The Rules for Disappearing (Rules, #1)

by Ashley Elston

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do—or see—that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all of the Suits’ rules—and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters—survival.

• ISBN10: 1423168976
• ISBN13: 9781423168973
• Publish Date: 14 May 2013
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[readingwithwrin]

"Don't forget who is a friend and who is a foe. And don't forget, sometimes a person can be both."

We follow "Meg" who along with her family has been placed in the witness protection program. She has no idea what happened to make them be in the program,

and no one will tell her why. What she does know though is that the program is tearing her family apart.

I did really enjoy the majority of this book there were parts that seemed drawn out, and other parts that made Meg seem really naive.

I loved seeing how much she changed for the better as a person. While she might not have liked being in the program it made her into a nice person and showed her there was more to life then being the perfect popular girl. Sadly I did partly figure out why they were in the program before she did. (But that I figure is due to the amount of crime shows I watch.)

I really could have done without some of the stuff in the last few chapters though and the plan that they came up with at the end made no sense at all and was a huge risk to take.

Shockingly enough though I did enjoy the love interest in this one and I liked how it happened at a slow pace and wasn't rushed.

Wasn't expecting that ending though. I'm curious to see where the next book takes us.

See more reviews like this on my blog

[Rowena]

The blurb made the book sound really interesting which is why I chose to review it. I didn’t know what to expect but I ended up enjoying this book. I thought it was interesting to read about a character in the witness protection program. Her name is Meg Jones this time around and she has no idea why she’s in this place and she hates moving from place to place, with no warning. Every time they move, she tries to get the story out of her father and when he refuses, her anger toward what has become their life gets stronger and stronger. By about the seventh time that they move, she’s furious at her father and she blames him for the way that their lives turned out.

Meg doesn’t have a clear memory of what happened before they were whisked away, leaving behind everything they knew and loved but she’s determined to find out. Her family is put through the wringer in this book and my heart went out to each and every single person in her family. From her Dad, who is trying to make the best of their situation and trying to do what he can for his kids, to her Mom who is having the most trouble dealing with their life as it is now. Then there’s her little sister who is young enough that she doesn’t understand what’s going on and nobody will tell her so she’s scared. She’s scared that her family is going to disappear and leave her behind and she’s tired of making new friends.

They’re in a new town and Meg is determined to not make friends and not have any close relationships because it gets harder and harder to leave people behind. It’s easier to pack up and go, that way she doesn’t let anyone down. But it’s a lot harder to not get close to anyone in this new town because there’s this persistent young man named Ethan who is determined to get to know Meg. He keeps trying to get close to Meg and every time she tries to freeze him out, she’s unsuccessful. Before she knows what’s what, she’s starting to remember things and she’s starting to like Ethan…a lot.

Things get really crazy for Meg once she starts remembering more about what happened right before they were thrown into witness protection and trusting those around her is getting harder and harder.
Meg was an interesting character to get know throughout the story. She’s still a teenager so some of the teen angst that are common with YA characters is present in her but while there were times when I wanted to wring her neck, those times were very few in between. I loved the hell out of Ethan and really came to love Meg’s family, oh and Aunt Pearl! She was pretty great too. It was interesting to see the dynamic between Meg and her friends from back home. Before she left, she was really mad at them but when she came back, all of those feelings of resentment and what not were thrown out the window because she needed them and they helped Meg with whatever she needed, the way that friends are supposed to.

This was a really good story. One that had me all caught up in what was happening, what was going to happen and all of the characters. I thought Elston did a great job of wrapping the reader up in the world that she created for Meg and the rest of the cast of characters. It was really interesting to get an inside look of what we can only imagine goes on when you’re in witness protection and seeing the dangers and the confusion made for a really interesting story. I enjoyed this book a lot and I definitely recommend this book to fans of contemporary YA and authors like Sarah Dessen, Jennifer E. Smith and Jessi Kirby. This was a good one.

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

I picked up The Rules for Disappearing because I could not resist its unique premise: the Witness Protection Program. I had only ever seen it spoofed in movies and TV shows, never a serious account of the program. Meg–not her real name– and her family are on their sixth placement in about a year. Meg has no idea what her father did to get them in this mess, but she’s had enough. This time she’s decided not to make any attachments in case they’re relocated again, and she wants some answers. Easier said than done on both accounts. Soon enough, a cute boy has taken an interest in Meg and knows something isn’t quite right about her story, and her mother let’s something slip about their situation which she shouldn’t have. Now Meg has to decide what to do with that information and whether or not she can let Ethan in to help her.

The Rules for Disappearing started out strong, but it kind of started to lose me in the last third or so. I found the specifics of the Witness Protection Program to be really interesting. Even though she’s been through the process several times before, Meg still explains to us what’s going on. Of course, I can’t be sure how accurate everything is, but it did seem legit, or at least believable. I can’t even imagine having to go through this. The family has been literally snatched from their beds in the middle of the night with only the clothes on their backs to get to a new location. Now Meg carries about a fat backpack full of basics and a few luxuries for her and her younger sister. Of course, this backpack is a source of torment for Meg in her new high school.

There is a twist, but I saw it coming at the first moment of foreshadowing. I think the author made this too obvious. I didn’t figure out the specifics, but the basic idea of why Meg and her family are really in the Witness Protection Program was something that was too easy to guess. I felt like I was just waiting for Meg to finally get it, and that dragged out a bit too long. If there had been less foreshadowing, I don’t think it would have bothered me so much, but then again, the twist probably wouldn’t work without it either.

The ending of The Rules for Disappearing was a bit sudden. I was expecting something grander, maybe a shoot out or run in with the Mafia or something. Alas, that was not to be. It’s pretty anticlimactic, but I did like how is wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s not 100% wrapped up either. There’s some loose ends, but that’s how Meg’s life is going to be for the rest of her life, so I feel like it worked in that way.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Amber]

The Rules for Disappearing definitely wasn't one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but I had been looking forward to reading it for a while - ever since I received a copy for review. I am so pleased with this story, much more so than I thought I would be. The mystery is great, the pacing is quick, and I loved the main character and her relationships with Ethan and Teeny. Adorable.

Full review at Books of Amber

[Ashley]

hmmm. Good book, but I'm not sure about that ending.