Books. Friends, And Dessert: The Perfect Combination

    My book club recently gathered to read the Selection by Kiera Cass.  If you are interested in hosting a book club, check out this post.  It gives a brief synopsis (but no spoilers), some questions for discussion, and some fantastic themed dessert ideas!

The Synopsis:

     This novel takes place in a dystopian future with a very structured class system.  I don't normally like romances but the author  had me at dystopian. In the Selection, a person is born into her class (labeled One to Eight) and in most cases must stay there. Ones are royalty and Eights are the homeless.  The main character, America, is a Five, a member of the artists' caste.  There are very few ways to leave your caste. Being in a higher caste means better living conditions: more money, more food, and a better house.  America's family can barely make enough money to put food on the table.  Enter the Selection.  The Selection is one of the few ways a woman can improve her living situation and possibly her caste.  How?  It's easy, she competes with the prettiest girls in the kingdom to become the wife to the prince, the heir to the throne.  All a girl has  to do is get the prince, Maxon, to fall in love with her.  It sounds simple but no one should get between a woman and a tiara, I mean, the man she loves.

     The problem is that America does not want to marry the prince. She wants to marry the boy she loves, a Six named Aspen.  A marriage to Aspen will not improve her living conditions nor her family's but even just participating in the selection will result in a hefty paycheck for America's family.  With a heart heavy with obligation, America enters the competition. The longer she stays in the competition, the more her family is paid.  This is an opportunity that America can't pass up.  What she doesn't expect is that Prince Maxon would truly give Aspen a run for his money in the love department.

Questions for Discussion:

• What did you think about the book?  What did you love about it? What did you hate about it?
• How do the rebels effect the plot line?
• If you were in America's position, how would you react?
• What do you think of Maxon? and his family?
• How would you feel about the other contestants?
• Who is your favorite contestant (besides America)? Who is your least favorite contestant?
• Would you choose Aspen or Maxon?
• What do you think is in store in the next book?

Themed Desserts (yes, desserts plural!!!!)

     In the spirit of the Selection, I asked my fellow book club members to choose between two deserts.

     The first I call the Aspen.  It is a black forest brownie with a cherry cheese cake topping.  You can find the recipe I used from Womans Day here.

     I named the second choice, the Maxon. It is a brownie baked with a surprise inside--full size peanut butter cups.  It is then layered in a dish with bananas, fresh whipped cream, caramel sauce and peanuts.  Here is the recipe from Woman's Day.

      So go get baking these delicious treats and enjoy them as you read the book!  Or host a book club and enjoy the treats with friends.