Review-The Rules

I asked Disney Hyperion for two ARCs when I emailed them quite a few months ago, this one and The Archived, but because this one came out much later it got pushed to the bottom of the pile over and over again.  Now that I've finally gotten to it I'm not quite sure what took me so long to read any of Stacey's books, especially since I have her first series.  When I first heard about this novel I was really excited, because it sounded awesome, and I was not disappointed with it.  Stacey crafts a plot that's fresh and really hits the nail on the head with the dual POV.  Sometimes dual POV can hinder a story, but I truly believe that in this instance it helps further the story along and makes it stronger overall.  There were times when I was a little angry with Zane, but I can see why he is the way he is, and he does seem to evolve over the course of the novel which is a huge plus.  Ariane also evolves, which is impressive because it's the first book in a series, but I can already see how she's changing.  It sort of reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a way of tone, only more X Files in terms of the paranormal part.    There are little twists and turns that even I didn't see coming, although maybe I should have because after the fact they were a little obvious (but isn't that how it always works?).  I can see this series going in one of two ways, so I'm eager to see where Stacey ends up going with it, which means I will have to pick up the next book.  Overall I was very pleased with the end result and I would recommend this to people who are looking for a quick read that is equal parts fun and thought provoking.

Out April 23, 2013

4.5/5 dust spirits

*Thank you to Disney Hyperion for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.