I had the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This was certainly a book that I didn’t want to put down. I stayed up in bed some nights reading through chapters. I was interested in this book because of the mention of fantasy and romance. This book surely didn’t disappoint on those two themes. I truly enjoyed learning about the island of Saverino and it’s people. The world building was done at a digestible pace and I was never overwhelmed by how life worked in Saverino. The characters were some of the most fully fleshed out people I have seen in any book let alone in a fantasy novel. I highly recommend this book for any fans of romance or fantasy. I look forward to reading the next book in this series as soon as it’s available.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars

Wow!! What a ride this book was. I really enjoyed the storytelling and lore/history behind the story. This book was more than the romance but had a satisfying amount of romance!

Alessa’s character was naïve in the beginning but you could see she was learning and growing. I enjoyed going on that path with her. Her interactions with the rest of the characters was always entertaining and kept the reader captivated.

Dante was written very well and I enjoyed the mystery behind him. He was witty, standoffish and passionate. Which is everything a main love interest should be! I enjoyed their sparring and building of friendship.

I enjoyed that the book didn’t just focus on the 2 main characters. Side characters had big reveals and redemption arcs which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the overarching plot. It was easy to see what was coming but there was still some shocking events that happened.

Overall this book was great and I’m looking forward to book 2!

Loved this book so much. The romance was so fun and banter-filled. The world was clearly very Italian-inspired and kind of reminded me of the feeling of reading Kingdom of the Wicked. I could not put this down!

This Vicious Grace is one of the most fresh, delightful fantasies I've read in recent years—the characters are fully-realized, the banter and humor charming, the romance sizzling, and the setting original. I flew through the pages and am so eager for the sequel!

I read this one not really knowing what to expect. In the end it was pretty trope-y, and felt like a rehash of an old x-man fanfic. I mean, people with powers, a girl who can’t touch anyone or they’ll die (essentially) and a gruff no nonsense bodyguard she finds at a bar fight (who is aged down to be only a little older than she is and is actually a teddy bear.) all in all though it wasn’t a bad read and I did start liking it more as I kept on reading. I expect the teen set will like this book, or those much more interested in romance reads than myself.

For my part I really enjoyed all the cuddling and team drama aspect later on. The main couple was fairly cute.

The story is also at a good breaking point, which I appreciate (no cliffhanger, whew!) and I may pick up the next book to read in the future when it’s available.

I honestly think this is one of my favourite read of the year. I found no flaws in book and will definitely be pre-ordering the next one as well as picking up a hardcopy of this book in stores

This book was so great! I liked how it took the trope of the Chosen One and flipped it completely: Alessa is supposed to be the Chosen One, but she keeps killing her partners, and the people are slowly but surely beginning to see her as the villain.
The romance in this book was amazing. I loved Dante so much and I liked their “grumpy x sunshine” dynamic and how it evolved throughout the book.
The magic system has a lot of potential; I feel like the powers people have weren’t explained in the best way. There’s a lot of room for expansion in this series, and I hope the author goes more in depth about that, as well as the politics on Alessa’s island.

This Vicious Grace is a YA fantasy about Alessa, who is chosen by the gods to protect her country. The book follows her on her journey to find her magic partner, who can help her save the country. The only problem is that she killed her last three partners.

I loved the dynamic between Alessa and Dante. Alessa is a strong female character who doesn't diminish herself once she finds a partner. I really enjoyed the world building, and the magic system.

This was marketed as a Serpent and Dove meets The Bodyguard, which I have to agree with. I recommend this for any fans of YA fantasy.

This is being pitched as Serpent & Dove meets The Bodyguard, and I have to say that's a pretty accurate comp!

I thought the first 100 pages were quite slow, but it definitely picked up after that and I got onboard with the story the minute it picked up. I will most definitely be reading the sequel!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for the super early digital ARC of This Vicious Grace! My first selling point was that Tamora Pierce plugged it, and then I thought the synopsis was grabbing so I *ahem* definitely didn’t put down my TBR to read it.  A YA fantasy with a battle between the gods, a snarky bodyguard romance, and banter for days? Heck yes

Considering how disenchanted I have become with YA fantasy recently, I did enjoy this one.

The population of the country has settled onto islands where the Goddess uses a pair of warriors to keep swarms of demons at bay.  This happens maybe once every 20 or so years, which gives the islands plenty of time to identify the next Finestra and Fonte, train them, and have them battle ready.

I thought the Italian inspired lore and names were cool.  Each chapter holds a proverb in the old language, and I made a game out of guessing the English translation before reading it.

The plot is fairly straightforward and fast paced.   We get some lore and history of Dea vs Crollo, the two deities engaged in this battle, and I honestly thought the religious lore and customs that developed as a result were extremely well done.  The populace lives the way they do as a result of the world they live in, namely extremely devout, hierarchal, and ready to save the wealthy when the demons come.

The worldbuilding is there on a micro level as well! We know the mood of the fortress, the city, the figures in power.  The weather and the hidden beaches.  What they eat and drink, the local customs, and how social structure is accomplished.

The magic? Pretty standard, it works on an energy type of system but becomes magnified and more powerful when combined with other people’s.

The characters were awesome.  Alessa is the Finestra, sheltered into solitude and waiting to find a Fonts, a battle partner, that she won’t kill by accident.  Dante is the bodyguard that she hires and he is just … ha ha way too much.  A bad boy with a bookish side.  The other fontes were funny and also good characters.  The banter for days is real.

Now let’s get into the stronger stuff: I think it’s awesome and important to explore the theme of interpreting your religion and making it work for you, and I think it’s something that many Catholic teenagers struggle with.  I think the author brought this into the book and also stressed the importance of friendship, community, working together, and not going life alone, all of which are A+++ themes.  THAT SAID, this is a YA book and I would have stopped the theme before throwing celibacy out the window, especially since it was with someone other than her intended (even though it was an arranged marriage).  I know that self realization through sex is like the cool topic in YA right now but I just hate the trope, and if I’m analyzing this from a Catholic standpoint the author definitely took a FANTASTIC theme … too far.

Also I would have liked to see one or two major character deaths since the ending is a huge and hugely devastating battle.  I never find it realistic when everyone ends up living.  The author copped out of one huge plot twist with a good save, a very good save, but I think I wanted more death.

Lastly: this is small details but the cover does not scream “fantasy”. I would not cover buy it as is, although I hope that doesn’t deter people

All in all: great plot, great pace, great world building on both a micro and macro level, and good themes even if one went beyond propriety


https://onereadingnurse.com/2021/11/27/this-vicious-grace-arc-review-by-emily-thiede/

This Vicious Grace follows Alessa, a young woman whose touch kills. Chosen by the gods to protect her country from demons that kill everything in their path, Alessa must find her Fonte (partner with magic) before it’s too late. Unfortunately, Alessa’s power, which is supposed to magnify her partner’s magic, killed her first three choices.

When her life is endangered, and Alessa realizes she can’t even trust the guards sworn to protect her, she hires her own personal bodyguard, a mysterious and dangerous fighter named Dante. Alessa also decides to gather all of the potential Fontes and work with each to try and determine who is best suited to help her. Now she just has to choose a Fonte, kill the demons, and resist her growing feelings for Dante.

Alessa is such a great protagonist, and I really enjoyed her arc. She goes through so much in this story! As Finestra, she had to sever all ties with her family, and she’s not allowed to touch or be touched by anyone. It is a lonely life, and Alessa deeply craves connection. Most people fear her and keep her at a distance, especially since she killed her Fontes with her power. Alessa struggles with the guilt of these death and fears repeating past mistakes. She also has a lot of conflicted feelings about her power, her situation in life, and her feelings toward her religion, which is really interesting and something that many people can relate to.

Knowing that the country’s salvation is in her hands is a huge burden, and Alessa struggles with this throughout the story. Little rebellions offer her a glimpse of freedom, but she is never really free from the expectations and magic that constrain her. I think that’s why her relationship with Dante is so special and exceptional. He doesn’t care for the rules. He takes the time to get to know Alessa, and he doesn’t fear her. He sees her, not the Finestra, which is unheard of in her world.

Alessa and Dante help each other become the best versions of themselves. She learns to stand up for herself and love herself, and she teaches him what it feels like to be loved and accepted. Their relationship is fantastic! Their banter is wonderful – quick and funny and sarcastic and filled with so much chemistry, and they have total grumpy guy-sunshine girl vibes, which I adore. Dante and Alessa are both lonely and misunderstood, and it’s lovely to see how they grow from strangers to begrudging friends to something so much more.

Other relationships in the story are dynamic too, and I particularly like the relationships Alessa develops with the potential Fontes. They all have distinct personalities, and they add so much to the plot. I also love the Italian-inspired setting and lore. The world-building is immersive and intriguing, and it really pulls you into this unique world of magic, demons, betrayal, lies, and danger. Something else I really like is how each chapter begins with a proverb, written in both Italian and English, and highlights the events that are about to occur. It’s like a bit of foreshadowing wrapped up in words of wisdom.

Thought-provoking themes of community, connection, questioning one’s beliefs, and more add to the poignancy of Alessa’s story. Not surprisingly, considering all Alessa goes through, she begins to question many elements of her life. She is finding herself and learning more about who she is and what she stands for, as are many of the younger characters in the novel. It’s fascinating to see them grow, change, and become more empowered.

I thought this was a great read! It’s suspenseful, the characters are as dynamic and layered as the setting and lore, and the magical elements are interesting. Plus, that ending!! It is equally a satisfying conclusion to the book and a cliffhanger that makes me eager to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend This Vicious Grace to readers who like layered, unique, and immersive YA fantasy. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishing team for sharing this ARC with me!

This was a fun read!

It was a slow start as the world-building is being laid out for you so it took me a bit to get into the story but once I was, I stayed hooked! Immediately, you really sympathize with Alessa at the life she is forced to lead. She starts the story off so lonely and truly thinks so lowly of herself. In a way, she reminded me of Poppy from FBAA and I love Poppy and adored Alessa. She wants what's best for everyone and isn't sure how to get there with how everyone depends on her ability that she has yet to master.

The moment Dante showed up, I knew they would be meeting again soon. This is a bodyguard romance and I haven't read one of those in a hot minute and was VERY ready to do. Dante did not disappoint. Alessa and Dante fed the grumpy/sunshine trope and it was hilarious to read. Their relationship was fun to read with their banter and teasing. They brought out a side to each other that was much needed and complimented each other well. I thought the romance was well-done!

I loved the little twist with the Fonte! It was so sweet and my heart felt so full for Alessa. I really enjoyed meeting the rest of the team and seeing how they shifted perspectives. The found family was lovely. I also appreciated the way the magic system was explained. It was very interesting and different. The ending had me hollering! I'm definitely invested to know what happens next!

The one thing I wished happened differently was the last chunk of the book with the reveal and battle. It felt like too much happened in a short amount of time and I got some whiplash trying to keep up. Some of the slower parts could've been forfeited to make the endings more seamless.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this read and start to the series! I look forward to seeing how the rest of it plays out!

I received an e-arc of This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This Vicious Grace is one of my most anticipated releases of 2022, so I was shook when I was approved to read an early copy. I was on board before the book had a cover, all I needed to know was it was compared to Serpent & Dove, and it's a bodyguard romance.
The Italian-inspired setting reminded me of Kingdom of the Wicked.
The banter and romance were amazing and I loved every second of it.
I really related to Alessa, and I read anxiety rep for her which I really connected with and you don't see a lot of especially in fantasy.
I will be preordering a finished copy, and can't wait for book 2!
4 stars

LOVED loved loved this book.

The writing had me captivated from the start to finish, and I found myself reading it almost straight through one sitting. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I loved the characters in this book. The Wolf was a delicious man. The prose too was beautiful.

I unfortunately couldn't get into the storyline or world-building, so I won't be rating this book other than on Netgalley, but I'm certain it'll captivate audiences.

Thank you for the review copy.

This book is definitely 5/5 stars for me! Once I started it I couldn’t put it down! I absolutely loved the storyline and felt like there was never a dull moment. I cannot wait for this book to come out so everyone else can see how great it is!

This felt like something new in the YA Fantasy world not the same stories you read over and over! It was a much needed breathe of fresh air!

My review of this book is already posted on goodreads!

Reasons to read: hot bodyguard, high stakes, Rapunzel-like heroine but with magic that kills

Personal rating: This book lived up to the hype I'd built up in my head just by seeing the author's Instagram posts. I'm a simple woman to please.

Huge wet kisses to Wednesday Books for listening to my sobs to gain access to this book.

Alessa has a big weight on her shoulders and I mean HUGE. She was chosen by the gods to fulfill her destiny of protecting her country from vicious monsters apt to devour everyone and everything. The only problem is that she keeps killing her Fonte's (those chosen to help harness her powers). To make matters worse (like Alessa needs this s$&t right now) her own guards seem to turn against her and the city begins losing their faith. Between a rock and a hard place, she makes a rash decision and hires a big, strong man named Dante whom she'd seen fight in a local tavern. He's all brute and scowls and everything I love, but I digress. He agrees to become her personal bodyguard while she figures out how to NOT kill her next Fonte.

One day she was an ordinary girl. The next, Dea's chosen savior. Beloved, important, and so popular she hadn't known where to look first.

Alessa decides to shake things up and assembles a group of potential Fontes in which she will practice daily with them in order to acclimate them to her power. Things start to go smoothly, but something about Dante irks at Alessa (it's not his rippling muscles or gorgeous face or how he sometimes speaks in the old language, is it? I dunno. That all did it for me *shrug*) and shakes things up a bit.

"What if I picked you?" She held her breath.

"You won't. You'll find someone like your first Fonte and that's not me."

Star-crossed but oh so romantic UGH

The Italian setting had me both anxious and nostalgic. I lived in Italy for three years and it was tumultuous and frustrating, but also a time in my life I would never want to trade for the world. There are many things I miss, but also many things I do not. But this book took the things I do love and rolled it into a YA fantasy and that's the perfect way to make a reader like me drool. Do I miss Italian food? Why, yes I do. Would I hop on a plane and go back to Italy? No, I would not.

I loved Alessa. She was naive, but yet she was fierce and loyal, and level-headed. She knew what had to be done, and although she had her moments of "I don't think I can do this," she still plowed forward. Her relationship with Dante was adorable; they were so perfect for one another. I loved that they strengthened each other and truly made each other better people. This was definitely a slow-burn romance. AND THEIR BANTER??? ARGH I live for banter. I think banter should be a must in YA romance books. I need a shirt that says, WHAT IS ROMANCE WITHOUT BANTER?

The thing I loved most about the book aside from my boyfriend, Dante, is the very easy writing and the simplified plot. We don't have a lot of court intrigue to bog down the story and Alessa's circle is small yet loyal. A lot of the book is centered on Alessa's search for a Fonte and her romance with Dante.

Will I own multiple copies of this book? Yes.

Oh and the end is tied up in a nice bow BUT open to a sequel, so Wednesday Books, give this gal another contract because I AM DYING to see how Dante and Alessa's relationship thrives after the events of book one. They're different people now AND I NEED TO KNOW.

Okay, enough rambling. I have a hair appointment in thirty minutes and I must put my face on so I don't look like a bum in those harsh salon lights. Read this if you love bodyguard romance, a timeclock that will have you screaming, and a heroine who doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to...ahem...sexy things. This will definitely be one of my top books of 2021!

I thoroughly enjoyed this high stakes fantasy with burning romance, dark monsters, and a girl who kills everything she touches.

DNF @ 60%

I actually feel bad about not finishing this one, but it turns out this book isn't for me. Although I think the characters are fairly well developed, I also feel like this book isn't as deep as it could be, and somehow the conflict doesn't seem particularly urgent. But it's supposed to be urgent! Each chapter begins with a countdown to the big bad event. Maybe I'm still not entirely clear on what's supposed to be happening, or I have a hard time believing in literal gods determining the fate of these people. It has the feel of legend, but it's real, and apparently I'm not able to reconcile that.

The parts with Alessa trying to harness her power and her developing relationship with Dante are incredibly dull to me. Their banter does nothing for me. The author did a good enough job with descriptions that I can picture the characters and setting, but at the same time I feel adrift in the story. Too bad, because I really hoped to enjoy this more.

This is such a gorgeous atmospheric novel! From the cover to the store, beautiful! The characters were written with so much depth and the tension and romance were very real! I enjoyed every aspect of this book and will definitely be buying a copy!