Review: The Rules for Disappearing

Title: The Rules for Disappearing
Author: Ashley Elston
Genre: Suspense, thriller, realistic fiction, YA
Ages: 15-18 years

Goodreads Description:
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.

My Review:

This book had something for everyone--suspense, action, romance.  The idea of being in the Witness Protection program is an interesting one, especially surviving the process while also dealing with the normal struggles of being a teenager.  The main character is mature and strong, dealing with many issues including surviving the witness protection program, an alcoholic mother, and taking care of her younger sister.  However, readers relate to her as she also deals with figuring out who she is, avoiding drama caused by the popular mean girl, and having a crush on a cute boy.  The book was well written and filled with suspense and action that make it easy to keep the pages turning.


*ARC provided by NetGalley.

Book Review: Twerp

Twerp by Mark Goldblatt
Ages: 12-15 years old

Description according to Goodreads:
Julian Twerski isn't a bully. He's just made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after a week long suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the terrible incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance. And so begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background, though, is the one story he can't bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear.

My Review:
This book quickly pulled me in, with its numerous short stories and antics of the main character, Julian, and his friends.  There is a lot of material for tweens to connect to such as friendships, crushes, first dates, and sports.  However, the author does a great job of tackling a very serious subject matter, bullying, and how a "prank" or "joke" can escalate and turn out to be less funny and more hurtful than intended.  The author hints at this ugly incident throughout the book, but allows the reader to get to know the characters and their world before revealing what happened in its entirety--a smart moves that lends itself to a well-wrapped up ending.



*ARC provided by NetGalley.