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shmadsie's review against another edition
5.0
Freaking heck, I love this a lot. Alessa and Dante's banter was so fun and clever and their chemistry was aces! Ugh, all of this just felt so earned, I think that's what I loved about it the most. That she had to work to make her Fontes her friends, and how seamlessly they then became her family. I really liked the plot and I especially adored the way it believed in people, even when they disappointed you, they still could choose to be better - and often did. This was just really heartwarming and engaging and fun! I cannot wait for the next book!
Also, Kaleb is everything. No one deserves him and he knows it and shows up anyway, and I love him to bits for it.
Also, Kaleb is everything. No one deserves him and he knows it and shows up anyway, and I love him to bits for it.
a_chickletz's review against another edition
3.0
I'd like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this one. They reached out to me to see if I was interested and with that type of summary, gotta say I was.
I will tell you - this book will split a lot of people in the camp of good and excellent. For a while, I was almost gonna give this 5 stars. Then midway, it started to waver to 4, and then by the end of the book ... it became a three star read.
This book is NOT a bad book for being someone's first. It's actually pretty solid. I felt the descriptions and prose very strong in conjuring images of what I was reading on the page. For being an Italy inspired book, it was quite lovely. I could picture the locations, dresses and foods.
The other reason I rate this so highly is that the main character and her bodyguard have true chemistry. However, as much as I like them together... I felt that I could read more of their slow trust to friendship. Sure, I love them together, but in some books when the lead hooks up with the main characters they kind of loose the umph. I think this book could have used another book (or three) building this. ...
... which then brings me to the crux and what a lot of other reviews touched upon. The villain? The evil that is threatening to come at them? Non-existent. Much talked about and becomes a threat at the very end. So. Lets see if I can get an image here: Long ago, a goddess cursed the islands that people with power must use a single person as a conductor for their powers. Together they will fight and slay the big bad... for them to retire, and a new person to be chosen and the same thing to happen. Kind of like Buffy (in every generation there is a slayer). Our main character is the new conductor and she seems to be draining people she pairs with and has killed three of them. You see, it was not very well developed about why she kept killing them and if she was drawing too much power. I think she was but it was not really conveyed for the writing and the readers sake.
So, there are people who religiously believe that she is not the savior and is trying to turn the people against her. So she has to try to have people believe she is the chosen one - because we know she is and also protect her life. So she finds this amazing fighter (who has a scene a lot like X-Men's Wolverine in the first film). He kicks the crap out of the guy he is paid to fight and she decides to hire him as her bodyguard. He doesn't want to do it, and he begrudgingly does so. Cue some really good tension and learning to get along with one another. Probably the best I've read in a book in a long time.
I feel that this book, with stronger world building, could not have to be a YA book. It could be a normal fantasy book. However, we have to have a group of people that are attempting to be her other half (because we have that bit to touch on) and they are both male and female. They seem to have mannerisms and tone that would fit in a modern day story (or in SJM COTR series). It bothered me because soon enough the main character and the bodyguard character started acting that way too.
Back to the evil. So this evil that reoccurs every so many years comes in a swarm of locusts. These locusts are huge. They are sent by this by Callos. We never see Callos, have any baddies come. ... But we are treated to a battle that is so... lame and void of any real fighting or intensity that you would think they are just bored being there. It was probably the most unfulfilling fighting scene I've seen since Bilbo hitting his head on a rock and napping through the battle of the Five Armies.
Oh. Like I kind of touched upon, there are other islands. But we hear nothing from them, and we feel like they don't matter in the huge scheme of things. We know nothing else about them other than them also having their own powerful duo.
So... you see why it is such a mixed bag for me. Poor development of an evil that isn't really present. Characters that don't live in cars or other modern utilities, but they have kitchenettes and talk modern-y and act too current for a world that is supposed to invoke periodesque Italy.
It's getting a sequel. I don't know if I will stick around for book two, but I will keep an eye on it.
I will tell you - this book will split a lot of people in the camp of good and excellent. For a while, I was almost gonna give this 5 stars. Then midway, it started to waver to 4, and then by the end of the book ... it became a three star read.
This book is NOT a bad book for being someone's first. It's actually pretty solid. I felt the descriptions and prose very strong in conjuring images of what I was reading on the page. For being an Italy inspired book, it was quite lovely. I could picture the locations, dresses and foods.
The other reason I rate this so highly is that the main character and her bodyguard have true chemistry. However, as much as I like them together... I felt that I could read more of their slow trust to friendship. Sure, I love them together, but in some books when the lead hooks up with the main characters they kind of loose the umph. I think this book could have used another book (or three) building this. ...
... which then brings me to the crux and what a lot of other reviews touched upon. The villain? The evil that is threatening to come at them? Non-existent. Much talked about and becomes a threat at the very end. So. Lets see if I can get an image here: Long ago, a goddess cursed the islands that people with power must use a single person as a conductor for their powers. Together they will fight and slay the big bad... for them to retire, and a new person to be chosen and the same thing to happen. Kind of like Buffy (in every generation there is a slayer). Our main character is the new conductor and she seems to be draining people she pairs with and has killed three of them. You see, it was not very well developed about why she kept killing them and if she was drawing too much power. I think she was but it was not really conveyed for the writing and the readers sake.
So, there are people who religiously believe that she is not the savior and is trying to turn the people against her. So she has to try to have people believe she is the chosen one - because we know she is and also protect her life. So she finds this amazing fighter (who has a scene a lot like X-Men's Wolverine in the first film). He kicks the crap out of the guy he is paid to fight and she decides to hire him as her bodyguard. He doesn't want to do it, and he begrudgingly does so. Cue some really good tension and learning to get along with one another. Probably the best I've read in a book in a long time.
I feel that this book, with stronger world building, could not have to be a YA book. It could be a normal fantasy book. However, we have to have a group of people that are attempting to be her other half (because we have that bit to touch on) and they are both male and female. They seem to have mannerisms and tone that would fit in a modern day story (or in SJM COTR series). It bothered me because soon enough the main character and the bodyguard character started acting that way too.
Back to the evil. So this evil that reoccurs every so many years comes in a swarm of locusts. These locusts are huge. They are sent by this by Callos. We never see Callos, have any baddies come. ... But we are treated to a battle that is so... lame and void of any real fighting or intensity that you would think they are just bored being there. It was probably the most unfulfilling fighting scene I've seen since Bilbo hitting his head on a rock and napping through the battle of the Five Armies.
Oh. Like I kind of touched upon, there are other islands. But we hear nothing from them, and we feel like they don't matter in the huge scheme of things. We know nothing else about them other than them also having their own powerful duo.
So... you see why it is such a mixed bag for me. Poor development of an evil that isn't really present. Characters that don't live in cars or other modern utilities, but they have kitchenettes and talk modern-y and act too current for a world that is supposed to invoke periodesque Italy.
It's getting a sequel. I don't know if I will stick around for book two, but I will keep an eye on it.
mskirsten23's review against another edition
4.0
Very creative magic system and love the Italian references. Looking forward to reading the next in the series
sadallthetime's review against another edition
5.0
~potential spoilers~
I don’t think I’ve been so invested in a book in some time.
The stakes? High
The romance? Believable
The story? Unique
The characters? Endearing
Nothing brought me to almost tears then the scene where Dante offered the Hug to Alessa. I felt Alessa’s loneliness like my own and could relate to her in that sense. The persisting feeling of loneliness? Of feeling never good enough? Of needing human contact but also afraid of it? That was some good shit, good and well-written.
Book 2 is needed like now
Plot Execution: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5 with a map too????❤️
Romance: 5/5
Spice Level: .5
Diversity: 4/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t think I’ve been so invested in a book in some time.
The stakes? High
The romance? Believable
The story? Unique
The characters? Endearing
Nothing brought me to almost tears then the scene where Dante offered the Hug to Alessa. I felt Alessa’s loneliness like my own and could relate to her in that sense. The persisting feeling of loneliness? Of feeling never good enough? Of needing human contact but also afraid of it? That was some good shit, good and well-written.
Book 2 is needed like now
Plot Execution: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5 with a map too????❤️
Romance: 5/5
Spice Level: .5
Diversity: 4/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
caroreads97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
adela_ct's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
crichards9's review against another edition
5.0
Took a second…
The story at the beginning felt rough, like I couldn’t connect. It was a slow read and I wasn’t able to fully dive into all the details the author was setting up. But by the end I was hooked. I love how everything came to fruition and am sincerely looking forward to the next book.
The story at the beginning felt rough, like I couldn’t connect. It was a slow read and I wasn’t able to fully dive into all the details the author was setting up. But by the end I was hooked. I love how everything came to fruition and am sincerely looking forward to the next book.
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
Magnifying a partner’s power to save your people may be a significant ask, but it seems simple enough on the surface; however, in This Vicious Grace by Emily Theide, keeping the partner alive long enough to battle the impending threats is an ongoing struggle.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
With three weddings and funerals following in quick succession, Alessa’s gift of magnifying her partner’s power seems unable to be used without causing death. As a threat of demonic beetles devouring everything in their path looms ever closer, Alessa, the god-chosen Finestra, has a few weeks to find a new partner from a small group of unwilling Fontes for the upcoming battle to save her people while simultaneously facing assassination attempts as a priest has convinced the people that killing Alessa is key to their salvation. To protect herself, Alessa hires a marked killer, Dante, to serve as her personal bodyguard until she secures a new partner. Dante has secrets of his own to keep and agrees to help Alessa as doing so could prove helpful in furthering his own agenda, so long as it doesn’t become the cause for a deadly rebellion first, either from his secret becoming public or from Alessa finally deciding to defy long-held traditions.
A curious and detailed world is presented and developed within this story that fosters thought about connections with others, particularly in conjunction with mandates that dictate, often in a restrictive manner in accordance with religious interpretations, “acceptable” behaviors. The narrative throws the reader into a detailed world where you learn on the go, though there’s not enough explanation of the powers and their manifestation within the Fontes, and it took a while to get acclimated as the story slowly ramped up to a point where the impending action and doom was present instead of a whispering shadow, after which the action took off, racing to the edge of a cliff, where the next installment is needed after the sudden introduction of a new opportunity, and threat, within the last few pages. The dynamic between characters were well-portrayed and captivating, if a bit too reliant on tropes (especially when it came to the romance aspect), and the exchanges between Alessa and Dante were entertaining to behold as they maintained witty banter that often lightened the rather dark, and seemingly impossible, situation they found themselves in.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
With three weddings and funerals following in quick succession, Alessa’s gift of magnifying her partner’s power seems unable to be used without causing death. As a threat of demonic beetles devouring everything in their path looms ever closer, Alessa, the god-chosen Finestra, has a few weeks to find a new partner from a small group of unwilling Fontes for the upcoming battle to save her people while simultaneously facing assassination attempts as a priest has convinced the people that killing Alessa is key to their salvation. To protect herself, Alessa hires a marked killer, Dante, to serve as her personal bodyguard until she secures a new partner. Dante has secrets of his own to keep and agrees to help Alessa as doing so could prove helpful in furthering his own agenda, so long as it doesn’t become the cause for a deadly rebellion first, either from his secret becoming public or from Alessa finally deciding to defy long-held traditions.
A curious and detailed world is presented and developed within this story that fosters thought about connections with others, particularly in conjunction with mandates that dictate, often in a restrictive manner in accordance with religious interpretations, “acceptable” behaviors. The narrative throws the reader into a detailed world where you learn on the go, though there’s not enough explanation of the powers and their manifestation within the Fontes, and it took a while to get acclimated as the story slowly ramped up to a point where the impending action and doom was present instead of a whispering shadow, after which the action took off, racing to the edge of a cliff, where the next installment is needed after the sudden introduction of a new opportunity, and threat, within the last few pages. The dynamic between characters were well-portrayed and captivating, if a bit too reliant on tropes (especially when it came to the romance aspect), and the exchanges between Alessa and Dante were entertaining to behold as they maintained witty banter that often lightened the rather dark, and seemingly impossible, situation they found themselves in.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
alessa_c's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0