Blog Tour (Review): Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Hello, lovelies! Today's my stop for the Philippine blog tour of a young adult dystopian novel, Article 5 by Kristen Simmons hosted by Pinoy Book Tours.
After reading my thoughts, don't forget to leave yours!

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons, hardback edition cover

Article 5

by Kristen Simmons

Series: Article 5 #1

Genre: YA, dystopian

Editions available: Hardback, paperback, ebook, Kindle

Published January 31st 2012 by Tor Teen

Source: Borrowed a copy (ARC) from the awesome Precious @ Fragments of Life

Buy: Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Indiebound * Amazon

Blurb (Goodreads):

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.


My Thoughts:

*Review based from the advance reading copy of the book. Thanks Precious, for lending me your copy! :)

I grabbed the opportunity when I heard PBT is going to tour Article 5. Since I'm a huge fan of dystopian novels, this is one of the books I've been wanting to read last year. The cover and blurb screams: I kick ass! and I know I have to read it.

Ember Miller is a loving daughter to her mother, tough and fearless seventeen year-old. She know how to defend herself even if it means risking her life. She loves her mom so much that she made her mother's boyfriend kick out of their house and search for her--despite the dangers ahead and after her--when she was arrested by the soldiers for Article 5 non-compliance. While Chase Jennings is a 'double' man. Ember remembers him as sweet, caring and thoughtful guy back home. But then he appeared to be heartless and cold when he became a soldier--one of the soldiers who arrested Ember and her mother. He seems to become the monster all soldiers are, and Ember didn't know whether she should still trust him or not.

A plot like Article 5 is the kind of book you want to read, especially if you're a dystopian geek (like me). Government VS. rebels and running away and fighting back. I'm quite confused with Article 5's pace, though. Sometimes, it is fast-paced that you feel like running with them and saving your life, then turned to slow-paced, wherein Ember and Chase are always hating each other, you want to hate them as well. They are always running from danger and fighting back, but I am somehow still looking for more action scenes, and heart-pounding chapters.

The book started good, it kept me turning the pages while I'm waiting for my number to be called in a book signing event. It kept me occupied and interested. But I was also confused when Chase showed up on the book. I get their past story, but what I don't get is that the book I pictured to be fast-paced and action-packed turned out to be more romantic. It contained a lot of romantic reminiscing and war and confused feelings between the old lovers, and I'm not sure whether to like it or not. I mean, it's not what I expected. I'm not prepared for it. Although they had a lot of time together and Ember wasn't too shy to share her past with Chase, I didn't have the feels for their romance, or for Chase alone. I guess I never moved on from the I didn't really expect this trance.

Love-hate relationship aside, Article 5 is a thrilling dystopian novel. You'll want to know what will happen next that will make you keep turning the pages. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, although it made want to know what will happen next and how will all these running and hiding will end. I can see a more action-packed and fast-paced sequel and I can't wait to experience it! 



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