Yeah, this was bad.


I love when authors/movie directors make classics in a whole new light. What I mean by that, is I love when books/movies add their own take/characters/perspective/retelling to a well loved world, and cast of characters. I loved the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. In fact it was one of my favorite series of 2019. I also loved the Netflix Original movie Enola, which was one of my favorite movies of 2020. And I was enjoying this book up until page 200. Before that it felt like a bad fan fiction. After that, it felt like I had to suspend my disbelief while I read an elaborate fan fiction.


One of my problems with this book, was the fact that everyone, and when I mean everyone, I’m talking everyone is descended from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s OG Sherlock characters in this novel. It was fine when we had Joanna, who is descended from Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. That sounded so cool, and was what interested me in this book. I mean Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler?! The baby has to be a super genius. And she was, but not in a good way. It was also fine that Watson had a son, Dr. John Watson Jr., but then it got dumb. Watson’s maid is the daughter of his original maid. The main Scotland Yard detective is the son of the Scotland Yard detective in the OG Sherlock. Hell even Toby the dog found love and reproduced, and had puppies. They named one of them Toby Two who is the dog sniffer in this book. It got ridiculous and stupid.


Then we have the awful, stomach roiling, barf induced romance. I’m a person who loves romance. Give me a cheesy, cringey romance? I will most likely, still root for it. I’m a person who will romanticize just about anything (except serious topics). I love romance. But this, this my friends is where I draw the line. The insta-lovey, eye rolling, stomach turning, attraction in here was disgusting. I literally gagged from how gross Joanna and John are together. Ugh I’m getting PTSD just thinking about it. After having one conversation together they say to each other,


”You’re so beautiful.”

You’re so handsome.”


Ugh, gag me with a spoon


The romance in here could have easily worked if the characters had more chemistry, and longer build up. I love a romance that goes through the installments in the series, and this romance could have done exactly that. We could have still had the instant attraction, but them actually getting to know each other, and the build up between books. But this is not acceptable. God give holy water to thee, and as much strength as you can muster, to help me out of the troubling time. I don’t how long my memories with be tainted so, with this awful romance, but I beg of your assistance. Amen.


Moving on...


The way the author wrote Watson in here is absolutely unforgivable. Watson, in this book is so slow. It didn’t feel like Watson’s character at all, and his son didn’t have a bulb any brighter either. Joanna was ultimately the only smart character in here, and it didn’t make sense. Watson is very smart, and I’d imagine his son to be as well. Writing Watson to be stupid is an act of treason.


Anyways, overall this was bad. I might still continue on because I like to suffer, but this was just really bad. To be fair I did enjoy myself for the first 200 pages, but idk we shall see.

*4.5


I have some conflicting feelings about Kingdom of the Wicked overall, but for the most part I enjoyed it.

Synopsis

This book is a YA urban fantasy, following a witch named Emilia who lives in Italy with her family. They hide from humans, in the safeness of her family owned restaurant. Her whole life, Emilia and her twin Vittoria are warned about The Wicked, Hell, and demons. But Emilia always thought they were elaborate tales to scare Vittoria and herself. But that all changes when she finds Vittoria murdered, in a church basement, and she learns that Vittoria is not as innocent as she seemed. Desperate to avenge her sisters murder, Emilia summons a demon, but ends up summoning one of the Wicked. One of the seven princes of Hell, Wrath. Confused and grief stricken, Emilia grows close to Wrath, but not everything is as it seems.


The concept of this book was so interesting, and this book is very very binge able. A witch making a deal with a demon? What a cool concept! In fact, I even deemed this as on of my most anticipated books of 2020. I was waiting for months for this book to come through from the library. And that isn't an exaggeration. I put this on hold in September of 2020, and it came in at the end of December 2020.


I really liked this book, but I knew I would. I didn't love the first 2 books in Kerri Maniscalco's, Stalking Jack the Riper series, but I love her writing. It's beautiful, and flowery, and easily binge able, yet descriptive at the same time. It's addictive, like a drug. In her Stalking Jack the Riper series, I wanted to DNF book 1, but her writing was going by so fast I couldn't. It seemed every minute I was flipping the pages.


Also loved these characters and their growth. Emilia goes from being a naive, sheltered, good witch, to a complete badass, with one goal in mind. Wrath is also an amazing character, and so hautttt. I was fanning myself when he was choking someone (which proves I have issues, I know).


And the ending?! You're telling me I have to wait till October of this year to continue?! I don't honestly think I can wait that long. It was such a plot twist, and the murderer wasn't at all predictable.


4.5 Stars


(also, sorry if this review is to short yall, I'm so tired today. And I go back to school from break tomorrow so ugh)

DNF @ page 46


Normally I’d give books more of a chance than what I gave this one, but I’m really not comfortable reading about explicit rape scenes. I’ve also heard this has really really dubious consent/borderline rape and I’m sorry I just don’t want to read that. It makes me feel bad mentally and v uncomfortable sorry

Yeah this was a no from me

DNF @ pg. 168


I honestly just can’t stand how controlling this hero is anymore. He’s also disgusting. He’s always thinking about when he’s going to “bed” our heroine even when she was injured and even when she explicitly states no. Sorry but I just can’t stand this dude, and I can’t support this relationship.

I will give Lyndsay Sands another try because the second book in this series sounds interesting but uhh this was pretty terrible (:

1.5 stars


RANT AHEAD


DNF @ pg. 306


Yeah, I'm just, done with this. I don't ever DNF books this far into a novel. I think I had 150 pages left, out of about 500? But I couldn't stand reading this anymore. I absolutely loved Aurora Rising (4.5 stars I believe) but I felt like I was reading a completely different story, written by 2 completely different authors.


There was so much potential wasted. Zila is probably my favorite character in here, and the authors could have done so much with her character, especially since we were revealed her backstory. (And she's a lesbian and my bi ass always quakes over her.) But her character was literately dumped in the trash. Our other characters actually forgot about Zila. FORGOT ABOUT HER. Some shitty fucking friends they are.


I feel like I'm slogging my way through this book, and it's definitely not something that I'm enjoying reading. I could care less what's happening to these characters. I'm cringing every other page, especially every time Kal says "be'shmai". I actually know how to spell the word now I've seen it so many times. If an invented language comes up in a book, and I know how to spell a word from it, you know it's said/referenced far too many times.


Like I said, I could give A SHIT LESS about anyone, except for Zila who still has a few shits I could give. These characters really don't have any personalities. Scarlett has probably the dryest personality, the only notable thing about her is her breasts. Yeah, her boobs were referenced probably every time she had her own POV because we just had to be reminded how she doesn't have a comfortable bra, her boobs always shake, etc,. I GET IT. SCARLETT JONES HAS BEEN GIVEN BIG TITS! SO HAVE MUCH OF THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE POPULATION. IT'S NOT A PERSONALITY TRAIT AND IT DOESN'T MAKE HER SPECIAL!


Aurora has so much potential to be an awesome character, but again WASTED. She has superpowers, she can literally crush people without even moving her hand. She's from 2 centuries ago and has no idea how this world works, + she's Kal's mate(?) yet, she's so boring. No personality, no interesting facts, nothing. And again, wasted potential with Tyler. Tyler and Scarlett have such an interesting backstory. But he reminds me of every white dude I've ever read about. Nothing even remotely stands out about him.


Fin isn't even funny in this book. His humor felt forced, and again written by two different authors. I didn't feel the same magic I did in book 1. I didn't feel the dysfunctional yet found family, chaotic space nerd bond I did in book 1. I felt absolutely nothing except disdain for these characters and this plot.


And the fact that we were ROBBED of details on page 305...I mean I get it, it's YA usually the smut or implied smut isn't going to be explicit but fade to black is a thing. WE GOT NOTHING. I WAS ROBBED. And that my friends, is where I decided to DNF.


Anyways, sorry this review is a really big mess, but I just looked up spoilers for the ending and it sounds so stupid. Ugh. Well thanks for coming to my Ted Talk, see ya.


1.5 stars

My feelings are kinda mixed on this. Don’t read the manga of Fangirl if you’ve not read the novelization because you’ll be missing a lot of context. I also didn’t really love the flow of this? Idk how to describe it. This was my first manga I’ve ever read, so hopefully I’ll find some better ones. However, Levi in here though *wolf whistles*


(This was all over the place and I’m sorry

DNF at pg. 89


I picked this up because my reading slump feels like it's creeping back slowly but surely. One of my friends said, "Hey, this book was really good and easy to get through." I believed her. Alex and Eliza to me however felt like fanfiction of 300 year old dead people.

I've read books like this before and enjoyed them, but this one was just boring. No substance, no entertainment, nothing. I don't know guys, I just didn't like this. And Eliza actually says something like,

"She was expecting him to be dark-skinned."...what?!?! I'm sorry what???? Correct me if I'm wrong, but free African Americans were barely tolerated in the army, let alone made Colonels? Plus, Eliza's family is one of the richest in New York Society so based on white rich racist people logic, why would they allow an African American in their house? It just seemed really racist to me. Maybe that's just me though idk?

Anyways, I'm gonna have to pass on the rest of this one

DNF at about 50%

What? I actually don't really get what I just read (or at least the 50% I read). First of all, this book is set in a world of If George Washington became a king instead of a president. Which was the absolute worse choice Cavallaro could possibly make. It basically ERASES the entirety of the Revolutionary War! She tries to justify this whole...problem in the 4 pages of the prologue, but no, no I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS. We worked almost 10 years to officially gain our freedom and for what??? For George Washington to take a kingdom and call one of the Providences, St. Cloud? NO. It makes no fucking sense.


And then we get introduced to our useless MC who I hate. She is the basis of annoying through and through. I don't like our love interest either, and I especially don't like any of our supporting characters. This was such a disappointment. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, as I loved the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. However ultimately, this fell flat for me.

DNF


Looks like that’s the end of the Serpent and Dove series for me. I’m legitimately losing brain cells from the amount of stupid decisions and miscommunication these characters make. Why were trees wasted on this unedited mess???