Reviews tagging 'Death'

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

39 reviews

marine2907's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Hate crime, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, War, Alcohol, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Medical content, Death, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Torture

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I did the audiobook + physical combo (listened to the first few chapters solely on audiobook, which is well done!).

• 1st in a duology (book two out August 2023)
• Italian inspired fantasy
• Touch her and you die trope (like actually)
• Bodyguard trope
• FUNNY, witty banter
• Found Family
• If your love language is hugs... this is it!
• Made me want to eat all the lemon things

3/5 🌶️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Blood

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, and Suicide attempt

megj23's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse and Genocide

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Imagine, if you will, Rogue from X-Men but transported into a historical quasi-Italian island setting.  That's basically our heroine, but with the addition of a chosen one trope.  Her power is to amplify that of someone else but if she touches the wrong person, they die.  Her divine goal is to save the world from an apocalyptic event that occurs roughly every 5 years and once the chosen one has saved the island, they lose their powers and another person awakens theirs.  Rinse and repeat.

The chosen one chooses a (life) partner to weather the battle with, and with our main character, she has chosen and killed three times while trying to train for the end of the world.

I have some issues with the book, but overall it was very readable and the ending left enough questions and plot for the next installment.  Not sure if I would continue, but I'm not immediately opposed.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Outing, War, Child abuse, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Police brutality, Torture, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Sexual content

mariareardsromance's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

frantically's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Loved this so so much! I was shocked to find out that this was debut — it reads like it was written by someone who's had way more experience.

Dante and Alessa absolutely had my heart. They are so perfect for each other, even though they tried to deny it.

This had such a good "found family" trope and the author was able to really differentiate the characters (something I was scared she wouldn't be able to do, after they were basically all introduced at the same time).

I'm looking forward to the next book! 😍

Feminism is when the male LI looses his power at the end and not the female MC 😉

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Self harm

The sexual content is mainly fade to black but is a bit more graphic than typical YA.

li_bbrary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was such a fun read. Despite it taking me a while to finish it, I really enjoyed my reading experience. Emily Thiede seamlessly blended the romance and fantasy genres, creating a fleshed out magic system and a romantic comedy that I desperately need to see onscreen. Dante and Alessa’s chemistry danced off the page and I found myself giggling on multiple occasions. 

Thiede’s writing was reminiscent of Gina Chen’s. It was modern, and felt like I was reading a fantasy that takes place in current day. It was witty, and smart, and Thiede’s use of crude metaphors was the cherry on top. Despite how funny and romantic it was, I also cried more than once. I feel so deeply for the characters, and can’t wait to see how the journey continues in book two.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and War

jlaz_13's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Classism, Violence, Death, and War

Minor: Sexual content and Suicide

talieace's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I don't think I've ever read a YA where the main character didn't at some point make me want to tear my hair out, but finally here it is! 
Alessa isn't perfect and has to grow throughout the story, but never is she an idiot we must suffer through for a plot device. 
The moments of romantic consent are wonderful, as well as the beautiful moments of forgiveness and hope. 
Also Dante is an adorable grump. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Violence, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Moderate: Sexual content

toffishay's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.25

I found the plot interesting and I love Dante and Alessa, but some of the character relationships were grating, <SPOILER> especially with Alessa's family and relationship with Renata and Tomo. They are given redemption of some sort and to varying degrees by the end, but because so much of the middle of the book is dedicated to Alessa learning to work with the Fontes, the resolution with the family, Renata, and Tomo feel a little undeserved. Some people who actively betrayed Alessa were far too readily forgiven in my opinion. I also am uncomfortable with the implication at the end of the book that those who have been prosecuted by the dominate culture and government would be recruited to be an army on their behalf. And that is the term used, not that they would necessarily be reintegrated into the community or asked for forgiveness, but that they needed them as fodder in the coming fight. It may be addressed tactfully in the inevitable next edition, but I am wary. <END SPOILER> The book is funny though and the relationships develop in interesting ways. The understanding paid to Alessa's isolation and pain is really well done too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Alcohol, War, Death, Murder, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Grief, Genocide, Confinement, and Child death

Moderate: Abandonment