The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

The Rules of Disappearing by Ashley Elston
The Rules of Disappearing #1
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Publisher (NetGalley)
Goodreads Stars: 4
Rating: Enjoyable

Buy the Book: Amazon UK

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 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. - Goodreads

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.

First and foremost I want to tell you how much I love Meg and Teeny. Teeny is Meg's little sister, and as some of you may know, I can't ignore a good sibling relationship. Supernatural has ruined me for life. I loved how relevant Teeny was to Meg. Meg really loved and cared about her, and it was such a pleasure to read about. I was worried that Teeny would take a back seat once the love story or the plot got going, but she didn't at all. She was going through problems of her own, and watching her grow was a lovely experience.

I spent the entire book feeling so sorry for Meg and her family, and really sympathised with what she was going through, even though I have never been - and will hopefully never be - in a situation even similar to hers. I can't imagine being on the run and having to leave everything I know behind. I mean, I want to get out of this village and move to my own private island, but I'd still like the option to come back.

Ethan, the love interest, was adorable and didn't give up on Meg, even when she shut him off (for valid reasons). There is a decent amount of information on Ethan and his background, which is more than I can say for some love interests, and I think that really helped develop him as a character in his own right.

Another thing I liked was that there was no love triangle! Praise the lord. I was actually gripping my Kindle, waiting for one to pop up. But never mind, because there isn't one, and the romance is all about Ethan and Meg.

I love books with a good mystery, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed Altered so much. Mysteries are my thing. I had a lot of fun figuring out the mystery in The Rules for Disappearing, especially since the author threw in just enough clues to keep you interested. And yes, I did figure it both of the giant plot twists because I am awesome. Just call me Sherlock Amber. But no, I do think that both of the twists were a little obvious since it is just where I expected the story to go. Despite figuring them out early on, it didn't kill my enjoyment of the book because I was dying to find out what would happen to Meg!

The Rules for Disappearing wrapped up nicely, and left some room for a sequel. I'd love to see more of Agent Thomas and Meg and Ethan. The only thing is, I'm not sure exactly how a sequel would work since... Well, I won't spoil you. I'm looking forward to it nonetheless, and I'm pretty sure it's happening because there is a sequel listed on Ashley Elston's Goodreads page.