Throne of the Fallen

Prince of Sin #1

by Kerri Maniscalco

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco makes her adult debut with Throne of the Fallen, a fierce new standalone romantic fantasy set in her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, about a dark prince battling an impossible curse--and the artist who might be the only one who can set him free.Sinner. Villain. Wicked. These are names the Prince of Envy welcomes when he ventures beyond his demon kingdom in the Seven Circles. Each word reminds him what he isn't: a saint. And when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows he'll be called much worse before it ends. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way. With a powerful artifact and his own future at stake, Envy is determined to win, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for Waverly Green, or for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin--and passion--like no other... Virtuous. Darling. Liar. The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven't a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows Waverly Green's most notorious rake Lord Phillip Vexley to blackmail her. And now it seems Vexley isn't the only scoundrel interested in securing her unique talents as a painter. To avoid Vexley's clutches and a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil's bargain with society's newest arrival, enigmatic Lord Ashford "Syn" Synton, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . . Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the underworld--from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm and beyond--while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Adult, Fae, Paranormal

Audio CD

First published October 3, 2023

About the author

I'm mostly on instagram--where I'm always ready to talk fictional crushes and nerd out over books. (Okay, okay. And I've also been known to share snippets and teasers from my upcoming novels, if you're into that sort of thing...) Please feel free to chat with me there @KerriManiscalco. I love talking with fellow readers!


Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats.

She is the #1 NYT and USA Today bestselling author of the STALKING JACK THE RIPPER quartet, the KINGDOM OF THE WICKED trilogy, and her forthcoming adult debut, THRONE OF THE FALLEN, set within the KINGDOM OF THE WICKED universe. Two other un-named titles will also be set within the KOTW world and will follow two different princes.

For more information, visit Kerri online:
www.kerrimaniscalco.com
www.facebook.com/KerriManiscalcoAuthor

Follow Kerri on Instagram:
instagram.com/kerrimaniscalco

Reviews

[Ayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

no spoilers, thank u publishers @ little brown for the early copy

anyways…

where are my gross and depraved women? where are my sick nasty touch starved bitches? i need y’all to rally around me in this moment. i need to feed on the power of everyone‼️‼️‼️

kerri maniscalco is just gonna do it every👏🏽single👏🏽time👏🏽y’all ‼️ my eyes hurt from doing nothing but reading this for 2 days straight. no regrets whatsoever. 🤞🏽

ok so off the bat, do i think you should read KOTW series before this? yes but it’s not necessary. you can still completely understand the lore and world building with just this book. i’m just bias towards KOTW ig.♾️

the way this is unlike anything the author has written before. completely fresh and captivating from the first sentence. long story short: Prince Envy is trying to save his demon court, and gets involved in a game that leads him to Camilla in the human lands and after a few lies, ripped dresses, and blood shedding they both end up embarking on a journey together to find clues and win the game. all while trying to ignore their sizzling, burning, and throbbing chemistry… 💞

i cannot say it lightly when i say: you’ll never come across anything with more jealousy scenes than you will with this book. you can’t expect anything less when it comes to Envy. it was palpable, tangible, and meaningful. so far, this is THE book in the KOTW universe. cuz green eggs and DAMN!😈

Camilla is just THAT girl y’all. the way she has Envy, who is the embodiment of arrogance and cockiness, on his knees! (metaphorically and physically speaking) she knows she’s that bitch too! she knows she has him wrapped around her tiny finger. the way she HUMBLES this man….like yeah he might be the Prince of Envy ruler of whatever the fuck. but to her, he’s just another beast to tame. Envy is left speechless, multiple times, like a kid and i was kicking my feet the entire fucking time 🤭 the way this man thought he needed medical attention because he was so down bad for her…

lmao when i tell you Envy got that DOG in him‼️ the shit he’d casually say had my jaw on the floor. god i have many inappropriate things to say when it comes to this fictional man. like why did he have me wanting to point a gun at my temple and do a little razzle-dazzle? why did he have me barking like a dog in heat then next? i thought i had read it all until this man opened his mouth. tell me why i was GAGGED⁉️ i was really reading words on paper to then looking around to make sure no one caught me in 4k frothing at the mouth. Camilla you don’t know how lucky you are 😭

my hyper fixation when it comes to nearly all things is the romance however all things outside of it were also equally interesting. one thing i can expect and admire from this author is that we are gonna get a mystery alongside the romance. before you even know it you’re hit with whiplash because some things are just impossible to guess. this world is huge so i’m never gonna say no to more books from it either following the brothers or even the other creatures we meet along the way. the way the author wrote the most tantalizing, torturing, and beguiling sentences and said “i’m not responsible for anything” 🤺

[Kerri]

Envy and Camilla have stolen my heart and I cannot wait for you to meet them!!! PLEASE NOTE--my next three books are all ADULT, not YA. Pre-order links go up January 11th along with a double cover reveal!!! xoxo

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

i could tell with KMs last series (which this is a spin off of) that she was eagerly trying to shift her way out of YA stories. so this is her first series that it is full on adult romantasy from the start and it does not hold back.

this is very heavy on the romance, which isnt bad if thats what youre wanting. but i did find myself more interested in the plot than the smut scene, which i eventually started skipping about half way through because thats how frequent they are. while the angst and envy between the two characters is done well, its the storyline outside of the bedroom that was more entertaining for me. i enjoyed the scavenger hunt-esque game, the riddles, the mystery of camillas origins, and the overall puzzle of the narrative.

so based on my feelings for this first installment, i do think this is going to be a very good companion series, as each book is set to explore a different prince of the seven circles, who were first introduced in the kingdom of the wicked series. this definitely gives KM room to expand her world building and develop her characters without feeling constrained to a singular story arc.

so im looking forward to the next book coming out later this year!

↠ 3.5 stars

[interested? get it here.]

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @60%

So, I really enjoyed KOTW series and I guess I went into this book with some reasonable expectations that this book would be similar in feel and in the world since it is -you know set in the same world.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ₊˚ෆ This book is just porn. That's it. There's a very thinly veiled plot (which is incredibly boring) going on but every situation, every dialogue , every circumstance or obstacle these characters face is all boiled down to cocks being shoved down throats.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ₊˚ෆ Furthermore, these male characters always seem to have their cocks pulled out at random times- just stroking it. Like, for real- in the middle of a political meeting - sure , def the time to start randomly stroking the cock.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ₊˚ෆ Makes me think of a dog in heat or something.

I'm all for a good smut read but at 600 pages- give me a break- literally Kerri, can I get some air, free of sweaty thighs slapping against ass or cocks being driven into every orifice?

I didn't feel the connection between the two main characters, I didn't feel the romance or the building of love between the two of them- everything felt very transactional. I just couldn't stay engaged with the amount of cringing I was doing along with frequent eye rolls.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ₊˚ෆ I'm sure there's a ton of people that will enjoy this, especially if you love spice at the turn of every page. I personally need more plot, character development and arc.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Cheers to one of the most bomb FMC's in recent history. Camilla was very refreshing, especially for an FMC that wasn't your typical sword wielding badass that we're so used to nowadays. She went head to head with Envy at every turn and didn't let physical attraction rule her decision making (for the most part >D). There were several times I found myself exclaiming out loud with her verbal, on point slap downs.

And as always, it's such a pleasure to watch an MMC like Envy fall - always so satisfying to see him succumb to FEELINGS. Gods forbid. He was definitely a stubborn prick for most of the book, though his internal dialogue always shows exactly how he unfortunately feels,

Overall, the storyline was really entertaining , though there were small things here and there that irked me. The only thing that REALLY irked me is fucking Vittoria. I still don't see why she even showed up. She was thrown in there just to be there and I wasn't a fan of that, especially if that is going to be setting a precedent for future books. If she KM tries to release a book FOR her, I don't think I'll be able to read it, even if it's with one of the princes. No thanks.

Now Blade on the other hand? Yes, please!

Highly recommend for any romantasy readers out there. This is going to be fun reading about all the princes of hell (Sloth is a new favorite of mine - cannot wait).

[ellie]

Envy’s perspective ???? where is my Pride, Vittoria and Lucia love triangle pls ???

also Pride + Lucia >>>>>>>> 🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3🌟 is a good rating.
While I enjoyed some aspects of the book (aka my queen Camilla or Envy’s character’s depth towards the end) ; the romance was lacking IMO. It was pure physical attraction and I would’ve enjoyed some emotional depth.

The next book is about Gluttony and I personally can’t wait for Sloth & Pride’s stories.

I have read Kingdom of the wicked series before this so I did enjoy the little parts with Wrath & Emilia 💕

———•
Pre read ; Seeing all the high ratings from yous here is making me anxious 😂

[manas (NEW YEAR) · Rating 3 out of 5]

gun to my head—i couldn’t tell you what i read.

[toointofiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Camilla?” She paused on the threshold, glancing back.
“If you run, I will chase you.”

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️


I am willing to fight anyone who dares to badmouth this series. I probably won't do much damage. I have no physical strength whatsoever, but I will fight nonetheless. It might have taken me a little while longer to finish it because life sucks for grown-ups and I didn't sign up for this, but I was still completely hooked on this book. I couldn't do much else during my free time. The shocking moments alone were enough to leave me speechless. Not to mention the level of intelligence behind this dangerous game Envy and Camilla are playing, the stakes for the parties involved, especially the demon prince, and the complications that constantly arise. I particularly enjoyed how much more of this world is explored. Maniscalco took the opportunity to explore different fantasy species with this book and it is always the best way to provide exposition. I can't wait to see what other creatures Maniscalco focuses on in her next books.

Moreover, Camilla and Envy are fantastic. They are such complex characters with their own traumatic backstories and dark secrets. It might be a cliché to most, but I love how vulnerable they secretly are while showing a tough exterior, especially Envy. I mean, he is a demon prince but he likes painting, and his chest tightened when Emilia made him canolli, but he also tricks and murders people without an ounce of guilt. How cute is that? As for Camilla, she is a cinnamon who hates her solitude, but could also tease you endlessly and fuck your brains out. In other words, they are perfect.

In addition, their relationship is positively insane. Not only is their chemistry off the charts, but their dynamic is incredibly intense as well. They have a hard time trusting each other fully, even though they can't help but be vulnerable together at times. Regardless, the sexual tension between them is so thick it couldn't even be cut with a knife, and the way they tease each other so mercilessly is as frustrating as it is entertaining. Also, they are so obviously enamored with each other, even though they keep denying it, that every single person who encounters them can tell immediately. Envy's brothers in particular have the most fun watching them.

Lastly, reading this book reminded me just how charming and wonderful the Princes of Hell are. They are as funny as they are intense, they love messing with each other, and even though they fight and argue a lot, they clearly care for one another. Basically, they're siblings, but whose main form of fighting is stabbing. I love them all, but my favorite one has to be Sloth. He reads! He has reading glasses that he keeps around his neck with a chain, he's thick as fuck, and has little interest in debauchery (at least public one, apparently), and his House mostly consists of books. I have never hated my reality more. It is so unfair that men demons like him don't exist. I would give anything to have Kerri Maniscalco write me as his love interest. Wishful thinking, right? However, from the way this book wraps up, it seems like Pride's story is the next to come. Not that I mind in the slightest. On the contrary, I can't wait to finally read his and Lucia's story. I love it when the love interests already have a past. Additionally, even though Wrath and Emilia are secondary characters now, their presence in the book, minimal as it is, is a gift. Especially since any mention of them mostly consists of their kinky sexual escapades. I couldn't ask for anything more.


Throne of the Fallen B&N Bonus Content:

There was no way in hell I wouldn't track down this bonus content by any means necessary. Shipping restrictions will not stand in the way of me reading Wrath and Emilia's kinky sexcapades from Wrath's point of view. I will find a way. Thankfully, there's always a good person who takes pictures of their copy's bonus scenes and posts them online for us unfortunate souls. They are the real heroes. I am also excited to try Envy's cocktail recipe but it is admittedly overshadowed by Wrath and Emilia.

Envy mentioned in the book that the King and Queen of Hell were getting into some really freaky stuff together, but it wasn't enough to prepare me for what I read. To be fair, it is very mild compared to other spicy content in modern literature. Nonetheless, those two have some interesting uses for an alcove that has been converted into a red room, chains for obvious reasons, and...a certain House Dagger. Yes, it is used exactly the way you think it is and I will never see a House Dagger the same way again. On the contrary, I expect it to be used the same way again soon. Where was this kind of behaviour in the Kingdom of the Wicked series? Why did we not get a glimpse of it until now? The other problem here is that the chapter is too damn short. You can't just write a scene with two ridiculously hot characters doing some ridiculously hot stuff and end it in five pages. It's not enough! Kerri Maniscalco is truly a mean tease. It's like she wants us to constantly be sexually frustrated.

Oh, yes! Envy's cocktail looks fun too! 😇

[Ericka Rheanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thought I'd be getting fantasy, instead I got Fifty Shades of Green. I envy everyone who hasn't read this.

[DIVINITY🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’ll be shouting my name, Camilla. I will be your God, your Creator, your Destroyer, and every depraved dark thing in between. And I promise you’ll find religion on my cock. You’ll get on your knees for it, pray for it, worship it with every fiber of your being.” 🥵

I’m screaming omg Kerri what did to put in this book? crack? meth? caffeine and redbulls? Kerri you deserve the world boo..you can write a morally dark gray character to make us feign and desire. Thank you so verra verra much for not making this YA or NA this is strictly for the grown and sexy..this is EVERYTHING the Kingdom of the wicked series should have been and more no offense Prince Wrath 🤭 I loved you bby

FYI in my opinion you don’t need to read the Kingdom Cursed series in order to read this book. There are brief references but nothing that ties into this story.


Summary: Envy needs to have a forbidden object painted and he seeks the beautiful Camilla and she tells him no 🤪 of course this makes Envy crazy so he keeps pestering and then eventually works out an arrangement snd she does offer to do the painting(It’s a little more going on this but I was here for the romance not gonna lie). Both are hiding secrets and will go on a little bit of an adventure together to solve a mystery.

Tropes
✅ touch her and die 🔪
✅ He falls first 💕
✅ Forced proximity

Camila is a QUEEN and such a baddie gahhhh. She’s the girl who walks in the room and demands attention while men spill their drinks to gawk at her beauty. She had ENVY on his hands and knees for her literally and figuratively. She was controlling ALL the shots no matter what Envy thought. I loved her energy and how true to herself she was. She’s clever, strong, feisty, authentic, and confident. She challenges Envy and makes him work!

Prince Envy I almost have no words I’m so enthralled. This man is top 5 book boyfriends!!! He’s so jealous, possessive, caring and will not allow any harm to come to Camilla. the things that come out of this man’s mouth had me weak in the knees and highlighting every sentence he says like a mad woman 🤭 I expected no less from the demon prince 🥵 he DELIVERED period
Once he was in love this man was romantic and shit 😫 I mean he was kissing her slowly, garden walks, random gifts etc 🥹

The BANTER and tension in this book is HOT 🥵 They go back and forth. Every snarky snide comment Envy makes Camilla is snapping right back at him with a check mate. The chemistry between these two is sizzing Envy needs a strong woman like Camila to put him in his place.

Don’t get me started on all the jealousy and possessiveness…oh my gahhdd

And the side characters are super interesting..I would love for Wolf to get a book

Spice Rating
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
It could have been a little more spicier for me but the tension makes up for it I swear. The mirror and throne scene will live in my mind rent free forever 🔥

I wanted more from that epilogue I mean yes it gave me what I wanted to see but I NEEDED more..: I think I’m just sad for this to be over tbh…impatiently waiting on the next demon prince book gimmmeeee neoowww

If you want to read a romantasy and go on an adventure hunting for clues READ THIS NOW 💜💚

[Kalyani · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this against my better judgement and my god was it awful. I want to know where the editing was in this because it was just page after page of the most trite and forced rendition of enemies to lovers. These two are into each other from about THREE seconds into their first meeting and then we spend the next HUNDREDS of pages reading again and again about them panting after each other but not actually doing anything about it - for no discernible reason.

Why was it dragged out? What development did Envy and Camilla actually have? I could not tell you a single thing about them beyond their absolutely inane desire to bang. They don’t get through a single conversation with one another without thinking about how aroused they are - which just absolutely unhinged behavior. And then when they finally do have sex, it’s the most cartoonish scene possible. There’s zero emotional depth. No matter how explicit the actual writing is the scenes feel clinical and soulless because Envy and Camilla have been given no other character traits besides their lust for one another.

I don’t know who needs to hear it but writing pages of smut with cringey dirty talk is not the same thing as crafting romance.

The plot is also a disaster and goes from one wild direction to another. The world building is a mess and completely inarticulate. I feel like we change tone at least 6 different times within this book. I could not get a grip on what kind of story this actually was. And don’t get me started on the writing style - literally EVERYTHING is told to the reader instead of shown.

I get the sense that this is another casualty of the overtropeification of publishing. It’s popular to write and enemies to lovers romance so authors are churning stories that prioritize sex scenes (even poorly written ones) and tropes over genuine plot, writing, or development. It feels so hollow and leaves me as a reader deeply unsatisfied.

Needless to say I don’t think I will be reading more books in this series.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9 ⭐️

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

side note: i haven’t read Wrath’s books yet and i personally don’t think it’s necessary to before going into this one.

the plot focuses around a game that’s orchestrated by the unseelie king, who has roped Envy into playing in order to save his court. now onto Camilla; who Envy attempts to enlist the help of, since her talent in painting will be useful to him. i’d say this is basically a quest story, where the characters enter into other courts in order to advance in the game and gain their next clues. i really loved both Camilla AND Envy❤️‍🔥, but i just really feel like this book is too long and there were times that i found myself losing interest in what was going on outside of Envy and Camilla’s dynamic. there’s also a heavy sexual undertone throughout this book— so if that’s something that bothers you, might be best to skip this one lol.

➸ Camilla - im in love with her🫠. she’s a breath of fresh air in how she refuses to back down or be anyone’s doormat. her feisty personality was everything, she had Envy down so bad from the start.. iconic behavior. the way she taunted him into acting on both their desires had me wishing i could climb into this book. i thought the whole mystery around her true nature was obvious from early on though, so i wasn’t surprised by that revelation at all. i loved how strong willed, smart and perceptive she was and her character alone deserved 5 stars tbh.

“Camilla had tamed the beast. The uncivilized demon pacing below the surface of his princely veneer bowed to her, a loyal servant to its master.”

➸ Envy - he’s the definition of jealous and obsessed, but in a way that was so damn attractive😮‍💨. he would not let any harm come to Camilla at any point if he could stop it and i was EATING UP the back and forth tension-filled games they played with each other.. that throne scene?! speechless🥵. he’s a powerful demon prince of hell, but for Camilla his icy demeanor shatters bit by bit. i loved how protective he was and how he always had a sarcastic comeback for everything that was said to him.

“Touch her”— his voice was laced with malice, even as it faded to a mere whisper— “and i’ll annihilate you all.”

i found so many of the side characters interesting too, specifically Blade, Wolf and Envy’s brothers. i’m looking forward to reading the next book (which is apparently Gluttony’s?) and seeing how the author will continue to write these other romances in this world of fae, vampires and demon princes.


thanks to everyone who voted on my poll🫶🏽 this was the winner! 💜

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[aeryn rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

Crying, screaming, throwing up now that this is OVER! This book is close to 600 pages and all I wanted was MORE.

THE PLOT

Camilla lives in Waverly Greens running a shop where she paints in her fathers cottage. The book starts off with Vexly, the towns scoundrel, holding a fraudulent original painting over Camilla's head to blackmail her into marriage. Camilla plans to steal this painting in order to free her from Vexley's blackmail. One day, the Prince of Envy must have Camilla paint a hexed object from him. The hexed object is vital clue to solving the riddle in a game he must win in order to save his realm from inevitable misery and death. By painting this hexed object, Camilla is drawn into being a pawn to this game. Both Envy and Camilla must work together to win the game no matter how much lust and desire brews between them.

MY THOUGHTS

I had the absolute best time reading this book. From the very start, I could not put this down. Camilla's personality was just so fiery and blunt and I truly fell in love with this girl. Nobody puts Envy in his place like Camilla and I am HERE FOR IT!! Their banter was probably the best thing I loved about them. They were so witty with a little bit of pettiness that just...*chefs kiss*. It hit the spot. I really didn't like Envy at the beginning but I think that's what's supposed to happen when reading this? The more I read from his POV and how he interacted with Camilla he really grew on me and I couldn't wait to read more from him.

Obviously, when you read this book you just can't not talk about the spice. I can definitely see why this might be off putting to readers who are expecting straight fantasy. This book is NOT that. This book is a good 60% spice, but I really enjoyed it and there was enough plot to keep me reading and not just ditch the book. The spice at times was very unnecessary but I still ate. It. Up. Camilla and Envy's tension throughout this whole book really just kept me reading one more chapter. The next thing I knew 5 chapters flew by. This book was such a fast and easy read. The language and terminology takes some getting used to. The first couple chapters I was VERY confused. However, it got much much easier.

The main trope included in this book are the touch her and you die and a little bit of one bed. I say this every time without a second thought...touch her and you die can NEVER fail. I will eat it up and leave no crumbs every time. There was just one scene with the one bed and it was smutty but did I giggle? Yes. Was I kicking my feet? Yes.

Overall, I really really enjoyed this book. It probably won't be for you if you're looking for straight fantasy. If you like smut with a bit of romance and a handful of fantasy, then this would be perfect for you. I can understand why others criticize this book, but me personally, definitely ended 2023 strong with this one!

FAVORITE SCENES AND QUOTES

Camilla longed to feel the dirt under her feet, to dance in her nightgown under the stars. To live without the rules of others binding her. She was a wild, untamed thing under all the pomp and circumstance.

"A lady must know where it's safe to step."
"Yet you're stepping all over my ego."
"Forgive me, my lord. I had no idea you'd be so easily damaged."

She was a star, and she refused to dull her light for any mere mortal.
Which was fitting, since she wasn't meant for a mortal man tonight.
She was meant for Envy.

"Their jealousy sustains me. Gives me power. And there is nothing I enjoy more than gaining power. You'd do well to keep that in mind, over a fantasy."
"Maybe it's your power I'm after, my lord."

Two tempting bows tied each strap, making for ease of removal.
She wanted to play. And he was always game.

"Kiss me like I'm the only thing you think about."
She already fucking was.

"Taking Camilla was your worst move yet. Never touch what's mine."

Camilla had thought she knew the rules of this private game, but now he was kissing her like she meant something. Like this wasn't just about winning one night. Like he might be playing to win something more.

"Fucking hell. You kiss like a saint but fuck like a deviant."

"Your rule..."
"Fuck the rules. You're mine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book was just calling to me to read it and I gave in so here we are 😔🤚🏼

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars💫

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star rating: ★★★★★
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book… TOPPED FOURTH WING AS MY TOP BOOK OF THE YEAR🤯 and I do NOT say that lightly. I can’t express my love for envy and Camilla’s story. It had me giggling, kicking my feet, screaming, and wanting to jump out windows at any given second. Let me just say that Kerri does ADULT fantasy romance SO WELL! Phenomenal. The fucking possibilities if the kingdom of the Wicked trilogy was actually adult instead of upper YA….😖

This MAN😮‍💨 this PLOT😮‍💨 the SPICE😮‍💨😮‍💨 the MOTHERFUCKING ENVY😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨🫶🏼

I’m not kidding… you should see my annotations in my copy… they are feral

I think pride’s book is next and I CANNOT WAIT GIVE IT TO ME NOW 🥰🫶🏼

[Poppyflowerjj · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/ 5⭐
3/5 🌶️

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco is a wickedly delightful journey into the Kingdom of the Wicked universe, where humor, seduction, and a pinch of darkness create a spellbinding concoction. Prepare yourself for a roller coaster of emotions as you follow the enchanting duo of Envy and the feisty Camilla, whose banter is nothing short of a perfect "chef's kiss." 🙌💜👌

Meet Camilla – she's not your average protagonist. With a blend of intelligence, bravery, and an artistic soul, she's a character that leaps off the page, captivating readers with her stubbornness, resilience, and boldness. Maniscalco crafts a leading lady who is both lovable and fierce, making every page a joy to read.

But the real magic happens when Camilla teams up with Envy, another prince of Hell, in a game where pawns become players, and the stakes are high. 🎲 The chemistry between these two is absolutely electric, creating a dynamic relationship that will have you cheering for them every step of the way. 😍

Throne of the Fallen is not just a cozy mystery—it's a wild ride with riddles, games, and a touch of gore and a LOT of smut that will leave you hot under the collar. Maniscalco seamlessly balances the dark and the delightful, creating a world that is both inviting and mysterious, perfect for fans of Kingdom of the Wicked.

In conclusion, get ready for a spicy read with Kerri Maniscalco's Throne of the Fallen. It's a fun and flirty adventure that combines mystery, sensuality, and unforgettable characters. So, if you're looking for a story that keeps you on your toes, filled with complex characters and a dash of enchantment, Throne of the Fallen is a must-read.

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Second, is this romantasy better than the last one? Fingers crossed!

Price Evie is an absolute delicious!

The audio voice reaches perfection 🙌💜👌

[monica ✨ romantasyreader]

Listen. I hated the way KOTW ended but I’m damn well gonna read this.

[tamara ౨ৎ˚⋆ (sad bc exam season) · Rating 4 out of 5]

˖ ࣪ ⟡˚ 4 stars ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

i didn’t expect to like this so much! it was so addicting and i couldn’t put it down.

ᝰ world-building ⊹.˚
the world, setting, and vibes were immaculate. everything was so well explained, and there were maps of both of the main locations that we traveled between. i loved that this was more of an adventure focused story, as those are the most interesting to me.

ᝰ characters ⊹.˚
⭒ Camilla, i loved her as an FMC. i felt connected to her from the very beginning and i really liked her personality. my favorite part was her friendship with Katherine. they are such girls girls and i just simply loved their vibe.

⭒ Envy, he was fine. as usual, he’s your typical dark haired, tall, and brooding MMC, that hates the FMC at first, but then falls in love with her. in the end he was fine, as he was super protective and would do anything for Camilla, but can we please raise our standards for men? thanks.

ᝰ tropes ⊹.˚
⭒ human FMC x demon MMC
⭒ enemies to lovers
⭒ fake dating
⭒ forced proximity
⭒ hidden magical abilities
⭒ bridgerton vibes
⭒ games and trials
⭒ adventure
⤷ spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

ᝰ final thoughts ⊹.˚
although i would’ve preferred there to be less spice, this was super fun, and i can’t wait to read the next book!

[Sena]

I need spin of books from every brother 🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Camilla?"
"If you run, I will chase you."

I really enjoyed this book! This was a dark and enchanting romantic fantasy about love, deception, betrayal, power and the cost of happiness. Throne of the Fallen follows The Prince of Envy who enters a game full of riddles, deception and danger to save his crumbling kingdom. Envy makes a deal with Camilla, an artist who is another player in this deadly game. Along the way they face enemies and learn about each other while trying not to fall in love.

I became immersed in this enchanting and dark world from the very beginning. I loved the fairy tale vibes in this book, it brought me back to my childhood when I fell in love with reading and fairy tales. The world building was excellent, I loved going back to the Kingdom of the Wicked world full of fae, demons, vampires, magic, queens and princes. I enjoyed learning more about the world and the main characters' pasts. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book, it was fun trying to solve the riddles and figure out the next clue. The pacing was great throughout the book and the plot was very engaging. There were many plot twists and betrayals that I didn't expect. The writing was very descriptive and fun. The ending was so good! I'm glad that it ended on a positive note.

I love Envy and Camilla so much! They are both complex characters and showed their vulnerable sides to each other. I love Camilla, she is intelligent, brave, artistic, stubborn, resilient and bold. I enjoyed seeing both Camilla's artistic and soft side as well as her darker side. I also loved that Camilla wasn't afraid of standing up for herself and how brave she was. I'm in love with Envy, he is stubborn, arrogant, cruel, but he is also caring and has a soft spot for Camilla. I loved that Envy showed his soft and vulnerable side to Camilla and was able to open up about his dark past. Camilla and Envy's relationship felt a bit insta-lust to me, but I enjoyed seeing how their relationship grew and progressed throughout the book. The chemistry and sexual tension between them was amazing! I liked that they could be themselves around each other and didn't try to change the other persons personality. The spice was hot and steamy. I swooned and blushed at many scenes during the book. I loved the banter between Envy and his brother, it made me smile a great deal.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic fantasy, dark fairy tales, great chemistry between the characters and great world building.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin]

DNF - This is why I don’t like to preorder books anymore even if it’s an author I’ve enjoyed before. This was a DNF because there seemed to be nothing but smut and I’m not into that, I even skipped to the last page and that was the last page as well. I didn’t like the characters either. Oh well.

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾🎃

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not me having a hyperfixation rn so I can’t sleep but it means that I finished this in less than a day at 3:30 am 😅 she’s mentally unwell 💅

rtc in a few hours.

——

ᯓ★ pre-read: I've seen so many good things about this! It's timeee to meet prince envy🧎‍♀️

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

Spooky month read #4

Putting this on hold, for now. And hoping I'll get back to it next month.

Reasons I'm excited about this book:

- A new adult and standalone novel by Kerri Maniscalco.
- Set in the same world as 'Kingdom of the Wicked'.
- Similar to Regency London.
- The mmc is Prince of Envy.
- The cover is giving me 'Once Upon a Broken Heart' vibes.
- Lastly, it's coming out on October 3rd.

[Courtney ✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★3.5 stars, rounded down

✎𓂃 “I will be your God, your Creator, your Destroyer, and every depraved dark thing in between.”

When your expectation is better than the reality 😵‍💫

Really wanted to love this, but it felt like the book dragged more than I would have liked–the elaborate plot overwhelming the main characters’ relationship. The original Kingdom of the Wicked series had the advantage of three books to set up the whole story, whereas Fallen had 500 pages to fully explain the Unseelie King’s game, Envy’s motivations, Camilla’s backstory, and flesh out a smutty romance on top of it all.

Don’t get me wrong, the smut delivered 😮‍💨 And maybe this is just my own problem, but I came here for one reason alone, and that was for my jealous Prince of Hell. Yeah I probably could have sympathized for his court more, but I didn’t overly care and just wanted more Envy/Camilla time. Whatever I’m a terrible person!!!

I think it could have been 100 pages less and I would have seriously enjoyed this, rather than fighting myself not to DNF every time I picked up the book 🫠

⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Gotta thank the prince himself Leviaethan (and rightly Camilla, what a badass!!) for seeing me through til the end 👑💚

☆Quotes:
✎𓂃“May your dreams be as wondrously sinful as your tongue, Your Highness.”

✎𓂃“You can trust me with your life, Camilla. That is something precious. Something I’d never play with. No matter what game is happening.”

✎𓂃“‘Touch her’-his voice was laced with malice, even as it faded to a mere whisper-‘and I'll annihilate you all.’”

✎𓂃“Brace yourself, pet. I’m going to fucking devour you.”

✎𓂃“The uncivilized demon pacing below the surface of his princely veneer bowed to her, a loyal servant to its master.”

✎𓂃“Women are not possessions. She belongs to herself, you arrogant halfwit.”



* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Two words: DADDY ENVY 😈💚

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5⭐️ this started off decent and slowly went downhill.. I ended up really disliking envy, the fmc was fine I guess but both characters ONLY thought about sex. That was it. There was no tension, no banter, no chemistry. It was also way too long with such a boring plot. I ended up skimming towards the end, because I needed it to be over, major disappointment.

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

i feel like before i start this review about kerri maniscalco’s adult debut, i have to kind of talk about the original ya series that this is a spin off/continuation of. Ii know i gave that entire trilogy three stars, but they really were high threes and i think back on that series so fondly. the atmosphere, the main heroine, the yearning and angst - all five stars. and for three years, it was truly so much fun to buddy read these each halloween season.

so i went into this book expecting to enjoy those same aspects that i know this author is amazing at creating! i will say the atmosphere, and the setting of this alternative magical london, was amazing, we barely got to spend any time in it before we went right to heck (literally). and then, the yearning and angst was just replaced with really cringe and over the top sexual dialogue. and you all know that i love steam in books, but this felt like it was done just to “prove” it was an adult book, but it truly was so bad in my opinion. and finally, i just could not care about envy or camilla the way i did for emilia (and i guess wrath too, but emilia supremacy for sure).

but even with those negative aspects that i was really banking on being not negatives, i still had fun reading this book. the writing is so consumable, and the plot really always feels good and like it is at a good pace, which makes the reader never want to put the book down. i also really loved all the tie-ins with that first trilogy that i should probably go back and rate higher since i am writing this review and reminiscing about it so fondly.

lord, three paragraphs written and not a single sentence about what this book is about lol. okay, so basically this is a series about the demon princes of hell, each based on a different seven deadly sin, and what is going on with their specific courts, while also getting a romance. this specific story is about envy, and a very secret game that he is playing, where he is tasked to get a painting done by an artist in london, who is being blackmailed and also going through feeling a lot of grief because her father has passed and her mother has run away.

also, i just loved learning more about the princes of hell. and i also really, really, really loved seeing fae (and vampires and other paranormal creatures) truly enter this story as main players! And one thing that i truly will give kerri maniscalo, is that she can write good twists. I think she has bamboozled me in every story i’ve read by her, and i feel like that is a somewhat hard feat, especially in paranormal romance. and then this book? she was able to pull the rug from under my feet like three times. like, i will give credit where credit is due, and she really deserves credit for making a really fun reading experience for me because of her twists and turns.

but i have to say that i was screaming, going on goodreads and seeing book two is going to be gluttony’s book, because i truly was 110% expecting it to be pride’s with the work that was put in for him at the end of this book! But the tl;dr is that i will be reading it for this halloween season, and i hope it has more of the elements that i love and less of the ones that i do not love so much.

trigger + content warnings: debt, blackmail, loss of parents in past, talk of parent with illness, uncomfortable unwanted sexual advances, talk of infertility, abandonment, grief, abuse, blood, drinking, threat of sa, kidnapping, brief mention of self harm to get blood for a vampire, violence, gore, torture, battle, throwing up, and maybe a cannibalism mention

blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | amazon

➵ 1.) Kingdom of the Wicked ★★★
➵ 2.) Kingdom of the Cursed ★★★
➵ 3.) Kingdom of the Feared ★★★

♡ buddy read with maëlys

[saffiyah✧ఌ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1✩ - dnf @ 29%


i don't believe that this is the same woman who wrote kotw

full review to probably come



꒰ 🧸 ⊹˚. tbr review:

i've heard tons of mixed reviews about this book, which means i'm even more excited to start reading this! i'm not excited to have that ugly cover being displayed on my shelf though


this is instalment 4 in project-my-2023-choice-awards where i read all the nominees in the 2023 choice awards (in chosen genres) + choose which books should have won because i'm a masochist