Article 5 by Kristen Simmons Review

Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons
★★★★☆
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Macmillan: Tor Teen
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Romance, Survival
Format: e-book
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon

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The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.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

I'm so mad that I waited the few weeks after release to read this one! It is epic! Definitely my favorite dystopian since Divergent and Delirium and quite possibly my favorite overall book in a while as well.

Article 5 is Kristen Simmons' debut post apocalyptic thrilling adventure story. Set in a futuristic United States that is run by a government who wants its' citizens to be perfect in a world that is not. I saw a review by Xpresso Reads (which can be found here) where the author begins the review with "Imagine a world where Hitler would have won" and I can't agree with that sentence more. It's a dark novel that follows Chase and Ember in the fight of their lives, and for their lives. And, just when you think the story will slow down and end it picks up again like a high speed car chase. I found myself sitting forward as I read, anticipating the next line.

I just watched "In Time" starring Justin Timberlake and I imagine the world of Article 5 to be closely related to the futuristic setting of that film. The two have nothing really plot-wise to do with each other, besides being science fiction, but seemed to draw together in my mind.

Then the romance of this novel. Nothing makes me crazier than insta-love and I know I'm not the only one. Thankfully this books' love story has nothing of the sort. It has one of the best love stories intwined with the book that I've read in a while. Chase and Ember were together before he became a soldier. Now, Ember can't trust him because of the hurt he's caused her. Throughout the book they both heal, and the process is excruciating as a reader but worth it in the end.

Article 5 is a masterpiece as far as Young Adult Dystopian novels go. If you're a fan of YA at all I recommend this read to you.

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Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic Review

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
★★★☆☆
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Cancer, Realistic Fiction
Format: e-book
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life. Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go. But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

Austin Parker cannot fix his own problems, as they are out of his hands, but he is on a mission to fix everyone else's. Not having the chance to live his own life the way he'd like to Austin is determined to make sure the people he's crossed paths with in life know how lucky they are to have a future and live it to the fullest. I admire Austin in his journey of closure, he wants to do something with his short life and feels this approach is his best chance. It was refreshing that even with his efforts things don't always go as he plans, and that's okay.

Megan Bostic has done a great job creating a book with so much feeling in it, for not only Austin and his struggles but for everyone in the story. She tackles many issues in the book, while most are only briefly discussed, they make room for a lot of emotion and consideration.

Never Eighteen is another inspirational book about struggling with an illness that I could never imagine having to face. Her characters, especially Austin and Kaylee, are strong ones with big hearts. Their friendship is as close to perfect as any, they joke and kid but both really love each other.

The book is fast paced, and a quick read. I think if the story was longer and maybe a little more detailed I could have really felt the pain and happiness expressed in the pages. I just felt like I flew through the pages and got to the end, and Austin is an admirable guy, but I felt disconnected from him even after just finishing the book, he was just, while relatable and like the boy next door, a hard to reach character. I would describe trying to connect with him as watching a TV show about someone watching a TV show and trying to understand what the characters in the show are watching on their set.

I liked Never Eighteen, it's a wonderful book about many tough issues that are everyday life for some. Austin's outlook on life and how he wants to be remembered is endearing and I'm so glad I got to read this book about his journey.

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Cinder by Marissa Meyer Review

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer
★★★★★
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Macmillan: Feiwel & Friends
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Futuristic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Cyborgs
Format: e-book
Source: publisher via Netgalley
Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

I feel obligated to begin this review with one comment: Holy epic series starter. This book has been hyped up in the blogging community, and beyond, for a few months now and I'm excited to share my thoughts. Before I began reading Cinder I had seen various 5 star reviews and sometimes when there's this huge bubble surrounding a new book and author I end up being disappointed, Cinder proved that theory wrong. I will never look at a hyped up book the same way again, I will welcome it whole heartedly.

Cinderella is one of those stories that almost everyone knows. A version or retelling exists in most cultures, I know because I did a paper on it in college, and we all know how the story goes. That said, I think it's best to throw everything else you know about the old story away when you dive into this one, it is its own book filled with new and exciting characters that I absolutely adored. Cinder with her low self esteem, dreams, and hope for the future is a character a lot of people will fall in love with. And, I am happy to say that our story does have our prince charming, or more of a charming prince, but you have to read it to find out more about the other fantastic characters Marissa Meyer has dreamed up, including the wicked witch ;)

The very human story about the prejudices and injustices found on all levels of society, worked so well in this book. Judging, ridiculing, and looking down on others for various reasons is a topic that can be worked into so many daily lessons for not only kids but adults as well. I think Cinder would be an excellent book group book, there is so much between the pages to analyze, dissect and discuss. As a teacher I really appreciate a book that will make you think about things in a new way, and from a different angle, and this book is just an overall prime example of fluid discussion worthy text.

Marissa Meyer is my new hero, this woman (and her exquisite team at MacMillan) weaves a wonderful web of a story (it must be late, I'm resorting to alliteration). But, in all seriousness, it's true. This book flows beautifully and captures such intense subject matters such as plague, war, and death like no other author I've read.

The setting and very presence of this light retelling is captivating. I'd describe it as dark and damp with streams of light filtering in, a little thing I like to call hope, especially when times are rough. I loved everything about this book, and will could rave about it all night. This beginning to what is sure to be an amazing series will no doubt be something everyone will be talking about soon enough, and I can't wait for the next book in this series.

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