Solid book. A bit slow at parts but overall I did enjoy the book and would likely recommend. I would be interested in a second to continue the story

Many thanks to Netgalley, Zando and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, Picking this book up was a no-brainer!! Having been an convent school student who was surrounded by nuns all my childhood, reading a book, that too a mystery/ Thriller book which has a queer, rebellious, chain smoking, hair bleaching, tattooed and gold toothed nun? Obviously a no-brainer, also that cover? Like what??? Gorgeousness✨

The story follows sister Holiday, who is a teacher in a school attached to the convent where she resides and serves in New Orleans. When what starts with an "accidental" fire turns out to be arson and murder, Sister Holiday has no choice but to take matters into her own hands and do a parallel to the police, everything goes from Technicolor to grey, with misdirection's and confusions.

I will be honest I expected so much more from this book, in terms of flushed out characters, more intrigue and a bit more clarity on how and why Sister Holiday is where she is. But I feel like "everything happened in vagueness and remained in vagueness". I do appreciate the fact that this book is book 1 in a series and all these factors will be more explored in the later books to build up a clean character arc (please God please). There was so avenue to explore the conflicts of existence in this book about organized religion and its rigid boundaries etc. but they disappeared like bubbles in water. Not to mention a few harmful stereotypes (read bisexuality - infidelity) that was used in the story that very much disturbed me. The narrator was absolutely brilliant in all aspects of this book.

Overall there was (and is for the rest of the books) so much potential for this story with such a bold strong concept and different outlook to make a mark in the book world which it missed in this iteration. But boy am I glad this book exists yes!


TW: Sexual assault, Parental abandonment, parental/ sibling death, Cancer, homophobia, homophobic slurs, biphobia, arson, death, fire injury, infidelity, pedophilia, incest, suicide

That cover! The MC being described as 'a chain-smoking, heavily tattooed, queer nun'. I wish I could have loved this.

I liked how different this protagonist was compared to most books that are out there. It was a different take for a main character in a crime novel. I wish I liked her more than I did, but the idea of her was great. At times it felt like the author had the idea of the character and then tried to come up with a story idea that would fit her, which is fine if the story holds up but it didn't for me.

Other than the MC, most of this book wasn't memorable for me. I didn't care for the supporting cast and the mystery itself fell a little bit flat for me. There are elements of a story here that I could really enjoy but unfortunately with the way this was written it wasn't for me.

Based on this book I don't think I will continue with the series.

"Scorched Grace" by Margot Douaihy is a literary gem that effortlessly weaves together a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and landscapes. Douaihy's masterful storytelling takes readers on a journey through the lives of her characters, leaving an indelible mark on the heart and soul.

At its core, "Scorched Grace" is a poignant exploration of the human spirit's resilience in the face of adversity. The characters grapple with their own personal trials, and Douaihy skillfully delves into the depths of their psyches, unraveling their innermost fears and desires. This introspective approach adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative, making it easy for readers to connect with the characters on a profound level.

Thank you Net Galley and Zando Audio for an audio copy of Scorched Grace for an honest review. The main character is a non with a past. Many fires caused by arson are happening all around her, and they are trying to pin her with the crime.

Mara F''n Wilson. For a book as iconic, queer, and badass you need someone who equals that and Mara just enhanced the whole book.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The way this book was written, with vague references to Sister Holiday's past investigations at the school along with a host of other references to her past, I thought that this book was the second or third in a series referencing what happened in other books. Unfortunately, this is the first book and most references to Holiday's past are just mentions of events without expanding on why it was important to bring it up.
The mystery was just a vehicle for Sister Holiday to run around town and talk about who she is and the resolution was extremely rushed.
The characters were self-absorbed and unlikable without anything to make them compelling to read about.

In SCORED GRACE, we are introduced to Sister Holiday, a nun in a small New Orleans convent whose past would make even the sinners sweat. When the neighboring school becomes the target of arson, the punk rocking sister isn't ok with the law's lazy pursuit of a target. Soon, Sister Holiday is on her own chase of the culprit, racking up a daring group of suspects along the way.

This is reading like a classic whodunnit with a detective figure that you actually want to root for (suck on that, Poirot!) Sister Holiday has her demons, and learning her backstory in this deliciously queer, unique-feeling story is a great way to breath new life into a classic genre!

Scorched Grace is a gorgeous, lyrical, queer noir perfect for people looking for an updated version of the noir genre classics. The character of sister Holliday, with her punk rock history and bisexual identity is so well fleshed out. The book does an incredible job of creating empathy for all the characters involved.
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish!

Mara Wilson provided the perfect narrator, offering a smokey quality that is reflective of noir movies of the golden age.

Unfortunately not for me - I was very interested in the synopsis, but it fell flat in my opinion. Will pass on this for our collection.

This is a bit of a tough read and tough to categorize. I was into it until about a third of the way through when her brother's brutal beating and rape is used as her tragic backstory. Up until this point, the book has kind of a black, wry humor. I liked the tough nun set up, and I liked the perspective, but I really can't handle the rape and resulting trauma.

I got to about 75% of this and I DNF'd it. I really wanted to like this book and figure out the mystery but damn the FMC was annoying and was causing more problems than not. Good idea just not great execution.

I struggled to connect with this story and characters. It's told in my favorite format with dual timelines, which usually really builds the excitement in a story. But unfortunately this one was just not for me.
This cover though - I'll purchase for my bookshelf just for how gorgeous it is!

*3.5 stars
A badass, tatted up, party hard lesbian becomes a nun?? This book had an interesting premise with a unique female protagonist but once you get past the gimmick this book was lacking.

There needed to be less time talking about Sister Holidays gold tooth and how sweaty everyone was and more time fleshing out the other characters. For a good chunk of the book I did not have all the characters straight in my head, easily confusable - there were too many side characters and none of them overtly distinct. The reveal of whodoneit was pretty straightforward but the reasoning was interesting. I did find it a little rushed though.

I enjoyed Sister Holidays POV and amateur sleuthing and as a raised Christian I thought the author done a good job of being respectful while also critiquing Christianity and the roles women play within it.
Towards the end of the book there is a friendship that starts to form that I also would like to know more about.

I know this book hasn't received the best reviews and I definitely agree with a lot of the criticism but in saying all that I have definitely read worse books!
Overall this book was very middle of the road - I've read better, I've read worse.

When I got the opportunity to listen to an ALC of a mystery novel featuring a chain-smoking, heavily tattooed, queer nun as our amateur sleuth, I snapped it up. Scorched Grace sounded irreverent, dark, and unique, and I couldn't wait to see what was in store for Sister Holiday.

But as I began to listen, I started to feel that tell-tale itching at the back of my brain that always comes along when I sense a book won't work for me.

The real selling point of this novel is its protagonist, and Sister Holiday wasn't my cup of tea. Perhaps my impression was unduly influenced by the acting choices of the narrator, but she came across very pretentious and inauthentic, like a high schooler trying to be edgy. The setup of her character as a known amateur detective felt hamfisted, and her dynamic with the actual detective could have been better.

I didn't love spending time in our protagonist's head, both because of the stream-of-consciousness writing style and because of the way she thought about the people in her life (primarily her brother and the consequences of his sexual assault and the bisexuality of the woman she loves (which is framed as her not being able to make up her mind and being a cheater - two pervasive and harmful stereotypes about bisexual people)).

The mystery itself wasn't nearly as engaging as I had hoped, and what I had assumed to be the work's central theme (the conflict between the LGBTQIA+ community and organized religion, especially Catholicism) was barely addressed, despite a plethora of opportunities to do so.

For a book with such a strong concept and unique voice, it fell quite flat.


Thank you to NetGalley, Zando, and Gillian Flynn Books for an Advance Listener Copy.

Trigger/Content Warnings: rape, violence, homophobia, use of homophobic slurs, arson, death, fire injury, victim blaming, biphobia, infidelity, pedophilia, incest, suicide, burning alive, cancer

I enjoyed this audio about a tattooed, lesbian nun. i also enjoyed that the mystery began immediately though i think it could have been a bit shorter. i don't know how realistic it is for a nun to get to do ride alongs on an ongoing investigation but I did enjoy sister holiday's efforts in solving the mystery. I could see this as a series and would read the next, but i would like the mystery to be a bit darker.
3.5

Before I started reading this, I was sold on the premise and the cover but wasn’t sure what I was getting into.
What I got is a surprisingly funny story with unique characters and great dialogues. There was not one boring moment. As funny as it was, there was still place for more emotional and heartbreaking moments that were laced perfectly withing the story.
Such an amazing read!
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for providing of an audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am totally here for a morally grey, chain-smoking, queer nun with tattoos that likes to solve mysteries. I really liked the character of Sister Holiday and how Douaihy weaves pieces of Holiday's pre-convent days into the current plot as readers anxiously wait to see if Sister Holiday or the police will be able to solve the crime of who is setting the fires before another one happens. And that ending?! Honestly, I did not see that coming.

Overall this was an exciting whodunit with some interesting red herrings. I would definitely read more books of Douaihy's featuring Sister Holiday.

Mara Wilson does a great job with the audiobook narration.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Zando in exchange for an honest review.

Scorched Grace is an enthralling murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, with Mara Wilson's exceptional audiobook narration adding an unforgettable dimension to the story.

Douaihy's portrayal of a lesbian nun and a New Orleans Catholic school setting creates a unique and fascinating backdrop for the suspenseful plot. The mystery itself wasn't the highlight of the book. It was good, but not the kind of mystery that we could solve our way through. The heart of this novel is Sister Holiday, who feels so alive I'm sure I met her somewhere. The audiobook narration makes her positively jump from the page.

Her complex character steals the show and offers thought-provoking insights into faith, sacrifice, and identity. Why do some people decide to give their life to the church, and what does that mean? How much of yourself do you give, how much is still yours? There's a lot to unpack here.

With wit and heart, Scorched Grace is a refreshing take on the genre that will leave you satisfied and wanting more.

The novel itself is great. Characters are compelling, storyline is somewhat predictable but still very entertaining. Audiobook is okay but doesn't do the book enough justice. The narrator puts on the "cool" persona and never lets it go, which becomes annoying very quickly. It's a testament to the writing and the story that I stuck with it instead of switching to a written copy.