Review: The Rules by Stacey Kade

Title: The Rules

Series: Project Paper Doll #1

Author: Stacey Kade

Publishing Date: April 23, 2013

Rating: 4 Stars

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

***

My Thoughts

So this book turned out to not be quite what I was expecting, but in this case it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book at all.

The blurb makes you think of this huge conspiracy about aliens, hybrids and government 'projects' but it turns out the book wasn't really about that. It had a much heavier focus on Ariane's growth and coming of age than the actual alien part. It was all mostly about that cruel prank at school, which does lead into the alien bit, but it takes a huge part of the focus. How big? Like 75% big, that's when the real action started going on. 

Even with all that said, it was all done so well that you don't actually mind at all that it's taking that long to get to that part. I was enjoying getting to know Ariane and watching her learn what real friends are and exploring her feelings for Zane, not to mention watching Zane finally take the control of his own life and start making his own decisions. 

What was so fun about the whole high school part was the planing and manipulation that Ariane, Zane and Rachel put into it. They were all trying to one up each other. It was like a chess match, planning each move and their outcomes by figuring out how their 'enemy' would respond. It was great. Best high school revenge ever orchestrated (that I have read).

When they finally get down to business  it didn't disappoint at all either. There were a couple of twists I actually didn't see coming and had me going *Gasp!* No....

Loved every second of this book and I hope we get to see a more prominent show of the people behind the Paper Doll Project.

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