Withering Rose
Kaitlyn Davis
Withering Rose
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Once Upon a Curse #2
by Kaitlyn Davis
The text is written at a 7th 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
I have a secret: magic lives inside me, but it’s a dangerous gift. Every time I use it, I lose precious time—like petals falling from a withering rose. Now, I must trust a mysterious Beast who might be my only chance, but that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
Withering Rose is a middle-grade dystopian fantasy that reimagines Beauty and the Beast with a magical twist. The story explores themes of self-discovery, sacrifice, and trust as a young girl with secret powers faces a ticking clock on her life. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mild fantasy peril and emotional challenges but no graphic content.
Why we rated Withering Rose 12ME
Withering Rose is written at a Level 7 reading level across 303 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Withering Rose works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Withering Rose 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, Withering Rose explores fantasy world-building, adventure, coming of age, and romance — 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 fantasy world-building, adventure, coming of age.
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
- 9781533020635
- Pages
- 303
- Publisher
- Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction