We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(3) Base Camp
There is nothing tough about reading this book—well, except the subject matter at times. That can be really tough, what with all the violence smattered throughout Marked by Fire's pages (this is why we've bumped the book up to Base Camp from Sea Level… a stroll in the sand this book most definitely is not). But when it comes to the reading itself, this one's a dream. The chapters are short, the words are simple, and the descriptions scoop readers up and sweep them along, transporting them to Ponca City in the middle of the 20th century with ease.