This Vicious Grace
- Downloads：6676
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-05-15 07:51:34
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Emily Thiede
- ISBN：1399700111
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Her gift can save 。 。 。 or it can kill。
'Riveting， passionate， and full of high stakes danger' Tamora Pierce， #1 New York Times bestselling author
Three weddings。 Three funerals。 Alessa's gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner's magic， not kill every suitor she touches。
Now， with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home， Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion。 When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island's only hope， her own soldiers try to assassinate her。
Desperate to survive， Alessa hires Dante， a cynical outcast marked as a killer， to become her personal bodyguard。 But as rebellion explodes outside the gates， Dante's dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal。 He holds the key to her survival and her heart， but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all？
'Riveting， passionate， and full of high stakes danger' Tamora Pierce， #1 New York Times bestselling author
Three weddings。 Three funerals。 Alessa's gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner's magic， not kill every suitor she touches。
Now， with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home， Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion。 When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island's only hope， her own soldiers try to assassinate her。
Desperate to survive， Alessa hires Dante， a cynical outcast marked as a killer， to become her personal bodyguard。 But as rebellion explodes outside the gates， Dante's dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal。 He holds the key to her survival and her heart， but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all？
Reviews
Cat
，
This book。。。。 gave me some feelings。 Alessa is a very good protagonist。 She is both vulnerable and emotional while still being incredibly strong–a combination that can be difficult to balance。 Dante is really hot。 That's my main takeaway。In all seriousness though， the religious lore of this story is intriguing。 It draws a few comparisons with modern day organized religion （particularly Christianity， particularly Catholicism）。 It deals with themes of religious trauma that a lot of people deal wit This book。。。。 gave me some feelings。 Alessa is a very good protagonist。 She is both vulnerable and emotional while still being incredibly strong–a combination that can be difficult to balance。 Dante is really hot。 That's my main takeaway。In all seriousness though， the religious lore of this story is intriguing。 It draws a few comparisons with modern day organized religion （particularly Christianity， particularly Catholicism）。 It deals with themes of religious trauma that a lot of people deal with in real life without being "preachy" about it。 It's clear that there's some religious malpractice， but you don't find out until later what specifically it is。 You can guess at it， but it is more nuanced than I expected it to be， even after I figured out most of it。The characters are brilliant。 Each one is well developed and sympathetic， even if they are not necessarily good people。 Well， a few aren't sympathetic， but they're just trash people in general。 Still well written though。 Most of the characters develop and change throughout the story， which isn't always easy to do when you have so many。I really liked the emphasis on community and almost a platonic polyamory thing。 I also like the worldbuilding details that imply there's nothing bad about same-sex relationships and that marriage is not necessarily the be-all-end-all of romance。 These are viewpoints that I don't often find in books。A few small cons: Some of the action was difficult to follow， particularly in the climax。 It wasn't that annoying because battles are crazy hectic so it made sense that I might not know where everyone was， but it was still discombobulating。 There were also a few turns of phrases that didn't feel entirely appropriate for the setting， but I can't remember now what they were。 Just a few anachronistic seeming things。 That being said， I wasn't always 100% sure about the level of technology in the world either。 They have electricity， but it's very old and nobody knows how to fix it anymore？ But they also use a lot of torches。 Alessa has an entire kitchenette in her suite which I assume has a functional oven because someone bakes there at least once。 But that seems very odd for any sort of citadel， regardless of time period。 I was interested in the way it came together but wanted a little bit more clarity。 Those are all nitpicky things though because I'm a nitpicky person， don't let it put you off reading this。 It's fun， suspenseful， easy to read， and there's a lot of classic steamy bits like "oh no I'm trapped between a wall and his sexy body" and I love that for me （and Alessa）。 。。。more
Rigel
，
Big fan！ I think that the concept is super intriguing and can't wait to see where Thiede takes it in the second installment。 Alessa and Dante were both compelling leads and had a swoon-worthy， slow-burn romance going on！ It wasn't exactly enemies to lovers， more like begrudging allies to lovers。The only downsides I think were the sheer amount of characters you have to keep track of at once in the majority of the scenes as well as the slightly repetitive nature of Alessa's failures。I really appre Big fan！ I think that the concept is super intriguing and can't wait to see where Thiede takes it in the second installment。 Alessa and Dante were both compelling leads and had a swoon-worthy， slow-burn romance going on！ It wasn't exactly enemies to lovers， more like begrudging allies to lovers。The only downsides I think were the sheer amount of characters you have to keep track of at once in the majority of the scenes as well as the slightly repetitive nature of Alessa's failures。I really appreciated the proverbs at the beginning of every chapter though！ I always find those interesting。 。。。more
Amy
，
3。5 rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book。Things I enjoyed about this book:🦋Interesting magic system🦋Psuedo-Italian setting🦋Enemies-ish to loversThings I think could be improved for the rest of the series:🐛More world building and expansion on the magic and the gods🐛Fleshed-out secondary characters 🐛 Alessa （MC） to be more confident and less dependent on others Although at times it did seem like the author was re-hashing the same things o 3。5 rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book。Things I enjoyed about this book:🦋Interesting magic system🦋Psuedo-Italian setting🦋Enemies-ish to loversThings I think could be improved for the rest of the series:🐛More world building and expansion on the magic and the gods🐛Fleshed-out secondary characters 🐛 Alessa （MC） to be more confident and less dependent on others Although at times it did seem like the author was re-hashing the same things over and over without any progression in the plot， there is still much to recommend this book such as the interesting magic system， the teaser of how the gods will be incorporated in the rest of the series and also how the romance between Alessa and Dante （real name withheld 🤣） progresses。 I will definitely be continuing with this series。 。。。more
Dayra
，
She would kill for a hug。。 literally。 The second I started this book I knew I would be obsessed。 I enjoyed the Italian setting it took place in。 I loved how sarcastic and witty Alessa was。 I felt like this book had everything I love: slow burn romance， magic， strong main characters， political interest， found family， ect。 This was such a stunning， exciting and thrilling debut novel。 Dante and Alessa are everything。 The banter is incredible and the chemistry is off the charts。 I love how we got to She would kill for a hug。。 literally。 The second I started this book I knew I would be obsessed。 I enjoyed the Italian setting it took place in。 I loved how sarcastic and witty Alessa was。 I felt like this book had everything I love: slow burn romance， magic， strong main characters， political interest， found family， ect。 This was such a stunning， exciting and thrilling debut novel。 Dante and Alessa are everything。 The banter is incredible and the chemistry is off the charts。 I love how we got to see them become friends before anything else。 There were so many fun moments between them， like getting drunk and playing truth or dare… which I’ve never seen in a fantasy book， I thought it was a cute fun element。 The ending was little overwhelming， but again I have to remember this is a debut novel。 Very excited to see where the author takes the story in the sequel！I loved the narrators， felt like they brought the book even more to life！Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review！！ 。。。more
Jess
，
This Vicious Grace is a charming and big hearted story about a young woman， Alessa， who is a Finestra， one half of a fated pair that is completed when the Finestra chooses a Fonte， a partner with elemental magic。 Together the Finestra and the Fonte must do battle against a demonic swarm and save their island。 This swarm comes every so many years， and always a Finestra and a Fonte rise to defend the island。 Alessa， however， has accidentally killed three partners already when the book begins， and This Vicious Grace is a charming and big hearted story about a young woman， Alessa， who is a Finestra， one half of a fated pair that is completed when the Finestra chooses a Fonte， a partner with elemental magic。 Together the Finestra and the Fonte must do battle against a demonic swarm and save their island。 This swarm comes every so many years， and always a Finestra and a Fonte rise to defend the island。 Alessa， however， has accidentally killed three partners already when the book begins， and she is beginning to doubt herself， and her countryfellows are beginning to doubt her as well。 What's worse， her household avoids her， the remaining Fontes are terrified of her， and Alessa is more alone than ever。I don't know what I expected of the main character， Alessa， but Thiede really surprised me with her characterization。 Alessa is clearly some form of neurodivergent。 I read her as ADHD， and found her stories about how she would stay up all night to write a perfect essay and then forget to bring it to her classes in the morning， how her living space was always messy and cluttered， or how she had trouble sitting still and was often fidgeting， how she flits from topic to topic or person to person， or how deeply she was hurt by rejection， really nailed that representation。 I also found it extremely refreshing to see a fantasy protagonist who is not a loner but who instead is extremely social， who craves the company of others， who is touch starved to the point that it's affecting her ability to do her duty as Finestra。 Fantasy books love a tortured protagonist， and Alessa is tormented， but in a completely different way from what we usually see。 She's like a puppy， craving head pats and a kind word or two， and when she gets those things， she absolutely blossoms。 At one point Alessa says that before she became Finestra she loved people， craved the company of others， and adored parties and social occasions。 I was honestly a bit blown away because it's such an unusual characterization in a genre that usually chooses characters of this sort as side characters and foils for withdrawn loner hate the world type protagonists。 But in this sense， Alessa the perfect protagonist for a book that is essentially all about community and the power of human connection。 If the solution to the Alessa's dilemma is a bit too pat and saccharine， the prejudices of the people a bit too easily overcome， the sweetness is tempered by some sincerely heartbreaking moments that made me tear up more than once。The worldbuilding does not take itself too seriously， and I like that。 It's a vaguely Italian renaissance-ish era world， but Thiede is not overly concerned with preserving exact period details。 There's an episode in which one of the potential Fontes basically throws a gelato party for the whole gang， Alessa drinks limoncello， which is a popular Italian drink but relatively modern， there are characters with names from various real-world cultural inspirations， implying that this is a diverse world with widespread international travel， there is physical therapy （called by that name）， and yet it doesn't feel less like fantasy because of it。 Fantasy writers often skirt a line when incorporating more modern elements into low-tech fantasy， but Thiede's worldbuilding is fun and believable。 This is a YA book， and it reads like it， in the very best way。 There is banter that is very teenage-- lot's of dick jokes and innuendoes， some phrasing that is slightly modern （without being anachronistic， which is important to me）， and little world details that are fun。 At times the descriptions of the male love interest get slightly overwrought， but always in a very teenage way that reminds me of the love poetry I used to write when I was seventeen or eighteen。 It's all so very age appropriate and I love that about This Vicious Grace。 It feels like it was truly written with a particular YA audience in mind。 I'm a high school teacher and I can imagine my students loving this book。 This is a solid debut by Emily Thiede， YA fantasy with strong characters， a timely message， which packs an emotional punch。 I look forward to the next installment。 。。。more
Kalie Reid
，
Thank you so much St Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for the advance copy！！WOW did this book exceed my expectations！ I was extremely excited to read This Vicious Grave from the moment I read the blurb— Italian inspired setting， looming apocalypse， broody love interest， chosen one trope and snarky humour？ Sign me up。Emily Thiede managed to create a world that was both lush and fleshed out from the off， masterfully combining setting the scene for a unique world and fascinating lore without bein Thank you so much St Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for the advance copy！！WOW did this book exceed my expectations！ I was extremely excited to read This Vicious Grave from the moment I read the blurb— Italian inspired setting， looming apocalypse， broody love interest， chosen one trope and snarky humour？ Sign me up。Emily Thiede managed to create a world that was both lush and fleshed out from the off， masterfully combining setting the scene for a unique world and fascinating lore without being too info-dumpy or overwhelming。 I immediately grasped the stakes and the setting right away， a testament to Thiede’s craft。Alessa is one of the best protagonists I’ve read in a long time。 Isolated， lonely and dealing with the weight of the world on her shoulders， she still manages to be self-possessed， lighthearted and relatable。 Her inner monologue was a wonderful place to be and I greatly enjoyed her snark， problem solving and thoughts about the other characters （especially Dante）。 Her intense desire for connection and friendship really pulled at my heartstrings and made me root for her throughout the story。 Dante is a portrait in contradictions。 I loved seeing Thiede’s take on the grumpy/sunshine trope with our broody and reticent love interest。 While Dante comes out as archetypal when we first meet him， he truly is anything but。 I loved seeing how deeply compassion he is and how much he wants to do right by the people he cares for。 His story line and backstory was fascinating and I can’t wait to see how it goes in the next book。 Dante and Alessa had *so* much chemistry and I completely bought their love story throughout the novel。 And that hug！！ Genuinely my favourite part of the book。There are genuinely so many things I could say about This Vicious Grace— from the found family trope， high action stakes and fascinating mythology and history woven in， I loved every part of it。 I couldn’t recommend it more and am eagerly awaiting the sequel！ 。。。more
Bethany Liberto
，
Oh my god， this book！ I RAN to preorder this after listening to the audio book。 The audio book is incredible and the narrators are perfect in every way。 The banter between Dante and Alessa is my favorite and reminds me a lot of FBAA， but a little more YA than NA。 Alessa is the chosen Finestra tasked with saving her home， and Dante becomes her bodyguard after a few people attempt to kill Alessa and she’s no longer sure who she can trust。 I am so excited to see how this story and the characters de Oh my god， this book！ I RAN to preorder this after listening to the audio book。 The audio book is incredible and the narrators are perfect in every way。 The banter between Dante and Alessa is my favorite and reminds me a lot of FBAA， but a little more YA than NA。 Alessa is the chosen Finestra tasked with saving her home， and Dante becomes her bodyguard after a few people attempt to kill Alessa and she’s no longer sure who she can trust。 I am so excited to see how this story and the characters develop in the next book！ 。。。more
readwithnikki
，
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with this ARC4。5 stars， really enjoyed it！Strong main characters， solid and interesting plot。 But the romance had me swooning。 Italian influences （it’s set on an Italian island that our main character needs to protect from the coming apocalypse）。 She’s given powers by the gods， only those powers kill anyone she touches， and she needs to touch her magical partner in order to save anyone， uh oh。 Oh yeah， bodyguard trope。 Any fantasy lover Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with this ARC4。5 stars， really enjoyed it！Strong main characters， solid and interesting plot。 But the romance had me swooning。 Italian influences （it’s set on an Italian island that our main character needs to protect from the coming apocalypse）。 She’s given powers by the gods， only those powers kill anyone she touches， and she needs to touch her magical partner in order to save anyone， uh oh。 Oh yeah， bodyguard trope。 Any fantasy lover will enjoy this book！ I know I did。 。。。more
el
，
WHERE DO I BEGIN？ I AM UTTERLY OBSESSED。This is an Italian-inspired romance fantasy set in a city called Saverio。 The main character is Alessa， a girl that blessed with some kind of divine power and along with her partner supposed to be the savior of Saverio， but she accidentally killed 3 partners in a row with those power。 After those 3 deaths， everyone started to doubt Alessa。 And secretly plotting against her。 That's when she decided to find someone to protect her。 And then there's Dante， a m WHERE DO I BEGIN？ I AM UTTERLY OBSESSED。This is an Italian-inspired romance fantasy set in a city called Saverio。 The main character is Alessa， a girl that blessed with some kind of divine power and along with her partner supposed to be the savior of Saverio， but she accidentally killed 3 partners in a row with those power。 After those 3 deaths， everyone started to doubt Alessa。 And secretly plotting against her。 That's when she decided to find someone to protect her。 And then there's Dante， a mysterious man who have a complicated past。 Live hasn't been kind to him， until he met Alessa。 The dynamics between Alessa and Dante reminds me of Poppy and Hawke from From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L。 Armentrout but less seductive， and I enjoyed it so much。 They're such an Iconic character for this book and I love it💕 There's also this one character that I hate so MUCH because he reminds me of the Apparat from Grishaverse books but I'm not gonna elaborate。 Just read it yourself and you'll understand。 The other characters also fitting so well， the Fontes （sorry I mean Fonti😃） providing a lovely found family。 Honestly this book gripped me hard from the very first page and I'm so happy that it turns out really good， even though it's only a debut。 It has medium pace， maybe a bit slow at first but it's not dragging。 It gave me all kinds of emotions， the jokes and banters made me giggled and excited but the angst scene broke my heart☹️ Moral values that I got from reading this are pretending to be strong won't solve your problem， it's okay to want something， it's okay to fulfill your needs， it's okay to trust your guts。 And don't settle with the bad label people put on you because you can be much more than that， and it's never too late to change for the better。 Overall this is a splendid debut， I can't wait for the next book even though this book hasn't been published yet🥲 Will definitely reread it in the meantime。 Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing a digital ARC of this book！ 。。。more
Madalyn
，
I'll post my full review here in a day or two but I loved this book and I need to preorder it！UPDATE: FULL REVIEWWhen I read the synopsis for This Vicious Grace I was immediately interested in this book and for me it did not disappoint。Alessa is the chosen one gifted by the gods to magnify her partner's magic to fight off the hoards of demons that are coming。。。。except she keeps killing each of her partners with a few touches instead and at this point Alessa is feeling more cursed than gifted and I'll post my full review here in a day or two but I loved this book and I need to preorder it！UPDATE: FULL REVIEWWhen I read the synopsis for This Vicious Grace I was immediately interested in this book and for me it did not disappoint。Alessa is the chosen one gifted by the gods to magnify her partner's magic to fight off the hoards of demons that are coming。。。。except she keeps killing each of her partners with a few touches instead and at this point Alessa is feeling more cursed than gifted and the loneliness of it is starting to weigh on her。 The people are growing concerned that Alessa wont be able to save them and some even support killing her in hopes a new chosen one will arise in her absence。 When her own soldiers resort to attempting to kill her she decides she needs a guard of her own choosing and she has just the person in mind， Dante。 The mysterious street brawler with secrets of his own。Okay， I'll end my summary here and get on with my thoughts！I really liked the world the author set up and I think people will enjoy the fact that when learning about the world it flows naturally with the story and doesn't fall prey to info dumping and book two seems like it will definitely expand upon parts of the world I was left curious about， so that's wonderful。I liked Alessa's journey and her very human struggles with the loneliness and isolation of being a Finestra and how she stepped up to question if maybe the rules set up for her position were not what the gods intended but the error of man。 This was one of my favorite aspects of the book honestly。 Dante was an awesome love interest and though his life was much different than Alessa's， in certain ways it mirrored hers and that bringing them together was really sweet。 The supporting characters and friendships built were all wonderful but I especially enjoyed Kamaria and Kaleb。I could keep going on and on but I highly recommend This Vicious Grace and plan on preordering this one and anxiously awaiting book two because I want more of this world and these characters！I also want to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion。 。。。more
Ailyne
，
Unique。 Exciting。 Romantic。 Sweet。 4/5 Stars。 Did anyone say "Dante？" Dante。 Oh Dante。 *le sigh* Unique。 Exciting。 Romantic。 Sweet。 4/5 Stars。 Did anyone say "Dante？" Dante。 Oh Dante。 *le sigh* 。。。more
Allie Felix
，
Story: 4 ⭐️ Steam: 3 🔥 light smut （one scene with mild description）Audio: 5 🎧 I really enjoyed this book。 The story was unique and enjoyable but the star of the show was truly the romance and then characters。 I found myself very invested in the characters and not as much in the plot。 It was a great experience and the end definitely left me wanting more！ I think those who are here for the romance and friendships grown through this story will be very pleased。 As a romance reader this definitely wa Story: 4 ⭐️ Steam: 3 🔥 light smut （one scene with mild description）Audio: 5 🎧 I really enjoyed this book。 The story was unique and enjoyable but the star of the show was truly the romance and then characters。 I found myself very invested in the characters and not as much in the plot。 It was a great experience and the end definitely left me wanting more！ I think those who are here for the romance and friendships grown through this story will be very pleased。 As a romance reader this definitely was the best part for me！ 。。。more
Ellie's Bookcase
，
You do not want to miss this debut novel。 This Vicious Grace knows what you want， and it delivers。 With the bodyguard trope， enemies to lovers and a grumpy x sunshine dynamic between the two leads， this book combines your YA Fantasy wishlist with an Italian-inspired setting for the perfect summer read。This。 Book。 Delivers！！！ Emily Thiede did not come to play with This Vicious Grace and after a bit of a slow start， I'm so glad I kept reading。 You do NOT want to miss this debut。As I've just hinted You do not want to miss this debut novel。 This Vicious Grace knows what you want， and it delivers。 With the bodyguard trope， enemies to lovers and a grumpy x sunshine dynamic between the two leads， this book combines your YA Fantasy wishlist with an Italian-inspired setting for the perfect summer read。This。 Book。 Delivers！！！ Emily Thiede did not come to play with This Vicious Grace and after a bit of a slow start， I'm so glad I kept reading。 You do NOT want to miss this debut。As I've just hinted at， this book did unfortunately have quite a little bit of a slow start。 I knew， from the description， that an assass！nat！on attempt was coming， but （very minor spoilers， I guess？） this doesn't actually happen until Chapter 7。 Granted， the book is 50-something chapters long， so this might not seem like the biggest deal， but I still felt like I was sitting around waiting for it to happen while Chapters 1-6 took their time setting the scene。 They did， definitely， set the scene though。 I've （sadly） never been to Italy， but the summery Italian vibes were there。 In case， like me， you're a bit annoyed you haven't been on holiday in the last - *checks watch* - 3 years， the world building in this book will no doubt amp up those feelings。 Someone please get me to an airport。。。 stat。 Aside from the beautiful setting， This Vicious Grace also deals with religious themes， through its divine and holy Finestra and Fonte， and all the lore surrounding them and their purpose of defeating these giant flying bugs that appear every few years to k！ll everyone。 Obviously， the actual world lore and history and religion are more in depth than that， and the book does actually explain it all， but。。。 you get the point。 The Finestra （and her Fonte， who supplies her with magic） are in charge of defeating giant bugs。 There's a few gods/goddesses in the mix， too。 Alessa is the current Finestra， but she's having a bit of a hard time at the start of the book （well， actually throughout the book， but what's new in the life of a protagonist， right？）。 She's just buried her third Fonte， because she keeps k！ll！ng them all。。。 oops？ I will admit that I wasn't sure how to feel about Alessa at first， as I didn't think she really gained much of a personality until Dante showed up， but looking back on it， I can almost think this was a deliberate interpretation？ Before Alessa has to hire him as her bodyguard， she doesn't really have her own identity。 She's not allowed to be referred to as anything other than Finestra， her family aren't allowed to contact her， she has no friends， and she's stuck in this seemingly endless cycle of trying to save her world but k！ll！ng the only person who can help her do that。 As the book progressed， however， she definitely grew on me and I really liked her by the end。Dante！ Where do I start？ This man brought the energy this book sorely needed。 There's a grumpy x sunshine dynamic with him and Alessa that I simply adored。 He definitely tries to be all dark and brooding and mysterious， but actually he's just a big softie and I loved him for it。 I have to give credit where credit is due， Dante was very committed to his role as Alessa's bodyguard。 Rent was due。 I did like the reveal about him partway through the book （I can't remember exactly where it happens though， please forgive me。 Somewhere around the middle， possibly？）， but like a clown who doesn't recognise foreshadowing， I didn't see it coming。 The reviews I've seen for this book so far haven't mentioned it， so I'll throw this tidbit in here: this one's a lilllllll steamy。 Just a touch。 It's nothing wild， so don't go expecting some Katee Robert-level content here， it's definitely YA-appropriate， but by the time ~stuff~ happens， you'll probably be hungry for a little extra food anyway， and Emily Thiede came to serve。 Thank you， ma'am。 Thank you， indeed。 Overall， I would highly recommend you preorder a copy of This Vicious Grace！ Once this book got going， I struggled to put it down。 The ending sets up the sequel nicely， and I can't wait to read it one day！Thank you to Kate Keehan and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC！↠ 4。5 starsBlog ✦ Instagram ✦ Twitter ✦ 。。。more
jigglypuffery
，
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review。I really enjoyed this book！ This Vicious Grace is the story of a girl selected by the gods to save her people from evil - but who keeps accidentally killing the people who are supposed to help her with that simply with a touch。 It’s a very interesting concept， and Thiede’s writing is engaging and paints a intricate picture of the world she has created。 It’s nice to see a young woman savior character who not only fear I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review。I really enjoyed this book！ This Vicious Grace is the story of a girl selected by the gods to save her people from evil - but who keeps accidentally killing the people who are supposed to help her with that simply with a touch。 It’s a very interesting concept， and Thiede’s writing is engaging and paints a intricate picture of the world she has created。 It’s nice to see a young woman savior character who not only fears failure， but has actually failed - big time。 It makes her easier to relate to。 I also really enjoyed Thiede’s world and the mythology that it contains。 I look forward to reading the next book to see where this story goes！ 。。。more
Sacha
，
3。5 stars This is both a debut novel and the first in a fantasy series， and while I struggled with some aspects of it， I enjoyed the listen （props to the narrator of this audiobook） overall。 Alessa， the titular "Last Finestra，" is supposed to be able to magnify her partner's power， but instead， she's been on an inadvertent killing spree。 For obvious reasons， she thinks it's a good idea to hire some protection， and while she doesn't think it's possible （because of her fatal touch）， the likelihood 3。5 stars This is both a debut novel and the first in a fantasy series， and while I struggled with some aspects of it， I enjoyed the listen （props to the narrator of this audiobook） overall。 Alessa， the titular "Last Finestra，" is supposed to be able to magnify her partner's power， but instead， she's been on an inadvertent killing spree。 For obvious reasons， she thinks it's a good idea to hire some protection， and while she doesn't think it's possible （because of her fatal touch）， the likelihood of a Houston/Costner style bodyguard relationship suddenly increases。 In hindsight， the notion that Alessa's greatness comes from her power to enhance her partner should have tipped me off to a problem I kept having throughout the novel: this sort of woman-as-rib motif。 Alessa has really amazing power on her own， but you know what she seems most proud of？ Her ability to provoke a pleasant physical response in a man。 Based on her particular situation， it's clear why this SHOULD be impressive to her， but between the romantic storyline， which for me felt overbearing when I wanted a butt-kicking feminine fantasy hero's narrative to dominate， and her generally growing dependence on dudes， I just。。。didn't love the messaging。 Despite the concerns， I was engaged with the plot throughout and enjoyed Alessa's character overall。 Interestingly， I think I'm MORE curious about future installments in the series because of the shortcomings I found here。 Future books will be on my to-read list， but I'm rooting for Alessa to go a little more Athena and way less damsel in distress。*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio arc， which I received in exchange for an honest review。 The opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
Meredith
，
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*I really wish I enjoyed this book more， I wanted to love it and our two main characters。 From the start， I just couldn't get into the story， I can't pinpoint what went wrong， maybe nothing。 I don't want to fill this review with all the things I didn't like or any of the negative feelings I have about it。 Instead， I'll note the good， I genuinely enjoy the main character， her struggle with her duty， the deaths， and not being able to touch somebod *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*I really wish I enjoyed this book more， I wanted to love it and our two main characters。 From the start， I just couldn't get into the story， I can't pinpoint what went wrong， maybe nothing。 I don't want to fill this review with all the things I didn't like or any of the negative feelings I have about it。 Instead， I'll note the good， I genuinely enjoy the main character， her struggle with her duty， the deaths， and not being able to touch somebody without them dying， whoa。 No spoiler， but the moment she gets hugged and the emotions I know she has to be feeling， I really connected to her， the story， and that feeling。 I want to end by saying this is a good book and will be loved by many。 It's overall very appealing and just because I personally didn't love it， I know a lot of people will and I definitely recommend it。 。。。more
Surbhi Das
，
2。5 stars！ Another ARC which turned out to be just okay！This felt like a very genric fantasy book。 At one point， this was giving me， From Blood and Ashes vibes， what with the bodyguard and the chosen and all the pent up sexual tension between them， but， the story remained quite tame in comparison。 Which is totally fine as this is YA and reads like one as well。I honestly liked the main character， Alessa and could understand her frustration。 I also loved how she continued to grow throughout the s 2。5 stars！ Another ARC which turned out to be just okay！This felt like a very genric fantasy book。 At one point， this was giving me， From Blood and Ashes vibes， what with the bodyguard and the chosen and all the pent up sexual tension between them， but， the story remained quite tame in comparison。 Which is totally fine as this is YA and reads like one as well。I honestly liked the main character， Alessa and could understand her frustration。 I also loved how she continued to grow throughout the story and became the woman and leader that she was always meant to be。 Dante was a typical male love interest - broody， mysterious and hiding a big secret。 I am still not sure on what basis Alessa hired him in the first place but， I truly enjoyed them as a couple。 Their relationship progressed from being friends to being each other support system and to something so much more wholesome。However， there are so many things that could have been delivered better in the story。 Firstly， the world building is very minimal。 Its Italian inspired and we get the basic history etc。 But it lacks depth。 The story also feels like its set in medieval times but the speech and mannerism of characters feels quite modern。 Also， for a nation facing a possible cataclysm， these people seemed quite chill。 Yes， Alessa and the other characters are worried about the upcoming battle but it never felt immediate or even urgent。 It also bothered me that they had 5 years to prepare for the battle but all the characters seemed completely out of their depth and without any clue about how to go facing the conflict。 Alessa's is literally considered as a divine vessel， someone who has spend her days studying and trying to understand her divine mandate， yet she doesn't even completely understand the old text/language while Dante who has probably grown up on the street is fluent in them。 Yes， Dante provides an explanation for this and I am with him， but it doesn't come across as believable that Alessa would be so clueless。 The characters often talk that Dante could teach them fighting or the reading the old language and my brain was just like "all of you have unique powers and you were expected at any point of time to be the chosen Fonte so shouldn't these people be preparing for that role and literally not waiting for the last minute to learn all of this？ Like why？" The side characters were okay but no one stood out。 The attempt to form a cool friends group didn't land for me as I don't think the relationship development between Alessa and the other Fontes was done that well。 They lacked page time together so their sudden devotion to Alessa didn't come across as authentic。 I was also a bit confused about Adrick's （Alessa's brother） motivations。 In the first few chapters， he is projected as her only support system and then midway through his character does a complete 360 degree and the reason for it is never explained properly。 The not so urgent battle does happen at the end of the book but its over way too quickly to leave any impact。 I think the romance was done quite well but all the fantasy elements felt lacking。 I think someone who goes into this book expecting to read a good old fantasy romance will definitely have a good time。Sadly， I won't be reading the next book！ ARC provided by publishers via Netgalley！ 。。。more
Crowinator
，
Actual rating: 3。5 stars I'm back to Novelist appeal factors （plus whenever I feel like it， my own terms and appeal lists） because I'm going to read a lot this year and don't want to forget everything。 To go along with the Italian-inspired island setting， Italian was used in chapter headings and epigraphs and peppered the narrative frequently， and it was lovely to hear it read aloud。 Genre: Fantasy， a little romanceThemes: （view spoiler）[chosen one， reluctant allies， defend the realm， hidden her Actual rating: 3。5 stars I'm back to Novelist appeal factors （plus whenever I feel like it， my own terms and appeal lists） because I'm going to read a lot this year and don't want to forget everything。 To go along with the Italian-inspired island setting， Italian was used in chapter headings and epigraphs and peppered the narrative frequently， and it was lovely to hear it read aloud。 Genre: Fantasy， a little romanceThemes: （view spoiler）[chosen one， reluctant allies， defend the realm， hidden heritage， forbidden love （hide spoiler）]Pace: Intensifying （also a bit laggy）Storyline: World-building， character-drivenTone: Strong sense of place， mix of angst， amusing， and romanticWriting Style: Banter-filled， engagingOther appeal factors:Sexy bodyguardCool magic powersGrumpy/sunshine （if the sunshine sometimes wallows in self-pity， too）Found family 。。。more
Brittany （hauntedbycandlelight）
，
It’s been a minute since I’ve been so captivated by a book。 And ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴠɪᴄɪᴏᴜꜱ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ consumed me。 It got me where it hurt， and I found myself NEEDING to read as much as possible in each sitting。 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀。 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀。Deceit。 Betrayal。 Isolation。Alessa Paladino is the newest Finestra。 She’s given up her old life for everything the kingdom stands for。 3 Fonte’s later and she still can’t control her magic。 She feels doomed， as if the gods are playing a cruel joke。 And heaven forbid she touch It’s been a minute since I’ve been so captivated by a book。 And ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴠɪᴄɪᴏᴜꜱ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ consumed me。 It got me where it hurt， and I found myself NEEDING to read as much as possible in each sitting。 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀。 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀。Deceit。 Betrayal。 Isolation。Alessa Paladino is the newest Finestra。 She’s given up her old life for everything the kingdom stands for。 3 Fonte’s later and she still can’t control her magic。 She feels doomed， as if the gods are playing a cruel joke。 And heaven forbid she touch someone without her gloves。 They will likely meet an untimely end。 The worst thing is she’s alone and the apocalypse is coming。 Enter Dante。 There’s a scene in here where he hugs her。 And I just， my heart 😭😭。 My heart swelled and I cried while reading this。 It’s very rare for that to happen to me but the romance in here is just…ugh。 I don’t have the words！ I loved it！ The magic system is unique。 It took me a minute to grasp the terms。 This is an apocalyptic fantasy。 And I honestly can’t wait for book two。 I’m obsessed and need the second book like yesterday。 I loved everything about this。 The romance， the world， the magic， and the battle。 🪲 I HIGHLY recommend adding this one to your list。 𝗣𝗨𝗕 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: June 28， 2022Thank you to Wednesday Books for my ARC！ 。。。more
Danielle
，
Thank you to St。 Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC。 This is one that I was really excited to read and it definitely lived up to my expectations！Alessa is the Finestra， blessed with the ability to amplify magic， which she must use to save her island from demons。 She must partner with a Fonte， aka someone with magic， so they can combine their powers in battle。 The only problem is - everyone she touches dies。 The people start to lose faith in her after she kills three partners， so she hires Thank you to St。 Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC。 This is one that I was really excited to read and it definitely lived up to my expectations！Alessa is the Finestra， blessed with the ability to amplify magic， which she must use to save her island from demons。 She must partner with a Fonte， aka someone with magic， so they can combine their powers in battle。 The only problem is - everyone she touches dies。 The people start to lose faith in her after she kills three partners， so she hires a hot criminal named Dante to be her bodyguard。The world building is great and easy to understand and I love the Italian inspired setting。 The character development of both Alessa and Dante is extremely well done - Alessa starts off very lonely and unsure of herself and Dante has a lot of guilt and self loathing from things that happened in his past。 Dante believes that people don’t change， but everything changes when they’re together。 The romance is very sweet， it’s slow burn and full of banter and innuendos。 Dante is my favorite kind of love interest， broody and moody on the outside but a softie on the inside。The friendship/found family aspect is really great as well。 The ending is action packed and dramatic and heartbreaking and leaves you wanting more。 Can’t wait for the next one！ 。。。more
sil ♡ the book voyagers
，
it reminded me a bit of shatter me so if you love that series， i'm sure you will enjoy this book！ it's a fun， romantic fantasy novel where we meet a girl whose touch is deadly and her bodyguard who happens to have a very big secret。 i felt it went a bit slow at times， maybe that's why i took so long to read it！！ it didn't grab my full attention tbh BUT THE ROMANCE？ CHEF KISS。 i think the romance part of the story won me over and it's mainly what i enjoyed most of the story。 i feel like the battl it reminded me a bit of shatter me so if you love that series， i'm sure you will enjoy this book！ it's a fun， romantic fantasy novel where we meet a girl whose touch is deadly and her bodyguard who happens to have a very big secret。 i felt it went a bit slow at times， maybe that's why i took so long to read it！！ it didn't grab my full attention tbh BUT THE ROMANCE？ CHEF KISS。 i think the romance part of the story won me over and it's mainly what i enjoyed most of the story。 i feel like the battle could have been so much amazing？ idk like it felt anticlimatic somehow。 still i am definitely going to be tuning in for book two because im ready to find out what's going on！！！！ dante and alessa are precious and i enjoyed the topic of loneliness from their different povs; alessa as a finestra who has been alone the past 5 years with not one friend and practically put away in a tower so she could wait for armageddon to begin， and dante who has been alone since a very young age and is nicknamed THE WOLF BECAUSE YES HE'S GRUMPY AND A LONER AND FIGHTS SO WELL。 they fit perfectly together to be quite honest also alessa is so horny dante is shocked every single time she makes horny jokes lmaooo i love themi feel like this could have been so much angstier idk！！！！ i mean alessa is bound to marry another person （because of their power） but she falls for her bodyguard， so omg there are scenes that could have broken me apart but sadly i。。。 i didn't feel that *pouts* still i do want to recommend this book it's a nice beginning to this story！ i think this is a duology but it has potential and im ready to know more about it。 。。。more
Krysten Kruse
，
This Vicious Grace， a YA fantasy with a hint of romance inspired by the Amalfi Coast about a girl with a gift from the gods that can save the island。 After the death of herthird partner， the people start to think the only way the island can survive is by killing her。 So， she hires a bodyguard to keep her safe and loses her heart in the process。I enjoyed Alessa's and Dante's banter the most in this story。 While it had a lot of potential and I do want to see what the sequel has to offer， I wasn't This Vicious Grace， a YA fantasy with a hint of romance inspired by the Amalfi Coast about a girl with a gift from the gods that can save the island。 After the death of herthird partner， the people start to think the only way the island can survive is by killing her。 So， she hires a bodyguard to keep her safe and loses her heart in the process。I enjoyed Alessa's and Dante's banter the most in this story。 While it had a lot of potential and I do want to see what the sequel has to offer， I wasn't as invested in the plot as I wanted to be until the very end。3。5/5 。。。more
Brianna
，
My feelings on this one are a tad bit conflicted。 On the one hand， it was a page-turner， especially with the promise of a forbidden romance。 On the other hand， I found it slow going at times and Alessa to be a bit juvenile。 I understand that her arc is to get stronger， to see herself as worthy of Dea's gift。 But I couldn't see the spark in her until later in the book and by that point， I was sticking with the book for the romance and not for the character development or plot。 I did love the conc My feelings on this one are a tad bit conflicted。 On the one hand， it was a page-turner， especially with the promise of a forbidden romance。 On the other hand， I found it slow going at times and Alessa to be a bit juvenile。 I understand that her arc is to get stronger， to see herself as worthy of Dea's gift。 But I couldn't see the spark in her until later in the book and by that point， I was sticking with the book for the romance and not for the character development or plot。 I did love the concept and premise and I loved the overall story。 The development of the characters was really wonderful to see unfold as well。 Dante was a joy to read and I loved seeing his arc develop as much as Alessa or the other characters。 I'm excited that this is a series and I really am looking forward to the book。 。。。more
Holly
，
omg I enjoyed this book SO FREAKING MUCH！！ I loved the romance （the banter was the beeest）， and I loved the friendships that formed between Alessa and the Fontes。 The worldbuilding was definitely interesting， though I was more invested in the characters than the plot。 But that cliffhanger is MEAN， and I need the next book NOW。
Michelle
，
I was graciously granted an e-arc by the publisher through netgalley， thank you！I've been hearing a lot of hype surrounding this debut novel and wanted to see what it was all about。 All I knew about it was that it is a fantasy set in an Italian setting。 This is a strong debut novel and I give it about a 4 to 4。25 star rating。 There was just something that prevented me from giving it a full 5 star rating and I can't quite put my finger on why that is。 Maybe I wanted more focus on the world buildi I was graciously granted an e-arc by the publisher through netgalley， thank you！I've been hearing a lot of hype surrounding this debut novel and wanted to see what it was all about。 All I knew about it was that it is a fantasy set in an Italian setting。 This is a strong debut novel and I give it about a 4 to 4。25 star rating。 There was just something that prevented me from giving it a full 5 star rating and I can't quite put my finger on why that is。 Maybe I wanted more focus on the world building？Anyways， Dante is a gem who is initially grumpy but softens up to Alessa and I adored the interactions between these two。 The innuendos and jokes made me smile。 All in all， a solid start to a series and I am looking forward to the next book！ 。。。more
Lyssa
，
4。5 stars - This Vicious Grace is the first fantasy book I’ve been able to easily get lost in， in such a long time。 The plot was intriguing because it was unique。 This magic system felt fresh and the build up throughout the novel was amazing。 The bodyguard romance was to die for （you’ll get the joke id you read the book！） and Dante quickly became a top contender for book boyfriend of the month！ Alessa’s journey was full of so much growth and self love it was impossible to dislike her。 Overall， t 4。5 stars - This Vicious Grace is the first fantasy book I’ve been able to easily get lost in， in such a long time。 The plot was intriguing because it was unique。 This magic system felt fresh and the build up throughout the novel was amazing。 The bodyguard romance was to die for （you’ll get the joke id you read the book！） and Dante quickly became a top contender for book boyfriend of the month！ Alessa’s journey was full of so much growth and self love it was impossible to dislike her。 Overall， this novel is the perfect fantasy read woth a sprinkling of romance！ 。。。more
Katsbookshelf
，
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede is the first book in the Last Finestra series。Our protagonist Alessa is the current Finestra of her world。 With that comes great power， but also a lot of responsibility as the whole world is looking up to her for finding a fitting partner。 This is important to strengthen the world against a demon invasion。 Alessa has a hard time with this as she can’t even touch people without killing them。 She was an interesting character， but due to her position it was a bit This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede is the first book in the Last Finestra series。Our protagonist Alessa is the current Finestra of her world。 With that comes great power， but also a lot of responsibility as the whole world is looking up to her for finding a fitting partner。 This is important to strengthen the world against a demon invasion。 Alessa has a hard time with this as she can’t even touch people without killing them。 She was an interesting character， but due to her position it was a bit difficult to see the entirety of her character。For her safety she commissions a bodyguard and that is no other than Dante。 Dante was my favorite thing about this entire book and it was so enthralling to learn more about him as he is very mysterious and has a lot of knowledge。The world building was mainly focused on the Finestra aspect and beside that you actually see very little of the world。 That was a bit sad。 Otherwise， this world is very much inspired by classic Italian works and I liked that as well as the banter between Alessa and Dante。Overall， I really liked the concept of this book， but I sadly couldn’t fully connect to the characters or world。 3 stars。（ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review。） 。。。more
Cecelia McDermott
，
Wow！ Emily Thiede has blown it out of the water in her fantasy debut This Vicious Grace。 The book follows Alessa， the Finestra， who is supposed to marry her partner （each called the Fonte） and use their power to fight the impending doom。 The problem is the Finestra killed the last three Fonte as soon as they were wed through a single touch alone。 When the island is reliant on Alessa using her combined power to save them all， this begins to present a problem both for our main character and her pe Wow！ Emily Thiede has blown it out of the water in her fantasy debut This Vicious Grace。 The book follows Alessa， the Finestra， who is supposed to marry her partner （each called the Fonte） and use their power to fight the impending doom。 The problem is the Finestra killed the last three Fonte as soon as they were wed through a single touch alone。 When the island is reliant on Alessa using her combined power to save them all， this begins to present a problem both for our main character and her people who are losing faith in the chosen one。 This distrust leads Alessa to hire Dante to be her temporary bodyguard until she can find a surviving Fonte， and the majority of the novel takes place once the two have come together。This was a fantastic debut to a new fantasy series。 The way Thiede writes is really beautiful， and the book really starts to ensnare the reader once you get through the beginning worldbuilding section like any fantasy novel。 The characters were lovable and dynamic， and it was clearly intentional how they were developed in a way that can really connect with the readers。 I found myself really rooting for the main cast， but there was also the perfect balance between characters and plot， which is especially important in fantasy novels to me。 The plot's pacing was great， and it felt like the story really progressed forward rather than circling around since the Finestra has gone through the search for a new Fonte multiple times before。 The worldbuilding was easy to understand， and it wasn't too difficult to grasp the political complexities of being a leader in the island's capital。 I felt like the main conflict was believable， and the conclusion was well-paced。 The story felt pretty complete despite being the first of multiple in this series， but Thiede's writing and characters leave the reader wanting to hear what comes next。 It took me a little bit of time to get immersed in the story initially， so I was a bit taken aback when I later realized this is on par to be one of my favorite reads of the year。 I'm looking forward to reading what comes next！Thank you to St。 Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review！ 。。。more
Rhiannon Carlton
，
I started this book on vacation it grabbed me right away。 The world building was good and drew you in。 It was nice not having a perfect main character。 She had to overcome challenges and weaknesses。 My favorite were the Italian， I think， sayings at the beginning of each chapter that were in both Italian and English。 It’s tricky to talk about this book without giving away spoilers but if you are looking for some good world building fantasy with a bit of romance I can definitely recommend this boo I started this book on vacation it grabbed me right away。 The world building was good and drew you in。 It was nice not having a perfect main character。 She had to overcome challenges and weaknesses。 My favorite were the Italian， I think， sayings at the beginning of each chapter that were in both Italian and English。 It’s tricky to talk about this book without giving away spoilers but if you are looking for some good world building fantasy with a bit of romance I can definitely recommend this book。 Thank you for the ARC from the publisher that provided it through Goodread giveaways！ I will definitely read more by this author。 。。。more
Elysian Fields
，
When I first saw the cover of this book， I had such a strong attraction I had to read the blurb and once that was read， I knew this was going to be a book that I needed to read。 This Vicious Grace is much different than I expected in exciting ways。 I enjoyed the world building and the relationship building， the magic system was interesting and new。 I loved the different characters and the hint of familiar culture。 The mix of religion， magic， and human mentalities really boldened the story and ma When I first saw the cover of this book， I had such a strong attraction I had to read the blurb and once that was read， I knew this was going to be a book that I needed to read。 This Vicious Grace is much different than I expected in exciting ways。 I enjoyed the world building and the relationship building， the magic system was interesting and new。 I loved the different characters and the hint of familiar culture。 The mix of religion， magic， and human mentalities really boldened the story and made it come to life。 The story held my attention the entire time and I was engaged in the story to the point of not putting it down （lost sleep was worth it）。 I will say it the story has a slower pace at times so that the reader can match their reading experience to the characters' life experiences （if that makes any kind of sense）。 I do believe this is as the least a duet and might be a trilogy and in thinking that， this story was more of a relationship and world building story then brute action and intense moments （it did have those moments， just not until the ending one-third or so）。 Overall， this is a fun read and I look forward to seeing where the story goes from here。 I had a small gasping/mini heart-breaking moment at the end， so I have HUGE expectations for the next book （all good wants and needs）。 It read to me like YA but with kissing and sex。 Triggers: bullying， violence， death， intolerance。 I received an ARC via NetGalley and St。 Martin's Press， Wednesday Books and I am leaving an honest review。 Thank you so much for the opportunity to become a part of this adventure and world， I simply cannot wait for more。 4。5 solid stars！ 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=This Vicious Grace
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=This Vicious Grace&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,This Vicious Grace&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0