Well...

It took me a while to get this review up because I just HAD to get the audio. After reading book one and LOVING it, I just had to tandem read this one. This was a most anticipated read for me due to the amazing romantasy of the first one- bodyguard trope for the win.

I will say I was quite disappointed in this one...

Somewhat spoilers below...

Here are my thoughts:

-The plotline is pretty much a replay of the first...The Gods basically are restarting the war countdown which the characters need to prepare for.
-The romance felt more forced- more open door than I would expect from a YA novel.
-The MMC and FMC have fantastic dialogue- but they also DO NOT communicate well which is one of my least favorite things. For two people who love each other, especially from book one...communication is a must. Too many secrets. Also a lot more lust vs. love in my opinion.
-The ending was pretty much a replay of the first book. Though I do like a mirror like sequel, this was almost exactly the same, to the point I was just frustrated.

Basically- I struggled. I needed more. World building felt a little flat. They needed a different adventure.

This author has great potential. The first book was an easy five star read and she can write amazing dialogue/banter. I will be curious to see what she comes up with next.

Thank you Wednesday books and Macmillian for my gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own

This Cursed Light picks up six months after This Vicious Grace and the Gods have one more test for the characters to endure. What I loved about this book was getting to see everyone’s struggles. Whether it be guilt, PTSD, or even miscommunication. We get to see each character tackle one or more of these issues and it was so lovely to see them grow and come into their own. Thiede did a great job keeping the book interesting with high stakes yet still wrapping up the story, so it didn’t feel like there could be a third book. Excited to read more from this author.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @20%

Full transparency - I didn't really enjoy the first book but hoped the second would be better. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one either and decided to save my time rather than push through.

From what I read, Alessa and Dante are just circling around each other with poorly engineered plot to create tension, since they got together in the first book and there's nothing else to do. I wasn't interested in that, and nothing else really happened other than that in the first fifth of the book.

4⭐️ a perfect sequel to This Vicious Grace
The angst in the last book was one of my favorite parts about it, and that was definitely not missing from this one! because dante's powers were gone, he and alessa couldn't touch, which of course led to lots of tension. We also got to know dante a lot more in this book since his pov was included! i already loved him, but it was so great to get to know him even more. overall, this was such a satisfying sequel, and although i'm sad to say goodbye, i loved going on this journey and can't wait to read whatever emily thiede writes next.

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


"In This Cursed Light, Dante and Alessa face their most daunting challenge yet when the Gods demand they prove their worth by choosing the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, once and for all."

This book takes place Six months after the end of the previous book and I won't go into details to avoid spoilers but overall, I had a much harder time getting invested in this one 😔 ultimately I dnfed it around 25% because I was so bored with the plot 😭This is disappointing because I loved the first book! I'm not sure how many books are planned for this series but maybe this is just middle book syndrome and the next one will be better 🤷‍♀️ I'll drop this teaser below tho!

Thank you @Wednesdaybooks for sending me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars = I liked it but. If you haven't read the first book [book:This Vicious Grace|58957873], I definitely recommend reading that first, the events and relationships are an important foundation for what comes next. That said while I enjoyed this second book, I think that this second installment was much more YA than the first. Lots more young angsty romance bits, the kind which makes you wish that the characters would talk to each other instead of self talking themselves.
I did like meeting the hidden people, but I didn't think the final conflict was as satisfying as the big battle in the previous book and considering the location for the battle, I didn't really buy into the after effects being as far reaching as they were portrayed. Still I am happy to have read this duology and would definitely read more by this author - she certainly did a good job of creating and interesting world.

ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Available now. This is an unpaid review.

In the second installment of The Last Finestra series, Alessa and Dante are back navigating their relationship amid the doom that sits on the horizon of a coming eclipse.

I loved This Vicious Grace, so of course I was really looking forward to This Cursed Light. Unfortunately, this book was a huge slog for me. All of the joy and playfulness that made Dante and Alessa lovable in the first book was absent from this book. They seemed stuck in an eternal miscommunication loop. After a while, it just got old. The story was okay. I wasn't wow'd by it like the first one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

I loved This Vicious Grace so much that the sequel was always going to have a hard time measuring up, so I can't say I was surprised when This Cursed Light paled in comparison. Gone is the remarkable sexual tension that animated the first book and the galvanizing force of preparing for the Divorando. As Alessa and Dante turn their attention to saving the world (again), the emotional richness and plot urgency of the first book is diluted by a lack of communication trope and surface-level flirtations for almost every side character.

That said, I still I couldn't help but root for these characters I'd come to love, and while the rest of the sequel may lose its way just a bit, the ending does not disappoint!

This Cursed Light, while not as strong a book as This Vicious Grace, was quite enjoyable. We have our two favorite characters, Alessa and Dante, with their flawless point of view switches and love for one another. And the same magical alternate Italy as the backdrop. The thing is, there’s somehow another apocalypse on the horizon? Even though our protagonists just foiled one. The plot just lagged as soon as I fully realized that this was the angle and I found it difficult not to compare the writing to the first book.

The first book in this duology was written so well, paced well, with beautifully fleshed out characters. This second book leans too heavily on the characters and world built in the first book and both plot and characters suffered for it. They didn’t experience much meaningful growth and it felt like Alessa and Dante were going in circles of misunderstandings and half overheard conversations. I feel like they should be more secure, or that they should be insecure for different reasons than the ones presented. Like, of course Dante should feel insecure about not having his powers anymore. Of course Alessa should feel weak because she’s having weird episodes. But Alessa being so insecure over Dante’s childhood friend and Dante feeling unworthy of Alessa felt flimsy and inefficient.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book. There were many moments of humor and I really enjoy Thiede’s writing. She has a way with writing relationships, and descriptions of creepy things, that I enjoy very much. I just thought most of this book didn’t really need to exist and could have been a novella or a companion piece, rather than a full novel. It is still worth reading, as it ties up several plot points that were presented in the first book and really addresses Dante’s recovery from death, as well as his past and various traumas related to it. I suppose I may have preferred this book had the two of them just suffered from trauma from the events in the first book. Nightmares, Alessa fearing another apocalypse. Dante wanting to go back to where he came from to find answers about his past. Meeting the other finestras from other lands and bonding with them. Just minus the threat of another apocalypse. It felt like this weak main plot point distracted from the growth and recovery of Alessa and Dante.

Book one ended on such a cliff hanger I had to read this immediately. This was a perfect follow up book and this series has been so good so far. It’s different and worth reading. I also LOVE the characters.

Oh this made me SOB (in the best way!) I had to reread the last chapter 3 times before I was ready to put this book down. This is one of the most beautiful perfect endings I've ever read. I wasn't sure where this was going at first and I usually hate riddles in fantasy books, but this one was just perfect and had the sweetest meaning. 🥹🧡 I LOVED this duology!

There were a few elements that reminded me of Divine Rivals and Shatter Me, but I wouldn't compare them because these books really have a personality that feels entirely their own.

This also has one of my favorite characters with ADHD that I've ever read. Alessa was so well written, I could not have loved her and Dante more. I know ADHD looks different for everyone, but the way it presented for her felt so real to me. It was woven into every aspect of her character in a such a thoughtful way... We got to see the realistic everyday challenges that come with being a little scattered and forgetful and chaotic, but also so many of the things that made her so loveable and relatable like her zero-filter chattiness, wit, and creativity. UGH I just love these characters so much!!!

First of all, thank you to Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and the author for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

And they are conflicting.

I didn’t hate this book. I felt like I was cruising along alright, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it either. By the 40% mark, I still didn’t feel like much had happened and was a little confused by where everything was supposed to be going.

I didn’t care for the lover’s quarrels befuddling Dante (never Gabe, pls) and Alessa because they didn’t feel genuine and more like they were simply there to further the plot.

I will say the last 50% was significantly better than the first, and I am glad that I finished this story.

I am so sad that this duology is over *crying*. Emily Thiede delivered yet again with another amazing book. I fell in love with the characters and world all over again. I can't wait for what Thiede brings next.

I cannot get enough of Emily Thiede!!! I had the opportunity to attend one of her author talks, and it made this reading experience even richer. I especially appreciated the dual POV addition to this novel.

I have waited for this second book since I read the first, and although the first was a 5 star read, this one was a 3 star for me. I was glad to have some loose ends tied up, but frustrated with the lack of emotional depth that I felt in the first.

Regardless, I will still read this author because I do like her writing style and world building!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED This Vicious Grace and was so impressed with it as a debut book, so I was very excited to jump into This Cursed Light. I am happy she added the addition of the second POV throughout the book, but it took me a bit to get used to the POV switching within the same chapter. As well, I always kind of question whether there would have been a bit more mystery if there had only been one POV.

I loved spending time with the characters from book one, and the new characters were for the most part fun and entertaining, but if I’m being honest there maybe wasn’t enough of a plot in this sequel for me, which is why the sequel gets 4 stars instead of 5! Part of me felt that the sequel maybe wasn’t needed and it could be been a great standalone if she tweaked the end of book one. But alas, I’m happy with how everything wrapped up and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

Thanks so much for the arc

This Cursed Light is an epic conclusion to this duology!!! After Alessa, Dante, and their friends defeat the demons they think they have normal lives now. But there’s an even more dangerous threat coming that has them needing to travel across the world in hopes of finding Dante’s people.
I loved being back in this world with all these characters again! It’s fascinating to see a different part of the world and an entire new group of people. Plus there’s so much action and interesting magic!
Dante and Alessa both go through some issues which were horrible but I enjoyed seeing how they dealt with it. Of course their romance is a highlight of this book for me! I adore how much they love each other and how they are willing to do anything for the other. They are perfect together but they still have their amazing and entertaining banter.
Another highlight of this book is the found family and all the friendships! I completely love how Alessa, Dante, all the Fontes, and even Alessa’s brother, have formed an incredible family. They all have such different personalities but all of them are always there for each other and I adore them all.
I think this is an incredible book and I’m happy with the ending! The final battle has so many twists, it’s definitely intense. I just wish the epilogue was longer so we got a little extra of everyone being happy.
If you’re looking for a duology with Italian vibes, forbidden romance, demons, gods, adventure, and action, then I would definitely recommend this!!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

I enjoyed the story and I think it was a great sequel that wrapped up character arcs and relationships. The flow and pacing is similar to the first book - there's a lot of the day to day and preparing that takes up a big portion of the book.

The new characters added an interesting element. But the original secondary characters seemed to fade into the background a bit.

And I'm satisfied with the ending. But I was left a bit unsatisfied with the romance. I love the main characters and their connection is fantastic. But in this book it felt very surface level. I needed more depth and more of them together.

Also, I never really understood this world or the magic or even the point of it all till the very end. I think it would have benefited from more world building earlier on.

A stunning conclusion to a knockout debut. I'm feral over Dante and Alessa. Thiede does such a good job bringing fresh sensibilities to classic fantasy tropes, keeps you guessing and turning pages and SCREAMING. LOVED IT.

I was really initially drawn to this series in the first book, This Vicious Grace. The world and the premise were both really interesting, even if the worldbuilding and magic weren't all that deep. There was a heavy romantic focus, but I don't always mind that.

That said...unfortunately this sequel just failed to fully hook me. The romance felt less relevant and less sharply written, and I just lost a lot of my interest in the characters. Major storylines are wrapped up pretty well, so I'm sure that many will enjoy this sequel, but I can't help but feel this would have been a stronger stand-alone with the conflict being resolved in Book 1.