Public enemies

Name: Public enemies
Author: Ann Aguirre
ISBN: 9781250024664

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Ann Aguirre

Reading Level 4-5 ME · Moderate · Emotional 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. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

The sharp scent of rain-soaked asphalt fills the air as Edie races through shadowy streets where every whisper could turn into a nightmare. Her fears are no longer just in her head—they’re chasing her, alive and hungry. With time running out to save someone she loves, the chilling game has only just begun.

Themes

ImmortalityPreparatory schoolsParanormal fictionRevengeFriendship Family

Quick Assessment

Edie Kramer, grieving after her boyfriend Kian's sacrifice, is pulled into a dangerous supernatural game where mercenary monsters are sent to destroy her. Expect fantasy violence, sustained fear and peril, and heavy themes of loss and a Faustian bargain, along with a developing romance that stays non-explicit. It suits mature teen readers who enjoy dark fantasy.

Why we rated Public enemies ME (Moderate)

Public enemies is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 378 pages. Upper Grades (Ages 13+) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.

We rate Public enemies as ME (Moderate, mostly 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, 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, Public enemies explores immortality, preparatory schools, paranormal fiction, revenge, and friendship — 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 immortality, preparatory schools, paranormal fiction.

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

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Moderate

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Moderate

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

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

Data confidence: high

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