This Vicious Grace

Serpent & Dove meets The Bodyguard in this romantic, thrilling debut fantasy where one girl's magic can save—or it can kill.

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, is the first in the Last Finestra duology and will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!

Awards and Praise for This Vicious Grace:
A Summer 2022 Kids’ Indie Next Pick
Oprah Daily “Top 25 Fantasy Books of 2022”
Seventeen “Best YA Books of 2022”
Paste Magazine “The Best YA Books of 2022”
Buzzfeed “25 Book Recommendations for The Holiday Season”
Epic Reads “The 21 Most Anticipated YA Books to Read in June”
Frolic “Our Top 10 YA Reads for June”
Goodreads “The 68 Most Anticipated YA Novels of 2022” and “The Can’t-Hardly-Wait Young Adult Books of June”
Gizmodo “58 New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books for Your Summer Reading Pleasure”
Nerd Daily ” Upcoming YA Book Releases to Add to Your TBR” and “24 Debut Releases To Get Your Hands On In 2022”
PopSugar “Books by Women Writers Are Absolute Must Reads in 2022”
Nerdist “13 Brilliant Books to Bring You Joy This June”
United by Pop “Exciting New YA Reads For June 2022”
YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults List 2023
A SIBA 2023 Southern Book Prize Finalist
Young Adult Virginia Author (YAVA) 2024 Award Nominee

“Riveting, passionate, and full of high stakes danger.” —Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Remixing all the best parts of a dark fantasy and a romantic comedy, This Vicious Grace is a wonderfully fun time from start to finish, with lush, complex worldbuilding, intensely relatable characters, and relationships that are easy to root for.” —Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

“From the lush setting to dire stakes and whip-smart banter, This Vicious Grace is romantic, suspenseful, and utterly unforgettable.” —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series

“A richly imagined world featuring a slow burn, sizzling romance and a conflict that crackles with magic.” —Elle Cosimano, award-winning author of Seasons of the Storm

“Filled with witty banter, unlikely friendships, a swoon-worthy romance, and high stakes tension. Sure to be a favorite for fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bargudo, and Kerri Maniscalco.” —Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

“The perfect blend of humor and heart, This Vicious Grace is a high-stakes romp that brims with deadly magic, sparkling chemistry, and the deep yearning for connection in an alienating world. Prepare to fall head-over-heels with Alessa and Dante!” —Allison Saft, author of Down Comes the Night

Rights details

Sold in 13 foreign territories and counting!

• Young Adult