Horn Book Review
Fleeing both the scientists who made her and other scientists who want to kill her, alien-human hybrid Ariane (with human boyfriend Zane) delves further into her origins and seeks out the hybrids created by rival labs, hoping to form an alliance. With skillfully compounding subplots and a sympathetic heroine, this second volume smartly and satisfyingly expands the series' narrative world. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Desperate and on the run from GTX, Ariane needs the secret, emergency cache that Mark, her stepfather, hid for her, but relief at finding it is short-lived when she discovers the letter he left with it. Two other scientific labs have been competing with GTX to craft test-tube babies from human and alien DNA, turning them into living, lethal weapons. Eliminating Arianethe most successfulwould also eliminate GTX from the competition. While Mark warned Ariane to travel alone, Zane won't let that happen. As they travel to Zane's estranged mother's home, their attachment grows, but there's no time to cuddle. Zane worries alien-enhanced Ariane sees him as weak, while she's afraid he'll see her as less than human. When focusing on their obsessions, the plot grows slack and the pace slows. Alternating narration becomes repetitious when both narrators recount the same events; Ariane's powers allow her to hear Zane's thoughts and learn his feelings for her, further quashing suspense. But the story regains traction when Ariane seeks out and confronts her angry, wounded counterpart, Ford, and her wounded cellmates, Ariane's relatives. Though not raised in isolation like Ariane, they have also been taught to reject their half-human origins. Overcoming a melodramatic start, this page-turner accelerates to a taut climax with full marks for the cliffhanger ending. (Science fiction/romance. 12-18)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
The relentless sequel to Kade's The Rules (2013) hurtles Ariane and Zane further into danger and deception. After going on the lam from the evil research facility that created Ariane, she and Zane find themselves hunting down her only salvation: other hybrid creations. If Ariane can forge an alliance with the other hybrids, she may have a chance at a normal life. But her hunters threaten to outsmart her at every turn, and a steamy mutual attraction between Ariane and Zane means the stakes are even higher. With a breathless ending opening the door to more intrigue, readers will be eager to snatch up the next title.--Trevelyan, Julie Copyright 2014 Booklist
