Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: Kingdom of the Wicked: TikTok made me buy it! The addictive and darkly romantic fantasy

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New Favourite!!

Reviewed in Australia on 5 November 2020

Kingdom of the Wicked is my first book by Kerri Maniscalco and it definitely won’t be my last. The way everything was written, the descriptions, I honestly felt like I was in Sicily. Everything just flowed and there are no over the top explanations or descriptions, just enough to leave you wanting more.

I won’t give too much away but this is perfect for the spooky season. A witch looking for vengeance, dark and deadly Princes of Hell, murders, secrets and lies around every corner. Who will you trust?

My favourite parts of the book, besides the delicious food, was watching the slow friendship and building of trust between Emilia and Wrath. They were both hesitant of each of other, Emilia more so after being told numerous scary stories about the Princes of Hell, but after spending time together Emilia begins to see that not everything she’s been told about them are true. And the slow building romance was intoxicating, I wanted, no need more!

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Cookbook review

Reviewed in Australia on 4 February 2021

Definitely a book that makes you hungry. Slow to start but worth the read. October definitely can't come soon enough

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From Australia

A sweeping tale of witches and demons... I could not put it down!

Reviewed in Australia on 2 November 2021

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From the moment I started reading Kingdom of the Wicked I just knew I was going to love it! I was immediately drawn in to a story of magic and danger, with witches living in secret among humans and cunning Princes of Hell intent on breaking long held curses.

Emilia suffers an unimaginable loss and all hell breaks loose, literally! The gates to hell are weakening and demons are escaping. Emilia and her sister hold the key to strengthening the gates, if she can just work out how.

The enemies-to-lovers romance aspect is super slow building and brings all of the angst and tension. Emilia and Wrath hate each other with a passion but as they say, it's a fine line between love and hate. I love the way their relationship plays out and the constant push and pull.

If you are looking for something spooky, revengeful and gripping with a touch of tension filled romance, then definitely check this one out! I could not put it down!

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Bookbookowl

This book was everything I wanted from a book about witches

Reviewed in Australia on 27 October 2020

Emilia and Vittoria are witches and twin sisters who have been raised on their Nonna’s stories of demons and the ways they must always protect themselves from them. Emilia is too busy working in the family restaurant, pouring her heart and soul into cooking to really put much stick into her Nonna’s old stories. But when Vittoria doesn’t come home one night, Emilia discovers her body, with a mysterious stranger standing over her. Determined to avenge her sisters death, she goes looking for answers and finds more than she bargained for. Going against everything her Nonna has ever earned her about, she summons one of the Princes of Hell in an attempt to discover the truth about who is responsible for her sisters death.

This book was everything I wanted from a book about witches. It was eerily atmospheric and Kerri’s words flowed like water. I swear magic was swirling off these pages. Prince of Hell, Wrath was just…well, look, we’re all going to want our own Prince of Hell now, ok? Is he morally grey? Or is he just grey? We’re not sure. Emilie was just the right mix of strong and smart, if a little naive at first. I loved the way she took time to mourn her sister then became a vengeful force to be reckoned with.

This was the type of book I didn’t want to rush through, but couldn’t stop reading. I felt like it was whispering to me in the dark everytime I put it down. I am quite happy to hand over my soul for book two immediately.

3 people found this helpful

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K Huskić

A great story!

Reviewed in Australia on 28 October 2020

4.5 stars

The witches, the demon princes, the magic, the outfits, the world they live in, together all make a fascinating read.

Emilia and Vittoria are twin witches who grew up hearing stories of the 'Wicked', a group of demon princes, and are warned to stay away from them, at all costs. When Vittoria is murdered, Emilia begins her hunt to find and kill the one responsible. Emilia meets Wrath, and soon discovers that almost everything she thought she knew about witches and demons was incorrect, and maybe the demon prince isn't so bad... and could actually be on her side.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, which I am usually not a huge fan of, but in this case I am intrigued, and I'm just sad I'll have to wait to find out what happens next!

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Kelly Green

A Phenomenal Read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 October 2020

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‘Kingdom of the Wicked’ follows Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria, witches who live secretly among humans in order to avoid 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, then sets off to seek vengeance at any cost – even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

This book has been my most anticipated read of the year, being a huge fan of Kerri Maniscalco’s works and admiring her skills as a writer. So, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to love this book, I just didn’t expect to love it quite this much.

Emilia made for an absolutely brilliant protagonist. She’s brave, self-assured and slightly stubborn at times. She’s someone who takes no nonsense, not even from demons from Hell, and is desperate to avenge her twin sister, no matter what that would cost her. She’s an incredibly admirable protagonist, and it was a joy to read her journey from start to finish.
Wrath was another character who was deeply enjoyable to read about, exploring his relationship with Emilia with the use of luscious description and bouncing dialogue. They interacted beautifully together, spitting bile at one another until their relationship softened more and I loved every moment I read about them.
Although, Vittoria wasn’t mentioned much within the novel, her character meeting an unfortunate end quite early on, there was still a lot of character modelling involved in Maniscalco’s writing. This was a brilliant technique, making you feel for the characters after her death and caring about them; I was truly devastated, Emilia and Vittoria’s relationship being wonderful to witness up until that point.

The writing itself is wonderfully written, with lengthy descriptions and entertaining dialogue. The setting was explored beautifully through interactions between the characters, with explanations dotted around for those experiencing language barriers. That’s not to say that this book holds your hand however, being subtly done to not draw you away from the story itself.

Overall, I adored this book. Maniscalco truly has a talent for writing and that shines through in this novel. It was an absolute joy to read and I will be returning to it again and again.

18 people found this helpful

ateachersguidetoreading

You'll be hungry for more...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2021

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"Man had a funny way of blaming the devil for things he didn't like..."
*
Emilia and her twin sister, Vittoria, are witches who live amongst humans in Sicily and, together with their family, run a well renowned restaurant. When Vittoria misses a shift, Emilia goes in search of her sister only to find her brutally murdered and her body desecrated. Emilia is hell bent on seeking vengeance at any price, even if it means turning to dark and forbidden magic. It's not long before she finds herself paired with Wrath, one of the Wicked and a Prince of Hell. Together they must try to figure out who is responsible for murdering these witches before it's too late...
*
"He was death and rage and fire and anyone stupid enough to forget that would be consumed by his inferno..."
*
Seven deadly sins? Check. Witches? Check. Mouth-watering Italian food? Check, check, check! Honestly, a friendly warning, don't read on an empty stomach! This book has a tendancy to make you want to indulge in yummy culinary delights.
I loved this book and the murder-mystery vibe mixed with the supernatural. I really enjoyed the gothic and Halloween (my favourite holiday) feel to the story and, of course, I'm a sucker for romance so when I see a brooding Prince of Hell and a sassy witch coming in to her own power... it's a no brainer that Emilia and Wrath have got my vote. So much happened in the last third of the book that I was left reeling. I just honestly couldn't get enough of it.
*
"Fear made monsters of men..."
*
There were a couple of times I had to go back and reread whole scenes just to make sense of them. I would have liked to have seen a little more from Emilia and Wrath in terms of enemies-to-lovers banter and chemistry. But these are really minor issues and I'm sure my questions will all be answered in the next book/s. Roll on October and Kingdom of the Cursed (especially now its New Adult)...
*
"You always have the power of choice, even when those choices seem limited..."

2 people found this helpful

Hayley

An entertaining read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 May 2022

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I’d heard so much about this book that I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I finally picked it up after fan art started creeping in my feed and I was worried about spoilers! I actually didn’t read the synopsis – so a certain scene was a shock to me even though it is written on the back.

I really enjoyed this book. I can’t say I always knew what was going on, but it was a fun ride.

The world was fascinating and there was so much to digest, witches, magic, demons and cooking. Lots and lots of cooking. Some of the food prep scenes left me super hungry.

Emilia – portrayed as the more sensible one compared to her twin, is actually wonderfully reckless. If it wasn’t for her risk taking I’m not sure I’d like her as much!

Wrath – for a demon prince from hell, he appears quite reserved when we first meet him. It’s clear that Emilia gets under his skin and there is an instant chemistry between them. He’s dark and mysterious just the way I like my romance leads!

I want to say everything started to come together in the end, but there were more head spinning revelations and possibilities that I really don’t think I understood what was happening until I closed the book and reflected.

It was a relief to know I had the second installment in my possession because the ending was a cliff hanger.

For me this book lived up to the hype. The whole atmosphere of the book was intense and we all know I love a slow burn romance! This could be a favourite series.

One person found this helpful

Becky

An amazing read!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2020

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This book took me on a wild ride. My range of emotions I felt while reading this was non-stop. The setting, atmosphere and characters, I couldn't get enough. I was invested in the plot and the numerous plot twists from beginning till the end. KM's creativity really shined through with this book, it has such a unique magic system and the different classes of witches and demons. Also the whole Seven princes of Hell is something I haven't read before, I'm excited to see more of their world.

(some small spoilers)

I loved the depiction of grief and depression in this book. How the weight of sadness can be unbearable, especially alone, when your most loved and future are taken from you right before your eyes and dealing with the loss but also carrying on with your life best you can. I also think KM did a really good job portraying not only the different stages of 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. The way Emilia did not stop with her want for revenge was inspiring, however wrong it may be.

I could see Emilia's and Wrath's sizzling chemistry from the beginning, they would be each others saviour but each others downfall. I just wished we got more of them together, and showing their feelings. Hopefully we will more in the second book. 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 bewitched. 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 their banter! I loved it, it reminded me a lot of Lou and Reid. it was one of the best parts of the book.

Now the final big reveal, I guessed quite early on. I just saw it coming but it didn't make it any less good! The only thing I didn't really expect was Emilia's final choice, and how Wrath acted towards her, it's all very mysterious. Plus as any good fantasy book it ended on a HUGE cliff-hanger, and supposedly the next book isn't until 2021!! please say it isn't so!! Hopefully that might change but I'm excited nevertheless!

3 people found this helpful

Claire Flynn

Love the characters and the wickedness of all the prince's of hell

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 July 2021

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I have such conflicting feeling about this book, on the one hand i loved the characters mostly Wrath, I liked the banter between Emilia and Wrath, and the world and magic system did intrigue me, along with all the prince's of hell, but did I really like this book? No, not completely, maybe half and half.

It really had potential to wow me with the hell prince's and the wicked magic and what I was really excited for was the hell underworld, but that isn't in this book obviously it will be in book 2. But my biggest problem with kingdom of the wicked was the amount of same scenario moments and the fact that I knew who the killer was after her sister was murdered. Essential this book follows emilia questioning hell prince's over and over again and running from hell beasts while trying to solve her sister's murder.

I think I will love book 2 but this one just didn't fully work for me, love the characters and the wickedness of everyone totally makes me excited for kingdom of the cursed!

Thank you so much to the publishers at netgalley for an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Joanne Jones

Rollercoaster story!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 October 2021

Verified Purchase

I’ll be honest, I bought this book because the cover is beautiful! I just love it.
But I did read it and boy, so happy I did.
We follow Emilia, a twin, on her mission to find out who murdered her sister, Vittoria. Along the way, stumbling through, making mistakes, she ends up becoming entangled with one of the prince’s of hell, Wrath.
Ooh, this demon got all the pretties! 🤩
They strike up a bargain and work together to solve the puzzle that is devastating Palermo’s magically blessed families.
The plot is intricate and paced well enough to keep you hooked and most importantly guessing. I found myself trying to figure things out along with Emilia and as a result couldn’t put the book down. This was a two day read for me. I really love Wrath, he’s written so well even though we don’t get his point of view. He’s a well mannered demon with a face that’ll break your heart. I love this concept, that even in hell, manners and decorum are important and expected.
Overall, this was a really good book. A compelling plot, relatable characters and a beautiful setting.
Have your snacks ready when you’re reading though, this book will make you hungry.
Straight onto the next one now…

Tina

Witches, Demons & Wrath- Oh My!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2021

Verified Purchase

Recommended if you like:

* Morally Grey Character
* Enemies - Lovers
* Supernatural
* Magic & Spells
* Adventure
* Mystery
* Very slight spice

Kingdom of the Wicked follows the story of twin sisters, Emelia and Vittoria.
At the start, it is revealed that something is murdering witches in a brutal manner. Emelia soon finds her sister's life has suffered the same fate.
The story then begins with Emelia trying to discover who killed her sister and why, inadvertently summoning the Prince of Wrath to assist her. Neither of them like one another but agree to work together.
There are quite a few twists & turns and there is always something going on, with some super strong female characters. The book ends on a cliff-hanger that makes you want more! I have already pre-ordered the next book.
I particularly enjoyed having quite a few strong female characters, Vittoria, Emelia, Nonna & Claudia. It was a nice change and it also never seemed as if Emelia was ever being 'saved' by a male character.

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