I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A slow burning fire that erupts into a scorching flame!

This was a solid 4 star for me for the first half of this story, but the latter half really picked the pace up and raised the stakes.

A murder mystery wrapped in magic and tied with a demonic bow, I couldn't put this book down. Delicious and deadly, Kingdom of the Wicked will slowly draw you in, step by step until you're running wild and your heart is broken.

Fans of hate to love tropes, murder mysteries and witchy secrets will adore this story.

"A twig was a just a bit of broken wood until it had been sharpened into a spear.Grief carved me in half.And fury honed the pieces into a weapon"

5 FREAKING FAT STARS

First off kerri- how could you stop there?? that should be the eighth sin lol

Aside from having a stunning cover, my first thought after starting the book is that it has a great many blends of my favorite genres and traits to quench my fantasy loving soul's thirst- Historical fiction, set in Italy, murder mystery, broody hero with MANNERS(yes I put that in all caps because the seems to be a rarity these days in books ;) ), forbidden romance, atmospheric ambiance with all the fantastical elements to captivate you with the perfect amount of spook but not outright scare you and last but not least a reserved MC lead that learns to kick ass as she goes

"Emilia Maria di Carlo didn't do danger.My sister was the adventurous one- I was satisfied with safe,clean and fun.Give me a steamy romance novel with forbidden love and impossible odds"

I loved Emilia ever since I read these lines, she is definitely my kind of girl, she is level headed, smart and extremely sassy and gives two squats if she had to fight the devil or the God for justice. When her beloved twin is brutally murdered, she ventures into an unexpected path with dangerous secrets and 6 foot 2 inch calamities, she keeps surprising herself at her own strength that she could draw when she believes someone she loves is in danger. I am not usually a huge fan of single POV's or internal dialogues but I loved Emilia's witty brains and its sassy comeback's, I have so many favorite lines from her.

I wished we had more of Wrath but I have a feeling we will see a heck lot of him in the upcoming books, he is broody with a hard shell exterior but you couldn't help but notice his good internal aspect peeking through often. I was sold when I read that there is a romance angle between a demon and a witch but what I didn't expect is a romance that is a chef's kiss- don't get me wrong because this doesn't mean there is a lot of steam but there is lot of rationale which I always prefer over meaningless steam.

Now that we talked about characters lets talk about the plot- Man Oh Man! did Kerri knock it out of the park with the masterful intrigue she weaved into the this fantastical mystery? I would say a 100% yes- she is exceptionally good at deflecting the reader from seeing what is right before their eyes, that being said I did see bits of it coming but the bread crumbs that she left leading to unravel the mystery is excellently executed, however I have 1 million questions and I wanted to be like Emilia and write all of them down, the gothic element of the book adds perfect balance to its demure historic fiction premise

Its a perfect book for the spooky season to pick up but I can't make any promises that by the end of it that you won't be willing to sell your soul to the devil or make deals with demons (pun intended) for the next book or for the answers you might need ;)

I'm a great fan of Kerri Maniscalco, I loved her other series Stalking Jack the Ripper meaning I had very high expectations for his book and I wasn't disappointed with the results, we got was a history that kept me reading till the end I loved the characters especially Wrath, they were very interesting and complex and the plot was very rich and exciting, I can't. wait for the next book, I would recommend this to my family and friends.

A prince of hell, a witch trying to solve her sister’s murder, and demons on the loose. Throw in some enemies to lovers, evil brothers, witches having their hearts taken out of their chest... and what we have is Kingdom of the Wicked, the first book in the trilogy. OH MY SWEET CANNOLI was this one heck of a ride. The story centers around twin witches Vittoria and Emilia who unleash hell, and Emilia finding herself stuck with one of the Princes of Hell, Wrath. I’m not gonna lie, I fell for both Wrath and Emilia, like sign me up. I love their dynamic and the delicious game of trust they seem to be playing at. The dangers are constantly lurking and Emilia is facing all kinds of hells. The murder mystery was such a fun touch to this story and I can’t get over the hate/love going on between Emilia and Wrath.They both constantly want to throttle and maim each other but when it counts it almost feels like they care, because as the saying goes, love and hate are a very thin line and the line tends to blur sometimes. I did really enjoy all the food touches that Kerri added to the store, it just made me crave going out and buying some (especially the desserts). THAT ENDING. THAT CURSED CLIFFHANGER. I am already craving for more, almost as much as someone would crave the kiss from a Wicked (wink wink). Anyways, yes please go read this freaking amazing book because its FREAKING AMAZING. (I’m just gonna go lurk in the shadows now and wait until the next book comes....)

*Thank you Netgalley and JIMMY Patterson for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Damn! This must have been one of my most anticipated books this year! It's no secret that I adore Audrey Rose and Thomas and even though we can all agree that technically Maniscalco's books aren't perfect, they touched me in a way that only few other books can do. I was therefore very curious if her new characters would manage to capture my heart in the same way. And I was probably even more curious to discover what Maniscalco would do with a fantasy setting! You can imagine how happy I was when I got an ARC from Netgalley.

Let me start with saying that the setting of this book is downright amazing! There are so many witchy details, so many nice touches and the feeling of being haunted and constantly on your guard is so incredibly strong. At times it's a lot of information to handle and remember, but even though I surely didn't memorize everything, I could still very much enjoy the story and I liked how a lot of things came together in the end quite nicely.

That doesn't mean I had to wait for the end of the story for the book to get exciting! The prologue is already quite intriguing and quite soon things are already happening. The action packed scenes, where danger is actively threatening our heroes, are mixed with calmer scenes, where the characters get to talk and contemplate what's going on. Therefore we especially get to know our main character Emilia quite well.

What I like about Emilia is that she's clearly growing and changing throughout the story. She starts being a certain someone, but circumstances force her to grow slowly into someone else. That growth and change goes very naturally and slowly and therefore the ending, that would have been out of character for her at the beginning, feels very fitting in the end. And then there is our prince of hell. I'm still kinda making up my mind what to think of him, but I like that. It feels like there's still a lot to figure out

And I guess that's the main feeling I have after this rollercoaster of awesomeness. There's so much still to learn and discover and figure out. So many questions are still unanswered and that ending! I really can't wait for the next book!

(ps. Do prepare to have snacks ready while reading this book. This book makes you hungry...)

Are you ready for a spooky October reads?

Our beloved gothic author Kerri Maniscalco is back with a brand new book (first in a trilogy), KINGDOM OF THE WICKED.

It is Ms. Maniscalco's first YA historical fantasy book that involves black magic, witches, werewolves or shape-shifters, other mystical creatures, and PRINCES OF HELL. Did that get your attention now?

KINGDOM OF THE WICKED sets back in around the 17th or 18th century in a small village in Sicily, Italy. Twins Vittoria and Emilia are from the long line of witches and are trained by their grandmother in witchcraft. They live happily and comfortably until one night, Vittoria was found dead, murder to be exact. The whole family is devastated, especially twin sister Emilia. She wants to find who killed her sister and why. She wants to avenge her death. She ignored her grandmother's plea and thus scummed into the dark magic.

I love the uniqueness, creativity, and the imagination of Ms. Maniscalco. She knows how to entice her readers like me. I have been looking for a story about supernaturals like the seven princes of hell (based on the seven deadly sins from the bible).

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
My only issue is that the lead character is so annoying, and I was seriously about to put the book down if it were not from the mysterious Wrath, one of the princes of hell. Oh, did I mention that I HATE CLIFFHANGERS???

So, if you are like me who is dying to read about a book full of dark magic, witches, demons, and other unearthly creatures plus a super dose of murder mystery, then I highly suggest you include this in our October reads. You do not want to miss out on this one!

**Thank you very much to JIMMY Patterson and NetGalley for approving my request to read and review this masterpiece.

Mystery, mayhem and Wicked princes of hell. This is my first by Kerri. The cover pulled me in and the story kept me there. If you like dark and the devil, this ones for you!

This was such a perfect fall/Halloween read!! It wasn't a super gushy romance and it was just dark/witchy enough. I enjoyed the first series Kerri wrote but this one in my opinion was so much better. Can't wait for the next book ♡

Four and a half
My first book by this author but definitely not my last because I couldn't turn the pages fast enough ! I loved that the story had me salivating because the descriptions of the food were truly mouth watering. Ok I need to explain here that Emilia works in her families restaurant and she frequently gets ideas for things she wants to see on the menu. She's a twin to lively Vittoria and they are both part of a long line of Witches. Emilias life takes a horrible turn when she discovers her sisters body with the heart torn out and a stranger licking blood off his fingers !
There's a strong feeling throughout this story that Emilia has been lied to and indeed she has. Suddenly Prince's of Hell are walking the streets and Witches are being brutally murdered. Emilia is fuelled by her need to find her sister's murderer and as she embraces her magic she takes chances she knows could well lead to her own destruction. A prophecy hangs over her head, she isn't sure who to really trust and she carries a burden that she has no idea will lead her to Hell !
I genuinely loved this and if you enjoy books by the likes of Laura Thalassa or Sarah J Mass but without lots of bump and grind then I think you too will enjoy this. It isn't particularly steamy but there's a strong possibility of romance so watch this space ! I admit though as it ended I honestly couldn't predict what will happen next.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This is one of my, and other readers, most anticipated book. It can start of a bit slow with setting up the foundations but it really does pick up, especially towards the end. And the ending! We need book 2 asap!!

⠀I was given an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley and #jamespatterson books in exchange for an honest review.
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"I believe I am powerful, therefore I am."
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Murder, witches and princes of hell... It all works. Vittoria and Emilia are twins but very different. I enjoyed Vittoria's outlook on life and how opposite she was from her twin. It only makes sense that she would end up murdered, her reckless and outgoing nature making her stand out when they were warned to blend in. As with most witches, persecution is always a threat and the church looms over their heads...
Vittoria's death sets in motion a riveting mystery, a wicked plot and an outstanding outcome. By the end, I am still not sure what exactly will happen. The murder of Vittoria is not quite solved and Emilia made questionable choices that would shock her grandmother. Secrets abound and we learn the disturbing truths along with Emilia on her quest for vengeance. Prince Wrath is a fascinating character, but what are his motives? Nothing with The Wicked is as it seems.
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Another great read from the author! I can't wait to get my many copies!

I really enjoy Kerri Maniscalo’s writing style so I was excited for her new series. It is very different from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series but has maintained the same compelling drive. I loved the main character and was fascinated as she tried to learn what was truth and myth about the fantastic world she lives in. The demonic characters were also really well written and I was particularly interested in the magic system that bound their powers, I am really looking forward to seeing more of this as the series continues. I thought the ending was great too, it was really satisfying seeing how things came together but also set up for a really interesting next book. All around I think readers who have enjoyed the author’s previous work and enjoy fantasy about witches will greatly enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an E-ARC in return for an honest review. I had such a great time with this book!! The first half was a little bit of a slog. I wished we connected more with Emilia's sister before she died, because when she died I didn't really care. Emilia had a lot of stuff come way too easily for her and a lot of description was passed over to make the book shorter. I felt like she jumped from place to place and nothing was explained. The second half was a different story. The romance was steamy, hate to love, and had good character development. I am sooo hoping the love interest stays the same in the second book because it was so good. I can't wait for the sequel to see what our main character is planning!

All the Devils are here....Wickedly fun, this first installment in her new series will definitely delight her fans, and gain her plenty of new ones (most especially in the YA/NA audiences **see below). The story delivers on plenty of mystery, action, romantic possibilities, deadly magic and ancient curses, an awesome old-world Italian setting, and finally....Emilia - a fiery and passionate heroine squaring off against a wicked cast straight out of hell - from the dark and deadly variety to the most desirous and drool-worthy - they're all here..

Emilia - "A twig was just a bit of broken wood until had been sharpened into a spear. Grief carved me into a spear. And fury honed the pieces into a weapon"

Wrath - "I crave power more than money, or blood, or lust. And there's no greater power than choice. I'd lie for it. Steal, cheat, maim, and murder. If I could, I'd sell my soul again for it, witch"

Fav Dialogue Snippet:
He caught me staring and raised a brow. "Enjoying what you see, witch?"
"Only if I had a death wish."
"Do you?"
"Not even a little one."

**I struggled a little bit through the first half, this is one of those YA books that reads "young" and as an older reader I have to slightly adjust my way of thinking, but once I settled into it and the second half took off I couldn't put it down (I do wish she'd put more detail/filler into her writing because it does feel a bit racing around and missing things sometimes). In regards to the age thing, I will say this - some "YA" Reads easily transition between YA and lets say regular fantasy and read pretty timeless/ageless, (and I don't just mean in terms of adult content because i've read plenty that don't have any particularly mature content but still read age-less) but this isn't one, like her Stalking Jack the Ripper Series (which I loved) her stories read more youthful, so those older YA readers may not connect as intensely with the story. However that being said, I am said older YA reader and am perfectly able to suspend my disbelief for a few hours and enjoy a fun story - I found it delightful and will definitely be reading the next one!

I devoured this book. It was one of the few times I even read at work.
I'm even more hyped for this series now. And this ending killed me and I'm so angry at myself for reading this so soon and now I'll have to wait forever for the next one.

This is such an amazing book, I just couldn’t put it down. The characters were all so interesting and complex!

I can’t wait for the next instalment, I really don’t know how it will end!

*Thanks to Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I am almost disappointed that I got to read this book a month early because now I have to wait even longer for the next book.

Kerri Maniscalco delivered another fantastic book that is equally if not better than her Jack the Ripper series. The plot is fast paced. I could not put this book down.

I love that this book incorporates the seven deadly sins, specifically Wrath, Lust, Envy, and Greed - each of them playing a role in Emilia's search to find her sister's murderer. I love how Maniscalco manages to include how their specific sin influences Emilia, especially Wrath, as he continues to fuel her anger and vengeance to find her sister's killer. She includes a fascinating tale with curses and false myths of the witches above and the princes of Hell below. While I do think there is a lot of foreshadowing that leads to some predictions of the end of the story, there is still enough of the unknown to make you want to finish the book and find out what happens next.

I highly recommend this book and I am hoping it is not a four book series because I don't think I can wait a year for each book to come out!

Emilia and Vitorria are witches that live among regular people. One night, Emilia finds the dead body of her twin sister, and she sets out to find answers. She’s determined to make someone pay for this horrific tragedy. Following the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, I had really high expectations for this book. They were fulfilled! This is a great read that I did not want to end! This book draws the reader in and answers the questions at just the right time. This is a great fall, spooky read with plenty of depth. I would highly recommend to fans of YA/supernatural books!

This was such a good book! I originally wanted to read it because of the cover. The story did not disappoint!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

<i> *Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*</i>

<b>3.5 stars</b>

Set in Sicily in the 19th century, Kingdom of the Wicked focuses on Emilia and her family, who are Streghe, witches practicing undercover. When young witches start to be hunted down and brutally murdered, and the princes of hell, known as Malvagi, or the Wicked, walking the earth. Emilia has to decide who to trust and how to defend herself in trying to unravel her twin sister's murder.

I did enjoy the plot, but the writing style took me a little getting used to somehow (this is my first book by Maniscalo). Overall enjoyable, but the world could have used a touch more development! I did really like the creepy, eerie atmosphere of this, and the references to folklore.

I did quite enjoy Wrath as a character, and definitely look forward to finding out more about him! I also feel like Emilia has a lot of potential, and I look forward to seeing her character develop after that ending especially.

On a side note - the food descriptions were absolutely on point - they genuinely made me hungry!

I will definitely be picking up the sequel, as it has piqued my interest!