A copy of this review can be found at my blog www.plotholesbgone.wordpress.com along with reviews of several other Young Adult books.

Book: Three (Article Five #3)Author/Authoress: Kristen SimmonsNote:You may (or may not) have noticed that I’ve always tried to stick to reviewing the first

book in the series. I’m not completely sure of my reasoning, but I think part of it is

because I want to get new readers hooked onto a series. But I recently got Three by

Kristen Simmons which is the third and final book in the Article 5 series from Net Galley

(Thanks, by the way NetGalley) and I just couldn’t hold myself back from reviewing it.

Part of the reason is sentimental.  Article 5 was one of the first ‘good’ dystopias I read. It

got me hooked onto this whole genre which I grew to love enough for me to actually start

a blog about.

Cover: 5/5This cover brings back lots of nostalgia. The same red, white and grey theme that was

used in the past books is used again in this one. Personally, I think the colour scheme is

perfect. Patriotic, dark and a little hopeless. Besides, what Article 5 cover would be

complete without the city scene? But even from the cover, we can see that Three is not

the type of book to lean on the success of its predecessors. The bright red slashes on the

top add an edgy look to the cover and a whole new meaning to the title “Three”

Characters: 5/5These books have seen the characters change and grow a lot.But what I love most about

these character is the fact that they never lost their integrity. No OC’s in this book. If I

didn’t know for fact that the American government wasn’t taken over by a bunch of crazy

wackos who implemented several Articles, then I would have seriously thought that these

characters were real people. There were no iffy decisions made by the characters for the

sake of the plot and no ‘I have no idea what’s going on’ moments just so Three could

have a few extra chapters.

Ember: She’s no longer naive and idealistic. By the end of this book she’s no longer in a

position to judge other people. Nor does she.

Chase: Chase has grown in a way completely different from Ember. Something about the

events he’s witnessed and the things he’s gone through have turned him into a more

hopeful person and someone who’s willing to fight for humanity instead of against

humanity.

Tucker: I knew that this guy would be an amazing character. Even though Three is not in

his point of view, we can still almost feel the tumultuous roller coaster of emotions that

Tucker rides through.  Who does he owe his loyalty to? Is he a traitor? Does he deserve

redemption? It’s all explored in this book. I won’t tell you why he hates Chase or why he

killed Ember’s mother. But I will tell you that Ember grossly underestimated him while

other characters grossly overestimated him.  I’ll give you a slight spoiler. This book

doesn’t give him his  happy ending (does any character in this book truly get one?) but

no one will turn the last page of this book without being a Tucker Morris fan.

Chris’ Uncle: For some reason, Chris’s Uncle has an almost ‘Sirius’ like character. He’s

the playful, un-serious ,slightly secretive  trouble making sort of guy who is not really fit

to be in any sort of parental position. Hotheaded, angry and rebellious he’s willing to

sacrifice his life for the sake of his goal. And willing to sacrifice much more for Chase’s

sake.

Plot: 4/5Kristen 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.

After I finished reading this book,  I was kind of surprised to find tears (actual tears!)

running down my cheeks. I can’t believe this  is over. I just can’t. I loved this series and I

have to say a huge part of it is because of the plot. It’s full of plot twists which seem to

come together in the most beautiful of ways.

Action:4/5This book takes the action up another notch. Heat seeking missiles, fist fights, guns,

batons…This book has it all.

Not to mention the traitor (three guesses who it is) and all the suspense that mini-arc

brings along with it.

Romance:4/5The romance in this book is hot but tasteful. A good quarter of this book is spent on

kissing (and more) and funnily enough I loved  the romance in this book. I have no idea

how this  works but Kristen Simmons somehow managed to allude to everything without

saying it flat out. It sounds annoying but trust me, it’s not.  The romance was sweet but

not cloying. At the same time it was passionate without being hormonal.  Folks, that

takes talent.

Overall Rating:4.5/5

This is one of the few books (and series) that I just wish would go on forever. New,

intriguing plots. Realistic, exciting characters. Interesting worlds and fast-paced action. I

really hope Kristen Simmons does some mini-stories or something that relates to this

series. It goes without saying, that I’ll read her next book.  But I guess all good things

must end.

A copy of this review can be found at my blog www.plotholesbgone.wordpress.com along with reviews of several other Young Adult books.