This was absolutely wonderful!!! It also made me bloody hungry,, due to all the food references … which is NOT conducive to preventing midnight snacking FYI, but my growling stomach and I still loved it. ;)

I personally enjoyed this A LOT more than Stalking Jack the Ripper. Wrath made for a much more compelling love interest than the adorable Thomas Cresswell and I found Emilia to be a better protagonist than Audrey Rose. She was a lot less preachy than Audrey, but no less naïve, in my opinion. I think that it made more sense here though because she and Wrath came from two different worlds. It’s not like you’d expect a human witch to know the ways of the princes of Hell. It also entertained me by how surprised she was to find out that a tonne of other supernatural creatures also walked among them (the “all the stories are true” quote from the Shadowhunter universe kept popping into my head lol).

Moving onto Wrath, I’ve always had a thing for the dark and mysterious bad boys, which made Wrath an instant favourite. The minute he arrived on the page, I was enthralled. His interactions with Emilia reminded me a lot of Jude and Cardan in the sense that a girl who various supernatural creatures view as weak, ends up controlling the actions of their supernatural love interest. Plus, the enemies-to-lovers banter was FABULOUS. Their interactions with one another was the best part of the book, in all honesty. And how could I not mention his fashionista tendencies? And his sweet tooth? As I’ve heard people say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so GOOD THING Emilia’s family owns a restaurant, haha. :P

*I think that Kerri Maniscalco shines a lot more in her writing when it comes to fantasy, rather than lacklustre mysteries.*

I only have one complaint really about this book and that’s the mystery aspect. AGAIN, I found the culprit SO OBVIOUS that the big reveal was rather disappointing. Now, it may be me because I was raised on Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew, but I feel like Maniscalco has a tendency of pointing bright, neon signs towards the killer when her books begin nearing the end, while I think that her stories would benefit from a subtler approach. I prefer to be surprised by a final twist, rather than having the answer spoon-fed to me.

Unlike Stalking Jack the Ripper, I do think that I’ll continue on with this series because I’m very invested in this story and these characters and I can’t WAIT to see what happens next!!!

I am a huge fan of Maniscalco's other books and while Kingdom of the Wicked was well written it never reached the same level as her previous novels. This first book in a new series felt like it was mostly exposition with the character talking more than actually doing anything thing. There is potential for the series and I will keep reading but I was slightly disappointing.

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!

I very much enjoyed this one and I just couldn't put it down. I like Kerri's writing and I loved this story. I haven't read a story like this before.

I think this is one I will be buying a physical copy of and read it again at some point in the future.

Wow this book is a tough one. For me, I absolutely loved this book. However for others, I think this is going to be a book you either really like or don’t like, not much in the middle. I couldn’t get enough of this book though. I read Kerri Maniscalco’s Jack The Ripper series, and I think if you loved that series as much as I did, then this book will be a hit for you too.

Now for the actually review, it’s hard to describe without giving spoilers. The storyline had me invested from the beginning, the characters had me at times, shaking the book in irritation with their decision making skills and man the plot twists had me going what the heck just happened. It’s slow at some parts and fast at others and it’s like being on a roller coaster. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book.

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco is the first part in the the paranormal YA fantasy duology. It deals with two witches, who are twins and a prophecy which was kept hidden from them all these years. Vittoria and Emilia, live with human and have their witch identity hidden. Their grandmother, Nonna, also a witch wishes to keep them away from trouble and witchcraft. She knows more than she has told her grand daughters.

One fine evening, Vittoria goes missing and Emilia finds her dead. Emilia and Vittoria are quite different. Vittoria was always the bold one and was looking for answers and ways to experiment with their magic. Whereas, Emilia was the subtle and out of trouble, not taking risks kind of a person. But as she finds out some one has killed her sister, she is looking for vengeance and won't stop until she has find the murderer.

On the quest to find her sister, she finds other secrets and her sister's dairy which is filled with secret magic and won't be accessible that easily. In order to find the truth, Emilia has to summon a demon from the Hell. We come to know that in total there are seven Princes of Hell. She summoned the Prince of Wrath. I personally liked this concept of Demons, Realms, Hell and The Wicked.

Now coming to the romance part, of course it being enemy to lovers, I enjoyed it. But it could have executed in a way better way. The first half or almost 60% few by very smoothly and I could not put it down. I was craving to read more till this point. But suddenly, after this point the story just went down hill for me. Suddenly the entire atmosphere of the book changed, idk why. The murder mystery solving part was great, btw.

Well, there has been death of many other witches in the town, so solving the mystery of why suddenly the girls hearts have been ripped was the main aim of the book. Now, the demon side was pretty well explained and executed actually. I liked how we got notes from the Grimoire in the starting of the chapters. Even little details like clothes and all were a supporting hand in making this book dark and witchy.

The secrets revealing and twists and turns was great. But the ending was rushed. It felt very rushed. We did get quite a few hints on what to expect in the next book, and I am definitely going to read it in order to see where it goes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and James Paterson Books for providing me eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.

P.S. - my NetGalley arc said Vittoria whereas, Goodreads blurb says Victoria. So idk, I am going with what my ARC said.

I loved this book so much. Everything Kerri Maniscalco writes is amazing. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out because I need to know what happens next right now.

4/5 stars
I um...well...let's just say I have a lot of thoughts. First off, I wasn't really drawn to this book at first. It was not my typical genre (this was more paranormal than fantasy), and I don't usually read books like this. But, this book was pretty good. The writing was excellent, and th plot managed to keep me hooked until the very end. The romance was a bit lacking, and I'm kind of annoyed the book left off on a cliffhanger. The characters were so-so, although I liked our main character a lot. The pacing of this book was solid.
One thing that was going through my mind all while I read this book was how much Kindgom of the Wicked reminded me of Caraval. Even the characters seemed similar! Overall, this was a good read for me, perfect in time for Halloween. I woukd recommend this to anyone who likes paranormal fantasy, thrillers (it had similar aspects to a thriller), Caraval, and/or a book you can totally binge read.

“Man had a funny way of blaming the devil for things he didn’t like.”

I’m having a difficult time formulating clear thoughts on this book. If I look back at the notes I took while reading this eARC most of them relate to being bored, wishing something would happen, and getting annoyed with our main character talking about food incessantly. Some people really enjoy food descriptions but I am not one of those people. If I had to suffer one more page of pasta sauce and recipe ideas I was just going to toss the whole thing.

Let me back up…

When I received the ARC of this book I was a little apprehensive. I had read Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series and was consistently underwhelmed. The series had such potential but I just felt like the author never capitalized on it and her characters lacked all interest and spark for me. Be that as it may, I absolutely loved the idea of the Wicked (demon manifestations of the fabled Deadly Sins) come to Earth leaving chaos and mayhem in their wake. The premise had me hooked.

However, and there is always a however, I was once again let down. Three-quarters of this book is a slog to get through. Our main character, Emilia, is the epitome of the idiot main character thinking they know better and doing whatever they want even though it goes against common sense. She does not listen, she does not observe her surroundings and make intelligent or informed choices, and she allows herself to be manipulated over and over and over again. Emilia is character I would have expected from early 2000s YA but I thought the genre had outgrown her particular batch of stereotypes.

Then we get to the “romance.” I’m sure someone will swoon over it but it sure won’t be me. I don’t want to give spoilers but I will say that the supposed romance revolves around manipulation and emotional abuse. I understand the concept of “torture your darlings” but good grief was this lackluster romantic entanglement completely unbelievable.

I feel a rant building up so let me try to tie this up before I get a good head of steam rolling. This book was DULL. The hidden bad guy was obvious, themes such a family loyalty are introduced as fact and then action never supports them, and the plot drags so badly I fell asleep while reading this on more than one occasion. Also, let us not forget about the plethora of convenient plot points. Emilia gets into a bind or does something stupid? Here is a convenient plot point to get her out of it that doesn’t make sense or encourage continuity! Repeat for 448 pages.

Will I read the next book in this series? Maybe. The ending had promise and we were left on a considerable cliffhanger that once again managed to snag my interest but I’m not sure I can drag myself through another bone dry story like this again.

A dark young adult fantasy that's rich like a mulled orange wine. Readers will have fun determining who the real demons are in this sleuth witchy read.

This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
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2,5*
Pros: Interesting and arresting premise. Set in the old days of Italy. Features powerful and unique witches. Wonderful take on the seven princes of hell. Brave and resilient MC. Talks about loss of loved ones and grieving.
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Cons: Incredibly slow-paced. Lacking emotional depth and relatability. Unfounded and implausible romance. Extremely one-dimensional in terms of plot and character development.
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Extra note: Please keep in mind that Italian readers have noted many inaccuracies in this book regarding Italian customs and culture.

Emilia has been brushing off stories about the princes of Hell for her entire life, chalking her grandmother’s fear up to superstition and folk tales. She was born and raised a witch so it isn’t that she doesn’t believe; it’s just that she and her sister know that these creatures of nightmares are too stuck in hell to be any kind of a threat.

At least, that’s what she believes, until one dark night in the monastery, her twin sister is found dead, missing a heart and being observed by a beautiful stranger with a devilish aura and a golden knife.

Not long after, as her motivation to find and punish her sister’s killer devours her, Emilia finds herself face to face with enough princes of Hell to see exactly why her grandmother has been warning her all along. And what’s worse is that working alongside one of them might be the only way to find out what truly happened to her sister, and why.

Words cannot express how much I loved Emilia as a protagonist. She was the most strong-willed, fearless character I have read all year and, despite wanting to scream at her in the beginning to stop and think before running into danger, I admired her commitment and believed within a few pages that she could handle anything that was thrown at her (and there was a lot!). Her dedication to her sister never faltered and Emilia didn’t come across as weak even once on her journey to hunting down what she needed to know.

Wrapped up in this story of vengeance was a wonderfully built world of wickedness that I could read about forever. The summonings, the demons and the spellbinding magic were effortlessly written and completely believable. If anyone ever tries to tell me that it’s possible to outgrow YA fantasy, this is the book I will recommend to convince them otherwise.

This story was beautifully crafted, grippingly fast-paced and devilishly creepy, with just the right amount of ethereally beautiful princes of Hell. I ordered a hardback copy before I was even halfway through the ebook because I knew that this would be a book I needed on my shelf and I can guarantee I will be recommending this to anyone who will listen, especially if they’re looking for an wicked tale to add to their Halloween TBR.

Riveting and magical. This story takes you into the world of witches and magic. Not everyone is as they seem. The story starts slow, but if you push through with the first ten chapters it will quickly pick up. Even as the summary stated that Vittoria would be murder, there's still an element of surprise there. Vittoria was such a strong character. There are not many twists or thriller elements, but rather a nice story of the coming of age of witches.

Thank you to JIMMY PATTERSON publishing and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about vengeance.

I loved a good revenge story... especially one with magic, dark romance & a witchy, spooky world.

I highly recommend avoiding spoilers, the less you know going in, the better.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 rounded to 5

Thank you Netgalley & Jimmy Patterson publications for the e-ARC 🖤

Thank you JIMMY Books and NetGalley for the eARC of the book.
As someone who didn't particularly like her first series Stalking Jack the Ripper, I decided to give her new series a try, just so I could finally have an opinion on the author's work. Unfortunately it wasn't my favorite. The plot was very predictable, the forbidden romance wasn't my favorite and overall I just didn't like the characters. I did enjoy Maniscalco's writing and the setting in Sicilia, Italy.

Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked #1) by Kerri Maniscalco was one of my most highly anticipated releases of this month. I absolutely adored her Stalking Jack the Ripper series, so my expectations were pretty sky high for her newest series opener. Luckily for me, it mostly pulled it off. The atmosphere of this book is off the charts and I also particularly enjoyed the world-building of the story's 19th century Italy and Sicily setting. The magic system and fantasy elements are quite unique. As for the new cast, I particularly appreciated the reluctant partners in crime dynamic. My only real issue with the novel as a whole is the pacing. It takes a bit of time to get going and it also seems to come to a close way to quickly. In the end, though, I can't wait to see where this series is going to go. There's so much potential for this to become a new favorite. If you've enjoyed Mansicalco's previous releases, I think you're going to need her newest novel in your life.

"In the end, the monster we feared didn’t come from Hell. He came from privilege."


Oh, this review is going to be a wild ride. The range of things I feel for this book is very unreal. Listen, the atmosphere of this? The settings? The premise? I couldn’t get enough. Dare I even say close to perfect? And the plot had me so very invested in every single way. But this actual story and the plot conveniences, the characters and their lack of critical thinking, the obvious plot twists? The Lord might be testing me. The whiplash I felt while reading this was a full experience and deserves a star rating of its own, truly.

When you open this book for the first time, the prologue will transport you to a stormy night in 19th century Italy, where two little twin girls are being gifted very special necklaces while slowly learning their witch powers and history from their grandmother. There are seven demon princes but only 4 the witches should fear, but somehow their necklaces will keep them safe, even though they are instructed to never place them together.

"One will crave your blood. One will capture your heart. One will steal your soul. And one will take your life."


Then the story actually takes place ten years in the future, where Emilia and Vittoria are now eighteen-years-old, but we see how that night has shaped their lives for the last decade in so many different ways, but for sure centering on those necklaces that were entrusted to them. Both girls are trying to help their family with their restaurant, find and follow their dreams, and lead normal lives, but they soon find out that normal and safe and happy was never in the cards for them.

Again, I do not want to give much away, because I think I very much benefited from not reading the synopsis of this story. But the gates of hell are weakening, and their city and family are no longer safe. Not only do they have to worry about hiding the fact that they are witches, but now they have to worry about demon princes, witch hunters, and other creatures that go bump in the night! But Emilia is thrust in the heart of it all, with her witchcraft on full display, when she makes a deal with a demon when she is most desperate.

Together, Emilia and Wrath (be still, my BDB heart) are forced to work together to investigate brutal and mysterious murders that are happening, but they are both looking for clues for very different reasons. My favorite part of this book was truly going alongside Emilia and seeing all these different settings. From secret casinos, to her family’s kitchen, surprise palaces, spooky beaches, to the scary and dark corridors within the church, I couldn’t get enough of all the different adventures in all the different places.

"Grief carved me in half. And fury honed the pieces into a weapon."


I really loved the depiction of grief and depression in this book, too. How the weight of sadness can be unbearable, especially alone, when your world and future are taken from you right before your eyes. I also think Kerri Maniscalco did a really good job portraying not only the different stages that can be held within grief, but to also tell the reader that there is truly no wrong way to grieve. Heartbreak can be sadness and pain, but it can also be anger and revenge.

I also did really enjoy the romance and I think if you are looking to indulge in a new OTP that will remind you of 2015 then you are in luck with this one! I did enjoy Wrath a lot more than Emilia for the most part, but I feel like the plot convenience (and Emilia acting stupid) was the downfall of this book. I am not good at unraveling mysteries, but I truly unraveled this one instantly, I only wish Emilia could have a little sooner and it made the reading experience a bit annoying. Also, she gets upset at the strangest things, and wholeheartedly accepts the wildest things for no reason. I truly feel like her character was mostly used to move the book along conveniently instead of actually making her feel like a main character with depth and identity.

Also, I’m just going to say it, the grandmother in this book is one of the most infuriating characters I’ve read about all 2020. Like, regardless of prophecies, how are you going to be this mysterious with eight-year-old little girls and then really not fill them in on any blanks for the next ten years of their lives too? The grandma is really written to look like this cool and wise character who helps save the day, but I truly could not stand her or her shocked reaction when things would fall apart around her.

On top of the mysteries in this book being a bit of a letdown, I will also say that I felt like so many big events in this book kind of happened just for (hopefully) set ups for the next installment. I’m all for setting up things in early books, but it just kind of feels bad when absolutely nothing happens regarding these big chapters after the scene has ended. I feel like if this book felt more cohesive throughout, instead of just setting up for what is to come, I would have gotten so much of a higher rating from me, but I have to rate and review off the material that is given to me and it made for a bit of an infuriating reading experience.

"Man had a funny way of blaming the devil for things he didn’t like."


Overall, I couldn’t put this book down. Truly. And I would bet you a great sum of money that I will also pick up the next one, because this book ended on a very perfect cliffhanger set up that I greedily want to know everything about. This book really did give me nostalgic feels for some reason, it made me very hungry most of the time, and it made me truly never want to put it down. The writing is so easily consumable, and I really did fall in love with the setting and plot set up. I only wish it felt a little bit more like a full story and not just a set up book. I still predict that this book will do really well, and I think most people will have a very good reading experience with this with.

Trigger and Content Warnings: gore, violence, blood depiction, self-harm to get blood for spells, loss of a loved one, grief depiction, murder, death, brief mention of unwanted touching, and magical compulsion.

Thank you JIMMY Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalo has the grit and mystery of her Jack the Ripper series, but better.

This book follows Emilia, a witch living in Sicily, practicing her magic in secret. When her twin sister misses dinner service at their family's restaurant, Emilia goes in search of her only to find her dead and her body desecrated. Determined to find out what happened, Emilia joins Wrath - a prince of hell who claims to be on her side - in solving the mystery of her sister's death.

This book had me sitting up and paying attention from the start. If you've read JTR, it's similar in that the writing flows incredibly well, and the book ends up being a quick and easy read. That said, I enjoyed this one more than I did JTR. The setting is more interesting, and the characters well developed.

I'm a sucker for a bad guy love interest. It's one of my absolute favorite tropes, and the author really delivered with Wrath. He's a prince of Hell, Wrath being the house he represents. The chemistry between the two is fantastic and the type of pairing where I'm like 75% sure they're going to ruin each other and I'm here for it.

The world-building is interesting, and I loved hearing about the 7 princes and the houses of hell. I wish we'd learned more about Wrath, but I have a feeling that's coming in the second book!

Which, with the cliffhanger this leaves you on, you'll absolutely want to read. This is another great book for spooky season!

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Kerri Maniscalco has knocked my socks off with this epic story!!
Twin witches Emilia and Vittoria are one of a secret group of witches hiding in plain sight. They are told from the cradle stories about the Wicked and warned of the dangers these demons can unleash.
When one of the sisters is found brutally sacrificed the story unfolds into a race to uncover not only the murderer but to stop the gates of Hell from falling and releasing Hell on Earth.

I loved this dark gothic story and was drawn in from the first few pages. The characters were vividly brought to life and the character of Emilia was likeable and has depth. I found it puzzling how Nonna is a main focus character but Emilia and Vittorias parents don't have much of an appearance within the story leading me to believe that Nonna is a very powerful witch.

The Wicked are featured throughout this book but Wrath is the main character featured and is dark brooding and deliciously dangerous. I loved the dark dangerous demon and enjoyed how a sensitive and endearing side was slid in too. Each of the seven Princes of Hell have hidden agenda's and wicked plans that are hinted at throughout this book and I can't wait to find out what and where these are going to lead to.
The book ends on a cliff hanger that leaves you wondering if the ending is for good or bad and I am desperate to find out what will happen next!
I thought this book was a stand alone so I am in high anticipation for book two!

Kerri Maniscalco brought me back to my love of YA Paranornal! Kingdom of the Wicked is such an intriguing tale that held me captive, stuck on the edge from page one!!

Ominous and dark, everything from the premise to the characters to the world of witches and demons was enticing and swept me away. I loved every moment, but fair warning this novel may trigger some people.

Our heroine, Emilia Di Carlo is a Strega Shadow Witch. Her and her twin sister Vittoria secretly live among humans, avoiding being noticed and evading persecution. But one night something is amiss. Vittoria is found murdered, her body desecrated. Emilia wants revenge and will stop at nothing until she finds who killed her beloved sister.

Soon Emilia dives into the dark magic and her path brings her to one of the Wicked princes of Hell, Wrath.

“There are seven demon princes, but only four di Carlos should fear: Wrath, Greed, Envy, and Pride. One will crave your blood. One will capture your heart. One will steal your soul. And one will take your life.”

From the moment Emilia and Vittoria's amulets touched 10 years ago, a chain of events were unleashed. The gates of Hell are slowly crumpling and soon demons and the like will infest Earth. Shrouded in mystery, secrets, and intrigue, you will not want to put this action packed novel down!!

Enough said about the forbidden slow burn romance between a witch and a demon. Emilia and Wrath's relationship is filled with animosity in the beginning but the moments when they let their guards down are tender and sweet. I especially loved the witty banter between them #swoon. There is so much more to come with this couple that I feel we won't be prepared for!! With that ending I don't know how I will be able to wait for the second book!!

This is my first read by Kerri Maniscalco and I can reassure you it will NOT be my last! I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for that bit of darkness mixed with the world of fantasy.


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Jimmy Patterson Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*