Golly, this was good. This was recommended by book-challenge group I'm in when I asked for suggestions for a standalone YA dystopian novel, and now all I want is for there to be a second book. The Grace Year takes place in a society that sends their girls into the woods for the 16th year to rid them of their "magic" (meaning feminine wiles). The girls come back scarred, bloodied, or not at all. The audiobook was narrated beautifully with an eerie quality that added a fabulous sense of suspense and drama.

There were a lot of surprising twists and turns that I certainly didn't see coming, as well as a fair amount of downright scary parts! Even with that, Liggett manages to weave love and hope throughout the novel seamlessly, making you constantly at war with the emotions you're feeling at any given moment. It's a gorgeous book, and I'm so glad I asked for suggestions because I'm certain I never would have stumbled across this on my own.