What If. . . You Broke All the Rules?: A Choose Your Destiny Novel

Choose Your Destiny #3

by Liz Ruckdeschel

In "What If. . . You Broke All the Rules, "Haley will turn 16 on Valentine's Day. But there won't be any big parties or celebrations to mark the occasion-- her parents are so distracted by their own lives that they forget her birthday. Haley's dad is absorbed in finishing his documentary, and Haley's mom is spending waaaay too much time with a former coworker from San Francisco. With Perry and Joan preoccupied, Haley will suddenly find herself in a world without rules. Will Haley turn into a wild child or do the responsible thing? And how will Haley choose to spend her spring break-- with a trip to Paris with Sasha, to Sebastian's hometown of Seville, making a movie in New Jersey with Irene, or in the Hamptons with Coco, Whitney, and their crew? It's up to you to choose Haley's destiny

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Choose Your Own Adventure

291 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Aj the Ravenous Reader]

Dnf at 30% (Yep, I'm breaking my sacred reading rule- no more what ifs!)

It’s an interesting and quite quirky coming off age novel because the reader gets to decide the story for Haley like which boy she is destined for. (yep, 15 and already talking about destiny). It actually reads like a puzzle and I thought it was really creative (at first). Chapters end with narrations in bold letters with choices like “To send Haley to her friends for New Year’s, turn to page 28. To have her go elsewhere, turn to page 17.”

But when chapters are infested with the same puzzle enders, it starts to get into the nerves! When I choose this path for the character and hated it, is it supposed to be my fault?! I feel like the authors were playing it safe, too safe. So I’m going to play it safe too. Dnf and no rating. Bahaha!



I’ll just pass the book on to my niece and maybe ask her (nicely) to tell the story/ies. Teehee!

[Isabella Hertsel · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if… You Broke All the Rules was a weird and frustrating book because you could choose how you wanted the story to end, but if you chose wrong, then it would send you back to the beginning of the book and you would have to start the book over.
What if… You Broke All the Rules is about a 16-year-old girl named Haley and her life in high school, her family that is work crazed, and if she wants to be reckless or be responsible.
This book is frustrating because one time, I chose to have Haley skip picking her brother up from a physiatrist appointment and go to a party, but it was the wrong decisions so it sent me back to page one. When you would choose the right thing it would tell you to go to a certain page number. One time I decided Haley should go to a basketball game and watch her boyfriend and it was the right decision, so it let me go to the next chapter. I finally got to finish the book when she decided to go on spring break with her boyfriend and four other friends, and they went to Paris. There were many different parts of this book that made me mad because I had to restart the book too many times.
This book was different from every other book I have read since you could choose how the book ended. I would recommend this book if you like reading about someone else’s high school life.

[Bekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im not done yet im on page 28.. The main character in the beginning, Haley every year for christmas usually gets a ugly sweater that her grandmother makes he. Her mom always makes her wear it once so that her grandma can see it on her. I can realate to this, cause my grandma every year would get me these outfits when i was little that i would absolutly hate and my mom would usually make me wear it at least once so that my grandma would see it on me. Also, another thing that i can relate to in the book so far is that when they just got done opening presents, and all of a sudden they smell smoke and they burnt the christmas turkey and ended up going to a chinese restruant for there christmas dinner. This reminds me of the time when we were having christmas at my grandparents house we burned our turkey and ended up having ham sandwiches for our chirstmas. Even though im not finshed with the book yet i think that since the book is called "What if you Broke all the rules" that Haley is going to come into a situation and shes going to end up doing something really bad. When Haley went to the new years party I felt like that was when she was going to get in a bad situation since there was drinking evolved. But so far nothing major has happened yet. So far in this book nothing really has happened since i have just started it a couple days ago. But i can already tell that its going to get good very soon.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay, but mostly the book is just interesting because it's a book where you have to "choose your own destiny". Personally, I thought that this book was very confusing and they could've done a better job with how they wrote it with the choices and all. I was really confused and have now resorted to just reading through the whole thing without making any choices or turning to the specific pages as you choose. That will be arguably more confusing because there are some times that you are reading something and the next thing is happening at the same time- another possible choice. Still, so far even that is less confusing than doing it the way it was supposed to be read. I don't know if it's the story, the way it's written, or the kind of book that is making me not like it, but this book just wasn't for me.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A choose your own adventure book for tweens. I wasn't that impressed. Even understanding the genre, it jumped around too much for me. I also think that there are other books in the series that I must be missing giving background on many of the characters.

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a “choose your destiny” novel, and let’s just say I’m not a fan, at least from this book.

First of all, I hate making decisions. And, all the alternative story lines that have to occur take away a lot from development of characters and the story in general. Maybe in a different book it would have been better, but it did not work for this one.

It did not flow well, and I could not follow half of what was going on or who people were. I was unaware this was third in a series, but honestly, it would not have made a difference in my opinion of this book. It has to be one of the most cliche, predictable, depthless book I have read. Thank you, next.

[Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humbly, when I read this, at age 16, I noticed, this was like
a 2000s version, of the movie, "Sixteen Candles," yet more
healthy, & betta' fun than that movie. This had less slang,
yet betta' suspense than Sixteen Candles. In Sixteen Candles,
the word, "fag," was used in a derogatory way, but that
never happened in this book.

[Michele Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many wrong turns written into this book that make you start over from the beginning. The outcomes that didn't make the reader start over were not interesting and didn't add to the story.

[Ela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the storyline but didn't love how it was written. I didn't like the many possible ways the book could have been written than having to choose which one I wanted. I ended up reading the entire book before realizing how it was supposed to go.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book you choose Haley's Destiny. It starts off with her family at Christmas and it describes how her family works. Then you decide how the rest goes. You are giving many different situations. One could be how Haley's family forgot her birthday, another could be about her friends and who she should hang out with,or maybe even about boys and who she picks. She/you could make a good chose or wrong choice. The book isn't really bout you choosing what she does, but more of when you think she should do or where she should go. The book may have you answer a choice she has to choose from or decided who you want to learn more about. From the first chapter you have to decided between; if Haley goes to a party, or goes over to a boys house with a ton of friend. I have read this book twice and am now on my third time reading it. I really enjoy this book because no matter how many times you read it you will always get something a little different. This time reading it I have been taken anywhere from her school to her friends sound proof studio. I have learned about her troubles with friends and boys. There are also problems with her with her family, her parents are always working and her brother talks like a robot.

I would recommend this book to mostly girls because we, as girls, can really relate to her, at least I think. Maybe even some guys could relate because of how she is trying to fit in. I really do enjoy this book. Sometimes I don't even want to put it down.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com

Have you ever wished the characters in your favorite novels made different choices?

Should Haley spend a quiet New Year's Eve with the artistically inclined Devon, Shaun, and Irene, or hit Rich Haber's booze-soaked blowout attended by the cutie next-door, Reese Highland? How and where should she spend spring break? Would you have her stay in town for a screening of her school art project? Or should she make nice with and (possibly) change the lives of the fallen-from-grace and currently troubled Queen Bees Coco and Whitney? Maybe you'd rather she get friendly with the neo-cool regime of Sasha, John, Cecily, Drew, and Reese by jetting to Paris. Or would you fly her to Spain alongside the school's premier brainiacs, couple Annie and Dean and heartthrob exchange student Sebastian Bodega?

WHAT IF...YOU BROKE ALL THE RULES is an easy-breezy beach read that allows readers to dictate the novel's final outcome. Sure, there's not a lot of complication, or in-depth drama, but sometimes you just want to kick back, let your brain take a break, and enjoy the ride.

Plus, the additional benefit of being able to retrace your steps and choose a different path should you find yourself dissatisfied with the outcome is sure to please.

[Jordyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What If" is about a girl named Haley, who is sixteen and struggling to get through every day of high school. Her parents are never around because of their busy jobs, so she is in charge of taking care of her brother most of the time. Haley's dad is all worried about finishing up a documentary, and her mom is worried about spending time working on a case, and is spending to much time with her former coworker. Haley is struggling to find who her true friends are, but her boyfriend, Reese, is by her side. Along the journey she finds out who her true friends are.
I really enjoy reading this because you get to choose how you want the problem or event to turn out. You're the one who gets to choose the way Haley's life comes out. You never get to find out what happens next in other stories, but you know what is going to happen in the end for once.

[Wan Yu( Stephanie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine you can break all the rules without consequence one day, what will you do? This oppotunity came to Haley, Haley's parents were out, so she is able to do what she wanted and broke all the rules. I enjoyed of reading the What if...books, because the readers get to choose what Haley is going to do, and what rules is Haley going to break. I am looking for the same oppotunity as Haley - to break all the rules. I think I will be the teachers of the school, so I can give myself perfect scores for all my classes; I will be the president of United State, so I can kill all my enermies without going to jail; I will rob the banks so I can be the richest girl in the world...

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What If... You Broke All The Rules was great!

I can't really give this book 5 stars, because it's a choose your destiny book. Maybe there's other parts that I didn't choose that was 5 stars instead. It's really good, so I gave it a four.

Haley has everything she wants; 3 different groups of friends, many plans for New Year's Eve and Spring Break, and maybe even a boyfriend? Everything is yout choice, and what you want for Haley to do, is all yours!

This book could get a little confusing from time to time, but I really enjoy reading this series when I feel for a light fun read, and I know that all of you will too.

[YALibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read a choose-your-own adventure book in years. The time between choices that you/Haley makes varies depending on where the activity leads. Starting with Christmas, Haley lives the life of a normal teenager with the reader as her conscience to choose between family, friends, and drama as she follows or breaks rules in order to live life on her terms. Some of the choices lead to more interesting events and some of them lead to having to start over. This is the book’s only shortcoming: instead of providing an opportunity to fix or learn from Haley’s dubious choices, the book tells us we’ve failed and must start again at page one, shame on us. It was overall a quick, enjoyable read.

[laysia!!!!]

The thing I love about this book it is a choose your destiny book its like the book is a person just talking to me and telling me to go to different pages but its also interesting Haley is a girl that now can do whatever she likes and pleases now because her dad is stuck and into his documentary and her mom is hanging out with her old co-worker so when there both occupied and spring break coming you can do alot break the rules because your parents wont notice or still do what you supposed to do maybe they still may or may not noticed but its allllllllll up to HALEY!

[Doster020 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I WAS NOT IMPRESSED!
I did not like the way this book was set up! I have have never read a 'Choose your own path' book before and after reading this book I don't think I will be reading one again!
I didn't really get the title but now I think the book is called 'What If... You Broke All the Rules' because you (the reader) can decide what the Character does.
Overall the book was confusing! Hard to read! and annoying!
Would not recomend this book.

[Kelsey]

loved this book ! i related to it sooo much. I'm more into the teen type books anyway so this book i read real quick because i liked it so much. it teaches u a lot too ! like how to make good choices in life, what friends to be around, etc. real good book and it also has a series to it so i just gata find those other ones to read them too !

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was happy with the book but sad with all at the same time, because i got all the depressing Routes which annoyed me, Then at the end all i got was a kiss. I was like really your life goes to Hell but you get a kiss, But i was very happy with the way she treated every thing, Ps when the mom fell into that one guy i choose to tell the dad. I wouldn't do that again.

[Haylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty awesome book, if you have read th previous two you will like this one.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Katie]

i love these books!!!!! read them all of you!!!!!!!!

[Julia L. :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didnt finish this book because i had a loss if intrest in it as i kept reading on.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book i ove how the author gives you the choice on whats going to happen

[Paige Rossi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I more liked the fact that I was picking what happened than the story itself.

[Neycie Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this complex book that allowed to choose my path. It was interesting to see how my decisions effected me at the end of the book. Great, cant wait to read the others

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the best book out of the What If.. series but I still enjoyed it (:

[Meaghan Mallia · Rating 4 out of 5]

good series,,,,,,,lol

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good.