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!!!

This was a great read, and a fitting sequel to This Vicious Grace. Thiede's genre is hard to pin as it's a mix of YA, new adult, fantasy, and (YA appropriate) romance. That said, there's no reason to avoid reading it because what you're in for is another fun ride.
A team of older, gifted teenagers leave their safe city and travel to the edges of their world to find an army to team up, with so they can fight the gods together with their two leaders at the forefront.. This is not a fluffy read; lots of details, good writing, and banter to enjoy. Take your time soaking in the settings, character development, love-filled angst, and the buildup to the battle that ends this duology.
I recommend reading book 1 first as there are a few characters to follow in both books.

I was so excited to be back in this world again! Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this.

Once again, Alessa and Dante and the Fonti crew are tasked with saving the world, and once again I loved it. The characters continued to grow (in numbers and in personality) and I enjoyed all of it.

This Cursed Light spoiler free review

“Her eyes ringed with makeup, skin freckled with blood, she was the most beautiful broken thing he’d ever seen. He would’ve made glue from his bones to fix her world if he could.”

5/5⭐️’s

I’d like to thank NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Emily Thiede for the eARC of this stunning conclusion to the The Last Finestra duology!

This was the perfect conclusion to this duology and I am OBSESSED. We dove right back into the thick of things with Alessa, Dante, and crew. They have to work through a lot of their current problems but also some new ones, because why would anything come easy for them? I mean it with 100% sincerity when I say that Alessa is one of, if not THE, most well rounded FMCs of any fantasy book/series I’ve read. She has mounds of patience, but still stands up for what is right. She is openly vulnerable, but still so fierce. She is just such a healthy FMC and a breathe of fresh air to read about and I know you’ll all love her as much as I do when you get to read This Cursed Light!

Pick this up if you love…

✨This Vicious Grace
✨peace by Taylor Swift
✨Found family
✨Angst
✨Complicated allies
✨ROMANCEEEEE

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This Cursed Light will be published on December 5, 2023.

So, it’s no secret that I loved This Vicious Grace. I was gushing over it for months, probably annoying everyone in my life when I talked about how important lemons are to my mental well-being and the ecosystem. I fell in love with Emily’s world, the old language, and most of all, Alessa and Dante.

This sequel was one of my most-anticipated reads of the year. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It made me laugh more times than I can count on all my fingers, made me cry until I felt like I probably shouldn’t be crying anymore, and squeezed itself right beside the place This Vicious Grace has in my book-heart (just coined that term right now, thank you).

It’s hard to write a sequel. And it’s especially hard to write a sequel with so many characters and plots. But somehow, somehow, Emily does it so well. She handled every character with such care and love, and although there were characters that got more screen time than others, it never felt like someone was pushed to the side. Every single character–and I think I mean that–had a completed arc, had an arc that satisfied the reader.

Of course, how can we forget about our leads? Alessa and Dante are still themselves, not so different from how they were in This Vicious Grace, but they’ve grown. They’ve matured, and you can see that change reflected throughout the book. (They’re still maturing btw, but who isn’t?)

Emily really said, “You want romance? Oh, you just wait. I’ll give you romance and love and every little action of affection you could ever want. You’ll laugh and suffer, but you’ll love me for it.” She probably did think that in her head while writing this, honestly. Alessa and Dante are, quite simply, adorable. They love each other so much that [spoiler redacted, *evil laugh*].

Without giving away too much, I can tell you that this book was worth it. Like, so worth it. Not just for Alessa and Dante (if you thought you loved them in TVG, just you wait until TCL), but for every other character, for every little plot that Emily adds. She twines the people in her world and their stories so wonderfully that you can’t not immerse yourself in it.

This book is undoubtedly one of my best reads of the year. If I could go back and re-experience it, I would. (I’ll probably re-read it soon enough because I have no self control.) I could probably keep talking about TCL long enough to make you hold up a hand and say, “Stop, I get it.” So I’ll end it here. Thanks for stopping by and reading my (very) long-winded way of telling you to pick this book up when it comes out!

(I hope you’ll love it as much as I did, and if you don’t… oops.)

If you enjoyed “This Vicious Grace,” you’ll like “This Cursed Light.”

The book is very similar to the first in that there’s training with a countdown until a final battle. I suppose it could be a bit repetitive if you read the books back-to-back, but since it’s been a while since I read the first, I didn’t mind. I enjoyed seeing Dante and Alessa have different roles during the preparation for battle, and how it affected their established relationship. If the first book was Alessa’s, this is definitely Dante’s.

There are some plots with side characters that I shrugged at (I don’t forgive Adrick for the whole poison thing), and some scenes could have been shown rather than mentioned afterward, but it’s an addictive read that captured my attention.

4/5 ⭐

The sequel to This Vicous Grace, This Cursed Light by Emily Thiede follows the story of Dante and Alessa journey to help save another group of people. The first book follows the Finestra and Fontes, whereas this book follows the story of the ghiottes. You learn a lot more about Dante's origins and the ghiotte culture and beliefs, how much they suffered and adapted from that in their egalitarian community.

I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first. I felt like I was able to connect with the characters more in this one. Dante and Alessa's feelings and struggles are much more readable and balanced. It made me relate more to them compared to the first book.

Thiede definitely throws a few twists and turns in this book, more so than the first and toyed with my emotions at the end a little bit. I definitely was not expecting it! It was a wonderful surprise given that the first book for me was little predictable. She does a good job this time around at surprising me. Overall, everything that I found lacking in the first book she makes up for it in the second and ends the duology off in a way that is satisfying.

***I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to the author/publishing company and netgalley for this opportunity!