The Reader Bee: Kristen Simmons

Monday, February 16, 2015

Review: The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15750874-the-glass-arrow

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning. (Goodreads)

I was really looking forward to reading The Glass Arrow, as I am a super huge fan of Kristen Simmons’ Article 5 series. I absolutely couldn’t wait to see what adventure she was going to come up with next with this new release, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

The main character in the story, Aya, is a rebel in her own right. Having lived in the wild all her life made her fearless and daring. She was not willing to conform to anything that society tried to make her, and took every chance she could to try to escape. All she wanted was to escape the city and get back to her family in the wild, and she is willing to do whatever she has to do to reach them. While there were a few times throughout the story when I wanted to shake her for the decisions she made, I was really rooting for her throughout the story. I wanted nothing more than for her to escape this horrible world in which she was thrown into.

There are quite a few characters in the story that you’ll love in an instant; Brax and Kiran being two of my favorites. Then there are characters that will grow on you over time. But there are also some characters that you are going to hate with a purple passion throughout the whole entire story.

The world-building for this book was both unique and completely terrifying. Imagine living in a world where a girl has not rights at all, not even her body is her own. Imagine being put up for auction and sold to the highest bidder just to be a breeding instrument to boost the male population. And if you go against the rules of the city, you are punished in the worst ways possible. Some parts of the story were super hard to read, as they were so insanely terrifying. This is the world that exists in The Glass Arrow. It was definitely interesting, and the suspense was pretty intense as I flew through the pages. I also like that this book is a standalone novel as well, so everything came together pretty nicely in the end of the book.

Overall; I thought The Glass Arrow was a really interesting novel. It’s always interesting when an author starts a new book or series, and it’s completely different in every single way from the worlds they’ve created before. I’m really excited to see what Simmons’ will come up with next!

The Glass Arrow on Instagram:

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Review: Three by Kristen Simmons

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17559899-three

Kristen Simmons' fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series continues in Three.

Ember Miller and Chase Jennings are ready to stop running. After weeks spent in hiding as two of the Bureau of Reformation’s most wanted criminals, they have finally arrived at the safe house, where they hope to live a safe and quiet existence.

And all that’s left is smoking ruins.

Devastated by the demolition of their last hope, Ember and Chase follow the only thing left to them—tracks leading away from the wreckage. The only sign that there may have been survivors.

With their high profile, they know they can’t stay out in the open for long. They take shelter in the wilderness and amidst the ruins of abandoned cities as they follow the tracks down the coast, eventually finding refugees from the destroyed safe house. Among them is someone from Chase’s past—someone he never thought he’d see again.

Banding together, they search for a place to hide, aiming for a settlement a few of them have heard about…a settlement that is rumored to house the nebulous organization known as Three. The very group that has provided Ember with a tiny ray of hope ever since she was first forced on the run.

Three is responsible for the huge network of underground safe houses and resistance groups across the country. And they may offer Ember her only chance at telling the world her story.

At fighting back. (Goodreads)

‘Three’ is the third and final novel in the ‘Article 5' series by Kristen Simmons. I have really, really enjoyed this series from the very beginning, and I absolutely hate to see it end.

First off, I have to admit that I was terrified to read this final novel. (There is a certain book that I read recently that has ruined me for series endings.) I didn’t know what to expect, and I was afraid to see what was going to happen to these characters that I love so much.

Chase and Ember are such excellent characters. I have loved them since the very first book. Watching them grow as characters, as well as watching their relationship grow, has been such a great experience. I love that these two characters were always true to themselves and to each other. And they fought for what they believed in, even when they weren’t on a ‘side’. I love this about them. I love them period.

It’s not only these two characters that I love; there are so many secondary characters in the book that you can’t help but love. The characters that we’ve followed from the very beginning - like Sean and Rebecca - on to the characters that we are just introduced to in this novel -like Jesse- you will care for them all in some way or another. Simmons has written all of their stories so well that you will be completely captivated by them all.

The dystopian storyline for this series it so very creative; I absolutely love it. It’s very realistic and something that I could definitely see happening if a twisted government were in command. The tension and suspense in this novel was nerve racking. It was killing me at times waiting to see what was going to happen to these characters and to see how the series was finally going to come to an end. I felt that the ending of the book was very well done. While there were some things that I hated to see happen, they did and I must move on from that. I felt that wonderful sense of closure when I finished the last pages, and I love that feeling when I finish a really great series.

I also love that my hometown – Chattanooga – is included in the novel! (Even if it is just for a page or two, it’s there!) I had to fangirl a bit when I saw that. So when you read the novel and you see Chattanooga, remember me!

Overall; I cannot think of a better ending to this series. Kristen Simmons, you nailed it! If you haven’t check out the Article 5 series yet, I definitely recommend that you do so. The series definitely will not disappoint. Now that I’ve read the book, I will be patiently waiting for my finished copy to arrive to add it to my collection. This is definitely a series that I will read again!

Happy Reading!

Books in this Series:

Article 5 | Breaking Point | Three