Series: Kingdom of the Wicked

Synopsis:

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 that 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…

Review

“Love is the most powerful magic. Above all else, remember that. It will always guide you where you need to go.” She dropped her hands and stepped back. “Now go, bambina. Go be brave. Your heart will conquer darkness. Trust in that.”

This book had NOT been on my radar at all until Chelsea mentioned how much she loved it and a few friends from a discord server I’m on had been recently raving about it. I saw that it was short, had nothing else to read, and decided to pick it up. Let me tell you, if these were the olden days of no children and no full time job, I would have finished this baby in less than a day. Regardless of the little time I had to read, I DEVOURED it. I had never read any of Maniscalco’s previous books so I was stunned to find how much I loved her writing style. It was all so descriptive and basically had my drooling with every single mention of Italian food and drink (which seems to be general consensus of every single person who read this book, lol).

“Maybe. It depends on how many customers we have and how late it gets. Honestly, I might just go home and try out some new recipes, or read.”
“Ah. Such a pious young woman, reading the Good Book.”
“Mmh.” I smiled down at my cutting board. The novel I was in the middle of was a good book, it just wasn’t the Good Book. I refrained from telling him about the last chapter I read—the one where the hero expressed his love in many colorful and physically astounding ways. I supposed, technically, his stamina could be considered miraculous. I’d certainly become a believer of impossible expectations.

When it came to the actual story itself I was just as pleased. I always find it interesting to read about how different authors go about portraying witches and other paranormal entities in a “real world” setting (I don’t know if I would call this urban fantasy as its set in an earlier time period???). Emilia, the main character, is what you might call a “good” witch??? Her Nonna has forbid her twin and her from practicing any kind of darker magic or from even THINKING about anything of that nature.
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See next paragraph and lol at me.

“One day you might beg me to kiss you.”

Okay guys…lol I feel like an idiot right now but I wrote the top half of this review like at least a week ago and I have no idea where I had planned on going with it after having consumed several other books since finishing this one. Basically all I really want and need to say is that Wrath is grumpy and hot AF. I need him and Emilia together and I am so intrigued by how the next book is set up and what will happen. If you haven’t already, I urge you to check out Maniscalco’s Pinterest boards because the stuff she has pinned for #2 look dark and sexy as hell. “As hell” lol get it? Anyway I pretty annoyed with myself about not doing a great job reviewing this because I really did fly through it. The chemistry between Wrath and Emilia was sooooo so hot and I thought their connection via beautifully changing tattoo/ Emilia screwing up her summoning to be both hilarious and exactly how I needed them to be forced together. I want more, more, more.

As above, so below.