Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of Kim Liggett’s novel, The Grace Year, in exchange for an honest review.

Garner County is ruled by men and those men enforce a rigid moral code through severe punishment and fear. As part of their fear tactics, all sixteen-year-old girls must retreat to the woods for what is termed as their “Grace Year.” Far from home, they will survive together in a rustic fort and get rid of “their magic.” The idea that teen girls possess powerful magic is a deeply held superstition that has all of the men in the community terrified and willing to send their daughters into harms way to dispel it. When the girls return from their “Grace Year”, they are forbidden to speak about it and the whole thing is shrouded in mystery, especially since many girls don’t return, and those who do are damaged, including missing limbs.

Tierney James is facing her “Grace Year” and her rebel heart makes her question the process. As she embarks on her journey, her experiences tell her to question everything, even if it means she could be killed, either by shadowy poachers who kidnap “Grace Year” girls to harvest their magical body parts, or by the patriarchy of Garner County, who don’t stand for dissent.

The Grace Year is young adult fiction that is a blend of The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale. It has the blood-sport, teens killing teens for survival and uncomfortable love triangle of the former, with the women rising against oppression of the latter.

Liggett has a created an intriguing premise and the first third of the book is a page-turner. I was hooked immediately. Mostly, I wanted to know the mystery of the “Grace Year” and to understand why girls were dying and getting maimed. It’s grotesque. I was particularly intrigued by the idea that there are poachers who flay the girls, selling their body parts as magical medicine. This is sick and stomach turning enough when we think of this happening to endangered animals, let alone teenage girls.

The Grace Year starts off like a shot, but has a soggy middle. The love story did not work for me and it distracted from the story of the girls. In a similar dynamic as Katniss in The Hunger Games trilogy, Tierney faces a situation of passionate love with a fiery partner vs. the less interesting, yet steady love of a guy who she has in the friend-zone. Like Katniss, Tierney is a strong woman, who makes it quite clear that there are more important things in her life than love. Tierney is very vocal in her desire to avoid marriage and to lead a life of working in the fields. She does not dream of romantic love, yet it seems to find her. It is possible for her to have a change heart or to be swept away in the moment, but I found the weight given to this aspect of the story, undermined the strength and spirit of her character.

The story redeems itself in the last third, where many of the mysteries are solved and where the women show their power. The strongest element of The Grace Year, is the concept of oppression. The women are not the only ones who are oppressed by Garner County’s rules. Anyone who tries to challenge or who dares to be different, is beaten, executed, or banished to the edge of town. The family members of unruly citizens, even very young children, can be punished. The banishment creates a whole different class of society; women who survive by prostitution and men who become the poachers. The people who are banished live through the mercy of those who are still in town. They are part of the ecosystem of Garner County, yet they exist on the edge of it. Their participation in superstition of the power of young girls is part of maintaining the patriarchy.

Garner County reminded me of Salem, Massachusetts during the infamous witch trials. During that time, Salem had both a strong patriarchal and religious culture with fear ruling the society. Punishment could be severe. The young girls who made accusations of witchcraft found their power in a society where they had none. The Grace Year explores this concept in opposite, as the “Grace Year” is not supposed to give girls power, but the concept of it is to break the girls and make them compliant as they head back to Garner County to be the property of men. As soon as they return, they will be either wives or workers, with communication between women a rarity.

Although the middle was a tad sluggish, I enjoyed The Grace Year. I read that Elizabeth Banks has optioned the film rights, with Liggett working on the screen play. The story is exciting with many unexpected twists. It is very cinematic and I can imagine that it would be a box-office hit.

I enjoyed this book overall but felt that the ending was somewhat rushed compared to the rest of the text. While Liggett takes her time developing the story during the beginning and middle of the novel, the pacing feels unnatural towards the very end. Still, a solid book and one I would recommend.

One part Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," one part Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, one part Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and one part We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia, The Grace Year is a dystopian thriller that will creep you out and never let your skin settle.

Every year, a set of teen girls are temporarily exiled to an encampment for 365 days to let their dangerous magic be released safely away from the men of the county. During this Grace Year, terrible things happen --as evidenced by returning girls coming back with nine fingers, tales of poachers skinning Grace Year girls and selling their body parts to the black market, and other mangled physical changes-- but the girls going into the experience don't entirely know what to expect because it's forbidden to talk about it. If they do, they will be whipped or otherwise punished by the Puritan-esque men and their extreme laws that severely limit women's rights and free thought. Tierney is different from the other girls, though; her father --supposedly because he only ever had five daughters and no sons-- taught Tierney a variety of survival skills like how to chop wood, light a fire, first aid, and more. In the encampment, Tierney tries to help the other 32 girls, but Kiersten, the ringleader, refuses to listen and, instead, prompting the girls into securing their magic. But Tierney remains skeptical... and this skepticism might save her from a horrible death at the hands of her peers or a poacher.

While at times slower than I like, The Grace Year is still enthralling. There's a lot of detective work on Tierney's end as she has to figure out quite a few mysteries. There are betrayals all over the place. There is a forbidden love. There is death-- so much death. There is grace and forgiveness even for those terrible characters whom you wish would die a fiery death in hell. There is women coming together to help one of their own. There is trying to make the(ir) world a better one for the women of the future.

This book shocked me, it startled me, it made me angry, it made me cry, and it made me strong. That sounds so weird to say, but the range of emotions that this book sent me through amazed me. I read a lot- too much, some might say, and it's not often that I feel a book deep in my bones like I did this book.

This book is a silent striker. I am going to be honest here- after reading the blurb, I never expected to find the power behind this book.

4.5/5 SOLID stars

**I received a copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion**

This was an engrossing read - I found the book difficult to put down, even though I was at times very frustrated with people's behavior and did not like the turn of events. And yet... I felt things were well explained and believable.

Reviews had a lot of comparisons to Handmaid's Tale and Lord of the Flies, and I think those are apt. I did not always like the main character - I felt she was often selfish and abrasive. But that is also pretty believable given her age. I also liked how the book ended (and it did not end in any way I'd expected).

I finished The Grace Year about an hour ago and I'm still thinking about it. This one definitely has me in a book hangover. I wasn't sure what to expect going in and I couldn't put it down. The pace moved so quickly and it tied together in a beautiful way. Ultimately, when women work together and empower each other there's nothing that can stop or hold them back

I was pleasantly surprised this wasn’t the same old same dystopian novel I’m used to, but I felt frustrated at times because I don’t feel like the reader ever finds out WHY things are the way they are. So much time goes by so quickly, it’s hard to believe we apparently read about an entire year within the story. A bit poorly executed.

I went into The Grace Year very skeptically but damn! It's such a rollercoaster of a read, with a cracking plot that shoves you right in and never lets up. And I loved that it dipped into several YA genres, which made it different in a very good (and extremely readable) way.

My only problem is that the characters were not as developed as I would've liked but honestly? I was so enjoying the story that I didn't think about it (much) until I was done. The Grace Year has gotten a lot of hype but it is very well deserved. A fascinating young adult novel that can (and should be!) enjoyed by adults.

A copy of this book was given by in exchange for review. All opinions stated are my own. You're eyes are wide open, but you see nothing.
In Garner County, women are more or less property. They are controlled and ruled by men, and ordered into silence; the best they can hope for in this life is to be chosen as a wife, or a life of hard labor waits for them.
At their 16th year, the girls are chosen for marriage, then embark on their year long ostracism to a secluded camp where they are to spend out all of the magic they are to come into with puberty. When they return, if they return, they are bound into harder rules- silence, obedience, and childbearing. At at any time a man can accuse his spouse of conjuring magic, and she will be executed without trial. Women live in fearful silence.
Tierney James suffers from dreams she cannot explain, and with rumors of a usurper afoot, she is sure that she is on the brink of discovering things that are hidden from them all. She is adamant that she will have as much control over her life as she possibly can, planning to survive her Grace Year to work in the fields and be as free as she can be - under the sky. But she does not have control, and as much as she thinks she can see, there is more that she does not.
“It feels like freedom, but we know it's a lie. This is how they break us. They take everything away, our very dignity, and anything we get in return feels like a gift.”

The Grace Year is dangerous, some girls do not return and many come home permanently maimed, but no one is allowed to speak of the horrors that occur.

Kim Liggett has a few novels under her belt, with love for horror and the supernatural, she is drawn towards teen years describing it in interviews as the most horrific time in our lives. She has persevered with dyslexia, and is intent on pushing the boundaries with teen horror- noting there is raging gap between what teens can watch on TV vs what they are allowed to read.


Holy Crap this book!
The pink cover really fooled me, I was approved on this for Netgalley awhile ago, when I got short on reading time I put it aside not thinking it would be this good!
I've read a few dystopian stories and seen a few movies where things happen 'in the woods' and if I am honest most of the time the reveal is a bit of a let down; the build up is intense and the pay off not worthy.
This was not the case with The Grace Year! Liggett perfectly crafted a fantastical time and place that draws many parallels to reality, which really heightens the suspense. There are strong feminist tones and I am so in love with the message.
I really fell in love with the main character Tierney James. She was naive in the way only a teen can be- sensing things were not right but being excluded because of her age, forcing her to stumble around trying to make sense of secrets and lies, and trying to survive in the extreme version of 'Mean Girls". Teen girls can be painted as quite the dangerous crowd, and this was personified in the Grace Year, where fear of social siberia meant literal exclusion in a survival style elimination.
It was gripping to see what could happen with no rules, it was a true nod to Lord of the Flies.
There was the perfect blend of the supernatural, revolution, perfect pace and suspense. Things came together in a way I didn't predict and I flew through the story with anticipation.
An absolute must read for teen readers with a resounding messaged about community and the underdog, and speaking to oppression in a way that is so easy to comprehend.

The best book I’ve read in ages. I really think it’s been undervalued by many readers. It’s definitely one EVERYONE should read.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2020/01/26/the-grace-year-by-kim-liggett/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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It's hard to pin down the time frame of <strong>The Grace Year </strong>in comparison to our current day. The world is a historical sort of dystopia. The world is a creepy one where men control the move of young women from girls to adult at age 16, with a year in a wilderness retreat to survive in any way they can.

Tierney seems to me a bit smarter and more independent in thought than most her age. She isn't sure she likes the traditional choices for women, and really who would?  She is much more knowledgeable about science and medicine, as her father is a doctor.  I like her strength and passion.

Without giving too much in spoilers, the "grace year" in the wilderness retreat is really more of a survival feat allowing men to leave them abused and submissive for whatever is their next phase in life. The women have no choice as to whether they are married or put into work crews. Men choose who they want for wives and the rest end up in work crews of some sort.

Tierney experiences much growth during her year, but it is hard won. She learns to apply the knowledge she has, to help all their survival. She develops what is a bit like political skill to work with the other girls.  Tierney comes to recognize the great gifts of her family and appreciate them.  She becomes grateful for all kindness and life.

The trials the girls face are brutal and many of the events are triggering. The poachers / guards are just another group being used by the upper class men. It seems fitting in the world of "old white men" / "the old boy's club" to have a story focusing on women with their intelligence and strength and very human flaws.

This young adult novel is set in a dystopian world where young women are banished for the year of the title when they are 16, because they're considered so dangerous that year that they have to get rid of their magic. There are little elements here reminding me of books such as The Hunger Games, The Handmaid's Tale, The Crucible, and The Wolf Road, but also a lot of original elements. The book started off extremely compelling to me, and kept me up way later than it should have, but for me at least it didn't quite fulfill its promise - characters/actions/plot points just felt a little over the top and unbelievable. 3.5 stars.

This book was blazing good until around 80% and then it fell into weak plot links and extra action thrown in for drama's sake that lent nothing to the story; actually making mud of the scenes. A good portion of the last 20% felt contrived, overdone, pushed to the eye rolling point. The ending was predictable, something I was not expecting from the writing skill in the beginning of the book. It really let me down.

I was applauding this story in the beginning because it showed that sometimes women are their own worst enemies, not all men are bad, and women banding together to help each other and gain strength from a unified front is the best way to lift themselves up. Then along came a bad example of what to do to make yourself feel free and independent, a highly risky and problematic action taken. There was a disease that was a pretty important, and pivotal, part of the plot which was not well researched; so every time an event was based on that faulty (or nonexistent) research the scene was ruined for me. There was also a concept that made no sense, and a person who really had no reason to be as aggressive as they were, especially seeing their life had been saved by the benevolent actions of another. And a scene where the environment was ripe for a woman needing no idea nor vision of a man for being strong because she was amongst a group of loving supportive women; but no... the memory of a man gave her the inner strength to carry on. Why do that?

And... then there was the instalove. These things squeezed the good out of many of the other positive messages, neutralized much of it, lessened the book's impact.

I did however appreciate the nod to women who like nontraditional jobs, and the highlighting that men can also be Feminists. Patriarchal organized religion was called out for the oppression it causes. It also showed that women should not only be thinking about helping each other in the present, but also thinking about how they can help future generations. The message I found most important was to be truthful in your fight for justice and equality; not to demonize others (both men and women) by telling half truths or outright lies to get others on your side, or get them to do your bidding. You shouldn't promote a cause, no matter how noble, with deception. You shouldn't hurt others to heal your own.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free eARC of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. The Grace Year. Where to begin.

I feel right in the middle of the road with this one. It tackles a lot of important topics and makes you confront incredibly realistic situations, was so incredibly easy to dive into and fly through, and is pretty unique in a genre that people often peg as being too similar between books. I really, really enjoyed it for those reasons. Honestly, I think a lot of people would really like it for those reasons.

However! Big however! This book also contains one of my least favorite tropes and plot devices and it made me incredibly frustrated. So much so I almost DNF'ed the book. I was really enjoying where it was headed, and while I did enjoy the conclusion in part, it missed the mark in a big way because of these devices.

In saying that, I would recommend picking it up if you are interested in it. It was compelling, easy to read, and some of the plot twists had me reeling in a good way (especially towards the ending with one particular character).

I'm always happy to add another dystopian novel to my rotation! This reminded me a lot of The Power or the Hunger Games, but felt kind of uneven in terms of pacing. I will say it never left me bored - it's a real rollercoaster with a lot of big ideas for a YA novel - and I liked that the ending was somewhat ambiguous.

‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett has been described as The Handmaid's Tale plus Lord of the Flies with The Hunger Games thrown in. Every book, movie, song, etc can make us think of other work. It does not mean it is not a good story. Actually, those are pretty good books to be compared to.

In The Grace Year, girls are banished for their sixteenth year. No one talks about what they call the grace year. All Tierney James knows is not everyone returns. Those who do are changed. Some are mentally changed. Others are physically damaged with missing limbs, scars, etc.

I enjoyed the storyline but it was a very slow burn. It took a while for me to get into the story. Once I did, I was hooked. It just took too long to capture my attention.

I read her earlier book, The Last Harvest, and found it was also a slow burn but worth reading. Knowing I will enjoy her books overall means I will keep reading until they grab me. With both books, once they did, I could not stop reading.

The Grace Year was a 2019 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/21/20.

The Grace Year is a dystopian novel about 16-year-old girls who are sent off until they drain themselves of their magical powers and then can come back to be married. Some will be sent to other places if they aren't one of the lucky ones that get asked. Tierney James has a different idea of how her life should be and dreams of moving on to do something more meaningful. She is unaware of anyone that is interested in marrying her and feels confident that she can survive the "Grace Year" to be useful. Tierney soon finds out that her life plan isn't going to work out.

I don't read too many dystopian novels, but I felt like this was very intense and had every aspect of a great book. Kim Liggett developed the characters, made me care, and left me at the end of chapters wanting more.

I was provided a free copy of The Grace Year through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had mixed feelings about this book, but ended up giving it 3.5 stars. I think it’s fantastic for teens, and actually has a great, empowering message in it. A sort of mash-up of Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies (with a dash of Mean Girls), The Grace Year is YA dystopian fiction that has a sneaky good message at its core.

Tierney, our main character, lives in a small county that strictly controls the lives of its female citizens. Women are not allowed to meet in groups without men present. A woman can be punished with a whipping to her back for the simple transgression of taking a bath with rose petals in the water. The day before leaving for the "Grace Year", each woman is paraded around town for the men to choose a future wife. The women have absolutely no control of whom they'll marry.

There are so many challenges to the girls' survival during their Grace Year. While contained to an enclosed area with little means for survival, they quickly establish a hierarchy. It's the first time any of them are without the instruction and supervision of men. The new freedom of self control leaves many of them lost. Few of them are able to make decisions for themselves.

I think that this story revealed the true nature of women when left to their own devices. They can survive without men, despite being taught they'd never be strong enough to do so. Also, they can be just as ruthless as the evil men they want to escape. I'd like to know more about what comes next. Just as our true history shows, women are not weak and complacent. They've risen to the challenge to make change, just as the characters in this book. It's just a little more savage in this story.

I received an ARC in return for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!

The Grace Year is like NOTHING i've ever read. I'm still reeling from this book.
The storyline is so insanely unique... there's no words to describe this book accurately or to do it justice.
I've recommended this book to EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY FRIENDS since i started it.

Girls are banished on their 16th year.. as they have the "power" to lure grown men.. an ddrive other women nuts with jealousy..

insane, right?!