Ashley Elston

High school student "Meg" has changed identities so often that she hardly knows who she is anymore, and her family is falling apart, but she knows that two of the rules of witness protection are be forgettable and do not make friends--but in her new home in Louisiana a boy named Ethan is making that difficult.

The Rules for Disappearing

Lynn Braden

Meg Jones and her family are in the Witness Protection Program because of something her father did, but nobody will tell Meg what he did. They have been placed 5 different times into different cities with different names. Meg's younger sister has started to shut down and her mother is drinking a lot. With this latest move, Meg vows to follow her plan to go unnoticed and not make any friends, but that plan is put to the test when she meets Ethan Landry and his sister Emma. Emma becomes a thorn in Meg's side, but Ethan interests Meg in a different way. Meg starts to believe she is being followed and is determined to find out what her father did, but all the while, she fears that her family will have to move again, and if that happens, Meg isn't sure she will survive it.

This story not only deals with the practical aspects of constantly moving, but also delves into the feelings of depression, anger, and loss that go along with this kind of life. In addition, there is a nifty mystery of what landed them into Witness Protection in the first place leading to some surprising answers. Overall, a well written story with lots of emotion.

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I really, really, really, really liked this book. It had suspense, young love, conflict, friendship and a road trip! The character development was superb. I couldn't help but feel for Meg (Anna) and her sister and all they had been through. I was rooting for them to have normal lives from the beginning. And Ethan? Swoon. He was perfection. 

The only place it fell a little short with me was the speed at which things were wrapped up. After all the lead up, it all ended way too quickly for my liking. It was also wrapped up a little too neatly. I did, however, like the surprise of the letter at the end and the way Anna reacted to it. That felt real. As though even though everyone thinks it's over, it just might not be. That moment gave me chills. 

I look forward to more from this author. I really enjoyed her writing style.

Jessica Nottingham

The Rules for Disappearing Whoa. I'm not sure how else to describe The Rules for Disappearing in just one word, except to start with that. Madeline, Olivia, Meg; call her what you will but our main character is definitely one strong female. Constantly shipped from place to place, sometimes without a moments notice, her life isn't easy. What Ashley Elston builds is a world where a family is on the run, and our main character can't remember why. All that matters is survival.
 
I have to say that I never really pondered how tough the Witness Protection program could be. I loved reading from Meg's perspective because she wasn't one to sugar coat anything. I met a girl who was so strong, that she would shun real life if it meant keeping her sister safe. A girl who has been so many different people in such a short amount of time, that she can't recall what parts of her are real anymore. Meg is real. She's raw. She's honest. That's what makes this such an amazing read.
 
It helps of course that we have a swoon-worthy male lead as well. Ethan Landry is the southern boy we all wish we had. Sweet, smart, and absolutely stubborn, I couldn't help but adore his character. What really impressed me was how Ashley Elston brings these two together. From the moment they meet, there is tension. How do you hide your past and still let someone else in? Watching Ethan and Meg dance around the truth is maddening and intriguing at the same time.
 
While Meg definitely made some decisions I didn't agree with, and I won't deny physically yelling at the book, everything weaves together into one fantastic story. There is the element of mystery surrounding Meg's situation, the tension filled romance with Ethan, and even a few funny moments. I all but devoured this book, and highly suggest you go and do the same.

The Rules for Disappearing

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