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!

One person found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

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

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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Samara M

Witchy sisters, food and daggers

Reviewed in Australia on 13 October 2021

A story of sisters, betrayal, food and dark mysteries. Oh and some daggers to throats in there.

So many people can relate to having a Nonna in their lives, muttering about dark and gloomy things until they become common place and dismissive, something to scoff at as we go about our daily lives.

Emilia and Vittoria are twin sisters who live in Sicily with their family, they also happen to be witches. When Vittoria is brutally murdered Emilia summons one of the Wicked to help in her quest for vengeance.
Wrath appears to be on her side but nothing is what it seems and can you ever trust one of the seven sinful brothers of the devil, even if he tall, dark and extraordinarily handsome.

I felt the pacing was well done and the world building was detailed without being too heavy.
My two biggest criticisms were how much Nonna infuriates me with her vague and confusing portents of doom and Emilia's naivety is somewhat grating that left me feeling like she was a character to move the plot rather than a fully fleshed MC.
I loved how the author captures the grief not only in its different stages but how each character experiences this.

Helpful

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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From other countries

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

Sophie Roots

Wow.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 November 2020

Verified Purchase

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

Verified Purchase

"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

Verified Purchase

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

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

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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