ABOUT THE BOOK

Survive the year.

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

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to 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 a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.

MY REVIEW

Wow!  Another mind-blowing read for 2019. This story gave me chills, heartbreak, and hope all in one sitting. 

No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden. 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. That’s why we’re banished for our sixteenth year, to release our magic into the wild before we’re allowed to return to civilization.

Tierney is a fierce and smart young woman trying to survive the grace year out in the woods with 30 some other young women from her county and predators ready to skin them alive. There is nothing worse than bullying teenage girls and Kiersten and her crew represents the nastiest.

This is one crazy and fascinating book. The reader will feel the terror of the unknown trying to figure out what is real, what isn’t, and who to trust. Will Tierney survive the menace inside and outside the camp?

Another favorite read of 2019. 

Thank you to Ms. Liggett, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book without expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kim Liggett, originally from the rural midwest, moved to New York City to pursue a career in the arts. She’s the author of Blood and Salt, Heart of Ash, The Last Harvest (Bram Stoker Award Winner), The Unfortunates, and The Grace Year. Kim spends her free time studying tarot and scouring Manhattan for rare vials of perfume and the perfect egg white cocktail.