The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Overview

She’s been a different person in each of the six places she’s lived: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky... But now, in rural Louisiana, she’s decided this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken almost everything from her. For now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a terrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has been begging her dad to explain: What did he do – or see – that got them into this mess? She’s had it with all the Suits' rules and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, she’ll have to find out on her own.

But Meg didn’t count on Ethan Landry, a cute and clever Louisiana farm boy. He knows Meg is hiding something big, and it could get them both killed. As they set out on a risky journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that survival is the only rule that really matters.

My Thoughts

I wanted to read Elston’s YA books after reading her adult thriller. I love the premise of this one but felt like it was very hot and cold - a lot of mystery and then laying out the facts in one fell swoop that seemed a bit unnatural. But I was intrigued and wanted to finish the book, which is always a good sign compared to DNFs! Plus, I LOVE the cliffhanger and want to get my hands on the sequel.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

My mom got this book from the library and said she read 3/4 of it in one day. I feel like I've been in a reading slump since the new year, so I was definitely in the mood for a book I couldn't put down.

And this really delivered! It's something I would call a cozy thriller, in that it doesn't really mess with my emotions but the suspense does keep me turning pages. (Okay, is there really a sub-genre called cozy thrillers? I love me some cozy mysteries but I won't lie - some of these thrillers almost give me a heart attack because they're so over-the-top. I want the suspense but I don't want to put my health at risk.)

In all seriousness, I call it that because I didn't really care about the main character. She was interesting and unique and I had no clue what her backstory was or what she would do next, but I wasn't invested in her survival. She was somewhat flat, and I mean that in a good way! I didn't want to care about her - I just wanted her to entertain me.

And she did. I read this book on Sunday, start to finish, and I genuinely had no idea how it would end. I call that a job well done.

With that said, I feel like trying to explain the story would either confuse you or give it away, so I'd suggest reading the blurb and seeing if it strikes your fancy. And if it does, comment so we can talk about it because I got lots of thoughts!