Vlog Post with Kristen Simmons

Photo Content from Kristen Simmons

Kristen Simmons is the author of the ARTICLE 5 series, THE GLASS ARROW, and METALTOWN. She has worked with survivors of abuse and trauma as a mental health therapist, taught Jazzercise in five states, and is forever in search of the next best cupcake. Currently she lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, where she spends her days supporting the caffeine industry and chasing her delightfully rambunctious son.

        

Print Length: 383 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen (February 11, 2014)
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Sold by: Macmillan
Language: English
ASIN: B00EGJ6L3Q

Praise for THREE

“The new world imagined here is legitimately terrifying. [T]he chemistry between Chase and Ember is excellent, and the plentiful action, high stakes, and deliciously angst-laden love story will please readers.” ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Paints a picture of a world that could easily be our future. [Simmons'] fluid writing creates an easy-to-read story that opens the eyes of readers to what the loss of civil liberties could entail. This book is a must have for all young adult collections.” ―VOYA

“Kristen Simmons' Article 5 is a gripping, atmospheric story of survival. Alongside a fierce depiction of oppressive government, Simmons has created a bleak portrait of an America lost. I could hardly put it down. Ember Miller and Chase Jennings can be my post-apocalyptic wingmen anytime.” ―Kendare Blake

TEN FAVORITE GUY CHARACTERS FROM YOUR BOOKS, INCLUDING RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THEM
Oooh! I love talking about my favorite boys! Here goes…

CHASE – He’s so much pain wrapped up in a hard shell. I love that he lets in the one person who scares him the most – Ember. That takes a huge leap of faith. He’s my great love in this series and I am most sad about saying goodbye to him as this story closes. You can find extra scenes written from Chase’s point of view on my website: www.kristensimmonsbooks.com.

SEAN – Silly Sean. He’s always cracking jokes in my head and I love putting him on the page. He’s a little vain and neurotic, but Rebecca keeps him balanced, and Ember and Chase make him brave. He originally did not play a huge role, but through my editor’s encouragement became one of my favorite characters in the series.

BILLY – Probably my third favorite. For me, Billy is the saddest character in the books. He loses the most – more than Ember. He was the hardest character to write in book 3.

TUCKER – Poor Tucker. He may never get credit for this, but he’s had it hard, too. He’s done terrible things, but only because he thought he was doing the “right thing.” Tucker is the other side of the story, the one that is there to remind Ember that no one really wins in this war they’re fighting. Random fact – in my first draft of Article 5, Tucker actually dated Ember.

WALLACE – The leader of the Knoxville resistance faction in BREAKING POINT, and Billy’s adopted father. Whenever I picture Wallace, I picture Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, just in more dystopian-ish clothes.

JESSE – (in THREE only) Fact: though he didn’t appear on page until the third book, he was in my head from the time I wrote the first story. He always had the snake tattoo on his neck. I couldn’t wait to introduce him.

MARCO AND POLO – I consider them one since they’re basically two halves of the same person. Their scenes were some of my favorites to write – all but one, a very difficult scene, which appears in THREE. Surprise: I didn’t actually plan on naming them Marco and Polo. I still hadn’t named them when I got to their entrance in BREAKING POINT and used these names as fillers. They stuck, and I never went back.

TUBMAN – I always felt bad for the carrier from Knoxville. All the secrecy, even the inability to share his real name, must have made him very lonely. His good cheer is just a front.

DR. DEWITT – (Appears in THREE) Such a complex guy with incredible burdens. He had to address one of the main themes of THREE in one of the most literal ways – the cause or my cause? One Whole Family, like the resistance motto, or just my family? It’s the same question that Ember must ultimately face at the end of the series.

TRUCK – The carrier from Chicago played a bigger role in an early draft of BREAKING POINT. He actually had face time with Ember’s best friend, Beth, when he learned of the safe house at Ember’s old residence. I liked this guy a lot – all brawn, less brain, but a huge heart.

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.

The finale to the Article 5 series by Kristen Simmons should be the blueprint to all finales. There are plenty of action and highly anticipated revelations. The plot in this dystopian novel is very gripping. Once you let it get a hold of you, it becomes very difficult to resist, especially the sweet and intense romance aspect of the story. Each novel builds from the one before making the series finale to go out with a bang. With such a complex story and a very convoluted journey that Chase and Ember endure, it’s amazing how Simmons impeccably piloted these wonderful characters to deliver a finale that will resonate in readers’ mind.

Although it was not the focal point of the book, it was pleasing that Chase and Ember’s romance was allowed so readers can learn more about their characters and the growth of their blossoming relationship. There are many times that a romance between two characters become more of a nuisance as it sidetracks from the main plot, but theirs was certainly critical. The secondary characters also deserve some credit such as Sean and Rebecca. Although they were secondary, Simmons still managed to developed each one and made them have importance in the story.

Article 5 and Breaking Point produced many questions that literally drove me insane but there were valid reasons why they were left unanswered until Three. From beginning to end, I could not take myself out of this enthralling world. The highly guarded clandestine about the government and the rebellion and how they are related to Three are revealed in a way that will have readers in a state of shock and complete amazement. Simmons’ approach to shine the truth on things that were shadowed in the first two books is pure genius. The pacing and plot building followed a path of perfection. The writing style knows exactly how to build tense and get hearts racing to a point that it had me on the edge of my seat. All loose ends are explained and leaves no stone unturned. This is a series finale that will end in satisfaction even for the ones who crave for more.

You can purchase THREE at the following Retailers:

    

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you KRISTEN SIMMONS for making this giveaway possible.

3 Winners will receive a Copy of THREE by Kristen Simmons.
1 Winner will receive a Copy of Artikel 5 and Gesetz Der Rache 
(A5 and Breaking Point from Germany) by Kristen Simmons. 
3 Winners will receive a copy of Article 5 by Kristen Simmons. 
3 Winners will receive a copy of Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons. 
1 Winner will receive a Copy of Article 5 from Taiwan, 
and the audio book of Breaking Point on CD by Kristen Simmons. 
5 Winners will receive a Chase Jennings ART Bookmark by James Vallesteros.

WEEK ONE

FEBRUARY 11th TUESDAY JeanBookNerd VLOG & TENS LIST
FEBRUARY 11th TUESDAY Frodo’s Blog of Randomness REVIEW
FEBRUARY 12th WEDNESDAY Racing to Read TENS LIST
FEBRUARY 12th WEDNESDAY Mary Had a Little Book Blog REVIEW
FEBRUARY 12th WEDNESDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace RANDOM THINGS
FEBRUARY 13th THURSDAY Tressa’s Wishful Endings THIS OR THAT
FEBRUARY 13th THURSDAY A Dream Within a Dream REVIEW
FEBRUARY 14th FRIDAY Chapter by Chapter REVIEW
FEBRUARY 14th FRIDAY Readiculous Reads INTERVIEW

WEEK TWO

FEBRUARY 15th SATURDAY Such a Novel Idea MUSIC PLAYLIST

FEBRUARY 15th SATURDAY Swoony Boys Podcast CHARACTER INTERVIEW

FEBRUARY 15th SATURDAY Step Into Fiction REVIEW

FEBRUARY 16th SUNDAY Mother/Gamer/Writer REVIEW

FEBRUARY 16th SUNDAY Out of Time GUEST POST

FEBRUARY 17th MONDAY Insane About Books REVIEW

FEBRUARY 18th TUESDAY I am a Reader TENS LIST

FEBRUARY 19th WEDNESDAY TTC Books and More REVIEW

FEBRUARY 19th WEDNESDAY The Cover Contessa INTERVIEW

FEBRUARY 20th THURSDAY TSK TSK What to Read REVIEW

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