This Cursed Light, by Emily Thiede, is the second and final installment in the authors The Last Finestra series. While the first installment was mostly through Alessa's perspective, Dante gets his fair share of the story this time around. Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante, Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can't rest, haunted by a conviction that the gods aren't finished with them yet. Brought back to life by Alessa, Dante's powers are missing. And without his powers, the next kiss from Alessa could kill him.

Desperate for answers, Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight--a growing darkness that's consuming her mind--and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. They and our motley crew of fonti (and Adrick), strike out for the continent to see if they can find the missing Ghiotte, cure Dante and help prevent another impending apocalypse.

In the mysterious city of the banished, Dante will uncover secrets, lies, and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on? When the gods reveal their final test, Dante and Alessa will be the world's last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world, will their love be the price of victory? In This Cursed Light, Dante and Alessa face their most daunting challenge yet when the Gods demand they prove their worth by choosing the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, once and for all.

*Thoughts* I have few complaints about this book, except the ending. So much tension and effort is put toward preparing for an inevitable battle with Crollo, that I was more than a little disappointed the fighting scenes weren’t longer. Alessa was clearly having issues in the beginning and middle of the book, but instead of trying to understand them and manage them, she just hid everything or brushed it off as nothing. After finding a people who were lost, and Dante reuniting with people he thought he has lost, they had to face a life or death choice thanks to two petulant Gods, Dea & Crollo who make Alessa choose her path. While there is a brief choice one of the characters has to make in order to save another, it was nice to see all of the character play a part in what happens, which includes Adrick and Kaleb who play games with each other throughout the book.

*Actual Rating closer to 3.5*

This Cursed Light was an anticipated book for me. I was so excited to continue reading about this series. The story was very easy to get into, and it was helpful that there were recaps from book 1, as long as more plot buildup in the continuation. I loved reading about Dante’s side and his world, and seeing the royals visit. There were scenes that I felt were too sexual for a YA book, it just made me weirded out to imagine my younger family members reading this. However, I think for the new adult, this series is definitely entertaining and very fun to visit. I cannot wait to continue to read Thiede’s books. This book was a rollercoaster, so I can’t wait to see what other magical worlds she creates!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Thiede, and St. Martin’s press for this eARC.

The conclusion to The Last Finestra duology was packed with themes of sacrifice, belonging, and a whole lot of heart. I'd forgotten how much I missed Alessa, Dante, and the rest of the characters from this series. The continuation of their story was powerful and bittersweet. The author did a nice job of balancing the heavier subjects with cute interjections of Alessa and Dante's flirting as well as humor from some of my favorite side characters (Kamaria and Kaleb).
The plot moved along pretty quickly. It dipped a couple of times, but Theide always made sure to pepper in moments of action to keep the story lively. The conclusion of the story did a nice job of wrapping up some unanswered questions.
I can't wait to see what this author does next, I'm such a fan.

I read This Vicious Grace last year - my first fantasy read - and loved it! I have been (im)patiently waiting for this sequel and it did not disappoint!

I loved not only seeing Alessa and Dante, but also all of the side characters! It was fun to see those characters grow, and the friendships develop. Even though Alessa and Dante are together, there is definitely still tension and angst between them, not just because of the impending battle, but because Dante and Alessa can't touch each other. Even with the tension, I feel like Dante and Alessa grew as a couple and figured out how to communicate more with each other through everything they experienced. I really enjoyed the dual POV and seeing more from Dante specifically.

Overall, without giving away too much, I enjoyed this one and felt like it wrapped up the characters' stories well. Though I admit I would have loved an epilogue from even further in the future. :)

If you're looking for a fantasy duology, especially if you are new to the fantasy/romantasy genre, then pick these up!

I absolutely loved this book! I feel like comparing it to the first one, this book was a little more character-driven than plot driven since the entire book is basically leading up to the last few pages. I also thought some of the character introductions (Ciro & Diwata) were a little rushed and not as explained out as they could have been, but I did end up picking up on who they were easier than I originally thought. Also some of the POV changes were a little abrupt in this version and there were some odd scene jumps where I felt a little thrown off, but then picked up right where I left off.
Alessa & Dante have my whole heart and I want to hurt anyone who comes in between them. Their relationship and obvious love for one another is what kept me coming back to this series and making this one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

listen, one thing i love about the first book was the banters. but i think there's too much of that in this book, mostly it's just the characters jesting around or to one another in a long scene, and the plot barely moved.

4.5💚

I really liked this second part (and final)!🥹
The first book is great, and the second is the same.🛐💚
I liked that here there is more talk about the Ghiottes, in the first one we only talk a little, but here we already know a lot more, and not only that, but also knowing a little about the Gods who are causing all this problem haha😅✨

Seriously, it is VERY entertaining, both books are very light and quick to read, each page has you hooked, the characters are very cute and fun,🥹💚I really liked them, as a group of friends they are beautiful (the fontes), always protecting each other.💚
SUPER recommended!! The story is not difficult or complicated to understand, it is a small world!!✨

Alessa and Dante💚, I love them very much, they seemed like very real characters to me, yes there were moments that made me desperate but if I were them I would also do the same haha ​​so I understand them and that's why I liked them.🙈
Together they are perfect, I love their jokes, also how they protect each other, their romantic moments and (👀😮‍💨) haha, but also the individual development that they have, I really liked it.🥹✨
Dante telling her in Italian (old language here) “mia cara, luce mia” among other things, simply IN LOVE.🛐😮‍💨

This duology is perfect🥹, I like it a lot, it is already one of my favorite books, I would like Emily to give us some extras for other characters haha ​​I'm going to miss them.💚


Thanks Netgalley for the arc

The final book in The Last Finestra duology, picking up where the first book left off with Dante coming back from the dead but losing his powers and Alessa suffering from visions, as they both prepare for a war against the gods while dealing with the fact that without his powers... a kiss from Alessa could kill him. To make matters more complicated, Dante and Alessa and their friends seek hekp from the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring Dante's powers and fighting against the gods.... yet the ghiotte have always hated the church and everything Alessa's position means, thus they have to hide their relationship. Dante is afraid that without his powers he can never be full again, he can't be good enough for Alessa... yet the more risks he takes the more Alessa is afraid that he'll end up dying in front of her again. With the ghiotte hating Alessa, and Dante reuniting with people from his past, their relationship is bound to take a bit of strain since they have to keep it hidden... yet when it comes time to face off against the gods.. will they be willing to sacrifice it all to save everyone... even if it means one of them wont make it out alive? This was definitely an interesting way to end the duology, I loved the first book and this one was a fun read. I loved just how deeply in love Aleesa and Dante are with each other, they care so much and are willing to do everything. This one wrapped everything up nicely and overall I really enjoyed the duology! I would definitely recommend this for fans of fantasy romance / bodyguard romance!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

If Emily Thiede keeps this up, she might become one of my favorite authors because I love her books so much. This Vicious Grace was an absolute blast to read, romantic and funny with the perfect balance between focusing on Alessa and Dante and the rest of the cast. Essentially, what I'm saying here is that Thiede had a huge task of making a sequel that lived up to book one, and she not only did but also surpassed it. I absolutely adored getting to know the secondary characters better, and to learn more about the ghiotte and Dante's past. The ending wasn't what I was expecting either, but was so fitting. Also, Thiede has the BEST sense of humor.

Overall, this was an excellent conclusion to the duology, and I can't wait to see what Thiede has in store for us next!

I’ve been waiting for this for so long! And I’m so excited to say that it was just as amazing as the first one and everything I could have wanted for the conclusion of this story. I love Alessa and Dante and I experienced all the emotions in their turbulent relationship. The stakes are ever higher in this sequel, with the threat of the end of the world looming. We get to go deeper into the lore of the gods. There’s intense battles and exciting training sequences. We get new characters to love, as well as all our favorites from the first book. We adventure out into the story world and learn more about its history and peoples. This was such a fun and emotional ride and so worth the wait. Both of the books in this duology were five-star reads for me. Unbelievable that this was her debut book series. She is definitely a favorite fantasy author for me and I’ll read anything she writes in the future! I felt so much joy at the end for them and so much sadness that it was over. Although it is young adult, it is very much mature enough and full of depth for all of us adult readers to enjoy as well. I have nothing but good things to say about it. I highlighted so many moments in this second book that I just adored and felt so deeply about. Highly recommend this series, it is so freaking good! Everything about it is so immersive and I enjoyed every moment of my time in this story world. You have to read this! It deserves all the hype.

I am participating in the St Martin’s Press boycott. I will not publicly be reviewing this title until St. Martin’s Press addresses reader concerns.

I would love to review this book but I will not be doing so until SMP takes action and the boycott ends.

I will be withholding my review of this book in solidarity with the St. Martin's Press boycott. I am deeply upset that SMP still has not addressed anything and has made no movement towards rectifying their actions.

I read book one of this series and fell in love with it. The romance! **sigh** Dante and Alessa were adorable and they’re finally going to get their chance to be together, but it’s not going to be easy. The world building was great and lots of page turning moments.
I love the way the author writes and I especially like how she handles the difficult things about the romance. It’s realistic and there wasn’t any over exaggerated drama. That is so important to me. I swooned every time I get near Dante and I loved ALL the side characters. This was a very happy satisfying read for me and I recommend it.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

Such a satisfying ending to a great duology! We follow Alessa and Dante and they get pulled into yet another adventure. The story was done so thoughtfully and wrapped up really cleverly; it felt like the perfect ending for the book, and specifically for Alessa, especially considering all she craved at the beginning of book 1 was touch and closeness with people. It was just such a nice character arc for her to have, to end the book with all those people helping her. The angst we got between Alessa and Dante in This Vicious Grace continues in This Cursed Light, as Dante's loss of powers makes it impossible for them to get close without Dante feeling pain. So lots of angst and tension continues between them! We see more of Dante's personality in this book and see some of the self-doubt and insecurities he harbors, and how he and Alessa overcome them together. The side characters were done SO WELL, I loved reading about all of them and I honestly felt way more invested in the budding, angsty romance between Adrick and Kaleb and would love a little spin off about them! Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Just like the previous book I loved this one. The book pretty much picks up where they left off and I had such a hard time putting it down. Definitely suggest others check it out! The characters and the pace made it hard not to love.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

Thank you St. Martins Press/Wednesday and Netgalley for the ARC!

I was absolutely thrilled to get an ARC of This Cursed Light! The way TVG ended had me shaking and dying for book two. This is such a fun and exciting world that Thiede created and I just can’t get enough of it! If you’re looking for a creative magic system, complex character dynamics and a ton of heart, then this is IT.

What an incredible conclusion to an amazing duology! Again I was sobbing and laughing and screaming. This entire series has given me all of the feels and I never wanted it to end. I asked Emily to write more fluffy post chaos chapters because I love love them so so much!

I thought that this book would be possibly better than the first however I couldn't get into it and ended up not completing the book.

After finishing This Vicious Grace, I needed the second book. To say I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to read and review This Cursed Light would be a colossal understatement. I enjoy Emily Thiede’s writing style and couldn’t wait to tear into this book. There were definitely aspects of this story that resonated with me, but overall the journey was a bit of a rollercoaster.

Things I loved:
- The continuation of the fonte found family - Kaleb and Kamaria often had me laughing out loud. I adore them individually and together, they’re just the best. Can they get a novella or something?
- Adrick - He grew on me in this and got his redemption as far as I’m concerned.
- The last several chapters had me all up in my feelings.
- The Italian-inspired elements: the world, the use of Italian as the “old language” - Did I try to imagine myself in some variation of Venice during this? Yes, yes I did.

While I really enjoyed the first book and didn’t have any complications with its pacing, I found myself struggling with it quite a bit in this one. Scenes moved from one to the next rather quickly instead of being built up and fleshed out, so I felt like I didn’t get the opportunity to fully connect to much of what was happening. For instance, there were some big moments/revelations, but when I got to them, I kind of just went “huh, alright.” I craved more of a connection to the MMC/FMC, and I longed to have that same feeling that I got from TVG. The writing itself was well-crafted and easy to follow, but I missed that spark I felt previously.

** Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **