Three (Article 5, #3)

by Kristen Simmons

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.

• ISBN10: 0765329603
• ISBN13: 9780765329608
• Publish Date: 11 February 2014
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 16 June 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Tor Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 382
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Three begins shortly after Breaking Point ends. Ember and Chase have journeyed to the Safe House only to discover it gone. They are tired, emotionally devastated, and some of their members are injured. Exhausted, they move forward looking for survivors. Simmons does an excellent job of recapping the previous tale, and I quickly slipped into the world as they stumble upon the notorious “Three” settlement. The Bureau of Reformation has stepped up their game, and the group Three may give Ember a chance to tell her story. The tale that unfolds brings tender moments of joy, and incredible feelings of loss as we continue the journey with our hero and heroine.

When at times the world of Article 5 looked bleak, it was Simmons’ characters that gave us hope. Ember and Chase are such incredibly strong characters and their relationship has been a thrill to watch unfold. Let me take a moment to thank Simmons for her decision not to include a love triangle. Instead, she fleshed out our characters and made their romance one to remember. Ember has lost, been betrayed and suffered throughout this trilogy but with each step she has taken we have witnessed her evolve and become stronger. Chase struggles with actions he took in Breaking Point, but he opens up and shares with Ember. In Three, we see a progression in their romance, and I loved every moment of it. Of course, their life doesn’t allow much time for cuddling and promises yet these two managed to etch out moments. These moments were beautiful and tender giving me butterflies. The secondary characters were present and I love the unique voices Simmons gives them. Sean and Rebecca were my favorites, but even Tucker, and Will had their moments. We meet someone from Chase’s past, and I found them to be interesting. There were times when I was unsure of them adding a little suspense to the plot.

Three gave us a brilliant conclusion to the Article 5 series. Simmons wrapped up threads, developed characters and kept us thoroughly engaged. She provides us with a panoramic view of the landscape as she moved us towards the climatic final scenes. The pacing slowed in the middle of the novel slightly, but it gave us a moment to breath, reassess and prepare for the nail biting, heart-in-your-throat third part of the book. We learned more about the group “Three” from their history to current operations. It was well done, and Simmons even gave us food for thought regarding their tactics. While there were some actions I would have loved to see explained, and I could have easily accepted another 50 pages, the ending was well done. I closed the book sad to see my time with these characters ending, but deeply satisfied with the journey.

Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review that originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer