This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra, #1)

by Emily Thiede

Three weddings.

Three funerals.

Her divine "gift" is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill everyone she touches.

With only weeks before she has to protect her island home from an apocalyptic invasion, Alessa is running out of time—and suitors. And when a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is their only hope, her own soldiers turn against her. With mutiny growing inside the Citadel and rebellion erupting beyond the walls, Alessa coaxes a cynical outcast marked as a killer to become her personal bodyguard as she tries one last time to find a compatible partner.

But Dante has dark secrets of his own.

He might be the one person who can help her master her gift... or destroy her once and for all.

Set on an island inspired by Italy's colorful, lemon-soaked Amalfi coast, The Last Finestra is a high-stakes Young Adult fantasy full of intrigue, excitement, humor, and romance.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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This Vicious Grace is the first novel in Emily Thiede's The Last Finestra series. If you love fantasy with a bit of romance and high stakes, this is worth checking out.

Alessa was given a gift from the gods – her powers were always meant to magnify the magic of her partner. Yet, here Alessa sits, having participated in three weddings and attended three funerals. Alessa has no choice but to continue looking for a new partner, as her people are at significant risk.

However, it doesn't take much for a corrupted priest to convince the people that Alessa is the source of the threat and that killing her will save them all. What happens next could be described as fate if you were so inclined.

I originally picked up This Vicious Grace because it had some serious Rogue (from Marvel) vibes, and I adore her. The concept of a magic-user having a deadly touch is admittedly not new, but it can be SO GOOD when done right. Yes, my friends. It is done right here, though there are several more twists to make this particular story quite complicated. It's a blast to read, to put it mildly.

A lot goes into setting the scene here, from Alessa's gift (curse?) to the dangers of the world and pretty much everything in between. It felt natural when the romantic interest was introduced, as he fits perfectly into the world.

Honestly, I think I would have enjoyed This Vicious Grace, but the sense of humor and wit it carried throughout the pages made me really love it. I adore it when books have a good sense of humor, especially about themselves.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 8 July, 2022: Finished reading
  • 8 July, 2022: Reviewed