Review: None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing





My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published November 20th 2012

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Sometimes, a few dares can change lives…

The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.

Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?

As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

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Review: 

This book was a case of good, slow, quick, quick, slow, good, great. We have mostly a story about Sophie and her friends, and how they all react to this bucket list that's found. While Sophie is good friends with Ella and Grace they all have their quirks, their little secrets and they all are typical high school kids. And that's refreshing because many books try to create characters far too old for high school. These girls were it. And because of that I enjoyed the story more. There was also an extra bit of romance thrown in, and Ella and Grace have their own problems when it comes to the love side of the story.



A stand-alone story.


Pro's
I know this sounds so cliché but I loved how the girls grew. They each had to overcome one aspect of their life and I won't give spoilers away to say what.

The twist in the bucket list story really surprised me. 

I really accepted Johnny rush as a good guy. He did all the right things, made all the right moves. Didn't create a whole lot of expectation and was pretty sincere towards the end. 

I also loved how the girls reacted to Grace's boyfriend, however a little part of me wishes they'd got rid of him sooner.


Con's

Not many. Mostly I think it's the expectation of adolescents. You wish they would talk and explain things more rather than blank off a conversation as 'Fine' then walk away. Maybe that's the older person speaking now!



Available from Amazon:



CB Note to readers: This is a new type of review I'm starting aimed to get to the point and exclude waffle. Points are easier to read. If you prefer this than the usual review please let me know!
It's been a while but I'm back reviewing now!

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