Kerri Maniscalco fast rose to one of my favourite authors throughout 2019, as I made my way through the phenomenal Stalking Jack the Ripper series. I was desperately hoping that her first book away from Audrey and Thomas would hold the same addictive charm as her previous works, whilst introducing us to a new setting, and man, I was not disappointed. This is going to be a pretty short review, because I barely have anything to say other than I loved every minute!

This was set in a witchy, historic 19th century Sicilian setting, with lush descriptions of food and gothic catholic architecture. The atmosphere of the story was so successful, with the smells and tastes and surroundings. I felt totally transported to this setting, without much world building at all - it was very steeped in Italian food and language and history, but the extent of the fantasy element wasn’t too clear and wasn’t at all necessary to the story - we were caught up on this is little island with a pocket of witches isolated there and the rest of the politics of the world didn’t matter to me at all, which is quite unusual for me as I’m a real world building sort of gal, but I just didn’t need it here - the feeling of isolation from the human world was very effective in making this demonic, witchy setting feel real.

I really liked the romance in this book. I say romance, but it was not a central part of the plot at all. There’s more of a sexual and romantic tension between the two characters that I can’t wait to see developed in book 2. It’s enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to-sexual-tension. There is so much angst in this relationship, we never quite know where Emilia stands and how their relationship is perceived by her love interest, which is a really interesting dynamic, and again makes me so excited to read more.

I adored the grey morality and addictiveness of the demonic characters scattered through this story - and there are still more the seven princes of hell that we have left to meet! The human nature of these squabbling, jealous brothers combined with immense evil, demonic power was so angsty and delicious to read. The magic and witchcraft was so interesting, with rituals and rules well thought out - this was something I was interested to see how Kerri carried off, as her other series does not contain magic, and I think that she did a wonderful job.

I’m left after this book with SO MANY QUESTIONS! There is a lot that didn’t feel totally clear at the end of the book, which I’m sure is intentional as it’s going to lead perfectly into the sequel - but there’s not so much left unanswered that the book didn’t make sense. There is just the right balance of intrigue and mystery that is going to keep me on edge until I can get my hands on book 2!

‘Kingdom of the Wicked’ treads well-trodden ground but puts a fresh enough spin on it to become an intriguing and enjoyable story. It definitely reads like part one of a series rather than fully standing up on its own, but as long as the sequels provide some much-needed answers this can stand up as a solid addition to the YA fantasy genre.

The novel follows Emilia, one of a family of streghe – witches – living secretly amongst humans. Their family is one of twelve streghe families in Sicily, but following a powerful spell cast generations ago the families are discouraged from mixing. Emilia pays more attention to her family renowned restaurant than to magic – until she discovers her beloved twin, Vittoria, murdered, her heart ripped out, and a mysterious figure drinking her blood. Her quest for vengeance pulls her into the world of the Wicked – the princes of Sin her Nonna has always warned her about.

Emilia is a likeable enough protagonist. Previously a carefree girl whose only worries were new dishes at the restaurant and her flirtation with a completely unavailable man, she becomes a creature driven only by vengeance. She rushes headlong into situations without thought of the consequences and frequently has to be rescued. It’s slightly annoying that she spends most of the novel being pulled out of dangerous places by a man (and once her grandma, which is far more badass), but the idea of a teenage girl in over her head is certainly more accurate than most YA fantasy. Her motivations and struggles are always relatable, and hopefully as she starts to understand more about her abilities and situation in book two, she’ll become less of the damsel in distress and more the damsel of distress.

The other major character is Wrath, one of the seven Princes of Sin. Wrath is the typical mysterious male figure in YA fantasy – powerful, with many secrets and unknown motives, and also exceptionally attractive. However, I appreciate that, unlike in most books, Wrath and Emilia don’t immediately fall into a romance. Emilia’s priority throughout remains her sister, and she won’t allow herself unnecessary distractions. She also innately distrusts a Prince of Sin, a very wise decision not shared by most other heroines in her genre.

Kerri Maniscalo is known for her ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper’ series, a collection of YA mysteries. I’ve never actually read any of them, but her talent for writing mystery is absolutely on show in ‘Kingdom of the Wicked’. The plot twists and turns, with the culprit for the murders never entirely evident. There are dead ends, red herrings, and far too many potential murderers to count. When the killer is finally revealed, they come from a very unexpected direction. I appreciate that Maniscalo managed to weave a difficult-to-predict mystery without making it seem outlandish or implausible.

The highlight of this novel is the interspersing of Sicilian culture. There’s a strong focus on the food – Emilia spends a lot of time at the family restaurant, and she enjoys subjecting a Prince of Sin to mortal cuisine. Sicily is a more unusual setting for a fantasy novel, and it helped differentiate this from its peers and add depth to the characters and story.

Overall, this is a solid start to a series, albeit one that – as it doesn’t entirely stand on its own – will be greatly influenced by the strength of its sequel. Recommended to fans of A Court of Mist and Fury, The Cruel Prince, and similar story dynamics.

After devouring the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, I was so excited about this book! Unfortunately, I found it to be a very slow build and it took a long time to get going.

The characters weren't particularly engaging and some of the relationships felt forced. However, the world building was good with an interesting magic system and a well constructed history.

The plot did really pick up at the end and I'll certainly be picking up the sequel, but it wasn't quite the book I had hoped for!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Kingdom of the Wicked was a lot of fun, and it definitely helped get into an autumnal mood!

This book is an imaginative story with witches, demons, and so many more supernatural creatures, which I really enjoyed. Having read only Stalking Jack the Ripper by this author, I think that Kingdom of the Wicked shows how much she grew as an author: it's more ambitions, with multiple storylines, it has a creative magic system, and it's so easy to read. I've been struggling to pick up books in September, but this book grabbed me from the beginning, without wanting to let me go! I could easily lost myself into the story, and that's what I wanted.

The plot was very engaging, and I liked that Kerri Maniscalco opened so many plotlines, as it sets things up quite nicely for the next book: I'm eager to see where the story will go next. That being said, I guessed who the murderer with a couple of chapters in, and the way the story ended didn't surprise me one bit. Still, this book was really entertaining, and kept me interested so I'll read the next one!

Emilia was an interesting character to read about: I liked that she was the type of characters who didn't have it easy, who failed several times, but always got back into her feet. She sometimes did think I hadn't seen coming, and I enjoyed that about her! I wasn't as convinced by Wrath though... for a prince of Hell, I would have expected him to be more ruthless. I get that the author was trying to put us in the direction of a romance for them (not sure how it'll go, though!), but I wasn't very convinced by Wrath. I'm also a bit sad to say that the side characters weren't fleshed out enough for me, to the point that I'm not even sure we know Emilia's father name. I felt that they were just there when the author needed them, then faded in the background, and didn't really have their own existence, which felt weird.

I also really enjoyed the world the author created: a story with witches and demons is up my alley, and this had it all! It had legends about witches and demons, book of spells, different type of witches that I hope we see more of in the sequel, as well as other supernatural creatures, making it a really good Halloween read! However, I was genuinely confused when it comes to the historical setting of this novel: I had read somewhere that it was set at the end of the 19th century, but other than mentions of the monastery, and the main character talking about corset, I barely saw any. When I read that Emilia often read steamy romances when the book was supposedly set in the 19th century, I was so puzzled: from what she was saying, it felt like anyone was reading them, and she could afford to buy books often? Literally how?? But honestly, it might just be me.

Overall, Kingdom of the Wicked was an enjoyable read! It is set in an interesting world, and I'm excited to see where the story goes in its sequel!

Solid 4.5/5

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!

I haven’t read any of Kerri Maniscalco‘s work before reading Kingdom of the Wicked but after reading this gem of a book, I’m going to have to quickly change that!
Set in 19th century Italy, this book follows Emilia di Carlos, part of a family of witches living secretly and owning and working in their Sicily restaurant, Sea and Vine. Emilia and her twin Vittoria are taught from a young age to fear the Wicked, Princes of Hell under the sins of Wrath, Greed, Envy etc, their superstitious grandmother Even giving them a cornicello, a protective horn necklace to *never* take off. When witches start ending up dead in the area, their hearts missing, and Emilia finds the dead body of her twin sister, she summons a Prince of Hell, Wrath and vows to not searching for truth and vengeance until she finds her sister’s killer, even if she has to go through hell to do it (literally).

There’s a lot I loved about this book, I found it incredibly easy and enjoyable to read when, to be honest, it can be a little hard to focus and read during a pandemic.
The world building Is fantastic, Maniscalo uses food a lot in her description of Italy and with it, you feel a sense of being there, tapped into that sense of taste/smell. She also has amazing skill in creating atmosphere, I have read horror books recently that didn’t nearly create the same menace, from the sound of frantic dragging the floor, to shadows, to footsteps, it’s just delicious how menacing certain scenes are, with demons and threats appearing.
Then onto the characters, Emilia looks dangerous in the face throughout this book, and yet you get to see her soft side too, she acts with pain for her sister cutting into her, with fear for what’s out there, and you get to experience her doubts and wavers and see her resilience in pushing through, which is my favourite kind of protagonist, scared but doing it anyway. That said, there are a few times when her bravado feels incredibly stupidIt’s, for example if she is told to stay inside for safety, she’ll go outside in the dark, usually without a weapon, because she won’t be told what to do. Similarly, yes Wrath is a Prince of Hell, but her attitude towards him feels unnecessarily confrontational at times and she is actually crueler to him than vice versa, just give the guy a break!
Talking of Wrath, he’s typical YA fantasy eye candy, mysterious and menacing, broody and sculpted to perfection , and usually I roll my eyes at this but I loved him because he felt more. The sexual tension between him and Emilia is just delicious, unbearably delicious at times, intimate and sexy and not gratuitous at all (although God, I wanted it to be lol), and I quickly added them to my top ships even though, well, read the book.
Pacing wise, it starts off strong, the prologue is great, I would say perhaps it drags a little at one point where it feels quite a few chapters go on only to loop back to where it started, and maybe the killer wasn’t quite the reveal but even then it’s enjoyable and I didn’t mind staying in the world longer. I desperately now need the 2nd book!!

Looking for a book to fill your Blood & Honey hangover with a side of ACOTAR? Then this is your book!
Thanks to hodder books and netgalley for an ARC of this excellent witchy book.
Perfect for fall and Halloween, there was a particular chapter near the start that I read in the pitch black whilst my other half was sleeping and it seriously gave me the creeps! I thought I heard a noise in my hall and nearly scared myself half to death!
But I really enjoyed this. I know the author is already well established with her stalking Jack the Ripper series, but I haven't read them so I hadn't any expectations going into this so I really was pleasantly surprised. There's a very well written steamy slow burn enemies to lovers romance weaved through a story of magic, loss and sorrow. Plus the Italian setting and all the descriptions of the main characters restaurant food had me drooling from page to page.
The mystery element to this book meant the pace was so fast for the whole book, you are constantly solving more of the mystery with Emilia. This is a book I didn't know I needed in my life, I certainly can't wait for the sequel!
Bravo, le sue cinque stelle da me!

How long do I have to wait for book 2?! What an ending!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Emilia and Wrath’s journey whilst they try to uncover what and who killed Emilia’s twin. Wrath’s brothers are particular highlights, and I am hoping we will get meet more of them in book 2.

Emilia and Wrath’s relationship development was hot and spicy and I am curious to see how their relationship develops and changes in book 2.

I would have given this book 5 stars but the middle section didn’t hold my attention as much and I found myself drifting off. However the last 20% of the book really brought the book back and I think I flew through it. It was action packed and full of great reveals.

I haven’t read anything by Kerri Maniscalco before, but I have heard great things about her Jack the Ripper books so I think I’m going to have to give those a read whilst I wait for book 2. I hope I don’t have to wait to long! I need to know what happens next

It's not secret that I'm absolutely head over heels in love with Kerri's other series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, so I was so excited to get my hands on this book, especially considering its focused on witchcraft and the gothic and quite literally everything I love. The snippets of witchcraft history made me genuinely squeal with excitement.

Kingdom of the Wicked centres around a young witch, Emilia, after her sister was found brutally murdered. She is tasked with solving Vittoria's murder, and the equally horrifying deaths of other young witches in the city, where she meets Wrath, Prince of Hell and one of the Seven Wicked.

I adored the gorgeously gothic atmosphere of Kingdom - I loved the little throwbacks to 18th century gothic fiction like A Sicilian Romance, or The Monk. Emilia was clever, witty, emotional, and at times, wildly hilarious. I would read a 500-page book full of her interactions with Wrath alone.

I was also enthralled by Wrath and the other Wicked; I thought it was such an interesting spin of the seven sins. I'm so excited to see where the next book takes Wrath and Emilia (Princewitch??? I'm sticking with it)

Admittedly, I thought the dialogue was occasionally clunky, but I've had this issue with her other series before, so it may just be me. This didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book however, so it's still a five star read from me.

Another thing I absolutely adored was the humour - I was constantly laughing or chuckling at the banter between Wrath and Emilia. Maniscalco has always had a way of writing back-and-forths, but this book was banter Gold.

I cannot wait for this book to come out, so I can scream about it to and with anyone. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Jimmy Patterson, Hodderscape, and of course, Kerri Maniscalco herself for this gothic dream. I would (and certainly will) recommend this to anyone.

"A woman with a little power was terrifying to some."

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This was the first book I have read by this author and I wasn't disappointed. Her other series has definitely moved up my TBR. Having read a lot of witch-themed YA this year, I can safely say 'Kingdom of the Wicked' has been my favourite.

The book follows a young witch called Emilia di Carlos, who lives with her family in the city of Palermo. Her Nonna raised her and her twin sister, Vittoria, on tales of the Wicked - the seven demon princes of Hell. When Vittoria is murdered, Emilia's only hope for answers is to summon Wrath. She last saw him standing over her sister's mutilated body, but he claims not to be the one that killed her. If not him, then who?

I loved Emilia's development. She was the quieter twin who often spent her time reading, or helping out in the family restaurant. Then her sister was brutally murdered and Emilia changed. She became hell-bent on revenge and I loved the fierceness she showed and her protectiveness when it came to her family. I enjoyed the back-and-forth bickering between the two and it was refreshing that she didn't fall head-over-heels in love with him. The romance is definitely a slow burn and Wrath is my newest obsession.

The world-building was also phenomenal. The city came to life with Maniscalco's writing and the food sounded amazing. The murder-mystery element built suspense and I was never bored with the plot. While I did guess the murderer, I feel there is more to the story and the sequel cannot come soon enough!!

If I had to summarise this book in two words, I would say: SINFULLY GOOD.

I am so thankful to Hodder and Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read Kingdom of the Wicked before its release on October 27th (mark your calendars if you haven't already)

Dark and mysterious from the prologue until the very end, this thrilling murder mystery quest will send chills down your spine and keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters and the setting are so very well written, I felt like I was right there beside Emilia, exploring the streets of Palermo, seeking vengeance.

Also prepare yourselves to add another name to your list of swoon-worthy book boyfriends because Prince Wrath does not disappoint. I adored the constant rivalry and bickering between him and Emilia. It comes so naturally for them and puts a smile on your face when they get sarcastic with each other.

Another VERY important thing about this book is that it will make you HUNGRY. And no, I don't mean hungry for more action (though I must admit I need the sequel as soon as possible), but Kerri really doesn't hold back on the food descriptions and will have your mouth watering and stomach rumbling so make sure you have snacks.

Easily one of my favourite books this year and a 5/5 ⭐

3.5 Stars!

Kingdom of the Wicked is very reminiscent of The Darkfever series, which happens to be one of my favourite urban fantasy series, so, naturally, I very much enjoyed reading it.

The story revolves around twin sisters, Emilia and Vittoria, who are witches living in Sicily, hiding in plain sight among humans. That is until, Vittoria is found murdered, leaving Emilia and her family devastated. Emilia who is filled with grief vows to find her sister's killer, no matter what the cost. This results in an unlikely alliance between Emilia and one of the Princes of Hell, Wrath, who has his own reasons for assisting Emilia. What follows is a plot filled with mystery, betrayals and magic which was addictive, entertaining and exactly right up my alley.

I loved Emilia, she is sassy, fun, compassionate, basically everything I like in an MC. Same goes for
Wrath, there is so much unknown about him and his motives but every time he was on the page, it was just fun times. Emilia and Wrath has some top-notch banter throughout the book, which was in equal parts funny and heart-warming. I root for Emilia and Wrath wholeheartedly. In addition, this book focuses vastly on familial love, and I loved Emilia dynamic with her family, especially, with her grand-mother.

However, despite interesting characters and a fast moving plot, the writing felt a little choppy at times and was 'more tell than show'. Many mysteries were resolved way too easily for my liking and the story lacked good action sequences. There was definitely scope for some of that especially, towards the end. The world surely is filled with prophecies, other worldly creatures and interesting histories but because of the somewhat choppy writing, the delivery felt lacking. May be this will get resolved in the sequel, so we'll see.

All in all, it was a good and fun read for me and I am much intrigued to know how the story moves forward, especially after that heart-breaking ending.

I really enjoyed this book! I already thought I would enjoy it, having enjoyed the stalking jack the ripper series. I wish it hadn't finished on such a cliff hanger though, it's frustrating knowing I'll have to wait so long to know what happens next

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Kerri Maniscalco for my arc of Kingdom of the Wicked in exchange for an honest review. I adored Kerri Maniscalco’s previous series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, and so I was beyond ecstatic to have the opportunity to read this novel before its release.

Kingdom of the Wicked is based around witches in Sicily, Italy. Emilia and Vittoria di Carlo are strega; powerful witches with a love of the mystical and dangerous. Vittoria is fascinated by the forbidden and attracts danger; Emilia is reserved and respects tradition, choosing to believe that the tales her beloved Nonna has told them since youth are nothing but folklore.

When Vittoria is discovered dead in the local monastery, her body brutally torn apart and her heart stolen, Emilia swears to find the murderer responsible and unleash Hell on them. She soon discovers that her sister’s murder is more complicated than she realised and is connected to the Wicked – the seven Princes of Hell, four of whom have unresolved history with the di Carlo family. When Emilia meets Prince Wrath, she is bewildered and confused. Claiming his innocence and stating he is determined to help Emilia with her cause, she doesn’t know whether she can trust him. It doesn’t help that he is incredible charming and handsome, a key piece of lore than Emilia overlooked; the Princes of Hell love to seal deals with intoxicating kisses and steal the souls – and hearts – of anyone they encounter. But with no other options and a desperate need to avenge her sister rising from within, Emilia may have to forsake all she knows in order to get what she wants – even if it means making a deal with a demon.

This was yet another five-star novel from Kerri Maniscalco! Kingdom of the Wicked is next in line to be a bestseller with this utterly bewitching tale. As someone who adores fantasy and witch stories, it is often hard to surprise and grip me. However, Kingdom of the Wicked was exceptional and completely blew me away. The characters were engaging and interesting, the plot fascinating from the first page and I am already obsessed with the book. Kerri was able to describe everything in such beautifully vivid detail that I felt as though I were in Sicily with Emilia, accompanying her on all her adventures.

I cannot possibly express how deeply I loved this novel. Kerri Maniscalco is an extremely talented author, and this is easily my favourite book of 2020, and I imagine it will remain there. I cannot wait to see what the next installment holds for Emilia, Wrath and all the other incredible characters.

Oh my goodness I loved this book so much! The main character Emilia was sweet, brave, witty and loveable. I love how her character developed through the book. And how she never romanticised her relationship with Wrath and thought that he was something he was never going to be! I cannot wait for the next book I need it now!! !

Kerri Maniscalco’s ‘Kingdom of the Wicked’ has been such a rollercoaster of emotions. I haven’t read anything by the author previously, but I have heard great things about ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper’ series, and I certainly will be reading it after that.

‘Kingdom of the Wicked’ follows Emilia as she tries to find a person (or supernatural being) responsible for her twin sister’s death. Emilia and Vittoria have been raised on their grandmother’s stories that were meant to make them more careful. That were meant to keep them safe, even if their grandmother has known what’s coming. I really loved the setting of ‘Kingdom of the Wicked’. Witches in the 19th century Italy, with all the delicious food around, created such a lovely atmosphere in the book and added charm to both characters and the story itself.

Emilia is an interesting character. Quieter and calmer than her sister, she would rather help out in the family restaurant or get lost in the book than wander around in the search of the adventure. But filled with anger and desire for vengeance in the aftermath of Vitorria’s death, she definitely changes. While understandably revenge, anger and grief are what fuels her the most, it is also great to see that she becomes more confident in her abilities as the story unfolds.

The dynamic between Emilia and Wrath, one of the Princes of Hell has been ever changing and kept the reader on his toes. Similarly, I found Emilia’s interactions with other Princes of Hell interesting and full of action and drama. Although there have been moments when the characters felt a bit unbelievable or acting out of the character, at most parts, it has been explained or uncovered by the end of the book. I have enjoyed the ending, even if the cliff-hanger makes me slightly regret reading the book now… I think you know you have enjoyed the story when you turn the last page on your Kindle, and you just want more immediately.

I really enjoyed ‘Kingdom of the Wicked’, with its fast-paced story and interesting characters, and I would definitely recommend it to YA fantasy lovers.

DNF 40%

I usually try to read and finish every book, but sometimes some of them aren't my cup of tea.
Kingdom of the Wicked is one of these books. I didn't love Stalking Jack the Ripper but I wanted to give the author another chance. Unfortunately, I had my confirm: Kerri Maniscalco and I, we aren't made for each other. My main problem is her writing style: it isn't captivating enough and I feel nothing while reading her books. Plus, the characters are poor developed and I couldn't care less about them. Also, the mysteries are always too easy to solve and you can guess the killer after 4/5 chapters (yup, here I read the last chapters to see who was the killer and I was right). So, after this one I'm done with this author.

It's been a while since I read a book that utilised a more traditional approach to witchcraft and this definitely filled that void in my life. It beings with two sisters, Emilia and Vittoria, who are witches that live secretly among humans. Emilia is good with cooking and spices, Vittoria is good with perfumes. Emilia spends her evenings working in her family's restaurant, whilst Vittoria ventures out after dark, mixing with all kinds of dark magic. When Emilia finds Vittoria murdered, she will stop at nothing to find out who did it and why.

I really liked Emilia's character - she was fun to read due to her passionate and fiery nature. I liked her interactions with the 7 Princes of Hell, and how she grew more hard and fierce as the book progressed. The setting is also beautiful - the descriptions of food were some of the best I've read. The plot is good, but I wasn't really a fan of the cliffhanger because now I have to wait to see what happens. It does suitably change the circumstances which should mean for a second book that covers a lot of new ground, so I am excited for that.

Overall this was fun to read. I enjoyed the magic, witches and demons, and I look forward to reading more about Emilia. More romance next time please!

Book of the Year?
Well, whilst a lot about 2020 might suck, something that hasn’t is the books I’ve read. As I was rating this 5 stars on goodreads (that’ll give you a hint of the review to come!) I took a look at my other books read in 2020. Only one book DNF’d, one rated 3 stars and the rest 4 and above. And then to get granted this earc at 12pm on the 7th September and have it finished by 3pm the same day? Yeah, this book was good. This book was amazing. This book is in contention for my book of the year and honestly, it’s got stiff competition so I’m not sure how I’m going to decide or what else may join it in the next 3 (that’s alarming) months.

From the very first page (yep, I’m talking the title page), I had a feeling I’d love this book. Turn the page (or tap the screen, as the case may be) and I was then greeted by a map. I’m used to ARCs having blank pages where the map should be along with something like ‘map to come’. Not this time, and this map in particular was gorgeous. Definitely the best I’d seen in a book this year (and I’m a sucker for books with maps, just look at the background for all my IG posts.)

The First Book to Make Me Hungry
My first suggestion to you, if you’re yet to read this book, is don’t start it when you’re hungry. I started it at 12 and hadn’t had lunch. This was a mistake as I read about the glorious Italian food and wished desperately to be sharing in the food they were making as they casually discussed devils. Well, mostly casually. Also, the pre-order incentive involving pasta makes a whole lot of sense. Oh, and I’ve never tried cannoli and now I seriously need to. Sorry, I’m writing this review 4 hours after starting it and I still haven’t eaten. My hunger is spilling out.

Brilliant Descriptions of the Everyday
Anyway, the food discussion was supposed to be a segue into discussing the writing and the way Kerri Maniscalco describes things is such a delight to read. Some descriptions are almost lyrical and the first paragraph of the prologue gave this away immediately and it continued, where relevant, throughout. A few chapters later, one very simple description stuck out to me, simply because I loved the way it was worded:

“In moments, condensation bloomed like morning dew across the glass.”

Kerri is describing a drink being poured into a glass, not exactly exciting, right? And yet such short descriptions of normal, everyday things is what drew me into this book, the world she’s created and I loved every moment of it. Each time a small description like that happened, I marvelled in the enjoyment of something so simple and yet brilliant.

Characters to Love
But of course, beyond the description is the characters in this world. The three characters that stuck out most were our main point of view character, Emilia; a prince of hell, Wrath and then, perhaps unexpectedly, Emilia’s grandmother, referred to as Nonna, as this story is inherently Italian.

From Good to...
“I could either be a victim or a victor.”

Emilia experiences a character arc that was glorious to read. She’s a twin with her sister Vittoria and there was the classic archetype of one twin being good and the other being, I won’t say evil, but rebellious. Emilia was the more well-behaved of the two, as we’re introduced to Vittoria not being home in time and other things like that as the story begins. However, without saying too much, Emilia doesn’t stay the pure and good one for very long and reading her path from being so good and innocent to where she ended up was one of the many highlights of this book.

A Wicked-Prince of Hell
Wrath is a Demon Prince of Hell, as his name may suggest, the princes are centred around the seven deadly sins, and we meet most of the others during the story as well, although Wrath features more centrally. I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a bad-boy with some hidden depth in fantasy books. I love the complexity, and Wrath is no exception to this.

There’s definitely more to him than we truly get to meet in this book. He’s clearly powerful, which I don’t think we get to experience enough of, and there’s something else about him that, well, I don’t want to say too much, but I’m intrigued to read more of him and I’m slightly frustrated we’ve got to wait a while before book 2! It’s the eternal problem with ARCs, the pleasure of reading early, but then the painfully long wait for the next book!

A Grandmother with Secrets
Emilia and Vittoria’s grandmother is referred to as Nonna throughout. I don’t recall if she was ever named beyond that, but she was a fantastic character. I enjoyed each scene with her in it. She is a fierce matriarch for the family and is hiding much throughout. Some secrets are ultimately spilled, but I don’t think everything is out. She’s a character with more to come and I’m looking forward to what other surprises her character will bring.

Read This Book
The summary of my review is pretty simple: Read the book! I thoroughly enjoyed every page. From the fascinating characters, to the magical story and the gorgeous writing. I don’t see a reason to not read the book. Witches, Witch Hunters, Magic, Demons, Italian cooking. What more could you possibly want?

I met Kerri Maniscalco's pen thanks to Stalking Jack the Ripper. A magnetic writing, which immediately fascinated me.
When I saw the Kingdom of the Wicked review request available, I knew it had to be mine!
Surplus that convinced me to read it? It is set in Italy, specifically in 19th century Sicily.

Everything revolves around a family of witches who live secretly among humans. The family is made up of two twin sisters: the first, Vittoria, is the loudest and most reckless, while the second, Emilia, is the calm one, who thinks before acting. She likes to stay at home reading and certainly not out solving witch murder cases.
But when one of the victims is her sister Vittoria, Emilia demands revenge.
She begins the investigation to find the culprit, dabbling in the dark arts and alliances with demonic princes.

One of these principles is Wrath (there are seven demonic princes and each of them has the name of one of the seven deadly sins). He is the classic arrogant and powerful protagonist who will make you fall in love and end up in a jujube soup (I have a soft spot for her male protagonists, as it happened with Thomas Creswell).

Emilia and Wrath can't stand each other, but in my opinion this is what makes the story more interesting!

The books are really super intriguing! Murder and magic give that extra pinch to the story.
As for the magic, the theme is not very deep, but I didn't think much of it.
Another fact that I loved? The escalations in Italian. When I found "vaffanculo a chi t'è morto", there I decreed the Maniscalco one of my favorite authors!
I am Italian and sincerely finding a part of Italy in one of the books of a super established author, makes me a little bit proud.

The Kingdom of the Wicked is a must to read. If you loved the Stalking Jack The Ripper series, you will undoubtedly love this one too.

Arc privided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.