I was so so so excited to receive an ARC of Kingdom of the Wicked, I love Kerri Maniscalco so much, this book blew me away and was everything I dreamed it would be and more. It had a hint of Hades and Persephone which made me love it even more, it’s witches and magic, so of course I would love it. The characters are fantastic, well written and developed, I loved Emilia and Wrath so much, so many others too, but they were just brilliant and the relationship and humour , it was just everything I love it when characters can’t stand each other, it’s so much more fun ! I absolutely loved every second of this and can’t wait for my physical copy now from FairyLoot to arrive. One of my favourite reads of the year. Fantastic and I cannot wait for the next.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

5 stars!

WOW THIS BOOK! IT IS EVERYTHING!

I read the entirety of this book in one day because I simply could not put it down. It is the perfect read for this time of year.

Kingdom of the Wicked follows Emilia di Carlo, a streghe witch who lives among the humans in secret with the rest of her witch family. One dreadful night Emilia finds her twin sister Vittoria has been killed. This triggers the grieving Emilia to set out to find out who killed her twin sister and avenge her death. Emilia will stop at nothing to find out what happened to her sister, including dealing with magic she shouldn't be dealing with and calling on a prince of Hell. Prince Wrath and Emilia's fates get tied together and an enormous adventure begins.

I have to say I absolutely loved this, it is genius. Kerri Maniscalco's writing is impeccable and the pacing is incredible. It is just so easy to get sucked into this story from page one and to not want it to end. I found myself never wanting to put this down because I just NEEDED to know what was going to happen next.

Emilia and Wrath are amazingly well crafted characters and I loved every bit of interaction that we got to be apart of between them. The mystery surrounding Wrath's intentions and Emilia's past make for a great connection and chemistry between them.

The magic world is intricate and intriguing and it is very interesting to continuously find out more about the past of witches and the demons and the princes of Hell.

This book really has it all: it has magic, it has witches, it has drama, it has romance, it has magical creatures, it has demons, it has murder mystery, it has twists and turns and just everything else that you want.

For anyone looking for a perfect spooky read for this Halloween season, this is definitely the right book to choose. You will not be disappointed. I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I immediately knew I would love this book from the cover and the synopsis and I wasn’t wrong. It’s a such a delight to read, I was transfixed from the onset and I couldn’t put it down. A dark and twisty fantasy, with mystery and romance, which I devoured over a period of a few days. The story is well paced, there is always something happening and the writing flows well and is easy to follow.

The world and setting is sublime, the author obviously has an affinity for Italian culture and this comes across in the writing. Set in 19th Century Italy the author creates an authentic and atmospheric tale. The scenery is beautifully described, as is the heart-warming family relationships in the hub of the Sicilian tattoria and the mouth-watering Italian cuisine. I immediately wanted to make all the food described and I am now completely hooked on a ‘caprese-bruschetta’.

The characters are all rich and described in wonderful detail and I felt so connected to them. I particularly adored the dark and brooding Wrath, oh my goodness I loved his character so much and he completely stole my heart. He is gorgeous, mysterious and secretive, we shouldn’t really trust him but we just can’t help it. Emilia’s character is also well portrayed and she is a likeable and feisty female lead. I loved the dynamics and interactions between Wrath and Emilia, the attraction is quite obviously there but they try to pretend it’s not. The chemistry and banter between them positively sizzled and I enjoyed the enemies to ‘joining forces’ trope, which is a slight twist on the usual enemies to lovers. The demon princes are all intriguing as is the concept of the seven deadly sins, namely the seven princes of hell and their respective houses in the underworld - the houses of Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Pride, Envy and Greed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m definitely going to try to re-read it before book two is published. Action packed from the start it grabs the reader’s attention and pulls you into a compelling fantasy story with a murder mystery plot. A mesmerising tale with a unique magic system, witches and demon princes, which makes excellent reading for this time of year, who could ask for more? It ended on a perfect cliffhanger and I immediately want to reach for the next book.

Thank you so much to publisher via Netgalley for my advanced eARC of this book, I also received a proof from the publisher which is amazing!

This was too cliché at times but since I was in the mood for exactly that, it worked to entertain me.

↦ witches living in secrecy go vigilant when young ones are found dead with their hearts cropped out; the old enemies, demons, are returning; a twin sister turns vengeful.
↦ realms are interestingly set up with Earth and the underworld being separated by a Gate of Hell that's slowly losing its strength to stop the creatures from crawling back up in this world.
↦ princes of Hell based on the seven deadly sins, out of which Wrath is the main character in this story and Greed, Envy & Pride contribute to the plot too.
↦ the typical devilish enemies-to-lovers, slow burn romance between a chosen one witch & an immortal, brooding demon worked for me; if you've read very many YA, you already know half the possible scenes between the two but if you're in the right mood for a cliché, you'll enjoy it!
↦ the execution wasn't great: the plot wasn't surprising and things were conveniently solved; the main character's relationship with other side characters wasn't evolved as much as I would've preferred.
↦ definitely excited for the next book, though, because it ends on a very interesting, high stakes-high sacrifice note.

Demons? Yes, please.

I wasn't too sure about this book at first, but I fell in love with it so fast. Emilia and Wrath were everything and I couldn't get enough of them.

I haven't read something from Kerri Maniscalco before, but I really enjoyed her writing style and her storytelling. I'll definitely check more of her work in the future and, of course, I can't wait for more books in this series.

This book started great, we are immediately thrust into a chilling recounting of devils, dark princes and curses. Maniscalco has the ability to evoke an eerie atmospheric setting with ease. However as the story unfolds , personally for me that gets lost. It veers more into the murder mystery element of the story. Which I actually preferred as spooky is not normally my thing. I loved that Emilia was more than capable of investigating and following leads herself, even though it meant Wrath, the Prince from Hell and his help was often redundant at times as a result. Which was a shame as his broody, menacing self was quite entertaining and I would have liked to have seen him more involved.
In fact the whole cast of characters were really interesting, From Nonna to Claudia, Emilia's friend. We also meet other Princes of Hell, but not in much detail. I hope we get to know more about them as the series progresses.
I really enjoy Maniscalco's writing style, it is easily digestible and hugely entertaining, my main criticism is that it felt rushed, and the ending was a bit abrupt, it felt like as soon as the murderer is unmasked we are are swiftly moving onto what is clearly being set up as the overall series arc. The last few chapters there is a lot of misdirection and muddying of the plot that ends with a cliff hanger. Though not one of my favourite plot devices, I am sufficiently invested now that I will be picking up book two. Overall, I found this to be an entertaining read, I loved the history and world building around the Strega (witches) and Princes of Hell. I am intrigued by a few of the loose threads Maniscalco has left us and I am fascinated about how they will be wrapped up in subsequent books. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for allowing me access to an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Combining witchcraft, the devil, romance and food, Kingdom of the Wicked is the perfect read to get you in the mood for Spooky Season this year.

The story follows Emilia Di Carlo, a young witch who looks to exact revenge following the death of her twin sister. The only problem is that she doesn’t quite know who she’s looking to exact revenge upon.

While Emilia, fickle and confused Emilia, can be aggravating at times and her lack of real grit can make her worthy of more than a few eye-rolls, she is more than made up for with the character of Wrath, one of the Princes of Hell who, unfortunately for Emilia, has some knowledge regarding her sister’s murder.

Maniscalco’s writing is perfect for this genre, creating an atmospheric tale which would work wonderfully for the camera and her use of Sicilian family life leaves the reader with a familiarity towards the di Carlo family, regardless of their heritage. Steeped in mythology which is slowly unravelled throughout the tale, the novel progresses at a steady pace, with twists and turns at every corner.

The romance aspect can seem juvenile at times with the banter – or ‘snark’ as authors regularly label it – seeming forced, however the more it progresses, the better it gets and Maniscalco will have you rooting for the bad guys at times. Occasionally, she does fall into some over-used tropes but it can only be said that these tropes are popular for a reason and Maniscalco pulls each of them out the bag with unique takes on them.

The novel is wonderfully written, with just the right amount of supernatural and a heavy focus on the food. One word of warning for reading it would definitely be to have snacks at the ready because this will leave your mouth watering. One character goes as far as to say they would murder someone for the food mentioned and, after reading the descriptions, I’m not saying I’d disagree.

This was the perfect release for late October and if this is anything to go by, the sequel will be one of the most anticipated novels of 2021.

This book was perfect for this time of year. It was dark, creepy a bit gory and full of magic and suspense.
I have never read a book by Kerri Maniscalco although she has been on my radar for some time. I enjoyed her writing style, world building and characterization. This story was full of questions and mystery. I love a good witch story and the addition of demons kept me engaged throughout. I enjoyed the story but I did feel that parts could have been trimmed down and some could have been plumped out a bit to help with the flow. There was plenty of twists in the tale and although I had initially guessed the main part I did question myself throughout the story. I can't wait for the next one to see what it going to happen next. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good witchy story but be warned all the yummy food did leave me feeling hungry 😂

Emilia and Vittoria are not only twin sisters, they are both streghe - witches that live among humans but keep their true nature hidden to avoid persecution. Having grown up listening to tales of the Wicked, and how they should avoid dark magic at all costs but never seeing anything to support these stories, it’s understandable that Emilia doesn’t really put much stock into her Nonna’s warnings of evil. Being the quiet, sensible twin, she is much more concerned with helping out in the family restaurant and trying out new recipes. Her sister Vittoria, on the other hand, is more outgoing and reckless. So when she doesn’t turn up one night for service at the restaurant, Emilia isn’t overly worried. What she doesn’t expect is to find her sisters body. Devastated, Emilia vows to discover who is behind the brutal killing and extract vengeance for her sister. Throw in Princes of Hell, demons and age old curses, and you have a mystery, full of violence, betrayal and magic - excited yet?

This was a darkly, delicious tale featuring so many tropes I love: enemies to lovers, good versus evil, curses to break, to name a few. The addition of the seven deadly sins in the form of the Princes of Hell was genius! Kerri has created a world that had me entranced from the first page! Although the initial build up was a little slower than I normally like, this did not affect my enjoyment of the story. Emilia’s character is a good mix of strong and passionate, naive and vulnerable, and her relationship with her family and friends was endearing. But the relationship I loved the most was between her and Wrath.

Wrath is a Prince of Hell, so I’m pleased that he wasn’t made to be a mis-understood, long suffering good guy who finds himself bad through circumstances. He was unapologetically grey. Selfish, violent and manipulative, he has his own agenda and is quite clear about that with Emilia. He loves power and control. Having said that he is charming and brooding, everything you could ask for in a male lead. I can’t wait to see more of these two in the next book.

I had really high expectations for Kingdom of the Wicked, and I can happily report that it did not disappoint! Kerri has weaved her magic over me and I’m now impatiently waiting for book two!

'Kingdom of the Wicked' by Kerri Maniscalco intrigued me with its plot of witches and dark princes. But when it came down to its execution, I couldn't help but feel a level of disappointment.

The novel started off slowly -- it took a while for me to care about the characters or the story. The prologue was far too lengthy for the small detail it was trying to set up. Similarly, the characters, in my opinion, weren't introduced in the best way. Vittoria seemed fascinating, yet the story was being told from Emilia's perspective. Of course, we later see why, but when I reached that *major* plot point I was left feeling a bit deflated. I hadn't been made to care about Emilia, nor was I particularly interested in her.

About 40% of the way through, I finally started to feel myself getting hooked on the story. I was slowly warming up to Emilia and the familiar but not unwelcome enemies-to-lovers trope was beginning to get going. I found it difficult to stop reading, and ended up reading most of the book in a day -- once it got my attention. I was particularly enjoying watching Wrath's character development. His little quirks and his growing fondness over Emilia warmed my heart, and I began to really love him as a character.

Yet despite finding myself hooked in the plot, the writing continued to let it down. It felt as though the author was trying to do too much, with too many balls in the air in an attempt to create a sense of drama and mystery. I could see the intention loud and clear, but it unfortunately fell short. Instead of creating the intrigue I was looking for, it felt very drawn out and somewhat tedious. Yet, at times, also confusing. I often felt as though things weren't completely clarified -- or when I was sure of something, it was changed or made more unclear later on. Emilia's thought process was scattered and rash: there seemed to be little (lasting) order to her decisions or actions.

Similarly, the ending felt rushed. The pace had been building for the second half of the novel -- which I had been enjoying -- but it continued full-throttle into an ending that threw me in a few different ways. From an almost complete change of heart from our main character, to a lack of clarity in what was going on, I finished 'Kingdom of the Wicked' even more confused than when I started.

Will I be reading the sequel? I am undecided. The way this book made me feel when I got excited about it was amazing. I can really see the potential in the story and the author. However, the execution of 'Kingdom of the Wicked' has given me a few doubts, and I'm unsure how much reading the sequel is the right move for me.

I can see where this story will hook readers, and I can definitely see its potential. Unfortunately, I wanted more from 'Kingdom of the Wicked' and am somewhat disappointed it didn't deliver.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will admit my expectations for this book were pretty low. Not for any particular reason other than almost all of the YA Fantasy I've read recently have all been rather meh and I thought this would be much and such the same. In this instance however, I was very happy to be proven very wrong.

The book is set in an alternate universe version of Sicily (cool setting, tick!) in a world where witches must remain hidden to avoid persecution. Witch twins Emilia and Vittoria have been raised to protect themselves against the Wicked, demon princes from hell (swoooooon, who doesn't love a demon prince from hell?) but when Vittoria is brutally murdered, Emilia must summon one of the Wicked to help uncover the truth.

So we've basically got a magical murder mystery revenge tale with some morally ambiguous demon princes thrown in? What a treat indeed!

Honestly this book kinda reminded me of Sarah J Maas when she is at her best. I know not everyone will consider that as a positive but I'm talking A Court of Mist and Fury rather than....Crescent City.

I also appreciated that the writing and characterisation felt quite mature. Emilia didn't have to be some insanely beautiful, badass warrior queen. She managed to be an interesting woman, thrust into events not of her making whose main driver is the love she has for her murdered sister and her desire for vengeance.

The romance is slow burn and falls firmly into the enemies to lovers trope (I unashamedly love this trope, fight me) and is seriously sexy, if a little predictable, but that's nothing new for the genre.

The pacing was effective too, I didn't realise the book was a series until close to the end and I liked how it wasn't one of those books with glacial pacing just to justify a duology or trilogy *coughBloodandHoneycough*. The downside of course is that I have to wait now for a sequel.

I'm from an Italian background myself and a few of the names seemed a bit silly. Growing up my mum used to tell me I was betrothed to the son of a family friend in Italy called Tony Tortellini (my sister was betrothed to Freddy Fettucini....) and some of the names of the side characters made me think "my mum missed a trick not thinking of that name for our mythical fiancees" but the author gets a pass because her name suggests she's of the same ancestry and the book is just that dang good.

Suffice to say I loved it and can't wait for the sequel.

3.5 Stars!

I didn't love Stalking Jack the Ripper by this author so was a little hesitant to pick it up but I was intrigued by the premise and ended up liking this one a bit more.

I loved the setting and all the spooky vibes. It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.

However, I didn't love any of the characters even though I really enjoyed Wrath and Emilia's relationship/romance. I would have loved to see more of that in this book but I understand that it will probably be in the sequel.

The mystery side of the book was a let down for me so I didn't enjoy the end but I'm still slightly intrigued to see where the story will go in the sequel.

This book was fun. It was so witchy, and dark, and I really enjoyed it. It was the first book I actually read from this author, and I was pleasantly surprised.

First of all, the writing was good. It was so gripping and easy to read, that I couldn't put this book down. Also the plot was intriguing and mysterious from the beginning, it was fast-paced and I didn't get bored one minute. As for the atmosphere, well this book was absolutely perfect for this Fall season! It was so dark with witchy vibes, I just loved it.

“I do not fear, I am fear.”

The setting of this book, in Palermo, Sicilia was great. I think I had never read a fantasy book set in Italy before, and omg I just loved it! There were so many food references in this book that I was craving Italian food during my entire read. I really enjoyed this mix of fantasy story with such a human and mundane task of cooking, it added a lot of reality to it and was really done.

As for worldbuilding, I really enjoyed this world full of witches, demons, princes of Hell, vampires and even werewolves. I don't usually read urban fantasy to be honest, but I really enjoyed this world. The magic system felt quite simple but it also gave me Charmed vibes and that was honestly all I wanted from this book.

“Fear made monsters of men.”

I got very attached to the characters and felt many emotions in this book. I was moved by the bond of the Di Carlo family, they were really cute and touching and Emilia was an amazing main character. She was a badass, but also human with many emotions, and I cried with her. Her development through this book was so well done and I just loved what she became toward the end of this book. These characters weren't very complex nor deep, but I didn't mind it in this book. I also absolutely LOVED Wrath's character. This dark and mysterious prince of Hell was an amazing character, and I loved his dynamic with Emilia. I shipped them immediately, and let me tell you that I cannot WAIT to read the sequel now!

The ending didn't disappoint, and was so full of plot twists that the wait for book 2 will be hard and painful. Overall, this was a fantastic, dark but fun and witchy read and I would really recommend reading it during this season!

This book will be out next week on October 27th and you guys don't want to miss out!

Holy freaking hell. I picked this up because I woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep and gulped it down in one sitting. There have only been about 3 books this year that I have been this I think this super excited about.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are witches living secretly amongst humans in Sicily. All their lives, they’ve been protected and hidden away from devils that are searching for them. One fateful night, Vittoria is brutally murdered leaving Emilia devastated and setting her on a path of dark magic in her search to unlock her sister’s secrets and vengeance for her death. This brings Emilia into collision with Wrath - one of the famed Wicked Princes of Hell, that she’s been warned never to trust, but had to work with to get the answers she seeks.

I finished this book and just kept muttering to myself - I don’t understand because I DONT UNDERSTAND!!! I need the next book NOW to answer all my questions and satisfy this ITCH of wanting/needing to know what happens next. I am super shooketh lol - I’ve never used that word before but find it is super apt for how I feel. I tried to think about what I didn’t like about this book. It is maybe a bit too descriptive about food? But that just made me think I want to try making some of the things described so doesn’t count. To say I loved this book is an understatement - it was so engrossing! This is the first book of Kerri Maniscolo that I’m reading but I’m already a big fan.

I loved the characters. Emilia is sweet and strong and fierce even though I still don’t understand her actions at the end (I DONT UNDERSTAND!!!! Lol). I really like Wrath - even though his motivations aren’t super clear. Their chemistry is fire which also adds to the ... I DONT UNDERSTAND!! I like Nonny even though I suspect there’s a lot more to her than we’ve been told so far. The princes of hell that we are introduced to are ... brutal. Can’t wait to meet the rest. Sheesh - this isn’t out and I have to wait for the next book? The story is gripping from the start and doesn’t let go. Giving this 5.2 stars - extra marks because I have a physical itch in anticipation of the next book.

4 stars

Received an ARC (long ago) from Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I much preferred this book than her SJtR series. Don't get me wrong, I loved Thomas and Cressworth :) Maybe its the genre?

I loved the supernatural aspects, such as the demons, the seven princes of Hell and witches. I also loved the banter between Emilia and Wrath, which was why I was kind of disappointed and confused by the ending (no spoilers). Hopefully that confusion will be solved in book 2. I really liked that it was set in Italy, thought it to be an excellent setting for such a book. (Also I love how Maniscalco's books always include an extremely attractive male lead character xD.)
SPOILERS AHEAD
<spoiler>It was also funny how Emilia's perception of the seven princes of Hell looked like was completely wrong. But also loved that she was wrong considering how attractive they were, compared to the description she had in her head.</spoiler>

The only thing that bothered me a little is how long the plot took to actually move quicker after Emilia's sister's death. For me personally, it lagged a bit and the spaces between murders was a bit long for me. Also mentioned before, I was extremely confused at the ending. <spoiler> I mean I understood about the whole getting married to the Devil thing but why was Wrath acting like he didn't know her at all? Did he lose all of his memories of her after, you know, dying and then resurrecting? Hopefully, that'll get explained. Additionally, I thought Wrath had his own "house"? And wasn't part of Pride's? Ooh, I have a theory but I'm probably wrong but you never know</spoiler>

<b><i>In conclusion,</b></i> can October 2021 come sooner or can be book 2 be released sooner? Because I need that sequel yesterday.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding 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 . . . desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.
Spoilers are ahead.
This book is many things, a little frustrating in moments and maybe a little predictable, but Maniscalco does make it up incredibly well when it comes to the beautiful writing. Just reading some of the descriptions of food at the beginning of the book made me want to get up and cook because I was practically salivating. The descriptiveness and the world building strength runs throughout this book and is truly beautiful to read from the first page.

For me though, as the story went on, investing in the characters, I felt Emilia needed more development as a character and certainly got upset alot at times I didn't expect, granted she is going through grief but she would react to things in I guess stereotypical ways? I just expected a more tough and more powerful character than I sometimes I felt I got in this book - though I do feel as this book comes to an end we do this see a bit more.

I will say this though the chemistry between Emilia and Wrath is sizzling throughout and that final scene left me feeling in need of the sequel as soon as possible as it is ends on the biggest cliffhanger I’ve seen in fiction for some time!

Worth it if you like the description would be my best response!

I debated a little while on the rating of this book, but if I'm honest with myself, I REALLY need to know what happens next! So, Kingdom of the Wicked is a delightful read, that is drenched in Italian influences. A murder mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat, and brooding Princes of Hell. This book was so good!

Kingdom of the Wicked was a really cool read. I loved the premise and have been excitedly awaiting October before I dove into it, and I was not disappointed.

Emilia is a witch whose family practices 'good', and when her twin is murdered, the once meek young woman who would rather read and spend time making up recipes for her families restaurant, becomes hell bent on getting vengeance on her sisters killer. From summoning *HOT* demon Wrath, meeting his really not so nice brothers, intimidating mortals and lying to her friends and family, Emilia's spiral into the murky and very unmortal Kingdom of the Wicked, was a really fun read that I am definitely going to continue when the next is released. I cannot wait to see where it goes after that ending, Kerri, you wicked thing!

Marked down to 4* as I'd guessed very early on as to who the bad guy was..must it was still fun and cleverly done!

OMG I need book two now!! I knew this was going to be a cracker because duh Stalking Jack the Ripper, but it completely smashed my already high expectations.

Emilia's family, the magic, the setting, hot brooding princes from hell, the food, revenge and a murder mystery... did I mention the hot brooding princes from hell??...there was just so much to love and honestly I can't think of a single negative thing (other than having to wait for book two!) Hands down one of my favourite books for the year.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so this first book is very much so a set-up book for following books in the series. I know that isn't to everyone's taste but it's still definitely an entertaining read from start to finish. 

The book is from the point of view of Emilia, one of the twin sisters who are linked to a devastating prophecy. Very early on her twin sister, Vittoria/Victoria, is murdered and Emilia's finds her body in a heartbreaking scene. This leads to the basis of the whole book - she's hellbent on finding the murderer and getting revenge but she doesn't know who the murderer is. 

Emilia's grandmother plays an important role throughout, as she essentially has the most knowledge that can help. She's determined for the family not to use dark magic though as she doesn't want to raise attention to demons about the twins. But, when Emilia uncovers that her twin had been using dark magic before her death, she can't help but get involved in it with the hope of getting closer to an answer. 

This leads her to summon a demon, and, as luck would have it, it ends up being one of the princes, the Prince of Wrath. There are seven demon princes, corresponding to the seven deadly sins, and as Emilia finds out they're real she starts to suspect each one she meets - including Wrath. There's a strange dynamic to their relationship though as, since she summoned him, he can't lie to her. Even though she knew as a result of that that he didn't kill Vittoria she's wary of him throughout. They grow close though and he ends up being sweeter and sweeter to her, which I couldn't help but find endearing. At one point, I'd say I actually preferred his character quite a lot and really I'm excited to read on in the series to see what happens with Wrath. 

Emilia herself is headstrong and smart. She has her own great qualities but at times, understandably, does some pretty rash things which I think is a great way of showing that she's still dealing with intense grief from the loss of her sister. There were times when she'd go off by herself and I'd just be waiting for something bad to happen (which almost always happened). 

One thing I have to say is that the Princes are by no means the worst characters in this book. A couple of them do horrid things but on the whole they're quite, human? In a sense that there's good and bad in them. I really feel like this gave them more depth though and I enjoyed this element, even if the MC couldn't see it for herself. But this again goes back the grief she's feeling and also shows just how much her Nonna's stories of demons have influenced her. On the other hand, we hear about bad things witches have done in the past and present too which shows off the light and dark theme again. 

In essence, it was an exciting read from start to finish and I'm really excited for the next installment. I think sometime soon I'll have to pick up more of Kerri's books too! If you're in the mood for a deliciously dark read for Halloween, pick this up.