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

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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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.

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Emily Rainsford

Atmospheric fun

Reviewed in Australia on 19 November 2020

Oh my. This was a sumptuous treat. This story is atmospheric, dark and seductively wicked. If you want witchery, princes of Hell, eviscerations, Italian cuisine you can practically smell, and some whodunnit thrown in the mix, you've come to the right place. I enjoyed this a lot. This is definitely the first book of a series - that ending!! You do get a little bit of answer thrown your way for a bit of satisfaction at the end, but there is definitely a lot more to this story and I'll be hanging out for it! Solid 4.5/5.

With thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

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Kindle Customer

Prince's of Hell

Reviewed in Australia on 15 August 2021

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This story slowly gained my interest and as I continued reading I was surprised how engaging the story became. Sexy prince's of hell who had their own agenda and would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Death, destruction, betrayal and revenge mixed together to seek
vengeance on those that murdered
her sister. Wrayh had moments of
feeling that led Emilia to believe he cared yet ultimately everyone has their price. Sometimes it is easier to defeat the enemy within when they don't see you coming than all out war. Emilia has a plan and it may take her to hell and back but she will seek justice for her sister's death. I think Wrath has a bigger part to play but his motives have not been revealed as yet and he is the dark horse in this race.

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Sophie Roots

Wow.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 November 2020

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I am going to make this review as spoiler free as I possibly can because everybody needs to read this book IMMEDIATELY!

First of all I must begin this review with a confession........I am 100000% guilty of buying this book because of the pretty cover!! Prior to this read, I had not read anything by Kerri Maniscalco but I have already added Stalking Jack the Ripper to my wishlist!

Right so let's get to Kingdom of the Wicked. I loved the change of setting from the typical fantasy type book, with the Mediterranean flare and portrayal of a classic Sicilian close-knit family. Nonna, as typical, is the book of knowledge and her love for the twins is beautiful. As for Vittoria and Emilia, their relationship ticks just about every box that we love to see between siblings: secrets, jealousy, love, betrayal, sacrifice. Without giving too much away, the element of grief in this book pulled my emotions apart and left me close to tears on multiple occasions.

Besides the completely absorbing family relationship, get ready for the dark and mysterious relationships that burn like hell itself. That's all I shall say in that area....

If I haven't already made it clear that I completely loved this book, I'm sure will soon. Maniscalco has captured ever sinful desire and personified them into addictive characters that leave you wanting more and more. I often found myself under the spell of the Princes of Hell! And then the cliffhanger...! I can't put into words how much I NEED to know what happens next and I have no doubt that book two will be even better than the first!

4 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

Verified Purchase

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

muji begum

Witches, demons and vampires. Yesss please!!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2021

Verified Purchase

"In the end, the monster we feared didn’t come from Hell. He came from privilege."
- The Kingdom of the Wicked

Soon as I read the blurb of this book, I was hooked. Witches, demons and vampires is right up my ally - I love the Hollawen vibe! 🎃

The beginning was good, the character and world building was interesting. The one thing this book lacked was the flow (which was abit disappointing). Each problem was resolved so quickly, like there wasn't enough time for it to marinade and then something else would happen straight after. Also, the amount of demons we get introduced to, blimey it was hard to keep up!

However, it was very easy to read which I really liked. It did end on a cliff hanger and I am very intrigued see how things unfold in the next book. The second part is meant to be more NA which I'm really looking forward to 😁
I'm rating this a 3.5⭐

Emilia on the hunt for her twin sisters killer only to be bound by force to Wrath a brooding Prince of the lowest pits of Hell. Soon secrets start to unravel and everything Emilia has known all her life is not what it seems. She is forced to make decisions that shape the rest of her life. Can she withstand all the obstacles and continue on this dangerous journey?

One person found this helpful

5 star		54%
4 star		30%
3 star		12%
2 star		3%
1 star		1%

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