This story just missed the mark for me. I think what it came down to was me wanting a story that focused more on the fantasy elements, but what I got instead was a romance that I didn't care to read about.

Because it just wasn't what I expected it to be, I was going to give this a middle rating but decided to lower it a bit because I still didn't particularly enjoy myself.

Let's get into the details.


WRITING:

I don't have many things to say about the writing, as it was decent enough for me to get through this with no issues. The one issue I had in terms of the format of the book though was that it started to follow a countdown of 30 days. Now, this is an issue because, while it is nice to have a specific passage of time, it makes the reader more aware of the pacing and how much quality content we are getting.

The only other comment I do want to make is that I found there wasn't much need to put the proverbs at the beginning of each chapter.

One thing I did appreciate is that there are trigger warnings at the start. It is also nice to see those just so that the reader can know what they are getting themselves into.


PLOT:

This story follows Alessa, who is a Finestra, a person of great importance who has to partner with a Fonte in order to stop an incoming wave of demons. The only issue here is that Alessa is unable to bond with a Fonte she hasn't accidently killed yet, and time is running out. With the increase in frustration in the people, many start to turn against her, causing her to hire Dante, a mysterious criminal, to be her bodyguard.

This is the kind of story that sounded better in hindsight because once I started to delve into it, I realized it was just too simple for me, and it didn't focus on the things I wanted it to. It also just took a long while for the story to get anywhere. Because the only goal of the story was for Alessa to successfully bond with a Fonte without killing them, that leaves very little room for content. The only other thing that was happening, which took precedence, was the development between Alessa and Dante.

The first chapter by itself made for a bit of a rough start that didn't get any smoother as I read along. The concepts weren't fully explained and were a bit confusing, and it didn't go too much into what the book was actually about. Once I finally understood what was going on, which took a while, the plot just left me wanting more from it. The story also ends up taking a predictable route, which didn't do the book any favours. It went in a direction that was a bit cliché and melodramatic for me.

In terms of pacing, besides what I already mentioned in the writing section, there wasn't really any increase in tension. The characters are given 30 days to find a way to fix things and, as the days count down, the characters didn't particularly seem to get more and more nervous. So, the story was pretty stable throughout most of it, when instead it should have slowly ramped up the tension.


WORLD-BUILDING:

As I said in the previous section, the concept and magic system weren't explained enough for me. It took a while for anything to make sense, as the author was just throwing terms at you, and nothing was sinking in. The magic system was very standard, with certain people having certain abilities and that's it.

Even the catalyst for the book didn't make much sense to me. The Finestra and Fonte were supposed to protect their homeland, an island called Saverio, from demons that were sent by Crollo. The people think that this is the way things are because it is Dea, their equivalent of a goddess, reminding them of the importance of community, which makes no sense for two reasons.

First of all, it is just an odd scenario to back your story on. Second of all, it makes no sense to build a community when the fate of the island rests in only two people's hands, and not the community itself.

One thing I both liked and hated about the world in this was the bond between the Finestra and Fonte. I liked it only because it was a different way to go about creating a hierarchy. Instead of relying on heirs, the rulers would naturally be the next Finestra and Fonte. What I didn't like about it though, was that it somehow ended up creating drama that didn't need to be there.

The Finestra and Fonte are supposed to get married, but that doesn't mean the relationship has to be romantic. In my mind at least, it makes sense for the relationship to be platonic for appearances, but to have a private romantic relationship on the side with the person they actually want to be with. That, sadly, does not happen in this, and instead, we get relationship drama that I found unnecessary.


CHARACTERS:

One big issue I had with this book was the characters. Starting with Alessa, I wasn't very fond of her right off the bat. She pushed the wrong button for me when she started judging the potential Fontes appearance and personality, even though she just made it clear that they do not have to be your romantic partner.

She was also very clearly out of her depth and didn't realize the full severity of the situation she was in even while people were trying to assassinate her, which goes to show that she had zero self-preservation skills. She would go outside for a stroll by herself and thought it would be fine because she usually has her face covered so people wouldn't recognize her, but should you really take that risk?

She also made incredibly thoughtless moves in this, that I can't go into without spoilers, that made me lose all hope for her character. Sure, her recklessness and naivety advanced the plot, but that is not what I want to move the story along, because all it did was bother me. She also successfully pokes a trope that I hate. She hires Dante to protect her but then proceeds to complain and push him away.

As for Dante, well, his character was there but he wasn't there if you know what I mean. He was the deuteragonist and was very prevalent in the story, but he felt more like a plot device than an actual person. He is only really there to act as the love interest and to turn up the dramatics with predictable plot twists.

Speaking of love interests though, let's talk about Alessa and Dante. Instead of a complex fantasy story, this is what the book decided to focus on, a generic and uninteresting romance. While I wouldn't say it was horrible to read, I just didn't care about these two characters and their growing bond. The kind of romance they had has been done before so many times that this just fell straight into mediocrity.

In terms of the rest of the cast, consisting mainly of the other Fontes, they didn't really do much to stand out as they were just there in the background. The one character I did actually like though was Kaleb because he was not afraid to speak his mind no matter how blunt and cynical he was being.


CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

A big swing and a miss for me with this one. It was just too simple of a story, and even with a world and plot that wasn't complex, it managed to just be uninteresting.

This did end up reminding me of Girl, Serpent, Thorn though, as both stories have main characters that kill people with their touch. I did rather enjoy that story though, so I would recommend you try that one out (and it is a standalone).

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books, for giving me the opportunity to review this in advance. My review for this will be posted to my blog 2 weeks before the release date.

3 weddings and 3 funerals…

Wow I LOVED book so much! My favorite read so far this year! It has fantasy, romance, humor, demons, Italian influence, battles, drama… seriously it has a bit of everything.

I highly recommend this book! What a cliff hanger though…

Many thanks to NetGalley & publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review. All comments and observations are my own.

**Possible spoilers below...**

This Vicious Grace is the debut novel from author Emily Thiede. I was immediately drawn to the concept laid out on this novel's synopsis however when diving into the world that Thiede created it became quite a different animal altogether. I was lucky enough to have a chance to read the e-ARC so I wonder if perhaps that may have skewed some of the pacing and plot points in this story for me because this was a copy that still had a few edits in store before its release. With that said, however, this definitely speaks "debut novel," to me and it's not necessarily a positive attribute.

Thiede does an okay job of creating this world where a Fenestra is chosen by the gods and she & a Fonte partner learn to work together with their given powers to fight these giant scarab beetle things (GSBTs). We're quickly introduced to Alessa, the Finestra, and her issue lies in the fact that she's accidentally killed her first three Fontes due to draining their powers too quickly; she can't seem to control her ability. You see, a Finestra is like a human conduit who amplifies their Fonte's elemental power, thus weaponizing it. Because she can't amplify without killing her partners this puts her in a precarious situation as time starts to wind down to the day that the GSBTs return but she still has to choose another Fonte. People are starting to get worried and of course, with worry comes fear and with fear comes doubt; faith in Alessa is starting to dwindle and many believe that by eliminating her they can get a better Finestra before all Hell breaks loose. After an assassination attempt goes awry, she takes her protection into her own hands and tracks down muscly street fighter, Dante, to be her new guard. Dante is not a down-on-his-luck hero, if fact he's got secrets (because of course); he's a broody, sarcastic, alpha-ish male but nevertheless agrees to act as official Fenestra bodyguard until the GSBTs-ageddon. Close quarters and constant interaction inevitably brings these two together and the birds & angels sing...

The supporting cast of characters were, for the most part, entertaining however there were some that I felt could just not exists...please? There were a lot of characters that felt too static when I wanted more (namely the other Fontes) and the villain (of sorts) was not nefarious enough; I didn't feel that sense of dread.

There were certain topics with which I took issue within the story. I have to preface my explanation with the fact that this book deals with pretty heavy subject matter like child abuse and suicide but it's not a "heavy" book; Thiede's rather superficial handling of these topics are pretty offensive, think "let's make it dark but no too dark," so it'll appeal to the YA audience.

**SPOILER ALERT**Dante, and I believe Alessa as well, suffered from different degrees of child abuse however they don't seem to be entirely affected by it. Dante tries to discuss it only when he's locked up and Alessa doesn't see that she's been emotionally abused since she came into her power. I'm not demanding chapters upon chapters on their respective experiences but it would be nice that these weren't just throw away attributes that brought no means to an end.

**SPOILER ALERT**The issue of suicide, both referenced and attempted, were completely unnecessary. If you're going to "go there," then do it where it's not a minor plot point. Suicide shouldn't be used as a shallow plot device to give the hero a gold star for saving the heroine every time she tries to unalive herself. In one of those instances, Alessa was coerced to kill herself by her own brother, HER OWN BROTHER!!! They actually had a good relationship but then he does that and then further down the line he apologizes and it's all copacetic?!?! No. Just no. Emily Thiede, as a writer you invalidated the struggles of people who've actually attempted and died from suicide all for the sake of plot progression and these incidents only became minor ripples by the end of the story.

This Vicious Grace suffers from the typical debut novel issue of having too much crammed into it but also not enough to be fleshed out. The title alone overcompensates for the contents within but the cover looks really good. Usually with a book series I'll aim to read it in its entirety to get more of an idea of the author's creative thought processes but I think I'm going to bow out of this one.

If your looking for a YA fantasy focused on that centers on a grumpy bodyguard romance, then look no further than This Vicious Grace. This slow-burn fantasy is set in an Italy-inspired fantasy world were a swarm of demons is preparing to attack. The main character, Alessa, is supposed to be able push the demons back, but instead of harnessing her partners powers to save the city, she keeps accidentally killing them.

While I could definitely tell that This Vicious Grace was a debut novel- it struggled with Worldbuilding- it was still an entertaining and enjoyable read. I’d recommend this if you are in the mood for a YA fantasy that has slow-burn romance and found families.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC!

I literally couldn't put this book down. So, so good. A little sexy, with some cool action, as well as tragedy and romance. I really enjoyed the witty banter between the MC's and watching their love grow. The world built was nicely developed and easy to follow along with. All in all a great title and I hope there will be a sequel!

This story was an exciting debut and first book in a series! I loved the atmosphere and the world building was good. The important characters were fleshed out. I loved the banter and the romance. The story held me interest from beginning to end which is sometimes hard to do. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!

What a stunning debut! I loved everything about This Vicious Grace. The plot gains huge momentum by the 30% mark and it's nearly impossible to put down, so cancel your plans! I stayed up waaay too late to finish reading and listening. The characters Alessa and Dante make a compelling duo and the supporting cast of Fontes are well developed and add an exciting dynamic to the plot. I’m thrilled that there will be a sequel and applaud the author/editor for ensuring that the promised plot is delivered and concluded in this first entry to the duology. There are no cliffhangers here, but the next adventure is set up by revealing some additional worldbuilding and lore.

I read the eARC and listened to the audiobook ARC as well. The narrators were outstanding and it was fabulous hearing the Italian proverbs spoken by a fluent speaker. From a writing perspective, I loved how Emily Thiede incorporated the proverbs as chapter intros.

I will definitely be raving about / recommending this one!

Oh my gosh I JUST finished and I need the sequel ASAP! (Please)

Okay so I absolutely ADORE Alessa! She is so socially awkward but also hilarious and I believe her character was SO well done! I also feel like I can relate to her character a lot so she will forever hold a special spot in my heart.

Also Dante was nothing short of perfect! Honestly his and Alessa's banter was perfect and he was such a sweet heart.

I did get confused at some parts of the plot, and there were things that I feel didn't necessarily add to the overall story. But otherwise, WELL DONE!

I had so much fun reading this and binged it in every moment I could. I cannot wait to read more of Emily's works (including that stunning sequel) and I NEED Alessa and Dante fanart.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martin's press for approving me for this beauty book! And thank you Emily for enduring my fan girling in your DMs.

Everything mentioned in this review is my honest opinion.

I wasn’t really into the book. I tried to do both the audiobook and the physical copy but the story just wasn't for me. I can under why a lot of people will love this book though!
YA is just not for me anymore.

If your looking for a YA fantasy focused on that centers on a grumpy bodyguard romance, then look no further than This Vicious Grace. This slow-burn fantasy is set in an Italy-inspired fantasy world were a swarm of demons is preparing to attack. The main character, Alessa, is supposed to be able push the demons back, but instead of harnessing her partners powers to save the city, she keeps accidentally killing them.

While I could definitely tell that This Vicious Grace was a debut novel- it struggled with Worldbuilding- it was still an entertaining and enjoyable read. I’d recommend this if you are in the mood for a YA fantasy that has slow-burn romance and found families.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC!

This Vicious Grace is a unique fantasy book that has fantastic story-building and well-developed characters. I will say that there are parts of the book that are similar to other popular fantasty books, just with better world building. I definately reccomend this to anyone looking for a great fantasy with romance dabbled into it!

Diverando is coming. The end of the world is nigh. Unless Alessa, the Finestre, can manage to stop killing her Fontes.

The Vicious Grace is set in a gorgeous Italian inspired fantasy setting, and even though death lurks around every corner for Alessa, it was a really unique read for me. Dante, our love interest who is hot as hell, may be the only one who can help Alessa contain her powers. Which isn't all that unique, but regardless this book had a fun cast of characters and an interesting plot. The book kinda ended on a cliffhanger and I would read book 2 if there was one.

Brilliant. Outstanding. Vicious--all words I would use to describe THIS VICIOUS GRACE. Whenever I am reading what will become a future favorite, I have a special feeling that I get early on where I know pretty quick. I had that feeling with TVG. The comparison to SERPENT AND DOVE had me intrigued and it was definitely true BUT TVG is something that stands entirely on its own. I loved the world building in this one. Thiede writes in such a way where it is just so easy to drift into this Mediterranean inspired world. I could feel the warmth of the sun, the ocean breeze, smell the delectable scents and practically taste the food. It engaged all of my senses which is a mark of a plain old good book. And the lemons. I love the lemons. All this made my reading experience so transportive I didn't want to leave it. I also thought that the lore of the Finestra and Fontes was really interesting. I adored Alessa as a MC. She's smart, determined and sassy, everything I adore in a fierce female protagonist.. Alessa's character arc was a clever take on the chosen one trope, where Alessa as Finestra continually (but accidently) kills her Fontes, who she needs to help save the world. There were moments when Alessa was just so raw that I just really felt invested in her journey. She had me laughing and emotional at multiple times throughout the novel. I adored the slow-burn between Alessa and Dante. I love their banter and how the author takes care to get the reader fully on board with them. The development and depth of that relationship has them as one of my new favorite OTPs. And Dante was one of those LI's I felt so connected to, probably one of my new book boyfriends. This book is so well-paced with so many nuanced characters and devastating plot twists that it felt like a roller coaster but in the best way. I could go on and on. This is a fantastic debut that may be one of the best books I have read all year. 100% worthy of all hype.

The characters, setting and romance were wonderfully developed.

I especially loved the characters Alessa Dante and their relationship.

Magic, fantasy and romance. Fantastic book!

A must read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Really enjoyed this book! The story in world building were very well thought out and detailed. The context and details of the story were also very easy to understand. Everything had through but concise explanations; The perfect amount of explanation to make sense without being so boring! Loved the ending and the romance and chemistry felts easy and entertaining!

One of my absolute favorite things is when a debut author knocks it out of the park. Emily Thiede has certainly accomplished that with This Vicious Grace.

Warning: minor spoilers below for tropes in this book.

I was lucky enough to get a e-ARC and an audio-ARC for this YA fantasy book and I absolutely devoured it in both formats. I have already pre-ordered a copy and I would suggest that fans of NA fantasy do the same! Full of witty banter and found family, this unique spin on the “chosen one” trope was a big win in my book.

Our MC, Alessa, has a magical gift that sets her apart as the chosen savior of her people. However, the position isn’t it all it’s cracked up to be. When we meet her, she is wrestling with loneliness and self doubt after three of her chosen “partners” have died at her hand. With time running out before a demon attack on her island and these deaths casting doubt on her abilities, Alessa is both hopeless and fearful. After a chance encounter, she turns to an unexpected source for protection… and possibly more.

I really enjoyed the romance in this book, but I would also be remiss not to talk about the wonderful side characters and the found family theme that develops throughout the story. I really enjoyed our supporting cast throughout this story, they were all very unique and well-developed. We had a wide range of personalities and abilities and I think most readers will find at least one character to see themselves in.

Lastly, we had a lush gorgeous setting that makes me want to grab my suitcase and a passport and head to the Mediterranean. Theide did a lovely job of evoking the island’s atmosphere not only through imagery but also through taste and smell. I’m dying to visit Alessa’s family’s bakery!

If you enjoy a unique upper YA fantasy with a side of romance, a great cast, and a vivid setting, This Vicious Grace is a must-read for you!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This Vicious Grace was an enjoyable read. The main character was likable and the Italian inspired setting was interesting.

Alessa and Dante made a great team and if you like the bodyguard relationship than you will enjoy this one. The book spends a lot of time with them and developing their relationship that I feel like every other relationship gets little attention. Their romance was cute.

Alessa was lonely and wanted to make friends and she's able to make some but since the story focuses so much on the romance I found the friendship development with the other fontes very sudden and unearned.

The promised battle with the scarabeo was not my favorite. The way it was written didn't make me feel invested or fear for their safety.

One thing I really didn't like was her relationship with her brother. There was a very uncomfortable ask that he makes of her that really made me hate him. There was also an instance of magical continuance that bugged me.

Overall it was a good read.

I was really excited about the premise of this book but unfortunately, this book just didn't do anything for me. I wouldn't say it was terrible, but I was bored and I ended up skimming the last 30% . I felt like I didn't fully understand the world and the magic and was confused for most of it. I didn't really care much for the characters, so I wasn't super invested in the outcome. The romance was the strongest part of the story but it still wasn't enough to keep my attention.

This book is pure YA fantasy gold! I loved loved the story, the characters, and the setting! A must for all libraries serving teens!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy, I've recently finished this and I'm feeling a little conflicted on how I feel about it. On the one hand there's not a ton of originality here and the things I am interested in, like the world and the magic system don't feel developed enough. The book feels very reminiscent of From Blood and Ash, which is not to say that book invented veiled isolated maidens who are both worshiped and controlled by higher powers. Or that it invented broody, witty bodyguards, who go by a nickname and tease our heroine about smutty books she reads. But, it's a popular read since it's release two years ago and it's hard not to see similarities between that book and this one. There's also a lot of moments where this book breaks its own rules. Alessa switches between being terrified of someone brushing up against her and playfully slapping someones hand. We're given a grammar rule for the language in the book and chapters later a character without any irony breaks the very same grammar rule. Characters casually discuss another's death and with no growth on the page are later worried and upset for that character's life.

Despite all this there is something just so readable about this book. I was gripped not because any plot points were particularly surprising but because the characters and the pacing of the story left me desperate to turn pages. I knew where they were going on their journey but I was still hooked to see exactly how it all unfolded. I think the reality is this is closer to a three star read but I just had such a good time reading it that I had to give it four stars. I think it's likely I'll pick up the sequel, I think the story is going to move in a very interesting direction.