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)
(4) Base Camp
Although the language in The Usual Rules is pretty straightforward and simple, the writing style takes a little getting used to. Spoiler alert: There aren't any quotation marks in this sucker. And yeah, it's a little difficult to follow dialogue when there isn't any punctuation to set it apart from the rest of the story.
Adding to the toughness of this book is its subject matter, namely the tragedy and destruction of 9/11 and the emotional aftermath of having a parent killed in a terrorist attack. On top of that, the main character, Wendy, is going through adolescence, which means the book offers up a fair amount of musing about sex. Ooh la la.