Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Walk Right In, Sit Right Down


Expected Publication:  May 14th, 2013
The Rules for Disappearing
By: Ashley Elston
Disney-Hyperion
ISBN-13:  9781423168973

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.

Review

     Megan Jones is not always the same person - in fact her real name is not Megan Jones and she's still not sure exactly the reason why this is happening to her family.  What do they need the Witness Protection Program to keep them safe from?  Now, Meg is on her sixth identity and is determined that it will be the last one before she returns to who she used to be before this nightmare.  All she has to do is keep herself away from everyone and not get attached to their new home.  Oh yeah, and she has to get her Dad to tell her what exactly he did to get them in this mess.  With her Mom drowning her problems in alcohol, her little sister becoming terrified of getting left behind and the cute farm boy at school (Ethan) refusing to leave her alone how will she ever save her family?  When the shocking truth is revealed, what can Meg do to set things right and can she keep everyone alive through the crisis that ensues?  This book was like reading a very amusing movie of the week.  A cross between Hallmark/Lifetime's over-dramatic plots and the Disney Channel's tween humor and innocence.  Yes, the heroine is in the witness protection program.  But this book is really about the devastation that it has caused her family and the destruction to her own personal and romantic life. I really loved her little sister Mary.  I understood Meg's need to protect her family, but felt like her constant need to be in charge was annoying at times to me as reader.  The romance with Ethan develops at a believable pace, with sweet moments and angsty ones too, due to Meg's insecurities and refusal to trust in anyone to help her find the truth.  The humor and character flaws keep this book from being totally depressing but they also keep me from taking it 100% seriously - and the cover's attempt to look serious doesn't do it any favors.  The plot unfolded fairly unrealistically, but most of it was easily overlooked until near the end, when it truly does become a movie of the week, wrapped up with a neat little bow and a killer just letting the go free for no apparent reason.  Meg and her family read more real than a lot of characters I've had the displeasure of meeting and the consistency of the writing's quality was a pleasant surprise for me after a long line of mediocre books so far this year.  Well written and thoroughly enjoyable, if you can suspend your disbelief for a few hours.  

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

**I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It will be available for purchase on May 14th, 2013.**

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