The Rules

March 1, 2013
A likable science-fiction romance features strong co-protagonists who know where they come from, but not who they are. Born in a GenTex lab with human and extraterrestrial DNA, Ariane gives new meaning to "test tube baby." A lab employee, now her adoptive dad, rescued her from a nightmarish, lab-rat existence, thwarting Dr. Jacobs' plans to mold her into a designer weapon (her abilities include mind reading and telekinesis). Following strict rules and hiding in plain sight, Ariane's evaded capture for a decade, but GTX is closer than she realizes. Popular, athletic and good-looking Zane coaxes her into revealing herself, while hiding from her the wounds inflicted by his mother's abandonment and police-chief father's contempt. Reluctantly drafted by Dr. Jacobs' granddaughter, Rachel, the plot's evil catalyst, into her scheme to humiliate Ariane, Zane instead is intrigued and attracted. Ariane's long-blocked powers come roaring back when Rachel pushes her buttons. Struggling to unite the disparate strands of her identity, Ariane's an appealing original who (in a welcome departure from YA orthodoxy) does not have beauty-queen looks of which she's modestly unaware. She and Zane know precisely where she stands in the appearance hierarchy. Cartoonishly evil, Dr. Jacobs and Rachel are less persuasive. The traditional cliffhanger ending leaves readers hungry for the next course. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

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July 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-By following five rules, Ariane Tucker and her adoptive father have managed to stay hidden from the agency searching for her. Ariane, a human/alien hybrid, was engineered in a lab as part of Project Paper Doll in hopes of being utilized by the Department of Defense. Crushes, mean girls, cliques, and other elements of high school drama are more challenging for the 16-year-old, who must also struggle to blend in with "full-blooded humans." An incident that occurs while she is standing up for her best friend draws unwanted attention from the most popular-and most vicious-girl in school. The situation also creates the opportunity for her to get to know handsome Zane Bradshaw. He has agreed to ask Ariane to Bonfire Week activities as part of a prank to put her in her place, but instead the two find themselves falling in love even as the danger of the agency finding her grows. The Rules is effectively told from alternating perspectives. Ariane describes the loneliness of being a test subject and the challenges of trying to fit in while not standing out. Zane's chapters provide insight into his unhappy home life and an outsider's view of Ariane. The conclusion is satisfactory, yet leaves open the possibility of a sequel. With elements of science fiction, humor, and romance, this title will appeal to fans of Pittacus Lore's "Lorien Legacies" (HarperCollins) and James Patterson's "Maximum Ride" (Little, Brown) series.-Sherry J. Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis, MO

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2013
Grades 7-12 This page-turner holds fast to the essential elements of young-adult paranormal fiction: danger, intrigue, forbidden romance, and deadly secrets. Ariane Tucker is like every other high-school girlnot. She is half-human, half-alien, and on the run from the mad scientist who conducted her training in the genetics lab she managed to escape when she was six. Her adoptive father gave her ground rules early on, two of which she has held close to her heart: never trust anyone and don't fall in love. But her heart seems all too human when she meets Zane Bradshaw, a golden boy who sees the real Ariane and begins to draw her out like no one has before. A typical cast of high-school caricatures litters the story, but surprising twists at the end of this Project Paper Dolls series starter attest to the author's ability to weave a stirring tale. Hand this to genre fans weary of vampires and werewolves and interested in strong-minded older teen characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)