Kingdom of the Cursed ♦ Kerri Maniscalco | Review

Kingdom of the Cursed ♦ Kerri Maniscalco | Review

The level of this book is unquestionably higher than the previous installment. Kerri Maniscalco proved me right in my opinion, once more that the second book of a trilogy is the best.

After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice.

She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria... even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons.

The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world... or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature?

Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves...

One sister.
Two sinful princes.
Infinite deception with a side of revenge… Welcome to Hell.

Kingdom of the Cursed ♦ Kerri Manscalco

Opinion

Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco is a lot more interesting and packed with surprises. Without a doubt, Wrath was my favorite character in this book. Although Emilia had come a long way since the beginning, I believe she still has some growing to do.

I adored the atmosphere of the hellish world Maniscalco created. It was very intriguing to read how the seven kingdoms symbolize the various vices of the Princes of Hell. The magical hidden mysteries which needed to be untangled kept me glued to the pages. I also appreciated how the mysteries had expanded beyond Emilia’s sister’s murder to include a deeper look at her true ancestry and hidden abilities.

I am not a huge fan of sweet dripping romance. But yet the passionate and steamy connection between Emilia and Wrath was very enjoyable to read. Their love-hate tension kept me on my toes. Partly, I wasn’t sure if they just stay together to scheme each other or if it is truly love deep inside, but trust is still to be built up. Now, I can say, it was all of it combined, and it worked great together.

Kerri Maniscalco definitely delivered with Kingdom of the Cursed, and I was never sure, where a new discovered riddle would lead the whole plot. Her writing style is mesmerizing and very fluid.

Conclusion

The enemies-to-lovers trope is still strong and carrying most of the quarrel’s chemistry between the two protagonists. Kingdom of the Cursed drew me deeper into a much darker and more intense passionate romantic crime solving plot, than I expected before grabbing the book. I was so glad, that I already had the next book at home, so I could just keep reading.

Kingdom of the Wicked – The Trilogy

About Kerri Maniscalco

Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats.
She is the #1 NYT and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series and the forthcoming Kingdom of the Wicked.

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