The Grace Year is a powerful book and definitely one of my top reads for 2019. It’s about a village, where every year young women are sent into the woods to dispel all of their dangerous magic before they’re married off to the man who chooses them. The story is pitched as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Lord of the Flies

I am usually not one for dystopian books; however, the beautiful, atmospheric writing, and raw emotion pulled me in and had me finish it within 24 hours of starting it. The author doesn’t shy away from the horror and grotesque things that could potentially happen to these girls. She uses it not for shock value, but to convey the powerful message of the strength of women. This story is a rollercoaster of emotions, and I loved the journey that I went on throughout the story. By the end, as a woman I felt a sense of pride. This story is incredible and has relevant messages for women in today’s society. Definitely read this book!

When I read the synopsis, I was immediately hooked. 

It felt like a darker, possible-survival story surrounding female-oppression. It's definitely a world driven novel, and I think the author did a great job in creating an entrapping society that you just want to know the history of. 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a book that surprised me with all the feelings from anger to shock to empowerment. The vibe is darker than I expected which also really drew me in and left me feeling heavy.

A polarizing yet powerful dystopian novel that explores the cruelty and kindness of women, as well as how and why women choose to perpetuate patriarchal oppression. This is a book with an intriguing concept but ultimately lackluster execution, and the abundance of body horror makes it difficult for me to recommend unilaterally in good faith.

Don’t be fooled by the pretty pink cover: this isn’t a beautiful book. Liggett depicts a world of horrifying patriarchal control, where a man who wants a younger and prettier wife has cause to send his current spouse to the gallows; where teenage girls are sent into the wilderness at age sixteen to ‘burn away’ their ‘magic’ and return submissive and dutiful, either to marry (the lucky few) or to labor without reprieve until the day they die. We don’t get much in the way of world-building – an aside here-and-there about ‘Eve’ who was burned alive for her ‘magic’ but nothing in the vein of lengthy exposition on how and why this society came to be. As other reviewers have noted, this adds to the creeping claustrophobia of the setting, as well as suggesting with chilling subtlety how easily patriarchal regimes rise, survive, and thrive.

As much as I enjoyed reading this novel, I’d like to point out several crucial flaws that may detract potential readers. Tierney as a character only became interesting to me towards the end of the novel, and I’ll admit that I found her relationships with Ryker and Michael uninteresting in comparison to the women in her life. I also wonder if the “happy” ending was earned – and if the revelation about the girl with the birthmark was explained well enough for my liking. Like many young adult dystopian novels, this one suffered from pacing issues, and I would’ve liked to have seen more of the inner workings of the grace year camp, as well as more time devoted to the development of relationships. Kiersten’s character felt cartoonish at times and subtle in others, and I never felt that I knew anyone well enough to understand their motivations. It’s likely that this subterfuge was by design, but the murkiness of character and setting compounded by the absence of chapter division (the book is divided into seasonal sections, each roughly 100 pages in length) resulted in an often confusing reading experience.

But those points aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel – I’m a fast reader, but even I find it difficult to read over 400 pages in a single day, which I managed with this utterly compelling work. A major word of caution, however: this is a violent book. Graphic descriptions of gore, torture, and body horror abound, and while (gratefully) the horror of sexual violence isn’t sexualized, it wasn’t something I was expecting based on the description – and, rightfully, it was deeply unsettling. I don’t know whether the publisher could feasibly provide trigger warnings in future publications, but at the very least a sentence warning potential readers of the content could be useful (particularly given the pretty pink cover and comparisons to The Hunger Games, which, though violent, doesn’t approach the same level of gore as this novel does.)

In sum: recommended, but use discretion; if you’re turned off by the prospect of a feminist dystopian novel, or if you loathe gratuitous descriptions of violence, I’d suggest sitting this one out. However, if you’re intrigued by female-based horror and the nuances of girlhood gothic, I recommend giving it a go and deciding for yourself if my critiques have merit.

Ahhh when I got the email from NetGalley about the Grace Year being a "Read Now" title for 72 hours, I had to jump on it, and I'm glad I did! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for giving me the opportunity to read The Grace Year Early!

The Grace Year 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads: No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
Girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. 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. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for their chance to grab one of the girls in order to make their fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

So when I read the description, I wasn't 100% sure whether or not I wanted to read this book- but then, I saw someone else's review that said it was short and dystopian and I was like yes. The e-arc for the Grace Year is only 226 pages long, so I knew that I could get it done relatively quickly and since I generally enjoy dystopian ya novels, I figured I could get on board with this book. The book started with a lot of promise and while I got a little bored during the year the Grace Year girls were in their actual Grace Year, the general plot of the book was pretty interesting and generally moved fast enough that I stayed interested throughout. Some of the characters were easy for me to get confused (for some reason, I could never remember which one of Tierney's sisters were which), but overall,  the important people were really easy to remember. I think some of the plot twists that were added in throughout were really interesting, but the one near the end when they get back to town was unnecessary and I was not a fan.

Overall though, I enjoyed the Grace Year and I definitely think that it was worth reading. It comes out on October 8th, so make sure to pick it up around then!

Where do I even begin? The Grace Year was emotional, gut-wrenching, and amazing. I feel changed having read it and honestly just feel like I want to read it again.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Grace Year is a fairly fast-paced YA speculative fiction. It's both feminist and not, which provides a great discussion opportunity for any book clubs that choose to pick it up.

We follow Tierney, who's 16 and thus about to head off for her grace year - a year in which girls are banished to the woods for fear that the men in the community will fall victim to their power. The understanding is that they possess magic, and must release it while in the woods so as to return pure and ready for marriage. But, of course, not all the girls return - and what really happens during the grace year is kept a mystery.

I liked The Grace Year, but I didn't love it. The pacing didn't always work for me - sometimes things felt too drawn out, and other times months passed by in a blink (when I think their inclusion would have added to the story). Some elements of the plot felt too convenient, or like they ran contrary to what had previously been developed. The ending was written in a much subtler way than the rest of the book, and because of that several friends missed what I think actually happened. (Initially, I thought it was a purposely ambiguous ending, but upon a reread, I think there's only one conclusion that makes sense based on the details presented.)

While reading, I couldn't help but think of the parts of the world in which menstruating girls are isolated. Liggett mentioned in an interview that she was "blown away by the things that we do to teen girls" and, while I think the Grace Year does leave something to be desired, I appreciate her motivation.

Thank you to Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Libro.fm for a free e-ARC and ALC of this title.

This book was very entertaining with lots of suspense which kept me engaged and turning pages. If you like survival stories like The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies, you will most likely enjoy this book. Even though there are some flaws with the plot and an unnecessary romance, the overall theme of females rising above male dominance carries throughout the story. I would have loved more scenes of the girls and how they survived for a whole year.

Our stage is set in 'the county', a Handmaids-Tale kind of scenario. The only role of a woman is to be a wife and bear children, preferably sons of course. Congregations and silent prayer are forbidden, and for their 16th year each female is sent away to 'release their magic' at an encampment. If they are lucky they will return afterward to obey whichever man has laid claim. If not they will be sent to the fields and workhouses.
Not an entirely original premise but thankfully the bulk of this book focuses on the girls during their time spent away from the county. The Grace Year.

As always we follow the ambitious one. The girl who will not conform, who dreams of a better way of life. Tierney wants nothing less than to be a wife and resents the laws of the county.

The Grace Year had all the markings of a 5 star read, right up until the insta love trope landed. It destroyed the defiant independent vibe Tierney had and once I'd noticed it with Ryker, I realised she was being saved at every turn by men; her father, Michael, Hans, Ryker the list goes on.
For all of Tierney's rebellious talk and thoughts of protecting the other girls she hadn't really acted on any of it. She began to seem sanctimonious and I found myself preferring the stereotype victim of Gertrude!

Kiersten is a formidable antagonist. She appears to truly relish leading the cult-like mass hysteria, I found my strongest reaction was to her character. I really, really despised Kiersten in a bizarrely enjoyable way! She was perfectly written.

I'm not going to mention very much about the plot because uncovering it was my favourite part of reading this book.
There are a couple of surprises in store for readers of The Grace Year. I didn't predict them because Liggett blends them perfectly into the sequence.
For me there was no face palm 'I-should-have-known' moments, more of an 'OH! Well yes that does make sense..'
This title was my 100th read of 2019 so I was particularly happy to be misdirected so expertly.

I'm not a fan of a nice gift wrapped ending which is how it felt, but I can overlook it because the premise of The Grace Year is fantastic!

This book has all the cruel, insidious, culty goodness I love, set in the wilderness with supernatural vibes and psychological scares.
Tamp down the cheesy romance sub plot and show me more of the 'outskirts' and I'd be calling it perfect.

As soon as I heard this was a combo of [book:The Handmaid's Tale|38447], [book:Lord of the Flies|7624] and [book:The Hunger Games|2767052], I was in. Those three books do sum up the plot pretty well, and though it's not quite as great as any of those books, that doesn't mean it's not good.

I raced through this book in about 48 hours. It did move from great to so-so a few times, but then would veer back to good and then great again. Along the way I had some issues with parts of it (we have stereotypical mean girls and girls fighting over boys) but I was pleasantly surprised when there were then some explanations and commentary on those issues, so they are not really presented as acceptable norms. It's not perfectly excused, but it helped my discomfort.

I've seen some complaints about the requisite romance in this YA book, but I think it fits here. Tierney is a 16 year old girl who is not only fighting for her life, but possibly even suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. This is not explicitly stated in the book, but there are a enough subtleties in the book throughout that I think it could be argued.

In the end, my favorite thing is that the story and all the problems in the County are not wrapped up tidily. Instead of unrealistically solving all the issues immediately, we see instead that seeds of change have been planted. As we saw with June's Garden, those seeds can end up saving lives.

This is a YA book that can be thoroughly enjoyed by adults (I'm practically an old lady and I loved it). If you like The Handmaid's Tale or Hunger Games, or would like to read a female centered Lord(ess) of the Flies, then I say definitely give this a try. And buy a copy for the teen girl in your life, so she can wonder about her magic, whether it's real, and how she might use it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for lending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve got to admit, I was skeptical when I first saw this book. I thought it was hard to bring something new to the dystopian, fight for your life, young adult story. But this one completely blew me away!

Although often compared to Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies (feminine version, way scarier!), this book managed to include a lot of survivalist details without letting them weigh down the story. Or distract from the characters and the horrific plight the young women faced.

I was surprised by the many twists in the last 25% of the book. By the time the few grace year girls return to the county, they are all changed in one way or another. And Tierney realizes her family has been standing with her all along, in the only way they know how.

I would have enjoyed a neat and happy ending. But that would have made the story more like a fairy tale. And there were hard truths for Tierney to still face. As she realizes all the sacrifices that have been made for her, she finally appreciates her community and sisterhood of women. This realism made The Grace Year all that more powerful! I highly recommend this book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In the vein of The Handmaid's Tale, The Grace Year is a feminism, dystopian thriller that I could not put down! A very interesting concept, but I felt like the execution of the plot fell just a little bit short.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

With the renewed interest in books such as The Handmaid's Tale, The Grace Year is an interesting mix of the Margaret Atwood classic and William Golding's Lord of the Flies. This book started out strong, with a setting that was immediately interesting, strong characters, and a story that kept me guessing. But the ending of this book didn't quite deliver.

What I Liked:
Setting:

I found the society that the book was set in to be intriguing and scary. Men are so afraid of women having any power, they control every aspect of their lives. They are constantly told they are full of evil magic, and are temptresses out to do harm to men. There are rigid rules to follow, public punishments, and arranged marriages. And there is a rage that is only between women (after they've gone through the Grace year), that we will understand as the story progresses.

Characters:

Tierney has never wanted to be married and has worked hard to make herself as unappealing to men as possible. She has planned out her life to be placed as a field worker, rather than a wife. But she soon learns that she, like all women in the book, cannot control her own destiny.

Although I thought Tierney was entirely too self-aware, I did like how she tried to take action so all the Grace Year girls would be better off. She was a leader.

There were an assortment of other girls who were equally interesting, especially Gertie and Kiersten. Gertie, is the one almost always a target of bullying. She is meek, and shy, and doesn't protest when she is relentlessly taunted by her former best friend, Kiersten. This book show an unfortunate side of human nature. Bullies will rise, if not challenged. Kiersten is the ultimate queen bee. She has a charismatic personality that the other girls are drawn to. But she uses her popularity to consolidate power, not to be a force of good. Isn't it inevitable that Kiersten and Tierney will be mortal enemies?

Plot:

I loved the story. What happens when teen girls are left isolated and must survive on their own? Do the girls really possess magic or are they in an elaborate psychological experiment? These were really fascinating to see played out in the story.

What I was Mixed About:
Narrative:

Based on the society that Tierney lived in, I just don't think she would have had the self-awareness to be bothered by the oppression of the female characters. As a reader in 2019, of course I was horrified by how the women were treated. But I think Tierney would never had been such a trailblazer. Or at least there would have been many other girls who had the same anger as she.

This all boils down to the old saying, "show, not tell" that writers are given. It is much more effective to show the oppression, and how it affects the characters, than it is to have Tierney give a running commentary about how wrong this all is.

Action Sequences:

There are several action sequences where Tierney is being chased by people. This was exciting, but also confusing. It was difficult to follow what was happening, as some reality was mixed with hallucinations (at least that is what seemed to be going on?). I was even confused as to if certain people died or not. I wish these scenes would have been more straight forward.


What I didn't Like:

Ending:

The ending left me very confused as to what actually happened. As the girls are finally taken back to the village, there is a revelation that I didn't see coming (it would have helped if this had been more explicitly hinted at earlier in the book). This revelation changes the trajectory of the main character and puts into doubt any actual changes that might happen due to Tierney's actions. What was it all for?

Remember when I complained that the author should show, not tell what is going on? Well, she apparently got the message at the very end. The ending was so ambiguous, I really didn't understand what became of Tierney. And that is a frustrating way to end a book.

"I wonder what would happen if we all said what we really felt...just for one night. They couldn't banish us all. If we stood together, they'd have to listen. But with rumors swirling about a usurper among us, no one is willing to take that risk. Not even me.

I read this book in one day, in pretty much one sitting. I have read so many YA dystopia novels about 5-6 years ago when they were all the rage that I am not even a fan of dystopia anymore so I am not sure what compelled me to request this book to begin with. But I am glad I did. Usually I don't agree with the comparisons they make in the book blurbs but I think calling this a mix of "Lord of the Flies" and "Handmaid's Tale" is pretty spot on. Especially the first one. This might be the closest to an all-girls version of "Lord of the Flies" I've ever read.

"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."

In the end though, this book is a feminist book. It is about the power of women. It is about how the world, and the men in this book, try to break the women. Try to pit them against each other at all costs. It's about how both love and betrayal can come from unexpected sources.

"There's a place inside us where they can't reach us, they can't see. What burns in you burns in all of us."

It's about survival. About not losing hope. Not letting yourself be broken. It's a powerful book that made me feel angry, dejected, hopeful and proud all at once. I am glad I read it and I am glad it's out there.

Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF around 30%
This is one of those rares "it's not you, it's me" moments.

I saw how much everyone loved this one and I wanted to give it a try. It really did seem the type of book I'd love. However, I just can't physically stomach it. It is by no means a graphic novel in its description but the insinuation is ever-present and I just felt physically ill when the Betsy thing happened. It seemed to all click into place.

I also want to mention that this isn't structured by chapters. There are 5 parts dividing the book, but within each part, it is a continuous narrative, and I personally didn't care for it. I also felt some scenes or transitions happened too quickly or never at all. It's just an odd writing choice, one I wouldn't pick.

So, I am disappointed in myself since I was anticipating this release, and I feel ridiculous by my reaction. That being said, I think that, if the summary intrigues you if you read other reviews (most are raving about it), and you enjoy horror/thriller, READ IT! I really believe this is just an abnormal issue of my own.

DNF at 35%.

I really wanted to like this, but I guess it's just not for me.

I can't bring myself to continue any further. So far I've found the story incredibly slow moving, a third of the way in and nothing has really happened. I don't feel anything for any of the characters, and particularly don't like the MC.

I saw the only twist so far coming a mile off, and was annoyed that the MC didn't.

I think the premise is interesting and sounded original, but in practice I'm finding it a bit samey and not unique or captivating enough to make me read on.

It's very rare that I give up on a book like this, but I don't have time to keep reading when I'm not enjoying it right now.

I hope that other people will give it a chance and get more from it than I have.

Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for a honest review.

Loved this book! The story flows the characters are fascinating and I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

I can see why this one is being compared to The Hunger Games.

It has also been compared to some other dystopian novels, but I have only read The Hunger Games. There is a wilderness/ fight for your life/ being hunted aspect that is quite terrifying.

This one is YA and focuses on sixteen-year old girls who are banished into the wild to be purified. Insanity, yes.

The world-building is vicious and the worst of human nature comes into play - betrayal, envy, cruel intentions and brutal chaos.

I had a hard time with the darkness of the plot and the characters seemed too artificial for me to connect to any of them.

I do think many will find this more of a page turner than I did. I little over the top for me and slow moving in places. I just never felt invested.

Many others have glowing reviews, so I'd say give it a try if you enjoy the darker dystopian themes.

I should stay away from anything that is or might be considered YA. I just cannot connect with the characters whatsoever. I believe that is why I did not care for this. It also felt like it wanted to be another Handmaid's Tale, and I am definitely over that! Flat characters and absolutely bizarre plot.

It's 12:30am and I'm not sure I actually have the words to articulate how I feel about this book. Despite how tough it can be to read at times, I haven't been so enthralled by a book in quite some time. I almost didn't want it to end, because it meant I would leave Tierney behind. Since I've finished it, I am as haunted by The Grace Year as I am made hopeful by Tierney and her bravery. I am amazed at her capacity to love and show compassion under perilous circumstances. I cried with her, I wanted to fight alongside her. I may never be able to write a proper review about how this book made me feel. The Grace Year feels like one of those books that will stick with you long after you've read the last page, but one you probably don't revisit because you don't want to relive the horrors of the encampment, the threats of the outskirts, or the complete loss of autonomy at such a young age. In times such as these, I think we could use a few more Tierneys in the world. I'm glad to have her here, and I'm glad that other people will read her story.

This book is described as a cross between Handsmaid Tale and Lord of the Flies. This is an accurate statement. A sense of horror crept over me as I read about the oppression of women in this dystopian setting. Even in their oppression, the women submitted and channeled whatever feelings they had about it to hate the other women. The entire female population is deemed worthless and manipulative with their “magic.” Women must be silent, and never say what’s on their minds. Pretty messed up. That being said, I was not a huge fan, and did not finish the book.