Kingdom of the Wicked
Kingdom of the Wicked #1
By Kerri Maniscalco
TheStory
When Emelia’s twin sister dies, she sets out to solve the murder. In an attempt to summon a lesser demon, Emelia accidentally summons one of the seven Wicked, the Prince of Hell named Wrath. Forming an unlikely and tentative alliance, the two set out to solve the murder, discovering that someone is murdering witches throughout the city.
But Wrath is not the only Wicked on earth. Several of his brothers have also arrived in the city and Emelia has caught their eye. Everyone has their own agenda, no one can be trusted, and evil lurks around every corner.
TheReview
These two wind up bound together in far more intense ways than Emelia planned when she said the summoning spell. Wrath, while he is all pissy and sassy, doesn’t actually reveal the misphrasing until much later. I wasn’t overly shocked but I truly didn’t think the story was going to go quite the way it did. It definitely kept me hooked.
After deciding to work together, the two of them fight all the time. Wrath is a dirty little secret keeper but Emelia is rash and lacks the most basic caution when it comes to… oh, I don’t know… protecting her LIFE! She continually pisses Wrath off, but more often than not, he doesn’t rise to meet her. He’s calm and collected 90% of the time, which just irks Emelia all the more.
I loved their relationship but the writing was a bit choppy. Sometimes it felt like their relationship just jumped from one scene to the next or one feeling to another. There is a lot of banter but barely any real romantic tension and zero romance. I’m sure that’s coming later but if this is categorized as a slow burn (which I would), the payoff didn’t come in this book.
Additionally, if it’s enemies to lovers (which again, I would say it is), the lovers part definitely doesn’t come in this book either.
While it’s easy to tell that the two of them are feeling something, that something isn’t dug into much. Mostly, the focus is the two of them trying to solve the murder of the witches intending to become the devil’s consort. A lot of questions are raised continually throughout the story, but answers don’t come quickly or gradually.
The main mystery is the murders, but there are multiple mysteries going on at once. Before actually getting any answers, the questions just keep piling up. Once the answers come, it is very satisfying (they do get answered). That being said, when everything came together, it required some concentration (and a bit of rereading) on my part to fully understand what was going on and why.
I loved the storyline. Main and side characters were the best part of it. I enjoyed reading it but the writing was a little off for me. Sometimes I was taken out of the storyline because of the jumpiness of the writing. New questions arise right at the end which seemed like a set up for the next book.
I’m a little confused as to what Emelia’s plan is (considering she hardly understands the prophecy, her abilities, or what is going on) but I think, as the reader, we are supposed to be confused. So it served that purpose. I’m hoping the next one is even better than this one since the world building and relationships are established now.
P.S. It probably should have been a longer book in order to dig more deeply into the important aspects and have smoother transitions going through the storyline.
ProminentTropes
Enemies to Lovers
Morally Grey MMC & FMC
Slow Burn
Demon x Witch
Insta-Hate
The Chosen One
Mystery
TheRating
Storyline: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Side Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Overall: 📘📘📘📘
Spice: 🫑
Kingdom of the Wicked Series
Kingdom of the Wicked
Kingdom of the Wicked #1
Kingdom of the Cursed
Kingdom of the Wicked #2
Kingdom of the Feared
Kingdom of the Wicked #3
