Kingdom of the Wicked – Kerri Maniscalco

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: JIMMY Patterson
Pages: 372
Release Date: October 20, 2020

Two sisters.

One brutal murder.

A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…

And an intoxicating romance.

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.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems… 

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Kingdom of the Wicked is one of those super hyped books I’ve been avoiding reading because I usually don’t end up liking them and because it’s YA. I’m not one of those people who look down on YA novels because they think they’re superior. I find that most YA novels read as too juvenile for me now that I’m almost 30, but I decided to give Kingdom of the Wicked a chance and I’m glad I did.

Kingdom of the Wicked follows Emilia in Sicily as her and her twin sister, Vittoria, work in their family’s restaurant when Vittoria is brutally murdered and Emilia vows to move heaven and earth in search of vengeance.

What most people praise about Kingdom of the Wicked is Wrath, and Emilia’s relationship to him. I would describe their chemistry as lukewarm at best; however, it seems like this is only the beginning so I expect things to heat up. Wrath is one of those silent brooding types surrounded by an air of mystery, but, like the seasoned readers we are, readers will easily identify his growing feelings for Emilia.

The world building is clearly just beginning as Maniscalco has only skimmed the surface of what her world has to offer. I’m very much looking forward to the next novel as it opens up the world and lore. Emilia has a lot to learn and I’m keen to learn along with her.

Maniscalco’s food descriptions are mouth watering, but quickly become repetitive. I found myself skimming through them after the first few chapters.

Overall, Kingdom of the Wicked surprised me. I didn’t except to get so invested in this world and with the characters. I’m excited to see what happens next and, from what I’ve read, the added spice in Kingdom of the Cursed.

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Have you read Kingdom of the Wicked? What did you think?