Breaking Point ~ Kristen Simmons

Breaking Point (Article 5 #2)
Tor Teen
February 12, 2013
400 pages
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** Synopsis and review contain spoilers or Article 5 (#1) -- my review **

Ember Miller and Chase Jennings were able to fake their deaths and escape from prison and the FBR, the Federal Bureau of Reformation. They made their way to a hotel full of the Resistance -- the secret, underground group planning to take down the government and the FBR. If they can just stay out of sight, keep the FBR believing they're dead, they should be safe. . .

Then things erupt. There's a sniper taking out FBR soldiers. No one knows who the sniper is, not even those in the Resistance but it seems everyone has an idea. And then a 'Most Wanted' list with FBR's suspects is released and everything changes for Chase and Ember.

Simply laying low isn't going to work anymore.

Will Ember hide out until it's over or will she reach her breaking point and fight?


If you saw my review of Article 5 last year you know that Breaking Point had a lot to live up to for me. Did it? Absolutely.

I still love Chase and Ember. Though I was in love with their chemistry in the first book, I love that we're able to see different sides of them in this book. As the situations are so different from those in Article 5 it's hard to say if they're together more than in that book or not. However, I like we see more of each of their strength as well as their weaknesses. Things that were presented in Article 5 are developed and/or affect the characters here.

Kristen Simmons has a plot that both draws you in while also making you think about the implications. There aren't holes or absurdities done just to get something else done. It's a great tale. Then the characters are brilliant. Old characters are back and quite possibly better than they were before. Chase and Ember continue to grow and become two great characters you love to have lead the story. The Resistance characters are a great addition (though one I thought for sure was something quite different than they were!).

I realized part way into Breaking Point that I was mixing up some of the details about Ember's Article 5 story with the story of Eve from Anna Carey's Eve, in terms of the 'school'. There's not a lot of recap in Breaking Point. It works in a lot of ways because you are pulled directly into Ember and Chase's very intense story and the key points are mentioned when they're necessary. (Or they're big enough that you remember them or figure them out.) If you do like having more of the 'previously' in your head and don't remember Article 5, I'd suggest a reread or at least re-skim?

Article 5 was one of those books that came up with an incredible concept and then gave me even better characters. I was so happy that there was going to be a second book. Now, after reading it, I'm still that happy and am looking forward to seeing how it concludes next year!


Rating: 10/10


Other books you might also enjoy: Legend by Marie Lu and The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa