All Rights Reserved
Gregory Scott Katsoulis
All Rights Reserved
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A New YA Science Fiction Book
by Gregory Scott Katsoulis
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What if every word you said cost money, and saying 'sorry' could get you into trouble? Imagine being fifteen and having to pay for every word, nod, or hug, but choosing silence instead. What happens when one girl's quiet rebellion shakes up an entire city?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a dystopian world where all communication is monetized, this middle-grade novel explores themes of freedom, debt, and resistance through the story of Speth, a girl who chooses silence over financial ruin. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it thoughtfully addresses complex social issues like economic pressure and personal expression without graphic content. Parents should note the themes of suicide and financial hardship, which are handled sensitively.
Why we rated All Rights Reserved 12ME
All Rights Reserved is written at a Level 7 reading level across 394 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, All Rights Reserved works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate All Rights Reserved 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Suicide Mention, Financial Hardship.
Thematically, All Rights Reserved explores coming of age, social justice, family, friendship, and dystopian fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, social justice, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781488015472
- Pages
- 394
- Publisher
- Harlequin
- Published
- September 1, 2017
- Type
- Fiction