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The Rule of One #2
The Rule of Many
Born to a death sentence in a near-future America, rebellious sisters herald a revolution—if they can survive.
Twins Ava and Mira Goodwin defy the Rule of One simply by existing. The single-child law, ruthlessly enforced by Texas’s Governor Roth, has made the sisters famous fugitives and inspirations for the resurgent rebellion known as the Common.
But the relentless governor and his implacable Texas State Guard threaten that fragile hope, as Roth consolidates his power in a bid for ultimate authority.
As Ava and Mira relinquish the relative safety of their Canadian haven to stand against Roth, new allies arise: Owen, a gifted young programmer, impulsively abandons his comfortable life in a moment of compassion, while Zee, an abused labor camp escapee, finds new purpose in resistance.
The four will converge on Dallas for a reckoning with Roth, with nothing less than their destinies—and the promise of a future free from oppression—on the line.
Disobedience means death. But a life worth living demands rebellion.
Twins Ava and Mira Goodwin defy the Rule of One simply by existing. The single-child law, ruthlessly enforced by Texas’s Governor Roth, has made the sisters famous fugitives and inspirations for the resurgent rebellion known as the Common.
But the relentless governor and his implacable Texas State Guard threaten that fragile hope, as Roth consolidates his power in a bid for ultimate authority.
As Ava and Mira relinquish the relative safety of their Canadian haven to stand against Roth, new allies arise: Owen, a gifted young programmer, impulsively abandons his comfortable life in a moment of compassion, while Zee, an abused labor camp escapee, finds new purpose in resistance.
The four will converge on Dallas for a reckoning with Roth, with nothing less than their destinies—and the promise of a future free from oppression—on the line.
Disobedience means death. But a life worth living demands rebellion.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2019
1079 people are currently reading
3532 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Saunders
8 books431 followersTwin sisters Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders are the authors of The Rule of One dystopian series and the forthcoming Exiles duology. The sisters honed their love of storytelling in film school at the University of Texas at Austin. After just under a decade penning screenplays and directing commercials, the sisters deliberately stumbled into the world of novel writing. They vow to never leave it. The duo can be found with their Boston terriers in sunny Los Angeles, exploring hiking trails and drinking entirely too much yerba maté.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
December 27, 2018
The Rule of Many by Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders is the second book of the young adult science fiction dystopian The Rule of One series. The story began in the first book of the series, The Rule of One, with this book picking up where it left off so it would be a series that needs to be read in order to be understood completely.
The first book of the series alternated the point of view between the two main characters and was set in the not so far off future of the US. Due to the shortage of food and supplies in the United States the government began enforcing the Rule of One, that no family shall have more than one child to curb the population. Everyone had followed that rule for decades with the exception of the head of the Texas Family Planning Division.
One of the most powerful men in Texas and in charge of enforcing the Rule of One had held a secret in his own household, one that his wife died for. Eighteen years before Ava and Mira were born in secret and had shared their life switching back and forth to avoid detection but the twins lived in fear of discovery. When that day came the girls had gone one the run leading them to join the rebellion and now with some new help they are ready.
Just as with the first book of the series The Rule of Many takes off at a fast pace and doesn't slow down. With a few more character POVs added in though I didn't think the voices were quite as distinct this time around. I had thought the first book needed a bit more world building and this one did seem like it would benefit from just a bit more depth overall to be a bit more engaging. In the end I'd rate this second at 3.5 stars, just a bit less than the first.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The first book of the series alternated the point of view between the two main characters and was set in the not so far off future of the US. Due to the shortage of food and supplies in the United States the government began enforcing the Rule of One, that no family shall have more than one child to curb the population. Everyone had followed that rule for decades with the exception of the head of the Texas Family Planning Division.
One of the most powerful men in Texas and in charge of enforcing the Rule of One had held a secret in his own household, one that his wife died for. Eighteen years before Ava and Mira were born in secret and had shared their life switching back and forth to avoid detection but the twins lived in fear of discovery. When that day came the girls had gone one the run leading them to join the rebellion and now with some new help they are ready.
Just as with the first book of the series The Rule of Many takes off at a fast pace and doesn't slow down. With a few more character POVs added in though I didn't think the voices were quite as distinct this time around. I had thought the first book needed a bit more world building and this one did seem like it would benefit from just a bit more depth overall to be a bit more engaging. In the end I'd rate this second at 3.5 stars, just a bit less than the first.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 17, 2019
This is a follow-up to last year's successful "The Rule of One," co-authored by sisters Ashley and Leslie Saunders, about a chilling future United States where environmental and overpopulation concerns have caused a repressive government to institute, among other policies, a strictly enforced one child per family rule.
Ava and Mira Goodwin should not exist. They are identical twins whose mother died to keep their secret.
They have spawned an entire revolution, because they are not the only hidden twins, nor are the only people chafing at the restrictions placed on them by the ever increasing control of Governor Roth of Texas over the entirety of North America.
That's where I have a problem with the story. I am a Texan, been here 25 years. I love Texas. And, yeah, the rest of you might not be aware of the subtle, or, not so subtle influence Texas has on federal policy, I don't think y'all would ever put up with a family as ruthless as the Roths taking over just because they can. Sorry.
Ava and Mira Goodwin should not exist. They are identical twins whose mother died to keep their secret.
They have spawned an entire revolution, because they are not the only hidden twins, nor are the only people chafing at the restrictions placed on them by the ever increasing control of Governor Roth of Texas over the entirety of North America.
That's where I have a problem with the story. I am a Texan, been here 25 years. I love Texas. And, yeah, the rest of you might not be aware of the subtle, or, not so subtle influence Texas has on federal policy, I don't think y'all would ever put up with a family as ruthless as the Roths taking over just because they can. Sorry.
December 29, 2020
It becomes clear that Canada is not the safe haven the twins hoped for so, Ava and Mira decide to take the battle with Roth back into the States. They must split up to accomplish different missions for the Common before reuniting back in Texas where it all started. We get a couple of new POVs in this book too: Owen, a programmer whose rash decision forces him into the Common, and Z, a multiple who has been working in a detention camp her whole life.
This one had me feeling kind of weird as there are some parallels to our country’s current issues. I liked the additions of Owen and Z’s (later named Haven) POVs to mix. Ava and Mira are cool, but their inner dialogues are fairly consistent with the first book, having Owen and Z interrupting that brought two different perspectives that I found refreshing. I’m wondering if we will get a couple more new POVs in the next book; it would be especially interesting to hear from Theo since he is not only new to the Common’s cause but has had a totally different upbringing to everyone else. Only one more book to see if the twins will triumph over Roth and free the country from his oppression.
This one had me feeling kind of weird as there are some parallels to our country’s current issues. I liked the additions of Owen and Z’s (later named Haven) POVs to mix. Ava and Mira are cool, but their inner dialogues are fairly consistent with the first book, having Owen and Z interrupting that brought two different perspectives that I found refreshing. I’m wondering if we will get a couple more new POVs in the next book; it would be especially interesting to hear from Theo since he is not only new to the Common’s cause but has had a totally different upbringing to everyone else. Only one more book to see if the twins will triumph over Roth and free the country from his oppression.
January 28, 2019
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
*Thank you so much Skysape & NetGalley for the eGalley in exchange for an honest review!*
The Rule of Many picks off right where book one ended, and from page one it doesn't stop. Though I had my issues with the first book I was super excited to see where The Rule of Many was going to take readers considering the explosive end to The Rule of One.
I think my only complaint with The Rule of Many was the introduction of a lot of characters and very little explanation of who they were. I lost track a couple of times of who was who, and who was suppose to be doing what. But other then that I really enjoyed this one. I really liked seeing how much Ava and Mira grew through out this book and their overall growth in the series so far.
With how The Rule of Many ended off I am going to say it is safe to assume there is going to be another book. I am really excited to see what the Saunders sisters are going to have in store for readers next.
*Thank you so much Skysape & NetGalley for the eGalley in exchange for an honest review!*
The Rule of Many picks off right where book one ended, and from page one it doesn't stop. Though I had my issues with the first book I was super excited to see where The Rule of Many was going to take readers considering the explosive end to The Rule of One.
I think my only complaint with The Rule of Many was the introduction of a lot of characters and very little explanation of who they were. I lost track a couple of times of who was who, and who was suppose to be doing what. But other then that I really enjoyed this one. I really liked seeing how much Ava and Mira grew through out this book and their overall growth in the series so far.
With how The Rule of Many ended off I am going to say it is safe to assume there is going to be another book. I am really excited to see what the Saunders sisters are going to have in store for readers next.
May 14, 2019
Suffered from the typical “second book of a trilogy” flaws of basically treading water and trying to find enough plot to get to a third book.
February 28, 2020
Initial Review: Apparently this is a trilogy now?? I could have sworn it was a duology last time I had heard anything about it, and I was seriously about to revolt because that ending!!!
Full Review:
Spoiler Disclaimer: The spoiler labeled gives a bit more detail about the extent of the trigger mentioned; please do not view if reading will cause you distress.
Okay, first of all, this one was so much better than the first! The pacing was so much better, and I loved the plot twists (even if some of them were easy to call)!! I don't usually care about girl power and all that, but this book had some majorly epic girls and I have to acknowledge that, haha!
I did hate the amount of cussing though... While I do have to admit that sometimes it was funny and fitting, *cough* Blaise and Malik *cough*, most of the time it just felt unnecessary. There were some inconsistencies, like And I will admit some parts played out like a bad soap opera, but it was honestly funny, so it didn't bother me that much. XD Though this has nothing to do with the plot, I need to know what happened to the state of Georgia. Like, poor Georgia was put through the wringer and as a Georgian, I need answers! My absolute favorite thing about this book, though, was the family bonds and the found family ties! Rayla and Owen have my whole heart, on top of Haven and Theo and literally everyone else in the Common.
Now let's get into the fun stuff: characters~ Owen is my baby and must be protected at all costs. If I ever ended up in a rebellion, it would happen just like Owen. Honestly though, Owen and I might as well be the same person, even though he is a giant idiot. But he's also a little tech nerd and I understood all of his references (#ITnerdsforthewin). Let's see, Kano is great. So is Pawel. Haven is absolutely amazing! And Theo is also my baby. Mira is still so reckless though, and it drives me crazy... And like, I really need her to give up the pity party... That being said, I do have to admit that I totally ship Theo and Mira, and Ava and Owen need to become a thing!
There were a couple of trigger warnings in this book. I'm not entirely sure how to word them, but I will try my best. The first is a trigger for choking/forced feeding during a scene in which The second is a torture trigger in which
Overall, this book had me entertained and much more dedicated to the storyline than the first, and I am so looking forward to the final book of this trilogy!
Full Review:
Spoiler Disclaimer: The spoiler labeled gives a bit more detail about the extent of the trigger mentioned; please do not view if reading will cause you distress.
Okay, first of all, this one was so much better than the first! The pacing was so much better, and I loved the plot twists (even if some of them were easy to call)!! I don't usually care about girl power and all that, but this book had some majorly epic girls and I have to acknowledge that, haha!
I did hate the amount of cussing though... While I do have to admit that sometimes it was funny and fitting, *cough* Blaise and Malik *cough*, most of the time it just felt unnecessary. There were some inconsistencies, like And I will admit some parts played out like a bad soap opera, but it was honestly funny, so it didn't bother me that much. XD Though this has nothing to do with the plot, I need to know what happened to the state of Georgia. Like, poor Georgia was put through the wringer and as a Georgian, I need answers! My absolute favorite thing about this book, though, was the family bonds and the found family ties! Rayla and Owen have my whole heart, on top of Haven and Theo and literally everyone else in the Common.
Now let's get into the fun stuff: characters~ Owen is my baby and must be protected at all costs. If I ever ended up in a rebellion, it would happen just like Owen. Honestly though, Owen and I might as well be the same person, even though he is a giant idiot. But he's also a little tech nerd and I understood all of his references (#ITnerdsforthewin). Let's see, Kano is great. So is Pawel. Haven is absolutely amazing! And Theo is also my baby. Mira is still so reckless though, and it drives me crazy... And like, I really need her to give up the pity party... That being said, I do have to admit that I totally ship Theo and Mira, and Ava and Owen need to become a thing!
There were a couple of trigger warnings in this book. I'm not entirely sure how to word them, but I will try my best. The first is a trigger for choking/forced feeding during a scene in which The second is a torture trigger in which
Overall, this book had me entertained and much more dedicated to the storyline than the first, and I am so looking forward to the final book of this trilogy!
June 21, 2019
1. The Rule of One | 🔥🔥 1/2
I received a review copy through Xpresso Book Tours. This does not affect my rating or opinions.
I was hoping that this would be more thoroughly developed than the first book, but I still had trouble understanding or sympathizing with the twins' decisions, and the two new POV characters didn't have distinct voices either, which was frustrating. Certain lines left me in disbelief or straight-up confused, such as . The actual writing could've used some more editing, but several plot developments and emotional epiphanies didn't make sense to me either.
The plot was alright, pretty standard dystopian rebellion stuff, and I just didn't feel invested in their success, their triumphs and losses. If the series continues, as I'm guessing it does after that ending, I highly doubt I'll keep reading.
I received a review copy through Xpresso Book Tours. This does not affect my rating or opinions.
I was hoping that this would be more thoroughly developed than the first book, but I still had trouble understanding or sympathizing with the twins' decisions, and the two new POV characters didn't have distinct voices either, which was frustrating. Certain lines left me in disbelief or straight-up confused, such as . The actual writing could've used some more editing, but several plot developments and emotional epiphanies didn't make sense to me either.
The plot was alright, pretty standard dystopian rebellion stuff, and I just didn't feel invested in their success, their triumphs and losses. If the series continues, as I'm guessing it does after that ending, I highly doubt I'll keep reading.
March 16, 2019
Suffers from a bad case of second book-itis, I just couldn't care enough about the outcome through all the chaos.
May 17, 2019
Whoa! So much happened! I also thought this was a duology but that is definitely not the case and I can't say I'm sad about that! This intense dystopian is just what I needed!
March 6, 2019
Last month, I read The Rule of One. I found it to be an enjoyable book. One of my rules for myself this year is to continue series if possible until I'm all caught up. I just happened to have an ARC of the next book in the series, The Rule of Many, on my Kindle from Netgalley. This month, I decided to read it so I can stick to my rule. I loved it even more than The Rule of One.
The Rule of Many was everything that I wanted in the sequel. It was action packed. There was never a time where I was bored, or wanted to skip parts. It kept me intrigued the whole way through. I read at night, and as soon as I would fall asleep, I would dream about the book. That rarely happens with me. When I would wake up, first thing I would do is grab my Kindle and start reading because I needed to know what happens next. It was also great to see the world expanded upon. I loved learning more details about the rules that are established, and the resistance against them. The rules are something that I could easily see happening within my lifetime, especially with the current state of our country. It's a scary situation.
At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the added character points of view in The Rule of Many. Typically, I don't like books that have multiple character povs because I find that it can get confusing really quickly. However, the authors wrote each point of view in a way that really added something to the story. By the end of the book, I was intrigued by the extra characters' story lines just as much as the twins. My favorite point of view was definitely Owen. I loved his snarky, sarcastic humor. I also loved how loyal he was to Rayla, no matter what was happening. I could definitely identify with some of his personality traits the most.
I loved The Rule of Many. I can definitely see both books in this series ending up on my top books of the year list at the end of the year. Although, I do have to admit the ending of The Rule of Many killed me. I can't wait for the third book in this series. As far as I know, at the time of writing this review, it doesn't have a release date. That makes me sad because I need to know what happens next after everything that went down at the end of this book, especially with Theo.
The Rule of Many was everything that I wanted in the sequel. It was action packed. There was never a time where I was bored, or wanted to skip parts. It kept me intrigued the whole way through. I read at night, and as soon as I would fall asleep, I would dream about the book. That rarely happens with me. When I would wake up, first thing I would do is grab my Kindle and start reading because I needed to know what happens next. It was also great to see the world expanded upon. I loved learning more details about the rules that are established, and the resistance against them. The rules are something that I could easily see happening within my lifetime, especially with the current state of our country. It's a scary situation.
At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the added character points of view in The Rule of Many. Typically, I don't like books that have multiple character povs because I find that it can get confusing really quickly. However, the authors wrote each point of view in a way that really added something to the story. By the end of the book, I was intrigued by the extra characters' story lines just as much as the twins. My favorite point of view was definitely Owen. I loved his snarky, sarcastic humor. I also loved how loyal he was to Rayla, no matter what was happening. I could definitely identify with some of his personality traits the most.
I loved The Rule of Many. I can definitely see both books in this series ending up on my top books of the year list at the end of the year. Although, I do have to admit the ending of The Rule of Many killed me. I can't wait for the third book in this series. As far as I know, at the time of writing this review, it doesn't have a release date. That makes me sad because I need to know what happens next after everything that went down at the end of this book, especially with Theo.
July 8, 2019
I should have stopped while I was ahead. The sequel went to all the wrong places. If I could do it over again I would skip this book and only read the first one.
May 9, 2019
NOTE: I received a complimentary eARC of this book from Skyscape through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
After reading The Rule of One and not really liking it, I didn’t have very high hopes for The Rule of Many but I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the second book FAR more than the first.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
I found The Rule of One to be very slow, to the point of being boring most of the time, way too preachy, and a little confusing to figure out who’s point of view it was most of the time because Mira and Ava’s personalities were way too similar. However, almost all those issues were washed away with the second book.
The Rule of Many was action-packed pretty much from start to finish with very little downtime between but also just enough to give you those small heartfelt moments when they were really needed, there was no hint of the previous books constant preachiness that were obviously aimed at today’s current political climate, and Mira and Ava’s characters evolved beyond each other to become two unique and fierce individuals. I also loved the added chapters from other characters points of view as well, it gave us points of views from different areas instead of just being focused on wherever Mira and Ava were and really broke up the monotony that happened with the first book of only going back and forth between Mira and Ava playing the same scene over again from each sister’s point of view.
It was so nice to finally find a book that didn’t suffer from sequelitis but that actually had the complete opposite outcome and was better than the first book! It gives me hope that the third will be even better!
After reading The Rule of One and not really liking it, I didn’t have very high hopes for The Rule of Many but I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the second book FAR more than the first.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
I found The Rule of One to be very slow, to the point of being boring most of the time, way too preachy, and a little confusing to figure out who’s point of view it was most of the time because Mira and Ava’s personalities were way too similar. However, almost all those issues were washed away with the second book.
The Rule of Many was action-packed pretty much from start to finish with very little downtime between but also just enough to give you those small heartfelt moments when they were really needed, there was no hint of the previous books constant preachiness that were obviously aimed at today’s current political climate, and Mira and Ava’s characters evolved beyond each other to become two unique and fierce individuals. I also loved the added chapters from other characters points of view as well, it gave us points of views from different areas instead of just being focused on wherever Mira and Ava were and really broke up the monotony that happened with the first book of only going back and forth between Mira and Ava playing the same scene over again from each sister’s point of view.
It was so nice to finally find a book that didn’t suffer from sequelitis but that actually had the complete opposite outcome and was better than the first book! It gives me hope that the third will be even better!
January 23, 2019
The Rule of Many is the sequel to the Rule of One. I did not read the first book. I should have because more background information would have been useful. Essentially, in a future United States each family is allowed only one child. The lead characters are identical twins, two children, on a mission to change things. They are not alone in their thinking. In this story, more points of view are added in addition to the twins, so you're getting the story from several angels which I liked. The characters are likeable and driven and clever. The setting is well described with great world building. I will go back now and read the first book. I recommend for fantasy dystopia fans. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Skyscape for an ARC of this book! Release date - May 7, 2019
I liked this book. I don’t think I liked it as much as the first one, and probably the third one will be better as well. It did feel a lot like bridging the gap. Although some interesting stuff did happen, I think this may have done better as a duology instead of a trilogy.
I still continue to like the world that was introduced in The Rule of One. Of course, the premise of this trilogy is to end that rule, specifically in regards to multiples since the main characters are identical twins. And like so many YA trilogies, bring down the government. I like this premise a lot but I do feel like nothing about it stood out from all the other YA dystopians out there. It was good but not mind-blowing. The main characters are interesting and there were some new ones introduced in this book. The storyline was good but kind of predictable and nothing caught me off guard.
All in all I’m glad I read this and I am looking forward to the third and final book. But I think it’s going to blend in with all the other YA out there and unless the last book throws in some really outstanding twists, it really won’t stand apart from all the other books I’ve read and I won’t remember the series for long.
I liked this book. I don’t think I liked it as much as the first one, and probably the third one will be better as well. It did feel a lot like bridging the gap. Although some interesting stuff did happen, I think this may have done better as a duology instead of a trilogy.
I still continue to like the world that was introduced in The Rule of One. Of course, the premise of this trilogy is to end that rule, specifically in regards to multiples since the main characters are identical twins. And like so many YA trilogies, bring down the government. I like this premise a lot but I do feel like nothing about it stood out from all the other YA dystopians out there. It was good but not mind-blowing. The main characters are interesting and there were some new ones introduced in this book. The storyline was good but kind of predictable and nothing caught me off guard.
All in all I’m glad I read this and I am looking forward to the third and final book. But I think it’s going to blend in with all the other YA out there and unless the last book throws in some really outstanding twists, it really won’t stand apart from all the other books I’ve read and I won’t remember the series for long.
May 6, 2024
this is the 2nd book in The Rule of One series. I enjoyed this more than the 1st book bc we have other POV's of other characters in the story rather than just Ava and Mila in the 1st. I liked how it kept me on my toes on this story. It did get confusing at some point when it was too much going on either sides of the twin sisters. But I am glad it came full circle at some point. I will continue the 3rd (The Rule of All) but on kindle unlimited. I hope the next book keeps me on my toes as well, instead of dragging on
November 1, 2021
When I read the first of these books I didn’t realise they were a trilogy, and gave book one four stars. I went straight into this book as I wanted to know what happened next, expecting it to be three stars at best, as is often the case with a book mid way through a trilogy.
It was fab! Interesting characters and plot lines and intense. I couldn’t put it down and I am going to dive straight into book three. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.
It was fab! Interesting characters and plot lines and intense. I couldn’t put it down and I am going to dive straight into book three. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.
May 30, 2019
4.5/5. This was definitely a story that stood on it's own and not just a sequel to bring the series to the next book. It was a bit hard to jump into the new character's POVs at first, but once I got used to them, I loved them! Totally getting Hunger Games vibes, yet this story holds it's own with its unique twists.
September 20, 2024
Druhý diel teda moju mienku o sérii moc nepozdvihol. Prvá polovica sa vliekla ešte viac, od druhej sa to už trošku rozbehlo. Veľmi ma bavilo čítať o nových postavách, ktoré nám tu pribudli. Dej je za mňa veľmi slabý, tretí diel už čítať neplánujem(keďže nie je preložený), ale máme tu otvorený koniec, takže ma to trochu nahnevalo. 400 strán už mi prišlo veľa, tiež by stačilo tak 300, bolo to zbytočne naťahované. Keby však bol preložený aj tretí diel, asi by som ho prečítala, lebo ma zaujíma vyvrcholenie série a osudy postáv.
May 12, 2020
What a waste of time! I am shocked so many people liked this book! My 2-star rating is generous, only because it's almost entirely readable. However, still bad, and on some occasions - plain stupid! The twins have turned into irritating impulsive teenagers suddenly, their decisions lack thinking and overall the book lacks thinking. There is no depth into the world, even less than in book 1. The ever appearing plot twists keep it running, complications coming around every corner, but it's all action without strong basis to steady the world dimensions, to ground the big picture for this entire new world created. New characters are introduced, but we don't care about them, because they too lack personality like everyone else presented already.
I do not recommend this book and i will not be reading the third one - it will not be worth the money, nor the time spend. At one point i was reading this one only because i had invested too much time in it already, but except for the last 4-5 chapters, the last 40% of the book are torture.
In a world of overpopulation -> hunger -> water insufficiency -> scorched lands without flora & fauna -> where everyone would smack anyone's face and then the rest of the mob would run over this person, leaving him for dead, all this just to get on the train, our girls and all of the common are fighting for.............................................................. the right and possibility of people to have multiple children. COME ONNNN!
We are focusing on nothing-based-on feelings here and there, and there are some good parts of dialogue here and there, but the overall feeling is of complete stupidity of the whole situation - instead of planning an invasion within the one hour time slot we have, we are busy hugging and looking into each other's eyes.... mmm.....ok. No wonder we are jumping from one bad situation directly into the next one (aiming to write a third book).
These authors should stop writing books, because they are just not good at it. Maybe short stories would be better suiting for them - no need to truly create a world.
I do not recommend this book and i will not be reading the third one - it will not be worth the money, nor the time spend. At one point i was reading this one only because i had invested too much time in it already, but except for the last 4-5 chapters, the last 40% of the book are torture.
In a world of overpopulation -> hunger -> water insufficiency -> scorched lands without flora & fauna -> where everyone would smack anyone's face and then the rest of the mob would run over this person, leaving him for dead, all this just to get on the train, our girls and all of the common are fighting for.............................................................. the right and possibility of people to have multiple children. COME ONNNN!
We are focusing on nothing-based-on feelings here and there, and there are some good parts of dialogue here and there, but the overall feeling is of complete stupidity of the whole situation - instead of planning an invasion within the one hour time slot we have, we are busy hugging and looking into each other's eyes.... mmm.....ok. No wonder we are jumping from one bad situation directly into the next one (aiming to write a third book).
These authors should stop writing books, because they are just not good at it. Maybe short stories would be better suiting for them - no need to truly create a world.
June 6, 2019
I read Rule of One a few months ago, and was initially drawn in by the world building and the concept.
As the book continued, it moved quickly and the authors stopped working on the depth of the story and the characters.
The Rule of Many is more a continuation of quality the second half of Rule of One. It is jumpy, moves quickly, and lacks depth. The characters’ growth and development has no basis - characters suddenly care about the rebellion without good reason, coming from a quick decision from contact with the Goodwin twins. An excellent example is Zee, who is raised in prison, spending her life there, but as soon as she learns of her connection to the Goodwin family, she cares wholeheartedly about the rebellion. There is so much to be addressed there, so much more she would struggle with before just switching to “okay, rebel!” There is no depth to her character or many others in this book.
This book redeemed itself with a solid ending, leaving on a cliffhanger and giving at least some character growth and understanding. The process to get to that ending, though, was grueling.
As the book continued, it moved quickly and the authors stopped working on the depth of the story and the characters.
The Rule of Many is more a continuation of quality the second half of Rule of One. It is jumpy, moves quickly, and lacks depth. The characters’ growth and development has no basis - characters suddenly care about the rebellion without good reason, coming from a quick decision from contact with the Goodwin twins. An excellent example is Zee, who is raised in prison, spending her life there, but as soon as she learns of her connection to the Goodwin family, she cares wholeheartedly about the rebellion. There is so much to be addressed there, so much more she would struggle with before just switching to “okay, rebel!” There is no depth to her character or many others in this book.
This book redeemed itself with a solid ending, leaving on a cliffhanger and giving at least some character growth and understanding. The process to get to that ending, though, was grueling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2019
I really loved loved the first book in the series and was so bummed I had to wait for the second book to come out...only to have this one fall flat.
I was hoping this would wrap the story up (Twins! Two books!) but alas, it appears this will be a trilogy (at least).
Ava and Mira were annoying to me. Owen seemed kinda cool and Zee at first was my favorite perspective, but that quickly turned once she found the Common and found out who she really was.
The switching perspectives was just a little too much as well. Four perspectives was two perspectives too many.
Honestly not sure if I'll continue on. Which is a very hard thing for this completionist to admit.
I was hoping this would wrap the story up (Twins! Two books!) but alas, it appears this will be a trilogy (at least).
Ava and Mira were annoying to me. Owen seemed kinda cool and Zee at first was my favorite perspective, but that quickly turned once she found the Common and found out who she really was.
The switching perspectives was just a little too much as well. Four perspectives was two perspectives too many.
Honestly not sure if I'll continue on. Which is a very hard thing for this completionist to admit.
September 19, 2019
2nd installation in this dystopian series, The Rule of Many picks up right where the first book left off, with twins Mira and Ava working with the Common revolutionaries to try to wrest some control back from the increasingly authoritarian state of a future US, being taken over by Texas. The story is very action-based, which makes it a quick read, but the characters are a bit thin/underdeveloped. Still an interesting enough dystopian world and plot. Entertaining but not necessarily great. 3 stars
Read
June 2, 2019Disappointing sequel. I really liked the first but this one felt much different. The action felt meh and I was suddenly detached from both girls. As such, I didn't care what happened to them and ended up skimming. The lazy errors with Canadian government proved incredibly irritating as well.
April 15, 2019
I want to start by saying: a 3 star rating, is a GOOD rating in my books. Now onto my review:
I was so excited to get this book for review. I really enjoyed the first book in the series. A set of twins having to grow up to essentially be the exact same person? Cool plot. Of course we know that this persona of “all is well” won’t last. How could it? “The future waits for no one” (quote taken from the story). As with the first book, throughout the story I knew the lulls in action wouldn’t last, and anything that seemed good would eventually turn sour. There were twists and turns, and lots of action. Which is what we all want in a dystopian setting right? I did pick up on a lot of the foreshadowing, yet there were still some twists I didn’t guess. Overall that didn’t keep me from enjoying the plot arc. I’m also thrilled that the authors are not afraid to kill, maim, and harm their characters. Which makes a story more realistic in my eyes. This feature both surprised, and made me happy. Many YA books shy away from treating their characters negatively. But All is fair in love and war.
One thing that did personally keep me from rating it a 4 stars, was feeling distant from the characters. I don’t think this will be a negative feature for all. As the distance I felt made sense with the story. Let me explain: I had trouble differentiating between the twins “voices”. They melted together in my head, and I didn’t feel like I understood their personality differences. They felt the same. WHICH, is kind of the point I am very sure. Ava and Mira spent their entire lives having to mimic being the same person. They had to be the mirror image of each other, in actions and in thoughts. They never had the chance to be their own person. I do hope throughout the rest of the series they start to develop into their own person though.
As for the other characters, I also felt a bit disconnected. As the story focused on Canada and a whole new world of politics, we added a lot of new characters and perspectives. This book has 4 perspectives, were the first installment only had 2. Reading as Mira, Ava, Owen, and Zee I wanted to get to know the new characters personalities more. I wanted to understand their drive, WHY they chose this path. I didn’t feel like the reader was given this. I think part of this is, again, because of the world the characters grew up in. You aren’t allowed to think, only obey. I mean, Owen is literally nicknamed the cog robot, so it makes sense. Yet I still just wanted a little bit more from their personality development. 🤷🏻♂️
Moving on. There is no romance, although we do see the *potential* for the twins to develop one later on in the series, I am excited to see what the authors choose to do with it. Will we continue to get a no romance dystopian story? (Which is practically unheard of! ) Or will we start to see some steamy action?? Either way it’s original for a YA book to go this long without having the main focus turn to romance (or at least for it to be secondary), I am enjoying this feature. I think many others will look to this series if they are in need of a palette cleansed of romance.
Overall I enjoyed this installment of the series. It took me a bit longer to read because I felt disconnected from the characters, but it was enjoyable none the less. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, and to see what else the Saunders twins have up their sleeves.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc, as always, all thoughts are my own.
I was so excited to get this book for review. I really enjoyed the first book in the series. A set of twins having to grow up to essentially be the exact same person? Cool plot. Of course we know that this persona of “all is well” won’t last. How could it? “The future waits for no one” (quote taken from the story). As with the first book, throughout the story I knew the lulls in action wouldn’t last, and anything that seemed good would eventually turn sour. There were twists and turns, and lots of action. Which is what we all want in a dystopian setting right? I did pick up on a lot of the foreshadowing, yet there were still some twists I didn’t guess. Overall that didn’t keep me from enjoying the plot arc. I’m also thrilled that the authors are not afraid to kill, maim, and harm their characters. Which makes a story more realistic in my eyes. This feature both surprised, and made me happy. Many YA books shy away from treating their characters negatively. But All is fair in love and war.
One thing that did personally keep me from rating it a 4 stars, was feeling distant from the characters. I don’t think this will be a negative feature for all. As the distance I felt made sense with the story. Let me explain: I had trouble differentiating between the twins “voices”. They melted together in my head, and I didn’t feel like I understood their personality differences. They felt the same. WHICH, is kind of the point I am very sure. Ava and Mira spent their entire lives having to mimic being the same person. They had to be the mirror image of each other, in actions and in thoughts. They never had the chance to be their own person. I do hope throughout the rest of the series they start to develop into their own person though.
As for the other characters, I also felt a bit disconnected. As the story focused on Canada and a whole new world of politics, we added a lot of new characters and perspectives. This book has 4 perspectives, were the first installment only had 2. Reading as Mira, Ava, Owen, and Zee I wanted to get to know the new characters personalities more. I wanted to understand their drive, WHY they chose this path. I didn’t feel like the reader was given this. I think part of this is, again, because of the world the characters grew up in. You aren’t allowed to think, only obey. I mean, Owen is literally nicknamed the cog robot, so it makes sense. Yet I still just wanted a little bit more from their personality development. 🤷🏻♂️
Moving on. There is no romance, although we do see the *potential* for the twins to develop one later on in the series, I am excited to see what the authors choose to do with it. Will we continue to get a no romance dystopian story? (Which is practically unheard of! ) Or will we start to see some steamy action?? Either way it’s original for a YA book to go this long without having the main focus turn to romance (or at least for it to be secondary), I am enjoying this feature. I think many others will look to this series if they are in need of a palette cleansed of romance.
Overall I enjoyed this installment of the series. It took me a bit longer to read because I felt disconnected from the characters, but it was enjoyable none the less. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, and to see what else the Saunders twins have up their sleeves.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc, as always, all thoughts are my own.
January 24, 2019
The Rule of Many is the second installment in The Rule of One series written by Ashley and Leslie Saunders. When I reviewed the first book for my blog, I wrote that I truly enjoyed reading it. So naturally, I requested the second book that picks up a few weeks after book 1. This novel doesn’t disappoint. It presents a great dystopian story.
The advantage of a second book is that all the backstory has been established. Thus, The Rule of Many starts off strong and maintains a fast pace throughout. Two more points of view are introduced, which is effective. I particularly enjoyed reading Owen’s point of view. He is funny and provides another much-needed perspective on the situation. I wish the authors had provided more information on that part. It would have been interesting to have the view of someone not entirely on board with the rebellion. This new point of view breaks the rhythm a little, but that works well in this novel. It breaks the seriousness of the twins’ point of view and brings a fresh voice to the story.
Book 2 dives deeper into each character and a bit more into the world building. I truly liked the characters’ journeys. The ending is also interesting, even though I thought the stakes could have been a little higher and the characters a little more conflicted. This is the only thing I can think to critique because overall, this is a great story. I truly enjoyed reading this book, even more than book 1.
This book is set to be released in May, 7th 2019 and available for pre-order on Amazon. I received this digital ARC through Net Galley. Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this amazing story. I highly recommend it.
The advantage of a second book is that all the backstory has been established. Thus, The Rule of Many starts off strong and maintains a fast pace throughout. Two more points of view are introduced, which is effective. I particularly enjoyed reading Owen’s point of view. He is funny and provides another much-needed perspective on the situation. I wish the authors had provided more information on that part. It would have been interesting to have the view of someone not entirely on board with the rebellion. This new point of view breaks the rhythm a little, but that works well in this novel. It breaks the seriousness of the twins’ point of view and brings a fresh voice to the story.
Book 2 dives deeper into each character and a bit more into the world building. I truly liked the characters’ journeys. The ending is also interesting, even though I thought the stakes could have been a little higher and the characters a little more conflicted. This is the only thing I can think to critique because overall, this is a great story. I truly enjoyed reading this book, even more than book 1.
This book is set to be released in May, 7th 2019 and available for pre-order on Amazon. I received this digital ARC through Net Galley. Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this amazing story. I highly recommend it.
April 23, 2019
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, I thought this was a great sequel to The Rule Of One. There was a lot of action and for the most part, the story kept me glued to the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen. Most of it was pretty unpredictable. Ava and Mira work with members of the Common to unite the country and their missions are dangerous and suspenseful. They even split up at one point to work on their own mission.
So here was my issue with the story. I could never fully connect with the characters. Ava and Mira's voices and chapters sounded exactly the same. Maybe that was the point, but it was confusing. I kept forgetting who was talking or who was doing what mission. There were also two new perspectives in the story: Owen and Zee. These were very interesting characters, more interesting than the twins in a lot of ways. But these characters were never really fully fleshed out, especially Owen. I wanted to know more about Owen's backstory and why he chose to join the resistance, but I never got that. Zee's identity was a bit of a surprise, but again, I didn't get enough from her about what was going on in her head and why she did some of the things she did.
Even with some of the disconnect with the characters, I am still interested in getting more from this fascinating world. And no, this is definitely NOT a duology. The author ended the story on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens.
Overall, I thought this was a great sequel to The Rule Of One. There was a lot of action and for the most part, the story kept me glued to the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen. Most of it was pretty unpredictable. Ava and Mira work with members of the Common to unite the country and their missions are dangerous and suspenseful. They even split up at one point to work on their own mission.
So here was my issue with the story. I could never fully connect with the characters. Ava and Mira's voices and chapters sounded exactly the same. Maybe that was the point, but it was confusing. I kept forgetting who was talking or who was doing what mission. There were also two new perspectives in the story: Owen and Zee. These were very interesting characters, more interesting than the twins in a lot of ways. But these characters were never really fully fleshed out, especially Owen. I wanted to know more about Owen's backstory and why he chose to join the resistance, but I never got that. Zee's identity was a bit of a surprise, but again, I didn't get enough from her about what was going on in her head and why she did some of the things she did.
Even with some of the disconnect with the characters, I am still interested in getting more from this fascinating world. And no, this is definitely NOT a duology. The author ended the story on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens.
October 19, 2025
I didn’t like this book anywhere near as much as the first one in the trilogy. This is mainly because there were just way too many new characters introduced in this one – to the point where I actually struggled to get my head around who everyone was for the majority of the book.
I don’t mind the introduction of new characters so much when the author takes the time to flesh everyone out properly, but nearly all of the new characters introduced in this book were really underdeveloped or didn’t really have any impact on the plot.
I also felt like a lot of the new characters were very quick to join ‘the rebellion’ without having a sufficient reason to. Owen was one of these characters, however I did think the introduction of his POV was a nice touch because he had a very distinct personality/voice compared to everyone else.
This book was okay for the most part, however I don’t feel like I care enough about the story or the characters to read the third one unfortunately.
I don’t mind the introduction of new characters so much when the author takes the time to flesh everyone out properly, but nearly all of the new characters introduced in this book were really underdeveloped or didn’t really have any impact on the plot.
I also felt like a lot of the new characters were very quick to join ‘the rebellion’ without having a sufficient reason to. Owen was one of these characters, however I did think the introduction of his POV was a nice touch because he had a very distinct personality/voice compared to everyone else.
This book was okay for the most part, however I don’t feel like I care enough about the story or the characters to read the third one unfortunately.
June 11, 2024
✨Resist much. Obey little✨
I loved this one as much as The Rule of One!
The book picks up where the first left off. Ava and mira are identical twins who should not have been born. They are now fully involved in the Revolution and trying to learn who they are now that they no longer have to pretend to be one and the same.
This read was action packed and had me fully invested in the characters and their fates. New character POV’s are introduced and though I usually dislike this as it can get confusing, I found their voices so unique that it added so much to the story.
Owen was a big hilarious highlight of the book for me. He brought sunshine and sarcasm to balance the darkness.
Confusion, heartbreaker, loyalty, belonging, grief, love and betrayal - all there! I can’t wait to read The rule of all 📚
I loved this one as much as The Rule of One!
The book picks up where the first left off. Ava and mira are identical twins who should not have been born. They are now fully involved in the Revolution and trying to learn who they are now that they no longer have to pretend to be one and the same.
This read was action packed and had me fully invested in the characters and their fates. New character POV’s are introduced and though I usually dislike this as it can get confusing, I found their voices so unique that it added so much to the story.
Owen was a big hilarious highlight of the book for me. He brought sunshine and sarcasm to balance the darkness.
Confusion, heartbreaker, loyalty, belonging, grief, love and betrayal - all there! I can’t wait to read The rule of all 📚
January 17, 2020
This is the second in a series, set in the near future, where climate change and overpopulation have lead to a dystopian-esque America. Water is beyond precious, the people are living in a spy state, and there’s that whole one child policy which poses a problem for Ava and Mira, twin sisters hiding their secret of a second sister since birth. Until now that is. Through almost impossible circumstances, the girls are suddenly thrust forth as the face of the rebellion, the Common, which is where this book picks up.
The premise alone was enough for me to read the first and continue with this one. I enjoyed this maybe marginally less than the last. The series appears to be a trilogy and I’m eagerly anticipating the third and final chapter.
The premise alone was enough for me to read the first and continue with this one. I enjoyed this maybe marginally less than the last. The series appears to be a trilogy and I’m eagerly anticipating the third and final chapter.
March 21, 2019
This is the follow up to "The Rule of One." It progresses the story line, but I wasn't as intrigued as I was with the first one. This one was a bit confusing for me, as there is a mess of new characters and I spent too much time going back in the story to try and remember who was who. There wasn't enough back story on the new characters and I guess I just wanted more. I still liked the story and I would read it again for sure!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
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