Lies I live by
Lauren Sabel
Lies I live by
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Lauren Sabel
The text is written at a 8th 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 you could see the future, but only when the stakes are life or death? Imagine being Callie Sinclair, a seventeen-year-old psychic spy, juggling secret missions and a tricky romance in the heart of San Francisco. When a new psychic agent arrives, everything Callie knows is at risk—can she change the future before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This thrilling middle-grade novel follows Callie Sinclair, a teenage psychic spy balancing secret government missions with the challenges of young love. The story explores themes of responsibility, trust, and self-discovery, set against an exciting backdrop of espionage and supernatural abilities. Recommended for readers aged 9-12 who enjoy action-packed, character-driven stories with mild romantic elements.
Why we rated Lies I live by 12ME
Lies I live by is written at a Level 8 reading level across 424 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lies I live by works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Lies I live by 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, thematic difficulty — 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Lies I live by explores psychics, spy stories, romance, adventure, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about psychics, spy stories, romance.
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.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780062231987
- Pages
- 424
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction