For readers drawn to gothic atmosphere, supernatural mystery, and enemies-to-lovers dynamics, the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy has earned serious critical and commercial endorsement — Kirkus Reviews called the first entry 'an intoxicating, tightly plotted feast for the senses,' while Booklist praised its 'richly drawn' characters and worldbuilding 'infused with magic.' The second volume, Kingdom of the Cursed, was a Barnes & Noble Best of 2022 selection, confirming the series' sustained quality across volumes. The boxed set format is particularly well-suited to new readers, since Kirkus flagged that the first book ends on a dramatic cliffhanger — having all three books in hand removes any waiting-period friction. Readers who prefer standalone stories may find the arc-dependent structure less satisfying.

Best for ages 14 and up, as recommended by the publisher for this YA dark fantasy trilogy. The series involves murder, demonic mythology, supernatural violence, and gothic horror elements — themes that suit teen readers at or above that floor. Parents of younger readers should be aware that the content is darker in tone than lighter YA fare, and the serialized cliffhanger structure means the complete story spans all three volumes.

Kingdom of the Wicked

by Kerri Maniscalco

$16.99 on Amazon Read our full review

At a glance

First published2020

SettingGothic historical Sicily, supernatural underworld

AudienceYA (12-18)

ISBN0316565474

About the Author

Kerri Maniscalco

2 books reviewed

View author →

Kingdom of the Wicked

Name: Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
ISBN: 0316565474

by Kerri Maniscalco

LuvemBooks Verdict

Best for: Readers aged 14 and up — teens and adult YA fans — who want to dive into a complete, gothic dark-fantasy trilogy in one purchase, especially those drawn to enemies-to-lovers romance, Sicilian cultural atmosphere, and supernatural mystery.

Worth it? Skip it? Read the full verdict →

Ask LuvemBooks

Was this helpful?

The Kingdom of the Wicked Paperback Boxed Set collects Kerri Maniscalco's complete #1 New York Times bestselling trilogy — following Emilia's demon-entangled quest for vengeance through a richly gothic, Sicilian-rooted supernatural world — in a single paperback purchase. Booklist praised its worldbuilding as "smart, based on historical events and infused with magic," and Kirkus Reviews called the first book "an intoxicating, tightly plotted feast for the senses," making this a critically validated dark fantasy series with serious mainstream credentials. The boxed format is especially practical given the trilogy's serialized momentum and the dramatic cliffhanger that closes the first volume; readers new to the series, teens 14 and up, and adult YA fans of gothic atmosphere and enemies-to-lovers dynamics are the natural fit.

Is it worth reading?: For readers drawn to gothic atmosphere, supernatural mystery, and enemies-to-lovers dynamics, the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy has earned serious critical and commercial endorsement — Kirkus Reviews called the first entry 'an intoxicating, tightly plotted feast for the senses,' while Booklist praised its 'richly drawn' characters and worldbuilding 'infused with magic.' The second volume, Kingdom of the Cursed, was a Barnes & Noble Best of 2022 selection, confirming the series' sustained quality across volumes. The boxed set format is particularly well-suited to new readers, since Kirkus flagged that the first book ends on a dramatic cliffhanger — having all three books in hand removes any waiting-period friction. Readers who prefer standalone stories may find the arc-dependent structure less satisfying.
Similar books: Readers drawn to the gothic atmosphere, supernatural intrigue, and dark romanticism of the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy will find strong company in several curated titles. Holly Black's The Cruel Prince shares the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and immersive dark fantasy world-building. Kiran Millwood Hargrave's The Deathless Girls offers similarly atmospheric, myth-rooted gothic horror for YA readers. Ransom Riggs' Hollow City provides another serialized YA supernatural adventure with a strong sense of place and escalating stakes. For readers who love plot-driven mystery woven into YA fiction, Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Inheritance Games delivers the same propulsive momentum that critics praised in Maniscalco's work.
Who should read this?: The Kingdom of the Wicked boxed set is designed for readers aged 14 and up — including teens already in the YA dark fantasy demographic and adult readers who enjoy gothic atmosphere, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and supernatural mystery. Readers who specifically appreciate cultural and historical grounding in their fantasy — here, Sicilian settings, food, and family woven structurally into the supernatural premise — will find this series particularly rewarding. It is especially practical for new readers coming to the series cold, since the dramatic cliffhanger at the end of book one makes owning all three volumes a distinct advantage. Readers who prefer self-contained standalone novels may find the trilogy's serialized arc-dependent structure less satisfying.
What age is it for?: Best for ages 14 and up, as recommended by the publisher for this YA dark fantasy trilogy. The series involves murder, demonic mythology, supernatural violence, and gothic horror elements — themes that suit teen readers at or above that floor. Parents of younger readers should be aware that the content is darker in tone than lighter YA fare, and the serialized cliffhanger structure means the complete story spans all three volumes.
About Kerri Maniscalco: Kerri Maniscalco is the #1 New York Times and international bestselling author born and raised in the Hudson Valley of New York, who grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC. She is known for the gothic thriller Stalking Jack the Ripper quartet, the Kingdom of the Wicked fantasy romance trilogy, and her adult fantasy romance Prince of Sin series. She was raised to love reading by her parents.
How does this compare to Kingdom of the Feared?: Kingdom of the Feared is the concluding volume of the trilogy and has been reviewed separately by LuvemBooks — the boxed set collects it alongside Kingdom of the Wicked and Kingdom of the Cursed as the complete arc. The boxed set format is specifically designed to deliver the full narrative in one purchase, making the trilogy's escalating momentum and payoff accessible without gaps between volumes. Readers who want to know how Emilia's story concludes before committing to all three books can consult LuvemBooks' standalone review of Kingdom of the Feared.

Summarize this book

Is it worth reading?

Who should read this?

What age is it for?

About Kerri Maniscalco

How does this compare to Kingdom of the Feared?

Summarize this book

The Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy follows Emilia, a young woman in a richly gothic, historically grounded Sicilian setting whose sister's brutal murder sets her on a quest for vengeance — one the publisher describes as unleashing Hell itself. She is drawn into an uneasy alliance with Wrath, a demon who claims to be on her side and is tasked with solving a series of murders on the island. Food, family, Sicilian cultural texture, and demonic mythology are threaded together across all three volumes — Kingdom of the Wicked, Kingdom of the Cursed, and Kingdom of the Feared — into a complete, self-contained narrative arc. The May 2024 boxed set from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers collects all three paperback volumes in one purchase.

Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked) by Kerri Maniscalco

4.2

/ 5

Kingdom of the Feared closes out Kerri Maniscalco's Kingdom of the Wicked fantasy romance trilogy with a sin-fueled murder mystery, escalating supernatural warfare, and the culmination of Emilia and Wrath's enemies-to-lovers arc — delivering the shocking twists and dark romance the series built toward, even as its crowded plot tests readers' patience.

View on LuvemBooks →

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

4.7

/ 5

Kerri Maniscalco's #1 New York Times bestselling Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy — comprising Kingdom of the Wicked, Kingdom of the Cursed, and Kingdom of the Feared — arrives in a single paperback boxed set published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 2024), collecting the complete arc of Emilia's collision with demons, murder, and the supernatural underworld. This review is based on the series' published content and reception from named sources, not hands-on reading of the physical set.

View on LuvemBooks →

Follow up

Who is Wrath and what's his role?

Where and when is the series set?

How many books are in the trilogy?

Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review

Press Enter to ask. Answers come from our editorial Q&A — start typing to see related questions.

Age & Reading Level

Recommended age

Ages 12–18

Reading level

Young adult

Browse all 12–18 books

Content to know about

murder and vengeance as central plot drivers

demonic mythology and supernatural horror

gothic violence

Best for: Ages 14 and up — gothic horror atmosphere, murder-driven plot, and demonic mythology suit readers at or above this threshold; the publisher's own recommendation sets 14 as the minimum.

Skip if you prefer standalone novels or hopeful, light-toned fantasy without dark supernatural elements.

Editorial Review

Read the Full Review

Books like Kingdom of the Wicked

Curated picks for readers who enjoyed Kingdom of the Wicked, with our reasoning for each match.

If you liked Kingdom of the Wicked

In our catalogue

The Cruel Prince

Holly Black

Dark, morally complex fantasy with a defiant heroine navigating a lethal supernatural world — same addictive tension and enemies-to-lovers heat.

Readers searching for books like Kingdom of the Wicked will find a natural next read in Holly Black's The Cruel Prince. Both books center on a young woman who refuses to be powerless inside a world governed by dangerous, beautiful supernatural beings who play by their own brutal rules. Jude Duarte's fight to survive — and eventually dominate — the treacherous Faerie court echoes Emilia's collision with Hell's most powerful demons. The romantic tension is slow, sharp, and laced with genuine threat; neither love interest is safe, and neither heroine is willing to be saved. If you loved the way Kingdom of the Wicked made every negotiation feel like it could turn deadly, The Cruel Prince delivers that same electric unease across a complete trilogy. Perfect for fans of dark YA fantasy with political intrigue and morally grey romance.

In our catalogue

The Deathless Girls

Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Dark historical fantasy steeped in myth and dread — a lush, villain-centered story for readers drawn to Kingdom of the Wicked's atmospheric horror and female resilience.

For readers who loved the way Kingdom of the Wicked wove Italian folklore and supernatural menace into a story about a young woman refusing to be consumed by dark forces, The Deathless Girls is a haunting companion read. Kiran Millwood Hargrave reimagines the origin story of Dracula's brides, following twin sisters enslaved and brought to a castle where something monstrous waits. The prose is lush and atmospheric, the dread is slow-building, and the emotional core is the fierce, tender bond between sisters — a thread that will resonate with anyone who felt the weight of Emilia's grief and loyalty. If you've been googling 'books like Kingdom of the Wicked with dark mythology and strong female leads,' this is the answer. It's also notably available in the LuvemBooks catalogue, making it an easy next pick.

In our catalogue

Hollow City

Ransom Riggs

Atmospheric supernatural adventure with a tightly bonded group, escalating danger, and dark wonder — great for readers hooked on Kingdom of the Wicked's eerie momentum.

If what gripped you in Kingdom of the Wicked was the sense of being pulled deeper into a hidden supernatural world with every chapter, Hollow City — the second book in Ransom Riggs's Miss Peregrine's series — delivers that same forward momentum. Jacob and the peculiar children flee across a war-torn, monster-haunted landscape, and the stakes climb relentlessly. Like Maniscalco's trilogy, the series blends genuine darkness with a found-family dynamic and a world whose rules keep expanding in unsettling ways. The gothic imagery is vivid, the pacing is urgent, and the sense that no one is entirely safe keeps pages turning. Readers who enjoy 'what to read after Kingdom of the Wicked' lists will find this series scratches the same itch for creepy atmosphere, supernatural lore, and characters who have to fight to survive a world that wasn't built for them.

Not your thing?

In our catalogue

The Inheritance Games

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

If Kingdom of the Wicked's dense demon lore slowed you down, this fast-paced mystery delivers the same addictive intrigue and romantic tension with lighter supernatural weight.

Kingdom of the Wicked is rich with mythology, Italian setting, and layered supernatural world-building — and for some readers, that density can make the early chapters feel slow to ignite. If that was your experience, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the remedy. It opens mid-action: a girl with no obvious connection to a deceased billionaire is named sole heir to his fortune, and she has to solve the puzzle of why before his family — and the secrets in his mansion — bury her. The mystery mechanics are tight, the romantic tension is immediate, and the pacing never lets up. You get the same addictive 'I can't stop now' pull as Maniscalco's trilogy, but without the heavy lore overhead. It's a top pick for readers who want propulsive YA suspense with a clever heroine and a dangerous, compelling male lead.