' The Grace Year seethes with love and brutality, violence and hope. 'A visceral, darkly haunting fever dream of a novel and an absolute page-turner.' – Libba Bray, New York Times bestselling author 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.

Their greatest threat may very well be each other. 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. 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. But not all of them will make it home alive. 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. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood.

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. This program includes a bonus conversation with the author.Ī speculative thriller in the vein of The Handmaid's Tale and The Power. She masterfully connects listeners to the characters' emotions, creating passionate and realistic performances.' - AudioFile Magazine

'Emily Shaffer delivers a dynamic performance of this dystopian audiobook.

The grace year author