Sadly this one just didnt mesh with me at all. The book starts out with a character being raped and it just didn't get better after that at all. This book was full of clueless people that just didn't want to know what was happening. And although that does feel like real life. I just couldn't get into it. Which was sad since this was sold to me from a friend saying its a dark Selection story. Which I would have totally loved.

Words can’t describe how much I enjoyed BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS by Erin Riha but I’ll give it a shot! I rated this a 4.5/5!

After growing up in a benefactor’s house with a negligent man and his abusive son, Arden is surprisingly accepted as one of 18 candidates to the National Women’s Institute. The premise reminded me of THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass, but there was a depth to Arden’s character that made the story much more compelling to me. At the Institute, Arden confronts her past and tries to develop a life for herself in a world of arranged marriages while surviving threats from all sides.

I thought the depiction of trauma was really well done and accurate in a way that many young adult books are not. Arden exhibits symptoms of prolonged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, and her internal journey is placed in higher importance that the romance storyline. I didn't especially like the love triangle aspect, but it drove the story forward. I also would have liked to see a conversation between Siobhan and Arden to add another perspective on arranged/political marriages. The ending was hopeful, and I would love to see a sequel.