This Vicious Grace / Emily Thiede / Book Review

Three weddings, three funerals: a demon swarm is on its way, and only Alessa, goddess-chosen, can save her island. But her own magic isn't enough. She can only amplify the magic of another--the magic of her chosen spouse, who will stand at her side in battle. But Alessa has a problem (aside from the approaching demons): her spouses keep dying. Alessa can't keep her spouses alive long enough to train them, let along stand beside them on the battlefield. Worse, a local cult has declared her a deceiver, cursed instead of blessed, and is calling for her blood. 

As the next round of suitors moves into the Citadella, Alessa hires a bodyguard to keep her safe until she's wed--a streetfighter named Dante. With only weeks until the demon swarm arrives to devour them all, Alessa needs to keep her eyes on her suitors, but she can't keep her eyes off Dante . And Dante has a secret or two of his own--which just might upset everything.

Thoughts

I liked the idea behind this book. I didn't like the execution. The worldbuilding, the overarching fantasy plot, the romance just didn't mesh well together. This book wanted to do and be too many things, and because it cast its net too wide, it wasn't overly successful at anything. 

Pros

• Balanced Stakes: The one thing that this book does get right is the balance between stakes. There are some grand, sweeping sort of end-of-the-world stakes that obviously have to play an important part in this plot. But these grand fantasy stakes don't entirely overshadow the more intimate interpersonal stakes that Alessa faces. She wants friends, companionship, and love, and these things are in danger just as the world is in danger. These stakes play hand-in-hand, not overwhelming or supplanting each other. 

• Fontes: I liked Alessa's Fontes. They add a great ensemble-cast element to this book. I wish they had been included more (and not overshadowed by her more intimate romance plot). I didn't love the Fontes entirely. They're not fully developed, and their coming-around at the end of this book (which is less of a spoiler and more of an inevitability) felt rushed. I did, however, love their inclusion and the unique flair they added to this fantasy romance. 

• Selfless MC: I'm so used to main characters fighting for their lives even when they know that isn't the best or more righteous thing to do that it was pleasantly refreshing to read Alessa's perspective. She knows she might not live through this. In fact, she knows her life might come at the cost of hundreds or thousands of others, and she is willing to accept that she might die. She is so willing, in fact, that she's willing to sacrifice herself (by her own hand) if it comes to that. That's a different type of resolution and conviction than YA fantasy MCs usually do. There's a level of maturity there that I appreciate. Alessa stands out. 

Cons

• Descriptive Imbalance: There was far too much description in the worldbuilding early on. It was hard to get into the narrative itself. Later, this flips. The plot supplants the description, the setting, the intricate world set up in the first chapters. The flowery language at the beginning sets up certain expectations for the kind of fantasy to follow, and that fantasy doesn't prove to be the one Emily Thiede wrote. 

• Sexual Innuendo: It was too much. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: YA is meant to be a safe-space for romance readers. That doesn't mean YA romances are sex-less (though a lot of them are). It just means there are certain expectations when it comes to on-the-page content, including innuendos. This book had far too much build-up to its sex scene, and the innuendos before and after were cringe-worthy. Whenever you have certain appendages being compared to a baguette, well... It's not a safe-space. It's an uncomfortable, awkward, and potentially gross space. This might fit the overall book market, but it wasn't age-appropriate for YA. 

• Convenient: The biggest problem I had with this plot? It was all just too convenient. Alessa meeting Dante (and then finding him later when she decides to employ him) just happened too easily. Convincing Dante to work for her was a snap. Convincing the Fontes to go along with her plans on numerous occasions felt too simple. There wasn't enough pushback. The pieces fall into place seamlessly, which left me wondering, How? How could it happen like this? Where's the struggle? Where's the fight? A convenient plot isn't fun to read. It's boring. 

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐

4/10

Those looking for another forbidden romance after Shelby Mahurin's Serpent and Dove will enjoy this new bodyguard romance. Those who enjoyed Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me will enjoy this untouchable protagonist. 

Details

Publisher: Wednesday Books
Date: June 28, 2022
Series: The Last Finestra

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Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.