This book was really good!  There was such a great story of the love between sisters, but it was also a story about women's oppression and them fighting back.



Serina prepared her whole life to be a Grace.  The Superior is getting older, so this year his Heir is choosing three Graces to stay with him.  Serina is chosen to be in the running and her sister, Nomi, goes with as her handmaiden.  While Serina was excited to leave Lanos  for Bellequa, Nomi was not.  She had to leave her twin brother at home.  She also knew that she was just going into another horrible situation.



Women are not allowed to read or go to school.  They could work in textile factories, become servants, or be married.  They had no rights and were taught to be meek to all men.  Nomi was defiant and always wanted more while Serina was content to learn how to dance and be pretty.  Nomi learned how to read, but had to hide it.  



The night the possible Graces were meeting the Heir, Nomi slipped into the library and was caught by the Heir and his brother when they were coming out.  She wasn't polite and made an impression on both men.



Serina wasn't chosen to be a Grace.  Nomi was and she was horrified.  Shortly after, Nomi found a book in her room, but didn't know who put it there.  It told of a history different than what she learned. In this history book, women used to rule until the men became afraid.  They took over and oppressed women after that.  Everyone was told a false history where men always ruled.



Serina was caught holding the book and sent to a jail on an island.  This island was filled with women who were separated into different groups.  There wasn't enough food and they were made to fight.  The guards started it and you only won when everyone was dead or surrendered, which was as good as dead.  Serina has to learn how to be tough. She grows close to some of the women and to one guard, Val.



Everything else gets a bit crazy.  There are plots that go wrong and twists in the book that I don't want to give away.  I did figure it out, but it was still pretty shocking when I read it.  I cannot wait for book two!  The pacing of this one was really good and kept me wanting more.



Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy for review.  I gave this book 5 stars.  Grace and Fury is out July 31st by Little Brown Books for Young Readers.  I ordered my copy today.  There is also a preorder special,so make sure you send your receipt in.

The sister relationship brings a different aspect to Grace and Fury than similar books, it's a very enjoyable read but nothing groundbreaking. The pacing and action are great and sucked me in even though I could see a big twist coming a mile off. Has very similar aspects to Red Queen, The Hundredth Queen and a bit of The Selection, but if you like the tropes in those books Grace and Fury fulfills them nicely, and I really liked it despite not being surprised by it.

Ah, this one just wasn't for me. While I appreciated the commentary on feminism and oppression, I wasn't impressed with the execution overall. This book is fast paced and easy to read, but I feel like it tried so hard to get its message across that it ended up lacking in the story telling department. Most of the dialogue even directly mentioned key words related to the message. For example:

"It isn't a choice when you don't have the freedom to say no."

"But those were the Superior's rules--apparently his son could break them. If only I had the same privilege..."

"In Viridia, women were oppressed because men were afraid of them."

These are just 3 examples, but it goes on and on and on. Don't get me wrong, these are very important themes, but they were constantly being talked about when I wanted the story to show me examples of the lack of feminism and oppression through the plot and character biases rather than tell me through dialogue and people's thoughts.

The characters weren't any better. They were just caricatures that served to get the message across. There was the "beautiful" woman, the "badass, plain" woman, the man who was an example of how to treat a woman, and the man who was an example of how not to treat a woman.

And because of the telling and characters, the actual plot was very predictable. I felt like I just about always knew what was going to happen to each sister. There were attempts to add anticipation at the end of each chapter, but these attempts happened at the end of every chapter, and they, too, became predictable.

However, I have to mention that 85% into the story I loved how I felt about the romance. What I mean by that is, I at first  hated the romance and felt there was too much insta-love going on, but 85% into novel I understood what was going on and loved that I hated the romance. Again, the author was trying to get a message across, but this time it was done really well. I added an extra star just for the last bits because after the 85% mark I eagerly read to the end. Now I find myself actually wanting to at least borrow the next book because it ended on an evil cliffhanger, and I want to know what happens next!

If you're looking for a book that outlines the basics of feminism and oppression in a very in-your-face, simple kind of way this might be the book for you, but overall this just didn't do it for me.

This was.. ok, I guess? I don’t know. I have a harder time reviewing YA fantasy. I wasn’t wowed but I don’t go in expecting to be wowed by most YA fantasy so when I’m not it’s.. ok, I guess.

The characters weren’t really as fleshed out as they could have been. I kind of feel like everything was pretty predictable, too. Nomi was kind of a sucker and a letdown; after all her defiance she really was kind of easily led and it comes as no surprise. And Serina.. its hard to believe she’s the hero they needed. Like I just don’t buy it.

I have been in the worst reading funk for several months. I received a copy of Grace and Fury and was instantly drawn in by the cover and description. Let me tell you, Tracy Banghart did not disappoint! I was hooked and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen. This book hasn't even released yet and I am ready for the next one!

My rating scale:
5☆ - I loved this book and it brought out true emotion in me (laughter, anger, a good cry, etc)
4☆ - I loved this book.
3☆ - I liked this book.
2☆ - I didn't really care for this book.
1☆ - I did not like this book at all and probably did not finish it.

A great read focused on female strength, empowerment, and sisterhood. Strong characters and a few unexpected twists. Definitely worth reading.

I rarely give anything a 5 star rating... ever... but this book? I LOVED it!

The synopsis is what caught my eye but what kept me going throughout the book was the alternating dual POV . Normally that could annoy my but in this instance it was perfect. We get to to see two very different sisters in two very different worlds but all on the same plane.of existence. They are stuck in a world where women aren't allowed to do anything but please the men around them.

Nomi is the defiant sister and Serina is the one who aims to please. Serina was raised to be compliant to a man so that is all she knows how to do. Nomi is her younger sister and handmaiden to her and the family. All her life she has catered to her family so that in the end she could cater to Serina if she were chosen to be a Grace.

A Grace is a woman selected by the Superior (King) for only one reason. To be the embodiment of the perfect woman and please him in any which way. Serina believed that it was the greatest honor and WANTED it. While Nomi saw it like it was.... a different prison. That is not the life she wants and makes it known any chance she can get.

The Heir is the next one to select Graces and when Nomi back talks him he selects her over her sister. Now that their lives are turned upside down they can only try to fit into the position that the other was supposed to be in. But when Serina takes the fall for Nomi, not only do they need to survive the worlds they are thrown in, they also need to find a way to save each other. Each of them coming up with plans that will risk everything but will the work?

It alternates between the prison Serina is actually in to the life that Nomi believes is a prison. Each is living a different life than the other and the way that it is written is very good! You see two sides to the coin and feel for both girls. The way the world building is shown forms a bigger picture rather than two different places even though that's where they are. I think what sticks out the most is that in the alternating views you can SEE the difference between the sisters. You can see their love for each other but you can clearly see that they have different beliefs (which are tested). I also love that there are no pulled punches. This is a brutal and realistic story if you were to think about how you would react to this situation fake or not.

I can't wait for the next one, cause lets face it... there HAS to be another!

Many thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers as well as the author, Tracy Banghart, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Serina was raised to become a Grace. She has trained her entire life to be lovely, compliant, follow all the rules, and please the heir with the hope that he will choose her to be, not only a Grace, but head Grace, giving her the opportunity to produce his first heir. She is eager and confident with her role and believes that if she succeeds, her and her sister, who has trained to become her handmaiden, will have comfortable lives.

Nomi is a rebel, she refuses to follow the rules, she is daring, smart and headstrong. She wants nothing to do with the heir, so when she dares look him in the eye and speak her mind, she inadvertently catches his attention, and he chooses her to be one of three Graces instead of her sister, Serina.

When I first read the synopsis of this book I somehow managed to confuse the two sisters, so I wasn't expecting the author to change things up in such a fascinating manner. Nomi, the headstrong sister is forced to become the one thing she hates. A Grace. She has to dress in gowns, wear makeup, please the heir, constantly follow all the rules. She is determined to stay strong and find a way to free Serina who took the fall for Nomi when her secret was discovered.

Serina is sent to Mount Ruin, a harsh and terrible women's prison where they are forced to fight to the death in order to survive. The living conditions are abysmal, there is danger everywhere, and if Serina is forced to fight, she is sure she will die. Each sister is thrown into a terrible situation, neither feels equipped to survive.

Initially I was drawn to Nomi, to her intelligence, nerve and risk taking nature. I originally thought she would be the sister to end up in prison. Silly me. As the story progressed, Serina's chapters became more and more engaging. The character building was amazing. The sisters are forced to grow and find strengths they never knew they possessed.

I felt that this book was beautifully written, and I absolutely loved the cliffhanger ending. That is not something I normally say. Cliffhangers tend to drive me crazy when we are left hanging at the most inopportune time, but this cliffhanger succeeded in leaving me super excited and happy to see where the next book will take us.

Actual rating: 4.25.

There was something about this book that caught my interest when I first heard about it that made me want to read it, and it fulfill all the expectations I had.

I adored the entire cast of characters. Both protagonists were so different from each other but grew so much in the novel that I couldn't help but love them. Nomi was such an interesting perspective to read from, since she was in the palace and everything there was pretty mysterious and eerie. The scenes in the palace were so atmospheric and well done, and I really enjoyed reading about her evolution and everything she was trying to do to save her sister.

But I might say that the evolution I loved the most was Serina's. She wasn't my favorite character when I first started reading the story, but as I continued reading her POVs, I started to become more attached to her. I would say her development was one of the best the story had, mostly because after she went through she grew and learnt so much, and that was incredible to see in a character.

Also I loved the relationship between both sisters. Though they were apart most of the book, you could still clearly see how much they cared about the other and how each was trying to do everything in their power to save her sister, and that was so precious to see in a novel.

One of the things that surprised me was that I expected it to be a fantasy story with magic in it, and there was none. I don't know if it's going to be in the sequel, but at least in this installment there wasn't any. At first it threw me off a bit, but as I continue reading Grace and Fury, I found that the book didn't need any magic, because it was pretty awesome and I was thoroughly enjoying it.

It was super fast paced and easy to read. It took me less than three hours to finish it, and I found no problems whatsoever to remember everything that was going on. It's true that there was a lack of world building, since this first installment was purely focused on the plot and the characters, but I had no problem with that at all.

The romance was quite interesting to read, as well. There were some twists regarding some side characters that were a bit foreshadow as you kept reading the story and were a bit predictable because of that, but because the book ended in such a cliffhanger, I'm so eager to know what's going to happen in the sequel.

This book was intense! Not even sure how to properly describe it. First of all it had some AMAZING and FIERCE main characters! Both Nomi and Serina seem like polar opposites at the beginning of the story. Personally, I favored Nomi. She had this 'I will not back down' type of attitude. Which is a dangerous thing considering that in this book men are the supreme rulers of everything and women are supposed to obey their every command. Serina at first seemed like a docile girl but certain events of the book completely changed her. And now both Nomi and Serina are both fierce and strong warriors in their own right.....now then... where's book 2????? This is the bad thing about ARCs....they leave you wanting book 2 ASAP!

4 out of 5 stars

So, when does the next book come out?

I was actually quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Grace and Fury takes place in a sort of medieval version of Italy, where women have no right whatsoever. There only choices in life are to work in factories, or find a husband. And for a select few, become a Grace to the Superior, which is nothing but a fancy concubine.

Our two main leads, sisters Serina and Nomi are thrust into this world, when Serina is chosen to become one of the Superior's sons first Graces. Training to be a Grace has been something that Serina has been doing as long as she can remember, because she knows that is she were to become one, it would bring fortune to her family. On the other hand, her younger sister, Nomi, hates the idea of her sister becoming a Grace. She sees the position for what it is, nothing but a pretty possession for those in charge, and she longs for a world where women can choose. Thus, why Nomi learned to read and write as a child, an offense that leads the girls into a heap of trouble.

Due to unfortunate circumstances, Nomi is chosen to be the Heir, Malachi's, new Grace, while Serina is sent off to Mount Ruin, a prison island for women who break the law. Thrust into roles they never expected to be in, the two sisters are forced to become stronger, and begin to realize that maybe it is time that women rose up against the men who are determined to keep them shackled.

Over all, the plot of this book, while it started a bit slow because there was a lot of info that needed to be explained, afterwards, everything was smooth sailing from there. And the twist towards the end of the book left me cringing at the unfairness of it all. All I will say is that these two sisters do not have it easy.

From a topical perspective, I liked how the setting of this book, while it did take place in a fantasy world, has enough historical notes in it that it left me feeling empowered after I finished reading it. After all, there was a time in history where women were not allowed to go to school, or marry who they wanted, or just make their own choices, so it really makes you feel for the women in this story who are starting to realize that they do have the right to choose what happens to them.

All in all, this is a great start to what I'm hoping will be an even better sequel. I can not wait to see what happens next, because this book ends on a sort of cliffhanger that just has me pining for more.

Ahhh, how is this book already over? I need to the sequel now. Grace and Fury is a strong and enthralling tale, that despite a few tropes, is well worthy of adoration. Any time I stepped away from this book, the protagonists consumed my thoughts. I could not get this book out of my head.

Grace and Fury follows the perspectives of sisters Nomi and Serina. Serina has trained her whole life to be a Grace, one of many women who are essentially mistresses to the Superior and now his heir. Nomi’s plan was to always stay by her sister’s side as a handmaiden, but when Nomi is chosen as a Grace instead of Serina and shortly after Serina takes the fall for an illegal act that Nomi commits, the sisters find themselves separated. Now, with Nomi caged in the palace and Serina struggling to survive on a prison island, they must find a way to save and reunite with one another.

One of my favorite part of this novel is the strong sister relationship. Despite all the trials and tribulations Nomi and Serina undergo, they never lose sight of trying to return to each other. They continuously pop up in each other’s thoughts and they frequently dedicate their actions to one another. I loved this relationship in the novel. We need more books with strong sister (or any sibling really) bonds!

In addition to that, I loved how Nomi and Serina mirror each other. Nomi is a rebellious, headstrong woman who must learn how to be a pleasing and obedient Grace. Serina is a polished and submissive woman who must break all expectations for women in order to survive the island. This is a great parallel in which each sister is fighting their own type of battle. This aspect really increased my love for the characters.

Another one of my favorite things about this book was simply how addicting it was. As I mentioned above: this book consumed me and I had trouble putting it down. Written in alternating perspective chapters where each sister has their own equally interesting struggles and mini cliffhangers at the end of the chapters, I found myself flying through the pages.

I will say that despite all these wonderful qualities, I was disappointed there was a very cliché plot twist at the end that I saw coming a mile away. It actually reminded me a lot of the ending of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. This was really irritating and there were so many times I wanted to go into the book and shake Nomi by the shoulders to knock some sense into her.

Though it did add to my accelerated interest in the book, another thing that bugged me was the rushed beginning. Readers are instantly thrust into the scene where Serina is selected to represent her city as a potential Grace for the heir and then in the next scene Nomi & Serina are traveling to the palace. The readers never get a chance to experience their “ordinary life”. Sure, the protagonists reflected on their life before from time to time, but personally I prefer to be shown, not told.

Another quality that didn’t sit well me was Nomi’s beliefs. Right away from the beginning, you can tell she’s a hardcore feminist—which is great—but there’s no explanation for it. In a world where women are raised as submissive, lower human beings, Nomi had no one in her life to show her that women should have equal rights. So where did these beliefs come from? There’s no expectations or growth in her opinions; they’re stubbornly present right from the beginning. Maybe it’s just me being picky, but this felt unrealistic?

Alongside with these complaints, there were events/plots & a romance towards the end that seemed to come about too easily and that really tested my suspense of disbelief. I also wish that Malachi’s (the heir) character had been developed more (fingers crossed this will be more prevalent in the sequel).

So I know I listed a bunch of flaws for this book, so you’re probably wondering why I still gave this book a 4 star rating. Well, despite my multitude of picky complaints, they did little to take away from how immensely I enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to YA fantasy readers or anyone at all intrigued by the synopsis. Now, did I mention how hype I already am for the sequel? With a title like Queen of Ruin, July 11th, 2019 can’t come fast enough.

Grace and Fury is a well developed story about two sisters on opposite sides of fate in a world where women are inferior to men. A world where women have zero rights and it's illegal for them to learn to read and write.

What I loved about this book is that although it a Young Adult Fantasy, the story is believable. It was such a breath of fresh air to read something that has just enough realism to make you believe in the world Tracy Banghart created here. The sisters, Nomi and Serina, are crafted so elegantly that after the first couple of chapters I found myself scurrying to finish the book into the wee hours of morning. Sleep? Who needs sleep?

That said, the plot was a tad predictable and I was not much surprised in the end. However, this isn't a thriller and I didn't go into it expecting to have a wtf? reaction. I am so incredibly glad to have given this book a chance and I can not wait to get my hands on the second book. There will be a second book, right?! I encourage you to grab a copy and immerse yourself in a world of Italian court, a bit of feminist power and a brilliant cast of characters.

Netgalley and little brown books provided me a copy of Grace and Fury in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. I overall enjoyed this book. It was, for the most part, fast paced and entertaining. But I didn't find it completely original to the point that I would consider this an exceptional read.

The Good

This was defiantly a girl power book. Set in a world where most women are raised to be wives who question nothing and are by all means, submissive. They are not even formally educated and are illiterate. There are still nations to this day that treat women that way, and reading this I found myself so angry for the women in the book and for the ideals...but its so so real for so many women.

Women don't have to be delicate flowers. Women can be and do the impossible. Women can be bold and powerful. And what I loved most of all, as women, we should stand together. Because together we are the strongest.

The Not So Good

The reason I gave it a lower rating is that I found the plot some what predictable. I saw twists and turns happening a mile away, so when they did happen I wasn't really surprised. [ The whole scenario of Good Prince/Bad Prince and how there is always one that is evil and awful and it is never the one you suspect. I knew from the moment Malachi was introduced as the "bad prince" there would be a plot twist at the end where really, he was actually the good one. (hide spoiler)] I can't even say that the ending was a major cliff hanger, and I somewhat know what to expect when the second book is written.

A intriguing plot and a well written young adult novel. I am glad that picked this one up. I would recommend this one to people who enjoy reading YA.

The Quick Cut: Two sisters end up in way over their heads when the ungroomed one is selected as a Grace and the groomed sister is sent to a prison island. Chaos and emotions fly as they each do everything they can in order to get back to one another and topple the women oppressed regime.

A Real Review:

This is a book that I absolutely could not put down from the moment I picked it up! From page one to book's end, this story continues to keep you wrapped up in the drama and dying to see what is going to happen next. Unlike many of the fantasy based books coming out recently, this one manages to keep the details easy to follow and also keeps the attractions down to kisses (in a time where far too many books have explicit sex scenes).

Serina and Nomi are two sisters who live in a world where women have almost no rights. They do not read, write, vote, and exist to be subservient to the men who do all of the working and thinking for the country. In this world, the country is run by a Majesty - who instead of having a Queen has what is known as Graces. Graces are women who are meant to be the perfect example of everything they expect a woman to be: beautiful, quiet, and only speaks when spoken to.

When the current Majesty health begins to deteriorate, the Heir to the throne, Malachi, begins to prepare by picking his first three Graces. This is where our sisters come into play - Serina was raised and trained to become a Grace. Spending all her formative years learning how to dance, sew, and present herself. Meanwhile, Nomi spent her time helping Serina be the perfect shining example of a Grace while she looked thin, learned to read in secret, and continued to hold onto her rebellious nature. Nomi goes with Serina to the Grace choosing party as a Handmaid to Serina, but while there - Nomi manages to make an impression on the Heir Malachi and ends up being chosen as a Grace instead of Serina!

As if that's not enough of a role switching drama, Nomi also stole a book while at the party and Serina ends up getting caught with the book. Quickly, she ends up declared guilty and sent off to Mount Ruin - a women's prison island that no one escapes from and everyone must fight to survive. Each sister is left in an entirely uncomfortable environment without one another for help, having to adjust and adapt to survive without knowing who they can truly trust. Nomi leans on Asa, Malachi's brother and continuous presence around the Graces during training. Serina leans on Val - a guard at the prison who develops feelings for Serina while also following his own agenda.

In the beginning, I really didn't like Nomi. She continuously complains about her current life, causes issues, and then gets her sister locked away for a crime she didn't commit in the worst prison possible. However, the more the story goes on, the more I started to like both sisters - especially seeing how much they went from fighting with each other to appreciating one another's presence during their younger years and earlier times. Serina learns from Nomi's rebellious side and utilizes it to fight on Mount Ruin while also holding onto her morals. She refuses to kill the other women and it causes a whole other set of issues. The development of each sister from a rigid one sided person into a fully developed, evolved character who has learned so much more about the world around her. Its so much fun seeing them do it in the process.

An addictive, fast paced read, this book is everything you could want in a fantasy novel. WIth two sisters who take on a sexist government, they learn from one another and stand up for each other while attempting to survive their own nightmare scenarios.

Rating: 4.7/10
Would I Recommend: Yes

"For every woman who has been told to sit down and be quiet... and who has stood up anyway"

The story of the two sisters, Serina and Nomi, one to be a Grace, the other to be her handmaiden, in a world where women have no rights, is told in alternating chapters which I personally really like. The book was easy to read.

However, I didn't particularly like either of the sisters nor any other side character. No one stood out and maybe I would've needed more to get to know them better.

While Serina and Nomi are together in the beginning, we follow two different plot lines as soon as the sisters are separated. I preferred Serina's side of the story here. Nomi, who was the rebellious one from the start, looses a bit of her appeal, whereas Serina goes through a character development which made her, to me at least, more likeable.

The same goes for the romantic plot lines. They are not the focus of the story, which I think is great, but Serina's was a bit more believable than Nomi's (she really lost some sympathy points here for me).

The world wasn't really explored that much, but it was enough to put everything in one picture, if you get what I mean. Everything mainly plays out in only two different locations. Hence the references to The Selection (haven't read it yet) and The Hunger Games other reviewers already mentioned.

Towards the end the story gained speed and got really exciting and by then I couldn't put it down.
And after that cliffhanger ending, I really want to get my hands on the next book.
All in all, I'm all for empowering women and there are important messages to be found here. Let's see where the author takes the story next.

---

Due to travelling for over three weeks it took me so long to finish the book and write a review. Sorry!

#GraceandFury #NetGalley #MustRead2018YAbooks
Grace and Fury is one of the better books, I have read in the fantasy area recently. I loved the female empowerment, family, and the sisters ability to handle their circumstances. It is nice to read a book where the main characters are smart, savy, and fierce without men.

I loved the book! I wish it had a more complete ending, I realize it’s left open for the next book, it’s just my personal preference. I really enjoyed the world that the author created in this story. It had some awesome twists and turns and it has now left me anxiously awaiting the next book!!

This book follows two sisters who unfortunately live in a repressed patriarchal society where women have no rights. You are either a wife, concubine or hard laborer. You are denied an education and it’s even illegal to read. I really enjoyed the relationship the sisters had. They are complete opposites in every way Nomi is the feminist one who taught herself to read and rebels against society’s ideals and has trained to become her sister’s handmaiden. Her sister Serina on the other hand is very meek and has trained her life to become a Grace and by chance they end up in completely different situations than they had seen themselves be. Serina after taking the fall for Nomi ends up going to a volcanic island that houses a prison here you must fight other inmates for food and Nomi ends up becoming the Grace her sister had trained for. It was very interesting to see these to handle their circumstances Nomi decides to save her sister she must play the palace game of treachery and Serina decides she must save all the women on the island their grit and determination as admirable. They are both endearing characters even in the beginning when you head is shaking at their decisions. I believe the author did a phenomenal job with the world building I felt rage a few times at the descriptions. Overall this was a surprising feminist fantasy/dystopian like world that not only focuses on women’s oppression but shows a great sibling relationship.