This is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year so far. The magic system is so intriguing - I love how it needs more than one person to control the power, delivering the message that things get done easier if we all work together.

The characters in the book are really great. Alessa had to go through so much - death, betrayal, isolation, etc, that would have broken so many people. It took her strength, devotion, and the power of her friends to get through it all. My favorite character is Dante. I’m always drawn to the brooding male with the tragic backstory.

I can’t wait until the second book comes out!

My favorite part of this book was Alessa. She had depth, complexity, and personality, you could understand her actions and sympathize with her easily, and her narrative voice was enjoyable.

However, most of the rest of the book did not work for me. I found the worldbuilding weak, and since the plot was based on the world, it likewise did not seem to hold up at any close inspection. The entire conflict with Dante and his identity was confusing and did not feel serious to me when first presented because it was not built up beforehand or demonstrated more than the characters repeatedly saying "his people are bad." Alessa's powers did not make any consistent sense, and while I did like the concept of the way they interacted with others' magic, it was not executed well or explained at all. The religion aspect was forgettable and was therefore surprising when any of the characters went to pray or accepted prayer as an excuse for her to get places and do things.

I liked elements of Alessa and Dante's relationship as well, though Dante's character development felt weirdly abrupt at times.

I think this book had a lot of potential, but most of it was not realized. The best part, and the element that made me keep reading, was Alessa herself.

Oooooh it is dangerous how much I loved this book. It made me want limoncello so bad! I love Italian themed settings a lot and while this was a fantasy, the vibes were simply immaculate. The writing was easy to get into—fun and light and teasing. But the tone is there for the book, that despite the budding romance and friendship, this is a life or death situation. I dunno, I just loved all of it. The characters were so much fun and the pull between Alessa and Dante had me sweating. I can't wait for book two and for more of these characters!

THIS VICIOUS GRACE surprised me; I'd gone into it expecting to enjoy it, sure, but I couldn't have predicted just how much I'd come to be invested in this tale. Thiede's debut starts out feeling like your typical YA fantasy read, meandering along in the set-up as it sticks closely to the details provided in the official synopsis. But eventually Thiede's novel really finds its own footing, with a great cast of characters (led by Alessa, who blossoms beautifully as she grows into her own; Dante is obviously also a treat, but that's likely biased due to my taste in fictional men), a plot that escalates at a great pace, and a compelling end that leaves the reader satisfied but also curious about what more our characters will have to face. Did I mention that there's also excellent dialogue (I was a fan of the banter and one liners) and a romance that I could totally root for? Because that exists too. It all came together to create an absorbing tale that I flew through. Can't wait to pick up the sequel!

3 stars

This was pretty good! I don't read as much YA fantasy as I used to but I liked this one. I may pick up the sequel if it is just a duology. It didn't feel as high stakes to me and I wanted more world building. Hopefully we will get more in the next book.

First, this book definitely has one of my favorite covers ever, which is 0% shocking as Wednesday Books always kills it with the covers.

This book was solid, but I can't call it a favorite. I love the Italian vibes, but this book does a lot more telling than showing, and the plot moves forward with a series of fairly tidy resolutions. I also wish the main character could have seen herself as more separate from "hot guy."

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!

I read the trigger warnings for this book at the being of the book and made the decision to not read it. I can usually handle most of these topics but child abuse is a tough one.

SUMMARY: As a divinely selected magnifier of magical gifts, Alessa’s role is to protect her community from demon attacks by partnering with a gifted warrior. But her inability to control her power has left three partners dead. Now she must find a new partner and train together ahead of the demon invasion before her community decides they might be better off killing her and forcing the gods to select someone new.

This was a fun YA fantasy with the appropriate amount of romance. I loved the Italian-inspired world building that served as the basis for the story and enjoyed the competitive, magical school-style setup when Alessa’s prospective partners are all forced to move into the estate to build their skills together.

It’s a lot like other YA fantasy series I’ve known and enjoyed (The Hunger Games, Shadowhunters, etc.), and the unwilling chosen one who falls in love with the one guy she shouldn’t immediately put me in mind of From Blood and Ash, the Bookstagram/BookTok favorite. However, This Vicious Grace is still solidly YA, so don’t come looking for sexy times—just mutual pining and makeouts.

I really like reading YA books outside when it gets warm, and this one is set on a sun-soaked Italianate island, so feel free to pack it in your beach bag on spring break!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book, I did not expect to have been this obsessed with this story. But I did and now I need more. It needs to be August already so I can read the sequel. I absolutely loved everything about this book, the world, the plot, the characters, Alessa and Dante are so good together. I can't wait to see where the next book takes us.

Alessa is a finestra, one of the prophesied people who will save her island from godly wrath. Each island in this world has one, who, when the time comes, will choose their partner and face down armies of demons. Alessa’s power, however, has other ideas, causing her to kill every one of three partners before they can face the threat. She is called a liar, people try to kill her, in hopes that it will save the island, assuming a new finestra will be chosen.

Alessa is touch starved. Her touch can kill anyone, not just her chosen partners or those who have magic. She hasn’t had a hug, or even a gentle touch, in years, since she was chosen. When she became finestra, she had to give up her name and her family. She is but a shadow of her former self, reduced to her title and her duty. While she has advisors, they are not friends. Everyone fears her, if not outright hates her for what they perceive her having done: kill her partners. Even she sees herself this way. No past finestra has done this. There must be something wrong with her. She is somehow unworthy.

Alessa deals with a lot of self doubt and even self hatred. She’s very lonely and unsure, yet she has this quiet confidence. She’s not a mouse, to be led and to be a mouthpiece for someone else’s words. She is perfectly capable of standing up for herself, even when faced with death threats. She has such a will to live, and a desire to save her island. Though the islanders tout her as being what will kill this island, there is no one who loves it more, as flawed as Alessa is. She makes mistakes, and she looks out for herself sometimes, but she has this deep love and loyalty to her people. Dante has such a chip on his shoulder! I am upset that we had to wait until the end for his point of view. I wish we had had more of that, as we discovered more about his story through Alessa. It would have been neat to see what he might have been up to behind the scenes. The growth of the other potentates as they got to know Alessa was heartening and gave me faith. The slow growth of friendship was a comfort and I hope to learn more about these friends in the second book.

The pacing was well done, with the number of days until the reckoning at the beginning of each chapter. The clear markers allowed me to visualize the passage of time better and made things seem more realistic. From Dante and Alessa’s blossoming relationship, to the urgency to pick a partner. I was entranced from start to finish.

The chemistry between our two leads, as well as the beautifully described island, make me love this book! I am fortunate to have waited a little longer to read it, as the sequel shall come out sooner rather than later. Only about six months more! Here’s hoping I can get my hands on an ARC, as I did of this book. I promise to do it justice if I do. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!

This was amazing addictive to continue to read and just as addicting to want more. I’m excited for the sequel.

The beginning, this was giving Girl, Serpent, Thorn but it soon gave us a twist. I really enjoyed the twists and turns. The banter and romance as well as the found family/friendship the MC finds herself gaining.

This book was so interesting. I loved the mixture of mythology and folklore. Definitely worth the read but if you’re sesative to certain subjects then I’d suggest looking up trigger warnings before picking it up.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

An interesting fantasy read with multiple outside influences including mythology and religious folklore. High stakes narrative with a strong female protagonist that has flavors reminiscent of Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun and Rory Power's In a Garden Burning Gold. The world building can be a little info dumpy, which results in a diluted atmospheric content, but the plot progression is interesting and tense. Lovers of the grump/sunshine trope will enjoy the character banter between Alessa and Dante. A good exploration of religious fervor and an enjoyable debut.

A bodyguard/royal romance that ends on a cliffhanger. Alessia's fiances keep dying, and she hires Dante to help protect her and figure out why. I don't want to go too deep into the summary because the book takes some pleasant twists and turns, but I loved the premise. I also loved Dante and how their relationship transformed. I sat on this book for a while when I realized it ended on a cliffhanger. I hate waiting for the next in the series!

Alessa is the Finestra, blessed by the gods to protect her island against otherworldly evil. When combined with the powers of their chosen partner (Fonte), the Finestra’s magic amplifies, giving her the ability to defeat an onslaught of demons whose vicious attacks have plagued the island for years. Alessa has tried and failed three times to secure a Fonte, accidentally killing them before they can unite in matrimony and combine their gifts. Time is running out before the next attack, and the island is becoming skeptical of Alessa's ability to keep them safe. After an assassination attempt, Alessa hires a rogue outcast named Dante to act as her bodyguard while she attempts to find a new Fonte. With evil baring down and rebellion on the rise, Alessa will need to tap into her entire arsenal of skills to keep herself and her homeland safe. But what if her handsome new bodyguard holds the key that can save them once and for all?

While the synopsis sounds intense, This Vicious Grace had wonderful moments of levity that ease the tension of impending doom. Alessa’s inability to touch without causing harm heightened her desperation for human contact which made the interactions between Alessa and the group of Fonte’s more rewarding. I enjoyed watching the group turn from trepidation to natural camaraderie. Additionally, the flirty banter between Alessa and Dante added to their chemistry, and their connection felt both believable and earned. The ending gave this world room to expand and it left me excited to see what is next for these characters in the sequel.

Thanks you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book reels you in with promises of a masterful plot with high stakes and deadly characters. It introduces you to intriguing people and an even more intriguing world. It swears it will sweep you up in a romance the greatest poets could talk about for years to come. All of that to be a letdown only a few chapters in. This book tried so hard to be something it was not.
It built up expectations and interest, only for all of it to come crashing down.
The characters were empty, soulless beings written into the story to fulfill the author's favorite tropes and it was painful to read this book from the pov of the most generic type of main character anyone could think up.
I would also like to point out that the dynamic of the main ship was horribly insta-lovey for something that isn't even insta-love in the first place. How do you manage such a thing?
The whole experience felt close to what i imagine it would be like to read a book created by an AI. Horribly mediocre with a side of no sense whatsoever to be made out of the story.

love that I'm entering my fantasy era. This had such vibrant characters and really had me invested in their world.

“She might be but one stitch in the tapestry, but every stitch had a purpose, and threads couldn't become art without them.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Wednesday Books for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

content warnings (from storygraph): murder/death/gore, blood/violence/injury, war, suicidal thoughts/suicide attempt/gaslighting to attempt suicide, religious bigotry, alcohol, child abuse, parental abandonment

One of my favorite tropes that I would read every month, but that I often find severely lacking, is the bodyguard/royal trope, especially when combined with enemies to friends/lovers. Seeing the synopsis involving both of these?? I applied for an ARC with zero hesitation and have been trying to fit this into my TBR prompts for most of 2022!

This Vicious Grace follows Alessa, a young woman known as the Finestra, someone chosen by the gods with the ability to save her island with the ability to amplify powers. This ability is rather useless alone, and her main role is to marry a Fonte, someone with remarkable abilities to aid her in battle. Unfortunately, Alessa seems to be the only Finestra who can't control her powers and has killed not one but <i>three</i> of her matches. With almost everyone having lost in faith in her, and some considering her a curse or some sort of evil ruining their chances at survival, her life is in danger of numerous assassination attempts. Alessa has no one left to trust, so she decides to hire a bodyguard from the fighting pits. Can he keep her alive long enough to finally find a match she can't kill?

This book was SO GOOD!!!! How did I manage to start so many gems in the final hour of 2022? The characters were complex and multi-faceted, the side characters all felt unique and had conflicting motivations and desires that we get to see play out, and I cared about what happened to everyone except Adrick.

The writing was phenomenal. I'm in awe that this is a debut novel because I can't think of a single complaint other than that I struggled to imagine what the Scarabeo looked like? My brain settled on giant flying ants. I guess I wonder what happened to the <spoiler>Fonti who came from the other island</spoiler>, but I assume that will be addressed in book 2!

I spent 45 days on this book, which would usually indicate low intrigue, but it was actually just that I had to focus on an expedited work project and got caught up with the holidays, because I wanted to read this book more than almost anything else in December and January!

I had a wonderful time and am eagerly awaiting August for the sequel!

I loved this book! Alessa is a Finestra, and her gift should be able to magnify her partner’s magic, however her touch ends up killing them instead. Time is running out, because Diverando is fast approaching and a swarm of demons will soon descend on her island home. If Alessa cannot find a partner soon, everyone will die.

The magic system is awesome in this book. I loved learning about the different types of magic. I also enjoyed the world building and character development in this one too. It also has an enemies to lovers romance that was fantastic. I cannot wait to see what happens next in this series.

I didn’t think this would be a 5 star but I loved it so much! It’s one of my favorite books I’ve read this year so far. I loved the friendships and relationships. I was reading this at work and I cried. I felt so connected to the characters.