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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
This Vicious Grace is a story about Alessa, the Finestra, who has killed her three previous spouces with her powers and needs to find a fourth quickly before the island is attacked by vicious creatures.
“Chi cerca trova. Seek and you shall find”
This Vicious Grace is an Italian inspired story, which HELL YES! As someone who is half Italian, I love reading books that explore that! I loved the language being used often in this book haha. Some of the words though, I think could’ve been better or different because they were a bit cringy. Some words, like Dea and Finestra, seemed a bit straightforward in using. I think the writer could’ve used a little bit more creativity. As Dante said in the book “I feel ridiculous calling you ‘Finestra’, window”, it really summed up what I was thinking from the beginning… it was cringy to keep on reading that. To someone who doesn’t know the translation, it might sound like a pretty word, but for me it was just a bit weird.
From the very beginning, you really get thrown into this story. It starts off with a very fast pace and Alessa’s chaotic life really corresponds with the pacing. I do think the pacing could've been slowed down and overall more consistent. The few first chapters are quite strong on world-building, but while it wasn’t really an information-dump, I still felt a bit overwhelmed by it. It also often seemed as if certain plot point or information should’ve been given (maybe it was and I just didn’t understand or grasp it) because often I was confused and wanted more information to better understand.
The magic system is another amazingly written part in this story. It is very intriguing, with Fonti and a Finestra, Ghiotti and scarabeo. While it took me a while to fully understand what they all meant and what the differences were (again, more information that I wanted sooner in the story), once it was clear the cleverness and well though-out system really blew me away. It is just a bit of a pity it took reading almost 60% of the book to fully understand it.
The characters were truly amazing. Alessa is quite smart and very relatable with her thoughts and feelings. Dante truly stole my heart this book! He is very sassy (love it!), witty, but also very caring and sweet. I also really loved the mystery surrounding his name hahaha. The others in the book, the Fonti, family, mentors, are also really well written and fleshed out. I would love to explore their stories more though.
I loved the romance, enemies-to-lovers part in this story and was really invested in it! It is quite a main focus and the chemistry between Alessa and Dante really shone on these pages. It really added to the story instead of taking away from it.
The ending felt a little rushed to me. With the battle at the end, which I loved how that all played out, it felt really quick somehow. It somehow felt too quick. I did really like how this book ended though. It isn’t on a cliffhanger, but it is a bit like getting a small taste of what’s to come and wanting more.
Overall, it was a really good book that I enjoyed. I would’ve liked it to be a bit slower paced, but the magic and adventure in the story is really solid and intriguing.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
This Vicious Grace is a story about Alessa, the Finestra, who has killed her three previous spouces with her powers and needs to find a fourth quickly before the island is attacked by vicious creatures.
“Chi cerca trova. Seek and you shall find”
This Vicious Grace is an Italian inspired story, which HELL YES! As someone who is half Italian, I love reading books that explore that! I loved the language being used often in this book haha. Some of the words though, I think could’ve been better or different because they were a bit cringy. Some words, like Dea and Finestra, seemed a bit straightforward in using. I think the writer could’ve used a little bit more creativity. As Dante said in the book “I feel ridiculous calling you ‘Finestra’, window”, it really summed up what I was thinking from the beginning… it was cringy to keep on reading that. To someone who doesn’t know the translation, it might sound like a pretty word, but for me it was just a bit weird.
From the very beginning, you really get thrown into this story. It starts off with a very fast pace and Alessa’s chaotic life really corresponds with the pacing. I do think the pacing could've been slowed down and overall more consistent. The few first chapters are quite strong on world-building, but while it wasn’t really an information-dump, I still felt a bit overwhelmed by it. It also often seemed as if certain plot point or information should’ve been given (maybe it was and I just didn’t understand or grasp it) because often I was confused and wanted more information to better understand.
The magic system is another amazingly written part in this story. It is very intriguing, with Fonti and a Finestra, Ghiotti and scarabeo. While it took me a while to fully understand what they all meant and what the differences were (again, more information that I wanted sooner in the story), once it was clear the cleverness and well though-out system really blew me away. It is just a bit of a pity it took reading almost 60% of the book to fully understand it.
The characters were truly amazing. Alessa is quite smart and very relatable with her thoughts and feelings. Dante truly stole my heart this book! He is very sassy (love it!), witty, but also very caring and sweet. I also really loved the mystery surrounding his name hahaha. The others in the book, the Fonti, family, mentors, are also really well written and fleshed out. I would love to explore their stories more though.
I loved the romance, enemies-to-lovers part in this story and was really invested in it! It is quite a main focus and the chemistry between Alessa and Dante really shone on these pages. It really added to the story instead of taking away from it.
The ending felt a little rushed to me. With the battle at the end, which I loved how that all played out, it felt really quick somehow. It somehow felt too quick. I did really like how this book ended though. It isn’t on a cliffhanger, but it is a bit like getting a small taste of what’s to come and wanting more.
Overall, it was a really good book that I enjoyed. I would’ve liked it to be a bit slower paced, but the magic and adventure in the story is really solid and intriguing.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Alessa is the god chosen Finestra of Saverio. She is destined to defend the island with her power against the upcoming apocalypse of monsters, but she cannot use her power alone. She must choose a Fonte to combine their powers for the chance to win the war, but Alessa's power is too strong. Her deadly touch killed the last three Fontes she chose and rumors starts to rise. Is Alessa really the true god chosen savior if she keeps killing her partners?
After an assassination attempts by her own guards and unsure who to trust, Alessa hires Dante, an outcast and convicted killer as her bodyguard. In the heat of the rising rebellion, a dark secret Dante has been hiding is revealed. Suddenly it becomes clear that he has the key to Alessa problem as well as being the one who brings the rebellion to break out.
This Vicious Grace is a typical YA Fantasy story. The main character Alessa is the chosen one, very isolated from everyone and has a grumpy bodyguard as a love interest. It was a pretty solid and easy read, but it could be much more, maybe that's why I was a bit disappointed, but first the good things. I really liked the message of This Vicious Grace, how misinterpretation of religion can lead to dangerous obsession and discrimination. The Italian setting was also beautifully pictured and I really liked the building relationship between Alessa and Dante, it's actually a forbidden love story.
Everything else besides their relationship lacked of depth in my opinion. There is not much world building and the side characters are underdeveloped, even though they have potential and could be more interesting. I also felt that some parts lacked of emotion although they are tragic, like the relationship between Alessa and her brother and the reason why Alessa killed her first three Fontes.
All in all, This Vicious Grace is a solid debut novel and I think I will pick up the next book in this series when it's published, even though it will not be at the top of my tbr.
After an assassination attempts by her own guards and unsure who to trust, Alessa hires Dante, an outcast and convicted killer as her bodyguard. In the heat of the rising rebellion, a dark secret Dante has been hiding is revealed. Suddenly it becomes clear that he has the key to Alessa problem as well as being the one who brings the rebellion to break out.
This Vicious Grace is a typical YA Fantasy story. The main character Alessa is the chosen one, very isolated from everyone and has a grumpy bodyguard as a love interest. It was a pretty solid and easy read, but it could be much more, maybe that's why I was a bit disappointed, but first the good things. I really liked the message of This Vicious Grace, how misinterpretation of religion can lead to dangerous obsession and discrimination. The Italian setting was also beautifully pictured and I really liked the building relationship between Alessa and Dante, it's actually a forbidden love story.
Everything else besides their relationship lacked of depth in my opinion. There is not much world building and the side characters are underdeveloped, even though they have potential and could be more interesting. I also felt that some parts lacked of emotion although they are tragic, like the relationship between Alessa and her brother and the reason why Alessa killed her first three Fontes.
All in all, This Vicious Grace is a solid debut novel and I think I will pick up the next book in this series when it's published, even though it will not be at the top of my tbr.
Initial Thoughts
This book was tagged as "for fans of Serpent & Dove" so this was basically a must read for me.
Some Things I Liked
All the tropes. The tropes in this book were spot on. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, arranged marriage, reluctant chosen one. Need I go on? So many excellent tropes all perfectly rolled up into one book.
The romance and banter. I loved the relationship between the main characters. They were really more enemies to friends to lovers but they both needed a friend so I loved that transition for them.
Found family vibes. Again, another favorite theme of mine. It took a while for this one to really develop in the story but I loved how the crew really came together in the end and I can't wait to see them all again in the sequel.
Series Value
I need the sequel for this book. I will drop everything to read it when it becomes available.
Final Thoughts
This book was a perfect way to start out my 2022 reading year. It had everything I wanted and now I have a full six months to hype it up and tell everyone I know to add it to their TBRs.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was tagged as "for fans of Serpent & Dove" so this was basically a must read for me.
Some Things I Liked
All the tropes. The tropes in this book were spot on. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, arranged marriage, reluctant chosen one. Need I go on? So many excellent tropes all perfectly rolled up into one book.
The romance and banter. I loved the relationship between the main characters. They were really more enemies to friends to lovers but they both needed a friend so I loved that transition for them.
Found family vibes. Again, another favorite theme of mine. It took a while for this one to really develop in the story but I loved how the crew really came together in the end and I can't wait to see them all again in the sequel.
Series Value
I need the sequel for this book. I will drop everything to read it when it becomes available.
Final Thoughts
This book was a perfect way to start out my 2022 reading year. It had everything I wanted and now I have a full six months to hype it up and tell everyone I know to add it to their TBRs.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4.5 stars
I reaaaally liked this book. It has a good storyline, it is well written, and the characters are great. At the beginning it felt like I had read a similar story in other books, but the relationship between the characters made up for that. The conversations/banter is flawless. The author did a great job setting the story up for the next book and I can’t wait to read it.
I reaaaally liked this book. It has a good storyline, it is well written, and the characters are great. At the beginning it felt like I had read a similar story in other books, but the relationship between the characters made up for that. The conversations/banter is flawless. The author did a great job setting the story up for the next book and I can’t wait to read it.
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one teetered on the edge of five stars.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but this one thrusts you into a world you know little to nothing about, and I guess the expectation is to learn as you go? It starts out very confusing, a lot of the language used is in Italian, I believe. Ex; Finestra, Fonte, Consiglo, Divorando, etc.
I definitely think a map would be beneficial, as well as a glossary. The world building felt heavy, almost overwhelming? I felt like there was so much to know in the beginning, I almost didn't finish it.
But I'm glad I did! The relationship building in this book is monumental. I loved seeing the friendships blossom in this book. The hurt, anguish, betrayal, love. The banter in this one is so freaking funny. Alessa is hilarious, and works in dirty comments whenever she can.
The relationship between two certain characters made me scream in frustration, laugh, pull at my hair, and tear up. I don't think I've ever cheered for a couple like I did this one. At one point Thiede had my stomach in KNOTS, I was so scared.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, but not a terrible one. It's like being in the eye of a storm, the peace before more battle. So it's bearable.
Thank you St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an advanced NetGalley copy of This Vicious Grace. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but this one thrusts you into a world you know little to nothing about, and I guess the expectation is to learn as you go? It starts out very confusing, a lot of the language used is in Italian, I believe. Ex; Finestra, Fonte, Consiglo, Divorando, etc.
I definitely think a map would be beneficial, as well as a glossary. The world building felt heavy, almost overwhelming? I felt like there was so much to know in the beginning, I almost didn't finish it.
But I'm glad I did! The relationship building in this book is monumental. I loved seeing the friendships blossom in this book. The hurt, anguish, betrayal, love. The banter in this one is so freaking funny. Alessa is hilarious, and works in dirty comments whenever she can.
The relationship between two certain characters made me scream in frustration, laugh, pull at my hair, and tear up. I don't think I've ever cheered for a couple like I did this one. At one point Thiede had my stomach in KNOTS, I was so scared.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, but not a terrible one. It's like being in the eye of a storm, the peace before more battle. So it's bearable.
Thank you St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an advanced NetGalley copy of This Vicious Grace. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.
This one teetered on the edge of five stars.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but this one thrusts you into a world you know little to nothing about, and I guess the expectation is to learn as you go? It starts out very confusing, a lot of the language used is in Italian, I believe. Ex; Finestra, Fonte, Consiglo, Divorando, etc.
I definitely think a map would be beneficial, as well as a glossary. The world building felt heavy, almost overwhelming? I felt like there was so much to know in the beginning, I almost didn't finish it.
But I'm glad I did! The relationship building in this book is monumental. I loved seeing the friendships blossom in this book. The hurt, anguish, betrayal, love. The banter in this one is so freaking funny. Alessa is hilarious, and works in dirty comments whenever she can.
The relationship between two certain characters made me scream in frustration, laugh, pull at my hair, and tear up. I don't think I've ever cheered for a couple like I did this one. At one point Thiede had my stomach in KNOTS, I was so scared.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, but not a terrible one. It's like being in the eye of a storm, the peace before more battle. So it's bearable.
Thank you St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an advanced NetGalley copy of This Vicious Grace. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but this one thrusts you into a world you know little to nothing about, and I guess the expectation is to learn as you go? It starts out very confusing, a lot of the language used is in Italian, I believe. Ex; Finestra, Fonte, Consiglo, Divorando, etc.
I definitely think a map would be beneficial, as well as a glossary. The world building felt heavy, almost overwhelming? I felt like there was so much to know in the beginning, I almost didn't finish it.
But I'm glad I did! The relationship building in this book is monumental. I loved seeing the friendships blossom in this book. The hurt, anguish, betrayal, love. The banter in this one is so freaking funny. Alessa is hilarious, and works in dirty comments whenever she can.
The relationship between two certain characters made me scream in frustration, laugh, pull at my hair, and tear up. I don't think I've ever cheered for a couple like I did this one. At one point Thiede had my stomach in KNOTS, I was so scared.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, but not a terrible one. It's like being in the eye of a storm, the peace before more battle. So it's bearable.
Thank you St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an advanced NetGalley copy of This Vicious Grace. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.
Such a fab debut YA fantasy!
We have a sarcastic MC whose touch can kill, a grumpy attractive bodyguard, a city that faces an apocoliotic wave of demons, betrayal, slow-burn romance and found family- honestly what is not to like here?!
There were moments of info dumping that could have been cleaner, but I loved the banter between the characters and the plot so much that it didn't really bother me! I'm really looking forward to seeing what the next book brings, as this one really ticked all the boxes for me.
We have a sarcastic MC whose touch can kill, a grumpy attractive bodyguard, a city that faces an apocoliotic wave of demons, betrayal, slow-burn romance and found family- honestly what is not to like here?!
There were moments of info dumping that could have been cleaner, but I loved the banter between the characters and the plot so much that it didn't really bother me! I'm really looking forward to seeing what the next book brings, as this one really ticked all the boxes for me.