This book was probably a 3.5 for me. It reads fairly fast and has some entertaining moments. The world-building is slightly clunky and it's hard to know how much technology these people have. It reads like it's almost medieval but then suddenly women are in bathing suits or riding a steam powered boat. The women have few if little rights, so there's lots of "girl power" type moments in the book. Unfortunately though, it was extremely predictable and the love interest stories (yes, there's a love triangle) were almost exactly the same as several other YA books I've read in the last few years. I did like that it was built around the relationship of sisters, I just wish they didn't fall into the same old tired tropes.

This has been my first 5 star read in a while! THAT CLIFFHANGER THOUGH!
I loved everything about it. Serina and Nomi were such strong characters. I really liked how their personalities kind of switched. Serina was the obedient one and had to force herself to learn to be strong and Nomi was the rebel and had to force herself to learn to be obedient. Through this, they always kept their personal spark.
I loved both character's growth, but especially Serina's. She was the one who always obeyed the rules and thought being a Grace, belonging to someone and having to do anything for them, was how life should be. It was so satisfying to see her break out of that and become such a strong person.
Having 2 point of views (Serina and Nomi) was the perfect way to go with this book. Even though they started together, they ended up apart and had such different stories to tell. I had no trouble differentiating the two. Both storylines were so action packed and always ended on their own tiny cliffhanger so you couldn't wait to get to the next chapter in their point of view.
Some of the twists and turns I didn't even guess until a page before it happened and some I didn't even guess at all. All of the twists were just perfect and so believable.
This is a book where you never know who to trust until they have betrayed one of the characters or kept their word and that just makes it so much fun. How am I going to wait until the next book?

I was given Grace and Fury as an ebook ARC, I read it on my kindle and I was super excited to have the chance to read and review this book. The cover really enticed me from the start and I wanted to get into this book as soon as possible. The synopsis of the story also really got me. I love reading fantasy books and being honest the first few chapters in reminded me of the Selection Series and I am in love with that series. So I went all in on this book!

SPOILERS AHEAD

So as I said above within a few chapters I was getting Selection Series vibes. Which is one of my favorite series of all time. I can read it again and again and it never gets old. Grace and Fury reminds me of the series but in a different time with the rules changed a bit. So in this story, there are two girls one named Serina and one named Nomi. These two girls just like all the other women in this society have no rights. Serina has been taught her entire life to become a Grace which is someone who basically spends their life standing beside the heir to the throne and looking pretty and like the perfect woman. In the start of the book, Serina is selected to go and be in the running to be a Grace for the heir. However, Nomi is the one who catches the eye of the heir instead. Which is not what the family has planned for and Nomi has one very large secret. That Serina must now deal with for Nomi. I do not want to give away the secret for those of you wishing to read this book when it comes out but the secret is revealed early on and to be honest I did not notice at first then I thought about it and was really surprised and kind of intrigued as to how they were going to pull this off.

This book was really good and held my attention the entire time I was reading it. I read it in three sittings mostly because I had obligations whenever I would pick this up so I had to put it down. However, it is a really good dystopian fantasy that fans of the Handmaidens Tale or the Selection Series should totally check out. P.S. just started reading and watching the Handmaidens Tale and loving it! I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads! Grace and Fury comes out on July 31st!

The world of Viridia is not a pleasant one for women or girls.  They are forbidden to read or go to school, and their only choices are to work in factories or as servants, be wives/mothers or serve as Graces for the Superiors or Heirs.  (Basically concubines if you will.)  Serina has been in training her entire life to become a Grace if she is chosen, and her sister Nomi will serve as her handmaiden.   Well, at least that's the plan, but as we all know, there wouldn't be much of a story if that's the way it actually goes.  Both girls are shocked when the Heir chooses Nomi instead, and Serina is forced to act as her sister's handmaiden...that is until she is caught ostensibly breaking one of the kingdom's greatest rules.  Serina is banished to Mount Ruin, a volcanic island prison where women are forced to fight each other for food and survival.

From there the story is a wild ride told in chapters alternating between the two sisters.  This type of storytelling doesn't always work for me; as I mentioned in a review of a previous book, I usually end up just wanting to read them in halves and not alternate.  But it really, really worked in F&G and I found myself reading faster so I could get to the next chapter sooner because I wanted to know what was going to happen!  And that is a big thing in this book because I didn't see some of the surprises coming, especially what I consider the biggest...but I'm not going to spoil that for you here!!  (NO hints!)

I will say that the storyline is not wrapped up in the one book so I'm now frustrated that I have to wait to find out what happens next!  (With no idea how long we're going to have to wait for the next book...)  For those that don't like cliffhanger endings, I believe this will end up being a two book series so you might want to wait until you can read both back to back.  But if you like fantasy YA with a feminist theme, this is definitely the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for making this available to R&R!

5 stars - A perfect blend of YA fantasy and court intrigue!

"A fierce, feminist fantasy for fans of Caraval and The Handmaid’s Tale” indeed. 'Grace and Fury' is a captivating page-turner; though it is a clean YA Fantasy novel, the characters do endure hardships and sexism is thoroughly woven into the culture our two narrators are born into.

Can't recommend this book enough!

The premise of Grace and Fury is really intriguing and I was excited to finally read it. However, as much as I wanted to love this, I just didn't end up connecting with the story. There were a lot of elements about it that I liked, but in the end there was just something missing for me to really love it. 

The story follows the journeys of sisters Serina and Nomi. The chapters alternate between each of their POVs which helps lend a unique voice to each girl. Serina begins the book as a quiet, demure young women who has spent her entire life relying on her beauty and training to become a Grace. Her younger sister, Nomi, on the other hand, starts the novel as headstrong, brash, careless, and a bit selfish. I was looking forward to following both sisters' stories as they are thrust into roles neither are prepared for. Unfortunately, I only found myself enjoying Serina's POV, and couldn't really care about or connect with Nomi. Both Serina and Nomi start out naive, but Serina was the only one whose character had any growth as the story progressed. As Serina adapted to her surroundings and developed traits that made her stronger, Nomi remained naive and brash, which resulted in landing her in a whole heap of trouble by the end of the book - unsurprisingly.

There was a lot of positive girl power themes present, which is always a nice thing to see! There was also good representation of sibling relationships between Nomi and Serina; neither of them understand their sister, but it's obvious how much they care about one another and the lengths each of them are willing to go to save each other. There is some romance, but it's hardly present and to be honest I felt pretty meh about both. 

Grace and Fury has an interesting premise and a lot of potential, but I just couldn't connect to the story or characters as much as I wanted to. The story has a The Selection meets Red Queen vibe for those who enjoyed those books!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this title.


This story was so addicting. Not only was the world inspired by Italy (where I currently live) but the characters themselves reeled me in. I was so thankful that there wasn't magic in this fantasy, as with most YA's nowadays. Even though this is a fantasy there are some underlying tones to situations in the world right now. The feminism is strong with this one.


Two sisters, Nomi and Serina grow up in a world where women are suppressed. Serina vies for a chance to become a "Grace" which is basically a courtesan to the king and future kings. As fate and misunderstanding have it that Nomi, the defiant of the two, is chosen and Serina is spirited away to an island prison. Nomi, who has learned how to read, which is against the law, and Serina, who has trained all her life to become a servant to the future king, find themselves at odds with the worlds around them and take on roles neither had ever dreamed of choosing.

It was so funt o see each character grow and fight against the world around them. Serina, having always been the docile one is forced to overcome her fears and finally understand where Nomi was coming from when she questioned the roles of women in their country. Circumstance also changes Nomi when she is forced to play the role of Grace, a role she abhors with all her heart. Both of fighting different battles. They realize the choices they make not only affect themselves but the future of women everywhere.


I recommend this book. Highly. It has fist pumping feminism and high stakes and also some love, but not quite the way you think. If you're looking for a YA fantasy that will hook and captivate you, this is the one. Also, if you're sick of magic, give this one a try. It was a breath of fresh air for me.

Y'ALL. The hype is real. This book was everything I was hoping for and more! I love me a good sister story and although duel POV can be rough at times, it totally worked for this book. Both Nomi and Serina were well-developed, bad*** characters, and let me tell you, the character development in this book is CRAZY! I loveeddd Serina's journey and how she grew as a character, and I can't wait to see how both girls continue to develop in the rest of the series! Especially after that cliffhanger....

Overall, this is a great fantasy read, with many twists and turns that you won't expect! I rec to all of my fantasy & strong female MC lovers out there!

This YA novel tells the story of two teenage sisters in a world where women are nothing more than objects and can be sent to prison for the major crime of knowing how to read. The elder sister has trained all her life to become a Grace, basically a member of the ruler’s harem. Being chosen is the highest honor any woman in this society can hope to achieve. Through a series of missteps, her younger sister is chosen to become a Grace instead and she ends up on the island prison of Mount Ruin.

The book is told in alternating chapters from each sister’s point of view as they each try to adapt to their new life. The writing started sharp and fast paced but, about halfway through began to falter. Added to a storyline that became rather juvenile and predictable, were characters that unfortunately seemed rather stock. An abrupt, cliffhanger ending didn’t help. I think this book might appeal to the younger YA reader.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is a fierce combination of part Hunger Games, part Divergent, a good chunk of the Red Queen series, and a tiny part of the Selection Series. The characters are beautifully written, the story line engaging, and the overall tone of the novel is empowering. I'm only giving it four stars because I sometimes felt that it was .. missing something. A little oomph perhaps? There were certain parts of the book that just seemed to be skimming the surface. I would still highly recommend this book to others and I truly can't wait to add this to my shelves!

Falling Kingdoms has ended. Throne of Glass is ending this year. I was worried I wouldn't have a fantasy series to obsess over anymore but then I read Grace and Fury.

Grace and Fury is set in a fantasy world where women have no rights. They can't make their own choices or even learn how to read. The main characters are two sisters seperated by circumstance and are each just trying to survive another day.

The book isn't even officially released yet but I need the sequel. I also can't wait for release day so I can have my own gorgous hardback copy.

The only critique I have is that in the next book, I hope the side and supporting characters are a little more fleshed out.

Add Grace and Fury to your tbr.

Rating : 3.5 stars

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Grace and Fury tells the story of two very different sisters. We have Serina who has trained her whole life to become a Grace (basically think concubine type woman), she is content with following the rules, with being seen but not heard. Then we have her younger sister Nomi, who has never been as easily swayed. She fights for what she believes to be right, whom is not content with the rules society has demanded she follow. When Serina is chosen as a candidate to become a Grace, she could not be more excited but her sister Nomi could not be more disappointed. They travel to the palace where they meet the Heir and attend a beautiful ball. This is the Heir’s first time picking his Graces and he will choose three to attend him for three years then pick another three and so on until his death. When the time comes for the Heir to pick his three woman he does something unheard of and picks Nomi instead of Serina. Both of the sister’s worlds begin to fall apart but not before their lives are completely turned upside down. I’m keeping this review as spoiler free as possible so you’ll have to read it for yourself to find out how!

The book is told in alternating point of views between the two sisters. I was initially immediately drawn to head strong Nomi but by halfway through I did a complete 180 and could not wait for Serina’s chapters! The sisters are such vibrant characters and no matter whom you end up loving, by the end you are rooting for both sisters! I also really enjoyed the world building! Viridia is modeled after Italy and you get a sense of Italy with its own twist. And the city of Bellaqua sounds absolutely breathtaking! It is reminiscence of Venice with it’s canals surrounded by water and beautiful boats! I loved immersing myself into this world and feeling like I was back in one of my favorite places.

While the last third of this book had me on the edge of my seat unable to put it down, the earlier parts were harder to push through. It was a lot of background information and plot set up, which in the end was very much needed but it was difficult for me to keep reading (but I was so glad I did!). I was also a little put off by how predictable Nomi’s story line was. I even wrote a note in one of the earlier chapters what I thought was going to happen and I was 100% correct. It was hard to keep reading her chapters when I could see what was coming. I always wish I could jump into the storyline and warn the characters. Serina’s storyline, on the other hand, was riveting! I loved watching her transformation from the beginning of the book to the end. It was almost like having two different stories in one and I am looking forward to book 2 and seeing what happens next!

I would definitely recommend this book and would say to push through if you’re having trouble finishing because the ending is worth everything! I have high hopes for book 2 and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

The words ‘high fantasy’ and ‘powerful women’ are two terms that when brought together are going to immediately get my attention. Those two terms are both apt descriptors of Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart.

The novel is about two sisters, Serina and Nomi. Serina is the nice one, always obeying the rules. Nomi is the rebel, not satisfied with the way things are. But their roles are reversed when Nomi is chosen by the prince, and Serina takes the fall for a crime Nomi committed. Suddenly Nomi has to be prim and proper, and Serina has to fight for her life. I loved seeing how these young women dealt with their problems. I found that I related to both of them in different ways. In a lot of ways, they are two sides of the same coin, only they can’t see it.

Because Nomi and Serina get separated early on, there are two concurrent plot-lines. Nomi in the palace and Serina on the island. I felt that Serina’s plot was highly original. I haven’t seen something quite like that before. On the other hand, Nomi’s plot was very similar to a lot of other YA fantasies. I can’t complain too much though, because it’s a plot that I absolutely adore. It meant that I could predict what would happen with her early on, but that wasn’t too bad since I didn’t know what would happen with Serina.

Grace and Fury screams girl power. In a world where women are repressed at every turn, it is about two young women rising up and challenging the system. While the problems these women face are an exaggeration of what women face in the real world, I could definitely see the similarities.

I would highly recommend Grace and Fury if you’ve enjoyed books such as Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard or Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I absolutely loved Grace and Fury and can’t wait for the next one!

I was surprised by how much I loved this book. It was a book with two main characters that I adored each for their own strengths. This is story with so many twists and turns that it will keep you reading long past your bedtime. The first thing I loved about the book was that both sisters are strong and fierce in their own unique ways. They have their flaws but at their hearts is conviction and love for each other and their families. It was refreshing to like both main characters too. The storyline was a good one and the plot flowed nicely. The writing is straight forward, making it a quick easy read that readers will really enjoy. If you enjoyed The Selection, Hunger Games or Everless then you need to check out this book! One thing I should warn you about though, it ends on a hell of a cliff hanger and I’m already yearning for book two.

"Grace and Fury" is a YA novel that combines "The Selection" with gladiators through the stories of two sisters. In this alternate world, women are subjugated and cannot learn to read or have any independence. The penalty is death or imprisonment if caught breaking the rules. Nomi and Serina are from one of the poorer districts, and Serina sees her role as a potential Grace as the way out of poverty and future problems for her whole family. Graces are like a harem for the ruler, and every 3 years, the ruler picks 3 Graces which will stay in the palace and be taken care of for the rest of the ruler's life. This year, the new heir will choose his first 3 Graces- and one of them might end up being the mother of the future ruler.

Serina is excited to be chosen as a potential Grace, being the representative from her district. Nomi will be accompanying her as a handmaiden, but she's not really very enthusiastic about it. Serina tries to protect her as best she can, but Nomi is headstrong and unafraid of the potential consequences for her behaviors. In a twist of events, Nomi is chosen as a Grace and Serina is sent to a prison island, where women are forced to fight to the death for food and rations.

While I was intrigued by the premise, it felt very slow and I had a hard time getting into it. The first half of the book was setting up their new realities. Serina was understandable- she's compassionate and protective of her family. Nomi was selfish and a bit of a brat. Eventually, she is forced to begin to grow up a little, but it felt like she just kept getting the golden treatment despite her missteps. There is quite a bit of character growth for both of them by the end of the book.

Overall, I found it OK- I couldn't get into Nomi's story very well and I felt that it was much slower than I like. The premise is interesting, and it would be interesting to see how it develops in future books.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I literally read this in one sitting and did not want this book to end. I kept stalling and stopping myself from reading time and again just so I wouldn't finish it as quickly. Can we have the next one soon? Pretty please??

What a fantastic story with strong, inspiring, empowered and badass women. It's amazing how much Nomi and Serina - more so Serina honestly - grew as people in the span of just 100 pages.

Even though I saw that plot twist coming from 10 miles away, it was so well done and executed in the end that I did not mind it at all. I LOVED this! I loved the fact that there was a romantic interest that was honestly just a very minor supporting character in all of this and that the romance factor didn't take any focus away from the two sisters and their bond and love of one another. It was so refreshing.

Thank you for this eARC!

Grace and Fury is one of those books that I thought I was going to absolutely love from start to finish but didn't quite hit that mark. It was good, don't get me wrong. I flew through it in record time and will definitely read the sequel (there IS going to be a sequel, right?).

Set in a world that's what I imagined as cross between The Selection and The Handmaid's Tale, sisters Nomi and Serina are stuck in a world where women have zero power or rights. Their purpose in the world is to be pretty and have kids. For the first couple chapters, I was prepared to put the book aside because it felt like the pattern of the pretty girl going to the [palace] to be a [princess].

Then WHAM, it got good. 

Banghart crafts a rich story of defiance and female empowerment as she alternates between Nomi, the girl who hates the system and ends up forced into the heart of it, and Serina, the girl who made her peace with the world but learns that life could be different. Of the two, Nomi was my favorite. Serina didn't make the list after she spent half the book agreeing that women should be submissive and obedient. I know that's her character, how she's raised in this world, but I struggled to get behind that mindset and didn't warm to her until later on in the book.

That said, this book excelled at opposing viewpoints with these characters. Serina showed a strength behind her demure state and a loyalty to family that went above and beyond. Nomi represented the rebellious girl I'm used to seeing in dystopian novels but forcing her to see the women on the other side of the curtain gave her a different drive to change things.

As for the secondary characters and the antagonist, I liked them, but I didn't love them. The big twist near the end with the antagonist didn't come as much of a surprise to me. Either the author set it up perfectly so it wasn't a shock, or I guessed it early. Honestly, I'm not sure. And maybe that was the intent but I really didn't like any of the male characters. The Heir (think prince equivalent) and his younger brother are in Nomi's world so you only see them for half the story and I didn't love or hate them until closer to the end. In Serina's world of fighting women, a sport for the male guards' pleasure, it's women vs. men and that's the defined dynamic. I just. . . I knew the stakes were high for both sisters but they never really registered with me. 

And then. The cliffhanger. Because WOW, talk about ending with a bang. I thought this was a standalone but it better not be because you can't just end the story like that and not give the readers another book. The last few chapters were a bit of a blur and regardless of how I felt at the start of the book, I was hooked by the end. 

For all of y'all looking for a YA fantasy that's not your typical princess-esque tale (which I love, but nice to change things up), read Grace and Fury. And then sit and wait impatiently for a sequel!

Sister Serina and Nomi Tessaro have spent their entire lives preparing for one thing-the chance for Serina to become a Grace. In a time where women have zero rights, this is their only way to have a life outside of the factories. When Nomi catches the eye of the throne's Heir instead of Serina, their lives are turned upside down. Now, with one sister unprepared for the King's court and one on her way to an island prison, both sisters must find the strength to survive and take back their lives.
Beautifully written with strong characters, this book was an amazing page-turning ride! And that ending! So good.

This book was utterly amazing and I need the sequel right this second. I read this book in one day (around 3/4 hours) and oh my goodness, I wish I could wipe my brain and read it all over again from the start. When Hunger Games meets Shadow and Bone, you get Grace and Fury.
Two sisters, Nomi and Serina, are sent to the palace to help their odds in gaining The Heir's favor. Serina is contending to be one of The Heir's Graces, one of three women he takes to be his. Nomi is there as Serina's handmaiden. When The Heir picks Nomi instead of Serina, both girls' worlds are turned upside down. In a twist, Serina is blamed for a secret that Nomi has and is sent away for her punishment.

The story is told between two perspectives, Nomi and Serina, and how they fight to survive in their own ways. Reading about the two sisters as they struggle to find their way without the other was an incredible journey. I instantly felt connected to both girls and how deep their characters were.

There are a couple of different plot twists that are woven into this novel, some that I was expecting, and some that I wasn't. You will be left wondering who you can trust out of these characters, who is lying and who isn't.

In this story, women are second class citizens, even reading is a crime that can be punished by death. However, the men can do whatever they want. The world building was also a definite plus, I felt like everything was explained very well and the plot, although it was a fast read, was not too fast and was not slow in the least. Everything fit perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this novel!

I absolutly loved that book. The only bad thing i could say about it is that i wished it would have been longer. Even as i was reading it, i was hoping this was not the king of book that will have a sequel, because i knew i would have to wait a long time before the sequel came out... and thats it... i'm going to have to wait... I loved how feminist this book is and how well they brought the subject. thank you netgalley for the oportunity to read it