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After years of war and chaos, things in the U.S. have finally settled down.  As long as citizens comply with the Moral Statutes—new laws governing everything from what people can read to how they're allowed to dress to which religion they're able to practice—they're safe.  Breaking the rules means paying a hefty fine, being sent to prison, or worse.  If soldiers from the Federal Bureau of Reformation (FBR) take you away, chances are you'll never be heard from again.  

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller's seen enough people disappear to know how serious the government is about upholding the laws, no matter how ridiculously strict they may be.  So, she does her best to stay under the radar, doing nothing that might draw the FBR's attention to her and her rebellious single mother.  It's not easy.  In fact, it's impossible.  Soldiers soon arrest Ember's mother for violating Article 5 (having children out of wedlock).  Now a piece of government property, Ember's taken to a girl's reformatory run by an anti-feminist group called the Sisters of Salvation.  She knows she can't stay there, knows she has to escape and find her mother—but how?  No one's ever made it out of the reformatory before aging out at 18.  Not alive, anyway.  Maybe she won't survive an escape attempt either, but she has to try.

As Ember battles the brutal soldiers of a fanatical government, she'll have to decide who to trust and what to risk in order to save herself and her mother.

Article 5, the first book in a new YA dystopian trilogy by newcomer Kristen Simmons, offers a premise with some unique possibilities.  Unfortunately, the book leaves most of those unexplored, focusing instead on Ember's incarceration and subsequent flight across several states.  So many YA dystopians have this exact plot that it makes Article 5 feel dull and unoriginal.  Intriguing characters can often save the day in such novels, but not in this one—Ember's whiny, selfish and irritatingly naive.  The rest of the cast are flat and/or stereotypical.  All in all, Article 5 disappointed me.  I was hoping for something unique and, although the story could have gone in some interesting directions, it just didn't.  Maybe subsequent books will, but I don't think I'll be sticking with this series long enough to find out.      

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Eve by Anna Carey, as well as Ashfall and Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin)

Grade:  C

If this were a movie, it would be rate:  PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), violence and mild sexual innuendo/content

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Article 5 from the generous folks at Tor Teen (a division of Tor/Forge).  Thank you!       

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When Joey, a gentle red bay colt, is purchased by Mr. Narracott, he gets his first taste of the cruelty some men—particularly drunk men—like to unleash on weaker beings.  The young horse misses his mother, fears his new owner and wonders what is to become of him in the hands of the angry Mr. Narracott.  Then, Joey meets Albert, his owner's 13-year-old son.  Albert is as kind as his father is mean, as soft-spoken as his father is harsh, as determined to love Joey as his father is to break him.  Although Joey still shies away when Mr. Narracott comes for him, he knows that as long as he has Albert, everything will be okay.

Then, World War I bears down on England.  Albert is too young to enlist, but Joey is just what the Army's looking for—he's a strong and healthy recruit.  Mr. Narracott needs the money the Army's offering him, so he sells Albert's horse to them.  After working on the farm, Joey knows all about sore muscles, but the exhaustion he feels on the battlefield is something else altogether.  Along with the other war horses, he has learned to charge the enemy, transport wounded soldiers and carry heavy artillery.  With gunshots roaring in his ears, he must do his duties bravely, even as his friends—both equestrian and human—fall all around him.  Joey is determined to survive the war for one reason: Albert.  He must see his friend again, no matter how impossible that reunion might seem. 

I'm not much for books with animal narrators, but War Horse by Michael Morpurgo has received so much praise that I knew I had to read it.  While I'm not sure the book quite deserves all the attention it's been given, I did enjoy the story.  It's a quick, heartwarming read about an animal's love for his owner, a boy who's also been his kind and loving friend.  With a true and heartbreaking look at how war destroys—and sometimes solidifies—such bonds, War Horse is an uplifting tale that proves love conquers all, even the most painful wounds of war. 

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:  B

If this were a movie (and it is!), it would be rated:  PG for mild language, violence (including animal cruelty) and scenes of peril    

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of War Horse from the generous folks at Scholastic.  Thank you!

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Ahhh, hype.  Usually, I ignore it altogether since, in my experience, most fussed-over books don't deserve all the attention that's being heaped on them.  Sometimes, though, I do give in.  And, sometimes, I'm even glad I did.  Take Gone Girl, a new psychological thriller by Gillian Flynn, for instance.  It sat on my Kindle for quite a long time before enough of my friends raved about it for me to say, "Alright, alright, I'll give the book a try."  A (very) short while later, I read the last screen, finally let out the breath I'd been holding since the first page (that's how it seemed, anyway) and said to myself, "Whoa, that was the freakiest, twistiest, turniest mind-screw I've ever experienced."  Seriously.  Well, okay, maybe I didn't actually say that out loud, but I definitely thought it. 

If you haven't read Gone Girl yet, don't despair, because I'm not going to give anything away.  I'm not even going to give you much of a plot summary, since I don't want you to go into the novel with any preconceived notions.  Here's the official jacket copy:

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a teensy bit of Before You Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson)

Grade:  B+

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for strong language, sexual content, and adult subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Gone Girl from the generous folks at The Crown Publishing Group via Netgalley.  Thank you!

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Let's just get this out of the way right off the bat:  I'm a huge prude.  I don't think that's a bad thing in this tell-all (and on Facebook, no less!) world.  I don't even think I'm that unique, especially not among Mormon women.  Really, I can't be the only girl out there who doesn't like to talk about ... well ... you know ... that.  So, you can imagine my response when I received an email asking me to review a book titled Real Intimacy: A Couple's Guide to Healthy, Genuine Sexuality.  It was that last word that got me (*blush*).  I thought, no way do I want to read about that, let alone write about that.  Then, I paused.  After all, the book was written by three family therapists specifically for married Mormon couples.  Maybe, I could learn something.  So, I read it (I admit to placing a Post-It note over the subtitle so I wouldn't get any curious kiddos asking me what the book was about) and now I'm going to review it.  The blush is already creeping up my cheeks ...

Like I mentioned, Real Intimacy was written by three family therapists (Kristin B. Hodson, Alisha B. Worthington and Thomas G. Harrison), all of whom are LDS and practice in Utah.  Their aim?  To speak to married couples (the advice they give is directed toward Mormon couples, but is applicable to couples of any religion) candidly about sexuality.  This isn't something that happens a lot in most LDS households, which pretty much ensures that young brides and grooms are completely clueless about sex until their wedding nights (and, often, for a long time afterward).  Thus, the authors seek to not just explain the basics, but also to help couples achieve the kind of healthy, nurturing intimacy that makes marriages strong.  

What I like most about the book is the authors' definition of intimacy.  They believe that true intimacy isn't just about sex, but about closeness in four areas—physical, sexual, emotional and spiritual.  Only when all of these are in balance, they say, can we create true oneness.  The authors spend most of the book talking about how couples can find this balance.  They discuss issues that are unique to LDS couples (and others raised in strict religious settings), as well as those that can be found in marriages of all type (pornography, infidelity, sexual abuse, etc.).  Using case studies, they talk about how real couples have confronted and dealt with such issues.  In dealing with your own issues, the authors recommend being frank and honest with your spouse, trusting them with your innermost fears, doubts and insecurities.  While the book does bring up specific sexual issues, it's mostly about communication with and consideration for the most important person in your life.

Real Intimacy is a quick read (less than 200 pages, not including appendices).  Each chapter also includes a "Nuts and Bolts" section which summarizes in about a page what has been talked about in the preceding section.  This makes the book an especially fast and easy read.  Or, if you want the most valuable information (in my opinion, anyway) just read the "His Approach, Her Approach" chapter.  It provides an excellent chart showing how men and women look at things (including sex) in completely different ways.  

All in all, I think Real Intimacy provides some excellent information for married couples.  It's nothing revolutionary, to be sure, and the writing could definitely use some improvement.  I also would have liked more discussion of issues unique to LDS marriages.  Still, it's a valuable book that would be useful for any couple, whether they've been married for 5 months or 50 years.  

Visit the authors' very informative website by clicking here. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of And They Were Not Ashamed by Laura M. Brotherson)

Grade:  B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R, only because it talks about sex in a very frank and straightforward way.  The book is geared toward married adults, which is the audience for whom it is most suited.

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Real Intimacy from the generous folks at Cedar Fort via the lovely ladies over at SparkPoint Studio, LLC.  Thank you!