ARC Review: Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked #1) by Kerri Maniscalco
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Series: Kingdom of the Wicked #1
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Published October 27th 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton/JIMMY Patterson
Goodreads Synopsis
Emilia and her twin sister Victoria 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...
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.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
Twins Emilia and Victoria have been warned from childhood to always be aware of the Wicked, the seven deadly princes who despise witches, just like the girls. Their grandmother warns them never to remove their protective amulets, but as they get older, they become more bold and daring. Emilia was changed when their amulets were joined, but never told a soul about the powers she seemingly developed. However, when her beloved sister Victoria is found dead, and her heart torn out, Emilia wants nothing more than revenge, and will stop at nothing to get it - not even at using dark magic and summoning one of the most wicked princes, Wrath. Now that her and Wrath are joined by the summoning, Emilia finds that she is uncovering more than just a simple murder at hand, and dark forces are working to ensure that witches are killed, and that the ancient curse is never broken.
This book was simply phenomenal. I mean, I loved Kerri's Stalking Jack the Ripper series, and was a little apprehensive that her newest series wouldn't live up to expectations, but it by far surpassed them. I adored Emilia in a way that was neigh on unheard of. She was like Audrey Rose, in her strong and feisty way, but there was another side to her that I loved. The way she cared for her family, and wanted to help anyone she could was admirable, but it was her quiet strength, and the way she dealt with her many interactions with various demon princes that cemented my love for her. Out of the seven princes, four are spoken about in hushed tones amongst witches, and Wrath is one of the worst. As soon as he is summoned, he's anger personified, but we see a sort of vulnerable-ness to him with Emilia, and their relationship is one anyone would be hard pressed not to swoon over. It's definitely a enemies to lovers relationship, and I found myself wanting more and more of them. As soon as I reached the final page, I nearly screamed knowing I'll have to wait to see more of them, and it'll definitely be a struggle with that cliff hanger.
The plot was out of this world. Set in a 19th century Italian backdrop, the descriptions were lyrical, and I was transported into the scenery as I read. The mentions of food made me so hungry, and I wish I had something to snack on at my side. Honestly, the book went places I could never have expected. The murders of the witches were gruesome, and though I had some inkling of the culprit, the multitude of plot lines and arcs running simultaneously, all culminating in the epic conclusion, made the book simply a page turner. If I hadn't had to sleep and go to work, I would've stayed up and read it in one sitting. I need book 2, like yesterday, and can't wait for everyone else to read Kingdom of the Wicked.
Dates Read:
November 9-11, 2020
Rating
5 Stars
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