Our Crooked Hearts
Melissa Albert
Our Crooked Hearts
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Melissa Albert
The text is written at a 8th 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
The sharp scent of rain-soaked pavement fills the air as a mysterious figure appears under the flickering streetlamp. Shadows twist and secrets whisper in the night, pulling Ivy deeper into a world where magic and danger collide. Feel the chill of a summer that will change everything, stirring emotions that are as tangled as the crooked hearts at its center.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Our Crooked Hearts is a dark contemporary fantasy suitable for teens aged 13 and up. The story explores themes of family secrets, supernatural elements, and complex mother-daughter relationships, set against a backdrop of magical realism. Parents should be aware of mature themes including witchcraft, mystery, and emotional tension.
Why we rated Our Crooked Hearts 12ME
Our Crooked Hearts is written at a Level 8 reading level across 515 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Our Crooked Hearts works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Our Crooked Hearts 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, Our Crooked Hearts explores young adult fiction, fantasy, wizards & witches, family, and mystery — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about young adult fiction, fantasy, wizards & witches.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781432899943
- Pages
- 515
- Publisher
- Youth Large Print
- Published
- 2022
- Type
- Fiction