Wow! This book was great. I especially love the unique magic system and how the MC grew throughout the story. This is an ARC I’m almost disappointed to have read BECAUSE NOW I NEED TO WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL.

A slow burn romance with found family tropes? Count me in. I really loved the authors writing, and the Italian backdrop was beautiful! Honestly I was hooked from the opening line, and finished in less than a day .

Alessa is the chosen Finestra- the one to save them all! But in order to do that she uses gifts from a chosen Fonte by touch and absorption. Except her touch is deadly and her chosen Fontes keep dying. Oops! There's some fine print for ya! Three of her chosen Fontes have died and now her people are nervous. Perhaps she won't be able to save them all when the demons come to destroy their people. The only way for a new Finestra to emerge is to kill the current one or she uses her gift to save them, fulfilling her destiny.

A decision is made and attempted assassinations take place. What's a girl to do but hire a body guard and a cute one at that! Enter Dante, the good looking hero with a secret. I absolutely loved the banter between the two and enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Dante helps Alessa figure out why her touch keeps killing these Fontes and it's a good one too! Finally getting answers to her problem she discovers Dante's secret but will it help her in the end?

Really enjoyed this debut and the author does a great job explaining the magic and worldbuilding in an easy way without a lot of confusion. THE ENDING!!!!! That ending WAS INSANE!! What a great way to set up book 2! Preorder this baby now, you won't regret it!

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede was such a fun book to read. I have immense gratitude to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for the ARC and allowing me the opportunity to consume this literature prior to its release.

This fantasy thriller kept me wanting more, more and MORE! From the get-go we have Alessa, chosen Finestra of Saverio -she is oh so powerful, but she needs a partner to harness her power to its full potential...however, they keep dropping like flies from her touch! Alessa has a huge responsibility on her shoulders, but luckily she's got a great bodyguard and company to go along with her for this adventure.

I adored the world-building in this novel. I thought it was absolutely perfect - just enough to give the reader a good idea of the setting, but not so overly detailed that it takes away from the reading experience. I loved the style and voice that Emily wrote this book in - it was so fast paced and easy to follow along. I never wanted it to end, and I really struggled to finish because I wasn't ready for it to be over.

Alessa is a BAD ASS main character. She develops well throughout the book and goes from being unsure and insecure to even more confident and a force to be reckoned with! I want to be friends with Alessa, I think we'd get along great.

I never knew that the "bodyguard trope" was one of my favorites, but this confirms it! The romance throughout this piece is absolutely DELICIOUS. The chemistry will blow your mind - I totally have a new book boyfriend! I love the playful banter and childish nature of their relationship, but also the way that it steadily grows and matures. Although it may have been predictable, it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

I am looking forward to snagging a physical copy of this novel when it finally hits the shelves, and I'm looking forward for this series to continue so I can keep getting my fix!!

An absolutely addictive, breakout debut.

I loved this book from start to finish. The concept in and of itself is captivating - a girl is destined to save her land but keeps accidentally killing the people who are supposed to help her. This very foundation brings in high levels of conflict and tension, along with a darkly humorous tone that truly sets this debut apart.

The worldbuilding is strong, logical, and with a clear sense of culture. It felt at once intimately familiar and wonderfully fantastical. While the setting was well developed, there is so much more that I want to know and eagerly await learning about in the sequel. I enjoyed many of the characters, and appreciated the development throughout the cast, including side characters. Alessa was easy to root for and Dante was perfection.

The plot proceeded excellently, with just enough surprises to be satisfying and a conclusion that is making me desperate for the sequel. But my favorite part, by far, was the love story. This is what kept me up late into the night reading “just another chapter”.

The pitch for this book, a romantic comedy disguised as a dark fantasy, was so incredibly accurate. It was absolutely romantic but in a refreshing way. There was a strong focus on friendship, humor, and respect, which I value in love stories, but combined with wit, smoldering glances, and mutual desire. This balance was perfectly struck - a rarity in fantasy novels.

I am so ready for the sequel, and anything else Emily Thiede writes.

I loved this book. It was a wonderful take of a gothic romance and the beautiful writing style. I had to order a physical copy.

Alessa is a strong and wonderful character to watch grow and develop throughout the story.

The story lent to a world of imagination and let you feel as if you were in the world. I can not wait for more of the characters and this place.

Thank you!

The deliciousness of this story is simple, but effective: a girl who kills with her touch. I'm not a person who nitpicks on tropes so while there are many abound here, I thoroughly enjoyed them. The romance is fun and interesting. I loved the Italian influence on the world (something I haven't read much of in YA fantasy) and this setting feels fully lived in. And the descriptions of food made me consistently craving dessert. This is a great addition to the YA fantasy canon, a remarkably fun debut and manages to set up the sequel(s) while still leaving you with a satisfactory story of its own merit.

This was not at all what I expected in tone. As soon as I saw the cover and read the summary, I was dying to get my hands on this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC.

I loved the old world Italian backdrop to the fantasy setting. I found myself googling all the desserts as I read.
I don’t want to give too much plot away or rehash the summary. This is a page turner, the characters are easy to like, the inclusion of Italian proverbs at the beginning of each chapter was delightful. I loved the darkness of a woman who keeps accidentally killing her fated magical partners, and the responses by those who are threatened by her power. I do think the author could have leaned a bit harder here into the theme of men threatened by strong women, but she did throw me a bone so I’m satisfied.

This is first in a series (no telling on how many) and it sets up more story for a second book while still providing a satisfying end to this story. I would shelve this in fantasy - could be at the more mature end of young adult. There’s a good amount of romance, and it’s not exactly closed door but also not descriptive.

Thoughts & Tropes I loved:
💖 Low key “who did this to you?” vibes.
⚔️ Bodyguard vibes
💖 Italian themed Fantasy world
⚔️ Chosen one/I don’t want to be the savior
💖 If you loved the “can’t touch” aspect of Plated Prisoner, this might hit the spot. I’ve never felt so crushed and comforted by a slow burn hug!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Alessa has been the Finestra for Saverio for nearly 5 years now, and normally, she would've found her Fonte and be well trained for the Divorando by now. But her gift - which will be useful for the battle - is deadly to the three Fonti she has already chosen, and the island are slowly turning against her. Fearing assassination from those who should protect her, Alessa seeks out her own bodyguard, and street fighter and outcast Dante is perfect for the role. Alessa needs to train on how to control her gift, and when she learns more about Dante, it's clear he may be the only one who can bear her touch, and her love?

I honestly didn't know what to expect going into this book. I remember I first learnt about it on Twitter, so immediately requested it on NetGalley (and was approved by both publishers, and the audiobook too). I am glad I hadn't looked at the synopsis again when I started the audiobook, because I was immediately drawn into the tale. Alessa discovered the was the new Finestra just after she turned 13, when her touch started to draw power from others. In the five years between the finestra being found, and the divorando, normally the divine pairing would be discovered, and well trained for the battle against Crollo's scarbeo. But though Alessa has selected three different Fonte, and married each one, they've all succumbed to her power, and she's left with only month's to get a hold on her gift. It's clear that a radical cult is set against her, and that her guards are willing to turn a blind eye against assassin's, so Alessa needs to find her own protection, and Dante is the best bet. I just adored the banter and chemistry between Dante and Alessa, and the fact that he was the only person who could bide her touch, and allowed her to control her powers, just a bonus. So much happened in the book, from Alessa being quite and vulnerable and weak character at the beginning, alone for so long, to her discovering friendship, love, and strength, ready for the battle against Crollo's forces. The twists and turns, especially in the final chapters, were so gripping, and I couldn't turn it off until the book was completed. I'm in awe of this debut, and can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital galley in exchange for my honest review.

Includes a content warning for death, violence, war, and references to child abuse. Very considerate, and should be more of a common practice.

DNF at 20% because I thought what I did read was rough, and did not see myself enjoying it or the narrative changing in any way.

This is a new concept for YA which has not yet been explored. The gorgeous cover, and the Italian influences made it seem like a promising and unique new story to add to the dystopian genre.

I will admit I do not read a lot of Young Adult lit lately, but I made the assumption from the laundry list of content warnings that it had a more adult scope. A lot of the problems I have with This Vicious Grace, are the same problems I have with other popular YA novels.

The beginning of the novel is very info-dumpy and throws a lot of characters at you in the first few chapters. I had a hard time with imagery, as every scene just seemed so busy. For example, when we are introduced to Alessa, she is in the middle of a crowd at the funeral of her third husband, who she killed. Characters are quickly being mentioned and cast away for more characterization later, and I was left feeling no familiarity with the protagonist. If she was reflecting on the death of her partner by herself as our introduction to her, instead of being introduced to her in the middle of his funeral, I may have been able to feel more connected to her.

Alessa is supposed to be responsible for preventing the end of the world but I don’t really get the sense that she even cares? It seems like maybe accidentally killing her partners is more of an inconvenience to her than a tragedy. And that would be a cool outlook for the villain… but not the hero of the story. She doesn’t seem particularly concerned about the failed assassination on her life, and yet she also doesn’t seem like a nihilist. She seems a little half-baked.

I know that the gallows humour is supposed to be a selling point, and it’s what makes a lot of novels in this vein, such as Six of Crows or aCoTaR so popular, but it isn’t hitting the spot for me. If my brother was cracking jokes at the funeral of the third guy I killed, he would be next. The banter makes these characters unrelatable.

This is going to be a great book for someone, but I didn’t see myself being able to mesh with it.

Also, I noticed that the author reviewed her own novel on Goodreads and talks about why she likes it and that’s fine. But I don’t think authors should be rating their own books five stars, and this is a huge red flag in the book community lately. Author interaction on Goodreads has led to a handful of BookTok scandals, especially with debut authors, notably, Piper C.J. I think this is simply lack of media training, and an author who cares enough to provide trigger warnings does not want to upset the community. I don’t personally care one way or another, and everyone is entitled to do as they please, but that’s my feedback.

This book really blew me away, and I think I’ll be recommending it for a long time to come. This is exactly what I expect from a ya fantasy romance. The worldbuilding is interesting and unique, and the relationship between the characters feels natural and not forced.

In this story, Alessa finds herself in possession of a powerful magic meant to protect her island its people, but the way she must wield it, amplified through a partner, is complex. Alessa’s magic is so powerful in fact that she has killed the last three partners through touch alone without intending to.

As a result…her position and life are threatened, despite the fact that she just wants to save her people. Enter: handsome grumpy bodyguard she must hire to protect her life so she can live long enough to save everyone.

The dynamic between these two is so well written, and they are actually so funny and natural together. I have been finding this element the weakest part of ya fantasy recently, so I love to read one that just works this well.

Overall, such a strong book!

This was a solid kick off to a fantasy series (thank god. I remember being at the 80% mark of this book and thinking, "there's no way they're going to be able to tie this all up by the end.) There is ample world building here, and the lens in this book is narrowed to just one young woman and one imposing challenge she must meet, so it's an accessible entry point to the story.

I though the relationship between the the two main characters/love interests was well done and that the topic of sex was handled with grace. I also enjoyed the "Scooby Gang" of Fontes that surrounded them, (I look forward to seeing those characters fleshed out further in the next installment.).

I particularly enjoyed the notion of a (gender neutral) concept of having a Finestra and Fonte and how these parings work together to support and save their community. The whole idea of connection and compassion that ran through the plot gave this book a beautiful warmth. These are young adults confronting their personal demons while also confronting LITERAL demons, but that never felt like self absorption, more like a artful metaphor.

My quibbles with this book were small. First, I wanted more info on the "demon insects" that attack all the time. That whole, "Oh yeah, giant killer insects launch themselves at the city periodically and we have to kill them all and will probably die" quest seemed like it was just dropped into the plot with not a whole lot of explanation. I went with it, but it did leave me with questions I wanted answered.

Secondly, I don't love that I went into this not fully aware that this is is part of a series (although thankfully it did not end on the dreaded cliffhanger). With this much world-building and the number of books I read in a year, I assume by the time I read the next one in the series I will have forgotten a lot of the details of this one. I am jealous of the person who waits and gets to read them all back-to-back.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This Vicious Grace was a book that I didn't want to put down until I had finished it. The fantasy setting in a non-European setting is wonderful. All of the characters, including the smaller side ones, feel like they are fleshed out and really come to life. The magic system seems a little out there at first, but it honestly starts to make more and more sense as you get through the book because it is a big part of the storyline itself.

I really enjoyed the should be enemies to lovers romantic storyline, especially since it came with a bodyguard trope on the side. The main romance also doesn't seem forced and really comes together in a natural way. I also just really enjoyed the chemistry between the two characters.

Honestly, my only downside is that this is just book one and I very much cannot wait to read more!

Her gift is supposed to magnifies a partner’s magic, but it kills every suitor she touches. Now Alessa only has a short time until the demons destroy her home, and she needs a partner to stop it. Alessa hires Date to be her bodyguard. With Dante’s secrets there maybe betrayal, but he may also be the only one who can help her.
The book starts slow, but it picks up quickly. The world building was done in a way that you can picture it as if you were there. The main character is one you can have sympathy for. I loved the bodyguard romance this book offered. I found no point to the sayings at the beginning of each chapter, since they didn’t seem to mean or do anything to the story. My only complaint would be how especially at the end the book seemed rushed.

I received a copy of this work from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Vicious Grace grabbed my attention with just its tagline "Three weddings, three funerals", and it didn't disappoint. This is a very very good example of YA fantasy/romance and demonstrates the author's strong worldbuilding and intriguing magic system. While it does have a few issues with pacing, overall, the compelling story and spicy romantic angle more than makes up for it. I have no doubt that this book will attract the attention of a wide audience with the YA reading public. Highly recommended. 9 out of 10.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgally for an earc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun. An interesting magic system and a delicious slow burn romance makes for a great book that any fan of the Fantasy-Romance genre will enjoy. If you enjoy found families and the bodyguard trope I think you will really enjoy this book.

This is an amazing read! The magic system is unique, and the plot draws you in. The best part of this debut however, is the strength and depth of the characters. Both Alessa and Dante are judged for their titles, and not for who they really are. It discusses complex topics such as societal and cultural expectations, breaking of stereotypes, healing, and learning to love yourself and opening yourself to change and growth. Definitely one of my best reads of the year! Highly recommend!!!

Such a great start for brand new fantasy series! This author really knows how to tell a good tale and fantasy story. I definitely hope there are more books to this series.

This Vicious Grace was a debut novel and it was for me a 5⭐️ read. I’m picky about YA and to be honest it didn’t feel like a young adult. And what I mean by that is, it didn’t have a childish, too overdramatic feel. This fantasy-paranormal story had a great world building and plot. And my favorite part was the very touching romance. *Sigh*
I’m just going to leave this here and highly recommend this novel. There’s no cliffhanger but there is another novel. YES!! I. Can’t. Wait.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and ebook form. I listened at work and read at home. Both were great but I think I liked listening to it. The narrators were Carlotta Brentan and Michael Gallagher and they were outstanding. I hope to hear more from them.
Thanks Wednesday Books and Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley.
I’m leaving my review on Instagram, Amazon, B&N, BB, and FB.

I really loved this book!! Alessa is an amazing character who shows a lot of growth from the beginning of the book to the end. I also LOVVEEDDD Dante!!! And Alessa and Dante’s relationship is so fun, I’m a sucker for all the banter. I’d say that THIS VICIOUS GRACE is fast paced, but had some great twists I didn’t see coming. I’m realllllyyy looking forward to book 2!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!