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themoonlightarchive's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
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 Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede follows Alessa, a girl meant to be the savior of her island home, Saverio. As a Finestra, her duty is to protect her people from a swarm of demons that comes every couple of decades by amplifying the powers of people with magical abilities called Fontes. Unfortunately, Alessa keeps killing her Fontes when she touches them. There have been three weddings and three funerals in her time as Finestra and time is running out.
The people of Saverio are beginning to doubt her ability to protect them and she no longer trusts the guards who are meant to protect her. Alessa hires a brooding street fighter with a few secrets up his sleeve as her bodyguard and begins to train with the Fontes that remain on the island, the few that didn’t leave in fear, hoping to build a connection that will stop her from killing them. But will this be enough to stop the demons when they come?
With beautiful, engaging and atmospheric writing, This Vicious Grace was a compelling debut with so many things that I adored, like the italian-inspired worldbuilding and mythology, the found family trope, a grumpy but sweet bodyguard, and endless batter. Thiede pairs divine magic and religious tension in the best way and crafts characters who grow with each page, who are deeply fascinating and loveable. If you love books with all of this, several scenes that will have you sobbing into the pages and more, This Vicious Grace is perfect for you.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The people of Saverio are beginning to doubt her ability to protect them and she no longer trusts the guards who are meant to protect her. Alessa hires a brooding street fighter with a few secrets up his sleeve as her bodyguard and begins to train with the Fontes that remain on the island, the few that didn’t leave in fear, hoping to build a connection that will stop her from killing them. But will this be enough to stop the demons when they come?
With beautiful, engaging and atmospheric writing, This Vicious Grace was a compelling debut with so many things that I adored, like the italian-inspired worldbuilding and mythology, the found family trope, a grumpy but sweet bodyguard, and endless batter. Thiede pairs divine magic and religious tension in the best way and crafts characters who grow with each page, who are deeply fascinating and loveable. If you love books with all of this, several scenes that will have you sobbing into the pages and more, This Vicious Grace is perfect for you.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, War, Abandonment, Gore, and Violence
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Gore
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse
idealpages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Every five years the goddess Dea chooses a “Finestra” to defeat the demons attempting to destroy humankind, sent by the god, Crollo, in an event known as Divorando. In order to succeed, a Finestra must find her “Fonte” who she draws power from. Alessa Paladino is in her fifth year as the risen Finestra, and with Divorando on the horizon, she is yet to have her Fonte match. Instead, her powerful touch has inadvertently killed all three of her chosen Fontes. With those surrounding her beginning to suspect Alessa might be a false Finestra and a sign of the end of the world, Alessa must fight off attempted assassinations whilst trying to find the answer as to why she can’t keep a Fonte alive. With the help of an off-the-street-ruffian-turned-bodyguard, Alessa does not have long to avoid her enemies wrath and find answers, before Divorando arrives.
This Vicious Grace is an easily readable pageturner set in an intriguing world with likeable characters. This is the kind of story I enjoyed whilst reading it, but appreciate it more since finishing it.
Despite struggling to wrap my head around the world building at first, I really liked the world of Saverio. It explores the idea of good vs evil and the conflicts of having the fate of the world vested in one all powerful being. I particularly liked how Thiede explored the purpose, interpretation and practice of religious ideals. Do scriptures truly mean what they mean? Are they interpreted correctly? Through Alessa, the Finestra, who lives under the thumb of stringent rules that are deemed reasonable due to religious precedent, Thiede explores this dilemma.
As a result, for a good portion of the book, it was hard to know who Alessa truly was and who her role of Finestra required her to be. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this. It made her a mystery to unravel, and definitely relatable when one is trying to figure out who they are versus who they’ve been told to be. I could feel the pressure closing in on Alessa. I could feel the loneliness drowning her from within. I could feel her inner plea of desperation for connection to others. I was bursting with pride every time she resolved to continue the good fight.
I’m not one for spoilers, but I feel I need to state this: at Alessa’s lowest point in the book, she is encouraged by other characters to contemplate (and even commit) suicide. I personally did not find this written in too distressing of a manner, however, one size doesn’t fit all, so I felt it prudent to mention this.
What can I say about the mysterious underground fighter turned bodyguard? I *loved* Dante. I must commend Thiede for ensuring that Dante is not reduced to a powerful protagonist’s love interest. As the story unfolds, it’s clear he has his own arc, with a seemingly pivotal role for the sequel. Dante is mysterious and aloof, but deep down, Alessa and I were both certain he’s a morally good sweetheart who can’t not help someone in need.
The friends-to-lovers relationship between Alessa and Dante was so satisfying. Dante is the Flynn Rider to Alessa’s Rapunzel. Just as much as I relish love triangles or starcrossed tropes, I equally adore devoted lovers, and so far, that is what Dante and Alessa are. Thiede, please I beg of you, don’t blow a hole in my ship! Also, the supporting characters definitely enriched the story, rousing intrigue and suspicion.
Undoubtedly, This Vicious Grace is one of the most exciting YA fantasy debuts of 2022. The end of the book sets up the sequel’s direction nicely, and I’m very much looking forward to where those threads take the story next. Can I have it now, please?!
Thank you kindly to Hodderscape for an eARC in exchange for this honest review
This Vicious Grace is an easily readable pageturner set in an intriguing world with likeable characters. This is the kind of story I enjoyed whilst reading it, but appreciate it more since finishing it.
Despite struggling to wrap my head around the world building at first, I really liked the world of Saverio. It explores the idea of good vs evil and the conflicts of having the fate of the world vested in one all powerful being. I particularly liked how Thiede explored the purpose, interpretation and practice of religious ideals. Do scriptures truly mean what they mean? Are they interpreted correctly? Through Alessa, the Finestra, who lives under the thumb of stringent rules that are deemed reasonable due to religious precedent, Thiede explores this dilemma.
As a result, for a good portion of the book, it was hard to know who Alessa truly was and who her role of Finestra required her to be. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this. It made her a mystery to unravel, and definitely relatable when one is trying to figure out who they are versus who they’ve been told to be. I could feel the pressure closing in on Alessa. I could feel the loneliness drowning her from within. I could feel her inner plea of desperation for connection to others. I was bursting with pride every time she resolved to continue the good fight.
I’m not one for spoilers, but I feel I need to state this: at Alessa’s lowest point in the book, she is encouraged by other characters to contemplate (and even commit) suicide. I personally did not find this written in too distressing of a manner, however, one size doesn’t fit all, so I felt it prudent to mention this.
What can I say about the mysterious underground fighter turned bodyguard? I *loved* Dante. I must commend Thiede for ensuring that Dante is not reduced to a powerful protagonist’s love interest. As the story unfolds, it’s clear he has his own arc, with a seemingly pivotal role for the sequel. Dante is mysterious and aloof, but deep down, Alessa and I were both certain he’s a morally good sweetheart who can’t not help someone in need.
The friends-to-lovers relationship between Alessa and Dante was so satisfying. Dante is the Flynn Rider to Alessa’s Rapunzel. Just as much as I relish love triangles or starcrossed tropes, I equally adore devoted lovers, and so far, that is what Dante and Alessa are. Thiede, please I beg of you, don’t blow a hole in my ship! Also, the supporting characters definitely enriched the story, rousing intrigue and suspicion.
Undoubtedly, This Vicious Grace is one of the most exciting YA fantasy debuts of 2022. The end of the book sets up the sequel’s direction nicely, and I’m very much looking forward to where those threads take the story next. Can I have it now, please?!
Thank you kindly to Hodderscape for an eARC in exchange for this honest review
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child abuse
bookstarbri's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
WHERE DO I BEGIN?
Wow. This was so cool. As soon as the book started, we're immediately thrown into this immersive fantasy world. This book requires a good bit of world building in its early pages in order for everything to make sense. That being said, it does mean a lot of info dumping early on. I didn't mind it in this case because it was really interesting and in depth but still concise enough to keep the story going. I was initially a little confused on everything, but it started to click pretty easily and then by chapter 10, I think, it was really rolling and the story's momentum truly picked up. And, when it did, it was pure perfection. I love Alessa so very much. She's SUCH a good MC. She has so many great qualities, but is also flawed. I think my favorite thing about her was how often she surprised me while still feeling like a true character with clear motivations. She and the love interest were a wonderful match. A new favorite book couple for sure. Their chemistry was evident early on and the banter was top tier! The side characters were also fun. They were pretty mild at first but then really developed right along with Alessa, making them a wonderful found family all fighting for a common goal. The friendship between Kaleb and Kamaria and Kaleb and Dante especially were big highlights for me. Kaleb might be my favorite side character ever tbh.
I also have to say that the dialogue and writing were fantastic. The fantasy of it all was super cool and I'd honestly love a little bit more in book 2, which I'm sure we'll get based on the ending. The gods system was super interesting to me. I love how often this book subverted my expectations. It's a YA, so I thought it would follow certain common tropes in the plot, and was relieved when it didn't. When I thought it was going to go a certain way, it intentionally didn't. It made reading this so much fun because every step of the way was refreshing and new. I'm tempted to do a reread already and it's not even out yet! I think this will for sure be a favorite for me this year! I'm anxiously awaiting book 2!!
This is technically YA, but it's definitely older. The MC is 18 and love interest is 19/20. The other characters are older teenagers as well.
Thank you to the author, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This was so cool. As soon as the book started, we're immediately thrown into this immersive fantasy world. This book requires a good bit of world building in its early pages in order for everything to make sense. That being said, it does mean a lot of info dumping early on. I didn't mind it in this case because it was really interesting and in depth but still concise enough to keep the story going. I was initially a little confused on everything, but it started to click pretty easily and then by chapter 10, I think, it was really rolling and the story's momentum truly picked up. And, when it did, it was pure perfection. I love Alessa so very much. She's SUCH a good MC. She has so many great qualities, but is also flawed. I think my favorite thing about her was how often she surprised me while still feeling like a true character with clear motivations. She and the love interest were a wonderful match. A new favorite book couple for sure. Their chemistry was evident early on and the banter was top tier! The side characters were also fun. They were pretty mild at first but then really developed right along with Alessa, making them a wonderful found family all fighting for a common goal. The friendship between Kaleb and Kamaria and Kaleb and Dante especially were big highlights for me. Kaleb might be my favorite side character ever tbh.
I also have to say that the dialogue and writing were fantastic. The fantasy of it all was super cool and I'd honestly love a little bit more in book 2, which I'm sure we'll get based on the ending. The gods system was super interesting to me. I love how often this book subverted my expectations. It's a YA, so I thought it would follow certain common tropes in the plot, and was relieved when it didn't. When I thought it was going to go a certain way, it intentionally didn't. It made reading this so much fun because every step of the way was refreshing and new. I'm tempted to do a reread already and it's not even out yet! I think this will for sure be a favorite for me this year! I'm anxiously awaiting book 2!!
This is technically YA, but it's definitely older. The MC is 18 and love interest is 19/20. The other characters are older teenagers as well.
Thank you to the author, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: War, Blood, Death, and Violence
bottleblondebookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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
Alessa is the Finestra, the divine weapon of the gods, chosen by Dea herself. As the Finestra, she is tasked with partnering with a Fonte, an individual with special gifts she will draw upon in order to defeat the scarabeo and protect her island. Unfortunately, Alessa has lost three of her chosen Fonte. Now, she needs to chose her final one, and learn to control her own power. After being attacked by those she should be able to trust, Alessa hires Dante, a streetfighter and outcast, to be her protector while she selects and trains her new Fonte.
It took me until around 25% to really start enjoying this book. I was intrigued from the start, the world building is well done and different enough to keep my attention, but I wasn’t completely sold until Dante and Alessa finally meet and the story starts to pick up. Their banter was so good! I had a smile on my face throughout any conversation the two of them had, and I loved their snarky wit and the back and forth between them. I wasn’t expecting much in the way of romance, but this is most definitely a romance. There is plenty of action, but I felt, at times, it took a back seat to the relationship between Dante and Alessa, which was totally fine with me! Aside from the romantic relationship, we get a good story of friendship and community. I ended up really falling in love with some of the secondary characters who, at the beginning of the book, I absolutely couldn’t stand. I wish the relationships with the secondary characters had been fleshed out a bit more, though. It did seem as if everyone just woke up one day and decided they all loved each other, and I’d have liked to have seen more interaction between everyone before that happened.
The book was a bit longer than it needed to be. There were a few points where I found myself skimming, anxious to get to the book’s climax and back into the action, but overall, it was paced well, and kept me engaged. While there is no major cliffhanger, the book ends with questions that will hopefully be answered in book two.
I received a free advanced copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Gore
Minor: Death and Suicidal thoughts
bookwormbullet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence
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