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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! This Vicious Grace is the story of a girl selected by the gods to save her people from evil - but who keeps accidentally killing the people who are supposed to help her with that simply with a touch. It’s a very interesting concept, and Thiede’s writing is engaging and paints a intricate picture of the world she has created. It’s nice to see a young woman savior character who not only fears failure, but has actually failed - big time. It makes her easier to relate to. I also really enjoyed Thiede’s world and the mythology that it contains. I look forward to reading the next book to see where this story goes!
I really enjoyed this book! This Vicious Grace is the story of a girl selected by the gods to save her people from evil - but who keeps accidentally killing the people who are supposed to help her with that simply with a touch. It’s a very interesting concept, and Thiede’s writing is engaging and paints a intricate picture of the world she has created. It’s nice to see a young woman savior character who not only fears failure, but has actually failed - big time. It makes her easier to relate to. I also really enjoyed Thiede’s world and the mythology that it contains. I look forward to reading the next book to see where this story goes!
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This Vicious Grace features a religiously ordained savior who isn't getting the job done, instead accidentally killing the people whom she is meant to partner with as a conduit for their power. Three spouses have already come and gone, dead from Alessa's touch, a touch that is necessary for her to amplify their magic and fulfill her sacred duty as Finestra. She's the next in a long line of Finestras tasked with protecting her island home from a hoard of insect-like creatures, and they're on schedule for their next attack soon. Alessa can't face them alone, but she also can't seem to partner up with anyone as she must. In the meantime, someone is trying to assassinate her, apparently in the hopes that a less hopeless woman will be chosen by the goddess Dea to take her place.
I love a touch curse for the angst, and this book piles on the extra emo trope layer of a bodyguard romance to make things super fraught with forced proximity and forbidden pining. Alessa's crush on her rough-around-the-edges bodyguard, Dante, is also intense because both are isolated, lonely people-- Alessa for her dehumanizing role and inability to touch anyone and Dante for the looming secrets in his past. I wasn't convinced by the love story at first, but it grew on me in the second half (which is good because that's more the focus than the fantasy plot). The author is skilled at portraying the little moments that make the story feel close and emotion-laden rather than a plot spinning out at a distance. That's what won me over. I admit that "doomed romance" vibes irritate me even when I anticipate it will eventually be resolved happily, but the doomed angst doesn't taint every tender moment so I was grateful for that. There's also a nice little conversation about consent, and I appreciate that Alessa unabashedly asks for what she wants and seeks physical affection when and how she wants it. She isn't some passive being waiting for someone else to make a move.
Alessa's friendships also have good vibes with the kind of loyalty and support that the author makes palpable for her readers. I was just left scratching my head a bit about how we ended up there in the first place. We start with everyone being afraid of Alessa's power but end up with bonds that can weather treason, life-threatening danger, and political trickery. The scenes between points A and B didn't have the level of depth I would need to make this growth feel natural.
Similarly, Alessa undergoes such a rapid switch in her attitude and actions that I was left unconvinced. She goes from bumbling and self-pitying to decisive and commanding just because she met a love interest? It bothers me to see sheltered girl protagonists who learn the evils of their societies from knowing, jaded love interests because it makes it feel like it's another person's job to teach people how to act right, and it also seems to suggest that you can have a dramatic perspective shift overnight without any further thought or mistakes. Another character also does a personality 180 with little explanation for the sudden, welcome improvement. Dante doesn't have quite so dramatic of a turn, but he is a predictable, trope-y love interest in that he's mysterious in an obvious way, i.e. being a creature that is viewed as a monster but is actually just misunderstood and only dangerous in an alluring way. He's also brooding and romantic under a tough demeanor. I actually quite enjoyed him as a character, but he felt more like an ideal than a complex person.
The book ends with some resolution but also with a question about what comes next, definitely cliffhanger adjacent. Now that the characters are a bit settled and their relationships are solidified, I am curious what they'll do next and how they'll continue to grow as they face new dangers side by side. Pick up this book for the ya romantasy vibes and you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Wednesday for my copy to read and review!This Vicious Grace features a religiously ordained savior who isn't getting the job done, instead accidentally killing the people whom she is meant to partner with as a conduit for their power. Three spouses have already come and gone, dead from Alessa's touch, a touch that is necessary for her to amplify their magic and fulfill her sacred duty as Finestra. She's the next in a long line of Finestras tasked with protecting her island home from a hoard of insect-like creatures, and they're on schedule for their next attack soon. Alessa can't face them alone, but she also can't seem to partner up with anyone as she must. In the meantime, someone is trying to assassinate her, apparently in the hopes that a less hopeless woman will be chosen by the goddess Dea to take her place.
I love a touch curse for the angst, and this book piles on the extra emo trope layer of a bodyguard romance to make things super fraught with forced proximity and forbidden pining. Alessa's crush on her rough-around-the-edges bodyguard, Dante, is also intense because both are isolated, lonely people-- Alessa for her dehumanizing role and inability to touch anyone and Dante for the looming secrets in his past. I wasn't convinced by the love story at first, but it grew on me in the second half (which is good because that's more the focus than the fantasy plot). The author is skilled at portraying the little moments that make the story feel close and emotion-laden rather than a plot spinning out at a distance. That's what won me over. I admit that "doomed romance" vibes irritate me even when I anticipate it will eventually be resolved happily, but the doomed angst doesn't taint every tender moment so I was grateful for that. There's also a nice little conversation about consent, and I appreciate that Alessa unabashedly asks for what she wants and seeks physical affection when and how she wants it. She isn't some passive being waiting for someone else to make a move.
Alessa's friendships also have good vibes with the kind of loyalty and support that the author makes palpable for her readers. I was just left scratching my head a bit about how we ended up there in the first place. We start with everyone being afraid of Alessa's power but end up with bonds that can weather treason, life-threatening danger, and political trickery. The scenes between points A and B didn't have the level of depth I would need to make this growth feel natural.
Similarly, Alessa undergoes such a rapid switch in her attitude and actions that I was left unconvinced. She goes from bumbling and self-pitying to decisive and commanding just because she met a love interest? It bothers me to see sheltered girl protagonists who learn the evils of their societies from knowing, jaded love interests because it makes it feel like it's another person's job to teach people how to act right, and it also seems to suggest that you can have a dramatic perspective shift overnight without any further thought or mistakes. Another character also does a personality 180 with little explanation for the sudden, welcome improvement. Dante doesn't have quite so dramatic of a turn, but he is a predictable, trope-y love interest in that he's mysterious in an obvious way, i.e. being a creature that is viewed as a monster but is actually just misunderstood and only dangerous in an alluring way. He's also brooding and romantic under a tough demeanor. I actually quite enjoyed him as a character, but he felt more like an ideal than a complex person.
The book ends with some resolution but also with a question about what comes next, definitely cliffhanger adjacent. Now that the characters are a bit settled and their relationships are solidified, I am curious what they'll do next and how they'll continue to grow as they face new dangers side by side. Pick up this book for the ya romantasy vibes and you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Wednesday for my copy to read and review!
I love a touch curse for the angst, and this book piles on the extra emo trope layer of a bodyguard romance to make things super fraught with forced proximity and forbidden pining. Alessa's crush on her rough-around-the-edges bodyguard, Dante, is also intense because both are isolated, lonely people-- Alessa for her dehumanizing role and inability to touch anyone and Dante for the looming secrets in his past. I wasn't convinced by the love story at first, but it grew on me in the second half (which is good because that's more the focus than the fantasy plot). The author is skilled at portraying the little moments that make the story feel close and emotion-laden rather than a plot spinning out at a distance. That's what won me over. I admit that "doomed romance" vibes irritate me even when I anticipate it will eventually be resolved happily, but the doomed angst doesn't taint every tender moment so I was grateful for that. There's also a nice little conversation about consent, and I appreciate that Alessa unabashedly asks for what she wants and seeks physical affection when and how she wants it. She isn't some passive being waiting for someone else to make a move.
Alessa's friendships also have good vibes with the kind of loyalty and support that the author makes palpable for her readers. I was just left scratching my head a bit about how we ended up there in the first place. We start with everyone being afraid of Alessa's power but end up with bonds that can weather treason, life-threatening danger, and political trickery. The scenes between points A and B didn't have the level of depth I would need to make this growth feel natural.
Similarly, Alessa undergoes such a rapid switch in her attitude and actions that I was left unconvinced. She goes from bumbling and self-pitying to decisive and commanding just because she met a love interest? It bothers me to see sheltered girl protagonists who learn the evils of their societies from knowing, jaded love interests because it makes it feel like it's another person's job to teach people how to act right, and it also seems to suggest that you can have a dramatic perspective shift overnight without any further thought or mistakes. Another character also does a personality 180 with little explanation for the sudden, welcome improvement. Dante doesn't have quite so dramatic of a turn, but he is a predictable, trope-y love interest in that he's mysterious in an obvious way, i.e. being a creature that is viewed as a monster but is actually just misunderstood and only dangerous in an alluring way. He's also brooding and romantic under a tough demeanor. I actually quite enjoyed him as a character, but he felt more like an ideal than a complex person.
The book ends with some resolution but also with a question about what comes next, definitely cliffhanger adjacent. Now that the characters are a bit settled and their relationships are solidified, I am curious what they'll do next and how they'll continue to grow as they face new dangers side by side. Pick up this book for the ya romantasy vibes and you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Wednesday for my copy to read and review!This Vicious Grace features a religiously ordained savior who isn't getting the job done, instead accidentally killing the people whom she is meant to partner with as a conduit for their power. Three spouses have already come and gone, dead from Alessa's touch, a touch that is necessary for her to amplify their magic and fulfill her sacred duty as Finestra. She's the next in a long line of Finestras tasked with protecting her island home from a hoard of insect-like creatures, and they're on schedule for their next attack soon. Alessa can't face them alone, but she also can't seem to partner up with anyone as she must. In the meantime, someone is trying to assassinate her, apparently in the hopes that a less hopeless woman will be chosen by the goddess Dea to take her place.
I love a touch curse for the angst, and this book piles on the extra emo trope layer of a bodyguard romance to make things super fraught with forced proximity and forbidden pining. Alessa's crush on her rough-around-the-edges bodyguard, Dante, is also intense because both are isolated, lonely people-- Alessa for her dehumanizing role and inability to touch anyone and Dante for the looming secrets in his past. I wasn't convinced by the love story at first, but it grew on me in the second half (which is good because that's more the focus than the fantasy plot). The author is skilled at portraying the little moments that make the story feel close and emotion-laden rather than a plot spinning out at a distance. That's what won me over. I admit that "doomed romance" vibes irritate me even when I anticipate it will eventually be resolved happily, but the doomed angst doesn't taint every tender moment so I was grateful for that. There's also a nice little conversation about consent, and I appreciate that Alessa unabashedly asks for what she wants and seeks physical affection when and how she wants it. She isn't some passive being waiting for someone else to make a move.
Alessa's friendships also have good vibes with the kind of loyalty and support that the author makes palpable for her readers. I was just left scratching my head a bit about how we ended up there in the first place. We start with everyone being afraid of Alessa's power but end up with bonds that can weather treason, life-threatening danger, and political trickery. The scenes between points A and B didn't have the level of depth I would need to make this growth feel natural.
Similarly, Alessa undergoes such a rapid switch in her attitude and actions that I was left unconvinced. She goes from bumbling and self-pitying to decisive and commanding just because she met a love interest? It bothers me to see sheltered girl protagonists who learn the evils of their societies from knowing, jaded love interests because it makes it feel like it's another person's job to teach people how to act right, and it also seems to suggest that you can have a dramatic perspective shift overnight without any further thought or mistakes. Another character also does a personality 180 with little explanation for the sudden, welcome improvement. Dante doesn't have quite so dramatic of a turn, but he is a predictable, trope-y love interest in that he's mysterious in an obvious way, i.e. being a creature that is viewed as a monster but is actually just misunderstood and only dangerous in an alluring way. He's also brooding and romantic under a tough demeanor. I actually quite enjoyed him as a character, but he felt more like an ideal than a complex person.
The book ends with some resolution but also with a question about what comes next, definitely cliffhanger adjacent. Now that the characters are a bit settled and their relationships are solidified, I am curious what they'll do next and how they'll continue to grow as they face new dangers side by side. Pick up this book for the ya romantasy vibes and you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Wednesday for my copy to read and review!
adventurous
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
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So bummed to realize the second book isn't out yet. Devoured this during a camping trip. I so rarely am able to devote that much time to a book, and it was so nice to just lose myself in the characters. Interesting magic system, and I can't wait to learn more about the history and backstory of the society (hopefully in book 2??).
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:
Yes
I admit I had a hard time getting into this book at first, given the sheer amount of terms and worldbuilding thrown at you, but I’m so glad I kept going. I like this author’s voice, and the characters were well fleshed out. The romance, the friendships, the emotions—all fantastic.
Contains:
-Violence
-Sexual Content
-Contemplation of suicide
Contains:
-Violence
-Sexual Content
-Contemplation of suicide