Kingdom of the Wicked ♦ Kerri Maniscalco | Review

I can definitely say, that I loved this book and I could hardly put it down. The idea to use the seven deadly sins as characters just caught me right from the start.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Victoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin... desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to discover who did this, and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, the outlier among the seven demon brethren, always choosing duty over pleasure. He’s been tasked by his master with investigating a series of women’s murders on the island. When Emilia and Wrath’s fates collide, it’s clear this disturbing mystery will take a bewitching turn...

Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…

Kerri Maniscalco introduces her next series, a dark tale of a beautiful young witch, a troubled demon, and their epic romance, set against a 19th century Italian backdrop.

Kingdom of the Wicked ♦ Kerri Manscalco

Opinion

Witches and demons, pretty much the devil himself as well. Enemies to lovers, and betrayals at every corner. That would pretty much sum it up, if I were to end my review right here. This dark urban fantasy book could really cast a spell on me.

Because of her dramatic writing style and attention to detail, Kerri Maniscalco has produced a chilling and intriguing feast. Her attention to Sicilian cuisine and culture is captivating! It left me craving for some good Italian food way too often.

I find it fascinating how Emilia‘s relationship with her family was mostly shaped by food and the family business. That and, of course, witchcraft. But also interesting is the fact, that Maniscalco used her real family’s restaurant as a model for this fictional one.

Maniscalco spins a really captivating tale about evil curses and the Wicked, also known as the Princes of Hell. The underground royalties are hunting for Emilia, as well as other things to gain their freedom from a curse. I adored the Princes’ mystique. I enjoyed reading about the connection between Emilia and Wrath and how it already developed during this first volume of the series.

Emilia comes around as a strong female, and I especially enjoyed her development in general. She faced the consequences of her decisions head on and whoever dared to stand in her way to seek partly brutal retributions for her sister’s murder. Wrath turned out to be as devilish as he can be as a Prince of Hell. But he also surprised me but a lot of his actions. I really don’t want to spoil anyone reading this, but telling more about the plot.

Conclusion

The quarrels between Emilia and Wrath kept me on edge. I squirmed at the end’s cliffhanger because I am really eager to find out what happens next. I’m dying to devour the next book, which I will pick up very soon. The Kingdom of the Wicked is such a fantastic beginning to the series!

Kingdom of the Wicked – The Trilogy

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Additional opinions about the book:

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All book cover images I use are the property of the respective publishers and/or authors or other rights holders.

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