Junior year’s looking up for sixteen-year old Mike. Her new BFF isn’t a sadistic control freak, her boyfriend adores her, and she’s learning to bike in the mountains without decapitating herself on a tree. Well, almost. When she meets a group of riders who welcome her into their pack, she feels like she’s finally found where she belongs. One particular rider—a boy with an amazing smile and an even more amazing ability to see what she’s truly capable of—gives her the confidence to go after what she wants: her own life with her own rules. There’s only one problem—he’s not her boyfriend. Just as things seem to be falling into place, her parents put on the pressure to figure out her future—one that doesn’t include riding. Mike soon realizes that having everything isn’t that great when she’s not the one choosing it. She needs to decide if she’s going to continue to be a follower or step out of the shadows and find her own trail. " In a must-read book a target audience of teenage girls will coast through, the hilarious yet drama-fueled book THE TRAIL RULES follows one girl's adventure into self-discovery and security, leading to a goose bump-inducing conclusion that will inspire young adults to take worthy risks in their own lives that could reap a handsome reward." -- IndieReader "A fantastic sequel from Melanie Hooyenga... A well-done portrait of life at it's finest--when things end to make way for new challenges and excitement. When love trumps disappointment. And when we find out just how limitless we really are." -- YA Books Central "Mike's story is solidly plotted and well paced, and it shows that achange of heart is only the beginning step in understanding who you are. The characters here ring true, especially Mike, whose evolution and growing self-awareness propel the story forward. The writing has an immediacy and works to bring readers inside of Mike's head. And while there are some melodrama moments, they never overwhelmthe narrative, instead, they keep the emotions raw and honest." -- The BookLife Prize Silver Winner (YA Romance) 2018 -- Readers' Favorite "Hooyenga gives us an expertly-written, well-paced narrative and a fascinating and well-developed cast of teen and adult characters. On its surface, it's a simple romance that incorporates high school social drama with personal growth through the physical, emotional, and mental challenge of a sport. Mike is a very likable teen who hasn't yet found her own path or her inner courage. As she gains experience on the bike,she devises ten (plus one) "trail rules," which also help her face the challenges of life. ...this is an extremely positive and engaging story told in a very beautiful way." -- Readers' Favorite Gold Winner (Special Interest: Sports) 2018 -- Children's Literary Classics "Hooyenga continues to deliver an exciting story with page-turning plotsand sub-plots and an underlying theme of genuine female characters whoare likeably flawed." -- Children's Literary Classics Multi-award winning young adult author Melanie Hooyenga writes books about strong girls who learn to navigate life despite its challenges. She first started writing as a teenager and finds she still relates best to that age group. Her award-winning YA sports romance series, The Rules Series, is about girls from Colorado falling in love and learning to stand up on their own. Her YA time travel trilogy, The Flicker Effect, is about a teen who uses sunlight to travel back to yesterday. The first book, Flicker, won first place for Middle Grade/Young Adult in the Writer's Digest 2015 Self-Published eBook awards, and The Rules Series has won ten awards, including Finalist for MG/YA in the 2019 BookLife Prize. The first book in her newest series, Chasing the Sun, won gold for young adult general fiction in the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards and was named one of the Best Indie eBooks of 2020 by Barnes & Noble Press. Most recently, Chasing the Moon was a Quarterfinalist for MG/YA in the 2023 BookLife Prize.When not writing books, you can find her wrangling her Miniature Schnauzer Gus and playing every sport imaginable with her husband Jeremy.