Kingdom of the Feared Review (Kingdom of the Wicked, #3)

Hello, all!

One of my most anticipated reads for the fall was Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco. I've loved this series since the beginning (review of the last book here), and I'm so sad to see it end!

*Potential spoilers ahead*

Pub Date: 9-27-22
New Adult - Fantasy

For months, Emilia has only had one goal: to avenge her sister's murder. So Emilia is shocked and confused to discover that Vittoria faked her death and is very much alive. Emilia always believed herself to be a simple witch, but her sister seems to know details about their past and lives that Emilia doesn't. But before allowing herself to get pulled into her twin's schemes, Emilia has plans of her own. Mainly, claiming the demon prince Wrath, the King of Hell, as her own. Emilia is ready to secure their marriage bond, but there are still secrets churning between them.

When a high-ranking member of House Greed's court is killed, Emilia and Wrath are called upon to help with the investigation. With evidence pointing to Vittoria and no concrete way to clear her name, she is labeled an enemy of the Seven Circles. Despite her betrayal, Emilia refuses to let any harm come to Vittoria and is determined to clear her name. The deeper Emilia digs, the more she discovers about her past, and how it ties into the Feared, the most dangerous beings of all. But when the truth finally comes to light, it may cost Emilia more than she bargained for.

I'll start by saying that I did enjoy this. Maniscalco did a good job wrapping the series up and answering any lingering questions from the previous two books. That said, I think there was way too much going on here. There were so many different plots happening at once--from Emilia finding out the truth about who she is, to a murder mystery, to trying to prevent a war from breaking out--that my head was spinning at points. I think if it were a little more streamlined, I would've been more excited about it, especially when some of those plots felt rushed. (I am hoping that certain plotlines lead to a spin-off series, though.) Still, I loved being back in this world with these characters. I liked getting to know more about Emilia and her connection with Wrath. Their relationship has always been the highlight for me, so I was thrilled to see it finally come together. The writing and atmosphere were lush and decadent, and despite any minor issues I may have had, it's still one of my favorite fantasy series.

Rating: 3.5/5*

*I had originally given this a 4 star, but after thinking about it, dropped it down to 3.5