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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this one a lot. A high fantasy with magic and lore, that contained a forbidden romance, a kind-of enemies-to-lovers relationship, forced proximity, and the added tension of impending doom. Add in new information the reader learns as the characters do to problem solve,you have a compelling adventure. With a fun cast of supporting characters I am excited for this story to continue. Though there was some predictability and one plot line I may not be as forgiving with, this is a fun read I enjoyed.
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
* I got this book for review*
I realy loved this book. The touch someone and they die troupe is not always my favoite but i really loved how emily crafted this story. I also loved this story was also super poltical elements at the heart of this read! It was suepr fast pace read. It also in addition to be it also had find your mate eleement with magical twist. I overalll loved this book. I think the world building had soem confusing moments but first books in the series it was very well done. I am really excitd to see where book 2 goes! i also really loved the main romance in this book and also really enjoyed the focus on friendship elements as wel!!
I realy loved this book. The touch someone and they die troupe is not always my favoite but i really loved how emily crafted this story. I also loved this story was also super poltical elements at the heart of this read! It was suepr fast pace read. It also in addition to be it also had find your mate eleement with magical twist. I overalll loved this book. I think the world building had soem confusing moments but first books in the series it was very well done. I am really excitd to see where book 2 goes! i also really loved the main romance in this book and also really enjoyed the focus on friendship elements as wel!!
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
She’d tried to be what she thought the gods wanted her to be, what she was told the people needed her to be, and it had gotten her three dead partners, and a shell around her heart. She’d been stunted until she threw off the rules, shut the holy books, and let herself be the emotional, stubborn, distracted mess she was.
Well... this was a scrumptious treat
She’d tried to be what she thought the gods wanted her to be, what she was told the people needed her to be, and it had gotten her three dead partners, and a shell around her heart. She’d been stunted until she threw off the rules, shut the holy books, and let herself be the emotional, stubborn, distracted mess she was.
Well... this was a scrumptious treat
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.
This is such a great book! I was very interested in the plot so, even if my expectations weren't really high, I really wanted to read it. BUT let me tell you!!! I love love loved it. It's a big YES for me.
Alessa Paladino is the Finestra chosen by Dea in the city of Saverio and she has to marry a Fonte in order to amplify their power with her magic and save the city. However, three times she had chosen a Fonte, married them and all three of them had died because of her touch and her magic. Now everyone is scared of her, the other Fontes (or better, Fonti) don't want to be by her side to work with her and many people tried to kill her multiple times; hence, she decides to hire a personal guard chosen by herself. He is known as the Wolf, his name is Dante and he is an outcast marked as a killer with the tattoo of a knife on his arm. He swears to protect her until she finally chooses her (hopefully) last Fonte before the war, however, even though both Alessa and Dante have a lot on their plate, things don't really go as planned for them.
First, the city map is so so so gorgeous. Second, I loved how the author decided to mix in the story the Italian language and Italian culture and I really appreciated it (I'm Italian). Third, every chapter starts with an Italian proverb and an English proverb with the same meaning and the truth is that many of these Italian proverbs were unknown to me and, if not for the English ones, I would have never known their meaning lol.
Furthermore, I really liked how the characters are described and how they grow together throughout all the story, especially Alessa and Kaleb. It is indeed true that "union is strength". Obviously my favorite Fonti are Kamaria, Kaleb and Saida.
Moreover, my love for Dante is ever-growing, especially when he calls Alessa "Luce mia", I'm sobbing. I love him if you couldn't tell.
After all, I even liked Adrick and Nina, but only at the end of the story because she finally stopped whining and did something useful; same thing goes for him.
Last but not least, I cried, at least a couple of times. But it was all worth it. The pain was also worth it.
My rating: 4/4.5!
This is such a great book! I was very interested in the plot so, even if my expectations weren't really high, I really wanted to read it. BUT let me tell you!!! I love love loved it. It's a big YES for me.
Alessa Paladino is the Finestra chosen by Dea in the city of Saverio and she has to marry a Fonte in order to amplify their power with her magic and save the city. However, three times she had chosen a Fonte, married them and all three of them had died because of her touch and her magic. Now everyone is scared of her, the other Fontes (or better, Fonti) don't want to be by her side to work with her and many people tried to kill her multiple times; hence, she decides to hire a personal guard chosen by herself. He is known as the Wolf, his name is Dante and he is an outcast marked as a killer with the tattoo of a knife on his arm. He swears to protect her until she finally chooses her (hopefully) last Fonte before the war, however, even though both Alessa and Dante have a lot on their plate, things don't really go as planned for them.
First, the city map is so so so gorgeous. Second, I loved how the author decided to mix in the story the Italian language and Italian culture and I really appreciated it (I'm Italian). Third, every chapter starts with an Italian proverb and an English proverb with the same meaning and the truth is that many of these Italian proverbs were unknown to me and, if not for the English ones, I would have never known their meaning lol.
Furthermore, I really liked how the characters are described and how they grow together throughout all the story, especially Alessa and Kaleb. It is indeed true that "union is strength". Obviously my favorite Fonti are Kamaria, Kaleb and Saida.
Moreover, my love for Dante is ever-growing, especially when he calls Alessa "Luce mia", I'm sobbing. I love him if you couldn't tell.
After all, I even liked Adrick and Nina, but only at the end of the story because she finally stopped whining and did something useful; same thing goes for him.
Last but not least, I cried, at least a couple of times. But it was all worth it. The pain was also worth it.
My rating: 4/4.5!
Ok so this is a SERIES. I don’t know how I didn’t notice that until I finished it but its book 1 which is good because I enjoyed it as a story. I’m a sucker for the ‘Chosen one’ and definitely a sucker for touch-starved heroine so here we are.
In this story, an island’s nation defense against demons that have destroyed most of the rest of the world is one person chosen every few years called the Finestra who is capable of taking the magical gifts of their chosen partner and amplifying them allowing them to fight off the attacks. Alessa was the most recent chosen but finds herself unable to perform her needed tasks because she can’t help but accidentally completely drain and murder anyone she touches. How will she save her nation especially when they themselves begin to doubt and threaten her?
It’s very Rogue from X-men, who I love so this really worked for me.
The world building was interesting though not elaborate and at points I did get confused about a few certain things which I don’t think were explained quite enough (or I just missed it but I’m normally pretty good at details…). The power system is pretty typical but used in a very cool way and the system of having an amplifier character at the center was super interesting to me.
Alessa doesn’t have powers herself and hires a guard of a street fighter she has seen previously. Of course, he turns out to be more than meets the eye and leads to romantic entanglements. I did actually really like the romantic subplot in this. I tend to like the touch and affection starved leads which Alessa is dealing with and he was at least a decent romantic lead.
The side characters are a fun and dynamic group and I really look forward to more of them in upcoming stories. A lot of the middle of the book was just them hanging around and bonding while trying to work with Alessa to not be murdered but it was enjoyable and entertaining even if not moving the plot forward rapidly.
It feels very YA with high stakes and low consequences but it is YA so enjoy it or don’t, duh.
Overall, I enjoyed this while I was listening and will definitely check out the next in the series. This audiobook was narrated by Carlotta Brenton and Michael Gallager who did a good job.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
In this story, an island’s nation defense against demons that have destroyed most of the rest of the world is one person chosen every few years called the Finestra who is capable of taking the magical gifts of their chosen partner and amplifying them allowing them to fight off the attacks. Alessa was the most recent chosen but finds herself unable to perform her needed tasks because she can’t help but accidentally completely drain and murder anyone she touches. How will she save her nation especially when they themselves begin to doubt and threaten her?
It’s very Rogue from X-men, who I love so this really worked for me.
The world building was interesting though not elaborate and at points I did get confused about a few certain things which I don’t think were explained quite enough (or I just missed it but I’m normally pretty good at details…). The power system is pretty typical but used in a very cool way and the system of having an amplifier character at the center was super interesting to me.
Alessa doesn’t have powers herself and hires a guard of a street fighter she has seen previously. Of course, he turns out to be more than meets the eye and leads to romantic entanglements. I did actually really like the romantic subplot in this. I tend to like the touch and affection starved leads which Alessa is dealing with and he was at least a decent romantic lead.
The side characters are a fun and dynamic group and I really look forward to more of them in upcoming stories. A lot of the middle of the book was just them hanging around and bonding while trying to work with Alessa to not be murdered but it was enjoyable and entertaining even if not moving the plot forward rapidly.
It feels very YA with high stakes and low consequences but it is YA so enjoy it or don’t, duh.
Overall, I enjoyed this while I was listening and will definitely check out the next in the series. This audiobook was narrated by Carlotta Brenton and Michael Gallager who did a good job.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
um hello, this was fucking AMAZING????
i literally could not put the book down like holy shit it was so addictive!!! thank you so so much to Hodder books for sending this book my way!!! it was such a ride! (the ending had me bawling
i literally could not put the book down like holy shit it was so addictive!!! thank you so so much to Hodder books for sending this book my way!!! it was such a ride! (the ending had me bawling
(4.5⭐️)
Well that was one hell of a ride. This book single handedly ripped me out of a reading slump, I haven’t been this invested in a story for a long while and This Vicious Grace is as refreshing as it’s lemony, summer island with demon problems setting. Absolutely adored the characters and gorgeous world building- I’m a sucker for the found family trope. But silly me I thought this book was a standalone but nooo now I just have to wait and live in severe anticipation for the next one. Very excited to see where this series goes!
Well that was one hell of a ride. This book single handedly ripped me out of a reading slump, I haven’t been this invested in a story for a long while and This Vicious Grace is as refreshing as it’s lemony, summer island with demon problems setting. Absolutely adored the characters and gorgeous world building- I’m a sucker for the found family trope. But silly me I thought this book was a standalone but nooo now I just have to wait and live in severe anticipation for the next one. Very excited to see where this series goes!