Overall ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ 3.86 Goodreads average, about 374,000 ratings
- ✓ Lowest-rated of the trilogy's first two books
- ✓ Kirkus, Booklist and PW reviews all warm
- ✓ Emilia's choices dominate the criticism
Kingdom of the Wicked Review: YA or Adult, Spice and Slow Burn
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Verdict: An atmospheric Sicilian witch mystery with a demon prince readers fall for fast, held back by a heroine many find reckless, a mystery that telegraphs its answer and an ending built as a launchpad for book two.
Best for: Readers who want a slow-burn, kissing-only enemies-to-lovers start before the series turns explicit, who love food, family and gothic atmosphere, and who can forgive a heroine who runs toward danger and a cliffhanger finish.
Heat level: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5, mild, kisses and charged tension only; romance.io's band for this book could not be confirmed, so we scored it from Common Sense Media's Mild rating and reader reviews describing a single kiss)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5, a 3.86 Goodreads average across about 374,000 ratings, pulled down because Emilia's choices are the complaint that comes back in nearly every critical review we read, with a predictable mystery and a setup-heavy ending close behind)
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Slow burn, Demon prince love interest, Bargain with a devil, Murdered twin and revenge quest, Witches hiding among humans, Seven princes of sin, Forbidden attraction, Secret-keeping grandmother, Cliffhanger ending.
Kingdom of the Wicked is the first book in Kerri Maniscalco's completed Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy, a young adult fantasy romance set in nineteenth-century Sicily, in which Emilia di Carlo, a witch who cooks in her family's restaurant and has grown up on warnings about the Wicked, finds her twin sister Vittoria murdered and calls up Wrath, one of the princes of Hell, a demon with his own reasons for hunting the same killer and no intention of telling her what they are.
The numbers are large and lukewarm at once. Goodreads shows a 3.86 average from about 374,000 ratings and roughly 39,500 written reviews, below the 4.08 that sequel Kingdom of the Cursed holds. The hardcover came out from JIMMY Patterson Books on October 27, 2020, labelled young adult, and the UK Hodderscape paperback in 2021 went out as adult romantasy with a pitch built on the author's TikTok views. Readers agree Wrath and the setting work. They split over Emilia, and over whether a kiss-only first book is the right door into a series that gets much spicier, and that split is the thing worth understanding before you start.
What Is Kingdom of the Wicked About?
This is a murder mystery wearing a romance's clothes. The first stretch is Palermo streets, a busy family kitchen, a grandmother full of rules she won't explain and a city where young women keep turning up dead with their hearts torn out. Emilia's grief turns into a hunt, and the hunt pulls her into blood magic and a bargain she doesn't fully understand.
The romance runs underneath the investigation rather than on top of it. Wrath is a reluctant partner, sharp-tongued and secretive, and the pair spend most of the book arguing, testing each other and circling the attraction. If you came for the steam the later books are known for, you won't find it here. Book one is the slow-burn setup, and the series changes register in book two, which shapes how readers rate this one.
What Makes This Gothic YA Demon-Prince Romance Work
- Wrath: The love interest is the most praised element across Goodreads reviews and the blogs we read, including from readers who gave the book three stars or fewer.
- The Sicilian setting: Palermo, the family restaurant and the food writing come up again and again, and Publishers Weekly praised the immersive atmosphere of its nineteenth-century city.
- The enemies-to-lovers banter: Reviewers keep naming the bickering and the tension as the reason they kept turning pages, and one ARC reviewer called the chemistry off the charts.
- The grief engine: Readers credit Emilia's rage over her twin with giving the plot real drive, and several reviews single out the grief as the most convincing thread.
- Trade reviewer approval: Kirkus, Booklist and Publishers Weekly all reviewed it warmly, which is more trade attention than most YA romantasy of 2020 received.
Book Synopsis
Palermo, in the nineteenth century. Emilia di Carlo and her twin Vittoria are witches, though the humans around them don't know it. They work in the family's restaurant, wear the protective amulets their nonna gave them and grow up on stories about the Wicked, the princes of Hell who steal souls. The rules are strict, the reasons are vague, and Emilia keeps her head down and her recipes close.
Then Vittoria doesn't come home. Emilia finds her sister's body in a monastery, mutilated, and learns that hers is not the only one: young women across the city have been dying the same way. Her grandmother closes ranks and tells her nothing useful. The church offers prayers. Emilia, who has never broken a family rule that mattered, decides she will find the killer herself, and she reaches for the forbidden magic she was always told to fear.
What she summons is Wrath, a prince of Hell who is arrogant, wary and very much not her servant. He is investigating the murders for his own reasons and seems to know more about the dead girls, and about Emilia, than he should. Neither trusts the other, and their arrangement is full of loopholes. As the pair dig into the killings, Emilia starts to suspect that her family's stories left out the important parts, and that the demon at her side might be the only one telling her the truth.
Our Review
Wrath is why this book works, and readers say so in nearly every review. He arrives arrogant and withholding, and Maniscalco gives him a dry wit and enough small acts of care to make the slow burn feel like it's going somewhere. A 2-star reviewer at Ms. Buff found him barely present, but she is the exception: the Goodreads reviews we read, three-star ones included, name him first.
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The second strength is the setting, and the craft reason is specificity. The book doesn't settle for a vaguely European fantasy city. It gives you a working kitchen, Sicilian food, saints and convents and a family business, and the murders land harder because they happen in a place that feels lived in. Publishers Weekly praised the atmosphere, and the Dini Panda Reads blog, which gave it 3 out of 5, still called the settings eerie enough to raise shivers.
Where it struggles is Emilia, and that is the dominant complaint by a distance. Reviewers call her reckless, inconsistent and quick to walk into danger she has been warned about, and the complaint comes from fans and detractors alike. Hidden in Pages gave it 3 stars and wanted to shake sense into her; Dini Panda Reads said her choices made them yell at their Kindle. Behind that sit the secondary problems. Readers who know mysteries find the killer easy to guess, the magic rules shift when the plot needs them to, exposition arrives in long conversations, and the grandmother's withholding reads as a plot device. The first third is slow, and the last chapters move fast.
Reset one expectation before you start: the heat. The UK paperback sells it as intoxicating adult romantasy, and the series is known online for spice, but this first book is a YA novel with kissing, longing and one charged dance. Common Sense Media rates its sex content Mild and sets the age at 13 and up. If you want spice, treat this as the 384-page prologue and know that Kingdom of the Cursed is where the series turns explicit. If you want a clean YA slow burn, enjoy this one and think hard before book two.
The ending is the other thing to know. Kirkus praised its dramatic cliffhanger, and readers agree it's a strong hook, but several bloggers also felt the climax was rushed and that the book exists mainly to set up the sequel. The mystery gets an answer. The romance and Emilia's larger story do not.
The audiobook is an easy way in: Marisa Calin narrates, and the unabridged edition runs about 12 hours.
Our honest note: A strong love interest and a vivid Sicily carry a book whose heroine and mystery frustrate a large share of readers, and its slow burn only pays off in the sequels. Read it if you're starting the trilogy and want the tension before the heat; skip it if a reckless lead and an open ending will sour you on the next two books.
| Element | In Kingdom of the Wicked |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Emilia di Carlo, a witch seeking her twin's killer, and Wrath, a prince of Hell she summons |
| Core tropes | Enemies to lovers, slow burn, devil's bargain, revenge quest, forbidden attraction |
| Setting | Palermo, Sicily, in the nineteenth century, with a family restaurant at its centre |
| Heat level | 2/5, kissing and tension only; the sequels are far more explicit |
| Series | Kingdom of the Wicked #1 of 3, complete trilogy; ends on a cliffhanger; Princes of Sin spinoffs follow |
| Content notes | Graphic murders of young women, gore and blood, blood magic involving self-cutting, grief and a sibling's death, magical coercion; one reviewer also flags references to slavery |
How Spicy Is Kingdom of the Wicked?
Barely. This is the mildest book in the trilogy by a wide margin. Common Sense Media rates its sex content Mild and lists kissing, longing looks, talk of desire and some nearly naked dancing, and Goodreads reviewers describe the romance as a slow build that tops out at a kiss. We score it 2 out of 5. The tension is real, and the door stays shut because nothing behind it happens yet.
The sequels change that, which is the most useful thing to know about this series. A Culturefly review of Kingdom of the Cursed says book two moves into new adult territory and turns explicit from the start, the Good, the Bad and the Unread blog says books two and three are not YA, and Goodreads reviews of Kingdom of the Feared complain that its frequent sex scenes crowd out the plot. Parents buying for a 13-year-old on the strength of book one should check the sequels first.
Who Should Read This Book?
You'll likely love it if: you want a demon-prince slow burn with banter and tension instead of sex, you like gothic murder mysteries and food-heavy historical settings, and you plan to read all three books.
You may want to skip it if: heroines who ignore every warning drive you up the wall, you guess mystery solutions early and resent it, or you need a complete story rather than a cliffhanger.
In short: a solid, flawed opener; Wrath and Sicily earn the read, and book two is where the series pays off.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (October 2026)
The conversation around Kingdom of the Wicked has changed shape since 2020. At release it was a YA follow-up from the author of Stalking Jack the Ripper, and its reviews were mostly about the mystery and Emilia. Once the explicit sequels arrived and the series found a second life on TikTok, the first book became the slow start readers warn each other about, the one you finish to get to Kingdom of the Cursed. The UK edition leans into that, marketing the trilogy as adult romantasy. Maniscalco has kept the world going with the adult Princes of Sin spinoffs, from Throne of the Fallen in 2023 to Throne of Nightmares this year. We could not open Reddit or StoryGraph for this review, so the reader discussion here comes from Goodreads reviews and group threads, book blogs and trade reviews.
Why readers love it: Readers love Wrath more than any other part of the book. His secrecy, his dry humour and the way he protects Emilia while pretending not to care are the most praised elements in the Goodreads reviews we read. The Sicilian atmosphere and the food are a close second; a Goodreads buddy-read thread enjoyed seeing how each prince embodies his sin; and Under the Covers gave the book 4 stars and called the pair's chemistry off the charts. Readers who met the series later often say the first book reads better on a reread, once you know where it's going. The Good, the Bad and the Unread blog found it merely fine the first time and graded the series a B on a second pass.
What readers argue about and complain about: The complaint is Emilia, and it isn't close. Hidden in Pages, Dini Panda Reads and Ms. Buff all fault her decisions, and Ms. Buff's 2-star review calls her indecisive and passive and says the blogger won't continue the series. Goodreads reviewers add that the killer is easy to spot, the grandmother withholds information for no clear reason, and the magic system bends when it needs to. Pacing is the third recurring note: a slow first third, a rushed finish. A smaller argument runs over the label. The publisher calls it young adult, while at least one reviewer, Under the Covers, read it as adult fantasy romance, and later readers complain that the series as a whole is shelved as YA when books two and three are explicit.
The series question worth asking first: This book does not stand alone. The murders get an answer, but the romance is unresolved and the ending is a cliffhanger, as Kirkus points out. The good news is that the trilogy is complete: Kingdom of the Cursed (2021) holds a 4.08 Goodreads average from about 226,000 ratings, the best in the trilogy, and Kingdom of the Feared (2022) closes it at 3.85 from about 162,000. Book two is where most readers say the series takes off, and it is also where the heat rises sharply. Start this one only if you're willing to read on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kingdom of the Wicked YA or adult?
Book one is YA. JIMMY Patterson Books publishes it as young adult and Common Sense Media rates it 13 and up. The UK edition is marketed as adult romantasy, and the sequels read as new adult or adult.
Is Kingdom of the Wicked spicy?
No. Book one has kissing and tension but no sex scenes, and Common Sense Media rates its sexual content Mild. We score it 2 out of 5.
Do the sequels get spicier?
Yes, sharply. Reviewers describe Kingdom of the Cursed as explicit from the start, and readers of Kingdom of the Feared complain about how much sex crowds the plot.
Is Kingdom of the Wicked a slow burn?
Yes. Emilia and Wrath spend the whole book as wary allies with a growing attraction, and the romance doesn't resolve until the sequels.
Does Kingdom of the Wicked end on a cliffhanger?
Yes. The murder mystery is solved, but the book ends on a reveal that sets up book two. The trilogy is complete, so you can read straight through.
Is the Kingdom of the Wicked series finished?
Yes. It's a trilogy that ended with Kingdom of the Feared in 2022. The adult Princes of Sin spinoffs, starting with Throne of the Fallen, are set in the same world.
If You Loved Kingdom of the Wicked, Read These Next
If the slow burn into heavy spice is what you're signing up for, read A Court of Thorns and Roses, the best-known series to start mild and turn explicit later. For a witch, a forbidden enemy and banter in a darker historical-flavoured world, try Serpent & Dove. And for a heroine kept in the dark and a dangerous love interest with secrets, go to From Blood and Ash, which turns up the heat much sooner.
Browse more in enemies to lovers romance, slow burn romance, fantasy romance and teen romance by age.
The Bottom Line
Kingdom of the Wicked tries to be a murder mystery, a family drama and the opening act of a demon romance, and it does the romance setup best. What works: Wrath, the Sicilian setting and the tension between the leads. What doesn't: a heroine many readers find reckless, a killer who is easy to guess and an ending that exists to sell book two. If you're committing to the trilogy and want a slow, kiss-only build before the heat, it does its job. If you need a complete story or a heroine you trust, start elsewhere.
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Kingdom of the Wicked ranks as a promising but uneven series opener, strongest in its demon love interest and Sicilian atmosphere, constrained by a frustrating heroine and a cliffhanger finish, and best approached as the first third of a trilogy rather than as a story on its own.
The Evidence Scorecard
Eight dimensions, each scored out of 5 from the reader and critic evidence above. Overall is anchored on the reader ratings and adjusted for how much the recurring complaints cost the reading experience. Heat describes how explicit the book is; it is not a quality judgement. Every line marked ✓ is a checked finding, including the limits. How we assess books.
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Banter and tension praised across reviews
- ✓ Slow burn tops out at a kiss
- ✓ Chemistry called off the charts by ARC reviewer
- ✓ Romance unresolved until the sequels
Characters ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Wrath the most praised element by far
- ✓ Other princes of sin intrigue readers
- ✓ Twin grief gives Emilia drive
- ✓ Emilia called reckless by fans and critics
Writing ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ PW praised the lyrical, immersive atmosphere
- ✓ Food writing a recurring reader favourite
- ✓ Gothic Palermo settings called eerie
- ✓ Info dumps and shifting magic rules
Emotional impact ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ Sister's murder powers the plot
- ✓ Grief portrayal praised in reviews
- ✓ Family secrets add a second layer
- ✓ Predictable killer drains the tension
Heat level ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
- ✓ Common Sense Media rates sex Mild
- ✓ Kissing, longing and one charged dance
- ✓ No sex scenes in book one
- ✓ Sequels turn explicit, per reviewers
Ending ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Murder mystery gets its answer
- ✓ Kirkus flags a dramatic cliffhanger
- ✓ Trilogy complete, so no waiting
- ✓ Climax called rushed and setup-heavy
Re-read value ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ Series grows on readers on second pass
- ✓ Gateway to the 4.08-rated sequel
- ✓ Audiobook runs about 12 hours
- ✓ Many rereaders skip ahead to book two
Sources We Checked
- Goodreads: Kingdom of the Wicked
- Goodreads: Kerri Maniscalco book list (ratings for the trilogy and spinoffs)
- Goodreads: Kingdom of the Feared
- Goodreads YA Buddy Readers' Corner: Kingdom of the Wicked thread
- Hachette Book Group: Kingdom of the Wicked hardcover (details and trade review quotes)
- Hachette Book Group: Kingdom of the Wicked series order
- Hachette India: Hodderscape UK edition
- Common Sense Media: Kingdom of the Wicked, Book 1
- Audiobooks Now: Kingdom of the Wicked audiobook
- Hidden in Pages: release day review
- Under the Covers: ARC review
- Dini Panda Reads: ARC review
- Ms. Buff: Kingdom of the Wicked
- The Good, the Bad and the Unread: Kingdom of the Wicked series
- Culturefly: Kingdom of the Cursed review
- romance.io: Kingdom of the Wicked series page (steam band for book one not shown)
- romance.io: Princes of Sin series page
Checked October 6, 2026. Ratings and counts change; the numbers above are as of that date.
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