Busted
Gina Ciocca
Busted
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Gina Ciocca
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Marisa has a reputation for catching cheaters, but what happens when she becomes the target? When she spies on her best friend's boyfriend, she never expects to catch feelings for him herself. Now, everything Marisa thought she knew is turned upside down, and she must decide what loyalty really means.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel explores themes of trust, loyalty, and self-discovery through the story of Marisa, who is asked to spy on her friend's boyfriend but ends up developing unexpected feelings. Suitable for teens aged 13 to 18, the book deals with complex social dynamics around dating and honesty without explicit content. Parents should be aware of themes related to cheating and young romantic relationships.
Why we rated Busted 12ME
Busted is written at a Level 7 reading level across 344 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Busted works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Busted as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Busted explores friendship, coming of age, family, romance, and social customs — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781492654292
- Pages
- 344
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks Fire
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction