Reviews tagging 'Torture'

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

6 reviews

evarinya's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.75

It's heartbreaking.
I loved this book so much. Up to the  ~70-80% mark this was an absolute 5 star read for me.
Interesting premise, cool magic, fun dynamic between the MC and the love interest...
And then the last 20% happened and... no. Just no. The rest of the book was 2 stars at most for me. Just... randomly put together plot elements that, in my eyes, stopped making sense halfway through (those last 20%), the ending seemed to be simply dramatic for drama's sake and I just... didn't find it engaging anymore.
List of things I didn't like behind spoilers:

The random back and forth of Aldrick being "good" vs "evil", the random 180 of Alessa's parents / her mother specifically, the whole treason plotline the moment Dante was captured (also the hints that he was tortured, like, wtf?), the end battle didn't capture me at all anymore (though I don't know, maybe it was well written, I had just... lost any sort of interest in what's happening at this point), and the consulted "she was dying (wtf were all of her guards doing??), then he saved her and died, but she saved him and so he didn't die, but his gift just... vanished? Don't know, don't care anymore. But that he lost his gift at the end was a major gut-punch for me that made the whole reading experience worse.

 I know that there's a second book but I really don't want to read is anymore... And that breaks my heart after this book was so good for so long... But that's what it is. Sadly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Confinement, Classism, Child abuse, and Hate crime

zarhara's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcohol, Violence, War, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm

Minor: Torture and Child death

one_more_chapter96's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Phenomenal story. I absolutely adored Alessa & Dante’s story & seeing them slowly (and reluctantly) fall for each other. The world building, the language elements, the magic system, the religion system was all fascinating and so well introduced. The side characters were so funny & well enough developed, and it was beautiful to see Alessa grow in confidence. Wonderfully written book which made me laugh & cry out loud. One of my favourite reads of 2023 so far! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Religious bigotry, Death, War, Gore, Blood, and Confinement

Minor: Torture, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Child abuse

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

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

theespressoedition's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

For years, I have been someone who doesn't buy a book unless I've read it already, loved it, and know I'll read it again. However, I broke my own rule when I saw this at Barnes & Noble, signed by the author (who happens to be a local). I had already heard fantastic things from people with very similar reading tastes and I just had this inkling I would love it. After skimming the first few chapters in the B&N café, I brought it home... and promptly devoured it.

This book was brilliant.

I've always been a sucker for forbidden love, especially when it happens to be with the bodyguard. There's just something really appealing about that particular trope. Add in the fact that our protagonist literally can't touch the person she's drawn to without the potential of killing them and it gets even more interesting!

The combination of the unique plot plus a subtly steamy romance plus a ton of fantastic action gave me everything I wanted and needed from this fantasy novel. I've found myself slightly disappointed by YA fantasy recently, feeling as though it all reads the same - but this didn't feel that way at all. It was unique and easy to read.

There was also an element of found family that I really adored. The Fontes surprised me a lot as the story went on and by the end, they were some of my favorite characters. I'd love an entire spin-off about Kamaria! Alessa and Dante were precious and I can't wait to see what happens to them next. Things seem a little daunting but also really exciting!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Blood, and War

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Violence

Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts