What's it about (in a nutshell):
This Vicious Grace is an explosive epic fantasy in a delightfully immersive world populated by complex characters that find their way into your heart and mind. This is one of the best books by a debut author I have read this year.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
Looking at the cover, I see a young woman holding or picking a lemon. It looks like blood is dripping down the "I" in Vicious. It has a sort of Garden of Eden feel, though she is holding the lemon instead of an apple. The blurb on the cover, "Her Gift Can Save, or It Can Kill," gives away the most about the story. This is a debut fantasy, so there may be components that reflect that – world-building that is incomplete or not immersive, etc. The blurb speaks of a young woman who has the gift to magnify her partner's magic but has not found that partner. She must find that partner to survive the coming storm of demons. This Vicious Grace sounds like an intense "chosen one" epic fantasy with magic, demons, and more.

Actual Reading Experience:
I wasn't sure what to expect before I started this book and it surprised and delighted me in all the best ways. There is absolutely nothing about this story that indicates it was written by a debut writer.

The world-building is immersive and detailed. I found myself quickly drawn into this land. It's beautiful and has some elements that are unique and others that are relatable, making me feel like I could truly experience it with all my senses. It felt like there was a mix of Italian and maybe Spanish influences, and the island felt like one found in the Mediterranean.

The slow-burn romance felt very authentic while at the same time in keeping with the magic, abilities, and responsibilities of the characters. It's definitely a romance that will carry even the most hardened heart away and make romance lovers swoon.

I loved how the theme of loneliness versus community played out. That is the most impactful aspect of this first book of the story. How Alessa's loneliness is conveyed is relatable and touching.

I loved the main characters – Alessa and Dante – and found them intriguingly layered and well-developed. The only thing that caused me a little bit of disappointment was the support characters. In a tale as rich as this one in world-building and character development, I would love to have that richness stretched to include the support characters. They came off as a bit one-dimensional and possibly even stereotypical.

Characters:
Alessa is the island's Finestra – a person given the power to amplify someone else's magic ability. She is supposed to choose a magic wielder (Fonte), pair with them in marriage, and destroy the wave of demons that will be coming. She is strong and determined, asking for forgiveness rather than permission.

Dante is a fighter that Alessa found when she needed someone of her own hiring to protect her from the island's inhabitants. He is a loner, loves to study the island's history, and is a skilled fighter. He helps Alessa figure out more about herself and where her strengths lie.

To Read or Not to Read:
This is a highly immersive epic fantasy in which lovers of the genre will be happy they dove into and followed Alessa on her journey of self-discovery, love, and righting past wrongs.

I LOVED THIS.
The Italian-inspired setting of this book was truly so enjoyable to read, it was fresh and different but also familiar enough to feel cozy. The concept of the world was a little bit confusing at the very beginning, because there is no info-dumping - I did figure it out fairly quickly once some context was added, but just prepare yourself to be slightly lost for a few minutes.

The romance in this was EXCELLENT. It was a pretty obvious pairing once the male MC came on the page, but I was rooting for it so strongly.

The book also has huge elements of found family and an incredible friendship group! Ugh yes I love

"Love didn't demand perfection."

I'm obsessed with this book. It was so good, and I can't believe I waited until now to read it. I really need to stop putting off reading my ARCs.

To start off, I adored our female lead. Alessa was tough and determined, even in the face of great public doubt she always tried to do what was best for her people. Her character was both believable and relatable. We get to watch her grow out of the mold she was forced to fit into and blossom into a fierce young woman who finally decides to take destiny into her own hands.

The person who is most instrumental to our beloved heroine's growing change was none other than Dante, the mysterious fighter Alessa brings in to protect her when she finds herself unable to trust anyone else. Their relationship is one of my absolute favorite parts of this book. Their friendship, their banter, their love. All of it!

Another thing I loved about this book was the friendships that developed between our female lead and her Fonti. While they were distrustful and wary of her at first, they wound up being her greatest friends and allies. Found family is always one of my favorite things to see in books, and this one delivered.

The plot itself was solid, the action, the drama, the romance, everything was perfectly balanced, which made this Italian-inspired fantasy an impeccable and delectable treat. The point is this book was a fantastic start to what I am sure will be an excellent fantasy series. I honestly can't wait for the next installment, and I certainly would be delighted if it came sooner rather than later.

Partial Publisher's book Summary:
"...Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?"


My review:
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede is one of those fantasy stories you try to put down but can't.
Alessa Paladino is Finestra, the next female to save her country at least that is what she keeps being told, however, there is one problem-to save her country, she needs a Fonte- a person with special powers that she can pull from into her own body.

"On One Side of the aisle, the twelve members of the Consiglio watched her with inscrutable eyes.
Always watching. Always waiting. First for her to be old enough to choose a partner. And then for
her to choose another. And another after that. Soon they'd summon her next victim.
Partner. Her next Partner."

Doesn't sound so hard when you're chosen by Dea, right? Wrong... Alessa is made different than each one of her ancestral Finestras, her power kills people with a touch. She doesn't know who to trust, people are losing their faith in her. Along comes one who she sees as strong and can protect her—Dante.

Alessa and Dante for the majority of this book are what keep you turning pages. I found their relationship adorable, tragic, frustrating and most of all worth the read. I have to be honest, for a while I wasn't sure if I would keep reading This Vicious Grace it felt too familiar to me from another book that was released this year--- however, Alessa tugged a thread in my head and kept me slightly interested, that is until she convinced Dante to be her bodyguard. This is where author, Emily Thiede's magic starts happening. Dante is the glue to all the rest of the characters, not because he is the chiseled epitome of a God, no, but because he is full of faults, and also so much learned wisdom. Alessa needed that wisdom and permission to be herself and break a few rules. After all, She Is the Savior of her Country, or so her trainers keep reminding her.

The Fontes (those who hold the power, Finestra needs) are quirky, annoying, unique, and lovestruck. They are so different that at first, I found them bland, then, like I said before, Dante... These characters start shining, they start changing, and they start working as a team. They, and only they, can help Alessa defend Sinestra.

With every Fantasy story there needs to be a villain, right? Well, how about a whole town full of villains? Are they really out to get Alessa, or save her? Do they become complacent or do they rally to her defense? That is a good question... You must read this book to find out.

This Vicious Grace the first book in The Last Finestra series is a dark and twisty thriller with a little yummy romance sprinkled in. Emily Thiede's Italian-inspired debut won't let you down.

A warning, this book will end and set you up for the next in the series a lot quicker than you'd like, I hope it's not too long of a wait!

This is an absolute masterpiece of ya/na writing!

Alessa is the gods chosen Finestra, the one who will save them all from Divorando, when demons will begin attacking their island. All she needs is a Fonte, someone with a magical gift that she is supposed to become linked to in order to enhance their power and protect their people in battle.

The only problem, she has killed the last three she has chosen and this is her last chance. Among training and choosing a final Fonte, there are attempts on her life. Dante, the person she chooses as her bodyguard is brash and aloof. He has many secrets, but he does vow to keep her safe. And as time passes too quickly and the Divorando approaches, she learns his darkest secret… Dante has a unique ability to help her strengthen her gift and before a better Finestra.

This Vicious Grace will pull you in. Emily Thiede’s writing is amazing, painting a broad picture that, along with the audiobook narration, will completely transport you into this story.

This book, the fantasy and adventure, the entire cast… just brilliant. I savored this one because I didn’t want it to end. I cannot wait for the next book in this incredible series!

From the description, I knew I’d enjoy this book – I just wasn’t prepared for how much.

Poor Alessa. With the Divorando (a hungry swarm of demons bent on killing the citizens and destroying the island) countdown looming and everyone depending on her, she feels like a failure. Her power is so immense that it’s killed three partners, and few volunteers are in line to take their place. Much of the population have lost confidence in her, and several attempts have been made on her life – even from her own soldiers. She takes it upon herself to hire a bodyguard, someone who’s loyal only to her. Smart girl.

I loved Alessa and Dante, and their banter is one of my favorite things in this novel. She’s unsure of herself, desperately misses her family, and can’t trust anyone around her. He comes with a shrouded past and considers himself a bad person (he’s so not), and will defend Alessa to the death. He also stole my heart with his love of books. The supporting characters are nothing to sneeze at and add so much to the story – especially Kaleb and Kamaria. They start out bound by duty, but fear for their lives at the thought of being chosen as Alessa’s Fonte. By the end they become an exceptional, supportive found family.

This is an action-packed, compelling read, but the last 10% left me absolutely breathless. I couldn’t look away if I wanted. Seriously, there better not be a long wait for the next book. Life or death stakes, plenty of humor, slow burn romance, incredible action scenes, and clever banter make this an outstanding debut. Highly recommend to fantasy fans!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

DNF at 20 ish %.

I love the writing style of this book. Unfortunately, the plot did not catch my attention in any way and I feel like the world building was done in an ineffective and un-interesting way. The MC had too many monologues this early on in the book and I’m just not interested in where the story will go. I definitely think the author has potential with her writing, but this plot just wasn’t intriguing enough to me in its execution.

the more books i read the more quickly im able to determine if im gonna vibe with the writing/story or not and this one is a not 😔

dnf, but tysm to Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy

Title: This Vicious Grace
Author: Emily Thiede
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

This was such a fantastic read! Alessa’s snark is so much fun---and it only gets better when Dante shows up. I really loved their interactions and banter. The world and culture were quite unique to me, and, while it isn’t really a culture I’d want to live in—or visit—the world-building was vividly realized and fascinating to read. I highly recommend this, and I can’t wait to read what happens next.

Emily Thiede lives in Virginia. This Vicious Grace is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Thanks to Raincoast Books, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. I will publish this review on Goodreads, Amazon Canada, Barnes & Noble, and Instagram (@ABookishStar).

Rating: 3.5

This Vicious Grace is perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco's Kingdom of the Wicked Trilogy and Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash series. I felt This Viscious Grace was a more YA version of these two books.

The best part of This Vicious Grace is the romance between Dante and Alessa. I loved their back-and-forth banter. Dante is my favorite character in this book. I thought it was adorable that he wouldn't tell Alessa his real name for the entire book. Alessa kept trying to guess it! It reminded me of Ally Carter's Heist Society.

I didn't mind the setting (it reminded me of Kingdom of the Wicked ), and the overall conflict was easy to understand. However, the only problem that I had with this book (t might be different in the final publication) was that the story didn't flow at times. I also felt the side characters could have been more fleshed out.

I loved that the Fontes was not limited to one gender.

Overall, This Vicious Grace was a fun read! The banter and romance between Alessa and Dante were cute. I felt the plot, while easy to understand, could have been strung together stronger. I also wanted the side characters to be more fleshed out. In all, I'm curious to see what will happen in book 2.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this!

Holy cliffy, Batman - I can’t wait for the next one, I wish I had it right now! This was such an engaging, exciting read, think a mashup of Shatter Me x Kingdom of the Wicked - the main character is meant to absorb, magnify, and weaponize her partner’s power to fight off a great evil… the only problem? The evil is getting closer every day and she keeps accidentally killing her spouses. After becoming a widow three times over, her marriageable options have not shockingly dwindled and the public is wary and losing faith in her ability to save them. The romance was fairly predictable, but I loved it anyway, and I really loved the friendships she had to learn to form.

This story is amazing! I enjoyed This Vicious Grace so much, that I stayed up late at night to finish it… and the phone battery died when I’ve reached 94% of the book.
In a war against demonic insects, the Finestra has the gift to amplify her Fonti’s powers, but Alessa can’t seem to do it right. Consumed by doubt, isolated and fearing for her safety, she tracks down Dante and hires him as her bodyguard. One thing leads to another, and with his help, she begins to trust in herself and come out of her shell. She befriends the Fonti, trains with them to find a suitable match for the Divorando, while the threat of a religious revolt looms at the sanctuary island of Saverio.
Interesting, intriguing and engaging, this is a wonderful story, with likable characters that grows and change and evolve, fast-paced and easy to read.
What I’ve enjoyed most were the Italian proverbs at the beginning of each chapter.

Una historia espectacular, This Vicious Grace me absorbió tanto que me quedé leyendo hasta tarde y la batería de mi teléfono murió… cuando había llegado al 94% del libro.
En una guerra contra insectos demoníacos enviados por Crollo, la Finestra tiene la habilidad para amplificar los poderes de los Fonti, pero Alessa no ha logrado controlar su poder. Dudando de ella, aislada y temiendo por su seguridad, sigue y contrata a Dante como su guardaespaldas. Con su ayuda, comienza a confiar en ella misma y a salir de su cascarón. Entrena con los Fonti para ver quién es más compatible para enfrentar Divorando.
Es una historia maravillosa, interesante, intrigante y absorbente, con personajes que crecen, cambian y evolucionan, es una lectura ágil y fácil y lo que más me gustó fueron los proverbios italianos.

I absolutely adored this book! It was a longer book, but I sped through it because I just had to see what was going to happen next. This Vicious Grace is a really interesting debut YA fantasy set in an Italian-inspired world with a unique mythology. I really liked the the magic in this story, which wasn't overly complex but still felt different and interesting. I found it interesting the way culture and tradition played a role in how people understood and misunderstood magic, and more and more is understood as the characters grow and take new risks. I also love when books incorporate other languages, and there's a decent bit of Italian used throughout, which was cool. This story touches on a lot of things such as balancing tradition and change, the pain of isolation, the importance of community and connection. All the while the book manages to be funny and sweet through an amazing protagonist, a great love interest, and snarky side characters that help make this wild fantasy world relatable.

There's so much that I liked about this book. The first best part of the story is Alessa as a protagonist. She is the perfect blend of deadly, confident, vulnerable, dutiful, and funny. She's likable both for her strengths and weaknesses, and her moments of pain are so raw that it will literally break your heart as a reader. She's the kind of character you desperately want to wrap up in a hug, except for the fact that hugging her will probably kill you. She definitely goes through a lot, but it serves to make her growth arc even stronger.

The absolute best part of the story, though, is the romance. The chemistry between Dante and Alessa is insane and I could read about them forever. I don't know if I would quite categorize this as enemies to lovers, but they've got a really snarky relationship in the beginning with their interesting mix of personalities. It leads to great romantic tension while making way for sweet moments, heartbreaking moments, exciting moments. Their love story alone is a wonderful rollercoaster and the way that they support and care for one another throughout? It is everything!

Overall I thought this book was incredible. Emily Thiede pulls you into this interesting world filled with magic, demon creatures, traditions, and vibrant history and mythology. She keeps you pulled in with a protagonist you can deeply care about. I found the details of the world interesting and liked the little moments of surprise throughout the story. The ending sets up nicely for a next book (thankfully without the dreaded cliffhanger) which I already cannot wait to get my hands on. If you like magic and romance, you'll definitely want to read this one!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review. (Also, thanks to Fairyloot for their awesome monthly book. Looks great, peeps!)

Three weddings. Three funerals. (Basically 2019, 2020, and 2021 for me.) *cue sad trombone* Alessa has been blessed by the gods with the ability to magnify her partner's magic, but she just happens to kill every one of them. It also doesn't help that in three weeks' time, there will be a swarm of hungry demons who will come to disturb, destroy, or devour everything in their wake. So, naturally, Alessa has to find a partner with whom she can channel her powers through and stop their impending invasion, all while trying to avoid her own soldiers who are trying to assassinate her.

Whoo boy was this one a doozy. This book is pretty interesting and the only reason why I'm posting this review so late is because I did have a lot bereavement when I was originally sent this book and couldn't find the heart to peel myself out of bed, let alone read about someone else going through this kind of tragedy. But I did get through it and wow, this was a good one. Thiede seamlessly blends Italian culture, magic, and demon hunting to build a story that will keep you immersed. Honestly, it was a bit difficult for me to get into and I thought I was going to DNF it, but once I got through the first two chapters where it felt a bit slow to me, it really picked up.

Dante and Alessa have a fun, bodyguard relationship and though it pales in comparison to Whitney and Kevin's 1992 performance and chemistry, it's a sure hit if you're into the bodyguard trope. The romance took front and center in this story to me, which I'm a bit meh on because romances tend to be a bit formulaic for me, but the plot didn't slouch. For those that love romance, this one is a must-read. Despite romance not being so much my thing, the found-family aspect won me over. As I mentioned earlier, I had a lot of family bereavement this past year especially, and sometimes, it's the family that you make (or stumble upon in some cases) that really binds you and holds you down when you have to weather the worst of storms.

Would I recommend this? For those who love romance with a splash of magic and Italian culture, this is a sure-fire hit. It starts a bit slow and getting over that hump is what will definitely separate the "I LOVED THIS" readers from the DNFs.

4 stars out of 5. Looking forward to the sequel!

This book grabbed my attention and held it from the very first page. The magic, the curse and the slow burn romance were beautifully written! I was totally sold on the bodyguard trope when I first heard about this book. The author's world building and ability to keep you guessing, while anxiously waiting to turn the next page, made this one of the best YA fantasies I’ve read to date. I'm really excited to see what happens in the next book!

This book wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would! The writing was beautiful and I pretty quickly fell in love with Alessa, and her relationship with Dante. I cannot wait for the next book!

Okay I loved this.

Set in an Italian inspired world, This Vicious Grace tell such a unique and addicting story. Alessa is the next Finestra, the chosen one who will need to pair with a partner in order to amplify their power and protect her world from a horde of demons. However, when she ends up killing all three of her suitors and threats to her life are made by her own followers, Alessa turns to Dante to become her bodyguard and learns of a way in order to help her world.

There's just something about Emily Thiede's writing that makes you want to keep reading, from the riveting plot to the wonderful characters scattered throughout her book. It has pretty much everything you could ask for in a YA fantasy book, including a grumpy morally gray body guard, found family, nasty demons, and a fast-paced plot that will keep you at the edge of your seat. I spent my nights staying up late in order to devour this book and would spend the next day at work day dreaming about when I could pick it up again. The romance subplot between Dante and Alessa was to die for and loved how they were both so supportive for each other no matter the odds.

I'm immensely scared but also so excited for the next book and to see where Thiede takes her story and characters!

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the chance to read an advanced copy of This vicious grace by Emily Thiede. This is a new YA fantasy series and the cover and description sounded fabulous. However, I had a hard time getting into the story, the plot and characters just were not connecting with me. This may not have been the book for me, however, for those of my followers who are into YA fantasy you may want to give it a try, Another reviewer recommended it for those who like Shatter me. 21/2 stars rounded up to 3.

Fell flat for me, unfortunately. just didn't feel very fresh. I found the plot fairly predictable and the writing wasn't a style that I enjoy. I'll be generous with my star rating because I think it's a case of it's not you, it's me. This definitely has an audience, but it doesn't seem like it has much crossover potential.

Happy Friday y'all! I'm so excited for the weekend! I feel like these weeks have been so busy, so I'm always the most excited for the weekends to be able to relax. Do y'all have any fun plans this weekend? One thing y'all should definitely do on Tuesday is go out and grab This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede! Wednesday Books sent me an eARC to review and man y'all, this was such a cool book, and y'all are definitely going to want to read it when it comes out on the 28th!
This Vicious Grace 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.
Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?
Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!
I really enjoyed this book! I loved Emily Thiede's concept and I loved Alessa and Dante! They were such great characters and I really loved watching them grow into friends and then more, even through Dante's "dark secret." I also really liked the group of Fontes that Alessa had to choose from and how she ended up going forward with that whole situation- she may have been Dea's "chosen one" but she never got any real chosen one benefits and I really liked how Dante was able to help her come into her own and have more power over how she picks her Fonte. There were definitely times where the world was a tiny bit confusing and I felt like I was missing things, but I was able to figure those things out pretty soon via context clues, so it didn't really impact how much I enjoyed this book. Plot and pacing wise, there were some times during the middle where I felt like the book dragged a tiny bit, but nothing too bad. I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book and the end was so good- I cannot wait for book 2! This was such a fun fantasy debut and I'm sure y'all will love it too! Go out and grab it on Tuesday and let me know your thoughts as soon as you've read it!