This was a real surprise. I didn't think I would love this as much as I did. An easy 5 star. 5 star plot, 5 star characters, 5 star love interest. Some of the plot points seem like something you might have read before, but theyˋre done so uniquly and well, that you dont want to put the book (or audiobook) down. I loved the found family aspect, again, it´s something you don´t expect, because of how everything is set up and the expectations other books might have given you. I love it, when authors play with the reader´s expectations like that. One of my favorite reads this month, maybe this year? I can´t wait for the next book.

Plot was ok just this book fell a bit flat. Enjoyed the magic and romance elements though between the two characters! And some great banter! I am probably not the intended audience for this as it felt like middle of the road YA.

This Vicious Grace is a beautifully woven book of history, romance and fantasy that left me enthralled.
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overview:
Alessa has a gift- a deadly one that is meant to magnify her partners magic but instead ends up killing them. So far she has attended three funerals.
With only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons comes to devour her island she is running out of time to stop the invasion- and traitors within her own guard don’t think she is truly the saviour.
With no one to trust he hires Dante- an outcast marked as a killer, to be her personal bodyguard until the day of her next wedding- but with rebellion brewing and Dante hiding a huge secret of his own that could be her salvation- will she save them or destroy them all?

Review:
Plot- this was genuinely a delight. I have been in a bit of a lull reading wise within both YA and fantasy so I was hesitant to pick this up. The first few chapters are quite heavy on the worldbuilding but once I was into this story it is genuinely delightful and one of the best books I have actually gotten to read this year.
It has action, comedy, flirty banter with swoon worthy romance and a rebellion plot that keeps you guessing all the way through who is trustworthy- and the character development is brilliant.
The plot kept me engaged throughout, as did this glorious world and the ending of this book- I screamed.

Pacing wise, the story started slightly slow which is purely due to the fact it’s very heavy on the worldbuilding, but once I was about three chapters in I was hooked.

World building- Fantastic, a bit heavy at the beginning but once that’s done your basically in the world.

Characters- Alessa was a brilliant heroine. Did she have the normal YA chosen one feel- Yes but in a cynical manner. Did she just want it all to be over and live a normal life- Yes. She was actually quite refreshing with the fact she is extremely cynical as a chosen one as to why it actually has to be her and what tradition is and her development throughout was expertly done.
Dante… I would die for this man. His banter, sarcastic secretive nature and general humour and slowly developing relationship with Alessa is absolutely fantastic. He was by far my favourite in this story and his background and development? *Chefs Kiss*
We have a tonne of side characters and honestly I’m really impressed with how they all worked and interacted together, as well as developed alongside each other.
Also- Massive appreciation to this author for having lead characters in that New Adult age range i.e. 18-20 and we need more of this please!


Final Thoughts,
A beautifully intricate fantasy with great characters, great chemistry, and has left me desperate for more work form this author.

I was so incredibly impressed with this debut novel. The story was so fascinating and the romance was sweet. I laughed multiples times while reading and even shed a tear or two. I cannot wait for the sequel. The magic system was interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing how Emily expands the world. The friendship group that Alessa finds is just perfection, I can not wait for the sequel. One of the best books I’ve read so far this year

Alessa is the Finestra, chosen to protect her people from a swarm of bloodthirsty demons who descend upon her world at regular intervals. But to do this, she needs a partner whose magic she can amplify - unfortunately for Alessa (and the people relying on her for their survival), everyone she touches dies.

When the people of Saverio start to doubt whether Alessa truly is the chosen one who can save them all, she hires Dante to protect her. But, Dante has a secret of his own, which might put Alessa and Saverio in even greater danger.

This Vicious Grace is a high-stakes, YA fantasy with a really cool concept. The world building was brilliant and it was a fast-paced novel that I couldn't put down. There were some great side characters too, helping (or hindering) Alessa in her attempt to save her people - a calling she never asked for or wanted. I also loved the romance elements and cannot wait for book two!

This book had me hooked from the beginning and I flew through the book. I really enjoyed the story and the discussions around love and that there are different types of love and being lonely. I also liked the discussions around people in power and how the poorer people are not given the same protections.

Alessa was an interesting character though she could get annoying at times especially at the risks she took but you know what if I was under the pressure she was under I may become a little reckless too. I really did sympathise with her though as she is unable to touch anyone without killing them so she has become isolated and lonely and fed the fantasy that once she finds her true partner then she will have everything she desires. But unfortunately for her she keeps killing her partners and this makes her struggle with her own self worth and whether the world would be better off without her.

Once she meets the mysterious Dante though, she starts to believe in herself more and learns that she is more capable than she gives herself credit for and he helps her to see a world outside of her gilded cage. I really liked Dante and how he showed Alessa that the world she has been taught to believe in may not be as just and fair as she thinks. He makes her question things and see that just because something has been done a specific way it doesn’t mean that is the only way.

I also really enjoyed the side characters and hope we get to see more of them in the sequel and how they initially did not want to be near Alessa but by the end they learnt to trust her and she learnt to trust them and they became a unit. It was so great to see Alessa build relationships that are not romantic because she had been starved of friendship too which she needed and found in them.

The second half of the book had some intense moments and some revelations that I did not see coming but I loved as it added more mystery to the world and history that we have been told. I hope we get to explore this more in the sequel.

I did feel the ending was a little rushed, I was hoping to see more of the battle that has been built up throughout the book and some of the aftermath especially regarding Dante and what happens to him. I am especially looking forward to seeing more of him and his arc in the sequel.

i absolutely adore this book. first thing, let's address the big elephant in the room. it's an italian-inspired fantasy, and, i was so so so scared about the use of italian. blame previous experiences. i was so happy to read correct italian, with correct grammar. also, without knowing where the author got the inspiration for her world, i was able to pinpoint the exact part of italy that she envisioned as the setting for the book. also, the story. i loved it. it's already a comfort book, the characters are so lovely and real, i'm obviously swooning after Dante but Alessa, our MC, is a really nice protagonist, she's sassy when you need it but she's not only that. another thing i really loved was the found family trope, for a girl who was essentially removed from everyone, that was the most important part. romance and friendship and love, in every form.

5 STARS.
Loved this. This might be my favourite read of the year so far….
Definitely one of the best debuts I’ve ever read.
I don’t know why but I thought this would be a slow paced fantasy with romance as a subplot, but the romance in this was my favourite part. I’m a sucker for a fantasy romance, and this book really delivered on that. You have a grumpy love interest, Dante, who is actually the sweetest! The banter him & Alessa have is so natural & their relationship progression throughout the book is probably one of the best I’ve read in ANY book. The fantasy/main plot does take a back seat to the romance a lot of the time, so bare that in mind if you don’t like that type of book. Emily also writes the side characters really well, they’re not just thrown in and I felt a real attachment to them, especially Kamaria.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a fantasy romance with well written characters, and I’m surprised it’s not being spoken about more.
Thankyou so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I looooved the italian aspects of this book, and I was so invested in the slow burn romance. Overall for a debut book I really enjoyed this, I felt that the characters were really strong, sometimes the pacing threw me off a little but generally this is a really good book.

This novel has an incredibly interesting concept- the blurb dragged me in as soon as I read it. The story doesn't develop in the way the blurb indicated it would - I thought it would involve being on the run and going into hiding long term but it involves far more local and royal strategising and makes excellent use of a spectrum of strong secondary characters. The fantasy element in this is powerful and beautiful and it makes for an utterly compelling and unique read..

I had a really hard time not DNF’ing this. I enjoyed the concept, but the writing, the characters and even the romance was absolutely dull.

As this count down towards this massive and scary event comes with each chapter I legit could read no urgency. It was told so matter of fact, and just did absolutely nothing for me.

I enjoyed Dante, but him and Alessa’s story was also a weird pacing for me. One moment its still bodyguarding and brooding, and then she can touch him and sparks fly.

The world-building and explanation behind Alessa’s story I also felt could have been described simpler because I constantly found myself having to go back to understand what is going on.

Overall, I could see the potential and I think the concept is really unique. Just wasn’t for me- but it can absolutely be for you!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Painfully mediocre.
So, the plot. Oh, for suuure, there's stuff happening. But for all the threat of the world ending and people dying, it all feels very.... paltry. The worldbuilding is flimsily fabricated, and the settings are sketched out with the weakest of details.
All in all, this reads as if it's an overlong, overly dressed-up, dull one-shot of the "grumpy-bodyguard" trope and nothing more. Barely any plot happens. And what plot there *is* is for the most part filtered through the protagonist's overstuffed feelings of *woe-is-me* and other self-pitying sentimentality which I'm really not in the mood to push through.

So. If you're into that, this is the story for you!
(Sadly, it was not for me.)

2.5/5
DNF'ed at 70%

With a deadly swarm of demons only weeks away, and the entire island relying on her, can Alessa master her powers without killing anymore of her partners, or is she doomed to fail?

Although the narrative voice felt a little juvenile at times (over explaining, overused metaphors, sometimes a little overly flowery, etc), I did really enjoy the story.
The world was interesting and not overly complicated. There weren't too many info dumps, we were just gradually exposed to the history, religion and political landscape.
This was an interesting set up for a conflict, but it fell down in its logic here and there for me. It felt like the age of the Finestra was purely to place this book as YA, when it didn't entirely make sense to give this power to a child, and the story could have explored some more of its darker themes if it were to lean into an older audience. Then, the nature of her powers (and why they were killing people) wasn't fully explained, although maybe this is something to be explored more later...
This was a fun read though, aside from some slightly forced dialogue, I largely enjoyed the dynamic between Alessa and Dante, and Alessa and her Forti.

Four stars because despite my various critiques, the pacing was good so I was able to stay invested in the narrative all the ways through. An enjoyable story and romance, although I'm not sure did the ending grab me enough to be inclined to pick up the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

This was an easy light cosy read, I would recommend this as a nice break between epic fantasy novels. Looking forward to the sequel and reading more from Emily Thiede.

Wow! This book blew me away with its gripping plot, great characters, and an heart=pounding ending.

When I first started reading, I did not have any expectations. I did not want to be disappointed; thus, I stopped myself from guessing the plot and just enjoyed every chapter. What astonished me the most was the characters. They drew me in instantly, especially Alessa. Her journey and development surprised me, and I look forward to her character in the sequel.

As for the plot, it was intriguing at the beginning. But when I reached the middle of the book, the plot felt dragged and slowed down a little bit. However, the end was quite spectacular because I got to see the battle that was both nerve-racking and heartwarming.

If you are a fan of YA fantasy with a fierce heroine, sizzling romance, and a touching friendship, you should try This Vicious Grace!

Let it be said that I am a sucker for Dante and my enjoyment of this book solely depended on his sassy ways. It’s definitely a YA read and something I struggled to be gripped by, I found it easy to put down and leave for hours. However, it was a good read and I will be reading the sequel.

It has a good start, a busy middle and an epic ending. The characters are so rich and full of life and we receive a fabulous storyline.

I loved the narration from Alessa's POV, she is an amazing narrator to carry the story with a sharp tongue and plenty to say.

I can't wait for the sequel! Or to break open my Fairyloot copy

This Vicious Grace is a YA fantasy that gives us:
- a heroine with a touch that kills
- Italy-inspired setting
- bodyguard romance
- slow-burn
- the power of friendship (?)

The only reason I finished this book is so I could roast it. Here we go.

The premise of this book is a lot. Let's get into it: Demons overrun the island of Saverio every couple of years. The only one who can save the population from the demons is the Finestra, a powerful magic-user chosen by the Goddess Dea. Problem is, the only way the Finestra can access her powers is by harnessing the powers of a partner, her Fonte. Enter Alessa, the main character. Alessa is an 18-year-old girl who has been training to be the Finestra for four years. To become more powerful, she had to leave her family behind and kept isolated in a palace. So far, so good. But when the time comes for her to choose a Fonte, she kills them instead of absorbing their magic. And she also kills the next Fonte. And the one after that.

After she killed three Fontes on accident, the public loses trust in their savior and the religious leaders send assassins after Alessa. Fearing for her life, Alessa hires a bodyguard who bears a killer's mark. However, her new bodyguard might just hold the key to save the island and Alessa's life.

Whew. As you can tell, the premise is high stakes. There's a lot of lore and information. All the worldbuilding was given to us in - you guessed it - info dumps. Oh, the info dumps. In fact, the first 10% of the book consists of large paragraphs of worldbuilding interspersed by little action. The plot only takes off (somewhat) after Alessa hires her bodyguard, Dante.

After the exposition, the plot focuses on Alessa's character arc and her relationship with Dante. While the premise of the book might make you believe it's YA epic fantasy, it is not. It’s a fantasy bodyguard romance. Or rather, bodyguard romance with fantasy sprinkled in. If the stakes hadn’t been so high, that story could have worked. We're talking literal Doomsday here. The demons are coming, yet the characters still find the time to have their portrait done or play cards. Very odd.

Looking past that, I enjoyed Alessa and Dante's relationship. Some of their banter was hilarious and the slow-burn developed well. Their connection made sense for their characters and I liked that the relationship impacted Alessa's character arc as well.

Thiede conveyed Alessa's struggles quite well. Alessa carries the crushing weight of having to save her island with little to no support system. She had to break off contact with her family and the city's leaders are plotting to kill her. On top of that, she deals with the waning trust of the public and the fact that she killed her first three Fontes. It's a lot. Especially for an 18-year-old. As a consequence, she has anxiety and insomnia as well as crippling guilt. While Alessa comes off as a typical YA heroine at first (chosen one with unpredictable powers), she grew on me immensely. the pressure and loneliness of her position really took a toll on her and she starts out quite insecure. Seeing her come into her own more was great. She really comes a long way in the book, which is why I can forgive the weak worldbuilding and meandering plot.

The side characters were fun enough, but one-dimensional. I would have liked their friendship with Alessa to be more fleshed out as it would have had more of an emotional impact, especially towards the end of the book.

The worldbuilding was inspired by Italy, which Thiede showed through food and descriptions of the Island. As a European, that aspect made me smile. There was a summery vibe to it, but since we're awaiting a demon horde, it didn't do much to add to the story. I couldn't tell which time period of Italy the book took inspiration from. Some of the descriptions of clothing reminded me of the Renaissance, maybe, but it was inconsistent. The use of anachronistic dialogue added to the confusion. A lot of YA fantasy books include anachronistic dialogue. It's fine. But I draw the line at a fantasy character saying "nope" and "to-do list". It was so jarring, the dialogue took me out of the story.

The final battle was lackluster and predictable. It left me feeling mostly cold until the end of the battle. There was a plot twist I was surprised, but impressed by. I thought 'Wow, this author has balls!' Only for it to be fixed in a Deus ex machina. I hated it. So much. I still get mad when I think of it. Now, whenever something big happens in the plot in the sequel, I will not be able to take it seriously. Because why demonstrate consequences when you can have a magic fix-it.

The set-up for the sequel didn't sell me 100% on it, but I'll probably still pick it up for Alessa. All in all, if you enjoy fantasy romance and character-driven plots, do pick up This Vicious Grace. I gave the book 3/5 stars.

What a great debut! The romance between Alessa and Dante was beautifully written and I loved Alessa's character development throughout as she grew into her power and became a leader. I hadn't realised this would be a duology when I started so I'm very excited for the sequel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I LOVED reading this YA fantasy novel by Emily Thiede! Was it a bit predictable and cheesy at times? Yes, but it's the tropes I love so I am not complaining. It kind of reminded me a bit of Kingdom of the Wicked, so if you enjoyed that book you will surely love this one. It has enemies to lovers, found family, grumpy vs sunshine, and bodyguard trope to name a few.

The story follows Alessa, who is chosen by the gods to be the Finestra (a sort of saviour) and can only access her powers through a partner she has to choose: her Fonte. However, her first three Fonte's die right after the wedding because of her touch. Nobody trusts Alessa anymore, some even go as far to say that she is cursed and after an assassination attempt, she hires Dante to protect her from future assassinations. Dante makes his living in a dark fighting den and bears the mark of a killer. Now, Alessa is left to quickly find a Fonte that can withstand her touch before the end of days (Diverando).