{YA Review} The Rules (The Paper Doll Project #1) by Stacey Kade

{YA Review} The Rules (The Paper Doll Project #1) by Stacey Kade

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…

{Blurb via Goodreads}

{Details} Hardcover, 416 pages. Published April 23rd 2013 by Disney-Hyperion. Source: library

{Rating} 4/5

{Review} I was immediately drawn into the story, into Ariane's life. I connected with Ariane from the first page. I saw her, hunched over as a child, literally keeping her head down, hoarding things, because she had never had anything before, following the rules, adhering to a rigid routine "Tuesday equals cornflakes" (Kade, 3), blending in.

And then she makes one choice and breaks all the rules. I can't say much more than that without getting all spoilery so go and get the book. I gasped, I cheered, I really hated Rachel.

Zane. It took me a while to warm up to him despite seeing his background and experiences that are supposed to make us understand his actions and choices. But he turns out to be likeable, someone I could respect.

The beginning of a series, The Rules doesn't answer many questions, posing more than it answers in fact, but I've got ideas about where it's going. Ideas about Zane's mom, about Rachel's role in Ariane's life, about Ariane. I can't wait until the next book to see if I'm right.