Kingdom of the Wicked

 

Oh hell, yes.

I mean, you only have to look at the cover to know I'm gonna love this.

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...

I'm kicking myself, though. I usually remember who recommended something to me, but I've forgotten with this. I think it went past on a Twitter thread. One of those, 'name dark fantasy that you love' or something. Someone I know mentioned it and I liked the title. Only, no amount of searching can recover that original thread, so I can't thank them. 

My only problem now is, if I can't have a Prince of Hell, I don't want anybody. 

That's my expectations up in flames.

This was just so much fun, and Marisa Calin read the backside off it. What a wonderful range of accents she's got. Malvagi is such a satisfying word to say.

I didn't take too many notes as I was busy enjoying it, but some memorable moments:

Whatever you do, you must never speak to the Wicked. If you see them, hide. Once you’ve caught a demon prince’s attention, he’ll stop at nothing to claim you. They are midnight creatures, born of darkness and moonlight. And they seek only to destroy. Guard your hearts; if given the chance they’ll rip them from your chests and guzzle your blood as it steams in the night.

*

Lust kept talking. My mind tried to focus on his words, not the shape of his lips.

*

The world and its inhabitants are constantly changing, therefore we Princes of Hell continue to sharpen our minds and our skills. It is the absence of arrogance that allows us to remain the most feared. We do not believe we know all, we believe in adaptation. Adopt those same principles or you'll end up extinct.

*

People carved words into weapons often, but they only had power if I listened to them instead of trusting in my self. 

It's classed as YA, but what I really like is how unapologetically sexual Emilia is. There's none of this coy, demure crap that young ladies are supposed to display. She's a great role model in that respect. It contrasts starkly with The Infernal Devices, which takes place in Victorian England, so everyone is horny as hell but has to pretend they're not. Tess is just as turned on at times but constantly feels guilty and apologetic for it, whereas Emilia knows what she wants and doesn't apologise one bit. Of the two, Emilia is what I needed to read at that age, and still feels more wholesome now I'm in my forties. It also feels like it marks a shift in how female protagonists approach sex in YA. Well done to the publisher who ran with it. 

I was rationing this towards the end, and felt a little depressed when I realised it would all be over soon. But then I discovered it's part of a series - yay! I just love the titles: Kingdom of the Wicked, Kingdom of the Cursed and Kingdom of the Feared. Each with a fabulous cover. You want to eat them all up. Delightfully dark.

Go forth and read... then spawn the armies of hell, or whatever.