I have been a huge fan of Kerry's work for a little while now. I love the way in which she writes about a world that fascinates me- the Underworld. I have found her books to be gritty, gripping and at times downright scary! When I read the synopsis for 'The Rules' I just knew that I was going to be in for another amazing read from the superbly talented Kerry Barnes. 'The Rules' is the second book in 'The Hunted' series. I must be psychic (or psychopathic) because 'The Rules' really is an amazing read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit. I have to say that I don't think that I particularly warmed to any of the characters- basically because they scared the crap out of me. I certainly wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw them, which given the state of my back wouldn't be very far at all. I did like the depth of loyalty that certain characters had towards certain people. I must admit that I was waiting for the betrayals, the scandals and the violence. To say that 'The Rules' is an addictive read, has to be the understatement of the year. I was gripped by this book from the moment I clapped eyes on the cover and the synopsis sealed the deal. I would pick 'The Rules' up only intending to read for a little while but I would become so absorbed by the story that I read for upwards of two hours at a time. It became nigh on impossible to put this book down for any length of time. I think that I had a fear of missing out on some vital clue or some twist to the story. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book. If I had to put the book down for anything then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I was like an addict in desperate need of her next fix. I soon got to the end of the story which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong, I was pleased to finish because at least I knew how this instalment of the story concluded but I was enjoying the characters, the author's writing style and the storylines so much that I just wanted the book to continue. 'The Rules' is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of all of Kerry's books. She grabs your attention with an eye catching synopsis and then you are gradually drawn into the story. Once Kerry has your attention, she will not let you have it back until the moment you read the last word on the last page. Kerry writes with grit and she writes stories which have more twists and turns to them than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. For me, 'The Rules' really was a gripping read, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout. The other phrase I would use to describe 'The Rules' is an unputdownable pageturner of a read. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Rules' even if certain things scared the doo doo out of me. I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Kerry's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.