Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2)
Michelle Zink
Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Michelle Zink
The text is written at a 6th 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
Grace races through the shadows, heart pounding as she sneaks back into the place everyone warned her to avoid. The stakes are higher than ever, and one wrong move could ruin everything. But Grace isn’t just running—she’s hunting the family that taught her all their secrets. What will she discover when she faces them again?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade sequel follows Grace Fontaine as she navigates the consequences of a failed heist and confronts her complicated family ties. Suitable for ages 9-12, the novel explores themes of loyalty, identity, and redemption within a suspenseful, crime-driven plot. Parents should note the story involves criminal activities and emotional challenges related to trust and betrayal.
Why we rated Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2) 11ME
Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2) is written at a Level 6 reading level across 294 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2) works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2) as 11ME ("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, Promises I Made (Lies I Told Series, Book 2) explores family, identity & self-discovery, adventure, friendship, and crime & consequences — 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 family, identity & self-discovery, adventure.
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
11ME — 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
- 9780062327154
- Pages
- 294
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction