Vendetta

Name: Vendetta
Author: Catherine Doyle
ISBN: 9780545699822

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Catherine Doyle

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.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links.

About This Book

Nic’s eyes flash with danger as he pushes through the crowded summer festival, the Falcone name whispered everywhere like a secret code. Sophie’s heart races — what is she really getting into with these mysterious brothers? Just as she starts to uncover the truth, a sudden shout cuts through the night, and everything changes.

Themes

Romance Family AdventureCrimeComing of Age

Quick Assessment

A teen waitress in Cedar Hill falls for a son of a notorious mafia family and must choose between her own family's loyalty and the boy she loves. Expect fighting, bloody gang violence, mafia crime, and kissing rather than explicit romantic scenes. The story explores revenge, family secrets, and moral choices, so it can spark useful conversations about loyalty and consequences.

Why we rated Vendetta ME (Moderate)

Vendetta is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 343 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 Vendetta 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mafia Violence, Family Conflict.

Thematically, Vendetta explores romance, family, adventure, crime, and coming of age — 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about romance, family, adventure.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Moderate

Social

Mild

Thematic

Mild

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.