makes no sense to Alex for more than one reason the main reason is because she grew up in chorus which is like the working class of her nation and to be called to be the handmaiden and fiancé of the Viscount is mine boggling and Alex just knows there was a mistake. It doesn’t help matters when she starts working at strath Glen and she can’t seem to make a friend to save her life even her fiancé Viscount wolf is cold and standoffish the only one who even seems close it may be just a little bit over friendly is his sister Evie, Who can’t wait for the wedding. When Alex starts to ask around about the main frame making a mistake everyone tells her to keep those kinds of questions to herself that could be considered treason but when she is in the stables and finds a scroll stating just that she wonders what it could mean this will not be the last girl she finds in the more scrolls she finds the more question she has it seems strath Glenn is full of secrets and Alex is the only one who seems to want to find out what those are. She can’t figure out her fiancé and win a trip to the woods provokes a new side to him and new emotions and Alex she thinks it may change everything but when she sees him again she sees that this has changed nothing. There is so much I want to say about this book but don’t want to give anything away just know before I was even done with the sordid selection I went and downloaded the whole series the king secrets and the last book I cannot wait to find out how this story ends because of the ending to this one was any indication but I am anxious to get started this book ended with such a hard palpitating ending that left me yelling at my book like what… What… OMG I couldn’t believe what happened! Can’t wait to read the kings secret book to in the pretty little robots series. If you love alternative whirls mysteries and thrillers then you’ll definitely love this book I certainly did and I’m so down to read the rest of the series. I want to thank Wolf pack publishing and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

It was a good read, but some of it felt a little too far fetched. The romance was slow burn, which isn't my preference. But the writing style was good!

The Sordid Selection was such an interesting setup for what is sure to be a fascinating series! In the first installment, we follow Alex, who has just undergone her Selection for her career and future spouse, where she finds all of her expectations turned upside down. Rather than living in her familiar community of Quire, she is instead sent to live and work at the palace where she is engaged to the cold Viscount. Life in the palace is absurd, luxurious, and unnerving to read about. Alex discovers scrolls that point her to investigate the mystery of the Mainframe, which make decisions for everyone in Airo-Aurora. This book is perfect for fans of Matched, Divergent, or the Selection.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Jerri Chisholm, and Wolfpack Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.


3.5 stars rounded to 3 stars

Reading this book took me back to my early teenage years when I found my love for dystopian books!


“All citizens of Airo-Aurora, in our eighteenth year, undergo this very moment. Our Selection. Where the Mainframe uses all those years of data to find for us our most fitting career. The one we’re most suited to—the best possible choice for each of us. It’s described as the eternal gift of the Mainframe because it ensures contentedness for all—that and productivity. Happy citizens, happy Airo-Aurora. And now…it’s my turn.”


What to expect:

YA dystopia
Slow burn relationship
Mystery
Artificial Intelligence
Royalty
Coming of age


Trigger warnings:

Mention of death, mention of sexual activity, physical punishments, isolation, and alcohol consumption

Over all, this was a very quick read - I started and finished it within a couple of days. I was excited about the premise of this book as I am - and always have been - a BIG dystopian fan.

The book opens during a very important moment for the main character, Alex, her ‘Selection’. The day when nearly of-age citizens in the nation-state of Airo-Aurora are matched with their perfect career and spouse by an Artificial Intelligence system, the ‘Mainstream’, that has been implanted in their brain the entirety of their lives. Well - as you might assume - this doesn’t go well for her. She is not matched with any of the careers she’d envisioned and worked to learn the skills for; and, she certainly isn’t matched to wed her childhood friend. Rather, she is assigned as a handmaid to the Viscount and, also, strangely enough to wed him. The story continues on as she hopes to change the future that’s been set out for her and she begins to slowly uncover more information against the system that is meant to provide happiness and stability for the country’s citizens.

The viscount, Wolfe, seems to be just as displeased with the match - paying her very little attention and being cold towards her when he does interact with her. It’s a slow, slow, slooooow burn to the point where I don’t think it even classifies as a slow burn romance. YET.

Whilst I did enjoy reading this, I think it had the potential to be so much more. Aside from not being happy with her match in career and spouse, I don’t feel like the main character had enough development to really connect with her. I do feel that there will be more of this in the next book as she seemed to have a more layered personality I the latter half of the book.

When it comes to dystopian and/or sci-fi books, world building really is key for full immersion. I personally don’t feel that there was enough attention given to the world building. I am glad that it didn’t feel like constant info-dumping but, I kept wanting more information on how the society works in the overall aspect but, also in the day to day. I wanted to more about how the chips actually work - especially in regard to when they are implanted. It is it a procedure done during puberty? During infancy?

The cliffhanger wasn’t jaw-droppingly shocking but, I do think the last chapters were brilliant.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something similar to books from the days when YA dystopian books ruled.

I love a good dystopia, and this book didn't disappoint. Don't think for a second that it's any less amazing because it's YA.

I'm a little conflicted by this book. I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did.
The beginning of the book started off very inviting and engaging. I was eager to see who Alex got matched with as well as her future career. It was very evident that this would be a book about a girl who gets matched for a future that she is not excited about and believes she was matched in error, hence the search for the corruptness in the "Mainstream".

As the book progressed, I felt it was very drawn out and slow-paced. There were multiple times where I was like OMG just give us more information already. The characters were all kind of annoying and I don't feel like there was much character building. I really didn't feel connected with any of them and that's rare for me. Normally I love at least one character in a book. I wanted more from the connection between Alex and Wolfe too. I felt like the moments where too short and it was hard to see their development.

The ending of the book left off with a major cliffhanger, but it was pretty evident that Wolfe is trying to save Alex as he specifically says to put her total trust in him. I enjoyed the cliffhanger and it definitely makes me want to read the second book because now i'm like.... well... I have to know what happens. LOL. But I did feel like the book ended pretty abruptly with still no answers. Hopefully the second book will dive deeper into the Mainstream and the King's role in everything as well.

Also, just a random thought... is anyone else confused by the apple cores?!?! WTH. Hopefully this will be explained in the second book. Just so many unanswered questions without any closure. But maybe this was the author's goal to entice people to read the second book, because now I definitely will.

As always, thank you to NetGalley, WolfPack Publishing, and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a mystery from start to finish. Alex is quite the detective and you can’t help but relate to her character. She always figures one thing out but it leads to more questions and the mystery kept on going. I honestly did not want the book to end and I am ready to read the next one! I do also love how wolfes character develops over time, yet he is still a mystery. I was not expecting that cliffhanger at the end. I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy suspense.

Thank you to Wolfpack Publishing and NetGalley for this E-ARC. These are my own opinions.

The synopsis of this book had me hooked. In reading this it made me think of our society today and how much we rely on technology. How much is in the cloud? It is a scary thought that this is could be a possibility in the future of our society.
Alex, our FMC, was relatable and you couldn't help but root for her. The palace confused me. All of the different names for different rooms were like city names. It took me a while to realize they were just rooms.
I found the "Royal" family to be a bunch of snotty, whiney crazies. The were so many secrets and lies circulating it was hard to tell who you should really trust. Any interaction Alex had with King made my blood boil. I, of course, looked around for the Bluecoats and the man in white. None were seen. Phew.
The love connection between Wolfe and Alex is definitely slow. I went back and forth on whether or not I should trust him or not.
I was really confused about the apple cores. I am hoping that this will be resolved in the next two books.
I loved how the author ended this book on a cliffhanger. It made me want to know MORE. I will be going and getting the next two books in this series.

I only read halfway through this book.
I would've loved this book when I was a teenager. The premise is interesting and the pacing is fast.

If you're an adult who likes to occasionally read YA this probably isn't for you. It just feels like it's lacking a little depth which is fair enough considering I'm not the target audience

“The Sordid Selection” by Jerri Chisholm:

In this dystopian novel, the journey of Alex Egelton, a girl who's eagerly stepping into the career she's meticulously prepared for her entire life. Her anticipation for the future includes the expectation of a particular husband and job, but the outcome delivered by the mainframe computer shakes her to the core.

Set in the nation of Airo-Aurora, this society operates without the concept of free will when it comes to life plans. Every decision for the entire country is dictated by artificial intelligence and data-collecting microchips that surveil and analyze citizens' emotions, visuals, and audio once they reach adulthood. Even the slightest emotional disturbance can summon the Bluecoats, the law enforcement of this highly controlled society.

Alex's unexpected results from the mainframe propel her from a tranquil existence into the role of a handmaid for her now-fiancé, the Viscount Wolfe. As she navigates her new reality, doubts begin to creep in. Is the all-knowing mainframe truly infallible, or are there hidden glitches in the system?

I've rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. As a fan of dystopian literature, it stands out as a addition to the genre. One of its strongest aspects is the well-developed relationship between Alex and Wolfe, which is vivid and easy to envision.

My only wish is that the book was longer to have more Alex and Wolfe content. The incorporation of artificial intelligence and its implications for society resonates with contemporary discussions about AI's growing influence, adding depth to the story. I cannot wait until the next book in this series.

2.5 stars

“ℐ 𝓌𝑜𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝒻 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝑒𝒹𝑜𝓂, 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝑒 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝑒𝒹𝑜𝓂, 𝒾𝓈 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓅𝑜𝓈𝓈𝒾𝒷𝓁𝑒.”

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬.

I have such a mixed feeling towards this book it’s insane! Some good and some bad as well…

I’m in shock and so so confused by how this book ended… like I never saw that coming!? And of course it ended on a cliffhanger. I thought I’m not going to read the second book but this ending definitely changed that thought in me instantly.

In the beginning of the book I really had an amazing time, this is the kind of book that I would absolutely love and still I’m so conflicted with my feelings. It took me a month to read this 350 pages long book which is absolutely insane, it shouldn’t took me that long! And when I picked it back up to read more of this a few days ago I realized that this book is moving so slow, like things happened but I didn’t felt they were important enough. The story was mysterious and I wanted to finish it and I’m very happy I pushed it through because now I am speechless about the ending. And want to know what is happening!

I would say that I recommend this book but keep in mind that the story is very slow paced. But now I’m so intrigued!

Thank you to @netgalley for providing me an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great read. Not a dull part in this book; I just wished that I had known it was the first in a series.

I really liked this book! I could feel Alex's frustration with her situation. And the tension between her and Wolfe was unbearable. I constantly was trying to figure out what was happening to cause the situations. I need book two now!

This YA Sci-Fi book is set in an alternate world where the technology reaches far and wide, a system that is both wondrous and disconcerting.

Our MC is Alex, whose life takes an unexpected turn during a pivotal Selection event.

It makes you think about how humans and AI interact, and makes you think about questions like: Is it okay to let technology control our lives? What happens when the line between people and what they create gets blurry?

While I loved the overall themes and nuances, I feel like the execution didn’t really live up to it. The pacing was quite slow at times, and the characters felt rather shallow.

For readers of The Selection by Kiera Cass, I’d suggest giving it a try!

"The Sordid Selection" by Jerri Chisholm delves into a thought-provoking dystopian society where the pursuit of perfection comes at a steep cost. With its engaging narrative and intricate world-building, this novel is a thrilling exploration of identity, deception, and the pursuit of truth.

Set in the meticulously controlled nation of Airo-Aurora, the story follows Alex Egelton as she grapples with a life-changing revelation. In a society where microchips dictate careers and marriages, Alex's carefully laid-out plans are shattered when she learns she is destined to become a handmaid to the palace viscount, her future husband. Her journey takes a swift and unexpected turn as she becomes entangled in the web of palace intrigues, deception, and a life she never anticipated.

Chisholm masterfully constructs a world that is both fascinating and disconcerting. The nation's reliance on data-collecting microchips creates an eerie sense of control, and the exploration of individual agency and autonomy becomes a central theme. The intricacies of this dystopian society are carefully woven into the narrative, allowing readers to immerse themselves in its complexities and question the price of conformity.

Alex's character is a relatable and resilient protagonist who is forced to confront the unexpected challenges thrust upon her. As she navigates the treacherous waters of palace life, her growth and determination become a driving force, captivating readers as they watch her evolve from a naive citizen into a resilient rebel.

The story's fast-paced nature keeps readers engaged as they follow Alex's journey through a world of tiaras, secrets, and betrayals. The introduction of cryptic scrolls adds an intriguing layer of mystery and suspense, propelling Alex on a quest that uncovers hidden truths and far-reaching consequences.

This was a great start to the Pretty Little Robots series, I was hooked from the cover and really glad I got to read this. It had a strong sci-fi feel and it left me wanting to read more in this series.

Being told your ideal career and mate sounds perfect until you realize it’s not at all as it seems.

I loved this book. Alex was a great FMC. She has been preparing her entire life fir the Selection but a mistake has been made and it doesn't turn out as plan. She is a fiercely driven character determined to figure out what went wrong while trying to make the most of her situation. However, her handsome fiancé Wolfe just might throw a wrench in her plans. I can't wait for book two.

Thank you @netgalley and Wolfpack Publishing for letting me read and review this book.