You do NOT want to miss this! This Cursed Light is a FANTASTIC sequel to This Vicious Grace. I was a little nervous because I enjoyed the first book so much, but this one exceeded all of my expectations. There was never a dull moment. Things that I loved in the first book are in this one as well, such as the banter, the dynamic side characters, and the romance. Many of the characters in the first book are in this one, and there are also new characters that definitely add to the story. There is a lot of character growth in this one like there was in the first book with both the old and new characters. Their conversations made me laugh sometimes and also want to cry (I can't explain why, because I don't want to spoil it, hehe). We get to read more of Alessa's and Dante's story from both of their perspectives. Don't even get me started on how Dante speaks in Italian sometimes! Anyways, Alessa and Dante have many uphill battles to face with trauma from what they went through in the first book, but also new challenges from the journey they go on in this book. I feel like they stayed true to their characters. Something else I liked was the setting. It's the same vibes as the first book, but I feel like the world-building was better, and I was fully immersed in the story. As far as the plot goes, the stakes are even higher in this one than in the last book. Buckle up, because it gets pretty wild! I was on the edge of my seat for almost the whole book (well, on the edge of my bed, but you know what I mean). Overall, this duology has become one of my favorite series, and I HIGHLY recommend it to all the fantasy lovers out there. Whatever the author writes next, I cannot wait because I will definitely be reading it.

4.5 (rounded to 5 stars)

The Cursed Light expands on the world from the first book and introduces some fun new character dynamics!

We pick up six months after the ending of the events in the first book. Alyssa is returning from a diplomatic trip and reunites with Dante who is still not feeling fully back to himself. Everyone is still trying to heal altogether from the war, but Dante is sure that this isn't the end and Crollo will be back. Dante and Alessa as well as the crew of Fonti leave to find the missing ghiotte and figure out what they must to do stop the next battle deigned by the gods.

I think my expectations were a bit high going into this book, and because of that it took me some time to feel fully invested in the world again. I found the modern language to be a bit more jarring this time around and I'm not sure if that was in there in the first or more pronounced in this one? I also felt at the beginning of this novel, Dante and Alyssa were both being extremely immature. I really thought they would have grown from the events of the first book, but I struggled with how they were treating each other. They definitely won me over again of course and I loved their banter between them and the loving relationship they have. I think most of the issues I found was that there was just a lack of a plot until the Ghiotte are found. Once the plot centers around the upcoming battle again, I found myself immersed and excited when reading.

There are so many more elements to found family in this book, especially since Alessa and Dante were so isolated in the first. There are some fun new romances to be found in the book and we really get further character development of the group as we learn more about them (and of course some new ghiotte characters). Kaleb is a treasure and the perfect source of comedic relief in this book. We also get some insight into Adrick and his choices and how he mends his relationship with his sister and looks out for her.

Regarding our main characters, Dante is definitely one of my favorite book boyfriends and he truly goes on his own healing journey in this book as he finds himself again after losing his powers. He struggles so much of what his purpose is and strengths being a ghiotte and having to rediscover himself. Alessa at the same time is also going through her own struggles with her relationship with Dante and confidence in herself. The battle of Divoronado really affected her and she is scared what that might mean for the future. Reading how they found each other again and their commitment to each other really touched me and I felt this was a fitting follow-up to This Viscous Grace.

We got more expansion in the world, more questions answered about the lore, and developed characters that made their own found family. I was surprised how the ending shook out and was happy with the epilogue and the individual happiness our characters found. This duology is definitely a favorite!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This Vicious Grace was a five star read last year but This Cursed Light was just as good, if not better. Beautifully written with a killer plot, I was gripped from the start and adored that ending! Already can't wait to reread it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: death of parents (past), societal ostricization, violence, PTSD, war scenarios

This is the sequel to This Vicious Grace, you must read that one in order to dive into this one.

Okay I'm going to do my best to be vague to avoid spoilers but gosh did these books feel like the perfect book ends to each other. The shift in Dante and Alessa's relationship as they both figure out their identity, and trust in love. The found family, vengeful gods, and just a tender romance. The absolute angst of Alessa finding Dante, of finally being able to touch him and that being taken away.

These books are favorites and while I'll miss Dante and Alessa I'm so glad they got their hard eanred HEA.

Steam: 2.5

When the gods make the rules, the players must choose: Sacrifice their love to save the world, or choose love and let it burn?

An excellent sequel, maybe even better than the first!

My first thought after finishing this book was that I had a lot of fun reading it. I'm sad that it's only a duology. I would have loved a third book in this universe.

This book mostly centered around Dante and his plot development. It's a nice contrast to the first book being about Alessa and her struggles with being the Finestra.

Because the book was shorter, I found that there was some plot points that weren't explored as much as they could have been. For example, SPOILER, Alessa's descent into darkness. It was hardly talked about or explored until the third act where it was decided that it was a big deal.

This book shines when it puts an emphasis on found family. Dante finding a home with the people who shunned his people, as well as the people that are apart of his community. Emily Thiede is a great character writer and it shows in both 'This Vicious Grace' and 'This Cursed Light.'

Thank you to St. Martins Press and netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

i enjoyed this vicious race but it didn’t particularly stick out to me in terms of worldbuilding or character writing. i don’t feel the same way about this cursed light. i didn’t even have the motivation to read the second one when i finished the first, but i got sucked in so easily. this cursed light was funnier, more compelling, more interesting. i found alessa and dante’s relationship more fun and more heartbreaking this time around, after everything they went through, and i felt the epilogue fit perfectly.

anything that i might knock this cursed light for would be nothing new, since it’s book 2. the worldbuilding was a bit shallow, but if it didn’t bother you in the first book, it won’t bother you here. the only reason i might have been left wanting was that i felt some characters had unrealized potential, like leo and blaise. but i thoroughly enjoyed it. 5 stars. easy.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to follow up with this story, like I did with the first book (they offered me an arc back when that dropped).

EH.

I don't know. Maybe, maybe there are some interesting ideas in this. But it's just so lax with world building, character development, and strong focus on the relationship (romance) between the main two that things I hoped that were going to be embellished on or matured with the release of book one never really happened.

The ending was another issue I had - again, when I said in my review of the first book that it felt like Bilbo hitting his head on a rock and the entire battle of the 5 armies went down off page... think about that happening almost with how Callos and Dea were dealt with. I closed the book with the epilogue asking myself, is there a book three happening or is that the end of this all?

Still with modern language between characters ; still, this is 'Italy' but not really Italy.

I don't know, having the villains be the main villains, and no lackeys destroyed any enjoyment for this. That and the focus being entirely on the main two characters that the others and their point was used as point A to point B plot devices. Remove them and the ending would fail, but when they're in the story, you're not missing them.

A point happened in the book with the main character that she did something incredibly stupid and had her brother take the blame and caused a huge issue to go down. On one hand, I had to admit that as a 20 year old I did stupid things out of selfishness for myself, but the person I was would never let someone else take the blame. But low and behold, she did and wa-wah-wahed over it. Eventually she came open about it, but it was in my opinion too late and poorly handled. Because of the crappy character development between her and her brother to begin with.

This series could have been interesting, and should have been interesting given the ideas the author had, but the outcome was just poor.

Absolutely an amazing read. This sequel was absolutely amazing. Dante omg love him. Truly an amazing read that I didn’t want too put down.

SUCH a good conclusion to this duology and more than worth the wait! Can't wait to see what Thiede writes next and will definitely be watching to find out!

What a beautiful conclusion to the tale of love overcoming even the most apocalyptic events. Alessa and Dante are the epitome of forbidden romance! Though at times I was slightly weary of the start of this novel- I gradually became invested in this desperate & vivid story.

so grateful for St Martins Press & Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

A million stars! This Cursed Light is the perfect sequel to This Vicious Grace. It was one of my most anticipated sequels this year, and it was absolute perfection. Spoilers ahead for This Vicious Grace!

The story picks up six months after the events of This Vicious Grace, and all of our friends are struggling to adjust to a world After - Dante without his abilities and haunted by the visions he saw in death, and Alessa the celebrated Finestra who saved the world, but did not make it through unscathed. They and our motley crew of fonti (and Adrick), strike out for the continent to see if they can find the missing Ghiotte, cure Dante and help prevent another impending apocalypse.

Emily is the queen of melding together witty, absurdly funny banter and the most heartbreaking character dynamics and scenes into a book. Making you alternately laugh and cry (I cried so much) and sometimes doing it all at once! She managed to create a slow burn for Alessa and Dante, an established couple, (amazing, incredible) that made your heart ache. The dynamic between the whole group of characters was an absolute delight and the frequently irreverent support they provided for each other warmed my heart, which was frequently being torn apart by Alessa and Dante’s journeys - both as individuals and as a couple - as they struggle to find their place within their communities and with each other.

The ending was devastating and beautiful and perfect and I, quite simply, will never recover!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-arc!

🌕🌕🌕🌗/5
This is the sequel to This Vicious Grace.
The novel mainly follows Dante’s story where he struggles to find himself and his place in the world after losing so much.
Alessa and Dante are facing yet another trial imposed by the Gods, taking us across the continent in hopes of finding the lost ghiotte.
Alessa tries to fend off a darkness that is ready to consume her light.
The Fonti along with some new players must team up if they are to beat the Gods at their deadly game.

What I Liked:
🌕 The journey Dante must endure to become whole again.
🌕 Kaleb is back and continues to be the perfect character for comic relief.
🌕 The story doesn’t lag. There are twists especially during the last quarter of the book that will blow your mind.

What Could Have Been Improved:
🌕 Alessa’s character could have been less controlling and I found her shaming Dante while he constantly struggled for validation and approval.
🌕 The epilogue did nothing for me. I just didn’t feel any excitement or emotion.
🌕 Leo’s character was interesting but not thoroughly explored. She could have done so much with him.

Final Thoughts: I recommend this book because of Dante’s incredible self journey and the romance but must admit the first story was more captivating.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

After the incredibly painful cliffhanger at the end of This Vicious Grace, to say I was literally chomping at the bit for the sequel is an understatement! I adore Emily Thiede’s rich, imaginative Italian setting, her unique magic system and fully realised cast of characters (Dante, I’m free on Saturday. I’m not doing anything Saturday. Saturday is—) But seriously, the tension between Alessa and Dante was truly immaculate and Emily went above and beyond making their relationship a gorgeous delight of slow burn romance. Although the book slowed down a little in pace as the characters spent most of the story in one location, as a lover of more character driven stories I really appreciated getting to delve deeper into the motivations and backgrounds that made up Alessa & Dante in particular. I thought the culmination of the prophesies, gods, magic and mayhem at the ending provided the perfect tie up to the enchanting world Emily set up in the first book. With this duology she’s really shown herself to be a skilled writer and a unique voice in the YA space, and i can’t wait to see what else she may write!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All of these thoughts are my own.

I’m so excited to be back in Dante’s and Alessa’s world. I truly loved this book. The first in the series will always be a favorite of mine and I had huge expectations for this one and it didn’t disappoint. I think it was a wonderful book with a beautiful ending.

The characters were fantastic. The funny banter between everyone was phenomenal. The new couples we got to see was amazing. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book. I also don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, so I’ll update my goodreads review once this book releases.

All I have to say for now is READ THIS! It’s so worth it.

5 stars!!!

I have been anxiously awaiting the finale of this duology since I finished This Vicious Grace back in January. I actually haven't stopped thinking about Alessa and Dante since I finished it, when they say something lives in your head rent free I am the example.

This Cursed Light< absolutely exceeded my expectations for the finale by miles. It was everything I hoped for and more. I don't know how I'm supposed to read any more books after this but just know I will be starting a PR campaign for everyone I know to drop everything they're reading and pick this up instead the moment it comes out. It was romantic, funny, devastating, engrossing, and beautifully written.

Six months after saving Saverio from mass destruction and almost losing Dante, everyone is finally ready to live happily ever after. Dante still haunted my the vision he saw during his death, and still without his powers is desperate to figure out how to stop whatever the Gods have planned for them next. Alessia, Dante, & Co (who I also love so dearly) set out to find the remaining ghiotte to both restore his powers and to help save the world from whatever war is approaching. This book has Alessa and Dante face their hardest decisions yet.

This book had me feeling every emotion possible. I was genuinely sobbing on my couch at 1:45pm on a Saturday while reading this. Alessa and Dante mean absolutely everything to me and I just want them to be happy and live a quaint little life on the beach with lemon trees. I know the first book was a slow burn, forbiddance romance, but this one took it to a whole new level. The slow burn was even better EVEN THOUGH THEYRE LITERALLY A COUPLE?? The banter between Alessa and Dante is top tier, it had me dying. We were able to get glimpses into Alessa's friendships with all of the Fonti, and it made my heart so happy to be able to get more of their personalities in this book. My favorite thing about <u>This Vicious Grace</u> was always the way it truly captured the experience of growing up Italian but not being fluent in Italian and this book did the exact same thing. The Italian sprinkled throughout was perfect, the visits to Nonna and Nonno's warmed my heart and reminded me so much of my childhood I cried on the spot, I love this book so much I cannot stress that enough.

Alessa's and Adrick's relationship is so special to me as someone with a twin brother. Emily did such a wonderful job of displaying how jealousy between twins manifests but also how no matter what is causing that jealousy, no one is going to be able to take away the love you have for them. Being a twin is so different than just having siblings and Emily did such a beautiful job portraying this difference.

Alessa and Dante are my favorite book characters, both separately and together, heroes who want to save the world but also want to be able to live in peace and happiness. Alessa was taken directly from my brain, our hero who just tries her best even though she is flawed and knows she is. Dante our grumpy hero who never feels good enough for those he loves. I will genuinely protect them both with my life. No one say anything bad about them or I'll cry!! The endings of duologies tend to scare me but this was perfect. Anyway...no one talk to me for two weeks I need to recover.

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc of my most anticipated read of the year!

As soon as I finished This Vicious Grace, I was ready for book two. And I read it as an ARC. So it’s safe to say, I’ve been impatiently waiting for this book for awhile. This Vicious Grace was a top book for me in 2022, so I had high expectations for this one. And it lived up.

Short Synopsis:
I can’t possibly write a synopsis for this book without giving away book one, so if you haven’t read book one please do that. And in the meantime here’s all you get - Alessa is savior. Dante is her bodyguard. They’ve just battled to save humanity. But now they must face the consequences of that battle.

My Thoughts:
This Cursed Light put my heart through the wringer. I was laughing. I was crying. (Or I would be if I ever actually cried.) I was swooning. I love Dante and Alessa and the whole cast of characters so dang much. And I am so not ready to say goodbye.

Read this Series if You Like:
🍋 Romance fantasy
🍋 Lemons
🍋 “I kill everyone I touch.” // “Touch her and die.”
🍋 Savior/Bodyguard
🍋 Witty banter

A perfect sequel to This Vicious Grace! It’s not often that a sequel is better than the first book, but This Cursed Light accomplishes that feat. It wrapped up all my lingering questions, while still giving me the romance and angst I loved in the first novel. Dante and Alessa have such an epic relationship, but while This Vicious Grace focused on Alessa’s place in society, this story is all Dante’s. I loved seeing him find his family and where he belongs. The Fonti continue be #friendshipgoals and Kaleb and Adrick provided the perfect comedic relief. I loved everything about this duology and cannot wait to see what stories Emily Thiede writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This Cursed Light didn't pull any punches. It hit me right in the chest, and won't let me go for a while. Alessa and Dante are both such incredible characters, and I wish I could read their story for the first time again.

This book deals with so many themes that resonated with me. Belonging, community, finding yourself outside of who you've been told to be, courage, and so much more. Family really is who you choose it to be, and the chosen family in this book is even stronger than in book one.

I don't know if I can fully express how much this duology means to me. The romance is wonderful, the characters speak to me, the story is compelling, and I loved reading every second of these two books.

If you haven't read This Vicious Grace, you still have time to get on it before This Cursed Light comes out, and you won't regret it.

I will post my review on Amazon on publication day and on Instagram a week before publication day.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this book.

If you enjoyed “This Vicious Grace,” you’ll LOVE “This Cursed Light.” IT SURPASSWS 'This Viscious Grace' on all levels.

Am not sure howEmily Thiede managedbto do that, but wow. She's so did!!

This book is way, way, way way at the top.of my everyone must be told to read list!!!

Highly, highly recommend!!

A must read! Put it at the top of your TBR pile!!!