Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Source: Hachette Book Group Canada
Pages: 373
Buy: Amazon | Indigo Canada | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Rating: 4/5
"From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series comes a new blockbuster series… 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…" -Goodreads
Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada for providing me with a copy of Kingdom of the Wicked. Thank you for giving me the chance to read and review this book.
Maniscalco has once again created a series with loveable characters and an enticing plot. Kingdom of the Wicked got me hooked from page one. The author's writing style in this novel flows beautifully. The pace of this story is just right. There wasn't a moment while reading this book where I thought it was too slow. Kingdom of the Wicked is also a cover buy for its Instagram-worthy looks.
My favourite part of Kingdom of the Wicked was the characters. The novel is told from Emilia's point of view. I felt that her narration brought the world of Palermo alive. The constant banter between her and Wrath was also cute. I'm curious to see how their relationship will further develop in book two.
I felt a lot of the side characters were also well developed. There were a few side characters (Ex: Antonio, Carmine) that I would have liked to have seen get a bit more page time. I felt they weren't as fleshed out as the other characters.
I also really enjoyed meeting a few of Wrath's brothers. I think that was one of the highlights of this novel. The brothers were all so different, and I was always questioning their intentions.
Vittoria's death was a huge motivator for Emilia's actions throughout the story. Emilia is a very driven and determined character. She does not give up when things get hard. Instead, she becomes further motivated as a result. I could easily relate to this trait as I consider myself a very determined person. Once I have a motivator/goal stuck in mind, then nothing will stop me from accomplishing it.
The ending of book one will leave readers wanting more of Emilia's and Wrath's adventure. I have been left with a ton of questions. I'm curious and excited to see how this story will further unravel.
I felt the characters' motives, lies, and deceptions were what really kept me hooked on this story. I easily figured out who murdered Vittoria. However, it was the reason for "why" that kept me entranced throughout Kingdom of the Wicked.
Throughout this book, all I wanted to do was eat Italian food. Maniscalco does a great job of describing and introducing readers to Italian cuisine. It also helped to bring Emilia's world and her surroundings to life. I even went out and bought cannolis after reading a chapter.
The author also does a great job of creating a gothic, eery, atmosphere. I felt this was also true for her other series Stalking Jack The Ripper.
I would like to see more descriptions of the characters' surroundings. I think the author does a great job of bringing the world to life through the atmosphere. I was easily able to imagine my own version of Palermo. However, I desired a little bit more detail about the buildings and the Italian landscape.
Overall, Kingdom of the Wicked was a fun read. It was a great start to a series. The characters and the plot had me hooked from the start. The ending left me wanting more of this world. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in book two.
27 September 2020 Saskatchewan, Canada
Firefrost (Flameskin Chronicles, #0) by Camille Longley
Author: Camille Longley
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 372
Buy: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Book Depository
Rating: 3/5
She’s a huntress: Sol d’Hillerod is sent on a desperate mission through a treacherous winter pass. She carries with her the only hope of her village’s survival, and she will do whatever she must to keep her world from burning. He’s a monster: Lieutenant Kelan Birke has spent his whole life fighting for his freedom and his soul. As his control slips, and the war rages on, he knows it won’t be long before he loses himself entirely to the fire that flows through his veins. Sol and Kelan are enemies in an age-old war, forced to depend on each other to survive a perilous journey through the mountains. As fire melts the ice in Sol’s heart, she questions everything she’s been taught to believe, and Kelan becomes more desperate to fight the flames that consume him. Together they discover that their struggle will have repercussions for both sides of this burning war.-Goodreads
Thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC.
Firefrost is beautifully written by Camille Longley. The author's style of writing stood out as beautiful and flowed seamlessly with the book. It was easy to fall into the character's train of thought. I liked that this book is told from both Sol's and Kelan's point of view. I particularly adored Kelan's narration.
Firefrost is an enemies to lovers story. I thought the romance was developed quite nicely in the novel. The romance did not occur too quickly or too slowly. Instead, I could clearly map out how their feelings evolved throughout the book.
Sol was an interesting character. There were moments in Firefrost where I was annoyed with her reluctance to fall in love. She kept going back and forth with her feelings. However, with her backstory, it makes sense for her to act that way.
I'm curious to see how Firefrost fits in with the events of the Flameskin Chronicles. This book, from my understanding, is a prequel to the main series which is coming out in November 2020.
The idea of Flameskins is a unique addition to the fantasy genre. I like the idea of people being able to create fire from thin air, while fighting an inner demon from possession at the same time. Readers will find themselves rooting for Kelan as he fights for control of his soul throughout the novel.
My only critique of Firefrost, and the reason why I did not give it 4 stars, was that I thought the plot and the world-building could have been stronger. Firefrost is a story of survival and I felt this book was a bunch of mini-plots instead of a strong-overarching plot. There were moments where I was thinking: "This is the end" and then the characters would be going off in a different direction. Due to this, I felt the story drag on at times.
I don't want to be too harsh with my review because this is a prequel. My judgment is based on reading Firefrost as a standalone (since I haven't yet read Flameskin). It would be interesting to reread this book after the rest of the Flameskin Chronicles come out.
Overall, this book is perfect for fans of enemies to lovers. I recommend checking Firefrost when it comes out on September 21, 2020. Flameskin will be released in November 2020.
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Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Source: Amazon Canada
Pages: 336
Buy: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Indigo Canada|Book Depository
Rating: 5/5
"A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse... There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story. As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison. Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster."-Goodreads
I loved this book so much!! I can tell that a lot of research went into this book. Initially, this was a cover-buy for me. However, the story itself did not disappoint. Bashardoust's writing style quickly engulfed me into this fairytale-like-world.
The author did an excellent job of not only bring this world alive but also in writing complex characters. Soraya's journey is one of self-love and self-acceptance. As a reader, I could see, and pinpoint, her growth clearly throughout the novel. She went from being ashamed of herself to being proud of who she stands for as a person. She also went from being alone and craving acceptance, to finding people who accept her for who she is as a person. I also felt a lot of the side characters, and the antagonist was fleshed out well. I felt that most of these characters were very much 3d in writing. They all made choices, both good and bad, that affected those around them. My only critique is that I wished Ramin had a little bit more page-time and was fleshed out better.
The plot was fast-paced and the chapters flowed nicely. I felt it wrapped up nicely at the end. This is the first time I've read a sleeping-beauty retelling. This book even has hints of Rapunzel in it.
Overall, this book did disappoint me. Its plot, character and fairytale world were as enchanting as the cover itself.
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