gemstixs 's review for:

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

4.5

adventurous 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

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yeah i really really really fucked with this. it’s mamma mia but with demons, magic, and religious trauma. i absolutely adored our main characters. alessa is so me. she’s so real. and dante is all the classic fantasy love interest tropes you want. he’s wonderful, and their relationship was equally wonderful. it didn’t feel rushed whatsoever, and the growth was really heartwarming to read. plot wise it was super engaging, and while the major points of the second half were predictable, it was because they were set up well and earned. i do wish some of the themes had been explored a bit more, especially in regards to alessa’s repression and how what she’d been told to believe about her own purity damaged her, but im holding out hope that this will be explored more in the next books. and i’m very excited for those next books! overall this was a very fun upper ya fantasy romance.