The Grace year was an amazing book that I blew through in a day. It was anxiety-inducing, maddening and interesting. I still haven't quite figured out what I think about the ending. And as much as I hated Lord of the Flies, this felt very similar but with girls. Trigger warnings for men being predators and creeps, abuse, murder, gore, torture, bullying and suicide.

A feminist Lord of the Flies, only with near-otherworldly murderers stalking all of the characters. This book is certainly one that keeps you turning the pages.

Special thanks to Libro.fm & St. Martin's Press for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Y'all I've been hemming & hawing over this review since I read The Grace Year. I've been trying to wrap my thoughts up & here they are.

First, the audio saved me in this book. The narration is great. The story is compelling, interesting & there are much larger conversations about feminism, gender roles & society right below the surface. While I was listening, I'm engaged & invested in the story. I finished it rather quickly & it is well written. So, why have I been hemming & hawing?

Because the more I've been thinking about it, I'm not sure I really care. I had a hard time feeling something real for these characters. I wasn't a huge fan of The Hunger Games & I definitely have those vibes with The Grace Year. Also, I feel like skimming the surface wasn't enough for me. There was so much RIGHT THERE with this story that I wanted to explore & have a deeper conversation about. For me, it fell flat. Maybe I expected too much? Maybe I missed something? Maybe I just didn't connect with this book?

Either way, lots of people LOVE this book. Let's be clear, I liked it. Yet, I wanted more. That is all. Also, the ending left me like...

When I first read the synopsis for The Grace Year, I got sooo excited. Here, I was promised a book tackling the way men sexualize women from a young age. Here, I would see a dark feminist tale of young women on the verge of adulthood grappling with the situation these men have put them in year after year.

The concept of the book is so, so interesting. Once again, we see women blamed for the way men behave around them. Once again, we see women belittled and controlled, only valued as wives and mothers and pretty ornaments. Tierney is vocal about what she wants and doesn’t want out of life, including her desire to work instead of become a wife. To her, becoming a wife - chosen by some creep from the village without her say - is a fate worse than death, it’s the ultimate cage. And she wants to escape it. I felt so much for her and for all of the women. Regardless of whether they have resigned themselves to marriage or would rather have marriage over work, etc. I felt for them for being taught that it’s an honour and a duty to be selected for a wife and bear children.

The romance in the book isn’t quite fleshed out as much as I’d like, but I did enjoy it just the same. I love some of the things that happened, and I’m still a little divided over the ending. But I can see what the goal was in doing it this way.

Something else that kind of detracted from my enjoyment of the book was also that there could’ve been so much more done with these women forced together in isolation. I can’t say much without spoiling the book, but I think that the way things unfolded took away from the overall message of the book in favour of focusing on a kind of dystopian-type plotline.

Overall, I did enjoy The Grace Year. The feminist message is, quite honestly, amazing. I wish it had ultimately been handled better, because the story absolutely had the opportunity and the groundwork to go in a different direction that would’ve - in my opinion - been stronger.

About 50 pages in I knew this was not going to blow me away, so I’m halting here. There is too much out there like this wanting to be the next Handmaid’s Tale and unfortunately this didn’t have enough hook to keep me going for >400 pages. Not bad my any means, but not good enough either. Thanks for the opportunity.

Took me a long time to get into this book. The limited dystopian setting, focused on one community, gave no reference for time, place or larger world. The men rule everything and the women are subject to stringent restrictions and treated as property or worse. Very Puritan. The people believe teenage girls have evil magic in them, so every year, all the girls who are 16 are sent away to a remote location with the purpose of purging out their magic. They live together survivor style for this year, then return to the community ready to assume their duties as a docile wife or a worker. But not all that go will return, as this is girls behaving badly mixed with the Hunger Games for the "Grace Year," plus some really nasty twists. I would have dnf'd the book had I not received it from Netgalley. Took me until over halfway before I liked much about it. I did appreciate how some little things that didn't make sense early on came to be important later. Not sure if I fully understand the ending or if it was purposely subject to interpretation. There were moments that were striking, but overall not to my liking. Since I finished it, didn't hate it by the end and I do feel the intended themes of female oppression were well done, 3 stars.

I have seen other people compare this book to The Hunger Games or The Handmaid's Tale. Yes, I would say this book is similar, but it didn't draw me in quite as much as I had hoped. It was an interesting story but maybe one where I didn't connect with the main character. Overall, an enjoyable book.

Thanks to #netgalley and Macmillan for an arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great book. This is a really good coming of age novel. Definitely shows how a girls strongest power and greatest weakness can be her friends. It's really as if A Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games came together in a book. The ending definitely left me breathless and loving every but of it.

What I Loved: I LOVED this book. I’m already thinking about when I can read it again. The dystopian world that Kim Liggett creates in this book is fascinating! I was completely drawn into the story and the universe. The “Grace Year” location as so well built, I would see everything. I was right there with them through the whole thing.

How I Felt: It’s been a while since a book so completely grabbed me from the beginning and held me through the whole thing. There were times were I just couldn’t read fast enough. I wanted to figure out all the little questions and the odd things happening. I was invested. I’m really, really hoping there will be a sequel…I would grab it in a second.

To Read or Not To Read: If you enjoyed The Hunger Games, The Handmaid’s Tale, or The Crucible, I think this is right up your alley.

What’s This Book About Anyway?
The women of the county have magic that appears as they enter their Grace Year. They are exiled to an island for the entire year where unspeakable things happen. The ones who survive can come home at the end of the year, but must never speak of their year to others.

Tierney is coming up on her Grace Year, but she’s not like others. She has never quite conformed to the county’s rules. As a result she expects that she won’t receive a veil from a suitor as a proposal before she leaves for her Grace Year. She must go with or without a veil, and survive. There are poachers that will kill any Grace Year girl that wanders off the path or out of the encampment. They are skinned alive as their bodies are said to have magical powers. So, while it seems that the danger lies outside the encampment, the dangers from within, from the other girls are just as real.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I definitely enjoyed most of this book. I loved how strong the main character was. I absolutely hated how cheesy and quick the romance was in this book though. It literally killed a quarter of the book for me. It was interesting reading about Tierney being resourceful and handling all the resources for their encampment. Overall, this was a pretty good book. I loved the feminist themes throughout.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett is an amazing feminist story! I was so completely absorbed by the story, I raced through the audio book. version! Great narration by the way! This story caused me to remember Jr. High, when a group of girls formed what they called a sorority, In reality it was a band of violent bullies. What happens when you exile a bunch of female teens for one year, the Grace Year? Quite a lot actually. As it turns out, it’s not easy finding your magic, only to be forced to let it go. Great story for teens and women of all ages! The Grace year is full of timely, relevant, and important messages!

Thank you Netgally, and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

I may have not been in the right mind frame to read this. This book was a huge hype but I found it lacking something. Perhaps my old age has done me in and I couldn't relate to this book. It wasn't a bad book, I think Kim Liggett was really able to convey how emotional the world can be for teenage girls and the feelings that they need to navigate through.

This book is geared though more toward teen girls and YA audience.

I really enjoyed The Grace Year; 16 year old Tierney lives in a world where men believe women have the power to them go mad. To prevent this, all girls in their 16th year are send away to get rid of their 'magic', so they can return pure and ready for marriage. There's a lot in this book but it's the portrayal of female relationships that was particularly interesting. Yes the patriarchy and the oppression of women was an important them but how the young women interact was at times harrowing, heart-breaking and then hopeful.
Tierney is a great character and I loved her journey through the book. This will definitely make it on my books of the year list.

No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden. In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive. Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. Their greatest threat may very well be each other. review: This was a highly anticipated book for me and, although slightly out of my wheelhouse, I was really looking forward to this dystopian book. It's being marketed as a mix between The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale and I can certainly understand why. The writing was compelling and the story itself was captivating and full of gritty realism. Even though it was a dystopian novel, it did a great job of addressing the complex and twisted friendships between girls and the sacrifices they make as they become women. The story felt unique & I really liked the characters in this one! rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

3.5 stars. A dystopian where women are either wives/mothers, workers, or prostitutes. Men assign them their roles and can have a woman executed for committing any kind of offense (even made up ones). Unlike The Handmaid's Tale, however, we have no idea how society got into such a state. The "grace year" refers to the year a girl turns 16 and supposedly develops a dark and dangerous "magic" that must be burned off in the wilderness with the other 16 year old girls. The premise was pretty interesting, but I thought the main character was a little disappointing and the behavior of the girls (generations of girls) during their grace year was inexplicable. Also, I found the ending to be somewhat dissatisfying. However, this was certainly an entertaining book and worth reading.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

This novel is touted to be a cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies, although to be honest the majority of the book has more of a Lord of the Flies vibe. This novel is mostly about survival and dealing with a group of adolescents. Once the girls in this dystopian society reach the age of 16, they’re sent off to live on their own on an island for a year, dubbed “The Grace Year,” in order to rid themselves of their womanly seductive magic and return as submissive, meek wives for the men in the county.

Tierney’s tale is a highly harrowing and very addictive one. Even in places where the pacing seemed to slow down, it was still interesting. The Grace Year girls not only have to survive four seasons out on a remote island on their own, but must also survive being hunted by poachers as prey, and each other (the girls turn on each other pretty quick not even a few weeks upon arrival). This story is a fascinating one because we see the lengths that girls will go to in order to survive and adapt to a new setting and society. All the girls look to Kiersten who is the alpha female of the group. Unfortunately for Tierney, Kiersten detests her for various reasons and will do anything to alienate her from the group. Some of the punishments they inflict on each other are both brutal and violent.

I really enjoyed this book because it showed the determination that prevails to survive the worst, even when all hope is lost. And ultimately, even in a tale of brutality and discord, you can find some kernels of light and sisterhood. My only complaint is that I would’ve liked more info about the community that the girls lived in. The county didn’t have electricity, nor did it seem modern. And I couldn’t gauge if the people who lived there were in a cult of some kind and made up stories of how life beyond the county was terrible to keep everyone within their walls, or if it was true that life beyond the county was awful.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys survival type books with a feminist edge.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Honestly surprised at how much I liked this. I went into this with zero expectations, besides knowing that this would be feminist, brutal, and surprising and it delivered. Tierney's point of view was incredible and how she discovered all the secrets of the town and the truth about the grace year.

Docking it a star because the romance was... weird and rushed? Anyway, I feel like even though this is four stars, it may just go on the favorites list for the year.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett is a young adult science fiction, dystopian fantasy that is being advertised as along the lines of Handmaid’s Tale and the Hunger Games. Now, since I was a fan of one and really disliked the other I certainly was curious how I’d feel about this when done and wouldn’t you know it…middle ground.

The world in The Grace Year is a dystopian type of society in which of course women are ruled by the men. In Garner County though it seems the idea that physical attraction is all a woman’s fault is taken to a whole new level. Instead of our society where girls are told they need to cover themselves so the boys aren’t tempted these girls get sent out of the town for a year at sixteen to rid themselves of “magic” (teenage hormones) and prepare for an arranged marriage when returning.

Tierney James is turning sixteen but she’s never wanted marriage and only hopes for everyone to work together and a better society. Instead a boy she thought of only as a friend declares her to be his wife sending her out on her own Grace Year. As the girls head away from town they quickly learn the bandits and outsiders are the least of their worries and perhaps what they should fear most is each other.

I can actually see where the comparisons come from with this novel as opposed to some that advertise for fans of such and such but find nothing similar to the story. Now even though I say I can see why they used those books this story is completely different than those two so don’t expect to read the same tale. For me, some things in here seemed a bit predictable and sometimes I saw those over the top moments I disliked in Handmaid’s Tale so in the end I landed on 3 1/2 stars for this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Grace Year was one of my most anticipated books of 2019, mainly because it was pitched as sort of a YA version of The Handmaid's Tale, and while that's an apt description, the book itself unfortunately didn't work for me. I had issues with the logic of the premise--in their sixteenth year, the girls of "the county" are sent into the woods for a mysterious "grace year" in order to rid themselves of the magic they supposedly possess before they fully join society to become docile wives for workers--and the fact that neither the county itself nor the surrounding world was ever explained, but that wasn't my only issue with this one. Our main character, Tierney, felt more like a fictional YA protagonist than she did a fully developed person; the book's side characters remained one-dimensional, despite us as readers spending a year with them, and overall I felt like there was too much summarizing in the narrative and not enough action or dialogue. I also really disliked the romance storyline; I think I'd have greatly preferred the story without it, and focusing on female friendships instead. I did like the direction the book took towards the end with regards to certain realizations Tierney came to (trying to be as vague as possible to avoid spoilers), and the potential for interesting developments in the future, but this unfortunately just wasn't the book for me.

I received an ARC of The Grace Year from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Meh, blah, just okay.

I had high hopes for this feminist dystopian novel but it didn't live up to the hype. It wasn't bad by any means but it definitely was not a stand out. If I hear the word chemise one more time I'm going to lose my mind! (You'll know what I mean if you've listened to the audiobook)