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Rules of Rain
A dramatic new novel about the bond between a teen and her twin brother.
Rain has taken care of Ethan all of her life. Before she even knew what autism meant, she's been her twin brother's connection to the hostile world around him. She's always prepared—when her father abandons them, when her mother gets sick, when Ethan is tortured by bullies from school—Rain is the reliable, stable one holding them all together. She's both cautious carer and mad chef, preparing customized meals for her family and posting crazy recipes on her cooking blog.
Each day with Ethan is unvarying and predictable, and she's sure that nothing will ever change—until one night when her world is turned upside down by a mistake she can't take back. As her new romance with her long-time crush and her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, she discovers that the fragile brother whom she's always protected has grown into a young man who no longer needs her. And now, for the first time, she finds that she needs him.
Rain has taken care of Ethan all of her life. Before she even knew what autism meant, she's been her twin brother's connection to the hostile world around him. She's always prepared—when her father abandons them, when her mother gets sick, when Ethan is tortured by bullies from school—Rain is the reliable, stable one holding them all together. She's both cautious carer and mad chef, preparing customized meals for her family and posting crazy recipes on her cooking blog.
Each day with Ethan is unvarying and predictable, and she's sure that nothing will ever change—until one night when her world is turned upside down by a mistake she can't take back. As her new romance with her long-time crush and her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, she discovers that the fragile brother whom she's always protected has grown into a young man who no longer needs her. And now, for the first time, she finds that she needs him.
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2017
27 people are currently reading
1893 people want to read
About the author
Leah Scheier
4 books225 followersLeah Scheier was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. Leah works as a full-time pediatrician and mom to three daughters and twin boys.
Her novels, SECRET LETTERS (Hyperion/Disney 2012), YOUR VOICE IS ALL I HEAR (Sourcebooks Fire 2015) and RULES OF RAIN (Sourcebooks Fire 2017) have earned starred reviews from SLJ and Booklist and warm praise from PW and VOYA. Her fourth novel, THE LAST WORDS WE SAID is due to be released by Simon & Schuster on August 31, 2021.
You can write to Leah through her website or follow on twitter (@leahscheier) or Instagram
Her novels, SECRET LETTERS (Hyperion/Disney 2012), YOUR VOICE IS ALL I HEAR (Sourcebooks Fire 2015) and RULES OF RAIN (Sourcebooks Fire 2017) have earned starred reviews from SLJ and Booklist and warm praise from PW and VOYA. Her fourth novel, THE LAST WORDS WE SAID is due to be released by Simon & Schuster on August 31, 2021.
You can write to Leah through her website or follow on twitter (@leahscheier) or Instagram
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 119 reviews
March 8, 2018
3.5 stars. This was a touching and endearing story about sibling love and loyalty.
Rain and Ethan are sixteen-year-old twins who live with their uninvolved mother. Ethan has autism and Rain, his culinary-obsessed twin sister, has been his protector and caregiver from as far back as she can remember. She understands Ethan more than anyone else and is devoted to keeping his world as comfortable and uncomplicated as possible. Her love for Ethan shines through every page of this touching story. Their sibling relationship and connection pulled at my heartstrings. The author, Leah Scheier, did a wonderful job with both Ethan and Rain’s characters. I was invested in them from beginning to end.
The story unfolded through Rain’s perspective with extra sections from her cooking blog and Ethan’s journal. I liked how the story was presented, but I did find my interest wavered a few times.
Overall, it was a cute, easy, unique and interesting read that was a refreshing change of pace.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire and Leah Scheier for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rain and Ethan are sixteen-year-old twins who live with their uninvolved mother. Ethan has autism and Rain, his culinary-obsessed twin sister, has been his protector and caregiver from as far back as she can remember. She understands Ethan more than anyone else and is devoted to keeping his world as comfortable and uncomplicated as possible. Her love for Ethan shines through every page of this touching story. Their sibling relationship and connection pulled at my heartstrings. The author, Leah Scheier, did a wonderful job with both Ethan and Rain’s characters. I was invested in them from beginning to end.
The story unfolded through Rain’s perspective with extra sections from her cooking blog and Ethan’s journal. I liked how the story was presented, but I did find my interest wavered a few times.
Overall, it was a cute, easy, unique and interesting read that was a refreshing change of pace.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire and Leah Scheier for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 7, 2017
I’ve been given an ARC by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
4,5 to 5 stars
When I read Sourcebooks Fire Editorial Manager Annette Pollert Morgan’s note it said:
“At Sourcebooks, we talk a lot about how books change lives. (…) We are passionate about finding narrative with authentic teen voices that create -and validate- the teen experience in all its diversity. We’re looking for dynamic storytelling that engages teens and make them want to read our books, then turn around and share those books with their friends. Because we want our books to be the stories, the characters you remember.”
Well Annette I can honestly say that Rules of Rain accomplished its mission.
Dear readers I apologize for what will probably be once more a longish review as I have so many things to say about the book. I will compromise and give you a summary first and then dive in deep if you still are interested.
In a nutshell this story is:
Realistic.
Uplifting
Loveable.
Enlightening
Sweet
Realistic in its description of the daily life families being graced with the presence of an autistic child experience. I’ll delve further into this topic below but what Leah Shreier wrote about autism and how it affects the whole family is spot on.
Uplifting because in spite of the serious topic this book is filled with humor! I’ll wrote the first sentences somewhere below but I was laughing alone on the street while reading the book. Yes I readwalk I’m weird like that.
Loveable as the characters main and side are easy to fall in love with. Rain and Ethan are unique, courageous, loyal, kind and united you can’t not like them. The side characters are not just added for the sake of it either as they have their own battle and side stories, especially Liam.
Enlightening because you will leave this book with no more preconceived ideas about autism. It also reminded me all the struggles of finding yourself when you are a teen. How there is not one story in a divorce but two stories. That nothing is ever black or white but rather shades of grey.
Sweet because we speak about teenage love. The first attempts, often clumsy interspersed with shy smiles. You make mistakes because you want to impress the other. Sweet because Ethan for all his robotic exterior IS sweet and cute. Ethan will surprise us with his wisdom and his attempt at soothing Rain proving that he definitely is NOT a robot but has many emotions.
End of the nutshell
**********************
Bone marrow of the story:
Sorry to use this anatomical pun but Ethan corrupted my mind. What can I say when I read about detailed description of intestines or when Rain went back home to find a gigantic hologram of a human colon sitting where the refrigerator was meant to be?
There are many variations of autism and in some cases like Ethan’s these kids are terribly smart and ingest huge amounts of facts and theories as easily as I would empty my Rocky Road ice gallon.
Ethan loves anatomy and have big dreams for his future.
Now there is a big problem as it’s a struggle to be around people, noises, lights, odors. Everything is invading his personal space overstimulating. Ethan has been in Germany all his life -figure of speech- having all these feelings trapped inside and unable to express them to others. Now he has to learn German even if it’s with the help of Google translate.
All her life Rain has been the one to calm him when he was in a deep crisis. She was his human blanket.
Rain has built her life around her brother. She has planned her future to stay close, never really wondering what SHE wanted. This was truly admirable. I LOVED that Rain was not ashamed of Ethan and if people wanted to be friend with her they had to accept her brother. They were a package deal. But now Ethan wants his independence. He does not to need her all the time anymore. She’ll be shocked and hurt by some unexpected reactions and decisions he made. He lied to her that brother who can not lie!
Honestly I shed tears while reading about Rain lost without Ethan. She was conflicted. Of course she should be happy. Ethan was moving on becoming independent broadening his friend’s circle. But they had been glued to the hip for so long…suddenly she felt empty, adrift. She also had to trust Ethan. Let him take risks even if he could be hurt. That was hard for that loyal and caring girl.
More than a simple story about autism it’s a story about finding yourself. Who are you really? What makes you happy? At this time of your life where everything is possible you have to choose your path and choose it wisely.
Characters will make mistakes because nobody’s perfect. We are human and growing up is also realizing that the Manichean view of the world is a false one. That you are entitled to love people even if they hurt you in the past. You have to forgive to get better. Sometimes we will make decision that we will regret for a long time while we made them to protect others. But that’s life: you stumble, you fall and you get up. You learn.
This book has been a splendid experience. Cute, sweet, hilarious, grave, sad.. I could apply many more adjectives to this story.
Will it leave its mark in your reader’s experience? I bet on it!
*****************************
Quotes just for the sake of it!
Rain’s foodie blog excerpt:
“Dear Lovesick: We’ve all heard that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So don’t squander this opportunity by bringing chips and dip! Instead, knock him dead with a double dose of aphrodisiac. How about avocado chocolate mousse with agave nectar? Both avocado and chocolate are packed with libido-boosting fats and vitamins. Did you know the Aztecs forbade virgin women from leaving their houses during the avocado harvest because they feared the sexually overwhelming powers of the avocado? That Casanova snacked on dark chocolate before romancing his date? Well, you can use these ancient food secrets to make your boyfriend hot for you!”
Ethan’s journal excerpt:
“The route by which human pheromones turn us on. (Notes from R. Douglas Fields’s Sex and the Secret Nerve) Note: This may explain the Hope phenomenon. Proposed experiment: Attempt communication with subject during day four of upper respiratory tract infection (when congestion most interferes with the olfactory process). Alternative: Stuff cotton balls in nose next time she visits.”
“I’m used to finding pictures of unappetizing body parts taped to random places in our home. This is, however, the first time the refrigerator has gone missing.”
“The truth is, I’m lingering at my friends’ houses because I don’t want to go home. For the first time in my life, I have no idea how to act around Ethan. What am I supposed to say to him? How can I explain feelings to him that even I don’t understand?”
“Yeah. You’re basically the chemistry antitutor. You make me stupid.” It’s the strangest compliment I’ve ever gotten. But it makes me smile anyway.”
Find me on:
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4,5 to 5 stars
When I read Sourcebooks Fire Editorial Manager Annette Pollert Morgan’s note it said:
“At Sourcebooks, we talk a lot about how books change lives. (…) We are passionate about finding narrative with authentic teen voices that create -and validate- the teen experience in all its diversity. We’re looking for dynamic storytelling that engages teens and make them want to read our books, then turn around and share those books with their friends. Because we want our books to be the stories, the characters you remember.”
Well Annette I can honestly say that Rules of Rain accomplished its mission.
Dear readers I apologize for what will probably be once more a longish review as I have so many things to say about the book. I will compromise and give you a summary first and then dive in deep if you still are interested.
In a nutshell this story is:
Realistic.
Uplifting
Loveable.
Enlightening
Sweet
Realistic in its description of the daily life families being graced with the presence of an autistic child experience. I’ll delve further into this topic below but what Leah Shreier wrote about autism and how it affects the whole family is spot on.
Uplifting because in spite of the serious topic this book is filled with humor! I’ll wrote the first sentences somewhere below but I was laughing alone on the street while reading the book. Yes I readwalk I’m weird like that.
Loveable as the characters main and side are easy to fall in love with. Rain and Ethan are unique, courageous, loyal, kind and united you can’t not like them. The side characters are not just added for the sake of it either as they have their own battle and side stories, especially Liam.
Enlightening because you will leave this book with no more preconceived ideas about autism. It also reminded me all the struggles of finding yourself when you are a teen. How there is not one story in a divorce but two stories. That nothing is ever black or white but rather shades of grey.
Sweet because we speak about teenage love. The first attempts, often clumsy interspersed with shy smiles. You make mistakes because you want to impress the other. Sweet because Ethan for all his robotic exterior IS sweet and cute. Ethan will surprise us with his wisdom and his attempt at soothing Rain proving that he definitely is NOT a robot but has many emotions.
End of the nutshell
**********************
Bone marrow of the story:
Sorry to use this anatomical pun but Ethan corrupted my mind. What can I say when I read about detailed description of intestines or when Rain went back home to find a gigantic hologram of a human colon sitting where the refrigerator was meant to be?
There are many variations of autism and in some cases like Ethan’s these kids are terribly smart and ingest huge amounts of facts and theories as easily as I would empty my Rocky Road ice gallon.
Ethan loves anatomy and have big dreams for his future.
Now there is a big problem as it’s a struggle to be around people, noises, lights, odors. Everything is invading his personal space overstimulating. Ethan has been in Germany all his life -figure of speech- having all these feelings trapped inside and unable to express them to others. Now he has to learn German even if it’s with the help of Google translate.
All her life Rain has been the one to calm him when he was in a deep crisis. She was his human blanket.
Rain has built her life around her brother. She has planned her future to stay close, never really wondering what SHE wanted. This was truly admirable. I LOVED that Rain was not ashamed of Ethan and if people wanted to be friend with her they had to accept her brother. They were a package deal. But now Ethan wants his independence. He does not to need her all the time anymore. She’ll be shocked and hurt by some unexpected reactions and decisions he made. He lied to her that brother who can not lie!
Honestly I shed tears while reading about Rain lost without Ethan. She was conflicted. Of course she should be happy. Ethan was moving on becoming independent broadening his friend’s circle. But they had been glued to the hip for so long…suddenly she felt empty, adrift. She also had to trust Ethan. Let him take risks even if he could be hurt. That was hard for that loyal and caring girl.
More than a simple story about autism it’s a story about finding yourself. Who are you really? What makes you happy? At this time of your life where everything is possible you have to choose your path and choose it wisely.
Characters will make mistakes because nobody’s perfect. We are human and growing up is also realizing that the Manichean view of the world is a false one. That you are entitled to love people even if they hurt you in the past. You have to forgive to get better. Sometimes we will make decision that we will regret for a long time while we made them to protect others. But that’s life: you stumble, you fall and you get up. You learn.
This book has been a splendid experience. Cute, sweet, hilarious, grave, sad.. I could apply many more adjectives to this story.
Will it leave its mark in your reader’s experience? I bet on it!
*****************************
Quotes just for the sake of it!
Rain’s foodie blog excerpt:
“Dear Lovesick: We’ve all heard that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So don’t squander this opportunity by bringing chips and dip! Instead, knock him dead with a double dose of aphrodisiac. How about avocado chocolate mousse with agave nectar? Both avocado and chocolate are packed with libido-boosting fats and vitamins. Did you know the Aztecs forbade virgin women from leaving their houses during the avocado harvest because they feared the sexually overwhelming powers of the avocado? That Casanova snacked on dark chocolate before romancing his date? Well, you can use these ancient food secrets to make your boyfriend hot for you!”
Ethan’s journal excerpt:
“The route by which human pheromones turn us on. (Notes from R. Douglas Fields’s Sex and the Secret Nerve) Note: This may explain the Hope phenomenon. Proposed experiment: Attempt communication with subject during day four of upper respiratory tract infection (when congestion most interferes with the olfactory process). Alternative: Stuff cotton balls in nose next time she visits.”
“I’m used to finding pictures of unappetizing body parts taped to random places in our home. This is, however, the first time the refrigerator has gone missing.”
“The truth is, I’m lingering at my friends’ houses because I don’t want to go home. For the first time in my life, I have no idea how to act around Ethan. What am I supposed to say to him? How can I explain feelings to him that even I don’t understand?”
“Yeah. You’re basically the chemistry antitutor. You make me stupid.” It’s the strangest compliment I’ve ever gotten. But it makes me smile anyway.”
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook besties: Best Reading Blogs Ever
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
November 14, 2019
Many thanks to Netgalley and SourceBooks for the chance to read and review this novel.
Leah Scheier's upcoming release Rules of Rain explores family relationships in one of the most interesting ways I've experienced as a reader. The main character, Rain, has grown accustomed to taking care of the needs of her family members, especially those of her twin brother, Ethan. Rain has managed to keep her brother's Autism from crippling his life by finding unique ways to put him at ease, protecting him from bullies, and moving past their father's abandonment. When Rain is faced with her own personal trials along with her mother's illness, Rain finds roles being reversed. As change after change happens within the family, Rain struggles to find her identity after her twin brother finds his independence.
This was one of the most heartwarming YA novels I have had the privilege of reading. In our self-centered culture, reading about Rain's altruism was a breath of fresh air. I admired Leah Scheier's creation of such a character in a novel geared for young adults. Rain teaches readers many valuable lessons, such as the importance of family, caring for others, all while nurturing our own needs. The book world needs more selfless characters like Rain.
The unexpected element of Rain's adventurous cooking was hilarious to read about. Her concoctions were kooky but possibly worth trying out! I loved the added recipes and information about types of food and how they could treat different ailments. Besides, food is the way to a man's heart - something Rain was able to accomplish with Liam.
The secondary characters in this story were superbly fleshed out and equally as interesting as Rain. I enjoyed learning about Ethan's quirks and what life could be like with Autism. His short journal entries at the beginning of certain chapters were pure gold. I enjoyed this small touch and found myself looking forward to his perspective. Ethan showed some of the greatest character development I've seen and was just so much fun to read about. I would love to read a follow-up novel with Ethan and Hope at the center of the story! Not to mention Kathy and Marcus - so many teen issues were tackled with the secondary characters! I feel like I received two books worth of hard-hitting moments in one story.
I relished in the sibling relationship within the pages as Rain and Ethan encountered events together and separately, leading to an unbreakable bond. I was worried this relationship would be sometimes boring or tedious to read about upon picking up this novel but was easily proven wrong, much to my delight. I ended up being pleased by Rules of Rain more than I ever expected.
This was the perfectly portrayed coming of age novel, full of setbacks, romance, emotion, and growth.
Leah Scheier's upcoming release Rules of Rain explores family relationships in one of the most interesting ways I've experienced as a reader. The main character, Rain, has grown accustomed to taking care of the needs of her family members, especially those of her twin brother, Ethan. Rain has managed to keep her brother's Autism from crippling his life by finding unique ways to put him at ease, protecting him from bullies, and moving past their father's abandonment. When Rain is faced with her own personal trials along with her mother's illness, Rain finds roles being reversed. As change after change happens within the family, Rain struggles to find her identity after her twin brother finds his independence.
This was one of the most heartwarming YA novels I have had the privilege of reading. In our self-centered culture, reading about Rain's altruism was a breath of fresh air. I admired Leah Scheier's creation of such a character in a novel geared for young adults. Rain teaches readers many valuable lessons, such as the importance of family, caring for others, all while nurturing our own needs. The book world needs more selfless characters like Rain.
The unexpected element of Rain's adventurous cooking was hilarious to read about. Her concoctions were kooky but possibly worth trying out! I loved the added recipes and information about types of food and how they could treat different ailments. Besides, food is the way to a man's heart - something Rain was able to accomplish with Liam.
The secondary characters in this story were superbly fleshed out and equally as interesting as Rain. I enjoyed learning about Ethan's quirks and what life could be like with Autism. His short journal entries at the beginning of certain chapters were pure gold. I enjoyed this small touch and found myself looking forward to his perspective. Ethan showed some of the greatest character development I've seen and was just so much fun to read about. I would love to read a follow-up novel with Ethan and Hope at the center of the story! Not to mention Kathy and Marcus - so many teen issues were tackled with the secondary characters! I feel like I received two books worth of hard-hitting moments in one story.
I relished in the sibling relationship within the pages as Rain and Ethan encountered events together and separately, leading to an unbreakable bond. I was worried this relationship would be sometimes boring or tedious to read about upon picking up this novel but was easily proven wrong, much to my delight. I ended up being pleased by Rules of Rain more than I ever expected.
This was the perfectly portrayed coming of age novel, full of setbacks, romance, emotion, and growth.
November 29, 2017
I love the books Sourcebooks Fire releases, and this time wasn't so different. I fell in love with the story in the beginning and I suspect I won't forget it so easily. But there were some flaws that got in the way a bit too much. So 3.5 but rounding down to 3.
This is the self-discovery story of Rain, whose twin brother has autism. Thanks to that, her life has always been programmed around him, to make sure he was okay and not overload her mother even more. But things begin to change even before she notices. She finally gets closer to the boy of her dreams, and Ethan seems to have little secrets she had never imagined him capable of. All that, makes her notice her own shortcomings and even wishes she didn't think she had.
We had nice characters and, although Rain was as unique as her name, I did like her. And if you were to rate this story only based on her development, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5. The major problem Scheier had to deal with was working with a person on the spectrum. Especially with the increase of awareness nowadays, that is one challenging topic. While I'm not informed enough so I can only tell you my feelings, Scheier seemed to be quite knowledgeable. And then she lost it. Ethan was a character I loved but something was wrong there, he was acting too... normal?—neurotically, if you prefer—all of a sudden. In the space of a couple of months and mostly "off-stage", he changed so much it seemed more like he was acting having a worse condition than he really had. I won't even get into the discussion it seemed to mean his happy ending was to become more "normal". Even before we get there, I found his progression a little weird.
And that romance... oh my. Not spoiling you but Rain keeps making mistakes. Not that Liam didn't, he too was self-centered. Yes, both succeed in getting better. It's just that the solution Rain finds for their romance was still as black-and-white as everything she used to do. That's why I mentioned I'd rate it 4.5. I do see a teenager making that mistake, it's believable but it's still quite irritating. That ending could have been better. The whole romance kept having episodes that made me uncomfortable, actually.
The romance as a whole and Ethan's development were the flaws that made this book a bitter read for me. It's sad to state it like that because Scheier's writing is very uplifting. She manages to deal with difficult issues with making the story too crowded. I fell in love with her style, I'll certainly read her next works.
A detail but I loved how Rain runs a blog but it's not this huge success—in fact, most of the comments were made by herself. I don't understand how characters in YA's always need to go viral or never try blogging.
Her friends were also really nice, the side characters in this book were pure gold. And I've already mentioned, but the conflict Scheier found for Rain was very true for every teen, even if you don't have a brother to take care of. Last but not least, the book is a great source to discuss so much, I think it's a perfect choice for a book club. It's amazing how many topics there are now I think back.
Not a book I'd recommend anyone. It can be a little long, the romance—my favorite part of every YA—was a lackluster. At the same time, I did like it in the end. Even if I rounded it down to 3, it is a little more than your average 3.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
This is the self-discovery story of Rain, whose twin brother has autism. Thanks to that, her life has always been programmed around him, to make sure he was okay and not overload her mother even more. But things begin to change even before she notices. She finally gets closer to the boy of her dreams, and Ethan seems to have little secrets she had never imagined him capable of. All that, makes her notice her own shortcomings and even wishes she didn't think she had.
We had nice characters and, although Rain was as unique as her name, I did like her. And if you were to rate this story only based on her development, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5. The major problem Scheier had to deal with was working with a person on the spectrum. Especially with the increase of awareness nowadays, that is one challenging topic. While I'm not informed enough so I can only tell you my feelings, Scheier seemed to be quite knowledgeable. And then she lost it. Ethan was a character I loved but something was wrong there, he was acting too... normal?—neurotically, if you prefer—all of a sudden. In the space of a couple of months and mostly "off-stage", he changed so much it seemed more like he was acting having a worse condition than he really had. I won't even get into the discussion it seemed to mean his happy ending was to become more "normal". Even before we get there, I found his progression a little weird.
And that romance... oh my. Not spoiling you but Rain keeps making mistakes. Not that Liam didn't, he too was self-centered. Yes, both succeed in getting better. It's just that the solution Rain finds for their romance was still as black-and-white as everything she used to do. That's why I mentioned I'd rate it 4.5. I do see a teenager making that mistake, it's believable but it's still quite irritating. That ending could have been better. The whole romance kept having episodes that made me uncomfortable, actually.
The romance as a whole and Ethan's development were the flaws that made this book a bitter read for me. It's sad to state it like that because Scheier's writing is very uplifting. She manages to deal with difficult issues with making the story too crowded. I fell in love with her style, I'll certainly read her next works.
A detail but I loved how Rain runs a blog but it's not this huge success—in fact, most of the comments were made by herself. I don't understand how characters in YA's always need to go viral or never try blogging.
Her friends were also really nice, the side characters in this book were pure gold. And I've already mentioned, but the conflict Scheier found for Rain was very true for every teen, even if you don't have a brother to take care of. Last but not least, the book is a great source to discuss so much, I think it's a perfect choice for a book club. It's amazing how many topics there are now I think back.
Not a book I'd recommend anyone. It can be a little long, the romance—my favorite part of every YA—was a lackluster. At the same time, I did like it in the end. Even if I rounded it down to 3, it is a little more than your average 3.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
December 12, 2017
Rules of Rain is the story of Rain and Ethan. They are twins but Ethan has austism and Rain is his voice/rock. This is a beautiful book about siblings, love, understanding and growth and I think the author did a fantastic job.
Rain is our main character. She runs a foodie blog and spends a lot of her time taking care of her twin brother, Ethan. Ethan has Autism and he no longer attends public school so Rain and their mother is all his social group consists of. Until Rains best friend hope starts showing interest in Ethan. Rain doesn't think anything will come from this because of how Ethan is. But what happens when maybe Ethan likes Hope in return? And what happens when Rain also introduces her love interest into the mix?
The bond between Rain and Ethan is something that not many people in this would can possibly understand. A bond between siblings is one thing, but a bond between siblings where one is mentally disabled is a very beautiful yet volatile thing. How can I say this for certain? Because my younger brother has Down Syndrome and I have been his rock for most of his life. I know how frustrating it can be but I also know how rewarding it can be to be the sibling to someone who isn't 'normal'. Rain does some things throughout the book that seem to be bad or not right but in reality these things are what she thinks would be best for her brother. We siblings aren't perfect but we never give up and I could see a lot of myself in Rain.
In the end, this book was hard to read for me with my personal history but I got through it and loved it in the end. The book was so truthful and realistic and I am so grateful to the author for being able to write this book and GET IT RIGHT. I have read some other reviews where people were angry at how the author portrayed Autism and I wish I could ask those people WHY. This book is pretty spot on and that is coming from someone who deals with these situations every day between my personal accounts with my brother and my accounts with my job.
Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.
Rain is our main character. She runs a foodie blog and spends a lot of her time taking care of her twin brother, Ethan. Ethan has Autism and he no longer attends public school so Rain and their mother is all his social group consists of. Until Rains best friend hope starts showing interest in Ethan. Rain doesn't think anything will come from this because of how Ethan is. But what happens when maybe Ethan likes Hope in return? And what happens when Rain also introduces her love interest into the mix?
The bond between Rain and Ethan is something that not many people in this would can possibly understand. A bond between siblings is one thing, but a bond between siblings where one is mentally disabled is a very beautiful yet volatile thing. How can I say this for certain? Because my younger brother has Down Syndrome and I have been his rock for most of his life. I know how frustrating it can be but I also know how rewarding it can be to be the sibling to someone who isn't 'normal'. Rain does some things throughout the book that seem to be bad or not right but in reality these things are what she thinks would be best for her brother. We siblings aren't perfect but we never give up and I could see a lot of myself in Rain.
In the end, this book was hard to read for me with my personal history but I got through it and loved it in the end. The book was so truthful and realistic and I am so grateful to the author for being able to write this book and GET IT RIGHT. I have read some other reviews where people were angry at how the author portrayed Autism and I wish I could ask those people WHY. This book is pretty spot on and that is coming from someone who deals with these situations every day between my personal accounts with my brother and my accounts with my job.
Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.
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March 8, 2024DNF — I really liked getting to read about characters on the spectrum. So that part of the book was good!
But- I started to despise the MC. She became super controlling to everyone in her life. This book made me realize there have been SO many middle grade books I used to read as a preteen and didn’t like the main characters in those because they had the same issue. But as a preteen, I didn’t have the same understanding of characters as I do now, so I couldn’t say why I disliked those books.
Now I know I don’t like controlling MCs who want everyone to act a certain way and if you don’t, they start yelling and sobbing. And don’t treat anyone with respect.
And I saw a spoiler for further in the book than I got. And it looks like it goes in a direction I wasn’t expecting and I don’t really feel like reading about.
I may have finished reading this if I was reading a physical book, but I was reading on Libby. So the screen time wasn’t something I wanted to spend on a book I didn’t enjoy that much.
I can’t even rate this book because I’m not sure if the ending would’ve made it better. But I don’t have the patience to finish this.
But- I started to despise the MC. She became super controlling to everyone in her life. This book made me realize there have been SO many middle grade books I used to read as a preteen and didn’t like the main characters in those because they had the same issue. But as a preteen, I didn’t have the same understanding of characters as I do now, so I couldn’t say why I disliked those books.
Now I know I don’t like controlling MCs who want everyone to act a certain way and if you don’t, they start yelling and sobbing. And don’t treat anyone with respect.
And I saw a spoiler for further in the book than I got. And it looks like it goes in a direction I wasn’t expecting and I don’t really feel like reading about.
I may have finished reading this if I was reading a physical book, but I was reading on Libby. So the screen time wasn’t something I wanted to spend on a book I didn’t enjoy that much.
I can’t even rate this book because I’m not sure if the ending would’ve made it better. But I don’t have the patience to finish this.
November 6, 2017
I loved this YA novel about twins, Rain and Ethan and their quirky family life. Rain has always taken care of Ethan who has autism and has been bullied enough that he is now home-schooled. When Rain's best friend, Hope declares her crush on Ethan, Rain know she must work even harder to protect them both from heartbreak. But does Ethan need Rain's help as much as she thinks he does, or is he making progress dealing with his emotions; will she have to be his caretaker/protector forever? Told with much humor and pathos, this novel shows a family trying to cope with divorce, a young teen struggling with her first boyfriend, a brother attempting to fit in, and parents struggling to maintain a healthy relationship for their family. Lovely read!
October 29, 2020
This book was really bad and I honestly don't want to take the time to write out well-crafted sentences in order to review it, so please accept this pile of jotted notes that don't cover even half of my issues with it (and spoilers I won't bother to hide) instead:
• Journal/blog bits didn’t advance the plot or help at all —> feels like a literary device thrown in in an effort to make the book and characters more interesting
• This pregnancy really felt like a mad grab to make Rain more interesting —> came out of nowhere, felt mild somehow? Like not enough attention was given to it - trying to shove too many serious issues into one thing
• Every character’s a wiener — didn’t like anyone
• 100 pages too long (and even being 260 pages would have been generous, since there are no EVENTS in this book, just lots of ~*feelings)
• The drama is just TOO MUCH (surprise pregnancy, friend being gay, mom nearly dying and having insane issues with her ex husband) — not believable, not written with any kind of feeling, just laid out like a weird roadmap for poor YA writing
• Surprise pregnancy was the chillest surprise pregnancy I've ever read about - what even was going on with that? Why was no one even a LITTLE bit concerned in the aftermath? Really just moved right on from that
• Rain is upset because she broke up with Liam after like, 2 weeks of dating in which she spent half the time ignoring him and somehow he fell in love with her??? Teen timelines are so ridiculous, they make no sense
• Rain thinking she's super introspective and in tune with herself when she realizes she wants to pursue culinary school is so upsettingly glib that I can't even (also her dad is the one that gave her the idea so y u taking credit grrl???)
TL;DR: I only picked up this book because that Netflix series Love on the Spectrum made me more curious about autistic individuals and I thought this book might, even in some small way, make me more empathetic. Alas, it was terrible and did not accomplish that in the slightest.
• Journal/blog bits didn’t advance the plot or help at all —> feels like a literary device thrown in in an effort to make the book and characters more interesting
• This pregnancy really felt like a mad grab to make Rain more interesting —> came out of nowhere, felt mild somehow? Like not enough attention was given to it - trying to shove too many serious issues into one thing
• Every character’s a wiener — didn’t like anyone
• 100 pages too long (and even being 260 pages would have been generous, since there are no EVENTS in this book, just lots of ~*feelings)
• The drama is just TOO MUCH (surprise pregnancy, friend being gay, mom nearly dying and having insane issues with her ex husband) — not believable, not written with any kind of feeling, just laid out like a weird roadmap for poor YA writing
• Surprise pregnancy was the chillest surprise pregnancy I've ever read about - what even was going on with that? Why was no one even a LITTLE bit concerned in the aftermath? Really just moved right on from that
• Rain is upset because she broke up with Liam after like, 2 weeks of dating in which she spent half the time ignoring him and somehow he fell in love with her??? Teen timelines are so ridiculous, they make no sense
• Rain thinking she's super introspective and in tune with herself when she realizes she wants to pursue culinary school is so upsettingly glib that I can't even (also her dad is the one that gave her the idea so y u taking credit grrl???)
TL;DR: I only picked up this book because that Netflix series Love on the Spectrum made me more curious about autistic individuals and I thought this book might, even in some small way, make me more empathetic. Alas, it was terrible and did not accomplish that in the slightest.
January 14, 2019
A dramatic new novel about the bond between a teen and her twin brother.
Rain has taken care of Ethan all of her life. Before she even knew what autism meant, she's been her twin brother's connection to the hostile world around him. She's always prepared—when her father abandons them, when her mother gets sick, when Ethan is tortured by bullies from school—Rain is the reliable, stable one holding them all together. She's both cautious carer and mad chef, preparing customized meals for her family and posting crazy recipes on her cooking blog.
Each day with Ethan is unvarying and predictable, and she's sure that nothing will ever change—until one night when her world is turned upside down by a mistake she can't take back. As her new romance with her long-time crush and her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, she discovers that the fragile brother whom she's always protected has grown into a young man who no longer needs her. And now, for the first time, she finds that she needs him.
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Let me first just give a huge round of applause of Leah Scheier and her warm YA novel that really can pull your heartstrings. Rain and her twin brother Ethan are only sixteen-year-old but have experienced more that life has to offer then they should for their age. With a mother who could care less, Rain takes the role of mother in the sibling relationship, why? Because Ethan requires a little more help because he has autism.
.
I loved watched these two mature together as they Rain loved Ethan more than life itself. This novel is full of lessons, compassion, self-worth and so much more. It was absolutely a tear jerker in my case. Through family, mental health and bullies, Rain is always there for Ethan but when he starts to want his independence, she finds it hard to give him the space he not only needs but deserves.
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I would recommend this book to those who love a feel-good YA novel. Rain and Ethan are definitely characters you will love and fall in love with but I did feel as though Rain could have been worked on in the sense that, I didn’t like her at some parts. We follow the novel through Rain’s point of view but her character “erked” me you could say as she was very demanding and constantly knew what was “right” for Ethan and never put his thoughts into the life she had planned for them. I will overall say that the character development for Ethan was by far my favourite alongside some likable secondary characters who gave me a good laugh.
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Thank you to HCCFrenzy for sending me this book as an audiobook!
Rain has taken care of Ethan all of her life. Before she even knew what autism meant, she's been her twin brother's connection to the hostile world around him. She's always prepared—when her father abandons them, when her mother gets sick, when Ethan is tortured by bullies from school—Rain is the reliable, stable one holding them all together. She's both cautious carer and mad chef, preparing customized meals for her family and posting crazy recipes on her cooking blog.
Each day with Ethan is unvarying and predictable, and she's sure that nothing will ever change—until one night when her world is turned upside down by a mistake she can't take back. As her new romance with her long-time crush and her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, she discovers that the fragile brother whom she's always protected has grown into a young man who no longer needs her. And now, for the first time, she finds that she needs him.
-----
Let me first just give a huge round of applause of Leah Scheier and her warm YA novel that really can pull your heartstrings. Rain and her twin brother Ethan are only sixteen-year-old but have experienced more that life has to offer then they should for their age. With a mother who could care less, Rain takes the role of mother in the sibling relationship, why? Because Ethan requires a little more help because he has autism.
.
I loved watched these two mature together as they Rain loved Ethan more than life itself. This novel is full of lessons, compassion, self-worth and so much more. It was absolutely a tear jerker in my case. Through family, mental health and bullies, Rain is always there for Ethan but when he starts to want his independence, she finds it hard to give him the space he not only needs but deserves.
.
I would recommend this book to those who love a feel-good YA novel. Rain and Ethan are definitely characters you will love and fall in love with but I did feel as though Rain could have been worked on in the sense that, I didn’t like her at some parts. We follow the novel through Rain’s point of view but her character “erked” me you could say as she was very demanding and constantly knew what was “right” for Ethan and never put his thoughts into the life she had planned for them. I will overall say that the character development for Ethan was by far my favourite alongside some likable secondary characters who gave me a good laugh.
.
Thank you to HCCFrenzy for sending me this book as an audiobook!
April 27, 2018
Rain cerca di vivere un esistenza normale. Ma tutta la sua vita ruota intorno a Ethan, il suo gemello autistico. Ma cosa succede quando la persone che più di tutti dipende da te comincia a crearsi una sua indipendenza?
Avevo questo libro in wish-list da quando è uscito ma visto alcuni temi delicati che esso racchiude, avevo deciso di aspettare il momento giusto per leggerlo.
Quel momento è adesso. "Rules of Rain", letteralmente Le regole di Rain si riferisce alle numerose regole che Rain ha stilato per gestire Ethan e il suo autismo. Le regole e, in generale Ethan, è tutto quello attorno a cui ruota la vita di Rain.
Sinceramente, ero convinta che il tema dell'autismo sarebbe stato quello predominante del libro, ma non è così. Certo l'autismo è un tema che viene trattato con dovizia all'interno del romanzo, ma non è il punto focale. Questa è la storia di Rain.
Il romanzo mette sotto la lente di ingrandimento un argomento molto delicato e spesso sottovalutato. Talvolta ci dimentichiamo che quando ci prendiamo costantemente cura di qualcuno ne diventiamo dipendenti. Ed è quello che succede a Rain, diventata ormai dipendete da Ethan, fa fatica ad accettare la nuova strana indipendenza che Ethan va pian piano sviluppando nel corso del romanzo.
Con uno stile leggero e piacevole Leah Scheier ci parla di questi e altri delicati argomenti senza scendere nel banale ma, anzi, facendoci appassionare e innamorare dei suoi personaggi, tutti incredibilmente realistici e VERI nel loro sperimentale e commettere errori, ma anche di sognare ingenuamente.
Rules of Rain è un romanzo per nulla scontato e che è riuscita a toccare alcuni punti importanti portandomi nella vita di Rain e Ethan con dolcezza.
Ne sono assolutamente innamorata.
Avevo questo libro in wish-list da quando è uscito ma visto alcuni temi delicati che esso racchiude, avevo deciso di aspettare il momento giusto per leggerlo.
Quel momento è adesso. "Rules of Rain", letteralmente Le regole di Rain si riferisce alle numerose regole che Rain ha stilato per gestire Ethan e il suo autismo. Le regole e, in generale Ethan, è tutto quello attorno a cui ruota la vita di Rain.
Sinceramente, ero convinta che il tema dell'autismo sarebbe stato quello predominante del libro, ma non è così. Certo l'autismo è un tema che viene trattato con dovizia all'interno del romanzo, ma non è il punto focale. Questa è la storia di Rain.
Il romanzo mette sotto la lente di ingrandimento un argomento molto delicato e spesso sottovalutato. Talvolta ci dimentichiamo che quando ci prendiamo costantemente cura di qualcuno ne diventiamo dipendenti. Ed è quello che succede a Rain, diventata ormai dipendete da Ethan, fa fatica ad accettare la nuova strana indipendenza che Ethan va pian piano sviluppando nel corso del romanzo.
Con uno stile leggero e piacevole Leah Scheier ci parla di questi e altri delicati argomenti senza scendere nel banale ma, anzi, facendoci appassionare e innamorare dei suoi personaggi, tutti incredibilmente realistici e VERI nel loro sperimentale e commettere errori, ma anche di sognare ingenuamente.
Rules of Rain è un romanzo per nulla scontato e che è riuscita a toccare alcuni punti importanti portandomi nella vita di Rain e Ethan con dolcezza.
Ne sono assolutamente innamorata.
August 13, 2018
3.25-3.5/5 stars
This book definitely did not live up to Scheier's other novel Your Voice is All I Hear. I was initially super excited to pick up this book knowing that Scheier wrote one of my favorite novels of all time, if not my favorite (disregarding Harry Potter of course because it's gosh darn HARRY POTTER for crying out loud). I did enjoy the originality of the characters, but I found the main character Rain a tad bit annoying, and I found myself preferring her twin brother Ethan much more. The best books I find are the ones who have characters that I want to root for. However, I never really felt that for Rain. Additionally, for the majority of the book, there was no plot and lacked substance. The climax of the novel didn't occur until around page 300 out of a 361-page novel and although the climatic event did have a twist I wasn't expecting, I also could predict half of that major twist from preceding plot points and the blurb on the back. However, the ending was rather good and wrapped up many loose ends nicely. There, of course, were a few points in the ending I wasn't 100% on board with, though that is to be expected with any book ending.
As for recommending this book, I do not think I would recommend it. The story is nice, but taking the time to read 300 pages of little substance cannot be worth it just to read an above average ending. If you are to read anything by Leah Scheier, I definitely recommend taking a look at Your Voice is all I Hear rather than this one.
This book definitely did not live up to Scheier's other novel Your Voice is All I Hear. I was initially super excited to pick up this book knowing that Scheier wrote one of my favorite novels of all time, if not my favorite (disregarding Harry Potter of course because it's gosh darn HARRY POTTER for crying out loud). I did enjoy the originality of the characters, but I found the main character Rain a tad bit annoying, and I found myself preferring her twin brother Ethan much more. The best books I find are the ones who have characters that I want to root for. However, I never really felt that for Rain. Additionally, for the majority of the book, there was no plot and lacked substance. The climax of the novel didn't occur until around page 300 out of a 361-page novel and although the climatic event did have a twist I wasn't expecting, I also could predict half of that major twist from preceding plot points and the blurb on the back. However, the ending was rather good and wrapped up many loose ends nicely. There, of course, were a few points in the ending I wasn't 100% on board with, though that is to be expected with any book ending.
As for recommending this book, I do not think I would recommend it. The story is nice, but taking the time to read 300 pages of little substance cannot be worth it just to read an above average ending. If you are to read anything by Leah Scheier, I definitely recommend taking a look at Your Voice is all I Hear rather than this one.
June 7, 2018
This young adult novel was a great book to listen to while painting. It was entertaining and I was engaged with the storyline. The characters (with the exception of the mother) were likable and I was genuinely interested in their progression and development. I'm still unsure about the mother but I realize that teenagers are going to view adults differently and the mother is not a sympathetic character; no matter, I'm giving myself permission to dislike the mother.
July 3, 2021
I loved this book! Rain has always felt terribly responsible for her autistic twin brother-- but as their roles shift, she has to let go and allow herself to be the vulnerable one. And her relationship with her romantic interest is very touching.
January 4, 2018
If I was able to give this book more than 5 stars, there still wouldn't be enough stars to give this book!!!
May 19, 2023
Not a fan. I’m 99% positive there were grammatical errors at least 3 times in this book. It felt like the author couldn’t pick one “thing” and jumped around to a bunch of different plot points. Not very likable characters. Cool to read about a neurodiverse character! but overall didn’t intrigue me.
October 29, 2017
I was expecting this to be a story about Rain and her relationship with her brother, Ethan, who is autistic, but it was so much more. This is a story about friendship, love and support. It is about the way we act to protect those we love. It is about the bad choices that teenagers sometimes make. It is a bout letting go of control and trusting others to help carry the burden. Well written and full of heart, this story had more depth to it than I ever imagined and I found it to be a wonderful read.
December 21, 2017
I give this book a 3.5. I liked it, and I enjoyed it, but I didn’t completely connect with them. Not sure why, I just didn’t. I liked rain and her brother, and appreciated that brother sister relationship. But I didn’t like the end at all, I feel like after the party I disliked it even more. I hate I wasted my last credit on it :(
December 20, 2017
I really loved Leah's previous novel, Your Voice Is All I hear. Her writing and ability to pull me into her story motivated me to read her latest, Rules of Rain. Sadly, this novel didn't captivate me as much as the last, but it was still an interesting story nevertheless.
I liked the bond between Rain and Ethan, and how hard she tried as a sister to care for him. But then there were things I didn't like about her when it came to him. For instance, and while I could understand her intentions, throughout the story Rain came off insensitive at times and would often regard Ethan in the same closed-minded way of ignorant people. Like, she seemed baffled by the idea that her autistic brother could ever be in a relationship, much less not need her to take care of him for the rest of his life. She had this whole thing mapped out, not even considering the fact that Ethan was far more capable than she thought. I'm not someone who completely understands autism, but I do feel that people should not be treated like their broken and placed inside a box where they are told do this and do that to be accepted. And in my opinion, Rain and their father did this to Ethan in their own way. Speaking about the father, I'm glad he tried to be apart of his children's lives and I'm upset with the mom for making them feel like they had to choose between them. She was quite a character, but so was the father. Both needed counselling, in my opinion.
There were other things about the story that I didn't care for, like with what happened to Rain toward the end. I feel like it was thrown in there to create unnecessary drama and it made the story lag a bit. But aside from that, it was still a good read. I did like Rain's interest in food and creating recipes with "odd" ingredients, and I liked how she was able to finally have a relationship and explore the emotions that came with that. All in all, good writing and interesting premise, but I feel like it could have been stronger.
I liked the bond between Rain and Ethan, and how hard she tried as a sister to care for him. But then there were things I didn't like about her when it came to him. For instance, and while I could understand her intentions, throughout the story Rain came off insensitive at times and would often regard Ethan in the same closed-minded way of ignorant people. Like, she seemed baffled by the idea that her autistic brother could ever be in a relationship, much less not need her to take care of him for the rest of his life. She had this whole thing mapped out, not even considering the fact that Ethan was far more capable than she thought. I'm not someone who completely understands autism, but I do feel that people should not be treated like their broken and placed inside a box where they are told do this and do that to be accepted. And in my opinion, Rain and their father did this to Ethan in their own way. Speaking about the father, I'm glad he tried to be apart of his children's lives and I'm upset with the mom for making them feel like they had to choose between them. She was quite a character, but so was the father. Both needed counselling, in my opinion.
There were other things about the story that I didn't care for, like with what happened to Rain toward the end. I feel like it was thrown in there to create unnecessary drama and it made the story lag a bit. But aside from that, it was still a good read. I did like Rain's interest in food and creating recipes with "odd" ingredients, and I liked how she was able to finally have a relationship and explore the emotions that came with that. All in all, good writing and interesting premise, but I feel like it could have been stronger.
December 23, 2017
What can I say about this novel? There were parts that I really loved and enjoyed, and then there were sections that irritated the crap out of me and for the life of me, didn’t make sense. Rules of Rain did have a lot of things happening inside its pages though.
The character of Rain annoyed me for the most part. Rain has a twin brother Ethan who is autistic and in Rain’s world, helpless. Rain feels she needs to be his shadow and she feels she knows what is best for him. Don’t get me wrong, she has helped him greatly over the years and he is making great strides but Rain is afraid to let go. At sixteen, Ethan is trying to broaden his world, but even small baby steps are overshadowed and examined before Ethan steps out. It’s not like Rain’s choices in the novel were outstanding and successful so in reality she doesn’t know everything. I really didn’t understand her blog either. I realize she liked food and it was an outlet for her but her responses and topics were, to me, pointless and she might as well have been writing in a diary. I liked Rain’s relationship with Liam. What a great account with its highs and lows as they both were having their first serious relationship but at the end of the novel, I could have reached right through the pages and strangled Rain. Just pulled her through to my world and had it out with her.
Liam, her brother was terrific. He was trying, he was visualizing what his future might look like and he was trying to get there. Liam was very smart and he loved human anatomy. I loved it when he would go off on an anatomy topic: the details, his speech, and his focus were so detailed and firm. I liked Rain’s best friend Hope. What can I say about a friend that stands there and is your constant? What can I say about a friend who hears but doesn’t speak? I needed more Hope. We all need more Hope. I liked a lot of the scenes that occurred in this novel. The novel was fun, adventurous, and enjoyable for the most part.
I liked this novel for the mistakes that it made and for the healing that it provided. I liked it for the relationships that it provided. I liked all the issues it presented about family and how it dealt with them. After reading this novel, I noticed how much silence there was in it. How individuals just noticed things, how they did things without asking, how they didn’t talk about things or they didn’t tell because of their disability or some other reason. I liked that about this novel. I remember something that Ethan mentioned. Someone asked him if he had told Rain about a specific thing that had occurred and he said that he hadn’t and that she hadn’t ask him either. I thought this was interesting as Rain would probably never ask, she wouldn’t even know such an event had occurred so why would she ask. I wish I would have liked Rain more, but she just got under my skin.
The character of Rain annoyed me for the most part. Rain has a twin brother Ethan who is autistic and in Rain’s world, helpless. Rain feels she needs to be his shadow and she feels she knows what is best for him. Don’t get me wrong, she has helped him greatly over the years and he is making great strides but Rain is afraid to let go. At sixteen, Ethan is trying to broaden his world, but even small baby steps are overshadowed and examined before Ethan steps out. It’s not like Rain’s choices in the novel were outstanding and successful so in reality she doesn’t know everything. I really didn’t understand her blog either. I realize she liked food and it was an outlet for her but her responses and topics were, to me, pointless and she might as well have been writing in a diary. I liked Rain’s relationship with Liam. What a great account with its highs and lows as they both were having their first serious relationship but at the end of the novel, I could have reached right through the pages and strangled Rain. Just pulled her through to my world and had it out with her.
Liam, her brother was terrific. He was trying, he was visualizing what his future might look like and he was trying to get there. Liam was very smart and he loved human anatomy. I loved it when he would go off on an anatomy topic: the details, his speech, and his focus were so detailed and firm. I liked Rain’s best friend Hope. What can I say about a friend that stands there and is your constant? What can I say about a friend who hears but doesn’t speak? I needed more Hope. We all need more Hope. I liked a lot of the scenes that occurred in this novel. The novel was fun, adventurous, and enjoyable for the most part.
I liked this novel for the mistakes that it made and for the healing that it provided. I liked it for the relationships that it provided. I liked all the issues it presented about family and how it dealt with them. After reading this novel, I noticed how much silence there was in it. How individuals just noticed things, how they did things without asking, how they didn’t talk about things or they didn’t tell because of their disability or some other reason. I liked that about this novel. I remember something that Ethan mentioned. Someone asked him if he had told Rain about a specific thing that had occurred and he said that he hadn’t and that she hadn’t ask him either. I thought this was interesting as Rain would probably never ask, she wouldn’t even know such an event had occurred so why would she ask. I wish I would have liked Rain more, but she just got under my skin.
July 21, 2024
Leah Scheir is ridiculously underrated.
I’ve never even seen or heard anything about a single book of hers, until I randomly saw it one day, and found the cover intriguing; I was instantly hooked into this educational story, while still being fictional and containing every wanted aspect of a good YA novel. Scheir crafts a world accurately displaying the reality of mental health in todays world, and the struggles of caring about people who struggle.
I’ve never even seen or heard anything about a single book of hers, until I randomly saw it one day, and found the cover intriguing; I was instantly hooked into this educational story, while still being fictional and containing every wanted aspect of a good YA novel. Scheir crafts a world accurately displaying the reality of mental health in todays world, and the struggles of caring about people who struggle.
November 28, 2017
I’ve been given an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.
The story begins with Rain's posts on her blog and then you get a glimpse of Ethan's world by his journal. The beginning is like any other a slow burn so you can get to know your characters and their personalities.
Halfway through the book and I still can't connect with Rain, she's just too selfish for me and it's a struggle to keep seeing her point of view. Her twin brother has autism but she needs to let him spread his wings anyway and she just wants to keep him locked up in a cage. Her thoughts are all over the place and sometimes I wish I could just shake some sense into her to see if it would help taking her head out of her butt.
I really like Ethan, he's not normal and he doesn't wanna be normal but he wants to understand better the world around him and I find this completely adorable, I think he deserves all the happiness coming his way. And I love that Hope, which is Rain's best friend, is trying to get closer to him and help him in this part of his life. I'm still not getting much of Rain's other friends but maybe we'll get more towards the middle/end of the book.
Liam is dorky, geeky and shy you learn a lot about his story but still there's more to come I hope.
I finally ended the book and I can tell I have mixed feelings about it. Lots of things I wanted the author to talk about and she didn't. She just dropped subjects out in the open and there it stayed.
Autism. Pregnancy talks. High school love. Divorce. Teenage hormones. Lots of great things it could have been discussed in this book.
Rain comes off as selfish, self-centered in her being the only thing her brother needs. I hated this all the way through the book it was exhausting seeing her doing that to herself and her brother, I can understand that for years he depended on her but it must have shown through the years that he wanted to break free, it couldn't have been out of nowhere. Then she's fixated with Liam and after that she's just pushing him away for something that both of them did while drunk. I hated her for that. I really wanted to like the main character but she just didn't work for me at all.
The person who shone through the book was Ethan, even being autistic he tried his best through a list of things he needed to overcome to become a Doctor. He tried his best to be better for himself and for everyone around him, sometimes he couldn't understand the person's feelings but he was still trying he wasn't being dismissive. I really liked his character from beginning to end. The way he feel in love and showed everyone that even him could have a girlfriend, I loved it.
Hope is Rain's best friend but I would dump Rain's ass in the curb in the first moment she started being a bitch to Hope. It was so unfair the whole thing. And for Rain to have two other friends that barely showed in the book was frustrating even more when homosexuality was one of the topics towards the end of this book.
Liam was one of the characters I hated the end, the way you learn about his life and how it ends for him, I'm still thinking of what the author was trying to do.
I mean she had GREAT topics to talk about and she just ran past them, just throwing them to complement the story but not getting deeper in it, crucial topics I'd have loved to see more about. Rain wasn't the best character for it and I feel like this book could have been so much more than what it was.
I do liked the author write style but I'm on the fence about future next stories, I just hope she can do more with the topics she presents herself.
In my point of view everyone should have a list of dreams, a secret rule and some crazy revolutionary recipes at hand.
The story begins with Rain's posts on her blog and then you get a glimpse of Ethan's world by his journal. The beginning is like any other a slow burn so you can get to know your characters and their personalities.
Halfway through the book and I still can't connect with Rain, she's just too selfish for me and it's a struggle to keep seeing her point of view. Her twin brother has autism but she needs to let him spread his wings anyway and she just wants to keep him locked up in a cage. Her thoughts are all over the place and sometimes I wish I could just shake some sense into her to see if it would help taking her head out of her butt.
I really like Ethan, he's not normal and he doesn't wanna be normal but he wants to understand better the world around him and I find this completely adorable, I think he deserves all the happiness coming his way. And I love that Hope, which is Rain's best friend, is trying to get closer to him and help him in this part of his life. I'm still not getting much of Rain's other friends but maybe we'll get more towards the middle/end of the book.
Liam is dorky, geeky and shy you learn a lot about his story but still there's more to come I hope.
I finally ended the book and I can tell I have mixed feelings about it. Lots of things I wanted the author to talk about and she didn't. She just dropped subjects out in the open and there it stayed.
Autism. Pregnancy talks. High school love. Divorce. Teenage hormones. Lots of great things it could have been discussed in this book.
Rain comes off as selfish, self-centered in her being the only thing her brother needs. I hated this all the way through the book it was exhausting seeing her doing that to herself and her brother, I can understand that for years he depended on her but it must have shown through the years that he wanted to break free, it couldn't have been out of nowhere. Then she's fixated with Liam and after that she's just pushing him away for something that both of them did while drunk. I hated her for that. I really wanted to like the main character but she just didn't work for me at all.
The person who shone through the book was Ethan, even being autistic he tried his best through a list of things he needed to overcome to become a Doctor. He tried his best to be better for himself and for everyone around him, sometimes he couldn't understand the person's feelings but he was still trying he wasn't being dismissive. I really liked his character from beginning to end. The way he feel in love and showed everyone that even him could have a girlfriend, I loved it.
Hope is Rain's best friend but I would dump Rain's ass in the curb in the first moment she started being a bitch to Hope. It was so unfair the whole thing. And for Rain to have two other friends that barely showed in the book was frustrating even more when homosexuality was one of the topics towards the end of this book.
Liam was one of the characters I hated the end, the way you learn about his life and how it ends for him, I'm still thinking of what the author was trying to do.
I mean she had GREAT topics to talk about and she just ran past them, just throwing them to complement the story but not getting deeper in it, crucial topics I'd have loved to see more about. Rain wasn't the best character for it and I feel like this book could have been so much more than what it was.
I do liked the author write style but I'm on the fence about future next stories, I just hope she can do more with the topics she presents herself.
In my point of view everyone should have a list of dreams, a secret rule and some crazy revolutionary recipes at hand.
June 21, 2020
First reviewed on Portrait of a Book: http://www.portraitofabook.com/2018/0...
First Thoughts After Finishing: What a rollercoaster!
Initially I was drawn to the synopsis of this book because it features a character with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I teach at a school for autistic children, so I was curious to see how an autistic teenager would be represented in literature. Add to that a neurotypical twin and what seemed like a dramatic contemporary plotline, and I was sold. And Leah Scheier did not disappoint.
For as long as Rain can remember, she’s been taking care of her family. Her twin Ethan has autism, and she has been his support and caretaker, helping him navigate safely through the world. When he couldn’t talk or didn’t understand why something was happening, she was there to fix things. When Ethan became gluten-free, she started inventing new recipes and blogging about them. Rain thinks she has her family’s entire future mapped out. But Ethan, who never changes, seems to be changing. And one misstep has her questioning what she thinks. And if Rain isn’t holding everything together, who will?
Rules of Rain isn’t the kind of book that you fly through, but it is the kind of book that draws you in and doesn’t let you go. I started reading this on vacation, and I found myself wanting to steal moments to read to see how everything developed. This book is about relationships: Rain and Ethan, obviously; Rain and her parents (her mother is dysfunctional, to put it mildly), Rain and her crush, which unfolds in an interesting way, and Rain and her friends, who are purely awesome. I would have loved to have seen more from her friends, particularly Hope. She is completely endearing and a great best friend to Rain, and I wish that we had been able to read more of her storyline.
Then there is Ethan and the treatment of ASD. Excuse me while I hop onto my soapbox for a moment. There’s a saying about autism: If you’ve met one person with autism, then you’ve met one person with autism. Each person is different, which is why it’s considered a spectrum. Still, certain tendencies are common. I thought Ethan’s manifestation of autism was handled very well; it was most peoples’ treatment of Ethan that bothered me. People with autism shouldn’t be ridiculed for it any more than people should tease others who are different. Moreover, autism isn’t a disease to be “fixed” or “cured.” It’s just a different approach to the world. Autistic individuals are still capable of leading richly fulfilling lives complete with any experiences they want. And with that said, I’ll hop down now.
I loved reading about the world from Ethan’s point of view. Even after working with autistic individuals for a number of years, it’s still not always possible to fathom how their brain works, but it is fascinating to explore. In a way, this book was as much Ethan’s journey as Rain’s, and I was cheering for him every step of the way. I would love to know what happens next for him.
Overall, this book took me through every emotion, and I never stopped caring about the characters or where they would end up. Nothing was one-sided, and that was such a refreshingly honest depiction of real life. I look forward to reading more books from this author!
Most Memorable Aspect: The treatment of ASD.
First Thoughts After Finishing: What a rollercoaster!
Initially I was drawn to the synopsis of this book because it features a character with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I teach at a school for autistic children, so I was curious to see how an autistic teenager would be represented in literature. Add to that a neurotypical twin and what seemed like a dramatic contemporary plotline, and I was sold. And Leah Scheier did not disappoint.
For as long as Rain can remember, she’s been taking care of her family. Her twin Ethan has autism, and she has been his support and caretaker, helping him navigate safely through the world. When he couldn’t talk or didn’t understand why something was happening, she was there to fix things. When Ethan became gluten-free, she started inventing new recipes and blogging about them. Rain thinks she has her family’s entire future mapped out. But Ethan, who never changes, seems to be changing. And one misstep has her questioning what she thinks. And if Rain isn’t holding everything together, who will?
Rules of Rain isn’t the kind of book that you fly through, but it is the kind of book that draws you in and doesn’t let you go. I started reading this on vacation, and I found myself wanting to steal moments to read to see how everything developed. This book is about relationships: Rain and Ethan, obviously; Rain and her parents (her mother is dysfunctional, to put it mildly), Rain and her crush, which unfolds in an interesting way, and Rain and her friends, who are purely awesome. I would have loved to have seen more from her friends, particularly Hope. She is completely endearing and a great best friend to Rain, and I wish that we had been able to read more of her storyline.
Then there is Ethan and the treatment of ASD. Excuse me while I hop onto my soapbox for a moment. There’s a saying about autism: If you’ve met one person with autism, then you’ve met one person with autism. Each person is different, which is why it’s considered a spectrum. Still, certain tendencies are common. I thought Ethan’s manifestation of autism was handled very well; it was most peoples’ treatment of Ethan that bothered me. People with autism shouldn’t be ridiculed for it any more than people should tease others who are different. Moreover, autism isn’t a disease to be “fixed” or “cured.” It’s just a different approach to the world. Autistic individuals are still capable of leading richly fulfilling lives complete with any experiences they want. And with that said, I’ll hop down now.
I loved reading about the world from Ethan’s point of view. Even after working with autistic individuals for a number of years, it’s still not always possible to fathom how their brain works, but it is fascinating to explore. In a way, this book was as much Ethan’s journey as Rain’s, and I was cheering for him every step of the way. I would love to know what happens next for him.
Overall, this book took me through every emotion, and I never stopped caring about the characters or where they would end up. Nothing was one-sided, and that was such a refreshingly honest depiction of real life. I look forward to reading more books from this author!
Most Memorable Aspect: The treatment of ASD.
December 7, 2017
Warnings: ableism, major character in medical distress, violence, bullying
Since the blurb is pretty much self-explanatory, I'll jump right to it. This is a story about a neurotypical girl having an autistic brother and how her life is set by rules that she creates in order to care for him. But their relationship is based on her caring for him, and always being what he needs, which means that she doesn't entirely treat him like a brother or her twin, but like a child under her care. What she doesn't realize is that her rules don't always apply to him, and she should give him space to grow as a person, rather than deciding that for him. The story has two romances in it - Rain's romance with her classmate, and Ethan and Rain's best friend. Rain constantly meddles in his relationship with her best friend (welp, I can't remember her name, so let's call her Bubbly Blond, okay? BB, for short). And despite him pushing back, it takes a lot of time for her to be comfortable with BB having feelings for her brother. The story is also interspersed with Rain's blog posts and Ethan's journal, so we get a little peek into what he thinks of this mess, too.
In Rain's own personal life, she is not sure what she wants for her future, only that it is something that keeps her close to her brother. That is being a good sister and all, but she also comes across as controlling. Which is when 'spoiler event' happens, and she comes to know that shit, you cannot think everything in terms of plans and people are unpredictable, whether they are autistic or neurotypical. Her relationship with Liam was cute and well-developed, and at some points I was holding my breath for 'oh noes misunderstanding will derail this plot' but it did not happen, thankfully. The fate of their relationship, however, made me a little sad, because they had promise. Other interesting characters in the book I liked were Marcus and Kathy, and I would really like their story to be explored as a companion book or sequel or something.
Rain is presented as mature, even though she is still a teen, because she had to grow up and be a caretaker, what with the ableist parents they both have. Their mother, especially, who is like overjoyed whenever Ethan does anything 'normal', as in neurotypical, like get a girlfriend, etc, and also she constantly blames medicine for him being autistic (she sounds like she would be one of those anti-vax moms). And the father makes a list of things Ethan should aim to do if he wants to 'pretend to be neurotypical', which is slightly better but not entirely un-problematic. This is not challenged, mind you, although Rain's ableism is challenged more than once in the text. I admit, with Ethan's dream to become a surgeon and having to interact with people regularly, his way of interactions may not always come across as warm, (I say screw warm, let people exist in their multitudes!) but he is trying to fit in the world the best way he can. His perspective shines through even when Rain is the one narrating, and you can really empathize with him being stuck around these people (No kidding, his family is terrible at communication) and trying to make them understand that he can be left alone to his own devices.
Overall, a good read, with some heartfelt moments, an interesting plot, and well-written characters.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Sourcebooks Fire, via Edelweiss.
Since the blurb is pretty much self-explanatory, I'll jump right to it. This is a story about a neurotypical girl having an autistic brother and how her life is set by rules that she creates in order to care for him. But their relationship is based on her caring for him, and always being what he needs, which means that she doesn't entirely treat him like a brother or her twin, but like a child under her care. What she doesn't realize is that her rules don't always apply to him, and she should give him space to grow as a person, rather than deciding that for him. The story has two romances in it - Rain's romance with her classmate, and Ethan and Rain's best friend. Rain constantly meddles in his relationship with her best friend (welp, I can't remember her name, so let's call her Bubbly Blond, okay? BB, for short). And despite him pushing back, it takes a lot of time for her to be comfortable with BB having feelings for her brother. The story is also interspersed with Rain's blog posts and Ethan's journal, so we get a little peek into what he thinks of this mess, too.
In Rain's own personal life, she is not sure what she wants for her future, only that it is something that keeps her close to her brother. That is being a good sister and all, but she also comes across as controlling. Which is when 'spoiler event' happens, and she comes to know that shit, you cannot think everything in terms of plans and people are unpredictable, whether they are autistic or neurotypical. Her relationship with Liam was cute and well-developed, and at some points I was holding my breath for 'oh noes misunderstanding will derail this plot' but it did not happen, thankfully. The fate of their relationship, however, made me a little sad, because they had promise. Other interesting characters in the book I liked were Marcus and Kathy, and I would really like their story to be explored as a companion book or sequel or something.
Rain is presented as mature, even though she is still a teen, because she had to grow up and be a caretaker, what with the ableist parents they both have. Their mother, especially, who is like overjoyed whenever Ethan does anything 'normal', as in neurotypical, like get a girlfriend, etc, and also she constantly blames medicine for him being autistic (she sounds like she would be one of those anti-vax moms). And the father makes a list of things Ethan should aim to do if he wants to 'pretend to be neurotypical', which is slightly better but not entirely un-problematic. This is not challenged, mind you, although Rain's ableism is challenged more than once in the text. I admit, with Ethan's dream to become a surgeon and having to interact with people regularly, his way of interactions may not always come across as warm, (I say screw warm, let people exist in their multitudes!) but he is trying to fit in the world the best way he can. His perspective shines through even when Rain is the one narrating, and you can really empathize with him being stuck around these people (No kidding, his family is terrible at communication) and trying to make them understand that he can be left alone to his own devices.
Overall, a good read, with some heartfelt moments, an interesting plot, and well-written characters.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Sourcebooks Fire, via Edelweiss.
January 26, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC in return for an honest review from NetGalley.
I got this book because I have a brother with Asperger’s. I understand that there are differences with Asperger’s and Autism. There are also a lot of similarities. I even considered going into ABA to work with kids like Ethan, the program was shut down half way through my undergrad though, so I was unable to complete it.
Rain is a caring (read controlling) sister that does everything she can to help her brother and her (absent) mother. I didn’t see how controlling Rain was until a few chapters in. She started to ick me out after that. I loved her weird food blog. I would have tried so many of those recipes. I am a foodie, but the reason she was doing it was so disgusting to me. She was doing it because her mother was convinced that Ethan had autism because of processed food (GROSS!). The mother is a lawyer and terribly ignorant. She is anti medicine to the point of endangering her life and to the point of neglecting her own children. She has complete shut out Ethan and his needs, she leaves them for Rain to deal with. Rain should not be the sole care taker of anyone. She should be allowed to have a normal childhood. The further I read in the book, the more I hated the mother. She was judgmental and inappropriate (there was not a single reason to make the kids choose between her and the father. None. Then getting upset that the father was in the picture at all when he was not abusive or a bad person, was just downright awful).
Rain was controlling. She was constantly standing in the way of Ethan doing anything. She constantly judged him for his behavior and was embarrassed by it. She hid him away and then acted like a guard dog. Hope, Liam, and the father did more for helping Ethan than Rain did through the entire book. Liam is beyond brilliant. Liam knew that he wasn’t neurotypical and he didn’t want to be. Rain didn’t listen. Rain spiraled downward very hard and very fast in this book. It was like a train wreck in some aspects and like a turtle tipping off a log in another. Rain spiraled down, but it wasn’t anything really worth watching. The real star of the book was Ethan.
The last major plot of Rain’s was boring. I really couldn’t have cared less about her at that point. The part I cared about was everyone else learning around her that Ethan was capable of doing what needed to be done. He knew he had challenges, but he was smart and would figure them out. Rain was just background noise to that. That last plot was just obnoxious to me.
So if you can ignore a bad mother and a controlling sister to read the empowering story of Ethan, then this is a good read. If you have issues with ignoring the main character/narrator then avoid this book.
I got an ARC in return for an honest review from NetGalley.
I got this book because I have a brother with Asperger’s. I understand that there are differences with Asperger’s and Autism. There are also a lot of similarities. I even considered going into ABA to work with kids like Ethan, the program was shut down half way through my undergrad though, so I was unable to complete it.
Rain is a caring (read controlling) sister that does everything she can to help her brother and her (absent) mother. I didn’t see how controlling Rain was until a few chapters in. She started to ick me out after that. I loved her weird food blog. I would have tried so many of those recipes. I am a foodie, but the reason she was doing it was so disgusting to me. She was doing it because her mother was convinced that Ethan had autism because of processed food (GROSS!). The mother is a lawyer and terribly ignorant. She is anti medicine to the point of endangering her life and to the point of neglecting her own children. She has complete shut out Ethan and his needs, she leaves them for Rain to deal with. Rain should not be the sole care taker of anyone. She should be allowed to have a normal childhood. The further I read in the book, the more I hated the mother. She was judgmental and inappropriate (there was not a single reason to make the kids choose between her and the father. None. Then getting upset that the father was in the picture at all when he was not abusive or a bad person, was just downright awful).
Rain was controlling. She was constantly standing in the way of Ethan doing anything. She constantly judged him for his behavior and was embarrassed by it. She hid him away and then acted like a guard dog. Hope, Liam, and the father did more for helping Ethan than Rain did through the entire book. Liam is beyond brilliant. Liam knew that he wasn’t neurotypical and he didn’t want to be. Rain didn’t listen. Rain spiraled downward very hard and very fast in this book. It was like a train wreck in some aspects and like a turtle tipping off a log in another. Rain spiraled down, but it wasn’t anything really worth watching. The real star of the book was Ethan.
The last major plot of Rain’s was boring. I really couldn’t have cared less about her at that point. The part I cared about was everyone else learning around her that Ethan was capable of doing what needed to be done. He knew he had challenges, but he was smart and would figure them out. Rain was just background noise to that. That last plot was just obnoxious to me.
So if you can ignore a bad mother and a controlling sister to read the empowering story of Ethan, then this is a good read. If you have issues with ignoring the main character/narrator then avoid this book.
September 6, 2017
3.5 stars
I had some mixed feelings about this book. "Rules of Rain" follows Rain and her autistic twin brother, Ethan, through a tumultuous time. The twins have lived with their mother for several years after their parents' divorce when they were young. Their parents do not get along, and this causes some tension for the twins, particularly Rain, as she feels forced to take a side. It seems like everyone is starting to have some direction for life, but Rain's direction is her brother. She believes she will need to continue to take care of him in the future and has built all of her goals around it. Ethan, however, is becoming more independent and making his own strides towards building his own future. This leaves Rain feeling a little aimless and causes most of the conflict in the book.
At the same time, both twins are starting to expand their social life into romance- Rain with Liam and Ethan with Hope- and these relationships bring their own levels of drama. The book begins slowly, and I found it tough to stay engaged at first. However, around halfway through, everything escalates and the pace really picks up. I found the second half of the book more intense and really intriguing as their lives have been shaken up and both twins need to figure out what this means and how to move forward. The parents in this were somewhat terrible (hardly parenting the twins), but I think this was presented fairly realistically (divorce is not always pretty). The strength is really in Rain's growth throughout the novel from trying to cover all the gaps to discovering that she can have her own hopes and dreams.
There is teen drinking, mentions of child abuse, and risky behaviors, but I don't think any of them escalated to the point where this book would be inappropriate for young adult. I really liked the integration of Ethan's journal plus Rain's blog into the storyline, and I wish we had gotten to see even more of the events from Ethan's perspective, as this was quite different from Rain and really fascinating. I think Ethan was one of the best characters in the book, though a lot of the other characters were really well done. Although we follow Rain, we end up learning a lot about her social circle and their lives/challenges also. Not all of the plot lines were closed by the end of the book (e.g. with some of her friends, things were partially resolved by the end of the book), and I wonder if some of them might be featured in sequels of sorts (like Marcus and Kathy). I'd be curious to see where all of the characters go in the future. Overall, it was an intriguing book and a great book about sibling relationships/growth.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I had some mixed feelings about this book. "Rules of Rain" follows Rain and her autistic twin brother, Ethan, through a tumultuous time. The twins have lived with their mother for several years after their parents' divorce when they were young. Their parents do not get along, and this causes some tension for the twins, particularly Rain, as she feels forced to take a side. It seems like everyone is starting to have some direction for life, but Rain's direction is her brother. She believes she will need to continue to take care of him in the future and has built all of her goals around it. Ethan, however, is becoming more independent and making his own strides towards building his own future. This leaves Rain feeling a little aimless and causes most of the conflict in the book.
At the same time, both twins are starting to expand their social life into romance- Rain with Liam and Ethan with Hope- and these relationships bring their own levels of drama. The book begins slowly, and I found it tough to stay engaged at first. However, around halfway through, everything escalates and the pace really picks up. I found the second half of the book more intense and really intriguing as their lives have been shaken up and both twins need to figure out what this means and how to move forward. The parents in this were somewhat terrible (hardly parenting the twins), but I think this was presented fairly realistically (divorce is not always pretty). The strength is really in Rain's growth throughout the novel from trying to cover all the gaps to discovering that she can have her own hopes and dreams.
There is teen drinking, mentions of child abuse, and risky behaviors, but I don't think any of them escalated to the point where this book would be inappropriate for young adult. I really liked the integration of Ethan's journal plus Rain's blog into the storyline, and I wish we had gotten to see even more of the events from Ethan's perspective, as this was quite different from Rain and really fascinating. I think Ethan was one of the best characters in the book, though a lot of the other characters were really well done. Although we follow Rain, we end up learning a lot about her social circle and their lives/challenges also. Not all of the plot lines were closed by the end of the book (e.g. with some of her friends, things were partially resolved by the end of the book), and I wonder if some of them might be featured in sequels of sorts (like Marcus and Kathy). I'd be curious to see where all of the characters go in the future. Overall, it was an intriguing book and a great book about sibling relationships/growth.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.
December 1, 2017
This is the first book by Leah Scheier that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. In fact, I’m going to have to get my hands on her previous novel, because I enjoyed this one a lot.
Rain has always taken care of her autistic twin, Ethan, helping him navigate the world when he needed it. That’s her role in her family: responsible caretaker, always negotiating crises and in control. Even her cute new boyfriend, Liam, has to come second to Ethan’s needs. Rain doesn’t think Ethan will ever change, and she’s got her whole future planned around continuing to support him. But then Ethan’s behavior does start to change, and he no longer seems to rely on her in the same way, leaving Rain unsure of her role in their family and in her plans for her future. When other changes further challenge Rain’s carefully planned life, Rain has to learn to relinquish control and allow herself to be supported by others, including Ethan.
Rain is one of those characters that can drive you crazy but, at the same time, you almost can’t help sympathizing with her. She sincerely wants to help her brother, but she’s so sure she’s right about things, she can be completely insensitive to his actual needs. There were moments that I cringed at things Rain would do or say, not just to Ethan, but to Liam and Hope (Rain’s best friend and Ethan’s girlfriend). But they so clearly grew out of her past experiences with Ethan and the rest of her family, and she was so clearly struggling to adapt to the changes in her life, that I found myself forgiving her. (It helps that Rain can be pretty funny when she’s not obsessing about analyzing other people’s behavior.)
Even though the book is written from Rain’s point of view, the secondary characters come through very strongly. Ethan gets the most development, because notes from his journal are inserted into the novel periodically to give some insight into Ethan’s mindset. I’m not an expert on autistic behavior, but Ethan seems very real to life, and I was rooting for him to reach the goals he set for himself so he could achieve his dreams, both of becoming a surgeon and of developing a relationship with Hope. Hope, Liam, even Rain’s other friends, Marcus and Kathy, get enough page time to make them interesting, not just in relation to Rain but in their own right.
Recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary coming-of-age YA novels.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
Rain has always taken care of her autistic twin, Ethan, helping him navigate the world when he needed it. That’s her role in her family: responsible caretaker, always negotiating crises and in control. Even her cute new boyfriend, Liam, has to come second to Ethan’s needs. Rain doesn’t think Ethan will ever change, and she’s got her whole future planned around continuing to support him. But then Ethan’s behavior does start to change, and he no longer seems to rely on her in the same way, leaving Rain unsure of her role in their family and in her plans for her future. When other changes further challenge Rain’s carefully planned life, Rain has to learn to relinquish control and allow herself to be supported by others, including Ethan.
Rain is one of those characters that can drive you crazy but, at the same time, you almost can’t help sympathizing with her. She sincerely wants to help her brother, but she’s so sure she’s right about things, she can be completely insensitive to his actual needs. There were moments that I cringed at things Rain would do or say, not just to Ethan, but to Liam and Hope (Rain’s best friend and Ethan’s girlfriend). But they so clearly grew out of her past experiences with Ethan and the rest of her family, and she was so clearly struggling to adapt to the changes in her life, that I found myself forgiving her. (It helps that Rain can be pretty funny when she’s not obsessing about analyzing other people’s behavior.)
Even though the book is written from Rain’s point of view, the secondary characters come through very strongly. Ethan gets the most development, because notes from his journal are inserted into the novel periodically to give some insight into Ethan’s mindset. I’m not an expert on autistic behavior, but Ethan seems very real to life, and I was rooting for him to reach the goals he set for himself so he could achieve his dreams, both of becoming a surgeon and of developing a relationship with Hope. Hope, Liam, even Rain’s other friends, Marcus and Kathy, get enough page time to make them interesting, not just in relation to Rain but in their own right.
Recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary coming-of-age YA novels.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
December 27, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC of "Rules of Rain!"
Summary: Sixteen year old Rain has always taken care of her family, especially her twin brother, Ethan, who has Autism. She has very specific rules for Ethan and very specific ways of comforting him during his darkest periods. But things start to change and Rain has to learn that, maybe, it isn't her job to protect everyone else. Sometimes you need protecting yourself.
Opinion: Let's start with Rain. I really liked her, probably because she reminds me of myself. Rain's biggest goal is to protect everyone else but, in the process, forgets to worry about herself. And, when it's evident that Ethan is capable of being independent, it's hard for Rain to change the world she's constructed for sixteen years. I'm reminded of my own little brother who I feel like I raised for so many years. And now that he's nearly seventeen and independent, it's hard to realize you aren't needed as much as before. It's hard to come to terms with this change so I can completely relate to Rain.
I also like that Rain makes a mistake that is all too common for teenagers and young people. One mistake that can really alter your entire world. And it's a breath of fresh air to know that Liam isn't your classic "bad boy" so this didn't feel like the "good-girl-seeks-bad-boy" scenario so often present in romance novels today.
Both characters are flawed and that's a plus because it's very real. And, not just Rain and Liam. Rain's mom and dad are just as flawed and we're reminded that parents make mistakes, still do, and they're a lot like teenagers themselves.
I took away one star because Ethan's change seemed very flawless and I'm not sure how realistic that is. I suppose I can't say because I've never known anyone to have Ethan's type of autism and each person is different but I figured that he'd have slipped up at least once (meltdown...something) as he tries to complete his list of dreams. But he never did.
I like the way it ended, too. Not your classic happy ending but a glimmer of hope for us readers.
Overall, this was well-written and very relatable. I will be recommending this to my students, for sure.
Summary: Sixteen year old Rain has always taken care of her family, especially her twin brother, Ethan, who has Autism. She has very specific rules for Ethan and very specific ways of comforting him during his darkest periods. But things start to change and Rain has to learn that, maybe, it isn't her job to protect everyone else. Sometimes you need protecting yourself.
Opinion: Let's start with Rain. I really liked her, probably because she reminds me of myself. Rain's biggest goal is to protect everyone else but, in the process, forgets to worry about herself. And, when it's evident that Ethan is capable of being independent, it's hard for Rain to change the world she's constructed for sixteen years. I'm reminded of my own little brother who I feel like I raised for so many years. And now that he's nearly seventeen and independent, it's hard to realize you aren't needed as much as before. It's hard to come to terms with this change so I can completely relate to Rain.
I also like that Rain makes a mistake that is all too common for teenagers and young people. One mistake that can really alter your entire world. And it's a breath of fresh air to know that Liam isn't your classic "bad boy" so this didn't feel like the "good-girl-seeks-bad-boy" scenario so often present in romance novels today.
Both characters are flawed and that's a plus because it's very real. And, not just Rain and Liam. Rain's mom and dad are just as flawed and we're reminded that parents make mistakes, still do, and they're a lot like teenagers themselves.
I took away one star because Ethan's change seemed very flawless and I'm not sure how realistic that is. I suppose I can't say because I've never known anyone to have Ethan's type of autism and each person is different but I figured that he'd have slipped up at least once (meltdown...something) as he tries to complete his list of dreams. But he never did.
I like the way it ended, too. Not your classic happy ending but a glimmer of hope for us readers.
Overall, this was well-written and very relatable. I will be recommending this to my students, for sure.
May 24, 2018
I received an advance ecopy of this title via NetGalley. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this opportunity.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Pros:
*Realistic. The relationships between characters felt very natural. Each character was fleshed out very well and I could form them in my mind even though there wasn't a lot of physical descriptions given.
*Ethan's journal entries. Honestly, Ethan's story was more interesting than Rain's. His journal entries did a great job of inviting the reader into the mind of a character that, especially at first, is hard to crack. A very humbling and beautiful look inside the mind of a neurodivergent individual and a great illustration that autistic people have complex thoughts and goals just as neurotypical people do - they just express it differently.
*Details. From Rain's blog entries to the medical and psychology terms, even down to the weighted blanket, the details made this book.
Cons:
*Teenage sexual exploration. Okay, look. I'm fully aware that teens do "things." I'm just not on board with the current trend in YA literature of everybody (or so it seems) hopping into bed, or other places, with one another. Even responsible sexual exploration doesn't do it for me - what about characters that choose NOT to boink?
Forced LGBTQ+ inclusion. Inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons is fine . . . but not when they make no sense and seem to only serve to go 'Yay, my book is inclusive." It does a disservice to the LGBTQ+ community because a character forced to do anything becomes flat and one-dimensional. And the character (or characters - I'm not telling because this is already verging on spoiler territory) in question didn't need their sexual orientation to define them - they're awesome! That bit could have been left out and it wouldn't have really changed anything for me. Events could still have happened in much the same way.
Summary of my review: Good premise, great detail, loved Ethan's character, but the last 1/4 to 1/3 of the book fell into dramatic, trope-y overkill and could have used some focus and editing.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Pros:
*Realistic. The relationships between characters felt very natural. Each character was fleshed out very well and I could form them in my mind even though there wasn't a lot of physical descriptions given.
*Ethan's journal entries. Honestly, Ethan's story was more interesting than Rain's. His journal entries did a great job of inviting the reader into the mind of a character that, especially at first, is hard to crack. A very humbling and beautiful look inside the mind of a neurodivergent individual and a great illustration that autistic people have complex thoughts and goals just as neurotypical people do - they just express it differently.
*Details. From Rain's blog entries to the medical and psychology terms, even down to the weighted blanket, the details made this book.
Cons:
*Teenage sexual exploration. Okay, look. I'm fully aware that teens do "things." I'm just not on board with the current trend in YA literature of everybody (or so it seems) hopping into bed, or other places, with one another. Even responsible sexual exploration doesn't do it for me - what about characters that choose NOT to boink?
Forced LGBTQ+ inclusion. Inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons is fine . . . but not when they make no sense and seem to only serve to go 'Yay, my book is inclusive." It does a disservice to the LGBTQ+ community because a character forced to do anything becomes flat and one-dimensional. And the character (or characters - I'm not telling because this is already verging on spoiler territory) in question didn't need their sexual orientation to define them - they're awesome! That bit could have been left out and it wouldn't have really changed anything for me. Events could still have happened in much the same way.
Summary of my review: Good premise, great detail, loved Ethan's character, but the last 1/4 to 1/3 of the book fell into dramatic, trope-y overkill and could have used some focus and editing.
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