Tierney James is getting ready for her grace year. The year that she and all of the other sixteen year old girls in her village will spend on the island, getting rid of their magic--their power over men. No one speaks of that year, and Tierney is entirely unprepared for what she must face.

Wow. This book reminded me of The Crucible, mixed with Lord of the Flies, and is so important for a discussion about men and women and their relationships. I could not put this one down, despite how difficult it was sometimes to continue.

3.5 stars.

Kim Liggett's upcoming novel The Grace Year feels like a mashup of The Handmaid's Tale and Lord of the Flies, with a little bit of The Hunger Games mixed in for good measure. Yet at the same time, it's an immensely unique and disturbing story all its own.

"They call us the weaker sex. It's pounded into us every Sunday in church, how everything's Eve's fault for not expelling her magic when she had the chance, but I still can't understand why the girls don't get a say. Sure, there are secret arrangements, whispers in the dark, but why must the boys get to decide everything? As far as I can tell, we all have hearts. We all have brains."

Girls are told that they are dangerous, that they possess the power to lead men into destructive temptation, much as Eve did to Adam. They are led to believe that they have "magic"—that their bodies give off a certain essence when they're on the cusp of their 16th birthday. So all of the 16-year-old girls are sent away for one year, their so-called "grace year," and they're expected to release their magic into the wilderness so they can return purified and ready for marriage if they've been selected, or ready for life as a laborer if not.

Tierney James has always lived her life caring little for convention, not listening to the commands of her mother or the insults of the other women and girls in the community. She's not interested in getting married, in being the property of a man—she looks forward to living a life working in the fields, spending time at one with nature. She's known by many as "Tierney the Terrible" for her wild ways, and no one expects her to be chosen for marriage anyway. But when she is chosen, she is uncertain that she wants that kind of life for herself, although refusing will have grave consequences for her and her family.

The girls are sent into the wilderness and left to fend for themselves. They must deal with the brutal elements, forage for their own food, and avoid the so-called "poachers" that lurk in the woods, who wait for one wrong step so they can kill a girl and sell her essence to the black market. But as the girls begin to form a society of sorts, Tierney realizes it's not the wilderness or the poachers that pose the biggest threat to their survival—it's each other.

"We hurt each other because it's the only way we're permitted to show our anger. When our choices are taken from us, the fire builds within. Sometimes I feel like we might burn down the world to cindery bits, with our love, our rage, and everything in between."

The Grace Year is at turns violent, disturbing, sad, defiant, sexy, romantic, and hopeful. It is a story of young women being made to believe they are dangerous yet deficient, that their only true worth will be recognized if they marry and have children, and that they need to destroy each other in order to secure a happy future for themselves and their families. It is also a story of how much men fear women and seek to control them to overcome those fears.

As outrageous as this story is on many fronts, there are definitely places in which the book is eerily prescient of what is happening in our society today. Liggett did a great job ratcheting up the tension in the book, and creating characters I found myself rooting for, as well as some I was definitely rooting against.

At times, I found the violence in the book to be really disturbing, and after a while, the cruelty of the girls' was very hard to read about. The violence may be a trigger for some, because at times it's fairly graphic. But even when I had difficulty with the book, there was something about the story that I couldn't turn away from.

Reading The Grace Year definitely got me thinking, and I'm certainly thankful that we're not in this kind of situation in our society today. This is one of those books that I won't be able to get out of my mind for a while.

NetGalley and Wednesday Books provided me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

This book will be published October 8, 2019.

Oh my goodness, I don't even know where to start with this one! I read The Grace Year in about a day and a half because I couldn't put it down! I finished this book a while ago, but I needed time to process after being immersed in this completely different world. The book's description really got to me, so as soon as I got my copy on NetGalley, I set aside all other books and devoured The Grace Year.

The Grace Year is terrifying and tragic, yet it is beautiful. It's breathtaking. The author writes in a way that I can't even begin to adequately describe! Everything in the book, every little detail is essential to the story. Tierney's world became my world. I was afraid, exhausted, and surrounded by the unknown.

I couldn't stop reading because I felt like I couldn't live in reality until I went through this year with Tierney and the other girls in their grace years. Well, I was mistaken. I couldn't live in reality when I was done either! When you finish The Grace Year, be prepared to have a major book hangover. Give yourself time to recuperate because you're not going to be able to function for days. Since The Grace Year doesn't come out until September, you've got time to prepare yourselves.

I'm giving you absolutely no more information because I want you to experience everything with no real context other than knowing this is a YA dystopian novel sort of like The Handmaid's Tale yet totally original. And you're going to love it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my ARC.

A special thank you to Kim Liggett for writing my newest infatuation. I hope there are more books to come.

No one is allowed to speak of the grace year, it's forbidden.

The Grace Year is one of those books you just can't put down until it's finished. This book is like if The Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games had a child.

Tierney James is 16. That's the age you're banished to release your magic back into the wild. Only women are born with this so called magic that must be expunged. Tierney dreams of a better life, one where women aren't pitted against each other. Not only do the women of the camp have to fight the elements and poachers hoping to make a fortune on the black market, but they must also fear the greatest threat of all, each other.

Please do yourself a favor and read this feminist triumph!

I am going to start off by saying. I really like this book. But I have some issues.

The Good: This is the most amazing, lyrical, and beautifully written novel that I have read in years. It would make the perfect title for a women's literature class in college to do comparative literature analysis. It would be an amazing title for adult book clubs. Women who like "The Handmaids Tale" will be obsessed with reading and analyzing this book.

The confusing: Why is this book being published as a teen novel? I am an adult woman in her thirties. I loved this book but when I thought how would I book talk this and where, I came up blank. If I just had a high school class of seniors, yes that could work. But when I go to the high school I can have young 13 year olds in the room. This book is going to appeal and be more appropriate for older teenager, those that are 17,18, or 19. New Adults will flock to this book and talk about it. And Adult women who love YA are going to talk about this book a lot! When I started thinking about read-a-likes for this I thought of "The Handmaid's Tale" or "Red Rising". Two Adult novels.

Just because a book has teenagers in it, does not automatically make it a teen novel. In Red Rising, Darrow is a 16 year old boy in the first book but the graphic nature of the book, the mature content, the plot, and complex language lands it squarely into the adult category. The Grace Year also has all of these caveats. I'm not saying that there aren't some teens out there who will like this book. Because I do think new adults and older teens will. However, if a book isn't mean't for the majority age group of teens (12 to 18), is it a teen novel still?

I'm not sure I can buy it for the teen collection. I think it might be more appropriate in the Adult Collection or a New Adult Collection (if you are lucky enough to have one). If you are looking for more teen-centric books that deal with feminism and can span across a wider teen age range, I suggest Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu or The Cold in Her Bones By Peternelle van Arsdale.

Wow wow wow. When it was described as a cross between Handmaids Tale and Lord of the Flies, I didn’t know what to expect. But, that description is spot on.
I didn’t think I was going to like this book, frankly, when I started it, as it seemed so ethereal or lyrical...which I just don’t dig. But, ultimately, it was goooooood. Super interesting rumination on feminism and female power and misogyny. Much deeper than I initially thought, too.
I didn’t love the ending and how one or two of the plot lines played out, but it is a good read. Very good. 🤓💜📚

"The truth about the grace year, what happens during that shadow year, is hidden away in the tiny slivers of filament hovering around them when they think no one’s watching. But I’m always watching."

Wow! Just wow! As I sit here, I really am not sure if I will do this book justice. I am completely blown away, and think that I will think back on this book in the days ahead.

This book truly fits the description of "dark psychological thriller" in every sense of the genre. Without giving any spoilers - or at least doing my best not to! - "The Grace Year" is about the year the girls of a certain age are sent away to "get rid of their magic". They live in a small town where beliefs are strong and traditions are held fast. Women are seen as property, and less and men have complete control. However this group of Grace Year girls will not be like those of prior years because for them - and for those in the past - the time away shows them what they are made of. They discover freedom, and just how far they will go while enjoying it. It is the mob mentality in action. Secrets seep out and survival is key. For all, the year is life changing, however *how* is vastly different for each girl.

The story is deep, dark and tugs at the emotions. It makes the reader think, and even start to evaluate one's way of thinking and believing, and - maybe - even determine where that "line" is ... the one that clearly defines where you will or won't do something. The book exposes the cruelty of others, how some can decline to such a level of primal instinct so base that it almost eradicates the humanity that lives deep within, and even -for some - how to hold on strongly to every little strand of humanity that remains. It's about survival of self, and survival of others. It's a psychological slap of the face with each twist and turn as you are hooked to the story, wanting to know how it ends.

I would strongly recommend this book, especially for those who enjoy dark psychological thrillers. I can easily say that this is one of the best books I've read so far this year.

In closing, I wish to thank NetGalley and the author for the wonderful opportunity to read such a fascinating and engaging book!!

I read this almost in one sitting, which I think is the best approach. Having read Handmaiden's Tale, as well as The Power, I see similarities but think the book stands apart and would tell readers to go in without drawing conclusions to Hunger Games or Lord of the Flies, as well.

At the end of the novel, I wanted to know more about how the tradition of the Grace Year came to be, and more of a resolution at the end (although I'm entirely certain a sequel must be in the works). Despite the pacing issues, and lack of development in some of the characters, I still would absolutely recommend this book. The questions posited are good ones, and increasingly important in today's world.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of The Grace Year.

Boy this book certainly packs a punch. Does it live up to the description of The Handmaid's Tale meets The Lord of the Flies? It certainly does. It can be really brutal and shocking. Just horrifying at times. But the real story, the story that women are strong and powerful and actually possess magic, that's where this book truly shines.

For a book that's 416 pages, it really didn’t say anything that I hadn't read before.
The Grace Year is a book with a strong premise and a lacklustre execution with plotholes, poor pacing and a structure that makes it feel twice as long as it is.
I was looking forward to reading this for a long time but unfortunately, I was disappointed by the book overall.
I am rating this 3 stars rather than 2 stars because of the ending (that I wouldn't have gotten too if I weren't sent this book for review) and the fact that this book may be more intriguing for younger readers than myself as I can see the appeal in it.

I enjoyed this book so much, that I left a review on my blog at Januarygray.net I look forward to reading more by Kim Liggett. I could not put this book down! I highly recommend everyone read this book. A Handmaids tale meets Author Alice Walker is the best way I can describe this magical and disturbing book!

This story was riveting and I imagine it will consume my thoughts for some time to come. I am in awe of the story writing and amazed at the character development,. Kim Liggett was able to build a world that drew me in and held me suspended in anticipation for what was going to happen next.

The Grace Year takes place in an unknown land and time; known only to the reader as the county. In the county, when young girls reach the age of 16 it is believed they are capable of magically powers. To rid them of this magic, and prevent them from harming others, these girls are exiled for a year. Prior to leaving, the young men in the county select future brides from the girls. Those not selected by a boy to be his future wife will be forced to live a life filled with hard labor. No one speaks of what happens during the Grace Year but it is known that not all the girls survive and many who do return are maimed or scarred. In the wilds, outside the girls camp, are a group of poachers, hunting the girls.

The county is a male dominated society. Women are to be seen and not heard, there only value is their ability to produce children, and really only male children at that. The main character, a sixteen year old named Tierney dreams of being free. She doesn’t want to be selected for marriage, she desires to live life on her terms.

At times I was reminded of ‘The Lord of Flies’. How do young people survive alone, are they capable of governing themselves? When you add to those complexities that the young group of people are all teenage girls you create a tinderbox on the verge of exploding. While there are many factors at play for the girls in exile, I think Liggett emphasizes a group of young girls capability to be ‘catty’, the ability of one to apply peer pressure to get others to collude in the bullying of one individual.

I very, very rarely give a book five stars, I really have to be moved beyond words. This book is a highly recommend from me.

The Grace Year reminds me very much of a Hunger Games/ Margaret Atwood mashup. The world building and plot twists were fantastic and the relationships that the characters share are engrossing. Overall, fabulous read.

Holy smoke! This book was so much more than I expected it would be. The storyline was so unique, it immediately drew me in. It was full of adventure, and suspense. A real page turner!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Interesting dystopian novel. A community that separates itself from whatever else is outside their gates. The men have very strict rules for females, Eve created sin and ruined the world so that all women must be regulated. Unable to cut their hair, a color tie is placed in their hair to show their purity, it changes when they first get their period until their 16 th year then it goes to red and they must serve their "Grace year" and rid themselves of their magic. Before the serving it is decided if a man wants to marry a girl or she will be in the workhouse, then off they go. It is forbidden to discuss what happens during that year. Some never return, some mutilated, most so severely traumatized and starving they don't speak and even the men see they need a month after the return to recuperate. The main character is more tomboy that fancy girl, her father is the doctor and he takes her with him making calls, but also teaches her about survival skills in the forest.
My opinion this is a very sad tale of men so afraid of women, they make up all kinds of craziness about them to have ultimate control. At times I wasn't real thrilled about her attitude toward others, she sees things negatively, ultimately she grows up and matures to see maybe her parents and Michael aren't so awful after all, and I have to remember she's only 16. The truely scary thing I can see this happening in a remote area, we see it in reality with dictatorships.

There was a time a few years ago, that I read EVERY YA-dystopian that was released. I loved how they each were their own different world and I loved getting lost in them. The Grace Year, has reminded me how much I have missed reading dystopian. This book has it all, mystery, redemption, a unique world, and most of all a heroine who is very brave! The Grace Year is about what happens the year girls turn 16. It is believed they receive powers and need to be separated from society. No one speaks of the grace year, so girls have no idea what to expect. I enjoyed this book through all the drama, mystery, paranoia, and chaos. I loved Tierney's journey and I couldn't put this book down. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

I couldn't figure out if this was trying to be a new Hunger Games or maybe an all female version of Lord of The Flies,. I finally decided it reminded me of a mixture of both at the same time. Not a bad thing.

Tierney lives, well, not sure where. It is never really explained; are we in the future, the past or some fantasy land far, far away? She is turning sixteen and as ritual demands, is being sent to spend a year (again, not really sure about the lay of the land, but it takes two days to get there) on an island. All the girls in the county turning sixteen are sent to this island in order to rid themselves of their 'magic' so they can come back and be obedient brides to the men who have chosen them.

Tierney is a bit of a rebel, not really believing in all the talk of magic, but going along with the other girls because it's easier and safer. When they finally arrive and are unceremoniously dumped on the island, things quickly start deteriorating. The reason why is pretty obvious to the reader but takes the whole of the book for even intelligent Tierney to figure out. There is the usual cast of characters; mean girls, mean girls followers, bullied girl, and of course rebellious Tierney. There are horrific happenings, mysteries to solve, starvation to stave off, and it all moves along fairly briskly. There are, however, long unnecessary passages that many authors use to either fill pages, or possibly because they like to hear themselves talk.. Either way, I did finally start skipping those long paragraphs filled with the introspective, repetitive thoughts of our heroine that do nothing to further along the story or add interest to the tale.

I'm torn as to how to rate this, as the story was interesting, the action (when it came along) was engrossing and believable, the enigmas genuine and surprising (except for the 'why' of the girls going crazy) and the characters well built and portrayed. But the long periods of Tierney talking to herself; why? how? whatif? howcome? was a tedious time filler. And don't get me started on the ambiguous ending. I hate those.


So, this is a definite four stars with one star deducted for the unneeded play by play of the main characters innermost thoughts and feelings, and the disappointingly quick ending that didn't wrap up everything.

I can’t believe I have to say this... but this book is a DNF for me. It came highly recommended and is getting a little birds, but I just couldn’t get into it. The book is a cross between The Handmaid‘s Tale and The Hunger Games - where are 16-year-old girls to go out into the forest to release their “magic” and return to society as pure young brides. This is a fantasy / magical realism which are genres that I struggle with, but I couldn’t find a connection to the characters (not even the rebellious protagonist) to hold me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I loved the writing style, the plot, twists and turns, characters, all of it was my cup of tea and more! I will be reading more from this author in the future!

Don’t let the cover fool you . It’s meant to. It’s a beautiful, innocent, seductive lure.
All women at the age of 16 mysteriously change . The potent sexual magic within them comes alive ...it comes forth and can ensnare any male that breathes. That is the thought of this small town.
Tierney has just turned 16 and entered her grace year. A year to be chosen as a wife , or a worker. At this time in their life they are sent to a camp to get rid of their magic and return as promised, productive members of society.
This book is intense. You feel as Tierney does ... it’s such a ride. I truly hope you pick this up.
I guarantee you will be hooked from page one.

This review will be added to amazon and goodreads shortly.