Kingdom of the Wicked

For a full review please visit https://tinyurl.com/ydj9y3zw.

That ending has me shook, and once I got about halfway in, I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for more, I need to know what is going on here! For fans of Serpent & Dove and From Blood and Ash, this was magical, dark, and a little bit sexy.

KINGDOM OF THE WICKED (Book #1), by Kerri Maniscalco, is a novel that blends the supernatural, fantasy, and thriller genres all into one. Emilia and her family are witches–but here they must hide that fact from the humans they live among. She doesn’t believe in the “signs” her grandmother sees, nor of The Wicked–the seven Princes of Hell–as their days in the family’s restaurant are filled with ordinary activity.

“. . . Every tall tale was rooted in truth.”

Until the night that she finds her twin’s mutilated body . . .

“These demons were worse than nightmares. And now they were here.”

I really enjoyed reading of Emilia’s outlook–how she changes gradually from a naive girl who didn’t believe in the tales she was brought up with, to a strong-willed woman determined to avenge her twin’s slaughter. When a summoning spell accidentally brings one of the seven Princes of Hell to her, she must learn to let go of all she thought she knew, and open her eyes to reality.

“Memories, like hearts, can be stolen.”

In this world, nothing is what it seems, and everyone has secrets of their own.

The plot was a unique journey, and although I guessed one major plot twist early on, it didn’t take away from the novel itself. Here, the characters and how they grow emotionally, was everything.

Overall, the fact that I can’t stop thinking about this book and characters–still–is the highest praise I can give. The author has given us a world of magic and danger, with fantastic characters that I can’t wait to revisit.

“If I can not bend the will of Heaven, I shall move Hell.”

Highly recommended.

A murder mystery, witches and demons, what more could you need? Add in a story about sisters and family lore and I was hooked! I immediately connected Emilia and her sister bond. The world building and character development were captivating and swept me away in the story. I could not get enough of this adventure!

Book 2 towards my goal of 240! 5/5 stars for this YA Fantasy read! Is it possible I read my favorite book of the year on Day 1?! Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Discovery of Witches! Great mystery element as well. I’m a sucker for a good witch book, and this one is fantastic! Great characters! Can’t recommend enough!

This book has trigger warnings: of self harm, grief depiction, murder, death, self harm, gore and violence among others.

This is my first Kerri book and what a ride it was. I don’t normally read magical books other than cozy mysteries. The premise is what drew me in. The storyline was good not great. But that didn’t stop the intrigue. The book starts out in the past and then fast forwards ten years into the future. And centers around Emilia and Vittoria, who at eighteen, had their lives shapes by one fateful night and continues to present day. Both are trying to live normal lives and help their families. But leading a normal life was never going to happen for these two.

This book involves demons, witch hunters and things that go bump in the night, and they all are centered around these two girls. When they girls figure out that their families are no longer safe, desperation comes at a steep price. Emilia finds herself forced together with someone she can’t stand to investigate the murders going on but they’re looking for different clues for different reasons. They find clues all over the place, taking you on a magical journey that will keep you enthralled.

As a person who has experienced a great deal of grief due to my parents passing, I think that Kerri Maniscalco did an amazing job of portraying the different stages of it. But she also gave us, the reader, that there is no wrong or right way to grieve. How someone deals with grief whether they’re alone or surrounded with people is entirely up to that person. The romance department was 50/50 for the most part for me. I think I enjoyed Wrath more than Emilia for the most part because of her actions, which were idiotic and totally sporadic almost the entire book. As far as the mystery goes, something’s were easy to see while there were a few parts that weren’t. But I won’t giveaway spoilers for that device. But it does set up the next installment of the series.

For the most part I really enjoyed the book. I would definitely recommend this for Kerri fans and those who like any magic in their books with some realism thrown in. The writing is great, as is the plot and setting for what the book was written for.

I want to thank Netgalley and the Publisher.

I wanted to love this book so much but… I need to be honest 1 of those stars, I gave just for the cover, cause is beautiful.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I found it didn’t catch my interest as I hoped it would.

We spend a lot of time in Emilia’s mind thinking of what she was going to do instead of doing something. Lots of tell but very very little show. Also other than the food and the demon’s descriptions the world wasn’t described at all. I don’t know what the house looks like, or the market, or the restaurant I just knew there was one.

There was so little description, that I forgot this was supposed to be 17th century based, until the MC said she wasn’t wearing a corset at some point.

The romance was just not there, I understand the author tried to do a enemies to lovers kinda thing but it just didn’t work. For a prince of the underworld Wrath was too docile and there was no chemistry between them.

Would I read the next one… maybe the plot was good enough and i have so many doubts that it might make me pick it up just to see what the end game truly is. But you won’t see me running to a book store to get it that’s for sure.

I hate to give negative reviews, but it is what it is. an unpopular opinion for sure.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I love Kerri Maniscalco’s writing. The storyline of this book was so intriguing. Emilia and her twin are witches and there is a witch hunter going around taking hearts. Is it a demon prince or a human? That’s what Emilia intends to find out. She’s out for revenge and will stop at nothing to find the thing or person who wrecked her family!

Alright so the setting and atmosphere were perfect. This was a darker and mysterious story and I think the writing fit that perfectly. My issue with this book was Emilia herself. She kind of annoyed me. She ran right into danger without thinking of anything. She was almost TSTL. She did get better towards the end and that makes me excited for the next book. If not for her, this book would have been perfect in everyway.

I still 100% recommend this book. The writing is amazing and makes you feel like you’re there. SO just push past some of Emilia’s more annoying moments and try to enjoy it because I think the next book is going to blow us all out of the water!

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was completely absorbed into this book from the first page. Witches, demons, a Catholic Church and murder? Yes, please! The writing painted a very vivid picture as I read and the characters were interesting. The mystery was so intriguing that it kept the book in my hand and me on the edge of my seat until the final page. I loved how well the Princes of Hell were described and found myself rooting for one of them, despite the warnings of how deceptive and skillful their lies were. The protagonist developed drastically but naturally throughout the book, going from a rule-following introvert, to a fierce and fearless hunter waiting to exact her revenge.

The only frustrating part was the massive cliffhanger at the end and that’s only because the book hasn’t officially been released yet and I’m already dying for the next one!

This is my first book that I’ve read by Kerri Maniscalco, and won’t be my last!

I, just finished and already want book 2! This book had all that I enjoy in a paranormal read, witches living in secret among humans, shifters, and demons.

The story opens with Nonna, the grandmother, watching over the twin girls, Vittoria and Emilia, as they chanted a protection spell that she had taught them. The twins begged their grandmother to tell them about the legends. One twin, more interested than the other with the stories of the Malvagi.

The twins wore amulets around their neck, and they were to never take them off. One night, they got brave, and Vittoria handed hers to her sister. The result scared them enough not to tell anyone.

Nonna grows more worried that the Malvagi have returned, after hearing about two girls being murdered. The girls, were witches.

When Emilia goes to retrieve her basket from the monastery, she follows a source of magic into a room, where at first glance she believes it’s a noble man, until she notices his fingers are coated in blood. Emilia was confronting a Malvagi with a kitchen knife. He fled, leaving his weapon behind, and when Emilia finds the body of Vittoria, she vows to seek revenge for her sister.

Emilia will need to retrace her sister’s path to try to learn what her sister knew, and Emilia was going to do something, that her Nonna would forbid–call on dark magic to bring forth a demon.

And, she brings forth Wrath, one of the four demon princes that she was told to fear!

I loved the relationship between Emilia and Wrath, they both were filled with mistrust of one another, but needed each other in their quests. The banter between the two of them was great! I laughed out loud after she summoned him, when Emilia started throwing punches and kicks and Wrath seemed bored. The spell she used, did a little more than expected, which made Wrath realize that he was summed by an amateur witch. Emilia knows she shouldn’t trust Wrath, but he rescues her. Little by little, they go from enemies to friends. The ending, had me wishing for a different outcome that Emilia and Wrath wouldn’t end on that note, but leaving me wanting to find out what happens next! If you enjoy the paranormal genre, you will love this book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Jimmy Patterson and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.