Review of Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Overview
Till death
Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were in love. They were destined to be together forever.

Do
But Jana's destiny was fatally flawed. And now she's in Dead School, where Mars Dreamcote lurks in the back of the classroom, with his beguiling blue eyes, mysterious smile, and irresistibly warm touch.

Us
Michael and Jana were incomplete without each other. There was no room for Mars in Jana's life--or death--story. Jana was sure Michael would rush to her side soon.

Part
But things aren't going according to Jana's plan. So Jana decides to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true--no matter what rules she has to break.

Add this to Your Goodreads.com Shelf

Recommended: Yes.

                   About Dead Rules

Available as: New Hardcover $5.57 from Amazon.com, E-book $9.99 from Amazon.com's Kindle Edition, E-book $9.99 from Kobo.com, E-book $9.99 from Sony Reader Store 

Recommended Ages: 15 and Up

Hardcover: 384 pgs.

Published: June 21st 2011 by HarperTeen

For This Review: * Book won from Book Blog Giveaway *

                           

My Star Review 

Buy Options

Jana Webster and Michael Haynes (Webster and Haynes) were always inseparable. They had a love anyone will be jealous of. Jenna has an unfortunate accident one day and with her accident dies that love. Jenna believes to be the epitome of what perfect love should be. She ends up at Dead school where people dress the way they died. The mission of Dead school is to hope that you can make it to a better place but Jenna can't let go of the past or Michael. She'll do anything to have Michael back with her even kill him. If that means teaming up with the local Dead school off-limit's bad boy so be it. Who she really finds charming and realizes is interested in her.

"Jana was old enough to be honest with herself. She was attracted to Mars. And he was attracted to her. 
She wasn't pretty enough to attract every boy she met. And she rarely sought to sparkle in person. She'd just come out short. Jana kept her hair in a simple cut so she could hide, when she needed to, by ducking her head. She almost never wore earrings or a necklace. She never tied her hair back to show off her long clean line of her arching neck. When she was acting, it was different. Jana held her face upright, her shoulders back, her entire self on display until what beauty she possessed sparkled like a star. She didn't mind being plain. Or ugly. That's why she liked acting. She didn't have to be beautiful as her mother. 
Mars wasn't attracted to Jana the way men were attracted to her mother. Yet something drew him to her. Jana could feel it, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It was deeper than some boy thinking she was cute. It was more like she was food and he needed her to survive. This was why he needed to see Jana with Michael. With Michael she was more than Jana Webster. She was bigger. Bigger than life. Bigger than death. Jana and Michael were forever. 
Mars needed to know, to see it for himself."


Dead Rules charm lies in how the writing style is very languid. You are lured into the story in small portions with a pleasant, fine voice. Very poetic. 

"She loved him that much, Mars thought. 
Mars knew that love wasn't all red-paper valentines and candy-hearts. Love wasn't always joy. Love could be hot-blooded pain down to the bone. Sometimes love was despair. And sometimes love was wrong. Jana loved Michael enough to kill him for it. Jana loved Michael to death."

As for the story, it goes in an intriguing way since it contains suspenseful twists which makes for a novel with adrenaline coursing. The characters are not bad either. Although wouldn't say completely special in any real way but still just enjoyable to read about. Dead Rules is more of a hilly in plot rather than overtly complex characters that besides this is filling to a reader. Dead Rules isn't a novel with pure romance but what is there is a confusing romance. The romance can be complicated for many reasons and throughout the novel we can see why given Jenna's way of thinking and her boyfriend's Michael. The novel can be labeled mystery in the midst of a blinded love.

Randy Russell finishes his book Dead Rules with an enjoyable and if ironic finish. Still look forward to future sequels or just books by Randy Russell.
Overall: Amazing read!
Genre: Young Adult, Ghosts, Romance, Mystery/Suspense

Contains: Complex Relationships, Intentional Murder

                             About the Author

Randy Russell is a Young Adult novelist.