**REVIEW** The Rules 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…

Expected Release:  April 23, 2013
Published By: Disney-Hyperion 
Review Copy: ARC, 410 pages
**provided by HBG Canada 

Review

  With a unique premise and page to page tension this one surprised me.  I do have to say that it wasn't what I had expected though.  From the description I was expecting something  more sci-fi but once I got into it, it became clear that wasn't the case.  The high school part of the novel really dominates and though this didn't disappoint me it did surprise me.  

  The story itself is filled with stereotypical characters but is based around Ariane who is a social outcast for a reason.  She stays away from everyone because it is a rule, well it is actually several rules.  Though she did break the rules to have a friend but even Jenna isn't who she seems.  Then you have your high school mean girl, Rachel.  You know the one that is only happy when making everyone else around her miserable, including the jock guy that is a part of the "in crowd" but is sick of the b.s.: Zane.  Take into account that Ariane is half extraterrestrial and has some serious powers hidden away and you know things are going to go wrong.

  There is a big part of me that felt sorry for Ariane.  It just seemed that everyone around her wanted to use her for one thing or another and she just wanted to melt into the crowd and remain unnoticed.  Her one really redeeming quality was that after all she had been through she felt a need to protect those that were bullied.  Seems that this is when her alien side shows itself and when she truly forgets the rules.  Not that Ariane is a particularly weak character but she didn't stand out really until 3/4 of the way through the book and then she really started to shine and become a memorable character.

  The romantic interest Zane actually has chapters written from his point of view as well, which is something I have always enjoyed because it gives you a more in depth sense of the back story.  Zane doesn't have an easy life, his dad basically hates him because he is like his mother and nothing like him or his brother.  This makes his home life a living hell and after his mother left it made him realize that being a part of the populars and torturing others is not what he really wants.  Ariane is different and piques his interest but what starts off as a plan for the both of them turns into something neither of them expected.

  I realize my review of this book is up and down but that's because my feeling rode out that way as I read.  The ending however was amazing and was a bit of a cliff hanger which means I will be picking up the next book.  That and everything that happens toward the end really points to something so much bigger than what had gone on in the rest of the novel.  My biggest hope is that my unanswered questions will get cleared up in the next instalment or at least a few of them.  I did like this read and would recommend it to people that want some contemporary with a sci-fi edge or those that are just getting into sci-fi.

Quotes

I resembled my mom's side of the family-the height, dark hair color, blue eyes, and the genetic lack of stick up my ass. -Zane

Unfortunately, reality had been far less generous.  I was short, thin, and pale, and slightly "off" in some way no one could ever quite put their finger on. -Ariane

She looked over at me expectantly, and I felt like she was about to suggest we synchronize our watches.  Or since neither of us is wearing one, compaire cell phone times at least."Yes, ma'am," I said.Someone, somewhere, should put her in charge of an army.

Reaching up to touch her face, I could feel her delicate bones beneath soft skin-she never seemed fragile or small except for when I touched her.  Her personality made her seem bigger, more powerful.