Thank you to Netgalley and to Kim Liggett for allowing me to read a copy of this book.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I absolutely loved the plot of this story. It was believed that girls had magic that could lure men out of their beds, women crazy with jealousy so when they are 16 they are sent to an isolated camp for the Grace Year. In this time they are supposed to use up their magic so they can return to be respectable women/wives.

In the beginning, it gives you a brief overview of what Tierney's life was like before she entered the Grace Year. This helped to connect with her a bit more and to care about her situation. The Grace Year was mentioned but no one was allowed to speak of it so when it was time for her to go, I was fully invested in what was going to happen.

There were a few things I wasn't as fond of but overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a thrilling read for Halloween.

The Grace Year was a five-star read! This clever tale was suspenseful, thought-provoking and engaging to the last page. Lots of unpredictable twists and turns leading to a satisfying conclusion. One of my favorite books so far this year. I can picture this novel turning into a blockbuster of a movie!

Loved this story-almost a fever dream. It's being touted as kind of a Handmaid's Tale/Hunger Games mashup which is totally what I got from it. In this dystopia, girls turn mad at 16 and are sent to a private fenced area to work through their madness so that they don't infect the men with it. Not all of them return alive. I read the ARC but it was not edited well-the scenes flowed together and sometimes it seemed to jump ahead. it was distracting. It appears to have been optioned for a movie -I didn't realize that before I read it but it definitely read in a visual sense. Not sure if what I thought happened at the end is what really happened but that lent itself to the overall dream-like quality of the experience. Thanks to NetGally and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in return for my honest review.

This was a wicked twist of a book! Couldn't stop reading! The cover is what drew me in, so hauntingly dynamic but breathtakingly beautiful, exactly like this story! Thank you Netgalley for a free ARC IN exchange for an honest review!

I would describe this as a hybrid between the Handmaid's Tale and Hunger Games, but delightfully more than a rehash of the same story lines. What set this book apart from others in this genre (for me) was the evolution of Tierney's sociocultural approach to understanding society's prescribed roles and the behavior of those around her. While unexpected for an adolescent, it brings a refreshing contrast to dystopian fiction by attempting to look deeper at the mechanisms which contribute to society's downfall, along with planting seeds of hope for change.

Tierney James has turned 16 and therefore must be banished from society with others her age for what is called The Grace Year. The young girls are believed to have magic inside them that must be released before they are allowed to return to their families, and to wed their selected husbands. But Tierney may not be like many of the girls who have gone before her, and she will not go quietly into the night never to be heard from again.

The Grace Year is an amazingly addictive dystopian novel that truly is the definition of a page-turner. Those who are fans of The Handmaids Tale and The Hunger Games will not be disappointed. The dark tale of what young girls will do to survive leaves you shocked and scrambling right down to the very last page. Would highly recommend!

Wow! This was awesome on so many levels. A great survival tale, but also an examination of how women are treated in society and how we are turned against each other. I actually could have done without the romance aspect, but I can overlook that because its other strengths. I am sure this will be flying off the shelf at my library!

4.5/5 Stars

Author: Kim Liggett

Publisher/Imprint: Wednesday Books

Edition: e-ARC, 227 Digital Pages

Hardcover Publication Date: October 08, 2019

A Spine that Shines? Definitely!

*This review is based on the e-ARC edition provided via NetGalley. All quotes used in this review come from the uncorrected proof. These are my honest opinions. Thank you.*

We’re told we have the power to lure grown men from their beds, make boys lose their minds, and drive the wives mad with jealousy. They believe our very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood.
-Tierney, The Grace Year

Initial Thoughts:

Wow. The Grace Year is a pretty wild book! It’s a crazy mix of The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies. I’ve also heard people say it has elements of The Handmaid’s Tale. I haven’t read that book yet, but based on the synopsis, I see where the comparison comes from. I also got some Nathaniel Hawthorne vibes from The Grace Year. After I finished reading The Grace Year yesterday, my mind was spinning.

So, what is The Grace Year actually about? Garner County is run by men who misuse the Bible to maintain societal control and instill fear in all of the women of the county. For their sixteenth year, the girls of Garner County are sent away, isolated, and given one year to rid themselves of their sinful “magic.” During this “Grace Year,” these young girls are hunted by “poachers,” supposedly because the grace year girls’ body parts have aphrodisiac and youth serum powers. Tierney James, our main girl, must find a way to survive the year.

Here are some elements of the novel to appreciate:

This novel really gives you something to think about and stays with you for a while after reading it.
That ENDING! I hardly ever cry while reading a book. (The Fault in Our Stars didn’t even make me cry.) But I was tearing up a bit at the ending of The Grace Year. Originally, I was planning to rate this book 4 stars, but after reading the ending, I knew I had to bump it up to 4.5 stars.
The Grace Year is a survival story with tons of action! It will definitely keep readers on their toes!
The author does a good job writing the characters in a way that makes you feel for them and sympathize – even with some of the mean characters. The society in which they live has really messed with their minds and their way of thinking. It’s difficult not to feel something.

‘My father always told me that it’s the small decisions you make when no one is watching that make you who you are. Who do we want to be?’
-Tierney, The Grace Year

Characters & Romance:

Let’s discuss some of the characters. I won’t go into too much detail here, because I don’t want to spoil the plot.

Tierney is a fierce, strong main character! Her determination to survive despite so many challenges is admirable. The other grace year girls in isolation with her do some terrible things to her! Tierney has a good heart and does her best to help the other girls survive even though they are really vicious. She wishes things could be different in the county.
Kiersten, one of Tierney’s enemies during the Grace Year, is a piece of work. She essentially claims a leadership role during the isolation, and she is determined to turn all of the other girls against Tierney. She convinces the girls to do eerie, crazy things to “embrace their magic” in order to rid themselves of it before the end of the year.
Tierney’s love-interest is another important character, but I won’t name him due to spoilers. I think it works best as a surprise. (Although, their relationship could still be considered slightly predictable.) The relationship that develops is an enemies-to-lovers relationship, and it eclipses the second half of the novel. While the first half of the novel is more of a survival story, the second half is romance-heavy. Perhaps the love-interest could’ve played a slightly larger role in the first half to make the romance feel more evenly distributed. But I liked Tierney and the guy as a couple and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow over a period of time. However, the romance does get a bit steamy – steamier than I would normally prefer for a YA novel. So it may be better suited for older readers on the YA spectrum.

The magic is real. Maybe not in the way they believe, but if you’re willing to open your eyes, open your heart, it’s all around us, inside us, waiting to be recognized.
-Tierney, The Grace Year

Final Thoughts:

Here are a few other things to note about The Grace Year.

The text is not divided into chapters, which I think I would’ve preferred. It is instead divided by seasons. I think I understand why it is divided this way, but I often prefer chapter divisions, because chapters can indicate where a good reading break might be and also help the story move along.
I would’ve liked to have learned more about what lies beyond the county.
There is one character death near the end that happens rather quickly. I think it could’ve been slowed down in that scene, because this person’s death does have an important impact on the story.
I don’t know where or when this story takes place. All we get is Garner County, the outskirts, and the “encampment” where the grace year girls are sent. That’s it. But is this post-appocalyptic U.S.? Or what? It does have a dystopian feel, but I’m not certain. The Bible, something from our world, appears in this story. (No sane characters would misinterpret the Bible in such a way, but these men are obviously not sane characters.) So perhaps it is supposed to be our world? I just don’t know where or when.

Overall, I’m giving The Grace Year 4.5 stars for leaving such an impact on me! If you’re looking for a thought-provoking, dystopian, survival/romance story, I’d recommend checking out this book when it releases on October 08th! Happy reading!

*Content Warnings: Lots of violence, bloody wounds, violent deaths, part of a girl’s scalp is ripped off, talk of girls being skinned alive by poachers, hallucinations, girls are forced to make babies and don’t get to choose the father, unwanted touching, nudity, sex. This novel definitely seems aimed at a more “mature” audience level.*

No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.

Grace Year is one part Lord of the Flies, one part Hunger Games, and one part Handmaid's Tale. I think that sums it up perfectly.

Garner County believes that girls possess a magic that lures men. It is believed that this magic heightens during their 16th year. So when they turn 16 they are sent to the woods to rid themselves of the magic that men accuse them of possessing. Before they leave those who are chosen by a boy (or man) are veiled (picked for marriage) and those who are not will be sent to work in labor houses. The twist is not all of them make it home alive.

Tierney James, our main character, wants a different life. She doesn't want to be veiled she just wants to survive her grace year and go to work in the fields. It doesn't exactly work out this way and we are taken on an adventure of survival from the elements, the poachers in the woods who hunt them, and most of all from each other.

This book was wild ride and I need to know what happens after the ending!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a page turner .. I enjoyed this dystopian novel set in a colony where every year, sixteen year old girls are sent away into the wilderness for their “grace year” its a time where they are forced to live without much food, water, .. and a lot of danger..all due to the belief that at sixteen their bodies emit a powerful aphrodisiac that must be let go of to later return home and be docile and ready to marry.
Yes, there are comparisons to The Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games, I’ve read both of those books and still think this is very original.
I enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!

I flew through this dystopian young adult novel because I couldn’t tear myself away. Admittedly, this was gruesome and violent and sickening at times. But there were also moments of hope and friendship and loyalty. The fact that this takes place in a dystopian society is the hint to the overall dark tone of this book. My suggestion is to go into this one with as little plot knowledge beyond the book blurb as possible.

This is a book that could be frustrating because there is no background explanation or logic to how, why, or when this society came to be. There is no indication of where this society is, and that is something readers must be able to accept. However, I think this is going to be a popular young adult novel.

When it is good, it is very, very good. It truly is a metaphor or allegory for today's world and I appreciate any time that women can get together and fight the system. I don't love that the focus was so much on the love story--it felt very Stockholm Syndrome-y and I wish more time had been spent with the girls. Because there were so many we hardly knew them beyond a name, although I suppose that too can be allegorical to today.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Can’t say enough good things about this book it was brilliant! Easily hands down my favorite read so far this year. The writing is amazing the story was gripping and the characters and world building fantastic! I would love to see this made into a movie. I’ll be on the look out for more books by Kim Liggett. The Grace Year Publication date October 8, 2019 looking forward to buying my copy.

Upon coming of age, all the girls in Garner County are sent into the woods for a year to rid themselves of their dark powers and may only return if they are deemed safe to rejoin society. Not all the girls come back, and those that do are scarred and subdued. Speaking of the grace year is forbidden, so 16-year-old Tierney James has only whispered rumors to prepare her. What she discovers is that there's nothing more frightening than a group of young women pitted against each other for survival.

Once you start, be prepared to stay up late to finish reading Kim Liggett's THE GRACE YEAR. It's fierce in its examination of a patriarchal society and what it does to girls and women, and men and boys alike. It's ruthless in building a world where young women face dire choices. Amid it all is the fight and heart of Tierney James, a young woman who refuses to simply survive and challenges the status quo. This story is subversive and immersive, and simply unforgettable.

OH MY GOD. This book was absolutely amazing. It took my breath away and it left me with tears in my eyes.
Heartbreaking and so emotional "The Grace Year" is a must read.
From the very beginning I was hooked. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what will happen next.
Every time I opened the book I was transferred into this dystopian world ruled from men and women didn't have a say at nothing and yet they hold so much power...or a magic?
I found myself holding my breath at so many parts. My heart felt emotions so strong for all those girls who had to brace their destiny. For Tierney who was so brave through out her jorney..
Gosh that book was brilliant. I have never read this genre before but now it becomes one of my favorite. The writer's words touched my soul. She did a great job with this book and I really hope they make it into a movie.
I will always remember THE GRACE YEAR. I highly recommend it and I think everyone should read it. It teach us some great lessons.
Thank you so much Net Galley and the publisher for my copy.

This book is getting a lot of hype; and the hype is well deserved. It’s definitely a mix between The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies, and it’s just brilliant. The writing was gripping and poetic, and all the characters were fleshed out. The plot was also just so intense, and there were a few twists I did not see coming. And the ending was perfection. I’ve read some great books recently, and The Grace Year is definitely near the top. 5/5 stars and a new favorite!

This book only has five chapters which is something that would normally freak me out and make the book feel never-ending. This book, however, skipped along and made me stay up LATE to the point where I had to wake up in four hours because I couldn’t stop reading. At first, the book was creepy and mean, my head broke for the people living in that horrible world. But once things became clearer, and the book moved along, I was happy to see the glimpses of kindness and hope especially for the women in the society. The book was not at all what I expected which was a pleasant surprise. Overall, I loved the writing style and everything else about this unique novel and can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Grace Year is already receiving a lot of buzz. Touted as a mix between The Handmaid's Tale, Lord of the Flies, and The Hunger Games, it was quickly snatched up by Universal and Elizabeth Banks to be made into a film. I didn't even read all of the synopsis before I hit request on Netgalley. But even if I'd read all the way to the end of the synopsis, it wouldn't have helped much. The synopsis barely scratches the surface, which I'm sure is the intention. And while it does have threads of those three great novels previously mentioned woven throughout, it also has some problematic issues that I found hard to ignore.

The first half of this one was slow for me, and I felt confused for most of that half. We jump right into the story, but without much explanation as to why things are the way they are in this town. And ambiguity can be good in a story, when it's done correctly, like in the aforementioned, The Handmaid's Tale. But here, there are already too many other mysterious issues piled on top.

There is a character introduced about halfway through that I actually think is a well-rounded and engaging character, but by the end, only seems to serve one purpose, which makes me sad. Unless there's a sequel and something changes. Which is always entirely possible--especially with the ending the way it is. (Which I still haven't decided if I love or hate.) Like I said, too much ambiguity for me.

But let me talk about the pros: The writing is superb, and I highlighted many beautiful lines. I love how flowers and their meanings are woven throughout, even becoming clues at times. And I love how the main character consistently embodies strength and bravery.

If it's done well--and maybe some plot points are tweaked--The Grace Year may make a better film than a book. Which is very rare.

This book was pretty slow in the beginning and the pacing of the book is really hard to follow. BUT if I look past those two issues, this book is intriguing as all get out. It's definitely disturbing, but still a very compelling read. The Grace Year is very much a dystopian book where women solely exist in their society with either the role of child, child-bearing wife, or working in a field. It centers around Tierney and her Grace Year, the year when all the sixteen year old females go off to live in a camp to "burn off" the magic that they are born with so that when they return to their town they are ready to wed and they can't bewitch the men in their lives.

Tierney James is living in a world that believes girls and women possess a magic that will drive men to do anything. When girls are sixteen years old they are forced to go live in the woods for a year on their own to release this magic and become ready for marriage. They call this the grace year and it's shrouded in mystery.

This book has echoes of other stories - the Handmaid's Tale, The Hunger Games,and Lord of the Flies. It wants to be a story about feminism, but doesn't quite get there. Tierney is a loner who refuses to engage with the other girls in her grace year. She instead spends her time with her father learning skills usually only boys are taught. Her best friend is Michael, son of the head of council. She shuns her sisters, mother, and other girls basically. Then she must spend a year with all girls in the woods.

This had great promise, but for me, the characters were just not well developed. It also felt like I was missing parts of the story. I think part of the problem was formatting the in the ARC I was reading. There was probably a break, but it just all flowed together instead. I would be reading about Tierney in the lodging house with the girls and in the next sentence she was back in the woods. I hope the final copy makes the breaks a little more clear.

There was also a chance for the girls to come together and change things away from the men being in charge, as we learn the women outnumber the men two to one. Yet that doesn't happen in any big way. Tierney also gets derailed with a love interest that makes no sense. This was a quick read, but left me wishing it had been executed differently.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.