Kerri Maniscalco is an author that I already adore, so I knew the moment I saw a new book from her on Netgalley, I had to try for it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers at JiMMY Patterson for the chance to read and review on ARC of this book. Kerri is a mastermind of story, plot, and characters that you love to hate and hate to love. I was quickly sucked in and left wanting more and more with each adventure into the store with her. I loved the concept and the execution of the story even though it was choppy from time to time. If you are someone who gets hungry with food descriptions, read at your own risk. The imagery used, from food to magic and more, was detailed in such a way that you always felt present in the store. I cannot wait for book two and this is a book wait that I want to be over with already.

This book was disappointing... I loved the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. But this book was bland and boring compared to STJR

Okay, so what is this book about? It follows our main character, Emilia (more to come on her), a witch, who's twin sister, Vittoria, was brutally murdered in the beginning of the book, trying to solve her murder. While searching for answers, she accidentally summons a Prince of Hell, Wrath. Wrath and Emilia then join forces to try and find the murderer, but of course, Wrath has his own reasons for wanting to discover the identity of the murderer.

Now let's talk about the characters.

Characters:

➵ Emilia: Holy shit she was annoying! I cannot stress this enough. It was even worse because the book was written in first pov... all she did was plan recipes in her head. The first thing she thought when finding her sister's body was how it smelled like olive oil or something. She also moped around a lot. Vittoria (her twin) should have been the main character.

➵ Wrath: He was interesting enough. The only scenes I liked were the ones where he was present. Dots.

➵ Pride, Envy, Greed: 3 of Wrath's brothers. They appeared a few times throughout the book and I loved reading about them. They seemed complex enough and I really hope we see more of them in book 2.

What I liked:

➵ The pacing: I have to give this book some point for the pacing. The chapters were all about 4 to 5 minutes long, and the writing was really simple. It is a very easy and quick read.

What I didn't like:

➵ The ending: The book went downhill towards the end. It was extremely anti-climatic and very predictable. I expected more.

Like I said at the beginning, this book was a huge disappointment and the more I think about it the more I realize how much I actually ended up disliking it. I also forgot everything that happened the moment I finished. Literally nothing is worth remembering.

ARC kindly provided by Netgalley for an honest review

I really enjoyed this. The premise of twin sisters who happen to be witches fighting off demons and the princes of hell was such a unique and creative concept. This story takes place in the time of witch hunts in Italy, so the families with magical talents must live in hiding. Vittoria and Emilia have hidden their magic from a young age under the tutelage of their Nonna. Nonna always gives them information in cryptic verses about their magic and why they should stay away from "the Wicked" aka princes of hell. When Vittoria is murdered, Emilia sets out to avenger her sister and find out what dark magic her twin had gotten herself entangled in. In her quest to find her sister's killer, Emilia finds herself allied with none other than Wrath, one of the princes she was warned against all of her life. Wrath has his own agenda, part of which is to uncover who the murder is as well. Emilia quickly learns that while demons and princes of hell don't outright lie, they can deceive and omit information, so if she wants to find out what is truly going on, she can only trust herself and she must learn to trust her own power.

This left us with a ton of unanswered questions. Not much is explained about the witches and their magic. There are witches, devils, demons, prophecies and curses and somehow they are all intertwined. I'm still have alot of questions as to what happened in the past before Vittoria and Emilia ever came around and how Emilia thinks she is going to gain her vengeance for her sister's death. I'm hoping some of my questions get answered in the next book.

I feel like Emilia had a good bit of character development in this book. She went through quite a bit and had to deal with pretty much every emotion. She started out quiet and reserved, dealt with grief and depression, anger, and ended up on a mission for power and vengeance. I would have liked to see her confront her Nonna about all of the cryptic messages and actually get some information about what is going on and how to stop some of the chaos, but maybe we'll see some of that in the next book. The same goes for Wrath, I hope to see their relationship grow, as their is definitely something brewing between them.

Overall I really enjoyed this. It was a fun read and if you liked Maniscalco's previous books I think you'll like this as well.

Kingdom of the Wicked. What a fantastically surprising and beautiful book! I adored Emillia, her courage and strength and love for her family. The Wicked, well I adored them as well. They were exactly what I thought they’d be but somehow not at all what I had expected. I was on the edge of my seat with each chapter and cannot wait to read more of Emillia’s story.

Kingdom of the Wicked felt like a little guilty pleasure. It had it all:
- Sassy, stubborn female MC with a well of untapped power? CHECK!
- a slow burn that might end up fizzling before it had time to mature... possibly sent reeling right back into the realm of Hate? CHECK!
- Loads of yummy food talk? Check!
- Begrudging respect --> profound deceit (that was easy to suss out early on)? Check!
- World developement that sucks you in and manages to have you believing in supernatural places/beings/objects? Check!!
- Realistic characters (for better or worse)? Check!
- Character(s) so complex, and yummily gray that you can't help but fall for them... AHEM, Wrath!CHECK!!
- Succinct, solid writing? Check!
- Great pacing with little to no slogging? Check!
- A cliffhanger ending that leaves you lusting, fiending, craving for more? DOUBLE CHECK!!

For some reason I feel the Twin bond so deeply you'd think I had one of my own but alas, no second half here (unless you count my handsome, yet surly, crank of a husband). It feels so inviolable that thinking of it being (traumatically) severed, and one twin having to navigate life without their other half, seems like utter desolation. Our MC, Eliana turned out to be a rash beast in lambs' clothing... an easily provoked, overconfident, rage feuled monster looking for Revenge... at any cost... the payment due would most likely be the ultimate price, the one that can only be paid in full with the relinquishing of your very own Soul. Sounds dramatic right?? It is, and it's worth every minute spent living in this world beside these odious, deliciously duplicitous, insidious, perfidious (and loads more -ious adjectives) characters.

Overall:

I really enjoyed this book! There is a tame, non Sexy-Time scene that is steamy for about 3 seconds but otherwise the book is suitable for teens through geriatrics. The rest of the story has good old Witches, Sapeshifters, Demons, Vampires, Holy men et al...

AND that ending... wow!! I need book #2 in my life STAT!!

If you like Fantastical Magical Realism infused with a variety of preternaturally occult elements culminating in a well thought out Cliffy then this book is for you!

~ Enjoy

*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

Wow, wow, wow. Kingdom Of The Wicked has absolutely blown me away.

Not-so-wicked witches, murdered young women and Princes of Hell, all ingredients of a book that is sure to put a spell on you.

I loved Emilia and her strength, Wrath and his... wrath (*sigh*) and the promise of all the wicked things to come.

Be warned there is a fairly major cliffhanger and I’m going to need book two now so if you can please get on that Kerri, it would be much appreciated 😂🙌🏻

Thank to the publishers and Netgalley for an E-Arc copy of this book. Even though I was gifted this Arc all opinions are my own. What can I say but wow, I really enjoyed this. Kerri Maniscalco became an auto buy author, after reading her amazing Stalking Jack the Ripper series. I really enjoy her writing style and love how she crafts strong characters within her books. I really enjoyed the fantastical twists within this book. Th plot arc of the demon princes being the seven deadly sins, was inventive and engaging. Emilia is a strong woman, who will do anything to find who her sisters murderer is. I really enjoyed the family dynamics and her Nonna is wonderful. The author once, again has written an engaging mystery with twists and turns. She also knows how to write a loveable bad boy. If you have not picked this up yet, then I highly recommend that you do. I loved it so much I immediately ordered a hardcover for my library. I cannot wait for book 2.

4.25 ✨


I really enjoyed the Stalking Jack the Ripper series so when Kerri Maniscalco shared the synopsis of her new series, I knew I needed to read it. Kingdom of the Wicked was a solid first installment - here’s what I liked:
Kerri Maniscalco always manages to immediately transport you to the setting of the story. Just like Stalking Jack the Ripper, Kingdom of the Wicked is dark and atmospheric. I really loved the setting in Italy and all of the talk about food made me so hungry. Our main character Emilia has many different facets and I quite enjoyed seeing her character development (is that the right word? She went from sweet to avenging and angry ahahah). With the dark themes and lots of sexual tension it gave me similar vibes to Serpent & Dove and The Shadows Between Us but it still was original. I also quite enjoyed the romance - I was a bit hesitant about it at first but it ended up really fitting the vibe of the story.
The magic system was pretty cool and I think it has a lot of potential - expect witches, demons and lots of dark magic. Kingdom of the Wicked also had quite a good plot twist in the end and I only guessed it shortly before the reveal.
Why it didn’t get 5 stars from me:
While I ended up really enjoying the plot, it took me a while to get hooked. Once I was about a third into it I couldn’t stop reading it but while the pacing wasn’t super slow the plot didn’t grip me as much as I had hoped in the beginning.
Overall, Kingdom of the Wicked is an intriguing first novel in a series that I can’t wait to continue.

I was a big fan of Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of her latest novel, Kingdom of the Wicked, especially once I heard it was about witches and demons.  I started reading it last week and let me tell you, it’s the perfect dark and twisted read for spooky season.

Kingdom of the Wicked follows Emilia a young witch who lives with her family, including her twin sister Vittoria, in Sicily.  The witches in Sicily live in secret to avoid persecution, so it is quite shocking when witches start turning up dead, brutally murdered. Who’s responsible?  Is it the new witch hunting group that has suddenly cropped up or is something supernatural afoot?  When Emilia’s twin becomes a victim, Emilia, who was normally the more cautious of the two, throws all caution to the wind and vows revenge.

At its heart, I’d say Kingdom of the Wicked is a story of revenge.  Emilia is willing to do absolutely anything to bring her sister’s killers to justice and is tunnel visioned on that quest, even when it quite literally takes her to Hell, or to the Princes of Hell, I should say.  And it is when she magically binds herself to Wrath, one of the Princes of Hell, that everything changes…

The chemistry between Emilia and Wrath is off the charts.  They both really knew how to push each other’s buttons and I couldn’t get enough of their banter and bickering.  Wrath is dark, dangerous, and sexy, and it becomes clear as the story progresses that he develops feelings for Emilia that go beyond just the magic of the bond. He has a soft spot for her, whether he likes it or not.  Emilia finds herself experiencing similar feelings.  Neither should trust the other but can they fight the intoxicating lure of their attraction?  I was a huge fan of Charmed way back when and these two seriously gave me Phoebe and Cole vibes!

Aside from the amazing chemistry between Emilia and Wrath, and the compelling mystery as to who has been killing witches, I also fell in love with the worldbuilding, especially 19th century Sicily.  I’m a sucker for a story set in Italy, particularly if there’s food involved, and Emilia’s family owns a restaurant. Emilia loves to cook so the story is filled with vivid descriptions of delicious Italian recipes.  I also loved how atmospheric the story was.  It’s dark and eerie every time someone goes out because of the tension of knowing there’s a killer among them.  I also thought Maniscalco did a brilliant job with the witchy folklore. I absolutely loved the details of Emilia’s family history and how they ultimately became tied to the devil himself.  And speak of the devil, her descriptions of the Princes of Hell are truly brilliant.  This is one of those books where, as I was reading, I could easily imagine it as a film.

I don’t want to give anything away regarding Emilia’s quest for revenge and how her entanglement with Wrath factors in, but I will say some unexpected twists and turns at the end have me very eager to get my hands on the next book.

If dark and twisty reads filled with witches and demons are your things, you’ll want to visit the Kingdom of the Wicked. You won’t be disappointed!

4.5 stars

The ARC of this book was provided by the publishers Jimmy Patterson and Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I know it may sound unbelievable, but I never read anything by Kerri Maniscalco, this was the first book I read by this author and I can happily say she has already conquered my heart.
Kerri Maniscalco’s writing style is one of the perks of this novel. Her writing was really easy to get into and everything flowed smoothly and perfectly. I was hooked from the start and the book managed never to lose my attention. I was continuously intrigued and eager to see how the story would unfold.
Apart from that, the true top notch of Kingdom of the Wicked is the concept at its heart. The world the author created is so fascinating and quite unique: especially the fact that there are seven princes of Hell who are the embodiment of the seven deadly sins.

Regarding the characters, I appreciated a lot Emilia’s. I know some people think she was a little bit too naïve at times to be the heroine of the book, but in my opinion her mistakes and her greenness contributed to making her a realistic character. She’s not perfect and that’s absolutely fine. Wrath was one of my favourite characters. I always have a soft spot for these dark, charismatic, and mysterious characters, I admit it.

The only thing I can complain about is the mystery aspect. In my opinion, some things and twists concerning the plot were a bit predictable, as well as for the culprit of the murders, but I have to admit that I enjoyed them a lot nevertheless and that’s because I was really invested in the story.

After the ending of this novel, I can’t really wait to read the next one in the series!

Review posted on Goodreads (November2, 2020)
Review linked.

4/5 stars!

Synopsis: A James Patterson Presents Novel
From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series comes a new blockbuster series...
Two sisters. One brutal murder. A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself... And an intoxicating romance. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.
Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...


A huge thank you to NetGalley and James Patterson Presents for sending me an E-ARC for an honest review.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and I was so excited to get a copy of this book to review. The cover is so pretty and I cannot wait to get myself a physical copy of this book.

It took me a while to fall in love with this book. Usually, I know if I am going to like a book within 25 pages of reading it. But with this one, I really struggled to like the writing, characters, and fall into the story at the beginning. I would say I really started feeling invested in the characters and story around 80 pages into the book. Honestly, I was even thinking about DNFing (Did Not Finish) the book, but I decided to push through and I am so glad that I did. I think Kerri Maniscalco's writing is hard for me to fall into at first, but once I got invested in the characters and the romance, I was able to get used to her writing style. It's not like I hate her writing, I do like it, but sometimes, it does feel like it is a bit surface-y at times—more telling and not enough showing. I also think that because of the plot of this book, the first half is just a lot slower than the second half. Overall, once I got halfway into the book, I couldn't stop reading it, and I really enjoyed the read from there on out.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW!

I have so many thoughts about this book, but I will try to keep this part of the review brief and to the point as much as possible. The last twenty pages of this book went by so fast, and honestly, I had to reread them twice to fully digest what was happening! I absolutely loved Wrath's character... I mean, who doubted that I would fall in love with the character who is a demon prince of hell?? And, even though it took me a long time to fall in love with Emilia's character, I did really love her by the end. The story took so many twists and turns, and I loved that by the end I really had no clue who was the killer. I did suspect who the killer was at the beginning, but by the end it still came as a surprise to me, which I loved. Honestly, I was expecting this book to be a standalone novel, and I am very excited that it is a series because I want to learn so much more about the world that Maniscalco created. To me, this book got better and better as it went on, and I loved the evolution of Emilia's character. I am really interested to see where this series goes, and I cannot wait to see how Maciscalco portrays the hell dimension and expands on the supernatural world!

Overall, I think that this was a good book. I would have liked the pacing to be faster at the beginning, and I would have liked more showing and less telling in the writing, but in the end I really fell in love with the characters. I do recommend this book to any dark fantasy lovers!

Thanks for reading!
Caden

Look, I tried to like it. I really did.
But 20% in, all I can say about this is "meh".
The story is mediocre at best and really nothing new or even that different to what feels like every other ya-crime novel, just that this one has witches. And you guys know how I adore witches, right? Well, these ones weren't even interesting enough for me to keep going. I had no feelings towards any character, and I'm not even sure Emilia has any personality aside of being a twin at all.

I just don't think Maniscalcos books are for me.


@NetGalley and Jimmy Patterson: Thank you guys for the ARC

This was dark, mysterious, and enjoyable to read. Not surprising coming from Kerri Maniscalco whose writing and characters always drags you in. I think I wanted a little more from it which is why I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars but if this series does the same as Stalking Jack the Ripper did I know I will fall completely in love with the second book.

Ahhhh I have no idea on how to write a review on this book. I love the plot, the witty writing and the era of this book, but the rest was inconsistent and repetitive. I noticed several times that I would be just reading the words instead of following the story. This may be a me issue versus the book.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 FANTASTIC stars!

“One day you might beg me to kiss you. You might hate it. Or love it. But temptation will surge through those magical veins of yours, obliterating all common sense. You’ll want me to save you from the endless torment by giving you everything you love to loathe. And when I do, you’ll thirst for more.”

Well, wasn’t this a fabulous read! Angels, demons and witches are our catnip and Kerri Maniscalco dishes up a huge helping of them all in this fabulously addictive paranormal fantasy that saw us falling in love with a belligerent, beautiful, sexy, cantankerous demon Prince with a sweet tooth and wickedly dry wit. Prince Wrath captivated us, had our heads spinning from his moods and we’re desperate to find out his end game. We were hooked from beginning to end, all the while keeping our hearts spellbound and racing throughout!

‘This was not the kind of prince written about in fairy tales. There was no golden crown sitting atop his dark head or promises safety waiting in his sculpted, tattooed arms. He was death and rage and fire and anyone stupid enough to forget that would be consumed by his inferno.’

Emilia di Carlo and her twin sister Vittoria grew up with supernatural tales, warnings, spells, and incantations in their blood. Terrifying stories and superstitions passed down by their Nonna as a way of protecting the girls from danger. Both wear amulets as a protection shield to ward off evil.

‘My sister was the adventurous one – I was satisfied with safe, clean fun. Give me a steamy romance novel with forbidden love and impossible odds. That was the kind of adventure I could get behind.’

Being a family of witches living in Palermo, Italy, the girls, Daughters of the Moon, witches, must ensure they protect and keep their powers secret. Danger from every angle awaits them. At eighteen, the vicious and bloody murder of Vittoria begins a quest for revenge.

‘If the world was to survive, they needed to protect both their souls and their hearts.’

With her heart bent on vengeance for Vittoria, young Emilia will unlock secrets and danger, she will dabble in the underworld and come face to face with demons, among them she will meet some of the Princes of Hell, yet her dogged determination to uncover those responsible for her sister’s murder would put her life in danger and tie her to the dark, deadly and delicious Prince of Wrath, general of war. Second in command to the devil, and one of the feared Seven…oh boy!

‘His beauty was an affront to what evil ought to look like.’

Kerri Maniscalco did a fantastic job of building a vivid paranormal world against the backdrop of the sights, sounds and tastes of Italy. Oh gosh, there were times our mouths started watering!

We absolutely loved Kingdom of the Wicked, finding ourselves completely gripped by every aspect. The twists, turns, folklore, the foreboding sense of danger, the crackling electricity of the Princes of Hell’s agenda, the menacing and capriciousness of Wrath together with the tenacity of Emilia ensured we were transfixed. There’s no doubt…. the next book will be one of our most anticipated of 2021.

‘Lethal. Beautiful. Wholly untouchable. I wanted to kick him for being so dangerously breathtaking.’

“One day you might beg me to kiss you. You might hate it. Or love it. But temptation will surge through those magical veins of yours, obliterating all common sense. You’ll want me to save you from the endless torment by giving you everything you love to loathe. And when I do, you’ll thirst for more.”

Well, wasn’t this a fabulous read! Angels, demons and witches are our catnip and Kerri Maniscalco dishes up a huge helping of them all in this fabulously addictive paranormal fantasy that saw us falling in love with a belligerent, beautiful, sexy, cantankerous demon Prince with a sweet tooth and wickedly dry wit. Prince Wrath captivated us, had our heads spinning from his moods and we’re desperate to find out his end game. We were hooked from beginning to end, all the while keeping our hearts spellbound and racing throughout!

‘This was not the kind of prince written about in fairy tales. There was no golden crown sitting atop his dark head or promises safety waiting in his sculpted, tattooed arms. He was death and rage and fire and anyone stupid enough to forget that would be consumed by his inferno.’

Emilia di Carlo and her twin sister Vittoria grew up with supernatural tales, warnings, spells, and incantations in their blood. Terrifying stories and superstitions passed down by their Nonna as a way of protecting the girls from danger. Both wear amulets as a protection shield to ward off evil.

‘My sister was the adventurous one – I was satisfied with safe, clean fun. Give me a steamy romance novel with forbidden love and impossible odds. That was the kind of adventure I could get behind.’

Being a family of witches living in Palermo, Italy, the girls, Daughters of the Moon, witches, must ensure they protect and keep their powers secret. Danger from every angle awaits them. At eighteen, the vicious and bloody murder of Vittoria begins a quest for revenge.

‘If the world was to survive, they needed to protect both their souls and their hearts.’

With her heart bent on vengeance for Vittoria, young Emilia will unlock secrets and danger, she will dabble in the underworld and come face to face with demons, among them she will meet some of the Princes of Hell, yet her dogged determination to uncover those responsible for her sister’s murder would put her life in danger and tie her to the dark, deadly and delicious Prince of Wrath, general of war. Second in command to the devil, and one of the feared Seven…oh boy!

‘His beauty was an affront to what evil ought to look like.’

Kerri Maniscalco did a fantastic job of building a vivid paranormal world against the backdrop of the sights, sounds and tastes of Italy. Oh gosh, there were times our mouths started watering!

We absolutely loved Kingdom of the Wicked, finding ourselves completely gripped by every aspect. The twists, turns, folklore, the foreboding sense of danger, the crackling electricity of the Princes of Hell’s agenda, the menacing and capriciousness of Wrath together with the tenacity of Emilia ensured we were transfixed. There’s no doubt…. the next book will be one of our most anticipated of 2021.

‘Lethal. Beautiful. Wholly untouchable. I wanted to kick him for being so dangerously breathtaking.’

Initial Thoughts

I was so excited to read this book. When everyone was receiving their ARC packages I was insanely jealous! But, someone wanted me to read this one early and I received an e-ARC on NetGalley on my birthday.

Some Things I Liked

Enemies to lovers romance. Yes, I’m starting here. It was the best thing about this book for me. The witty banter, the palpable tension, the romance itself. It was all perfect. While I’d probably be a better fit for House Gluttony, I’d sign my allegiance to House Wrath any day of the week.
Spooky and witchy vibes. This is a perfect Fall / Halloween book without being overly scary. I’m easily frightened but this book was dark and eerie in all the right ways that didn’t cause me to have nightmares. I loved the witchy elements.
Italian influence. Once again, I was blown away by the rich descriptions of the world and especially the food in this story. Emilia loved to cook and the passion and way she described meals literally had my mouth watering while I was reading.
Plot twists. I was so here for the twists and turns. I loved it all. The story had so many jaw dropping moments and I loved each and every one.

Series Value

Ok, first of all, how dare you, Kerri Mansicalco. That ending! It was so much and I’m dying to know the next part of the story. Second, I’m obsessed. I cannot wait to continue with this series.

Lastly, there’s a ton of reread value here. I’d definitely like to try this one as an audiobook before I read the sequel.

Final Thoughts

I adored this book. Definitely one of my top reads of the year and by far my favorite read of October. I was a fan of Kerri Maniscalco’s after reading the Stalking Jack the Ripper series but this was even better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – if you enjoyed the writing style and the dark plot elements in Kingdom of the Wicked, try Kerri’s first series. You won’t be disappointed.
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin – if you liked the witchy elements as well as the unpredictable plot twists, try this series.

A young woman's twin sister is murdered, one in a series of murdered witches. Emilia thus sets out to find out who killed her sister, and why, and if she has to summon a demon from Hell to do so, then so be it.

For me, in a word, it was fun. (Despite the brutal murders.) A young witch finding her way in her world, and being willing to do anything for vengeance for her lost sister. Of course, there is that undercurrent of grief throughout - she has only just lost her sister, and you see her dealing with it in a very different way to the rest of her family.

The romance was one that I would have expected to dislike - but with the way it is set up, and with the way it leads into a sequel, it isn't nearly as off-putting as I expected it to be. Romances with someone who is barely an adult and somebody who has both age and power over them are a hard sell for me - so the fact that I'm curious to see how it would evolve in a sequel is a surprise.

The princes of Hell are also an interesting concept - named for the seven sins, and they behave as such. Terrifying to see the way that manifests in them, and how it affects those around them.

In short, fun, and a good Halloweeny read! (I say in November…)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant! As soon as I finished this book, I went straight to Amazon to look for the next in the series. I love the way each Prince of Hell was their namesake incarnate. As with most books, I did not find myself skipping paragraphs nor pages to advance the story. The ending was both expected and unexpected, as I thought I had it figured out, but was off just a bit. Can't wait for the second installment.

I’ve been obsessing over Kerri Maniscalco’s writing story and storytelling since I first read Stalking Jack the Ripper a few years ago. Since then, I can safely say that series is one of my all time favorite series. When Kerri announced Kingdom of the Wicked, its safe to say I was excited to pick it up. I’m so happy to say that I enjoyed this book even more than I expected to! It was so fun, original, with an amazing set of characters and a romance I’m already obsessed with!! I can’t wait for book 2!