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joyousreads132's review
4.0
On the run from the bad guys, Meg has been through several moves and identity changes. She's lived by a set of rules that had so far saved her sanity from their last two relocations. Under the Witness Protection Program, she's learned not to get attached, not to make friends and to make herself as invisible as possible. But when their family was yet again relocated to Louisiana, remaining incognito had become impossible. Thanks to a boy who wouldn't leave her alone, a family on the verge of inevitable destruction, and her ever growing loneliness and impatience at the uncertainty of their future. Meg was determined to find out exactly what had happened if it was the first step to getting a semblance of their old life back. Even so far as reliving a nightmare that had plagued her nights to get to the truth that would set her family free.
Ashley Elston's compelling debut lets the readers into the clandestined lives of those in the WPP, particularly of a family whose former life was as different as night and day from the nightmare they keep finding themselves in. Meg was a believable character who had learned to step up as their mother continued her descent into oblivion via alcohol. While their father continued to take things as they were, contented to flit from one form of life to another. Her sister, in the meantime, was talking less and less. She was angry for being kept in the dark, mollified each time she'd asked the whys. The frustration seeps from the book to the reader.
The book is broken down into a set of rules Meg has set for herself to help her get through the endless cycle of moving and switching identities. It was a disorganized, disquieting life where fear rules, accompanied by loneliness. It was not a life for a teenager, let alone an eleven year old. In a way, Ethan saved both girls from themselves. Meg has found a guy who needed to be the person who could put up with the back and forth, roller coaster of emotions that she goes through on a daily basis. Her sister, who was virtually withdrawn unto herself, had found a friend who coaxed her back into the world of the living. Ethan was the quintessential perfect book boyfriend, though a bit unbelievably perfect sometimes. I liked that he's got Meg numbered and pegged from the get-go but I didn't like that he was willing to put his life on the line for a girl he barely knew. But it's part of his charm: he's kind and gentlemanly and who couldn't stand the thought of a world without Meg.
Wonderful characters, unrelenting suspense and a sweet romance to boot. What more could you ask for but for a sequel?
Ashley Elston's compelling debut lets the readers into the clandestined lives of those in the WPP, particularly of a family whose former life was as different as night and day from the nightmare they keep finding themselves in. Meg was a believable character who had learned to step up as their mother continued her descent into oblivion via alcohol. While their father continued to take things as they were, contented to flit from one form of life to another. Her sister, in the meantime, was talking less and less. She was angry for being kept in the dark, mollified each time she'd asked the whys. The frustration seeps from the book to the reader.
The book is broken down into a set of rules Meg has set for herself to help her get through the endless cycle of moving and switching identities. It was a disorganized, disquieting life where fear rules, accompanied by loneliness. It was not a life for a teenager, let alone an eleven year old. In a way, Ethan saved both girls from themselves. Meg has found a guy who needed to be the person who could put up with the back and forth, roller coaster of emotions that she goes through on a daily basis. Her sister, who was virtually withdrawn unto herself, had found a friend who coaxed her back into the world of the living. Ethan was the quintessential perfect book boyfriend, though a bit unbelievably perfect sometimes. I liked that he's got Meg numbered and pegged from the get-go but I didn't like that he was willing to put his life on the line for a girl he barely knew. But it's part of his charm: he's kind and gentlemanly and who couldn't stand the thought of a world without Meg.
Wonderful characters, unrelenting suspense and a sweet romance to boot. What more could you ask for but for a sequel?
taviamorgan's review
5.0
i think it might be partly nostalgia reasons as to why i like this book so much. i remember in sixth grade reading these books but i somehow read the second one before the first one and still loved them. i just love ethan and anna so much and like it’s a little corny but i just really like ethan. i think the story is really good and i like all the side characters. it’s crazy cause i remember specific scenes from this book like the hog and atv scenes and i’ll have it wait until to read the next one but i definitely remember more. it’s just crazy but yeah i really liked this book and i just miss being able to stay up until 4 am reading a book cause i haven’t done that in a while. it’s just cool that after six years i still really liked this book and remember loving it
tales_of_a_bookbug's review
2.0
Difficult to connect with the protagonist.But the mystery was really good.
adavila97's review
3.0
Meg's life has been anything but normal. She's had six different names for goodness sake. Megan is her new alias and she expects another small town that will hopefully last this time. What she doesn't expect is Ethan. Ethan has an undeniable interest in Meg and won't rest until he gets to know her. However, you can't run forever, as Meg and her family soon find out.
This book captured my attention and was a fun, decent read.
3/5 stars.
This book captured my attention and was a fun, decent read.
3/5 stars.
heather4994's review
5.0
The Characters-
Meg- Meg is the older sister. She's hurting from all this running, being in witness protection. She's angry at her father. He won't tell her what he did to get them in this situation and it makes her more angry and withdrawn every time they have to move. Six moves in eight months. She has rules now about not getting attached to anyone. Not making friends. Closing herself off to people and keeping her story to herself. Her mother gets worse every day. And her little sister Mary is losing herself. Meg feels desperate to find out why they are in witness protection and to do something about it. I felt desperate right along with her, but I hated every time she pushed Ethan away or wouldn't go somewhere with someone that was trying to be friends with her. I understood her predicament. I could empathize with her, but I didn't want it for her or the people she pushed away. I did like how her character developed though I thought she could have trusted Ethan a little more a little sooner.
Ethan- Ethan is a cute boy. He isn't a hero or a bad boy, he's got a bit of country in him, but when you live in a small town in Louisiana you do what you can to have fun. He is immediately drawn to Meg, maybe because she is new, but there doesn't seem to be any other girl that is vying for his attention. He's sweet, he teaches Mary how to make pizzas in the back of Pearl's where Meg worked. He takes the time to try to figure Meg out. He searches her out at school. He goes out of his way to take Meg and Mary to school and starts to bring Mary out of her shell so that she's more like herself, the person she was before all this happened.
There were so many secondary characters, nicely layered Mary probably had the most back story as the little sister, sharing this terrible journey with Meg. But where Meg was the protector, Mary reminded Meg of having fun, of what it was like to be a kid again. Mary reminded Meg to enjoy whatever there was to live for while they could. Mom was a fall out on the floor alcoholic and Dad was an angry, stoic bury his head in the sand figure. I think he was trying to make a deal with someone but I could never really figure that part of the story out.
The world-
Natchitoches, Louisiana. It is described as a small town with a quaint downtown, historic homes, cobblestone streets. Farms further out. A lot of the story takes place at the high school, the pizza shop, Ethan's father's farm or the little bungalows that Meg's family is living in. It's in a rather run down part of town. Her father works in a factory, her mother is too drunk to do anything. And Meg works every day with Mary coming to work with her. It's winter close to Mardi Gras.
The Story-
Of course it's the story about a family in Witness Protection. But it's really about the effects of it on one girl and how she is determined to get out of it. I honestly was expecting a lighter story. But this is not a light story. Ethan catches Meg in a lie the second day of school and she finds herself trying to keep ahead of him most of the time. Meg constantly feels like she's being followed. She has several close calls when the lights go out or her belongings seem to have been gone through but nothing taken. One agent always seems to be right on her tail every time she turns around. And then she finds out the reason they are in Witness Protection. And it's nothing like she thought. And she is even more determined to fix things and get her family out of it. But her planning skills leave a lot to be desired and she has no money to get where she needs to go. And then, her mother gets worse. And it's all down hill from there. I honestly saw no way out of this for her. I figured this would be a series the way this was going. Meg is definitely a determined girl. She doesn't want to keep anyone close to her because anyone that knows anything is in danger. And yet, she can't help her family without a little help on her own. She really tries her best not to get involved with anyone, but she's a senior in high school, halfway through the year. I felt her aching for friends. Her need to fit in. But yet she's not even thinking about that, she's got this huge thing hanging over her head.
I thought the story was really well written, the creepy parts with Meg feeling like she was being followed had me creeped out, too. I was scared right along with her. The twists and turns in the novel will definitely keep you guessing right to the very last page. I wasn't expecting that ending, not the last page. But then again, it wasn't unexpected. The story is fast paced and will have you flipping pages almost faster than you can read them. I loved this novel for the suspense, the romance, the sisterly bond, and the mystery.
I received an e-ARC of this novel from Disney-Hyperion through Net-Galley for review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.
Meg- Meg is the older sister. She's hurting from all this running, being in witness protection. She's angry at her father. He won't tell her what he did to get them in this situation and it makes her more angry and withdrawn every time they have to move. Six moves in eight months. She has rules now about not getting attached to anyone. Not making friends. Closing herself off to people and keeping her story to herself. Her mother gets worse every day. And her little sister Mary is losing herself. Meg feels desperate to find out why they are in witness protection and to do something about it. I felt desperate right along with her, but I hated every time she pushed Ethan away or wouldn't go somewhere with someone that was trying to be friends with her. I understood her predicament. I could empathize with her, but I didn't want it for her or the people she pushed away. I did like how her character developed though I thought she could have trusted Ethan a little more a little sooner.
Ethan- Ethan is a cute boy. He isn't a hero or a bad boy, he's got a bit of country in him, but when you live in a small town in Louisiana you do what you can to have fun. He is immediately drawn to Meg, maybe because she is new, but there doesn't seem to be any other girl that is vying for his attention. He's sweet, he teaches Mary how to make pizzas in the back of Pearl's where Meg worked. He takes the time to try to figure Meg out. He searches her out at school. He goes out of his way to take Meg and Mary to school and starts to bring Mary out of her shell so that she's more like herself, the person she was before all this happened.
There were so many secondary characters, nicely layered Mary probably had the most back story as the little sister, sharing this terrible journey with Meg. But where Meg was the protector, Mary reminded Meg of having fun, of what it was like to be a kid again. Mary reminded Meg to enjoy whatever there was to live for while they could. Mom was a fall out on the floor alcoholic and Dad was an angry, stoic bury his head in the sand figure. I think he was trying to make a deal with someone but I could never really figure that part of the story out.
The world-
Natchitoches, Louisiana. It is described as a small town with a quaint downtown, historic homes, cobblestone streets. Farms further out. A lot of the story takes place at the high school, the pizza shop, Ethan's father's farm or the little bungalows that Meg's family is living in. It's in a rather run down part of town. Her father works in a factory, her mother is too drunk to do anything. And Meg works every day with Mary coming to work with her. It's winter close to Mardi Gras.
The Story-
Of course it's the story about a family in Witness Protection. But it's really about the effects of it on one girl and how she is determined to get out of it. I honestly was expecting a lighter story. But this is not a light story. Ethan catches Meg in a lie the second day of school and she finds herself trying to keep ahead of him most of the time. Meg constantly feels like she's being followed. She has several close calls when the lights go out or her belongings seem to have been gone through but nothing taken. One agent always seems to be right on her tail every time she turns around. And then she finds out the reason they are in Witness Protection. And it's nothing like she thought. And she is even more determined to fix things and get her family out of it. But her planning skills leave a lot to be desired and she has no money to get where she needs to go. And then, her mother gets worse. And it's all down hill from there. I honestly saw no way out of this for her. I figured this would be a series the way this was going. Meg is definitely a determined girl. She doesn't want to keep anyone close to her because anyone that knows anything is in danger. And yet, she can't help her family without a little help on her own. She really tries her best not to get involved with anyone, but she's a senior in high school, halfway through the year. I felt her aching for friends. Her need to fit in. But yet she's not even thinking about that, she's got this huge thing hanging over her head.
I thought the story was really well written, the creepy parts with Meg feeling like she was being followed had me creeped out, too. I was scared right along with her. The twists and turns in the novel will definitely keep you guessing right to the very last page. I wasn't expecting that ending, not the last page. But then again, it wasn't unexpected. The story is fast paced and will have you flipping pages almost faster than you can read them. I loved this novel for the suspense, the romance, the sisterly bond, and the mystery.
I received an e-ARC of this novel from Disney-Hyperion through Net-Galley for review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.
trisha_thomas's review
3.0
" There’s a time to cut and run. There’s a time to stay and fight. The most important time is to know when to make this decision."
I loved this one. I loved the little blurbs at the beginning of each chapter giving advice to those on the run. And I can't even imagine being in Witness Protection. The stress and the frustration, the constant fear and depression.
The mystery was really interesting, the characters were well done. Although some points seem obvious, it was fun to read the whole story as it unfolds.
I loved this one. I loved the little blurbs at the beginning of each chapter giving advice to those on the run. And I can't even imagine being in Witness Protection. The stress and the frustration, the constant fear and depression.
The mystery was really interesting, the characters were well done. Although some points seem obvious, it was fun to read the whole story as it unfolds.
maggiemaggio's review
2.0
2.5 stars
I really liked this book. I thought it was a brilliant idea about a situation I had never once considered and I was really excited to see how it turned out. That is until we found out why Meg's family was in the Witness Protection Program and then I pretty much read this in total disbelief. Seriously, I was so angry that this was the turn the book took that it made me dislike the book even more.
Before we found out the reason, Meg is just a pissed off teenager who's trying to do the best she can under some terrible circumstances. Her father did something that's made them have to move around constantly, leaving in the middle of the night, and having to become different people. Her mother has gone from social mom of the year to a reclusive alcoholic. And her little sister is just shutting down because she can't handle it any more. Meg tries so hard to hold her family together while also going to school and trying to keep her distance since she assumes they're going to have to pick up and leave soon that she's at her breaking point.
I thought Meg as a great, sympathetic, and strong character for the first part of the book. I also loved first-part Ethan. I thought that the way their relationship developed was authentic, as was the way that high school was depicted. I wish that Ashley Elston would have stuck to the family and school relationships that are obviously her strong suit.
Since I don't want to ruin it I'm not going to talk much about the second half of the book. Let's just say that I had to suspend pretty much all disbelief. Maybe not all disbelief immediately, but as the action unfolds I was pretty much dumbfounded. And, be warned, there's a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. I would beg Ashley Elston not to write another book, but I see on Goodreads that one already seems to be planned for 2014. My (unsolicited) advice for her? Cut down on the action/adventure parts and stick to the family and high school relationships because I think she's actually pretty good at those.
I received a digital review copy of this from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!). All opinions are (obviously) my own.
I really liked this book. I thought it was a brilliant idea about a situation I had never once considered and I was really excited to see how it turned out. That is until we found out why Meg's family was in the Witness Protection Program and then I pretty much read this in total disbelief. Seriously, I was so angry that this was the turn the book took that it made me dislike the book even more.
Before we found out the reason, Meg is just a pissed off teenager who's trying to do the best she can under some terrible circumstances. Her father did something that's made them have to move around constantly, leaving in the middle of the night, and having to become different people. Her mother has gone from social mom of the year to a reclusive alcoholic. And her little sister is just shutting down because she can't handle it any more. Meg tries so hard to hold her family together while also going to school and trying to keep her distance since she assumes they're going to have to pick up and leave soon that she's at her breaking point.
I thought Meg as a great, sympathetic, and strong character for the first part of the book. I also loved first-part Ethan. I thought that the way their relationship developed was authentic, as was the way that high school was depicted. I wish that Ashley Elston would have stuck to the family and school relationships that are obviously her strong suit.
Since I don't want to ruin it I'm not going to talk much about the second half of the book. Let's just say that I had to suspend pretty much all disbelief. Maybe not all disbelief immediately, but as the action unfolds I was pretty much dumbfounded. And, be warned, there's a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. I would beg Ashley Elston not to write another book, but I see on Goodreads that one already seems to be planned for 2014. My (unsolicited) advice for her? Cut down on the action/adventure parts and stick to the family and high school relationships because I think she's actually pretty good at those.
I received a digital review copy of this from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!). All opinions are (obviously) my own.
debi_g's review
3.0
Slow build up, red herrings, misplaced trust, self-blame, family grief, and endangerment with a twist of romance.
bbboeken's review
3.0
Spannend, goed gestructureerd, maar een beetje te hopeloos romantisch. Zeker niet slecht voor de jonge doelgroep.
mandalouwho's review
2.0
It could have been so good. Could have. The plot moved so slowly and to be honest I didn't bother finishing it. It's such a crappy book.