Review & giveaway: The Rules (Project Paper Doll #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. ~ Goodreads

Review:
Note: There are NO spoilers for The Rules in this review but I do refer to a few things that are already in the summary that may be spoilery if you do not read book summaries.

Ariane, an alien/human hybrid, needs to lay low in order to stay safe. Following her adoptive father's rules has always protected her from discovery but she can't stand to watch her one and only friend subjected to the cruel pranks of the resident high school mean girl, Rachel.

But her act of defiance puts her on the radar of GTX, the genetics lab she was raised in and escaped from. They will stop at nothing to find her and bring her back in. It also puts her in the path of Zane, the police chiefs son and Rachel's friend.

Ariane is a wonderful character. She's both shy and innocent but fierce in her loyalty to her friends and family. She may not understand the subtitles of human behavior but she does know right from wrong and isn't afraid to stand up and fight. After meeting Zane, she starts to long for a normal life and you want that for her. Ariane is a girl that you would want as your BFF.

There is quite a surprising amount of high school drama but IMHO no one writes high school drama better than Stacey Kade.

The Rules is The Breakfast Club ( the classic 1985 movie by John Hughes) meets Sci-fi/Paranormal.

Kade manages to have all the required high school character stereotypes - the mean girl, the outcast, the hot boy and infuse them with layers and complexity. You may not always love each character but you do understand their motivations which keeps the story from becoming a cliche. If you've read Stacey's fabulous Ghost and the Goth series, you'll know that all of her characters are on a journey. They evolve with each book and I can't wait to see where Ariane, Zane and even bad girl, Rachel end up. Even the adults are present and fleshed out.

The Rules was kind of sci-fi light. We got a glimpse of Ariane's origins, potential and what she's been through (it isn't pretty) but this installment has a more contemporary/paranormal vibe. If you're a hardcore sci-fi fan and that’s what you were expecting that might bother you but this book was a lot of fun with plenty of drama, action and shocking twists. The romance is slow, sweet and 100% believable.

Final thoughts: There have been quite a few alien hybrid stories released recently. I've read several but The Rules was my favorite. Ariane makes a very relatable and likable heroine. Zane is a brave, intelligent hero. A little more contemporary/paranormal than sci-fi. The pacing is excellent, the romance pitch perfect and there are plenty of twists to keep you on your toes.

Author: Website | Twitter
Source: Provided by the author for my honest review
Buy the book! The Rules (Project Paper Doll)

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