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Deadly little lies

Laurie Faria Stolarz

Cover of Deadly little lies

Deadly little lies

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

a touch novel

by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Touch

Reading Level 4-5 9ME Ages 13+ Matched

The text is written at a 4th 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

Camelia, a teenager with a newfound ability to glimpse the future through touch, finds herself caught between two boys—Ben, the enigmatic newcomer with mysterious powers, and Adam, a caring new acquaintance. As strange events unfold, secrets surface, and Camelia must unravel the truth behind dangerous deceptions before it's too late. Amidst romance and mystery, she discovers the true weight of trust and intuition.

Themes

Psychic AbilityRomanceMysteryComing of AgeHigh School

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include emotional: identity & self-discovery, emotional: fear & anxiety, emotional: romantic content. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated Deadly little lies 9ME

Deadly little lies is written at a Level 4-5 reading level (approximately 56,317 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.8 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Deadly little lies works for readers up to grade 6.8.

Read aloud, Deadly little lies runs about 6.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Deadly little lies as 9ME ("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, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety, Emotional: Romantic Content, Physical/Safety: Mild Peril.

Thematically, Deadly little lies explores psychic ability, romance, mystery, coming of age, and high school — 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about psychic ability, romance, mystery.
  • Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 2 more books in the Touch series.

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

9ME — Moderate — Emotional
Emotional
Moderate
Physical
Moderate
Social
Moderate
Thematic
Clear

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery Emotional: Fear & Anxiety Emotional: Romantic Content Physical/Safety: Mild Peril
Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

4/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
9
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
8

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Details

Book Length

0
56,317 words
6h 15m read-aloud
ISBN
9781423111450
Publisher
Hyperion
Published
2009
Type
Fiction
Word Count
56,317
Read-Aloud
~6h 15m

Genres

Subjects

Psychic AbilityDatingHigh SchoolsSchoolsYoung Women