Chapter by Chapter

The Rules for Disappearing by author Ashley Elston was a fun read that kept me wondering for the entire novel. The description soundedvery interesting and by the time I began reading I found myself comparing it to mystery/thriller novels I read in the past. The Rules for Disappearing is a read that was stuffed with romance, mystery and drama. Do I hope for a sequel? Yes, yes I do.

The Rules for Disappearing tells the story of main character “Megan Rose Jones” whose family is in the Witness Protection Program. Her sixth move has given her a new name, hair and eye color and a new life in Louisiana. Meg’s mother has become an alcoholic, her little sister “Mary” (Who Meg just likes to call Teeny) hasn’t acted like a kid since they entered the Witness Protection program and Meg has no idea why they were put into the Witness Protection Program in the first place, but she is intent on finding out.

When Meg meets Ethan, a smart, funny and cute country boy—Meg knows that the only way to uncover what happened to put her family in the Suits’ protection is to find out herself. There are rules that Meg has put in place to keep her family safe from whoever is after them and another move. However all these rules seem to be broken as Meg and Ethan grow closer together. She knows that his being involved with her puts him in grave danger, but Ethan knows that Meg isn’t who she says she is and that she has a big secret. The two begin to search for the truth, but when they find it Meg becomes aware just how dangerous her family’s situation really is.

I really liked the main character Meg. I really liked that there was a real mystery behind who she was before the Witness Protection Program and having to guess at who she really is/was. Apart from that, I also liked the way that Meg acted as an older sister. She looked out for her little sister and would do anything to keep Teeny safe. I admired that. As the novel progressed you also get to find out that Meg has repressed memories from her original life before the Suits and the Witness Protection Program that lead to uncovering the mystery of what happened to her family.

I loved Ethan. He’s described as a cute and funny, but also dedicated to helping Meg. At first, he came off as a bit annoying but as circumstances push him and Meg closer together I started to fall in love with him. With Ethan also came Ethan’s sister who adds some high school conflict into the novel. Suddenly Meg is a target at her high school and this adds a ton of drama into the mystery/thriller mix that The Rules for Disappearing has. The cast of characters in The Rules for Disappearing are memorable and all add to each other.

When we do find out the reason behind why Meg is in the Witness Protection Program the story dose develop a quick pace. Suddenly the Suits pose a threat, nobody can be trusted and Meg becomes paranoid. Before this, the story does have a bit of a slow pace, but it’s nothing that would make anybody irate. I personally found that it added to the mystery of the novel. After Meg’s discovery is made the novel turns into a total thriller and doesn’t lose pace at all. That ending too—I totally want more.

The Rules for Disappearing is totally Stacy Kade’s Project Paper Doll novel meets Kate Brian’s Shadowlands. Fans of mystery will devour this read as will readers who are looking for a novel that has romance and thrills all in one book.