The Grace Year is a truly unique book and I think it tells such an important story. It’s a feminist dystopia set in a world that shares a lot of similarities with ours — for example, there is the bible and the story of Eve, who is blamed for being cast out of paradise; but the protagonist, Tierney, lives in “the county”. Here, life is completely dictated by men: the way women dress, who they merry, what kind of work they do — everything is decided by men.

And there is one other difference to the world as we know it: girls hold a kind of magic in them, a magic that is forbidden. That’s why, when they turn 16, they have to leave the county for a year: this is called the grace year. During this year, they’re banished into the forest and they must rid themselves of their dangerous magic (all the while being hunted from men outside of the county for that very reason).

I think Kim Liggett touches on so many important topics in this book: the way women are oppressed in different ways, the way they are blamed for things that are completely out of their hands. I was angry and terrified at the same time while reading this story, and for good reason. This world is terrifying when you are a woman. But it also shows how there are always people willing to stand up for themselves and for others, to fight for freedom, to fight for a better world. That is what I really liked about The Grace Year.

And yet, it didn’t manage to capture my attention fully. The pacing was off — the beginning was really gripping and so was the end, but in between I found myself losing attention. And some aspects just didn’t really fit for what I thought this book wanted to tell: the romance storyline, for example, felt a bit forced.

Overall, The Grace Year is a thought-provoking book and I would certainly recommend it. It’s the kind of dystopia that really terrifies with how close to reality it is, and the feminist themes, especially, made for an incredibly important story. I couldn’t connect fully to the plot and the characters, but I feel like the essence of this book is very much worth the read — plus, the spooky elements and the way this book is told, over the course of a year, made it very gripping. I read the last 100 pages way into the night!

(A full review will be posted on my blog, Ink & Myths, closer to the release date.)

OH, MY GOD. This book is HARROWING and absolutely riveting, an insidious journey from reason to madness that manages to absolutely refresh the concept of the patriarchal dystopia, with a beautifully realized ending that goes to a very different, and even more believable, subtle, and unexpectedly satisfying, place than I expected. Also the last line is so gorgeous I read it three times.
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In their sixteenth year the girls are banished and released into the wild for one full year, their grace year. In that year they are supposed to "lose" their magic. The very magic that they have been taught seduces men and drives women crazy.

Tierney James is 16 and about to be forced into her grace year but she dreams literally and figuratively of a better world, a world in which there is no grace year and women aren't pitted against one another. The Grace year is shrouded in secrets and the women who return don't speak of it nor do they speak of the ones who don't return.

The Grace Year is well written and addicting. It is Lord of Flies meets The Handmaiden's Tale with a bit of The Hunger Games tossed in for good measure. It's an excellent addition to the dystopian genre and you will be left wanting to know more.




* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Stunning read! This book opens with a quote from The Handmaid's Tale and a quote from Lord of the Flies, and I think that's really all you need to know to be intrigued. It's an allegorical tale filled with feminist hope. I think almost all women will find a moment or character to relate to. I was completely drawn in to the world--so different from our own, yet so frighteningly familiar. Definitely recommend!

Grace Year Girls are dangerous. They carry magic that can cause a man to do terrible things. So for a year they must be isolated, left alone until their magic burns out and they are safe again. Assuming they survive.


This is getting all kinds of press, and I can see why. It's a good read; I read it in two goes, wanted to know what was going to happen next, was interested. But the ending slightly ruined things. The two twists were obvious ... to me, at least, I can't speak for anyone else. I absolutely adore the idea of this, and I love that there's a secret group of women under the men's noses working to overthrow things. A good, enjoyable read, but not an amazing one for me, sadly.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

I couldn't put this book down and finished it within 24 hours. It grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let you go. The book almost seems like a combination of several other ideas (Salem witch trials, handmaiden, etc) but done in a unique way. I could see this being possible which is so scary.

This is a YA dystopian novel. At the age of sixteen, girls are forced to live in the woods for one year beyond the outskirts of their community. This is done to rid the girls of magic it is believed they possess and get them ready for marriage. However, not every girl makes it back alive and no one is allowed to speak of what happens during the "grace year."
One girl stands out as a rebel and begins to question the reasoning behind the forced year. In a world where women are supposed to be pliant and accepting, this defiance could have dire consequences.
This book was so well written and kept me reading. I wish we could have seen more of the side of the working women, those exiled and the poachers. However, great read and very thought provoking. I received a complimentary ebook from Netgalley.com

I loved this book! The fully developed, unique country with its patriarchal hierarchy draws you into the lives of the girls during their grace year and shortly after. Through the activities of Tierney, the main character, and the other girls you are slowly given background information on the mores and traditions of the county. There is the hint of magic and medicinal herbs and upcoming upheaval. Terrible things happen and wonderful things also happen. I found #thegraceyear by Ms Liggett to be an engrossing page turner and thank #netgalley for the ARC.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett is about - well, the grace year. It is a transition period from girl to womanhood. For their sixteenth year, a group of girls are banished into the wild to release their magic and return a woman; those who received a veil will wed, those who did not will work. No one speaks of the grace year. And some do not make it back alive. Sixteen-year-old Tierney dreams of a better society where her destiny is not determined by a man who marries. However, during her banishment, she realizes that she needs to survive on her own and her greatest threat is not what lurks in the wild but the other sixteen year olds.

Upon reading the synopsis of this book, the first book that came to mind was The Handmaid's Tale. Both books touch on women in society and their struggles for a bigger role. Overall, I wanted to like this book, but it was just not for me. But I did feel the author did a great job with the characters, especially Tierney. She was well-developed and had depth. The author had great writing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for providing me with an ARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I am so excited to talk about one of my most anticipated books of 2019! This one definitely did not disappoint. There’s a lot of death and condescension but let’s do it. Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Synopsis
In their sixteen year, the girls in Garner County gain the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women made with jealous. In order to keep them in their place, they’re sent out to live on an island in order to burn out all their magic.

Unfortunately for Tierney James, it is time for her Grace Year. And even more unfortunately, she can’t stop dreaming of a better life when dreams are strictly forbidden. Between the seasonal elements, the poachers out for the Grace Year girls’ blood and body parts, but also they need to fear each other.

Characters
Tierney James - the third daughter in the James family, who has reached her grace year. She wants to make it through alive and start her life in the fields.

Gertrude - A girl who suffered being punished prior to their grace year. She becomes Tierney's only friend.

Kiersten - Tierney's cousin. The county believes Michael, Tierney's best friend, will take her hand in marriage and become the leader of the community.

Rants, Raves, and Reviews
I adore Kim Liggett’s work. Ever since I met her at a panel in Books of Wonder, I have been excited to see what she’s writing. This book feels like her big break out book, and I am really excited to hopefully see her as someone more people I know recognize by name.

I also rarely talk about covers here, but this one is too gorgeously horrific to not talk about. The pink tones should make the book light and fluffy, but instead they’re giving off an air of something isn’t right. Add to it that red ribbon of the Grace Year Girl is dripping into blood….so good.

I am torn on how I feel about media being described as a “female Lord of the Flies. Libba Bray wrote a great book called Beauty Queens that I think tackles this concept in a more modern world very well. Are there still snarky girls? Sure. Is the entire group out to murder each other? No. However, does that mean I think that men are the ones that cause murderous rampages (hey I’ll be talking about Parkland soon, I’ll get more of those thoughts out soon)? Do women not have built up anger that would eventually cause them to explode? (At the very least, I think we can all agree that if there is a movie or TV show, it should be developed by women right?) Relationships between girls and women are incredibly complicated, and women and girls can be terrible to each other. While I am sick of seeing this done in media because it’s become so cliche, I really think this book handles that topic so well from beginning to the end. Not to spoil anything (which I try really hard to not do when I am reviewing) but I am guessing every single woman or girl that seems horrible has more depth than you realize.

I almost said “is a product of their environment” above, which…isn’t wrong. This book is being labeled a dystopia on Goodreads — I did as well — but we aren’t given any clues to whether this is a dystopia or just an alternate universe, or even a culture that existed in it’s own little slice of paradise hundreds of years ago. Or hell, a small society in the vast wooded areas today, a la The Village. Even by the end, we have no idea what it is, and that’s kind of amazing. The County is entirely low tech, and the people believe they’re essentially alone. Which is why it makes it so possible for the men to control the women as much as they do. It’s reminiscent of our witch burning days, but without giving women or girls any power. It is to the point that men can simply accuse their wives of witchcraft in order to get out of their marriages. Because you can’t just set a woman aside — she must die before you can remarry. So accuse, and she hangs. All that’s necessary is the word of a husband.

Yeah. It made me incredibly ill to read it too.

The book is broken up into seasons rather than chapters. It’s a little hard if you are someone who likes checkpoints in their reading (or more natural stopping points), but I think it works well here. The majority of the book takes place during our main character’s grace year, on a secluded island in the middle of the forest. Creepy enough for you? But wait — there is more! The island is primarily surrounded by a fence, with a little bit of space that is for the poachers. According to the community, only these girls can pass through that fence. If a man does, he risks being cursed by their magic, driven mad and needing to be killed almost immediately before it spreads to his family.

Okay. Isolated island? Check.
Men can’t get in, so no major risk of sexual assault? Check.

But what’s keeping the girls in? Oh, the fact that there are poachers waiting for them to step out of line, to leave the comfort of their cursed area. Poachers who are willing to slice the girls up slowly, because the more they scream, the more potent their organs are to be sold.

Oh, and the girls go onto the island knowing who has a marriage proposal waiting for them when or if they come back alive. And they don't get to turn it down.

Still not enough horrific-ness for you? Fine. If you die during your grace year, and your body cannot be brought back at the end of the year, then all your younger sisters are cast out of the community to live on the sidelines.

So survive, or it isn't just you who suffers.

(I am in some ways making this light because of how horrific this book is. And the movie rights have already been secured by Elizabeth Banks, so I am READY FOR THE TERRIFYING MOVIE.)

So the question is, do these girls really have magic? Is this oppression that they’re born into something to be expected? Or is it a lie that they choose to believe in because group mentality dictates they do or suffer the consequences? Obviously I am not going to spoil that. The “what’s real, what’s not” aspect is one of the best parts of the book. Tierney dreams — is this a magical power? — something we take for granted, something that is completely forbidden in this world. And I’m not talking about dreams like “aspirations” — dreams like nightmares and taking tests when you’ve never been to class. How do you oppress someone to the point that their subconsciousness responds?

Final Thoughts
Since I don’t want to spoil, I cannot talk about my favorite parts of this book. Liggett takes seemingly normal tropes — the Katniss trope, for example, and freshens it up. I love the ending of this book. If the horrific “who will survive their grace year” aspect doesn’t intrigue you, perhaps the discussion of the aftermath will. I doubt this book will have a sequel, but does a great job on implying the future the reader can expect.

Read this book. And if it is your first Kim Liggett book, go check out The Last Harvest or The Unfortunates too.

The Grace Year takes place in a misogynistic society wherein women are treated as property and 16 year old girls are sent away for their grace year to "get rid of their magic," thereby rendering them "safe" to men. We follow Tierney James during her grace year and learn of the brutality wrecked upon these girls by one another. They have the additional risk of being killed by poachers for their "potent" flesh if they stray outside the encampment. This book has undertones of Lord of the Flies and the mass hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials. It is brutal but a great read. I think it misses the mark on being superb by veering toward triteness in places, but it's well worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone. it is a timely reminder of how a world without women's rights can appear.

The Grace Year, by Kim Liggett, is a fast-paced, can't-put-down YA novel. Set in a secluded society where women have no rights and are feared for possessing magic, we follow 16 year old Tierney James who is setting off for her grace year. Tierney's always wanted something different than the other girls her age who aspire to be picked for marriage and childbirth before embarking on their grace year, she yearns to be free of the strict restraints her society has set upon her. However, talking about the grace year is strictly forbidden, so no one is certain what awaits them for their year away. All they know is that not everyone ever makes it home, and those that do are forever changed. The girls are led to the encampment by two guards to protect them from the poachers who are waiting in silence to sell their skinned alive bodies on the black market. Can Tierney make it through her grace year alive?



Written in beautiful descriptive prose, Liggett has given us a riveting novel that is sure to be a hit when it hits the shelves October 8th. Every page brings about new drama and new threats that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat, waiting to find out what happens to our heroine Tierney. While I wish I'd been given more of a back-story on certain characters and how this society evolved to become what it is, I literally couldn't put this book down and stayed up until 4am devouring the pages.

This book has everything you could ever want from the YA feminist fantasy genre! THE GRACE YEAR took me by surprise with so many unexpected twists and turns, and I felt so invested in our lead character, Tierney, as she navigated the influences of misogynistic terror, psychological manipulation, and violence. This is a heart-racing thriller on the level of THE HUNGER GAMES. I can't wait to read more of Kim Liggett's books!

I have been procrastinating a lot with writing this review the last few days. Mostly because I still don't know what exactly I should write, and I don't want to come off as super gushy where it's not really a review. But honestly, if I gush, I can't help it, because I absolutely LOVED this book! I quickly became obsessed with the story, thinking about it when I couldn't read it, constantly trying to guess what was coming next, what the ending would be like. I really got into the story and the characters, I felt like I personally knew each character. The author did really well engaging the reader and drawing us into the story. I seriously devoured this book, and I still want more. SO. MUCH. MORE. I need all the information, all the details, everything that happens next. I NEED MORE. I was both completely satisfied and yet not satisfied at all by the ending of this book; even days later I am still thinking about it, wanting more, wondering what would happen next to all the characters I grew to know and care about. I have been thinking about it, and I really has been a good while since I have had a book affect me so much, and I think that's partly why I have been so reluctant to do anything with this book after finishing it. The Grace Year is one of my favorite reads of 2019, possibly my top favorite. I only had ONE issue with it, which is why I didn't give it a full 5 Stars. There was one scene towards the end of the book that just completely destroyed my heart. and I'm sorry but I just can't forgive Liggett for killing my feels like that. But isn't that how the best books always go? You definitely need to give this book a shot, because it could become one of your favorites, too.

This book was fabulous! It’s been almost a month since I’ve read it and I still can’t get it out of my head. The female empowerment in this book just puts it way above the 5 stars that I can give.

I don’t want to give much away because if I’m being honest it will be easy to do when all you want to do is hush and brag about this story and the writing. The story itself is unique and the characters have depth. I was so invested in The Grace Year and I cried when it was over. I can only compare it to The Handmaid’s Tale. Only the show because I have yet to read the book.

If you want a book that shows women stepping out of the shadows of men and what’s expected of them then read this book. If you want a story that will suck you in and leave you speechless then read this book. I’m so happy I did.

"The things we do to girls. Whether we put them on pedestals only to tear them down, or use them for parts and holes, we're all complicit in this. But everything touches everything else, and I have to believe that some good will come out of all this destruction."

Haunting, harrowing, beautifully tragic. This was so very, very good. I usually find myself disappointed in YA books as I feel like they lack the substance I am looking for (to be clear I am in my early 30s) but I couldn't put this one down. This book is described as Lord of the Flies meets Handmaids Tale, and while that is definitely an accurate assessment, there were also major Hunger Games vibes happening here.

Sixteen year old girls spend their year away in an encampment in the woods, what is known as the "Grace Year." The county people feel they have a certain magic that would be used for lustful, indecent purposes, and are forced to take a year in isolation with only the other girls in their year (no supervision) to expel their magic and become a pure, virtuous woman. Before leaving, single men claim them as their brides. No if, ands or buts or choice for the girls. The other problem being, the women outnumber the men, so those not "Selected" are forced into labor houses.

The book follows Tierney, and how she wants to take on a role being helpful in the encampment, creating shelters, water bins to collect rain, but is overruled by Kiersten who all the other girls treat as a god. What ensues is a fight for survival, as the girls go mad with their "magic" against each other. But not only do they have to save themselves from each other, but the Poachers outside of the encampment who will be paid handsomely if they can capture them, skin them alive, bottle and sell their body parts. Back in the county, their body parts are believed to bring eternal youth to people. If the girls don't return after their year, accounted for (whether in jars or alive), their female siblings are banished to the outskirts. As Kim Liggett wrote, the things we do to girls....

So yes, this book deals with a lot of brutal deaths, a lot of savage young girls, and even cannibalism. But it ended with such an encouraging message about feminism, and fighting for what is right. I loved Tierney, she reminded me of Katniss Everdeen in the sense she is smart and sharp, has good outdoor skills, but was naive enough for her to be believable.

This book crossed a fine line of being both very unrealistic, but so very realistic at the same time. Huge praise for this book and I think all age groups would benefit and enjoy this read. So excited to hear it's been optioned for a movie as well!

As I read The Grace Year, I was sad to have a full-time job I had to devote time to, as I really wanted to read it cover to cover in one sitting.

The world described in the novel is dystopian, yet it feels so real, real enough that our society could get there within decades. The characters are three-dimensional, believable, and relatable. I'm hoping it is only the first of a series from this author, as I loved it that much. Highly recommend.

I received a galley copy of The Grace Year from the publisher and leave this review willingly.

What the H**L did I just read?!! I flew through this in a day. I couldn't put it down. It was horrifying. Part The Handmaid's Tale, The Hunger Games, The Crucible, Lord of the Flies..... but still brand new. It was a horrifying dystopian thriller.

The pacing of the book felt off at times, and I'm not sure if it's because the formatting was a little off since it was an ARC but overall. WTF, man. What a ride. I'm not sure I loved it, but it was a book that knew how to throw a punch and leave a mark.

📚Book Review 📚
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Release date: (10/8/19)
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OH. MY. FREAKING. GOSH. First off, this is my ALL TOME FAVORITE READ this month and probably ever besides @therealsjmaas books. Second, I NEED MORE of these words and I need them NOW. This book was insane and . . . Maddening. There were parts were I was like “Stick up for your self or.” “Chop her arm off!!!” ( I’m not sorry about how hyper I am about this read.) One thing that irritated me was the part in the book where the men dictated EVERYTHING except the Grace year, but then you almost die in the Grace year so it’s a lose lose world for the women . . . Or is it? (Mwahhaha) Anyway I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was like no book I have every read but I heard it’s like The Handmaids tale.
📚Book Review📚
In Garner County, girls are lead to believe they have powers to lure men to sin and drive women mad.They are believed to be sin. That’s why they are sent away for there sixteenth year, so thy can return magic free and ready for the men to claim. But not every girl will make it back from there Grace year alive . . . Or at all. Tierney dreams of a new world. A world where women are there own and friends aren’t against each other for self gain. A world where she is her own. But as her Grace year draws near she realizes she had more to fear than coming home. She will deal with control crazed girls, poachers would would love to skin her alive, and the love of her life. She must learn how to survive and how to hold onto herself when everyone is pulling.
If you love books involving Science Fiction or dystopian this book is for you but WAIT . . . Did I mention forbidden romance? Ahh.
My favorite character was Micheal because honestly he was the sweetest and just adorable.

Clear and fairly striking prose, but the plot and characters and relationships felt as if they were rolling off me rather than sticking with me. Even in the scene where Ryker is murdered as they're preparing to escape I lacked the emotional connection with the characters to experience much horror or even significant chagrin. I felt as if I wanted it to have gone through another set of revisions to tighten up the story.