Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

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:

When I first read the description of This Vicious Grace, by Emily Thiede, I thought,"Oh no, not another Chosen One saga".  But the beauty of this YA Fantasy novel is that there is so much more going on in it.  For one thing, the main character is one of several Chosen Ones.  Alessa may be the chosen savior of her island, but she is starting to think a mistake has been made.  She is desperately lonely, keeps killing the people she gets partnered with, and others are actively trying to assassinate her.  But, even with a lethal touch, she does finds ways to connect with others.

This story had wonderful world-building with a rich society (somewhat modeled after Italian culture), scary monsters, and an impending apocalypse.  There is also a fun, romance that brings two traumatizes characters together.  With themes of friendship and teamwork, this was an exciting beginning to a new YA fantasy series.  

What I liked:

World-Building:

This story is set in a world where the apocalypse happens on a regular basis.  Every five years, demons descend on the world, and it's up to the Finestra and her partner, the Fonte to destroy them.  Each Island has their own Finestra (basically, there are several "chosen " ones at the same time).  Once a Finestra saves her Island, she can retire, and perhaps train another Finestra some time in the future.  It seems pretty simple.  But, there are all kinds of rules and rituals that Alessa must follow in order to become the savior.

I loved all of the rituals, social customs, and class structures that the author created to make this world come to life.  She also created creatures that are the stuff of nightmares to really give the heroine a strong incentive to keep going.  

Characters:

Alessa is a strong, yet vulnerable heroine.  She has been deliberately isolated from her family in order to hone her gifts.  Of course, they also do this to protect everyone, as one touch from the Finestra can kill.  Since she has accidentally killed her three previous Fontes, she is petrified of failing her country.  

But, nevertheless, Alessa persists.  With people losing faith in her (and others trying to kill her), she could easily give up, but she does not.  She knows that, somehow, she needs to find a new way to become the savior she is meant to be.

Dante is similar to Alessa.  He is an outcast who also has the gift of strength. But with many childhood traumas, he doesn't think he is worth much.  Alessa hires him as her bodyguard, and he begins to see that he is more than what others tell him he is.  I found his story full of hope as he has to reconcile his past with his present.  

Alessa and Dante have a wonderful chemistry, and I loved how they helped each other to reach their full potential.

Friendships & Teamwork:

Much like the messages of friendship that are found in Harry Potter, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Vicious Grace stresses the power of connecting with people and nurturing friendships in order to grow stronger.  I can't say too much more without spoilers, but I love that message.  

Trigger Warning for child abuse.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  June 28th, 2022

Author:  Emily Thiede

Publisher:  Wednesday Books

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Page Length:  448 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format: E-Book

Recommendation:  With wonderful world-building and themes of teamwork and friendship, this is a promising start to this series.  If you enjoy fantasy, you will love this book.