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The Rules #3
The Edge Rules
Sixteen-year old Brianna had everything she wanted: money to ski all over the world, underlings to do her bidding, and parents who gave her every freedom—as long as she played by their rules. But when she’s busted shoplifting and assigned to the Chain Gang, she ditches her shallow ways and realizes being herself is easier than manipulating people.
Forced to partner with kids she’d never dream of befriending, including Xavier, a boy who makes her pulse go into hyperdrive, Brianna vows to be a better person. Breaking Old Brianna’s habits isn’t easy, but her infatuation with Xavier—someone her parents would never approve of—motivates her to keep trying.
Even when he convinces her to trade her swanky skis for a beat-up snowboard.
Brianna lets go of her need to control everything and finally starts to feel free—until her past threatens to jeopardize her first real chance at love. She discovers balancing on the edge is as challenging in life as it is in snowboarding, and when a new friend is in trouble, Brianna must decide between the superficial things that used to be her world and putting her friend’s safety before herself.
*****
"THE EDGE RULES is perfect for readers looking for a book that is both socially relevant and charming." --IndieReader
"A great books for all romance lovers with a message of hope that all young people can benefit from." --YA Book Central
"...tightly plotted and well paced. This is a well-written book, both technically and aesthetically. Characters sound "real" and both plot arcs and language flow smoothly. Character arcs, particularly among the main cast, are paced as meticulously as the plot. The reformed bully trope is not new to the genre, but the places Brianna goes and the paces she is put through do lend this book an authentic feel with its own unique voice." --The BookLife Prize
Forced to partner with kids she’d never dream of befriending, including Xavier, a boy who makes her pulse go into hyperdrive, Brianna vows to be a better person. Breaking Old Brianna’s habits isn’t easy, but her infatuation with Xavier—someone her parents would never approve of—motivates her to keep trying.
Even when he convinces her to trade her swanky skis for a beat-up snowboard.
Brianna lets go of her need to control everything and finally starts to feel free—until her past threatens to jeopardize her first real chance at love. She discovers balancing on the edge is as challenging in life as it is in snowboarding, and when a new friend is in trouble, Brianna must decide between the superficial things that used to be her world and putting her friend’s safety before herself.
*****
"THE EDGE RULES is perfect for readers looking for a book that is both socially relevant and charming." --IndieReader
"A great books for all romance lovers with a message of hope that all young people can benefit from." --YA Book Central
"...tightly plotted and well paced. This is a well-written book, both technically and aesthetically. Characters sound "real" and both plot arcs and language flow smoothly. Character arcs, particularly among the main cast, are paced as meticulously as the plot. The reformed bully trope is not new to the genre, but the places Brianna goes and the paces she is put through do lend this book an authentic feel with its own unique voice." --The BookLife Prize
- GenresRomance
ebook
First published October 26, 2018
12 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Hooyenga
18 books182 followersMulti-award winning young adult author Melanie Hooyenga first started writing as a teenager and finds she still relates best to that age group. She has lived in Washington DC, Chicago, and Mexico, but has finally settled down in her home state of Michigan.
When not writing books, you can find Melanie enjoying the great outdoors and playing every sport imaginable with her husband Jeremy.
**Awards**
Flicker
–> 1st Place Winner (MG/YA) of the 3rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published eBook Awards (2015)
The Slope Rules
–> Gold Winner (YA General Fiction) 2017, Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
–> Silver Winner (High School Romance) 2017, Children's Literary Classics
–> Bronze Winner (YA Romance) 2017, Readers' Favorite
The Trail Rules
–> Gold Winner (Special Interest: Sports) 2018, Children's Literary Classics
–> Silver Winner (YA Romance) 2018, Readers' Favorite
–> Silver Winner (YA General Fiction) 2018, Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
The Edge Rules
–> Gold Winner (Special Interest: Sports) 2019 — Children’s Literary Classics
–> Winner (YA) 2019 – Orange County RWA BBB Awards
–> Finalist / YA/MG Winner 2019 – BookLife Prize
–> Bronze Winner (YA Romance) 2019 — Readers’ Favorite
Chasing the Sun
–> Gold Winner (YA General Fiction) 2020, Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
–> Quarter-Finalist / YA/MG 2020 – BookLife Prize
When not writing books, you can find Melanie enjoying the great outdoors and playing every sport imaginable with her husband Jeremy.
**Awards**
Flicker
–> 1st Place Winner (MG/YA) of the 3rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published eBook Awards (2015)
The Slope Rules
–> Gold Winner (YA General Fiction) 2017, Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
–> Silver Winner (High School Romance) 2017, Children's Literary Classics
–> Bronze Winner (YA Romance) 2017, Readers' Favorite
The Trail Rules
–> Gold Winner (Special Interest: Sports) 2018, Children's Literary Classics
–> Silver Winner (YA Romance) 2018, Readers' Favorite
–> Silver Winner (YA General Fiction) 2018, Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
The Edge Rules
–> Gold Winner (Special Interest: Sports) 2019 — Children’s Literary Classics
–> Winner (YA) 2019 – Orange County RWA BBB Awards
–> Finalist / YA/MG Winner 2019 – BookLife Prize
–> Bronze Winner (YA Romance) 2019 — Readers’ Favorite
Chasing the Sun
–> Gold Winner (YA General Fiction) 2020, Moonbeam Children's Book Awards
–> Quarter-Finalist / YA/MG 2020 – BookLife Prize
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 19, 2018
I absolutely love this book. Brianna is the girl everyone hates. She's privileged, stuck up and totally self-involved. Under the surface, her life is falling apart and she is realising that being cruel is more effort than it's worth. She becomes a kleptomaniac. Brianna wouldn't be caught dead in any of the jewellery she's stolen, but she just can't stop until she gets arrested. Her dad manages to get her off with community service. Unfortunately, her dad has a bombshell of his own to drop. Her mum and dad are separating. This family is all about keeping up appearances. It's all Brianna has ever known. Her dad wants her to finish her community service as soon as possible and in return, he will take her on Christmas vacation to Switzerland.
The community service is litter picking. It's not glamorous but it's easy work. The bus that drops the offenders off is full of quirky characters but mystery guy is the one that catches her attention most. He's tall, dark and tattooed. Xavier is the type of guy Brianna wouldn't look twice at. He doesn't come from money and his image isn't squeaky clean. Brianna finds a best-friend she genuinely likes and a boy who someone could really love.
Brianna has to get over herself if she wants a chance with Xavier. She also has to cleanse her past. Her former self, hurt a lot of people. The mean girl is about to find the path to forgiveness.
Brianna is a strong independent character and even though her world is crumbling around her, Bri holds her head high. Her relationship with her mother has always been cold but now they need each other more than ever. Together they learn that being nice actually has benefits.
Xavier is a great book boyfriend. He's kind and caring. His personal character is everything Brianna needs but his looks and status are something she has to get over. Brianna struggles with her inner demons. She wants to be a better person but the transition will take time. Along the way, she learns to snowboard, saves a friend and finds kindness in her heart. This book has so much to offer in personal growth for our main character.
I totally have a thing for hot, tattooed, Spanish speaking Mexicans. Xavier was an 11 on the hotness scale and his personality is swoon-worthy.
The Edge of Rules is more than a romance. It's about Brianna becoming a reformed character. I loved every minute. I would highly recommend this book. It's going on the favourite shelf! 5+ stars out of 5.
The Edge of Rules contains mild sexual references.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review as part of the chapter by chapter blog tour. My date 30th October 2018.
http://chaptersthroughlife.blogspot.c...
The community service is litter picking. It's not glamorous but it's easy work. The bus that drops the offenders off is full of quirky characters but mystery guy is the one that catches her attention most. He's tall, dark and tattooed. Xavier is the type of guy Brianna wouldn't look twice at. He doesn't come from money and his image isn't squeaky clean. Brianna finds a best-friend she genuinely likes and a boy who someone could really love.
Brianna has to get over herself if she wants a chance with Xavier. She also has to cleanse her past. Her former self, hurt a lot of people. The mean girl is about to find the path to forgiveness.
Brianna is a strong independent character and even though her world is crumbling around her, Bri holds her head high. Her relationship with her mother has always been cold but now they need each other more than ever. Together they learn that being nice actually has benefits.
Xavier is a great book boyfriend. He's kind and caring. His personal character is everything Brianna needs but his looks and status are something she has to get over. Brianna struggles with her inner demons. She wants to be a better person but the transition will take time. Along the way, she learns to snowboard, saves a friend and finds kindness in her heart. This book has so much to offer in personal growth for our main character.
I totally have a thing for hot, tattooed, Spanish speaking Mexicans. Xavier was an 11 on the hotness scale and his personality is swoon-worthy.
The Edge of Rules is more than a romance. It's about Brianna becoming a reformed character. I loved every minute. I would highly recommend this book. It's going on the favourite shelf! 5+ stars out of 5.
The Edge of Rules contains mild sexual references.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review as part of the chapter by chapter blog tour. My date 30th October 2018.
http://chaptersthroughlife.blogspot.c...
November 1, 2018
Brianna was raised believing, that appearance was everything, and she put a lot of time and energy into becoming the local queen bee. But after falling from grace and hitting rock bottom, Brianna held that mirror up to herself, and was NOT happy with who she saw.
This book was billed as a romance, and it had romance, don't worry, but really it was a redemption story. I LOVE redemption stories, because I like to believe that we can all stumble, make mistakes, and atone for our transgressions.
Brianna had turned into a terrible person. She was making poor choices and alienating others, because she was unable to properly manage her emotions. It could not have been easy for her to acknowledge that fact to herself, and that was one of the things that earned her some empathy from me.
I loved seeing her take those steps towards being a better person, and I liked that Hooyenga made it clear, that this was a difficult journey for Brianna. She tripped a little, but she often caught herself, and self-corrected. She experienced tremendous growth over the course of the book, and I was very proud of her.
I was also glad to see her parents doing a little growing too, because they played a role in how she became the mean girl. I guess you could say, that Brianna's arrest was a wake up call for the whole family.
Now for the warm and fuzzy parts! The romance! Xavier was interesting from the start, but the more I learned about him, and the more I saw him interacting with friends and family, the more I adored him. He was just a good person, and the perfect person to accompany Brianna on her journey to becoming a better version of herself. It was great spending time with these two, because I could sense the attraction and the tension, but there were also those little stirrings of something more.
The friendships that developed while Brianna completed her community service were wonderful too. Something different brought each character to the clean up crew, and they were all from very different backgrounds, but at the same time, they shared so much common ground, and I love that Hooyenga highlighted those similarities.
It was also a lot of fun being out on the slopes with Brianna and Xavier. The closest I have ever gotten to any sort of snow sports is watching them from the lodge as I drank my hot cocoa, but Hooyenga did an amazing job pulling me out onto the mountain. I shared Brianna's highs and lows out there, and I really enjoyed getting to be a part of it.
There was one other super delightful little thing you should keep your eye out for. I won't give too many details, because it's a spoiler if you ask me, but keep an eye out for Piper, because she was too adorable to be contained on the page.
Overall: A great story of redemption, and how one can really start living once they abandon the quest to keep up appearances and start looking beyond the surface.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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This book was billed as a romance, and it had romance, don't worry, but really it was a redemption story. I LOVE redemption stories, because I like to believe that we can all stumble, make mistakes, and atone for our transgressions.
Brianna had turned into a terrible person. She was making poor choices and alienating others, because she was unable to properly manage her emotions. It could not have been easy for her to acknowledge that fact to herself, and that was one of the things that earned her some empathy from me.
I loved seeing her take those steps towards being a better person, and I liked that Hooyenga made it clear, that this was a difficult journey for Brianna. She tripped a little, but she often caught herself, and self-corrected. She experienced tremendous growth over the course of the book, and I was very proud of her.
I was also glad to see her parents doing a little growing too, because they played a role in how she became the mean girl. I guess you could say, that Brianna's arrest was a wake up call for the whole family.
Now for the warm and fuzzy parts! The romance! Xavier was interesting from the start, but the more I learned about him, and the more I saw him interacting with friends and family, the more I adored him. He was just a good person, and the perfect person to accompany Brianna on her journey to becoming a better version of herself. It was great spending time with these two, because I could sense the attraction and the tension, but there were also those little stirrings of something more.
The friendships that developed while Brianna completed her community service were wonderful too. Something different brought each character to the clean up crew, and they were all from very different backgrounds, but at the same time, they shared so much common ground, and I love that Hooyenga highlighted those similarities.
It was also a lot of fun being out on the slopes with Brianna and Xavier. The closest I have ever gotten to any sort of snow sports is watching them from the lodge as I drank my hot cocoa, but Hooyenga did an amazing job pulling me out onto the mountain. I shared Brianna's highs and lows out there, and I really enjoyed getting to be a part of it.
There was one other super delightful little thing you should keep your eye out for. I won't give too many details, because it's a spoiler if you ask me, but keep an eye out for Piper, because she was too adorable to be contained on the page.
Overall: A great story of redemption, and how one can really start living once they abandon the quest to keep up appearances and start looking beyond the surface.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
September 12, 2018
Confession time: I went into this book with low expectations about the MC. After reading the first two books in the series, I was prepared to dislike Brianna to the bitter end, but Melanie is truly a miracle worker. She not only created a very unlikable character, but then managed to turn her life around in spectacular and realistic ways. Definitely impressed 💕
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April 25, 2018I'm so excited to share Brianna's story with all of you! Be sure to mark The Edge Rules as Want to Read so you'll be notified when it's available!
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Or sign up for my ARC newsletter to get an advanced copy! http://eepurl.com/cwqvjf
October 4, 2018
I think this was my favorite book in the Edge Series! Brianna is the absolute worst in the other books, but you definitely see a new side of her in this one. There were some heavy topics, but it's important that YA books address some of these issues, since they're a reality in today's world. Also, I couldn't help but get major heart eyes for Xavier!!! Great book, must read.
January 9, 2019
This is, by far, my favorite of the RULES series!
Brianna....former mean girl, queen of her high school, could knock a kid off his chair with one evil scowl....is dethroned and goes from HAS IT ALL to HAS BEEN. No friends. Zero social life. And worse, she's now forced into community service for a string of bad choices. Can she change?
The author not only gave a ruthless antagonist the protagonist spotlight--she helped us see exactly WHY Brianna made those choices and exactly what she needs to do to overcome it. It's a well written story with a great message that even the worst people deserve a 2nd chance--but they have to earn it.
I blew through this book in 2 days. T...W...O...
A great conclusion to the RULES series!
Brianna....former mean girl, queen of her high school, could knock a kid off his chair with one evil scowl....is dethroned and goes from HAS IT ALL to HAS BEEN. No friends. Zero social life. And worse, she's now forced into community service for a string of bad choices. Can she change?
The author not only gave a ruthless antagonist the protagonist spotlight--she helped us see exactly WHY Brianna made those choices and exactly what she needs to do to overcome it. It's a well written story with a great message that even the worst people deserve a 2nd chance--but they have to earn it.
I blew through this book in 2 days. T...W...O...
A great conclusion to the RULES series!
October 17, 2018
Just like the other two books in the series The Edge Rules did not disappoint. It's funny how you can hate a character so much but when you learn more about her and her situation you feel bad and start to like her. There are always two sides to every situation. This story is about picking oneself up after her whole world comes crashing down. To quote Alfred from Batman Begins "Why do we fall sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up."
That one quote pretty much sums up the whole book, and an excellent read as always!
That one quote pretty much sums up the whole book, and an excellent read as always!
October 5, 2018
The third ‘rules’ book did by disappoint! I was instantly transported back to my own high school days - the ups and the downs; socially and emotionally. Hooyenga has a knack for immersing you in the world of her books, so much so that I read it in one sitting (airport, plane; I couldn’t put it down). I wish the series never ended and I could live in their mountain world a bit longer.
September 16, 2018
Third book in the series.
I previously read the first two books in the series. Mean girl, Brianna, was in both of the other books, and honestly I just wasn't a Brianna fan. However, this book was my favorite out of the three! I felt that the characters had great depth and although teenagers, they were dealing with some heavy and hard stuff--not just your typical 'does he like me' school age stuff. Brianna has always been stuck up, but this book expounds on her own trials and struggles, while getting to know people for more than face value. Brianna tries to patch up some of her mistakes from the past, while helping and supporting her new friends too.
Don't miss out on this one! You won't be disappointed!
I previously read the first two books in the series. Mean girl, Brianna, was in both of the other books, and honestly I just wasn't a Brianna fan. However, this book was my favorite out of the three! I felt that the characters had great depth and although teenagers, they were dealing with some heavy and hard stuff--not just your typical 'does he like me' school age stuff. Brianna has always been stuck up, but this book expounds on her own trials and struggles, while getting to know people for more than face value. Brianna tries to patch up some of her mistakes from the past, while helping and supporting her new friends too.
Don't miss out on this one! You won't be disappointed!
September 2, 2018
I love this series so much. There's a ton of heart and it brings all the feels. But neither of the other books bring the emotion quite as much as this one. We finally get to know what is behind Brianna's heart of stone. Family trouble, past regrets, and uncontrollable rage. It's second nature to her to lash out at people because it's all she's been taught.
In walks Xavier. He's everything she's not. Sweet. Kind. Not filthy rich. Well-liked. And to her dismay - friends with Cally and Blake. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but instead, Bri starts to realize she doesn't want to be the person everyone things she is.
I never thought I'd root for this girl but I couldn't help myself. She's so strong. Everything she goes through. It's not easy to force change upon yourself. I loved every minute of her journey.
In walks Xavier. He's everything she's not. Sweet. Kind. Not filthy rich. Well-liked. And to her dismay - friends with Cally and Blake. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but instead, Bri starts to realize she doesn't want to be the person everyone things she is.
I never thought I'd root for this girl but I couldn't help myself. She's so strong. Everything she goes through. It's not easy to force change upon yourself. I loved every minute of her journey.
June 8, 2018
The subject of bullying is very important to me, having been on the receiving end of a lot of it as a youngster. It took me a very long time to put those horrible memories behind me, and it pains me to see that it's still just as big of an issue today as it was then.
I've read a lot of YA books dealing with the subject (and written a few as well), and while some of them do end in tragedy, a great many of them see the bully - usually the arrogant jock or the entitled queen bee - get their come-uppance. The good guys/misfits/outcasts prevail, and we close the book feeling good about the happy ending.
However, life is not always a Hollywood movie. Kids become bullies for a reason, and the number of books that explores the other side of bullying is a very small percentage. That's why I was so intrigued to read Melanie Hooyenga's The Edge Rules.
Of all the many books I've read involving teenage bullies, there are few as unsympathetic as Brianna Vines. In Book One of this series, she comes off as arrogant, mean-spirited, entitled, without a shred of remorse or conscience for the lives she destroys. New arrival Cally, however, proved a match for her, and that book ended with the beginning of Bri's downfall.
By the time The Edge Rules begins, Bri has hit rock bottom. Her former "friends" want nothing to do with her, all her former victims hate her, and a shoplifting arrest coincides with the announcement that her father is leaving her and her mother to be with another woman he'd been seeing for years. (Not a spoiler, this happens in the first 10% of the book.)
Sentenced to community service, Bri meets Xavier, a tattooed Hispanic boy who, quietly and most unexpectedly, makes Bri realize just how far down B**** Road she's gone. Despite being from the "wrong side of the tracks" and nothing like any guy she's ever met, Xavier might just prove to be exactly what she needs at the worst time of her life.
The character development in this story is phenomenal. Ms. Hooyenga does not make Bri's epiphany and change of heart take place overnight. Years of conditioning and cold behavior - inspired mightily by her mother and father - are hard habits to break.
Against all odds, I found myself rooting for Bri to change, to grow, something I would have thought impossible in Book One.
The Edge Rules is a fantastically-written story about redemption, atonement, and the belief that even the worst people can change.
I would recommend this book, and this entire series, to anyone who loves YA romance and who is not averse to learning a few things about themselves in the process.
I've read a lot of YA books dealing with the subject (and written a few as well), and while some of them do end in tragedy, a great many of them see the bully - usually the arrogant jock or the entitled queen bee - get their come-uppance. The good guys/misfits/outcasts prevail, and we close the book feeling good about the happy ending.
However, life is not always a Hollywood movie. Kids become bullies for a reason, and the number of books that explores the other side of bullying is a very small percentage. That's why I was so intrigued to read Melanie Hooyenga's The Edge Rules.
Of all the many books I've read involving teenage bullies, there are few as unsympathetic as Brianna Vines. In Book One of this series, she comes off as arrogant, mean-spirited, entitled, without a shred of remorse or conscience for the lives she destroys. New arrival Cally, however, proved a match for her, and that book ended with the beginning of Bri's downfall.
By the time The Edge Rules begins, Bri has hit rock bottom. Her former "friends" want nothing to do with her, all her former victims hate her, and a shoplifting arrest coincides with the announcement that her father is leaving her and her mother to be with another woman he'd been seeing for years. (Not a spoiler, this happens in the first 10% of the book.)
Sentenced to community service, Bri meets Xavier, a tattooed Hispanic boy who, quietly and most unexpectedly, makes Bri realize just how far down B**** Road she's gone. Despite being from the "wrong side of the tracks" and nothing like any guy she's ever met, Xavier might just prove to be exactly what she needs at the worst time of her life.
The character development in this story is phenomenal. Ms. Hooyenga does not make Bri's epiphany and change of heart take place overnight. Years of conditioning and cold behavior - inspired mightily by her mother and father - are hard habits to break.
Against all odds, I found myself rooting for Bri to change, to grow, something I would have thought impossible in Book One.
The Edge Rules is a fantastically-written story about redemption, atonement, and the belief that even the worst people can change.
I would recommend this book, and this entire series, to anyone who loves YA romance and who is not averse to learning a few things about themselves in the process.
October 26, 2018
I love the Rules Series, but this one I think is my absolute favorite of the three out! Honestly I couldn’t stand mean girl Brianna in the first two books, so I was unsure on what this would hold. In this series you really get to know the characters, they become friends in a way. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to hug somebody while reading this, or laughed out loud and got funny looks. While you learn second chances are possible, just not easily earned, you watch as she hits rock bottom and climbs her way out. Of course with a little help and a shock to her heart.
I highly suggest you grab this one up for one heck of a ride down the slopes, you won’t be disappointed that’s for sure.
I highly suggest you grab this one up for one heck of a ride down the slopes, you won’t be disappointed that’s for sure.
October 28, 2018
I really enjoyed Book 1 and I tolerated Book 2 but this is my absolute favourite book of the series so far – I say so far because it is my most fervent hope that this is not the end of the series. And if the rest follow in this fashion, then the series overall will be an amazing representation of the difficulties of trying to be the best person you can be, as a normal teenager growing up with the pressures of multiple external pressures.
Brianna, in this book, is magic! The past two books have consistently given us hints into the fact that Brianna is not as fully committed to being the nasty and unfeeling Queen B as she would often have us believe. There have been glimmers of a gentler spirit… one that feels more deeply and is more deeply affected than you’d think at first glance. There is a depth to her, and her character only continues to grow in this book.
We meet Brianna at a time in her life when she’s standing on the precipice… The Edge as it were… where she has to make choices about who she is going to choose to be going forward.
I loved this book because, as with the first one, the budding romance was secondary to the growth and development of the individual and only serves to support it, while not being the catalyst for it.
I especially appreciated that the content and the relationship wasn’t overtly sexualized and that the focus was really on her accepting her past self and taking responsibility for who she was in an effort to continue being better and stronger.
Brianna, to me, has a lot in common with Cally in terms of the fact that they both have dealt with or are dealing with deeper issues that have moulded who they are and the challenges that they currently face. I feel like Brianna recognized a similarity of spirit in Cally even if they were using their individual fighting spirits on opposite sides of a fight.
So often we see that the Bully is a victim too and too often we forget that it’s the scars that you don’t see that have cut the deepest. Brianna has always had more to her than meets the eye and we get to see that in this book. I am so grateful that the author chose to explore a different side of a bully’s redemption.
There is so much that I want to say but it would take away from a reader’s delight and honest response to the plot twists in this book. I also would honestly want for you to have a real experience of watching Brianna’s navigation of the new circumstances of her life with the right motivations and in spite of the possibility that she could have just keep it easy for herself instead of pushing through to do the right thing.
As a mother myself, I also appreciated the growth that her mother experiences – it’ easy isn’t it, to look in on someone else’s life and see the mistakes that they’re making and have made but when the person is you, it often takes a bit longer to acknowledge that you’re making mistakes and that you must do better or you risk damage to those that you care about the most.
I am not sure that Brianna has ever experienced being wanted or loved for who she really is and so I understand and empathize with her need to control her life and I’m hoping for her sake that she continues to grow to be this new amazing version of herself.
The joy that she finds in new experiences, like snowboarding, and the satisfaction that she experiences when she finds some success in learning that sport as well as the satisfaction she feels when she makes positive choices is a beauty to behold. Everything about this book just resonated so deeply with me and it was one of those times when a book is truly a gift and a privilege to read.
This book is phenomenal: The characters, their development, the plot – all of it is exceptional and I strongly suggest that you read the first 2 books in the series to fully appreciate the gem that this third book is.
I cannot wait for more installments in this series and I hope that there will be many more in future.
Brianna, in this book, is magic! The past two books have consistently given us hints into the fact that Brianna is not as fully committed to being the nasty and unfeeling Queen B as she would often have us believe. There have been glimmers of a gentler spirit… one that feels more deeply and is more deeply affected than you’d think at first glance. There is a depth to her, and her character only continues to grow in this book.
We meet Brianna at a time in her life when she’s standing on the precipice… The Edge as it were… where she has to make choices about who she is going to choose to be going forward.
I loved this book because, as with the first one, the budding romance was secondary to the growth and development of the individual and only serves to support it, while not being the catalyst for it.
I especially appreciated that the content and the relationship wasn’t overtly sexualized and that the focus was really on her accepting her past self and taking responsibility for who she was in an effort to continue being better and stronger.
Brianna, to me, has a lot in common with Cally in terms of the fact that they both have dealt with or are dealing with deeper issues that have moulded who they are and the challenges that they currently face. I feel like Brianna recognized a similarity of spirit in Cally even if they were using their individual fighting spirits on opposite sides of a fight.
So often we see that the Bully is a victim too and too often we forget that it’s the scars that you don’t see that have cut the deepest. Brianna has always had more to her than meets the eye and we get to see that in this book. I am so grateful that the author chose to explore a different side of a bully’s redemption.
There is so much that I want to say but it would take away from a reader’s delight and honest response to the plot twists in this book. I also would honestly want for you to have a real experience of watching Brianna’s navigation of the new circumstances of her life with the right motivations and in spite of the possibility that she could have just keep it easy for herself instead of pushing through to do the right thing.
As a mother myself, I also appreciated the growth that her mother experiences – it’ easy isn’t it, to look in on someone else’s life and see the mistakes that they’re making and have made but when the person is you, it often takes a bit longer to acknowledge that you’re making mistakes and that you must do better or you risk damage to those that you care about the most.
I am not sure that Brianna has ever experienced being wanted or loved for who she really is and so I understand and empathize with her need to control her life and I’m hoping for her sake that she continues to grow to be this new amazing version of herself.
The joy that she finds in new experiences, like snowboarding, and the satisfaction that she experiences when she finds some success in learning that sport as well as the satisfaction she feels when she makes positive choices is a beauty to behold. Everything about this book just resonated so deeply with me and it was one of those times when a book is truly a gift and a privilege to read.
This book is phenomenal: The characters, their development, the plot – all of it is exceptional and I strongly suggest that you read the first 2 books in the series to fully appreciate the gem that this third book is.
I cannot wait for more installments in this series and I hope that there will be many more in future.
October 27, 2018
'The Edge Rules' by Melanie Hooyenga will draw you in and keep you riveted as you wonder how main character Brianna will find a way to re-shape her life rather than reclaim the one she would rather leave behind. A former bully, she has been ousted from her group of friends and made to feel just like the kids she always made fun of, making her question what the point was of ever being so cruel and calculating about how to maintain her power.
Readers learn much about Brianna throughout the story, including how her past definitively shaped who she became from eighth grade until the beginning of her junior year. Set shortly after junior year begins, Brianna's life is now completely upended, not just because of her loss of popularity and friends, but because of her father's upheaval of their family. When he leaves, everything seems to go south quickly. Adding to this is the fact that she was caught shoplifting and now needs to spend time with a group of kids she never thought she'd ever associate with as they do community service together.
Brianna's exposure to people not in her regular group of friends and acquaintances and her eventual understanding that her actions definitely do have consequences, for her as well as others, makes her want to be a better person. Getting in the way of this is a very good-looking boy, Xavier. While she wants to be with him, her worry about the shame she'll feel and the horrible person he'll see when she reveals the truth of her past threatens to unravel her fully. Yet she knows, as she has grown, that telling the truth is the only way to move forward. The question remains whether she'll be brave enough to do so, and what will happen when and if she does.
A well-reasoned look into the mind of a former bully and mean girl, 'The Edge Rules' tells Brianna's past and present in a way that will surely shape her future. Her relationship with her parents and her former friends, as well as with new people such as Xavier and Drea, from community service, instill in her a sense of calm that she's never felt and which she desperately wants to maintain. Her life, while having been seemingly easy, is now uncertain, and her struggles are real - not just the upset of a rich girl for whom things have gone wrong.
The 'Rules' series is one of two series (the other being the 'Flicker Effect' series) that readers should rush to read. Hooyenga's adeptness at storytelling and drawing readers in is beautiful and will literally keep readers drawn into her books into the night.
Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels
*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*
Readers learn much about Brianna throughout the story, including how her past definitively shaped who she became from eighth grade until the beginning of her junior year. Set shortly after junior year begins, Brianna's life is now completely upended, not just because of her loss of popularity and friends, but because of her father's upheaval of their family. When he leaves, everything seems to go south quickly. Adding to this is the fact that she was caught shoplifting and now needs to spend time with a group of kids she never thought she'd ever associate with as they do community service together.
Brianna's exposure to people not in her regular group of friends and acquaintances and her eventual understanding that her actions definitely do have consequences, for her as well as others, makes her want to be a better person. Getting in the way of this is a very good-looking boy, Xavier. While she wants to be with him, her worry about the shame she'll feel and the horrible person he'll see when she reveals the truth of her past threatens to unravel her fully. Yet she knows, as she has grown, that telling the truth is the only way to move forward. The question remains whether she'll be brave enough to do so, and what will happen when and if she does.
A well-reasoned look into the mind of a former bully and mean girl, 'The Edge Rules' tells Brianna's past and present in a way that will surely shape her future. Her relationship with her parents and her former friends, as well as with new people such as Xavier and Drea, from community service, instill in her a sense of calm that she's never felt and which she desperately wants to maintain. Her life, while having been seemingly easy, is now uncertain, and her struggles are real - not just the upset of a rich girl for whom things have gone wrong.
The 'Rules' series is one of two series (the other being the 'Flicker Effect' series) that readers should rush to read. Hooyenga's adeptness at storytelling and drawing readers in is beautiful and will literally keep readers drawn into her books into the night.
Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels
*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*
November 1, 2018
In An Oyster Shell - I love that the mean girl gets her day, to turn her life around and make amends with a sweet romance in the process.
The Pearls - This is one of the better books that I read lately. I have been in a reading slump and this was just the book to get me out of it. I love that twist of the mean girl finding redemption. It is a unique concept that was well executed. Bravo to the author.
Bri was a great character. I loved the development of the things being revealed from her past. I really empathized with her from the beginning so when it came to light that she's the one we all would hate, I didn't. I was super impressed with the character development in this story.
I love the bad boy with a soft spot motif. I may have been slightly swoony reading about Xavier. He was just what Bri needed to take the edge off. I loved that he was a strong, but compassionate love interest.
In An Oyster Shell - I love that the mean girl gets her day, to turn her life around and make amends with a sweet romance in the process.
The Pearls - This is one of the better books that I read lately. I have been in a reading slump and this was just the book to get me out of it. I love that twist of the mean girl finding redemption. It is a unique concept that was well executed. Bravo to the author.
Bri was a great character. I loved the development of the things being revealed from her past. I really empathized with her from the beginning so when it came to light that she's the one we all would hate, I didn't. I was super impressed with the character development in this story.
I love the bad boy with a soft spot motif. I may have been slightly swoony reading about Xavier. He was just what Bri needed to take the edge off. I loved that he was a strong, but compassionate love interest.
The Pearls - This is one of the better books that I read lately. I have been in a reading slump and this was just the book to get me out of it. I love that twist of the mean girl finding redemption. It is a unique concept that was well executed. Bravo to the author.
Bri was a great character. I loved the development of the things being revealed from her past. I really empathized with her from the beginning so when it came to light that she's the one we all would hate, I didn't. I was super impressed with the character development in this story.
I love the bad boy with a soft spot motif. I may have been slightly swoony reading about Xavier. He was just what Bri needed to take the edge off. I loved that he was a strong, but compassionate love interest.
In An Oyster Shell - I love that the mean girl gets her day, to turn her life around and make amends with a sweet romance in the process.
The Pearls - This is one of the better books that I read lately. I have been in a reading slump and this was just the book to get me out of it. I love that twist of the mean girl finding redemption. It is a unique concept that was well executed. Bravo to the author.
Bri was a great character. I loved the development of the things being revealed from her past. I really empathized with her from the beginning so when it came to light that she's the one we all would hate, I didn't. I was super impressed with the character development in this story.
I love the bad boy with a soft spot motif. I may have been slightly swoony reading about Xavier. He was just what Bri needed to take the edge off. I loved that he was a strong, but compassionate love interest.
February 12, 2019
The Edge Rules is such a fun read; a sweet romance but also just a great story, and such a good addition to The Rules series. Here are some big loves that stood out:
First, I was SO impressed that I liked Brianna after reading about her in the previous two books in this series. Reading her story really made me rethink my judgements of her character (and I love that.) I had an inkling at the end of book two, but was still surprised by just how much I was rooting for her - even from the start.
And Xavier? SWOON. He's sweet and sensitive, goes to bat for what he believes in, loves his family, and is obviously such a good guy through and through. LOVED HIM.
Finally, I really liked a big decision Brianna has to make near the end of the book. I won't say more, b/c spoilers, but for those who have read it: THAT WAS AMAZING!!!! I didn't see it coming, and it was just such a perfect reflection of how far she'd come (once she made the choice). Slow Clap.
Highly recommended!
Full disclosure: I was an early reader for the author and received a free copy of the book. The above is my honest review.
First, I was SO impressed that I liked Brianna after reading about her in the previous two books in this series. Reading her story really made me rethink my judgements of her character (and I love that.) I had an inkling at the end of book two, but was still surprised by just how much I was rooting for her - even from the start.
And Xavier? SWOON. He's sweet and sensitive, goes to bat for what he believes in, loves his family, and is obviously such a good guy through and through. LOVED HIM.
Finally, I really liked a big decision Brianna has to make near the end of the book. I won't say more, b/c spoilers, but for those who have read it: THAT WAS AMAZING!!!! I didn't see it coming, and it was just such a perfect reflection of how far she'd come (once she made the choice). Slow Clap.
Highly recommended!
Full disclosure: I was an early reader for the author and received a free copy of the book. The above is my honest review.
October 29, 2019
Brianna is a spoiled, over-indulged, rich girl. She's used to getting anything and everything she wants. Still, she's compelled to give in to her kleptomaniac urges. When she's caught and subsequently arrested for shoplifting, her dad gets her off on a lighter sentence and she is forced into picking up litter as community service. When she meets the mysterious, Xavier, on her community service work crew she is instantly drawn to him. Compelled to face the person she has been, Brianna comes to realize appearances aren't all they're cracked up to be and she begins to learn the value of kindness and generosity of spirit.
The Edge Rules, Book 3 in the Rules Series, by Melanie Hooyenga, is an entertaining and introspective coming-of-age book about romance, atonement and self-acceptance. Recommended for home and school libraries, The Edge Rules has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
The Edge Rules, Book 3 in the Rules Series, by Melanie Hooyenga, is an entertaining and introspective coming-of-age book about romance, atonement and self-acceptance. Recommended for home and school libraries, The Edge Rules has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
December 10, 2018
Going into this one, after reading the previous two books i was really unsure how Brianna could get any redemption.
Her story is a little more serious with some of the issues that are present. Her personal growth was amazing and I'm glad it wasnt all sunshine and rainbows, she really had to try and it still wasnt all wrapped up in a tidy bow, still a little messy like real life. Once again romance is not the key to the story in sits on the side as we watch Brianna try and turn over a new lea and attempt to make amends for her past. Through in learning to snow board for a little bit of lightheartness and we once again have a cute YA read. Loved seeing the little snippets of the previous couples, Blake and Cally, and Mike and Mica.
Would have loved an epilogue to see how the gang is going, but I'm also hoping for more books from this group of friends.
Her story is a little more serious with some of the issues that are present. Her personal growth was amazing and I'm glad it wasnt all sunshine and rainbows, she really had to try and it still wasnt all wrapped up in a tidy bow, still a little messy like real life. Once again romance is not the key to the story in sits on the side as we watch Brianna try and turn over a new lea and attempt to make amends for her past. Through in learning to snow board for a little bit of lightheartness and we once again have a cute YA read. Loved seeing the little snippets of the previous couples, Blake and Cally, and Mike and Mica.
Would have loved an epilogue to see how the gang is going, but I'm also hoping for more books from this group of friends.
November 1, 2018
I loved this book! The Edge Rules was my cup of tea . . . Or coffee. i'm not much of a tea drinker. A strong message in this book is definitely that appearance is vain if what's inside is not the same as what people see on the outside. At the start, it was very hard to actually like Brianna's character. That's rare. I have a hard time when it comes to NOT liking characters, never the other way around. Ms. Hooyenga did the impossible.
When I heard there would be a third installment to The Rules series, I was ecstatic! So, thank you ChapterxChapter Book Tours & Promotions for the chance to read an ARC.
When I heard there would be a third installment to The Rules series, I was ecstatic! So, thank you ChapterxChapter Book Tours & Promotions for the chance to read an ARC.
January 17, 2025
I picked this up having read the first two books and fallen in love with Hooyenga’s style of writing and telling a story with hard hitting topics wrapped up with relatable and engaging characters. I was a little wary about it focusing on Brianna since she’d been such a big bully in the first book, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with her as she grew and changed and became the person she wanted to be. I adored Xavier and the conflict was beautifully crafted and allowed you to sink into the pages and fall in love with the story. A series for all those who love sweet romance that doesn’t shy away from serious topics. Very much recommended!
September 30, 2018
This is the third book in the series and by far my favorite. I love that the narrator is the villain from the first two books. While reading this book, I got so into the characters that I found myself up late at night just to find out what would happen next. Who knew I would ever feel bad for Brianna? The more I read the more I found myself hoping things would work out well for the former Snow Bunny. I won't spoil all the twists and turns, but get ready for Hooyenga to reveal this character's real personality amidst some trying personal events.
January 4, 2019
I really enjoyed Brianna’s story, she finds out that being the school bitch is not the way to win friends and influence people. She gets caught,again, shoplifting and has to do community service. She makes some new friends there, and meets a very kind, compassionate, hot guy. Will her new friends find out how she alienated all her friends at school and dump her? Find out when you read the Edge Rules.
October 28, 2018
This was my favorite of the series. I detested Brianna in the other book. Now we see the whole picture with her and her want to change, I changed my mind. Xavier is a favorite character for me of the series. Brianna growing as a person and being taken to the very bottom of life was a journey worth reading.
August 9, 2022
A "behind the scenes" look into a mean girl's life. This is the third book of the series and I thought the most emotional. (You may need a tissue towards the end.) Brianna goes through several changes in her life and she sees that being herself is so much better than being the mean girl. Read this great transformation story, well worth the time.
October 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Brianna struggles to make good choices, which is realistic given her upbringing. But she does improve over the course of the book, as she learns to empathy with the people around her. Plus, her budding relationship with Xavier was fun to read. They’re cute together.
December 29, 2018
Bought this book on Amazon and finished it 3 hours later. This book was AMAZING. I always loved the kind of books that take on the perspective of the “bitch” and Melanie Hooyenga did a spectacular job with this one!
May have shed a tear or two at the end LOL
May have shed a tear or two at the end LOL
April 7, 2019
Cute read. Third book in the series and probably my favourite. Brianna's story will really draw you in. Mean girl turning over a new leaf. The one we hated in the first two books. Well worth reading.
June 15, 2020
Loved it!
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this book because the focus was on a character that I didn’t like from the first two books in the series. But let me tell you. This book was great! A perfect second chance story about changing into a better person. Wonderfully written and I think I liked it even better than the first two books!
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this book because the focus was on a character that I didn’t like from the first two books in the series. But let me tell you. This book was great! A perfect second chance story about changing into a better person. Wonderfully written and I think I liked it even better than the first two books!
January 15, 2019
I don’t know if there is going to be a fourth Rules book, but if there isn’t I just have to say that Melanie Hooyenga really hit it out of the park with The Edge Rules.
In the preceding two books, we met Brianna first as the top mean girl in The Slope Rules and then as the ex-best friend (still mean girl tendencies) in The Trail Rules. In The Edge Rules we come to see Brianna as a more layered person, evolving throughout the novel. At the beginning, she still shows signs of being judgmental and superior and, well, mean, but she’s becoming self-aware and wants to change. We also see that she’s truly remorseful for past behavior and that changes are not always easy.
Enter Xavier. They meet while on the “Chain Gang,” the joke name for the trash collecting community service they both need to do to complete the service hours for their arrests. Xavier is as nice as Brianna has once been mean, so she expects that it’s only going to be a matter of time until he finds out who she is, especially once she discovers the friends/acquaintances they have in common.
I think The Edge Rules worked so well for me because the scope was narrowed slightly on this novel. It didn’t try to do too much or cover too much ground. Already it was a challenge, I should suspect, to make a mean girl nice and make her believable, which she was. At the beginning, though, I wondered how Hooyenga was going to make the reader actually like Brianna because even at the start of the novel, she was difficult. Characterization is really important in The Edge Rules, and with the relationship complications, it all works.
If you’re a fan of YA sports novels, this one involves snowboarding, YA romances of opposites attract, and mean girls gone good, you will probably enjoy The Edge Rules.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In the preceding two books, we met Brianna first as the top mean girl in The Slope Rules and then as the ex-best friend (still mean girl tendencies) in The Trail Rules. In The Edge Rules we come to see Brianna as a more layered person, evolving throughout the novel. At the beginning, she still shows signs of being judgmental and superior and, well, mean, but she’s becoming self-aware and wants to change. We also see that she’s truly remorseful for past behavior and that changes are not always easy.
Enter Xavier. They meet while on the “Chain Gang,” the joke name for the trash collecting community service they both need to do to complete the service hours for their arrests. Xavier is as nice as Brianna has once been mean, so she expects that it’s only going to be a matter of time until he finds out who she is, especially once she discovers the friends/acquaintances they have in common.
I think The Edge Rules worked so well for me because the scope was narrowed slightly on this novel. It didn’t try to do too much or cover too much ground. Already it was a challenge, I should suspect, to make a mean girl nice and make her believable, which she was. At the beginning, though, I wondered how Hooyenga was going to make the reader actually like Brianna because even at the start of the novel, she was difficult. Characterization is really important in The Edge Rules, and with the relationship complications, it all works.
If you’re a fan of YA sports novels, this one involves snowboarding, YA romances of opposites attract, and mean girls gone good, you will probably enjoy The Edge Rules.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2019
SO GOOD!
My all time favorite thing in bold is character growth. I love when an author can take a character, especially a secondary character from a previous book who is just terrible, and not only make her likable and relatable but make the change realistic. And Melanie nailed it! I really was worried to read this because Brianna was so mean but then, you meet her parents and it's like, oh makes sense. Not okay but I understand now.
Xavier was adorable. Drea was a great friend for Being. I liked that there was so much more than just a romance going on but I did truly love how they fell for each other.
It was so good. Cute, clean (although there was a fair amount of language), and I will definitely reread this book.
My all time favorite thing in bold is character growth. I love when an author can take a character, especially a secondary character from a previous book who is just terrible, and not only make her likable and relatable but make the change realistic. And Melanie nailed it! I really was worried to read this because Brianna was so mean but then, you meet her parents and it's like, oh makes sense. Not okay but I understand now.
Xavier was adorable. Drea was a great friend for Being. I liked that there was so much more than just a romance going on but I did truly love how they fell for each other.
It was so good. Cute, clean (although there was a fair amount of language), and I will definitely reread this book.
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