THE GRACE YEAR is a horrifying and interesting experience that centers around female empowerment themes. The dystopian setting and atmospheric writing immediately drawn readers into the unique storyline, which these elements evoke many emotions and leave the readers a bit unsettled.

This speculative fiction definitely has an absorbing concept - Kim guides us into a wild ride full of twists. The readers find themselves engaged into a profound repressive scene full of dark secrets. I only wanted more character development yet I found them strong. Some readers would demand further answers while others would feel unsatisfied with the ending.

the premise of this story was compelling, captivating and just plain unique. Someone described this book as being a combination between The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies, and I must admit it’s the perfect comparison. The Grace Year is a compelling work of fiction that left me bereft at times, incredibly sad, while also hopeful. But most of all I was hooked, and just wowed by its unique story.

Finally an ARC I enjoyed. This was a very interesting book. I liked the commentary and overall plot of this. I haven't read a dystopian for awhile and this book made me want to read more. It reminded me a lot of a YA version of The Handmaid's Tale. There are elements in this story that I think are super important to read about especially young adults. While this wasn't perfect I still would recommend if you like dystopians.

It took me a bit to get into this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. The premise of these young women having to be isolated to get rid of their ‘magic’ is pretty haunting. It speaks volumes about how girls becoming women are treated while keeping it to it’s own world. This dystopian world sets girls off at the age of 16 to unleash their magic, while being watched and pursed by poachers in the woods. There are some bloody scenes and some terrifying moments that are not what you think. You have shades of Lord of the Flies and the Handmaid’s Tale. The ending left with with a slightly confused feeling. That along with the beginning taking me a bit, I gave it four stars.

Great story and loved the romance. Loved the cast of characters and how the story came to be. Great story and I would read this author again.

Yeah, I loved reading this book. I wasn't sure if it would get me to rage at the inequality and unfairness or not, but it did get really close. Especially when we found out what was happening with the Grace Year. That was pretty infuriating!

This book takes place over the course of a year, Tierney's Grace Year. And because nobody talks about the Grace Year, but the girls have heard something. I loved how Tierney just didn't want to be a part of the system, but her friend pulled her in. That was not fun!

That time on the island though, I just wondered what the heck was going on. There were plenty of mysteries, like the poacher who didn't kill her, to the skeleton that she finds. And it's a rough go of it, I was on the edge of my seat reading it. And that one scene, that was just heartbreaking!

But that ending though? I don't know what to make of it. I really enjoyed Tierney really opening her eyes, and seeing the rebellion some of the women like her mom, are doing. And then she found out who the girl with the birthmark is. But I'm confused by how it ended. Like, did she die in childbirth? I just don't know!

This was such a fantastic read, and I can't wait to read more by Kim Liggett!

The overarching theme of this book is amazing. I love the women empowerment and feminine forward way the story unfolds. I think it does a fantastic job of discussing a lot of the true issues our society has, especially in regard to "gender roles".

This is a quick easy read. The development is slow as first but once it catches its stride hold on for the ride. I loved the reality of the story. The take on "happily ever after" and what happens when things are not always sunshine and rainbows.

If you're a reader that has to have a conventional HEA, this book is not for you. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good female empowerment story or a book with more realism in the storyline.

I'm tired of reading "this is a YA The Handmaid's Tale" and be frustrated when the book don't be exactly what the publisher is selling to readers. It's boring book with a boring main character.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The grace year is the year girls have the power to lure grown men from their beds and drive women mad with jealousy. During this year they are banished from Garner County so they can release their magic and return ready for marriage.
The book started a bit slow but wow did it turn out good, The red ribbons, dresses, veils, and ceremonies were a total distraction to what the real issues are. With a nice mix of Handmaid's Tale, and Hunger Games it kept me on the edge of my seat once it revved up.

I started this today and finished in 4 hours.

What the heck. This book is fabulous and addresses so many things that need to be talked about.

I need to think more about what I want to say.

I’m just shook with emotions of what happened in this book.

The betrayal, forgiveness, and love.

SHOOK.

Thank you to the publisher for this book!
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Devoured this in one day. Well written page turner. A little to clean and neat at the end for me.

I have seen this compared to the hunger games and while the grace year itself is being sent away, I think the comparisons are unfair.

I really enjoyed this book. It's like Lord of the Flies with women.
In Garner County, the men have created a tradition that takes away women's magic. During the year of their 16th birthday, they have locked away far from the county on an island and permitted nothing but the most basic of supplies. Tierney is concerned about what is happening to all the girls. Is this truly magic? Is this something else?
I enjoyed that I didn't know how this story was going to go. At the halfway point, I thought I did but I was wrong. Kim Liggett kept you on your toes. We also only know what Tienery knows which keeps the reader just as much in the dark.
The novel also gives off The Maze Runner vibe. The girl must watch out for poachers who kill the girl and then sell their bodies parts as aphrodisiacs. The girls must venture into the forest without getting killed. This could be the female side of the Maze experiments.
Fun, thrilling, and thoughtful The Grace Year is a dystopian novel that YA readers will surely enjoy.

I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

The Grace Year girl is a book I've been trying to review for about a year and a half. The issue I have is that it's just so good I have a hard time putting into words how I feel about it. Tierney James is a character that's both caring and compassionate and strong and resilient. Garner Country is a highly repressive religious community, hard to tell if it's a completely other world or a future or past version of our own, but it doesn't matter, Kim Liggett wrote a world so complete that it stands on its own. We don't need to know what's beyond, because her world building is so complete. I'm finally giving up, I'm putting the most basic of what I can think of about this story down, because my fear is that I can't write the review that this book really deserves.

I've had a lot of false starts with this book. I've probably stopped and put it back down half a dozen times this past year. I kept going because my friends have raved about it and because it was such an interesting premise. I think, 74% through and a year and a half of trying, I need to just face facts that this story is not for me and maybe this genre isn't either. I get that it's meant to be a commentary of real world struggles but I read fiction to escape that not to feel the bleakness looking back at me with names and faces in a new world. There is much that others will love here, but sadly, not me. Thank you for granting me access.

Unfortunately I've just lost interest in this book. I just don't think it's a book I need to spend time on anymore, and I don't think my review would be positive.

This book had my attention from the beginning. The plot grabs you and keeps you reading. I have heard of the grace year and this was great.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I thought this was a unique take on a story of how petty and mean teenage girls can be. The era of this book is uncertain. Is it from far in the past or is it some strange village with really archaic rules? It's not at all clear, but it is something I wondered as I was reading. The concept of sending girls off to fend for themselves for a year in a camp. It's remarkable how horrible they were to each other and how quickly they turned on each other. I enjoyed Tierney as a character. She was clever and so different from the rest of the girls. It was an interesting coming of age type story.

4 ½ stars. This book packs a PUNCH. I was reminded of The Handmaid's Tale, Lord of the Flies (both aptly quoted in the epigraph), Glory O'Brien's History of the Future, The Hunger Games, and All the Truth That's In Me...and a lot of the best dystopian novels from the early 2000s/2010s (only better, because the feminism is more sophisticated, the character relationships are more nuanced, and the imagery/allegories were spot. on. The poacher/prey cannibalism theme--how women (literally) consume one another to survive in a violent, patriarchal society--and the presentation of "nice guy" insidious violence, were especially perfect for a YA novel. Unsettling, creepy, and effective.). I couldn't put it down! The ending was surprisingly emotional for me. Highly recommend, and will definitely purchase for my HS library.

Thank you to St. Martin's press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy!

I really wanted to like this book but I found I had to force myself to finish it. I found parts of the story engaging and interesting but other parts were just painful. I generally enjoy dystopian books but this one did not do it for me.