Her Gift Can Save... Or It Can Kill

I recently finished reading This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede. This is book #1 in the Last Finestra duology.

~POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT~

  Rating: 4/5 stars

"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?"

Latest in a long line of individuals chosen by the goddess Dea to protect humanity, Alessa is a Finestra, a deity chosen to bond with a partner and magnify their power for the return of great evil. Three partnerships and three funerals later, Alessa’s power has turned deadly, inciting rebellion among the island population and unrest between any remaining Fonte’s that haven't fled.

Alessa is running out of time to protect her island from Divorando, the scheduled return of the hordes of demons sent by the god Crollo to purge the islands of all life. When an attempt is made upon her life, Alessa makes an unconventional move and hires Dante, a street fighter, to be her bodyguard. Hoping to get her gift under control, Alessa is desperate, and as she leans more on Dante, she learns that he alone holds the key to unlocking the secret of her power. With Divorando looming closer, this secret may have the potential to save her gift or it may be what finally drags her down to a deadly fate.

This Vicious Grace is a startling debut that feels suspiciously similar to biting into a ripe lemon, an initially jarring feeling that fades with time, yet continues to linger upon the mind. Having not read all that much into this debut before reading, it's safe to say this one completely took me by surprise. Thiede has created a remarkable combination of fantasy, Italian-inspired worldbuilding, mythology, and an invigorating slow-burn romance. Between the lore guiding the history of the islands and the ever-approaching evil, I inevitably fell under the thrall of this story.

Though there are many aspects of this debut that I enjoyed immensely, what really caught my attention were the characters. Alessa is an interesting protagonist to follow, full of astounding kindness and a struggle for freedom and acceptance. Her determination to find a way out of her current situation and escape her loneliness was really profound. Additionally, Dante, her bodyguard, was another character that really had me invested in this. He’s hilariously grumpy, cynical, and the kind of love interest you can root for at all times. I'm a sucker for the bodyguard trope in general, but the transition of these two characters from unlikely allies to lovers was too good to ignore.

Some of my favorite moments between Alessa and Dante were simply the ones where they were comforting one another or leaning on each other for support. I love romances that feel supportive and characters that uplift one another, which this dynamic accomplished beautifully. Alongside the romance, I found the interplay of religious tension really fascinating.

Thiede creates an intriguing stage for exploring the religious principles of this society, parallel to the weight of impending evil upon the islands. Adding in political tension, found family, and divine prose, Emily Thiede’s debut becomes as utterly thrilling as it is ethereal. This Vicious Grace is a sensational fantasy novel, weaving a vulnerable narrative of isolation, lingering doubt, and the strength in fulfilling an insurmountable role.

Check out This Vicious Grace, and discover what happens when you have the power to save them all, or kill them all.