The Rules for Breaking (Rules Series #2)

by Ashley Elston

Overview

Anna Boyd almost lost her life to get what she wanted most in the world: freedom.

But just when it seems that her family has finally escaped Witness Protection, the illusion that Anna could resume a normal life comes crashing down.

The deadly man Anna knows as Thomas is still on the loose, and now he's using her as a pawn in a dangerous game with the drug cartel determined to silence her forever. When Thomas and a mysterious masked man capture not only Anna but also her fragile younger sister and her boyfriend, Anna decides it's time to break all the rules-even if it means teaming up with the lesser of two evils.

Anna will do whatever it takes to protect the people she loves and win her life back once and for all. But her true enemies are hidden in plain sight. Before long, Anna will learn that putting her trust in anyone may be the last mistake she ever makes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423190356
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/20/2014
Series:	Ashley Elston's Rules Series , #2
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	22,272
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Ashley Elston is the author of several novels including: The Rules for Disappearing (a finalist in the Best Young Adult Novel category of the International Thriller Writers Thriller Awards) and This Is Our Story. She has a liberal arts degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and worked for many years as a wedding photographer before turning her hand to writing. Ashley lives in Shreveport with her husband and three sons. For more information about Ashley and her books, please visit www.ashleyelston.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Anna's post—Witness Protection Program life isn't perfect, but at least she no longer has to keep her identity a secret or move from place to place at the drop of a hat. In Natchitoches, she's developed solid friendships and is dating a really great guy. Her sister, Teeny, is even beginning to recover from the trauma of their former lifestyle. Then Anna's missing journal is returned, along with a note from "T." Anna assumes it's from Thomas, the man hired to kill her, and the FBI agrees. Instead of going back into Witness Protection, the teen argues in favor of staying put, hoping that the FBI can apprehend Thomas before he finds her to finish his fatal task. He has a larger plan in place, however, and his accomplices are people Anna would never suspect. In order to outsmart them, she will have to think fast and stay strong—especially when her boyfriend and sister get dragged into the danger zone. This sequel to The Rules for Disappearing (Hyperion, 2013) doesn't stand well on its own, as pertinent backstory is not sufficiently explained for the uninitiated. There is, however, significant character growth over the course of this novel. Anna is a fairly likable heroine who realistically goes from pawn to triumphant victor. The plot drags at the start, but picks up the pace as it progresses. The underlying mystery and fits of suspense will keep readers' attention. Teens who enjoyed the first book will snap this up.—Heather Miller Cover, Homewood Public Library, AL

School Library Journal

Praise for The Rules for Disappearing:

"The realistic setting, believable romance and spunky protagonist will make this one worth the trip for mystery and romance fans."— Kirkus

"Elston has crafted a gripping tale that immediately captures the reader's attention."
— VOYA

"[H]ard to put down."
— The New York Journal of Books

From the Publisher

2014-03-17
Anna Boyd finally has her name—and her life—back, and she won't give either up without a fight. In this follow-up to The Rules for Disappearing (2013), Anna, so thankful to have left the world of witness protection behind, is shocked to learn that she is still being hunted by Thomas, the villain who masqueraded as a federal agent and who inexplicably allowed her and her boyfriend, Ethan, to escape when he might easily have killed them. Before she knows what hit her, Anna, her family and Ethan's are sent off to hide in a remote wilderness area from which she, Ethan, and her little sister, Teeny, are ultimately kidnapped. The trio is whisked away to a secret location where they learn that they have become pawns in a deadly game of chess being played by assassins, organized crime lords and rogue agents. The implausible but still engaging storyline is jam-packed with impulsive decisions that carry foreseeable disastrous consequences, unexpected betrayals and alliances, and a series of skin-of-the-teeth escapes. Amid the chaos, Anna's head-over-heels infatuation with Ethan and sweet devotion to Teeny will give readers something familiar they can hold on to. Like a good roller-coaster ride: adrenaline-fueled and terrifying with an underlying feeling that everything will end as it should. (Suspense. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews