I will say that for the first probably 40-50% of this book it was hitting a solid 3 stars for me. Once things felt like they were picking up and moving along I definitely found myself enjoying it more.

My main issue with the start of the book was that the story felt a bit clunky and there were a few cases where I really wasn’t sure where it was going and it didn’t feel like overly a lot was happening for how far into the book I was. Once the training with the potential Fonti started happening and more with Dante as well then the story felt like it was flowing better and like we weren’t just circling in the same spot. I do believe that if this kind of pacing had started earlier on in the book I’d have been more likely to give this a five.

Like I said though - I did enjoy this in the end - and I’m excited to see where things go especially for Alyssa and Dante. The emotions were strong and there were no issues connecting with the characters on their journey to saving their home. If I were to rate this solely on emotions and ignoring my previous complaints I’d give it a five. Feeling Alessa’s pain as she struggles with what is essentially touch starvation and extreme isolation to the joy and addictiveness upon the discovery that she can find have that connection again was a whirlwind of emotions. The sweet affection of the found family amongst Alessa, Dante and the Fonti - especially in light of the ‘sacrifice’ of her family was a particularly favorite part.

I am excited to see where the story takes us in the next book! Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review This Vicious Grace!

An enjoyable fantasy with an endearing main character and clever premise, This Vicious Grace is a great debut story.
I found the story a bit slow to start with, but what really interested me was the slow-burn romance between Alessa and Dante, whose banter and connection pulled me in from the first time they spoke. I think it's the strongest element of the story and it's what kept me reading. The fantasy elements are intriguing and I liked them, but as someone who reads a lot of fantasy stories like this, I didn't find anything particularly revelatory about this one (not that there's anything wrong with that! It just made it harder to be pulled in because it felt like a lot of other fantasy books being published right now.). Overall though, I think this universe has a lot of potential and I look forward to what comes next. I recommend to all those looking for a solid YA fantasy with a lot of heart.

I really enjoyed this! It had a great mix of drama, magic, love, and action. I was very engaged in the story while reading. I found the main character easy to like and support. The bodyguard romance angle was absolutely no surprise - but he’s such a great character that I didn’t mind the cheesiness of the situation at all. This was also absolutely beautiful to listen to on audio - definitely recommend! I look forward to reading the next one!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for allowing me to review this eGalley & audiobook!

With a lush and beautiful setting this book has one of the most original storylines I've read in a while. Alessa is the perfect Finestra, kind, compassionate, loving, a real person trapped into this world of magic and demons, life and death.

Twisting turning loyalties, love and hate, magic and mortality, combine all of that with excellent storytelling and you have a book I couldn't put down.

At the young age of 18 she's married and buried three husbands (Fontes) and is on the search for her fourth before she's even begun to process all that's happening in the world around her.

With death looming from what seems to be all sides she meets Dante and ohh do the sparks fly. This is a slow burn of epic proportions and I loved every page of it. What starts as a simple arrangement, protect and be protected has the potential to turn into so much more.

With the end of the world a very real possibility and not knowing who she can trust, missing her family and feeling so alone Alessa makes sacrifices no one should ever have to make, and she does it with grace and confidence that's beyond her years.

I love this book for so many things and just hope that many many more people read it and love it as much as I do.

I remember trying to decide whether or not I could fit this in my ARC lineup during this summer. I am so glad that I decided to give this one a chance. I really enjoyed myself and felt like I sped read through this book.

Alessa is a Finestra, who is trying to find her fourth Fonte. She needs him to mesh their powers and kill off the evil that’s coming their way. Despite this, she’s killed three people and the town is starting to turn against her. The people inside her own home and most trusted advisors are also starting to turn. She takes it upon herself to find herself a bodyguard after several attempts on her life. She sneaks out and finds Dante, a criminal, who is street fighting. He decides to help her and then all kinds of chaos ensues.

The beginning of this story was a little slow and a bit overwhelming. The world is very unique and quite expansive. I was trying to get my bearings with the world-building but also attach to the characters. I loved Alessa from the very beginning. She’s trying to fit this mold and quickly realizing that it’s not working. he desperately needs to find her own path. The new Fontes that she has to pick from were not people that I was a fan of, at first. I do understand where they are coming from but sheesh, it was rough. I felt so bad for Alessa and how isolated she was. Ultimately, I ended up falling in love with the Fonte squad. They all brought so much to the story with their different personalities. I can’t believe that I ended up loving even Kaleb, who is the biggest jerk, in the beginning. The relationships that Alessa forms with them is so lovely to see.

The absolutely best part of this book is Alessa and Dante’s relationship. The bodyguard falling for who he protects? I’m not usually the biggest fan of that trope but I was loving it here. It was so full of friendship, love, and angsty moments, and I ate it up. Dante was so grumpy and I really enjoyed the banter between the two! Not to mention this is a forbidden love which really added to the intensity.

I devoured most of this book in one day. There were some pacing issues in the beginning and then during the end battle scenes. It got a bit muddled and confusing at times but that was okay. Overall, I loved this story and I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the themes about family, finding who you are, and relationships. The ending was satisfying but left me wanting for more with that little cliffhanger. I cannot wait to read book two!

Many thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review.

"Let the detritus of demons dust her skin. Let her sparkle with it. Let it be a warning to the rest: here she stands, slayer of demons."

I adored this book! There are the sweet beginnings of a found family. Cute and snarky banter between the love interests. Lots of intrigue and secrets. Divine and demonic powers at work.

I love the "touch me and you could die trope." Add in the two loneliest little love interests I've ever seen and I was obsessed with their softness for each other. The characters are also a bit grump/sunshine which is one of my favorite tropes. Throw in forced proximity and he's her bodyguard and I was all the way in.

I hope we get more complex side characters in the next book along with a deeper story. I loved getting to know the group of Fonti in this books, but by the end I was still forgetting Saida even existed, so I hope the other can really flesh each of the characters out and have them add to the story.

I'm very excited for the next book. I'm intrigued about where the story will go from here because we weren't given much about what could happen.. I think seeing as this book was initially not meant to be the start of a series and then was changed into one, it could have used a bit more editing to make the ending cliffhanger build on more. It felt, while reading, like everything was going to wrap up neatly until the very last few pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Wow I loved this book. Compelling characters, riveting storyline, emotional stakes that kept me invested, and the swooniest romance. A stunning debut, creative world building, totally book-hangover-inducing. I laughed, I gasped, I cried. Have I convinced you to read this yet? I cannot say enough good things. I adored every second of it and I cannot wait for book 2. Who do I speak to about getting an arc?!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.

This magic system was quite unique. I really enjoyed learning about this new world. I like pretty much anything that deals with the Gods/Goddesses. I love a slow burn romance, and this built the tension perfectly. I cannot wait for book 2

This is the first in an upcoming fantasy series and takes you right to an Italian inspired village in the midst of summer. Alessa is God-chosen to protect her village from evil, a task already hard enough, weren’t there the issues with her own deadly touch. With a demon invasion threatening her village, Alessa needs somebody, a Fonte, to amplify her powers. Unfortunately she’s already killed three of them. As her people begin to turn on her in the face of danger, she hires a mysterious bodyguard to protect her while she struggles to figure out her powers.

This book does a good job at conveying the atmosphere and I love the setting! It’s a quick read due to the writing and I NEED to read more books with a similar setting! Makes you crave fresh lemon juice, pretty gardens and a stroll through Italy’s many alleys.
TVG’s main focus is definitely the romance. While I liked the chemistry between our two protagonists, the story’s other aspects faded into the background too much. It very much felt like the world-building and side characters had to make way and were not as fleshed out as they should have been. For some reason, I had problems with the pacing and I could tell Alessa was not as likable to me as she was intended to be.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

When I first read the description of This Vicious Grace, by Emily Thiede, I thought,"Oh no, not another Chosen One saga". But the beauty of this YA Fantasy novel is that there is so much more going on in it. For one thing, the main character is one of several Chosen Ones. Alessa may be the chosen savior of her island, but she is starting to think a mistake has been made. She is desperately lonely, keeps killing the people she gets partnered with, and others are actively trying to assassinate her. But, even with a lethal touch, she does finds ways to connect with others.

This story had wonderful world-building with a rich society (somewhat modeled after Italian culture), scary monsters, and an impending apocalypse. There is also a fun, romance that brings two traumatizes characters together. With themes of friendship and teamwork, this was an exciting beginning to a new YA fantasy series.

What I liked:

World-Building:

This story is set in a world where the apocalypse happens on a regular basis. Every five years, demons descend on the world, and it's up to the Finestra and her partner, the Fonte to destroy them. Each Island has their own Finestra (basically, there are several "chosen " ones at the same time). Once a Finestra saves her Island, she can retire, and perhaps train another Finestra some time in the future. It seems pretty simple. But, there are all kinds of rules and rituals that Alessa must follow in order to become the savior.

I loved all of the rituals, social customs, and class structures that the author created to make this world come to life. She also created creatures that are the stuff of nightmares to really give the heroine a strong incentive to keep going.

Characters:

Alessa is a strong, yet vulnerable heroine. She has been deliberately isolated from her family in order to hone her gifts. Of course, they also do this to protect everyone, as one touch from the Finestra can kill. Since she has accidentally killed her three previous Fontes, she is petrified of failing her country.

But, nevertheless, Alessa persists. With people losing faith in her (and others trying to kill her), she could easily give up, but she does not. She knows that, somehow, she needs to find a new way to become the savior she is meant to be.

Dante is similar to Alessa. He is an outcast who also has the gift of strength. But with many childhood traumas, he doesn't think he is worth much. Alessa hires him as her bodyguard, and he begins to see that he is more than what others tell him he is. I found his story full of hope as he has to reconcile his past with his present.

Alessa and Dante have a wonderful chemistry, and I loved how they helped each other to reach their full potential.

Friendships & Teamwork:

Much like the messages of friendship that are found in Harry Potter, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Vicious Grace stresses the power of connecting with people and nurturing friendships in order to grow stronger. I can't say too much more without spoilers, but I love that message.

Trigger Warning for child abuse.

This is a fast-paced fantasy novel that I believe many fans of young adult or new adult fantasy would enjoy. I believe this book is technically considered a YA novel, but I personally would categorize it as part of the New Adult age range. I would absolutely recommend this to any reader who read the Shatter Me series and wanted more characters like Juliette. While Alessa definitely has her differences from Juliette, I think readers who enjoyed that series will find themselves captivated by this book.

I was super into this book for the first 60%, but it lost me at that point until the final battle, and it lost me again at the very end when it went from trying to wrap up the story being told to solely functioning to tell the reader exactly what the sequel would be about. Part of the reason why this novel lost me was that I wasn't expecting it to wander into intense romance given the premise of the novel and so that wasn't what I was looking to get from this story. The betrayal storyline during that latter half of the book also wasn't my cup of tea and so I found myself bored and wanting to just get to the battle already.

The world-building of this novel is exquisite and I absolutely loved how immersed I felt in this world. Thiede absolutely captivates you with her descriptions and you feel for Alessa's plight. I wish the side characters had a tad bit more development than what was provided but with such a large cast of characters, that balance can be difficult to strike. Alessa has so much heart and her development throughout the novel is a joy to read.

content warnings: death, gore, violence, murder, abandonment, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, child abuse, religious bigotry, war, alcohol consumption, physical injury, strangulation, isolation

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This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede follows Alessa, a girl meant to be the savior of her island home, Saverio. As a Finestra, her duty is to protect her people from a swarm of demons that comes every couple of decades by amplifying the powers of people with magical abilities called Fontes. Unfortunately, Alessa keeps killing her Fontes when she touches them. There have been three weddings and three funerals in her time as Finestra and time is running out.

The people of Saverio are beginning to doubt her ability to protect them and she no longer trusts the guards who are meant to protect her. Alessa hires a brooding street fighter with a few secrets up his sleeve as her bodyguard and begins to train with the Fontes that remain on the island, the few that didn’t leave in fear, hoping to build a connection that will stop her from killing them. But will this be enough to stop the demons when they come?

With beautiful, engaging and atmospheric writing, This Vicious Grace was a compelling debut with so many things that I adored, like the italian-inspired worldbuilding and mythology, the found family trope, a grumpy but sweet bodyguard, and endless batter. Thiede pairs divine magic and religious tension in the best way and crafts characters who grow with each page, who are deeply fascinating and loveable. If you love books with all of this, several scenes that will have you sobbing into the pages and more, This Vicious Grace is perfect for you.

This Vicious Grace was apart of my highly anticipated since last year but nothing could prepare me for what I would feel by the end I this book. From the characters development, to the side characters team work despite the tricky and deathly situation that could occur, to Alessa's magnetic backstory and her empathy and constant inner fight with herself. And of course, Dante...Dante...Dante!! - I am utterly blown away!
I cannot wait for the next book!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review, Thank you to NetGalley.

Alessa has been through three weddings and three funerals. As the Finestra, she must choose a Fonte to go to war with her to save her island from a swarm of monsters. The only issue? She killed the first three. Her gift is to magnify the power of others, but it hasn't been going as planned. Now with a deadline to find a partner, Alessa has been dealing with assassination attempts on top of everything. She goes to a den of fighters to find a bodyguard who will protect her from attempts on her life. Dante is the one who is chosen, but he has secrets of his own. He alone seems to be the one who can help her learn to use her gift and save her people if she can survive his possible betrayal.

This book was an adventure for sure! I did have a few issues with the pacing at times when the action seemed too slow, but the building of the relationship between Alessa and Dante made it worthwhile. What really kept me involved was how Alessa would pull through for her people. I didn't seem to guess what would happen next in that part of the book and it made me feel like I had to push myself to finish the book as quickly as I could. The relationships that Alessa found with those who could become her Fonte and partner were my favorite part. I liked the building of trust between each person and how they grew close when they feared each other. It's definitely a building of a community and love that will draw people into the book. It felt apart from our reality, but closely tied as well. I loved the blending of Italian words and ideas with the adventure of a chosen person needing to save the "world." I will definitely be looking out for the sequel.

Yeah so, I loved this book. And so instead of word vomiting in hopes of doing it justice, I will attempt to tell you what I loved about it in list form. Because sometimes you just need a list.

►Alessa was such an amazing main character! She's been through it, as we learn in the first chapter, killing everyone who had been meant to be her partner. So she's obviously sympathetic, but she also just really worked her way into my heart in general.

►The story itself was so high stakes. I mean, she could kill any person she touches, that is kind of a lot. But not only that, if she fails to find a partner who can help her defeat the monsters that threaten her world, everyone will die.

►I really enjoyed the camaraderie that developed throughout the story. Alessa had been so alone for so long, that it was great to see her form some bonds. Sure, they may have been forced bonds at some point, but eventually, people come to love her for who she is, and that was amazing.

►There were so many great funny moments to lighten the mood. As you can imagine, at times, the story was pretty brutal! But the moments of levity really helped balance the story. There is a lot of fun banter, and witty humor, and I was here for all of it.

►Speaking of banter, the romance was amazing. Gah, I can't say much, but I looooved the romance aspect of this book! Like I mentioned before, banter is A+, too.

►It was a perfect blend of action and character development. It was never too overwhelming or overdone, which I really appreciate especially in a fantasy story. There were moments of downtime for characters to connect to each other and do some soul searching.

►I just plain loved it. Sometimes that is enough. It's definitely enough when added to the above!

Bottom Line: I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the world. I might already own two copies of this book, and I will be very eagerly awaiting its sequel!

This was an enjoyable book. A little fluffy compared to what I’ve been reading lately. Granted, we meet Alessa after she has buried 3 partners after killing them with her magical touch that she needs to protect her island from a swarm of demons that are coming and she needs a partner to win the battle. As rumbles of revolt begin, Alessa hires Dante as her bodyguard. And he might be the key (or downfall) of Alessa finally figuring out her power. The magic in this book was interesting, but it really was the characters that shined along with the relationships between them. I will say that I found the plot a little choppy at times, but not enough that it took away from the story.

This Vicious Grace transports you to a magical, Italian-inspired world full of religious-political drama, romance, and friendship.

Alessa, the Chosen One known as the Finestra, has the fate of her island in her hands. Alessa is her people's only hope against an impending demon attack. The only catch is that she needs to find her Fonte. In theory, her magic is supposed to amplify her Fonte's magic. In reality, they die as soon as she touches them. Alessa has chosen 3 Fontes, and they have all died as soon as she touched them. Now, Alessa is facing assassination attempts because some people doubt she is the true Chosen One.

I think fans of From Blood and Ash will enjoy this book. This Vicious Grace has similar themes and tropes to FBAA. Both female protagonists can’t touch anyone, and live a very sheltered life in a bubble until an outsider infiltrates their world. Sadly, I didn’t connect with this book. I never fully understood the magic system and the world, nor did I feel invested in the characters. I can definitely see why people love this book, but the writing style didn’t work for me. If you’re interested in this book, I encourage you to give it a shot!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great fantasy debut from Emily Thiede with an original story and fun characters. Thiede created an interesting magic system and an island with an intricate religious history that presents a problem for the characters. At the base of the story, it's a tale on "good vs evil" and how what we've been "told" through years of stories and writings can ultimately be spun for someone's agenda. What is perceived as inherently good or evil may not be! There is also a romance element to this story, and I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter and the use of the sunshine/grumpy trope throughout the relationship developing. There is a tiny bit of spice, but since the characters were 18+ I was really hoping it would be more!! There is definitely potential in the later books for this to dive into the spicy romance realm, and I would absolutely be here for it.

The beginning of the story gave me a few From Blood and Ash vibes. Although This Vicious Grace is a completely different story, I would wholeheartedly recommend this to fantasy readers who were into the beginnings of From Blood and Ash. I will be interested in continuing on this story (there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, but not a overwhelming one!) and can't wait to see where Thiede will take us.

This Vicious Grace is the first book in The Last Finestra series by Emily Thiede. A paranormal young adult romance with a hint of magic. This fast-paced, slow-burn romance pulled me in from the beginning with strong main characters and a unique blend of Italian influences, god-given magic and demon enemies. This Vicious Grace is a sensational fantasy novel, weaving a vulnerable narrative of isolation, lingering doubt, and the strength in fulfilling an insurmountable role. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

This was a fun read! Alessa has a gift from the Gods that is supposed to magnify her partner's magic... the problem? She keeps accidentally killing her partners. Now, everyone is losing faith in her and questioning if her gift is from the God's or from the evil demons.

What I liked:
• the powers that Alessa and the suitors have
• bodyguard turns lover romance
• Alessa is incredibly relatable

What I didn't like:
• world building was minimal
• could have had more info about the gods and the powers

Overall though I had a good time reading this. I'm a lover of YA fantasy and this was a pretty good one. It was hard to put down at times and to me, that's a good book!