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Degrees of Guilt #1
Kyra's Story
This new trilogy from three best-selling authors explores the differing perspectives of three high school seniors on the events and choices leading up to the death of a classmate, Sammy. All feel a measure of guilt for their role in the loss of their friend and must learn to understand their own life story through God's eyes instead of their own finite perspective. Kyra, Sammy's twin sister, is sure that she knows why he died. She's sure that the guilty deserve to be punished. Soon everyone in Mason, Iowa, will learn that atoning for what is wrong is a lot harder than assigning blame.
277 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2003
About the author
Dandi Daley Mackall
299 books310 followersA professional writer for over 20 years, Dandi Daley Mackall has written dozens of articles for popular magazines and published around 500 books for children and adults alike, with sales of over 4 million.
A frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, she lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, horses, dogs, & cats. Awards include the Edgar Award for Best YA Mystery, the Helen Keating Ott Award for Contributions to Children's Literature; Distinguished Alumni Award from Mizzou; ALA Best Book; Christian Children's Book of the Year, Amelia Bloom, Mom's Choice Awards. Her YA novel, My Boyfriends' Dogs, is now a Hallmark movie.
A frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, she lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, horses, dogs, & cats. Awards include the Edgar Award for Best YA Mystery, the Helen Keating Ott Award for Contributions to Children's Literature; Distinguished Alumni Award from Mizzou; ALA Best Book; Christian Children's Book of the Year, Amelia Bloom, Mom's Choice Awards. Her YA novel, My Boyfriends' Dogs, is now a Hallmark movie.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 19, 2025
4.75/5
Format: paperback
Am I reading this obscure series out of order? Yes. So I read Miranda's first (the only one my bookstore had), and promptly ordered the others online. I would definitely recommend reading them in order, Kyra's story sets up who all the teens are around school. Miranda's story (as it should) believes we'll already recognize the characters.
Goodness. This first book is such a whirlwind. A great cautionary tale about child grooming, drug abuse, and Exstacy. It is a safe series for older teens to read, rooted in God. Kyra struggles with perfectionism, anxiety, and letting people in. As a theatre kid, she's using her acting skills to make sure no one gets too close.
The writing style is addicting and I've lost sleep reading this series. I've loved every heartbreaking second of it.
Spoilers below - feel free to discuss if you've read it already:
-OH MY. I, I really wasn't expecting that to be Kyra and Sammy's last conversation. This is so incredibly heartbreaking.
- Dylan, Taylor, and Jamal are such good friends for Kyra and Miranda. Truly they show what Christ is all about.
- Bethany is such a sweetheart!!
- Honestly I'm relating too much to Kyra and Miranda. They're so well written that I'm feeling their emotions right along with them. I've never dealt with a grief like theirs, and I'm glad this series exists, so I hope I never have to.
- Do I now understand Miranda's story better? Yes. Should I have read them in order? Yes. Should I re-read Miranda's before Tyrone's so I have a fuller picture? Probably. I might skim over it and get the major points again~
Format: paperback
Am I reading this obscure series out of order? Yes. So I read Miranda's first (the only one my bookstore had), and promptly ordered the others online. I would definitely recommend reading them in order, Kyra's story sets up who all the teens are around school. Miranda's story (as it should) believes we'll already recognize the characters.
Goodness. This first book is such a whirlwind. A great cautionary tale about child grooming, drug abuse, and Exstacy. It is a safe series for older teens to read, rooted in God. Kyra struggles with perfectionism, anxiety, and letting people in. As a theatre kid, she's using her acting skills to make sure no one gets too close.
The writing style is addicting and I've lost sleep reading this series. I've loved every heartbreaking second of it.
Spoilers below - feel free to discuss if you've read it already:
-OH MY. I, I really wasn't expecting that to be Kyra and Sammy's last conversation. This is so incredibly heartbreaking.
- Dylan, Taylor, and Jamal are such good friends for Kyra and Miranda. Truly they show what Christ is all about.
- Bethany is such a sweetheart!!
- Honestly I'm relating too much to Kyra and Miranda. They're so well written that I'm feeling their emotions right along with them. I've never dealt with a grief like theirs, and I'm glad this series exists, so I hope I never have to.
- Do I now understand Miranda's story better? Yes. Should I have read them in order? Yes. Should I re-read Miranda's before Tyrone's so I have a fuller picture? Probably. I might skim over it and get the major points again~
February 7, 2018
Better than I thought it would be. This series is directed toward teens but it's easy to get into and get caught up in the story. It's a very quick read but deals with heavier issues facing teens. It'll be interesting comparing this with the other 2 books in the series since they're written by other authors.
June 29, 2024
Only gave it a 3 because I haven't read the other 2 yet. So I don't have enough answers. Read it quickly, and it was an easy read.
September 9, 2014
Sammy James is dead. His twin sister, Kyra, believes that it's all her fault. He wouldn't have been in the compromising situation that resulted in his death if Kyra hadn't driven him to it. As she awaits her turn to testify at the trial for Sammy's murder, Kyra looks back at the past few months and ponders her role.
Kyra has held the lead in every play since kindergarten in her hometown of Macon, Iowa. She's a cheerleader who runs with the in crowd, and has already been accepted at NYU for next year. The charismatic new English teacher, Mitchell Wade, forges an instant connection with the students on their level. He is in charge of the senior play, and Kyra's tension mounts as she's not sure she will impress him enough to win the lead. In contrast, Sammy is laid back and does his own thing. Kyra feels the stress building each day -- the constant pressure to do, act, and be the best. She starts sneaking Xanax from her mother in order to take off the edge, and that works for a while. As Kyra becomes more and more addicted, her perception of her relationships is altered. When Sammy finds out what Kyra is doing, will she stop? What exactly is Kyra's role in Sammy's death?
I was pulled into Kyra's Story from the first page. It is one of three books in the Degrees of Guilt series, each written from a different person's perspective of the same events. The reader can use a code from each book to go to the website and read that person's trial testimony, as well as the final verdict, indicating who is responsible for what happened to Sammy. Kyra could be any high school senior. Her struggles with perfection will hit home for anyone who is currently experiencing the drama of high school, as well as those who are looking back. My daughter is a senior, and she said, 'Wow, this author really knows what we're going through!' Sammy is the innocent victim, and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the course of the next books. Mitchell Wade is the ultimate villain; he's cunning and integrates himself into the lives of the teens in a way that seems commonplace and natural.
A subtle faith message is included, as Kyra learns to depend on God rather than drugs for her strength. I recommend Kyra's Story, which has universal appeal, to both adults and teens. Readers will want to pick up all three books, to get the full picture of events surrounding Sammy's death.
Kyra has held the lead in every play since kindergarten in her hometown of Macon, Iowa. She's a cheerleader who runs with the in crowd, and has already been accepted at NYU for next year. The charismatic new English teacher, Mitchell Wade, forges an instant connection with the students on their level. He is in charge of the senior play, and Kyra's tension mounts as she's not sure she will impress him enough to win the lead. In contrast, Sammy is laid back and does his own thing. Kyra feels the stress building each day -- the constant pressure to do, act, and be the best. She starts sneaking Xanax from her mother in order to take off the edge, and that works for a while. As Kyra becomes more and more addicted, her perception of her relationships is altered. When Sammy finds out what Kyra is doing, will she stop? What exactly is Kyra's role in Sammy's death?
I was pulled into Kyra's Story from the first page. It is one of three books in the Degrees of Guilt series, each written from a different person's perspective of the same events. The reader can use a code from each book to go to the website and read that person's trial testimony, as well as the final verdict, indicating who is responsible for what happened to Sammy. Kyra could be any high school senior. Her struggles with perfection will hit home for anyone who is currently experiencing the drama of high school, as well as those who are looking back. My daughter is a senior, and she said, 'Wow, this author really knows what we're going through!' Sammy is the innocent victim, and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the course of the next books. Mitchell Wade is the ultimate villain; he's cunning and integrates himself into the lives of the teens in a way that seems commonplace and natural.
A subtle faith message is included, as Kyra learns to depend on God rather than drugs for her strength. I recommend Kyra's Story, which has universal appeal, to both adults and teens. Readers will want to pick up all three books, to get the full picture of events surrounding Sammy's death.
December 26, 2008
Review by Gigi Hoffman
In Dandi Daley Mackall’s Degrees of Guilt: Kyra’s Story, seventeen-year-old Kyra James has it made. She’s gotten early acceptance to drama school at NYU, is going to get the starring role in the school play, and her new English teacher turns out to be the gorgeous stranger she saw at the local diner. But after awhile, life starts to get overwhelming, especially school, her “sure-fire” leading role in the play, plus friend and guy stuff. Kyra begins taking prescription pills to cope with all the stress.
When the occasional pill turns into a drug habit, it leads to a serious, tragic consequence for Sammy, her twin brother. Kyra must cope with overwhelming guilt and the struggle of losing friends and learning to trust new ones. Most of all, she learns that she can’t make it on her own any longer.
Talk about a hard-hitting novel that shows the full consequences of something that starts out small. Kyra is as realistic as can be, and Mackall does a great job of bringing the reader into the story. I was totally intertwined with Kyra and stayed up all night to finish reading it. It’s not a happily-ever-after book, but it’s a great read.
In Dandi Daley Mackall’s Degrees of Guilt: Kyra’s Story, seventeen-year-old Kyra James has it made. She’s gotten early acceptance to drama school at NYU, is going to get the starring role in the school play, and her new English teacher turns out to be the gorgeous stranger she saw at the local diner. But after awhile, life starts to get overwhelming, especially school, her “sure-fire” leading role in the play, plus friend and guy stuff. Kyra begins taking prescription pills to cope with all the stress.
When the occasional pill turns into a drug habit, it leads to a serious, tragic consequence for Sammy, her twin brother. Kyra must cope with overwhelming guilt and the struggle of losing friends and learning to trust new ones. Most of all, she learns that she can’t make it on her own any longer.
Talk about a hard-hitting novel that shows the full consequences of something that starts out small. Kyra is as realistic as can be, and Mackall does a great job of bringing the reader into the story. I was totally intertwined with Kyra and stayed up all night to finish reading it. It’s not a happily-ever-after book, but it’s a great read.
May 16, 2009
This is told from a Christian viewpoint, but it does not have overlying themes of Christianity, which I wasn't expecting. It also deals with drugs and the tragic consequences they have on people. This story was compelling, but still felt gritty and a little unrefined. I wanted to like the main character more, but I didn't connect with her. I don't know if the writing style just felt a little off or I just wasn't used to this type of story. I liked the story, but I don't know if I would ever recommend it to someone, it dealt with some tough issues and handled them in a pretty realistic and intense light.
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2010...
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2010...
September 4, 2010
didn't really care for this book. It tells you it is supposed to be about a certain event/situation, but that doesn't happen til the last 10-15 pages of the book!! And there is nothing in the book to suggest that this might even happen....
August 21, 2015
Sammy died, his twin sister Kyra thinks its all her fault, but there is more to the story than she realizes. It was an inspirational book with a lot of truth and you see Sammy's early life and that he wasn't just anybody but he was somebody.
October 26, 2015
A Quickie Review
Though I enjoyed this one, I probably would have liked it better if I had read it before the other two installments in the series. Still, for what it is, it was good.
Score: 3/5
Though I enjoyed this one, I probably would have liked it better if I had read it before the other two installments in the series. Still, for what it is, it was good.
Score: 3/5
Want to Read
February 12, 2008I bought this book and I am not sure if I will like like it. I hope I will!
December 27, 2009
I guess this book was okay. I liked it a lot at the time, but it wasn't good enough that I wanted to read the rest of the series.
Read
March 25, 2010F DEG dog bk. 1
December 20, 2011
so far i like this book its has alot of drama nd it does keep me guess i think if most kids nd teachers also parents who like drama suspence nd other categories like dat then this book is for you
August 24, 2012
Fabulous
April 5, 2013
Very good book.
December 31, 2015
My least favorite of the series. I excepted so much more in character from Kyra. I mean, didn't she have a ' good' family who were always there for her?
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews