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sweetordinary's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love and appreciate the fact that the themes of love, romance, and intimate relationships took a back seat for the main character.
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Death, Grief, Gore, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Confinement and Hate crime
queer_bookwyrm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco is book one in the Kingdom of the Wicked series. I wasn't sure about this book at first, since I bought it at the top of the booksta hype, and honestly it didn't grab me at first (although that could be due to a book hangover from the previous book). I quite enjoyed this once I got into it, and now I need to know what happens next!
We follow Emilia di Carlo and her twin Vittoria, in Sicily. Emilia and Vittoria are witches, and are taught protection charms and stories of the Wicked, the seven demon princes of Hell, from their grandmother. When Vittoria is brutally murdered after a series of other witches being murdered, Emilia is consumed with vengeance, and seeks to use dark magic to find and kill the murderer. It does not go as planned.
Emilia finds herself embroiled in the middle of prophecy, and surrounded by demons that want something from her, including a very handsome and annoying one she has accidentally tied herself to. There is more going on than Emilia realizes, she's been lied to by so many people, she doesn't know who to trust. I did find myself being a bit annoyed with Emilia's naivete. Several times I muttered "you dumbass" to myself about her decisions.
I found her relationship with Wrath compelling, but I definitely don't get how people would want him as their book boyfriend. Maybe that's just the aro in me 😆. That cliffhanger was rough, but I can't say I'm completely surprised. Perhaps the next book will prove me wrong. This was an entertaining YA read, but nothing too impressive. I will be continuing with the series.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Self harm
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Vomit, Gore, Violence, Murder, Body horror, Hate crime, and Confinement
Minor: Sexual content, Animal death, Torture, Kidnapping, Cursing, Stalking, Self harm, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
purplehulk713's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Beware the Malvagi, fellow streghe…
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Self harm, and Sexual content
r1vana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Death
Minor: Confinement and Kidnapping
Blood ritual; talk about dark magic; griefka_ke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Gore, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Death, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
faitherslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Grief
Minor: Alcohol
verk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
De las hermanas me gusta más Vittoria peo bueno, el personaje principal es Emilia que no me cae mal pero a veces se porta de forma muy tonta.
Me gusta que haya misterio y que no sepas a quien culpar de todo jaja, aunque sospechás quien podría ser (y se confirma, o no, al final 😅).
Wrathe gusta mucho su personaje, está mejor desarrollado que el de Emilia.
Me dejó con ganas de leer el 2do 😅.
Moderate: Death, Grief, Blood, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Mental illness, Self harm, and Torture
politewriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcohol, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Stalking
Minor: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Torture
foreverinastory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I feel a bit confused by the ending. And also about the dynamic between Emilia and Wrath. I know I'm supposed to ship them, but I don't know if I do.
Rep: white Sicilian-Italian female MC, white Sicilian-Italian side characters, BIPOC male side character (Indian coded).
CWs: Blood, child death/loss of sibling, death, gore, grief, murder, self-harm (cutting for blood to power spells), violence, magical compulsion and brief mention of unwanted touching.
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Self harm, and Violence