A lady of spirit
Shelley Adina
A lady of spirit
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Steampunk Adventure Novel
by Shelley Adina
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What if meeting your family meant stepping into a world of mystery and danger? Maggie and Lizzie thought reuniting with long-lost relatives would be a happy occasion, but Cornwall's clifftop mansion hides secrets darker than anyone expected. Can Maggie uncover the truth behind her mother’s death before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult steampunk novel follows Maggie and Lizzie as they reunite with their estranged family in Cornwall, uncovering dark secrets and facing unexpected dangers tied to their mother's mysterious past. Suitable for ages 13-18, the story explores themes of family loyalty, courage, and identity within a suspenseful, fantasy setting. Parents should be aware of mild peril and thematic complexity related to family mystery and danger.
Why we rated A lady of spirit 12ME
A lady of spirit is written at a Level 7 reading level across 303 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A lady of spirit works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate A lady of spirit as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril.
Thematically, A lady of spirit explores family, adventure, steampunk fiction, mystery, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, adventure, steampunk fiction.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781939087157
- Pages
- 303
- Publisher
- Moonshell Books, Incorporated
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction