Emily Thiede

Serpent & Dove meets The Bodyguard in this romantic, thrilling debut fantasy where one girl's magic can save - or it can kill.
Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!

This Vicious Grace

"Riveting, passionate, and full of high stakes danger." - Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches. Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her. Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all? Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more! "Remixing all the best parts of a dark fantasy and a romantic comedy, This Vicious Grace is a wonderfully fun time from start to finish, with lush, complex worldbuilding, intensely relatable characters, and relationships that are easy to root for." - Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For The Wolf

Minnie Mazuera

"Crashing a social event uninvited is worse than a battle to the death."

."Keep your gods and goddesses on their pedestals if you want, but the rituals, the rules, the isolation? You know that isn't really from them, right? Thať's written by mortals. Men, mostly. We have a bad habit of locking up people who scare us, and the thing that scares men with power most is a woman with more of it"

I really wanted to like this book in all honesty hearing about this from Booktubers reading this, but I think I realised this book wasn't gonna cut it for me when I literally skipped 2 whole paragraphs multiple times across chapters because I wasn't interested whatsoever with what was written about. Ngl the Italian terms, phrases, and quotes thrown in is a nice touch to tie into the overall theme about being a Finestra but I kept getting distracted/confused by them more than appreciating it (and I actually still don't know what a Finestra is...). 

(view spoiler)[I'm sorry the "I kill everything I touch" troupe really didn't make sense to me and I kept bouncing back between how Alessa's power is supposed to stop the "evil demons", which so far 10% into the book I absolutely could not imagine what shape or form it took. Could be trolls or ghosts descending from boats that's afraid of lemons for all I know.

But also, the brother seems to be able to have some sort of physical contact-ish with her? Or did I read that wrong lol. Her family seems to just cut ties with her??? As one does I suppose when your daughter is a Goddess. Alessa kinda sounds like a miserable 20 year old stuck with responsibilities she never wanted in the first place from her powers but then remembers she would be able to save everyone on the island if she found her partner/Fonte. 

Then this part is where my mind goes huh??? - Alessa and her chosen Fonte would both be the saviours of the island and instead of Alessa alone but it feels like Alessa solely has all the burden of messing up and killing everyone on the island. I felt like I somehow missed that connection to the rest of the story (even with the funeral scene opening the book). This makes me think that Alessa's island is basically just one big networking club with eligible bachelors that she's playing real life Hinge with, except in this case, they'll die if they're not the one, oops. And if you are the one, you might die in battle? That's some win.. I only got a glimpse of the "burrow wall" banter or romance part between Dante and Alessa but didn't particularly find it riveting. (hide spoiler)]

Granted, I am still early days into the book sample. That clearly explains me placing this on DNF and giving it 2 stars. So it's kind of fair that I don't feel much attachment to the characters but the storyline just didn't flow that well to me. I requested an interlibrary loan for this but cancelled it as I'm not wanting to continue reading this, even if I'll miss out on the raving banter and chemistry between Alessa and Dante. sigh

> Placing on DNF @ early/mid(?) Ch 6

P.S. I nearly bought the Fairyloot edition of this book after reading the first page and seeing how pretty it looked >.<

I fell in love with this book and could not put it down. I was so invested in the romance and the relationships between characters. Im so upset that the second book isn't out already

Kira Del Caro

Camille Carso

The romance in this book was just beautiful. The world building was great too. I think at some points it was clear that this is the authors first fantasy book but I’m a sucker for anything based in Italian culture.

This was so good!! A bit slow at first, but the world-building was really rich and the plot had me invested! There was also a lot of diversity that felt naturally added in, it was very natural. I loved the found family (it was a nice surprise--I wasn't expecting it at all) and all of the characters were complex and added more to the plot. I could gush about this book for hours and will eagerly be awaiting the next one!

Holly

✨ there were some moments of just LOVELY writing — some lines just sang with poetry, & we all know I’m a sucker for poetry 😍

✨ a really sweet, genuine bodyguard romance  — excellent banter, sweetness, & lots of “I want to be with you but OH NO THE RULES” tension 😍

— the plot was hole-y & VERY predictable. I mean, sure, I’m suffering from The Bloodmarked Effect™️, but STILL. So many 

 plot points coming together for a most very obvious conclusion 

— this world-building was…wobbly. I have a lot of questions. 

Sharanya Sharma

✨ there were some moments of just LOVELY writing — some lines just sang with poetry, & we all know I’m a sucker for poetry 😍

✨ a really sweet, genuine bodyguard romance  — excellent banter, sweetness, & lots of “I want to be with you but OH NO THE RULES” tension 😍

— the plot was hole-y & VERY predictable. I mean, sure, I’m suffering from The Bloodmarked Effect™️, but STILL. So many obvious plot points coming together for a most very obvious conclusion 

— this world-building was…wobbly. I have a lot of questions. 

Christine Bruce

My only complaint is HOW is this a YA novel? Outside of the theme of finding yourself, there’s not a single aspect that should be considered YA. the vast majority of the characters are legitimate adults.

Alessa has been married three times, and buried each husband. The marriage a symbolic union to amplify her magical abilities- a power that will save her people from the demons that threaten it. Now she’s seen as a curse, a threat to her people. Now she feels alone and wonders if they’re right, but then she meets Dante to be her body guard against the assassination attempts. Together they help her rediscover how to embrace others. And herself. 

I. Absolutely. Adored. This book. I loved the subtle world building. I loved the symbolism. I especially loved the Italian on the audiobook. The Italian influence as a whole was great to see. 

I loved Emily Thiede’s ability to weave the heartbreaking desperation, the desperate want, and the earth shattering loneliness the characters felt. Real “when game of thrones was good” vibes the entire time. 

Knowing it’s only the first in (at least) a Duology was both the best news and the worst. Because now I have to wait. 

💭 
9/10
First in a series
Italian 🔥 
GoT vibes 
Minor implied Catholic symbolism 
Steamy romance

Special thanks to netgalley and Wednesday books for letting me read this ARC for an honest review.

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

Rating: 4.5 stars

Thank you, Bookish Odin, for sending a worthy YA fantasy book my way! It’s no secret that lately I’ve become very selective of YA fantasy. So many of the books in the market are a lot of the same, trying to be too many things and failing to be the one thing they should be: easy, fun worlds to lose oneself in. THIS VICIOUS GRACE, on the other hand, understood the assignment!

While the beginning chapters were a bit slower to get into due to the dreaded world-building, once the story picks up, it does so like fine wine! Alessa and Dante were both incredible characters, full of layers and utterly believable. Do you love the grumpy/sunshine trope? You’ll love them. Do you love a tortuous slow burn? You’ll love them. Do you love banter and angst? YOU WILL LOVE THEM. It’s been eons since a YA couple was able to make me feel so many feels, but with Alessa and Dante it was inevitable. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship from strangers to friendship to more. Both of them have a lot bottled up, but their forced proximity pushes them out of their comfort zones and turns them into the best versions of themselves. Definitely a new favorite OTP!

Apart from Alessa and Dante, which were clearly the highlight of the book for me, I also really appreciated the secondary characters, who—despite having less page time than the protagonists—still managed to be well rounded, interesting and full of surprises! There are characters I loved in the beginning that I ended up hating in the end, and characters I felt snobbish about that completely stole my heart. This author truly knows how to write amazing characters!

Other thing worth mentioning was the setting. When I heard This Vicious Grace would have an Italian-inspired setting, I was as curious as I was cautious. I’ve been burned before with incorrect representation of my language and culture in fantasy books, and that’s one thing that can really make or break a book for me. However, once again the author did a fantastic job! Despite this being a fantasy world, if you know Sorrento and the like, you’ll be able to breathe the island life and the smell of limoncello permeating the air straight from the pages. I did have a moment of fear for the language use, but the author found such a clever justification for the use of “incorrect” words, and let’s just say my grammar police self fell in love even more with Dante for being the paladin of correct Italian across fantasy realms.

So why not full five stars? I’ve decided to lower my rating the slightest bit because of the slower start and for some minor things in the ending, which I found to be a little rushed for the sake of wrapping up the book. Regardless of this, this debut is more solid than any I’ve read in a while, and I’m waiting with bated breath for the sequel!

Livia

one day, we can have the talk of how that ending was the stupidest thing ever, and that despite the good build-up, some things still make me gape at how stupid it is, but the day is not today! the side characters save the book tbh

Katie Kuegler

“It bothered me, at first. That you were a complete stranger but smelled like home.”

This book was such a fun read! I loved the characters and story. It definitely has the feel of a YA book with the pacing and dialogue, but I loved it nonetheless. The romance was for sure the best part of this book. I am hopeful to see what the sequel brings.

Rae LeGrand

DNF @ 150. Phenomenal concept, cliche execution.

jenn kause

Read this book in ONE DAY!! 
Plot: 5 stars
Characters: 5 stars
Romance: 4 stars
Dying for a sequel? Absolutely 

This book was so good! Probably my favorite 5 star book so far!
Only thing I will say is this book is marketed for YA but I’m not sure the spice level matches? It’s not explicit but it’s certainly not conservative either (which I’m not complaining about) but it’s an interesting label

Alessa's touch kills. The magical weight of her power pulls too much out of her partners, and as the Finestra and protector of her island, she can't keep up the trial-and-error of finding a strong Fonte. But with enemies surrounding her on all sides, she might find strength in the unlikeliest places.

There is truly nothing more in this life that makes me happier than a beautiful, Italian-esque setting. And it was an unexpected relief to find a fantasy novel that didn't utilize an entire continent or gothic castle as its background. I felt like I could step onto the beach, enjoy a lovely limoncello, and soak in the Mediterranean sun.

I appreciated Alessa's character development from a shy doormat to a confident leader, but the flow of her behavior wasn't always accurate. Sometimes it felt as though she was suddenly daring without actually building her self-confidence. But of course, I loved Dante, because who doesn't love a stoic man with a heart of gold?

So overall, I found myself reading this novel quickly and I'm interested to see how Thiede takes this plot off the island. The world-building isn't overwhelming and the romance is sweet, so read this if you need a not-so-intense fantasy option.

Camryn Lang

Alessa's touch kills. The magical weight of her power pulls too much out of her partners, and as the Finestra and protector of her island, she can't keep up the trial-and-error of finding a strong Fonte. But with enemies surrounding her on all sides, she might find strength in the unlikeliest places.

There is truly nothing more in this life that makes me happier than a beautiful, Italian-esque setting. And it was an unexpected relief to find a fantasy novel that didn't utilize an entire continent or gothic castle as its background. I felt like I could step onto the beach, enjoy a lovely limoncello, and soak in the Mediterranean sun.

I appreciated Alessa's character development from a shy doormat to a confident leader, but the flow of her behavior wasn't always accurate. Sometimes it felt as though she was suddenly daring without actually building her self-confidence. But of course, I loved Dante, because who doesn't love a stoic man with a heart of gold?

So overall, I found myself reading this novel quickly and I'm interested to see how Thiede takes this plot off the island. The world-building isn't overwhelming and the romance is sweet, so read this if you need a not-so-intense fantasy option.

<i>“You are the hero, I’m just asking a girl to hold my hand”. </i> 

This is a lovely debut! I was pleasantly surprised that this was a more character driven YA fantasy, rather than an “dagger to the throat” high intensity book. Alessa’s growth in this was really nice to read and I loved the low key found family trope that was incorporated too. The slow burn romance is soft and sweet and I enjoyed the magic system as well. This book is definitely for fans of a more casual YA fantasy, perfect if you want a little escapism but not all the added anxiety and dread that comes with some fantasy reads. 

I’m intrigued to see where the story goes! 

Kathryn

<i>“You are the hero, I’m just asking a girl to hold my hand”. </i> 

This is a lovely debut! I was pleasantly surprised that this was a more character driven YA fantasy, rather than an “dagger to the throat” high intensity book. Alessa’s growth in this was really nice to read and I loved the low key found family trope that was incorporated too. The slow burn romance is soft and sweet and I enjoyed the magic system as well. This book is definitely for fans of a more casual YA fantasy, perfect if you want a little escapism but not all the added anxiety and dread that comes with some fantasy reads. 

I’m intrigued to see where the story goes! 

4/5 ⭐️

I thought this was fun. I loved the Italian influences and thought Thiede's writing was descriptive and lush. The characters and setting also worked well together. I thought Alessa was interesting to follow. I liked how she had these unique powers, and it was cool watching her try to get a handle on them with the help of Dante. Their dynamic was my favorite thing about this. I didn't realize how much I love a bodyguard trope until I read this. They started a little at odds with one another but quickly developed a friendship that turned into a sweet romance. Admittedly, I was more invested in their relationship than the rest of the plot, but that was only because I never got a firm grasp on why they were gearing up to fight this war. Maybe the world-building/lore just went over my head, but it didn't feel super fleshed out to me, so I didn't feel like I understood the reasoning behind it. There were also a few times when the pacing fell off, and the tone felt a little too-YA, but overall, it was an enjoyable time, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Heather Harrington

This Vicious Grace  is going to be my new favourite duology, and I will be needing all the copies so they can sit pretty next to legends like The Queens Rising, Strange the Dreamer, We Hunt the Flame, Six of Crows, The Never Tilting World, These Rebel Waves, and more favourite trilogies than I should mention in a single review! 

Marketed as Serpent and Dove meets the Bodyguard, I can confirm this is the fantasy bodyguard story we all need in our lives and I would die for Dante and Alessa - indeed for almost every Fonte and Finestra in this captivating story! 

This Vicious Grace is a nice easy read, with beautifully simple but thorough, lifts from the page, world building, which brings to life a fantasy Italian like world with a well developed magic system, history, faith, and folklore to make you feel like you are walking the Cittadella with Alessa as she tries desperately to not kill another Fonte while having the fate of every man, woman, and child rest in her hands. Hands that can kill with a touch.

Alessa is lonely, but feared by most. Having had to give up every part of her old life, including her family and her name, she has no one to turn to when those meant to protect her, try to kill her. Though hired to do a job, Dante is unafraid of her, and offers just a little of what she so desperately needs. A friend.

Dante has his own damage, his own losses and guilt, and his own special brand of charm, which you can't help but love.

I honestly adored this book and I can't wait for the conclusion so it's getting 5 stars from me. 

And for those of you who've not seen it, heres the blurb: 

"Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?"

Narah Quinn

I'm calling it. 

This Vicious Grace  is going to be my new favourite duology, and I will be needing all the copies so they can sit pretty next to legends like The Queens Rising, Strange the Dreamer, We Hunt the Flame, Six of Crows, The Never Tilting World, These Rebel Waves, and more favourite trilogies than I should mention in a single review! 

Marketed as Serpent and Dove meets the Bodyguard, I can confirm this is the fantasy bodyguard story we all need in our lives and I would die for Dante and Alessa - indeed for almost every Fonte and Finestra in this captivating story! 

This Vicious Grace is a nice easy read, with beautifully simple but thorough, lifts from the page, world building, which brings to life a fantasy Italian like world with a well developed magic system, history, faith, and folklore to make you feel like you are walking the Cittadella with Alessa as she tries desperately to not kill another Fonte while having the fate of every man, woman, and child rest in her hands. Hands that can kill with a touch.

Alessa is lonely, but feared by most. Having had to give up every part of her old life, including her family and her name, she has no one to turn to when those meant to protect her, try to kill her. Though hired to do a job, Dante is unafraid of her, and offers just a little of what she so desperately needs. A friend.

Dante has his own damage, his own losses and guilt, and his own special brand of charm, which you can't help but love.

I honestly adored this book and I can't wait for the conclusion so it's getting 5 stars from me. 

And for those of you who've not seen it, heres the blurb: 

"Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?"

Liz Griffin

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC and eARC of THIS VICIOUS GRACE, coming June 28 from Wednesday Books!

Alessa is a “reluctant chosen one” grappling with the worry that she’ll fail to save her people from the impending apocalypse, where she and a partner must battle a horde of demons! The problem: she can’t keep her partners alive, thanks to the lethal touch of her gift. When her own mentors can’t be trusted, Alessa heads to the city’s underbelly and hires a bodyguard, Dante. He is somehow the perfect combination of traits from Kaz and Matthias, if that makes any sense.

The banter between Alessa and Dante had me giggling so many times. I’ve highlighted so many quotes, some funny, some deeply resonating. This book grapples with loneliness in a way that hits close to home.

There is one steamy scene, but no explicit language is used.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: This Vicious Grace

Author: Emily Thiede

Book Series: The Last Finestra Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Male and female partner fontes, one lesbian character, but for the most part the book isn’t very forthcoming with labels on the characters. The book also focuses on platonic friendships via the fonte plotline.

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance

Publication Date: June 28, 2022

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Recommended Age: 17+ (death, gore, violence, religion, grief, parental abandonment, alcohol consumption, language, sexual content, romance)

Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of violence, gore, and death in the book and a lot of discussion about grief and parental abandonment through either their own choice or through death. There is a lot of religion in this book as it’s the backbone of the book, but the religion is fairly made up. However there is prayer and reverence to holy things and people in the book. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book by teenage characters. There is some cursing in the book, but it’s slight. There is some sexual content, including consensual groping and one sex scene. There is also romance in the book and the romance is enemies to lovers.

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 448

Synopsis: Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!

Review: I am blown away with how much I loved this book. The Italian inspired doomsday book is wonderfully well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is well plotted and I absolutely loved how a lot of the book focused on plantonic relationships and, while there was a romance in the end, the book also held true to being unique in not making the relationship the focal point by the end but the partnership that was created by many friends and showing a platonic relationship. The book also showed the possibility of male and female partner fontes and at least one lesbian character. The book did well to be unique and it had really well done character development and world building.

The only things that I really didn’t like are that I think the book would have been better as a standalone, but I am excited to read the sequel, and I didn’t like how the book didn’t have clearly defined labels for the characters.

Verdict: I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it!


This Vicious Grace

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