Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 5th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 264 pages
Source: Won ARC
Series: If I Stay #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Review: Spoilers! I started reading this book right after I finished If I Stay. Although I wasn't crazy bout If I Stay, everyone I talked to said that Where She Went was much better. They were right! 

Where She Went is from Adam's point-of-view. It's 3 years after the accident and since Mia left for New York. Adam is a famous rock-star and Mia is a musician but they haven't spoken in years. 

Adam is shocked that Mia just left without a word since. Now he finds himself in New York getting ready for a tour and all the memories return. Sometimes it's difficult to find a story with a great male POV but this one has it. I really enjoyed Adam and hearing about his adventures. Even though he was far from a "good guy" he was much more likeable than Mia had been in If I Stay. I believed him more and he showed more emotion. 

Adam runs into Mia and they have 1 special night together. She takes him around New York to explore the city before they both go off on tour. Their relationship is strained at first. It takes a long time for Adam and Mia to reconnect. For obvious reasons, Adam is mad. He doesn't understand how someone he loved could leave like that. To make matters worse, Mia doesn't really acknowledge his pain or what she did to him. 

The setting and plot in Where She Went was much more interesting to me. We get a glimpse of New York and flashbacks of how Adam got to where he is now, but it wasn't too much. I was still able to stay connected with their present-day time together. 

Again, the only downside of this book was Mia. I was furious with her! She left, didn't say a word, then ignored the subject for most of the time they were together. I believed Adam loved her, but I honestly wasn't convinced she felt the same. 

Where She Went far surpassed If I Stay, in my opinion. Adam is a fantastic character and his POV truly allowed me to see his personality and his true essence.

Recommended: I would recommend readers check out book 1, If I Stay first. It wouldn't be a must but it would help to understand what's going on. Readers who love contemporary or more emotional reads would enjoy this.

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Review: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Publisher: Tor Teen (January 31st, 2012)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 368 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher

Series: Article 5 #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

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.

Review: This review is difficult to write because I enjoyed this book so much! I could never find words to express exactly what this book captures. The world inside Article 5 is startling. The War has changed everything. The rights of each citizen have been revoked and everyone must adhere to the Mortal Statutes. Ember gets a stark dose of reality when she finds out a new revision in Article 5 puts her and her mother's life in danger. 

Ember knows of only some of the dangers around her. The world has changed and now people get arrested for the simplest thing. One day when Ember arrives at home, officers soon come to her door -- a familiar face included. Chase, the boy from next door and the boy who had Ember's heart is standing there as Ember and her mother fight to stay together. Ember knows Chase is one of them now. An officer doing what he is told. Ember's mother is soon taken away and Ember is forced into a Girls' Reformation and Rehabilitation Center where she is to stay until she is 18. 

While there, Ember is determined to break free and find her mother. Soon she gets her chance but it doesn't come as she would have expected. All of this puts her on a course to rely on Chase, the boy she doesn't know if she can trust, as they try to find her a safe place away from the pains of reality. 

Ember is a fighter. She is a bit stubborn but willing to give whatever it takes in order to find her mother. She has a difficult time dealing with Chase because he doesn't seem like the person who used to live next door. He can be cold, deadly, and eerily quiet. 

Chase may have changed, but his care for Ember remains the same. He would do anything to keep her safe. He is dangerous but so passionate and selfless. The demons inside of him may keep him more distant but he has a good heart. And, I'd like to mention that he is super hot! That's always important. Oh, and Kristen describes him as being similar to Channing Tatum. Need I say more?

Okay, now for the plot. I was so nervous while reading this book! I couldn't put it down but my eyes were wide and I had to even re-read passages to make sure I didn't miss any little detail. It has an incredible amount of action! I don't think there was one single page where something dramatic didn't happen. 

The world inside of Article 5 is truly a bleak depiction of what a country could be after a devastating war. People fighting for food, clothing and shelter. A type of government who can come into any home, take anything, and arrest anyone for any reason. All supplies are scarce and everyone is fighting just to survive. 

Kristen Simmons constructed and described this world flawlessly. Each new place Ember explored has its own set of troubles and characteristics. I felt as if I could see it all through Ember's eyes. Everything from the barren lands and deserted homes, to the desperate people. It was haunting and poignant. 

Article 5 transported me into a world that was unfamiliar but all too possible. The charming characters, heart-stopping action, and imaginative plot quickly made this book a favorite. Kristen Simmons did an outstanding job and I can't wait to see where she goes next with this series.

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Blogger Talk: Novel Exposed

Hello and welcome to the beginning of a Brand NEW Feature that I'll be co-hosting with Lisa from A Life Bound By Books! In this post we'll tell you a bit about the event and what book we'll be focusing on for February.

Blogger Talk: Novel Exposed is a monthly feature where Lisa and I will take one book and read it simultaneously. Throughout the month the book and author will be showcased in reviews, interviews, quotes and more on both blogs. When we post our reviews we'll have a linky set up where we hope you'll link your review to the book for that month.

Then at the end of the month, we'll post a discussion that we've had about the book and hope that others will join in on the discussion about the book in the comments.

February's Novel Exposed Book: EVERNEATH By: Brodi Ashton

 We're excited for the event, were excited for this book and we're excited and hope to have all of YOU celebrate this months book. So, read, keep checking back each week for some amazing posts and get ready for the end of the month when we discuss all things EVERNEATH!

March's Novel Exposed Book: Partials By: Dan Wells

If you are an author or publisher and have a book you'd like featured in Novel Exposed, please feel free to contact either of us and include info on your book and what month you had in mind. Please remember that we only feature ONE book a month for this event and that Jessica and I will try to accommodate.


Should anyone have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email and I'd be happy to help.