Emily Thiede

I loved This Vicious Grace so much that the sequel was always going to have a hard time measuring up, so I can't say I was surprised when This Cursed Light paled in comparison. Gone is the remarkable sexual tension that animated the first book and the galvanizing force of preparing for the Divorando. As Alessa and Dante turn their attention to saving the world (again), the emotional richness and plot urgency of the first book is diluted by a lack of communication trope and surface-level flirtations for almost every side character.

That said, I still I couldn't help but root for these characters I'd come to love, and while the rest of the sequel may lose its way just a bit, the ending does not disappoint!… (mere)

I loved everything about this one!

The Characters Alessa is a fantastic protagonist, especially for a YA book. She begins the book accepting the scorn of those around her as her due. She sees herself as a failure and is beginning to listen to those that wish her gone. (Spoiler level low, but marked for those that avoid them entirely.) Dante cuts through that. But she doesn't suddenly start valuing herself because a man tells her too, she takes his words and truly thinks about them. Allows him to introduce her to a different point of view, and then makes her own choices to change and grow and thrive. This is a wonderful progression for a book aimed at youth. We follow along as Alessa fights against a system that does not serve her, something that's likely to resonate with many teens.

The Plot This is a largely character driven book, though the plot is also very engaging. We are along for the ride as the countdown to the end of the world ticks by.

The Writing I found the writing to be very good. The banter and dialog was all fantastic. The prose were well crafted and interesting. My only critique is that the supporting characters did not have particularly distinct voices.… (mere)

Great! Like no time lost from the first book! The characters and their banter is still fun, a dating Alessa and Dante still have zest and struggles in their relationship, and the sparks of new romances pop up in the background. In the midst of terrifying nightmares and war, of course.

This book is Dante-centric delving back into his past and going to his old stomping grounds. He has to come to terms with himself. Every insecurity of his strips his bare. Who is he without his powers? Who is he if he can't be a protector/protect Alessa?

Besides some spotlight on Kaleb, we still don’t learn anything substantial about the fonti. Characters like Kamaria stayed as comic relief and Saida we still knew nothing about. Add on all the new characters we get to meet, and you see how the characters' got spread thin.

Still, a fun romp. The filler arc of Dante befriending the others was long-winded, but I think it was a good opportunity to explore his insecurities and past.

The ending was so emotional! A fitting close to this series. I'd categorize this as New Adult too due to some of the sexier scenes.… (mere)

Neither Alessa nor Dante feel very comfortable in their skin following the events in the first book. She's dealing with voices in her head while he's struggling with the loss of his ghiotte power. That would be problem enough, but they soon learn that they have far less time to prepare for another conflict than they thought. This time, the fight will be different (don't want to give anything away) and involves finding the others like Dante. Finding them isn't easy, nor is convincing the ghiotte that the rest of their world needs them. The final conflict has a most interesting twist that makes things that much more satisfying.… (mere)