Join us for our MomAdvice Book Club as we dig into, The Grace Year by Kim Liggett. This dystopian young adult thriller explores the topic of girls on the edge of womanhood with themes that hit all the right Handmaid’s Tale notes.
I am so thrilled to be kicking off the MomAdvice Book Club to share twelve of my favorite books this year.
If 12 isn’t enough, I hope you caught my 20 Best Books of 2019 List because it is pretty darn epic.
If you haven’t heard of, “The Grace Year,” just know that you will be hearing a lot about it in the upcoming year. Not only is this one a big buzz book, but it has also been optioned for film by Universal and will be directed & produced by Elizabeth Banks.
January Book Club Pick: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Let’s talk about some questions you might have about this month’s discussion.
NO SPOILERS.
Can You Give Me a Summary of The Grace Year?
Imagine mixing together a bit of The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and The Handmaid’s Tale and you have the perfect storm for a wildly inventive dystopian novel.
No one actually speaks of the grace year, but this is a rite of passage for all the girls in Garner County.
In this dystopian environment, the men believe that women are able to drive them mad with jealousy because of a powerful aphrodisiac that is emitted from their skin.
Their power to lure grown men, by emitting this powerful aphrodisiac, is why they must be sent to the forest to release their magic into the wild.
To save the men of the county, teenage girls are sent to the forest, to release this, so they can return to their town purified and ready for marriage.
When does their skin emit a powerful aphrodisiac with this potent essence?
Well, unfortunately their sixteenth year releases it and they then must become the grace year girls.
Most girls are resigned to their fate, but there is one girl who thinks this ritual takes her away from a better life.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James quickly realizes though that these girls aren’t just resigned to their coming-of-age duties…they are out to stop anyone who gets in their way.
Why Did I Pick The Grace Year for Our Book Club Pick?
I listened to this book on audiobook (which I HIGHLY recommend!) and believe it to be an important discussion around the #MeToo movement.
While the themes could rely on just taking down the patriarchy, it delves even deeper into a theme that resonated with me more.
The profound moments lie within the changes and awareness in our own youth as a girl, the challenge girls face to band together when we are in constant competition, and the beauty in standing up for what you believe in.
The big problem?
You just don’t know if you’ll come home alive in this one.
What Should You Know About Kim Liggett?
I was not familiar with Kim’s work, but it turns out that I REALLY should be.
She’s so good, in fact, that she won the 2017 Bram Stoker Award.
If you are anything like me, I know you will be adding, The Last Harvest, to your reading list now too.
At the end of the audiobook, Kim had a bonus interview that moved me to tears.
Kim shared, with such incredible emotion, how freeing it felt to tell this story and what inspired her to tell it. The way she captured the loss of innocence, and how quickly girls are objectified, ended up being the perfect platform for this novel.
When I interviewed her (to be published soon!), she described it as a, “purging.”
She, simply, HAD to tell this story.
Kim, certainly captures the potent essence of youth and I believe these gorgeous details will leave a lasting imprint on reader’s hearts.
While the themes are mighty, the moments lie in the small and powerful elements she weaves within.
What Should You Know About The Grace Year Movie?
As I mentioned earlier, this book has been optioned for film by Universal and will be produced and directed by Elizabeth Banks.
A three-time Emmy-nominated actress, Banks is taking on several bookish projects that we can all look forward to.
The ones that I am aware of, so far, are a Paper Bag Princess adaptation and another YA dystopian story, The Red Queen, in the works.
I Have a Tween or Teen. What age is appropriate for reading, The Grace Year?
I rely on Common Sense Media for this decision and they suggest that this book is appropriate for readers ages 14 and up.
Personally, I believe that this should depend on your own child’s maturity and your own gut instinct.
There are many mature themes laced in about womanhood, community, oppression, gender roles, and relationships.
Personally, I believe these themes would be good for fostering communication between mothers and daughters.
Also, if the big takeaway is that girls should support girls, I will HAPPILY share this book with any tween or teen in my life.
Can We Expect a Sequel to The Grace Year?
At this time, there does not appear to be a sequel.
Fingers crossed, readers, that Kim will hear our cries for more tales from Garner County.
How Can I Join the MomAdvice Book Club Chat?
You can read all about our FREE book club over here and click the link there to join. This post shares our entire year of picks (for reserving or purchasing!).
Once you have joined the book club, you will find this book club chat under our Events tab, within the Facebook Group.
This event will be happening on January 31st (2020) at 8 PM (EST)!
What Format is Best for Reading The Grace Year?
I opted for the audiobook version because I have a Scribd membership (HIGHLY recommend if you want to save on audiobooks).
This novel is narrated by Emily Shaffer and she did a phenomenal job.
I have found, from the current feedback, that people did seem to connect more deeply with the story when they listened to it versus reading it.
That said, this cover is so gorgeous that you will probably want to add that to your bookshelf too!
What Else Can We Expect With The Grace Year Discussion?
This year, we will be offering a project idea that goes along with each month’s book themes. I have so many fun project ideas in mind to help these books come to life and for a great activity/printable to enjoy with your own book clubs.
I have a fantastic interview, with Kim Liggett, to share with you this month. She shares more about her motivation for writing this story, what themes she hopes we will all walk away with, and how she made a pivotal career switch and decided to become a writer in her 40’s.
I mean, who could not be inspired by that?
I will also post all of our book club discussion questions, for The Grace Year, so you can replicate these chats with your local book club.
I hope that these twelve books (and their discussions) can enrich your reading life. While it is difficult to cater to everyone’s taste, I love knowing that many of these books end up being on YOUR favorite lists too.
Can You Explain The Grace Year Ending?
If I told you, I’d have to kill you.
Seriously, join the chat and we will discuss it there! I know many will be searching for this.
How Can I Save Money on My Book Purchases?
These are my recommendations for saving on our MomAdvice Book Club Picks:
Library- If you are unable to afford the book, check with your local library to see if they have it in stock.
Send the Book to Your Electronic Devices Via Your Library- Can’t make it to the library? Check out my tutorial on how to download electronic library books onto your digital devices, e-readers, tablet, or Kindle.
Watch for Giveaways- I also recommend following me on Instagram because I will be giving away a copy of our book club books every dang month.
Sign Up for the Kindle Daily Deals Newsletter- If you would like to be notified of the daily Kindle deals, be sure to sign up for my exclusive book club newsletter.
Bookmark my Kindle Daily Deals Newsletter- Tired of email? Just bookmark this list and check it daily for the updates.
Try an Inexpensive Subscription Service- Looking for a way to save on your audiobooks? I, genuinely, can’t recommend Scribd enough. You will find this month’s pick on there (subject to change). It’s an incredible deal for audio, e-books, sheet musics, and magazines.
Order Through An App That Pays You Cash Back on Your Books- Planning to just go ahead and buy your own copy? I highly recommend using the Rakuten app to get cash back on your book purchases. Not only can you comparison shop, new users can get $10 back after just shopping through my referral link and spending $25. It is connected to loads of bookstores and can give you a percentage, IN COLD HARD CASH, on all your book shopping. You can read my in-depth review on Rakuten over in our Passive Income For Busy Moms Series.
I hope you feel inspired to read and join in on our discussion this month! I can’t wait to share more great book discussions with you.
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