While this is not an original story by any means, the setting and situation differ enough from the normal trope to be interesting and engaging. The characters were varied and relatable. The writing was, at times, too saccharine for even a Hallmark movie but, balanced with the modern and sarcastic tone of the voices, made the narrative just short of cringeworthy. I look forward to the next installment so, all in all, I liked it.

I think I did myself dirty by putting certain expectations on this book and assuming it would be enemies-to-lovers romance, which I'm not sure where I got? Usually the grumpy/sunshine trope (or a close variety of the sort) works well for me, but I just felt like this story was a watery, minimalistic version of what I was hoping it would be. Definitely give this one a try for yourself though!

The latest Chosen One (Finestra) is supposed to save her island people from the hordes of demons who invade every few decades. She does this by choosing a partner (romantic or not) to bond with and supercharge their power so they can defend their big city. Except Alessa's power has accidentally killed the last three people she tried to bond with and now she has just a couple of weeks to convince the few remaining candidates to even try. Worse, the council is trying to kill her and there's well... a horde of demons on the way. She hires a sexy maybe-murderer to be her bodyguard and you can guess where the story goes.
 The promo for the book was intense and early, so I was curious if it would live up to the hype. Overall, it felt like many of the Murder Princess subgenre I've read before, but the author did diverge in a couple of ways. While I can't tell you what they are for spoiler reasons, I  think This Vicious Grace was worth reading. The chemistry between Dante and Alessa, some found family/unexpected friendship and the constant sense of danger propel the plot forward, even if some of it's easy to predict.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher for review.

I loved this book and will definitely be picking up book 2. This starts out with themes of rejection, self-doubt and isolation that slowly evolves into recognition, teamwork and friendship. I loved the romance as well, I thought that Dante made a great antihero.

3.5 Stars
Overall this was a super interesting concept, with a chosen savior who inadvertently keeps killing her partners before having the chance to battle the evil that is coming. I like the world and the plot, I just found the story to drag on for a very long time before anything actually happened. It was super angsty and slow, more the main character regretting her abilities and life overall with no action. The last fourth of the book picked up and had some great twists in it, but I almost gave up before even getting there (ok that is a lie since I refuse to DNF books, but if I did this would have been one). The shocking way the book ended might be enough for me to pick up the next one, we shall see. Keep in mind that a lot of my book friends read this story and adored it so if you think the plot sounds fun and you like a LOT of angst in your characters then pick this up. PS there were some steamy encounters and violence in here, so I do not recommend for the younger YA crowd

This Vicious Grace was full of fantastic and varied characters that both supported and deterred Alessa on her journey toward fulfilling her purpose as a Finestra, the protector of her island home. Her place in the beginning is very lonely. Usually, she would have been married near the beginning of coming into her power, but acting as what is essentially a megaphone for her Fonte (her partner’s) power. Every so many years, there is an invasion of what basically amount to Giant Beetles From Hell that threaten the people of the ocean communities in which they live. However, Alessa’s power seems to work tenfold to what her various predecessors did, and her touch draws an immense amount of power from her Fontes. She has killed three already, and there are certain factions that are feeling like maybe she is an abomination. If she were to be deemed an abomination, she would have to be killed in order for a new Finestra to be created to take her place. However, Alessa finds a strange ally in Dante, who doesn’t seem to succumb to her touch in the same ways as most people, meaning he doesn’t die almost immediately from her drawing all of his power immediately. There’s a good reason for it, but I don’t want to give it away. She decides to hire Dante as her bodyguard, and because he can touch her and vice versa, they begin training with one another and he helps her to control her powers. This is great, because the day of reckoning is fast approaching when the entire civilization of her island home will be counting on her and her Fonte to succeed. It’s especially good to have control as there are many potential Fontes in the running, and she needs to find one FAST if she’s going to keep everyone alive.

My favorite part of this book was the found family aspect that comes later in the book. The romance was also great. The plot, however? It was a steady underlying pulse that slowly ramped up into a mystery. Something really big is happening and it’s possible that the powers of the Finestra are just a symptom.

I’m super excited to read the sequel to this one. It left so many unanswered questions and I want more of Alessa and Dante’s story.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This Vicious Grace is an interesting start to a series. I enjoyed the balance of describing some aspects of their society off the bat while also slowly revealing additional elements as the story unfolded. I still felt like I didn't have a full grasp of the world by the end of the story which is a good place to be in a series. This felt like the beginning of a very interesting story that still hold quite a bit of mystery.

I found some of the character's actions a little predictable but that's often the case in YA fantasy so it wasn't a deal breaker.

Overall I would recommend This Vicious Grace to YA fantasy readers and will continue with the series.

Well written story. I enjoyed reading this very much. I did find the Italian terms hard and had to look them up. Other than that a good solid read. Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

While the concept was fresh and unique, the execution fell flat for me. I enjoyed the mythology aspect, and the ending came together in satisfying manner, but unfortunately, that wasn't enough to make up for what didn't work. I felt that the novel lagged during the middle, and while no fault of the author's, I thought that the romance would be enemies-to-lovers, detracting from my enjoyment. I also wasn't surprised by Dante's revelation. Like many 3-star books, there was nothing overwhelmingly bad about the book, but the same holds true for the positive aspects.

Many thanks to the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This Vicious Grace is definitely making my top books of the year! I loved the Italian-inspired world Emily Thiede created, and I especially loved all of the characters that inhabited it. I can't wait for the sequel!

Blessed by the gods, Alessa's gift is supposed to magnify a partner's magic, but instead, it kills every suitor she touches. As a swarm of demons threatens to devour her home, a priest convinces everyone that killing Alessa is their only hope. After a failed assassination attempt, Alessa hires a bodyguard, but she isn't sure where his loyalties lie.

This Vicious Grace kept me interested until the end. Thiede's debut had true potential as it was extremely well written and engaging. Its tropes were delivered with a smooth writing style. The world-building was superb and each scene was easy to visualize based on the character's senses and mood. Action scenes were vividly presented and easy to follow.

I also impressed by the author’s ability to write such engaging and entertaining scenes. The writing style was consistent and used precise words so that exposition didn't slow the pace.

The stakes and the worldbuilding were engrossing too.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what the author releases in the future.

This was a fantastic debut and quite the pleasant surprise! YA Fantasy books have been hit or miss for me recently, but This Vicious Grace reminded me of my love for the genre. Alessa was such a courageous, strong, smart heroine and I really enjoyed reading her journey. The slow-burn romance was thrilling (love a good bodyguard trope!) and written perfectly. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

'This Vicious Grace' by Emily Thiede is a unique YA fantasy! The characters are well developed and the writing beautiful. It does get a little spicy for YA so you may want to preview it before putting it in to a teen's hands.

As an Italian, I LOVED the influences mentioned throughout this book. An amazing magic system, enemies that are demons, slow-burn romance, and a kick-ass main character has the recipe for a truly enjoyable book.

This Vicious Grace delves into an Italian influence to bring to life a slow-burn fantasy romance leaving readers hooked.

Storytelling
This Vicious Grace follows Alessa, the latest Finestra gifted with the power of the gods to magnify her partners. However, her ability takes too much, her mind eager for touch and companionship.

Thiede did a great job building the world, but the initial take of the story is slow. Connecting to the characters at the beginning is difficult because the story’s pacing is so slow. Also, there is a lot of world-building right at the beginning taking the attention from the characters. It is a hard story to get into because of that.

Yes, the world-building, history, and mythology are all fascinating. However, the reader does not need all that information early on. Instead, this information can be trickled throughout the story so the reader can be drawn in instead of overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, once the reader gets past that, the story begins to pick up the pace, and the tension, direction, and slow-burning romance allow the reader to be more engaged with the story.

Characterization
Alessa and Dante follow the trope of enemies-to-lovers. As cliché as it sounds, it works here because of their dynamic. It is a little reminiscent of The Bodyguard, but the trope works by delving into the characters’ internal struggles.

Alessa is forbidden to touch anyone except her partner. Her magic is supposed to amplify that of her partners. Still, she aches for that companionship, for touch so internally that her power takes too much magic too quickly, resulting in the death of her partner.

She was taken from her family at a young age. She was stripped of her identity, her family, and isolated to train in ways of combat and use her power. It has left her with an ache in her heart that gives her a measure of sympathy.

Her connection with Dante forms through this need for connection. Haunted by his past and secrets, these two characters form a friendship that blossoms into a compelling romance. This is coming from someone who doesn’t much care for romance. Yet, it works, creating a solid dynamic and allowing the characters to grow as the plot thickens.

Final Thoughts
Overall, This Vicious Grace may start slow, but the tension and storytelling build upon each other to give readers a thrilling fantasy debut.

Loved the Italian vibes. It was a very interesting book and I loved the main characters! Thank you to netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I went into this book blind, but it ended up being one of my favorite reads of 2022! The writing and world building was just beautiful, but Dante and Alessa's chemistry is what kept me up until 1 am flipping pages. The slow burn tension in this book is *chefs kiss* and the payoff when you see them finally give into their attraction to one another was worth the wait. I loved their banter and emotional depth. The magic system did take me a while to wrap my head around, but needless to say I will be preordering book two!

Creepy and interesting story! Definitely would recommend this to those enjoy fantasty. This is a great start to a new series that I will definitely continue to read.

(9/11/2022) 4 stars. You name a character Dante and I will be in love with them no matter what (thank you Dante from the devil may cry series). That being said, This Vicious Grace is a magical story with a great slow burn romance, beautiful atmosphere and setting, and a wonderful main character.