
Goodreads: Rules for Vanishing
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 24 September 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal Fantasy, Mystery
Panda Rating:
(4 pandas)
In the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project comes the campfire story of a missing girl, a vengeful ghost, and the girl who is determined to find her sister–at all costs.
Once a year, the path appears in the forest and Lucy Gallows beckons. Who is brave enough to find her–and who won’t make it out of the woods?
It’s been exactly one year since Sara’s sister, Becca, disappeared, and high school life has far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn’t know whether her former friends no longer like her…or are scared of her, and the days of eating alone at lunch have started to blend together. When a mysterious text message invites Sara and her estranged friends to “play the game” and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the only way to find Becca–before she’s lost forever. And even though she’s hardly spoken with them for a year, Sara finds herself deep in the darkness of the forest, her friends–and their cameras–following her down the path. Together, they will have to draw on all of their strengths to survive. The road is rarely forgiving, and no one will be the same on the other side.

WHO AM I EVEN?!
I honestly can’t believe I managed to read this because well know I’m such a chicken and this type of book is really not my jam! When I started it I honestly didn’t know if I could get through it. Being as smart as I am, I started this book past midnight last night and my toes were curling up, I was getting insane goosebumps and full body shivers the whole time. I was TERRIFIED and I truly didn’t know what I was thinking 😅 That said, the more I read the more I found that I also could not put it down. You know when you don’t wanna know but then you also REALLY wanna know how messed up things are gonna get because you know shit is about to get really real and fast? That was my internal debate at 3:30am and I was shocked to find I didn’t want to throw this book across the room out of fear! LOL

The story is told in the (I guess) fairly “normal” documentary style of these types of paranormal stories. There were written testimonials, news articles, blog/site clippings, and transcripts of audio/video too. This made the book really easy to read and I thought despite the many formats it flowed really well.
We’re also introduced to a wide range of characters and while I initially got confused by who’s who, it didn’t take long to keep track of them as the story progressed. The group dynamic was interesting and I think the author did a good job in developing the individual personalities, especially considering the format. The characters were diverse and there was more representation than I expected too, which is always great! There were a few characters that I found annoying at the start but by the middle of the story I found myself attached to all the MCs, so the ending made my heart hurt a little 💔 I really enjoyed the world building as well—it was so sinister and completely terrifying, but I loved the details of the “world” that was created for the game. It was a little bizarre and not at all what I expected when the story started, but it added to the creepy atmosphere and enhanced the paranormal aspects for me.

I was horrified at so many points of the story and I was often gasping in shock at events that happened. If I was wearing boots, I defo would’ve been shaking in them! I find that on the very rare occasion that I read these types of books, I’m usually too scared/paranoid to give much focus to the details but I got really excited when I noticed inconsistencies in the characters when the ball got rolling and being able to guess at what was happening to who 😂 That said, I thought the ending was a bit rushed and some explanations of events weren’t very satisfying and a little underwhelming…
Overall, this book really took me on a ride that I didn’t know if I would’ve ever been prepared for but I still found myself really enjoying anyway. Am I convert to these types of paranormal ghost stories? Hell no! But I can appreciate a good book when I read it! Also, I’m still thinking about the ending—hit me up if you’ve read this coz I defo wanna chat!
Have you read Rules for Vanishing or is it on your TBR?

I…
I am honestly stunned
is this really you
*pokes*
IM SO HAPPY AND PROUD OF YOU THOUGH
YOU DID IT
*huuug* and i’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Holy shit wasn’t it absolutely creepy?! IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. I agree about the end though I wish there was more of an explanation. fantastic review my dear.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I SECOND THIS WHOLE COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who are you Dini???????????????
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha I don’t even know Emer. But I’m so glad that I read this coz wow. It was great (really) 😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
Craziness!!! Think this holiday has changed you 😂😂😂😂
LikeLike
OMG I KNOW RIGHT!? WHO AM I EVEN!? I HONESTLY CAN’T BELIEVE I READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE WOW. MUCH SCARY. VERY FRIGHT! 😂🤣😂Seriously though, I’m surprised I managed to make it through this but once I started reading during the day it was still creepy AF but … I dealt with it. NO REGRETS. This was SO GOOD!!! 😍
LikeLike
Fab review! I love will be adding this to my tbr 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Blair! It was really great and I would defo recommend it if you like the spooky reads. It’s not my normal but I’m defo glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and read it 😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, who are you and where is the real Dini???
I’m glad you enjoyed this one! I had it from the library but didn’t get to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
HAHAHA I don’t even know, Joanna! I was seriously surprised when I decided to just pick it up and then when I found that I couldn’t put it down?! It was addictive. I read it so quickly (it might be that I was chasing daylight but eh, let’s look past that)! Haha I’d defo recommend if you’re looking for a spooky read! 😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great review! I have this one on my TBR but I’m kind of scared of reading it… ’cause I’m a chicken. 😅 I hope I’ll get to it eventually!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a total chicken too so I absolutely feel this comment. But I’m also so glad that I did read it because it was worth it (imho)! It definitely helps to read it during the day and with others around though 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] Life of Nina Hill (review)⁍ House of Salt and Sorrows (review coming)⁍ Rules for Vanishing (review)⁍ Frankly In Love (review coming)⁍ These Witches Don’t Burn (review coming)⁍ (eARC […]
LikeLike
[…] Rules for VanishingMy chicken soul was freaking out big time when I bought this book on a whim, but there was something about this cover/description that had me wanting to read it. There’s no doubt it was freaky AF but I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this (in October no less!) because once I started I couldn’t put it down!You can read my review here. […]
LikeLike
[…] to Rules for Vanishing because even I, most Ultimate of Chickens™️, managed to read this and loved it! Ugh, this book was drowning in eerie […]
LikeLike
[…] Seeing as how I don’t really read horror, I’m not sure that I have a favourite. I did read Rules for Vanishing last year though and it was hella scary but I would definitely recommend it! I’m honestly surprised that I managed to read it because it’s everything I would normally run away from, and that cover still gives me major creeps, but I’m so glad that I ticked it off my list! Check out my review. […]
LikeLike
[…] chicken. There have been moments when I willingly stepped out of my comfort zone (like when I read Rules for Vanishing—gah, this book cover still REALLY CREEPS ME OUT and I can’t have it looking at me, […]
LikeLike
[…] MY REVIEW […]
LikeLike