Review: Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked #2) by Kerri Maniscalco

Kingdom of the Cursed

(Kingdom of the Wicked #2)

by Kerri Maniscalco

October 5, 2021

Goodreads Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper Kerri Maniscalco comes the sizzling, sweepingly romantic sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked!

One sister.

Two sinful princes.

Infinite deception with a side of revenge…Welcome to Hell.

After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice.

She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria...even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons.

The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world...or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature?

Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves...

Review

Kingdom of the Cursed was not what I expected. Unlike Kingdom of the Wicked, this second book focused heavily on, to put it mildly, romantic feelings. For me, it's neither good nor bad, just different.

First and foremost, despite the romance ramping up a level, Kingdom of the Cursed still had its fair share of secrets. "A good relationship was built on a solid foundation of honesty, and I didn't even know his true name." (p.189) The main mystery from book one gets a bit lost but some of the reveals had me sucking in a breath. The main twist was both obvious and not. Something was off so I had a feeling... I'm positively giddy to know I was right (Wrath is the devil)!

I'm a big big fan of Emilia's unapologetic attitude. She grew bolder and bolder with each book. "A true act of courage does not come without the risk of a great cost." (p. 396) I loved seeing Emilia being upfront with her sexuality and fully recognizing her desires. Going up against Wrath, who was basically temptation-personified, was no small feat but she owned (him). He was an unyielding target but beneath his stony exterior and harsh demeanor was a softness that was destined to lose to Emilia. Their mutual animosity lit them up like a bonfire. They really needed to get naked with each other XP

While I wouldn't call it disappointment, Kingdom of the Cursed was not what I imagined. The central plot from the first book was put on hold for some smut. As a romance lover, I'm not complaining (much). I am hoping there will be more mystery-solving in the final book cause I need answers.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.