Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
Product Details
Web ID: 17302192A Surprisingly Enjoyable Read
Bear with me, I've never written a book review before. Romance is not my literary preference and I read this book without knowing about the series that came before it. I judge a book by its cover about 95% of the time and while I didn't find the cover super interesting (apart from it reminding me of an older Danielle Steel novel), I immediately fell in love with the purple lined pages. Yes, I am one of those people who complained about the price tag but then I found it at Costco for almost $10 cheaper so I snatched it right up. I expected this to be a slow start for me (new series can take me while to really get into) but I honestly could not put this book down once I started. I think I read 3/4 of it the first day I started reading. The plot is somewhat generic but I adored Envy and genuinely wanted to know his story. The semi-toxic relationship with his brothers made it even an even better read and I will admit there were a few things that surprised me and were not exactly predictable. While the plot is littered with the usual romance/sexual tropes, - including several very graphic, albeit fairly boring, scenes - I didn't actually mind. I didn't love Camilla - that's normal for me, I will always prefer the "villain" - but I didn't hate her either and enjoyed her perspective. Mostly I found this book enjoyable because I love a dual perspective and this one was very fun to read. After finishing this book in literally 2 days, I immediately purchased the Kingdom of the Wicked books (which I am only 2/3 of the way through). While Throne of the Fallen has spoiled a few things, I'm still interested in the story. With that said, the reviews complaining that the stories are exactly the same are not wrong. Had I read the KOTW books first, I probably would not have enjoyed Throne of the Fallen as much as I did. The theme and overall plot are extremely similar. However, I don't exactly know how to remedy that given the relation of the characters and overall universe. With the way Throne of the Fallen ended, I am hopeful the series will conclude with a certain story so while I'm not super excited about the next book, which follows Gluttony, I will keep reading until the series is finished. I recommend this book to fantasy/romance lovers but I will say that I currently have no interest in a re-read once the series is done.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved the banter 👏
“Envy, like all his brothers, drew his power from provoking his sin. And a court in peril was the envy of no one.” What a unique premise! I was not expecting the game setup (that’s what happens when you don’t read the book blurb 😂). After meeting Envy in Kingdom of the Wicked, I was intrigued to get more familiar with this wicked prince, and he surely surprised me with how not wicked he truly is - at least compared to his war-loving brother Wrath. 😉 I’m don’t typically love historical romances, and this is definitely Victorian inspired, which is probably why the first ~60% of this felt like a slow build. Things start to happen quickly at that point, and I couldn’t put it down. A few things you can expect… 🕰️ Victorian-inspired setting 🤭 Playful banter between the main characters ✨ Demons, vampires, fae, and witches 🎨 Both of them love art 🤫 Secrets and hidden identities 👑 Cameos with almost all Princes of Sin The banter in this book was probably my favorite part. They each have sharp tongues and aren’t afraid to use them. 😈 “What a cunning little liar you are.” Definitely add to your list if you like the idea of a romantasy placed in a Victorian setting. Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (4/5)
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
If you loved ACOMAF !!
Got me over my ACOTAR hangover !! Sexy and a fun twist I didn't see coming ! Over all a great read if you love fantasy, heavy on the Romance :)
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing!
I loved everything about this book, it kept me engaged the whole time with its adventures and romance! 10 out of 10 recommend.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
boring
Anybody remember Kerri's first books - the hunting/chasing novels? The heroine there didn't even kiss her male friend until several books into the series. Whoa, how things have changed! (Although this is listed as an "adult" book, I really see no real difference between this one and the last one.) Here the two main characters engage in every form of sexual behavior, graphically and excruciatingly described, in most chapters. If not actively engaged they are fantasising about it, graphically and excruciatingly described, and possibly "pleasuring themselves" while doing it. I mean, if you want pornography, just go on the internet and save the $30 book price. Honestly, near the end of the book when they finally completely did what they'd wanted to do all the way through the book, I skipped 6 or 7 pages of the action - not because I was offended, but just because it was BORING! This is the last Maniscalco book I'll read. Which is a shame because she has a good imagination and writes a good story (although frequently confusiing).
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
loved this read!!
i was gifted this book, have never read her other books, and was the first fantasy novel ive read & it was so good!! i loved this book, it was easy to follow, easy to picture the world she describes and the romance was even better. i highly recommend this read to anyone and especially those who are interested in venturing into the fantasy genre! again, such a great book!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Her best novel yet!
Holy hell. I thought I was prepared for Kerri Maniscalco's first official adult novel after what she published for the last two KINGDOM OF THE WICKED books. I was not prepared at all! Those are tame in comparison to THRONE OF THE FALLEN. If the rest of her stories about the demon brothers are like this one, take all my money. THRONE OF THE FALLEN was so much better than I ever expected. I mean, I knew it was going to be good. I love each of Ms. Maniscalco's books. Her debut novel, STALKING JACK THE RIPPER, was so good that I knew she would become one of my favorite authors. So when I say THRONE OF THE FALLEN was better than my expectations, that's saying something because my expectations were already high. In particular, Ms. Maniscalco blew my mind with how well she portrayed Envy and his sin. The jealousy Camilla and Envy experience throughout the novel is the stuff of songs. The slashed-your-tires, busted-your-car-windows, burned-all-your-stuff type of songs. Given that I wasn't certain how Ms. Maniscalco would be able to portray Envy to be as powerful as his brothers, I finished the novel in awe. Through THRONE OF THE FALLEN, I now understand how Envy can be as powerful as Wrath and Fury. As for the demon prince, if you thought Wrath was the embodiment of danger, I would say that Envy is even more dangerous. He is as arrogant as you would expect the Prince of Envy to be, but he backs up that arrogance in every way. And I mean every way. Whew. Camilla is the perfect counterpart for Envy. From the opening scene, we learn she is feisty, not prone to simper or kowtow to the "superior" men unless forced to do so for her safety. That she remains independent in a society that frowns on independent, unmarried ladies is a testament to her intelligence and cunning. We quickly learn that she does not often let her emotions rule her actions, remaining clear-headed when the circumstances are at their worst. But what makes her Envy's perfect foil is that she never backs down from Envy. Every threat, every show of power, every demand, every command - she is his equal for all of it. She not only stands her ground, but she also manages to throw Envy off his game. Watching the prince stunned to speechlessness at her taunts or struck dumb by her actions is half the fun of THRONE OF THE FALLEN. It also leads to some of the spiciest scenes I've ever read. They are also quite memorable; I might not ever be able to read about a throne without recalling one particular scene ever again. But those scenes are more than pleasurable. They serve a distinct function as they become power plays between the two, further defining their relationship and showing each other (and the readers) who they are at their core. It is how we discover that Camilla is anything but a prim and proper young woman, no matter how she appears that way at the beginning. I did mention she was Envy's equal, and the bedroom is no different. She matches his depravity in every way, and it's so much fun. The best thing about THRONE OF THE FALLEN is that it is more than a story about Envy and his potential love interest. We get a deeper dive into the Seven Realms, spending time with his brothers and seeing them from another point of view. We get to see other realms and learn more about the power struggles being played in them. In general, we get a much more robust picture of the Underworld and a greater sense of the numerous secrets that fuel the place. The crux of the story is tragic and indicates that Envy isn't quite the devious sinner he appears to be. As for the game, every clue leads to another twist or another shocking reveal. All I could do was sit back and let it happen. I was so caught up in Envy's and Camilla's story that I did not want to stop to make predictions or try to solve the many riddles. The big reveal at the end was, for me, every bit as shocking as it was intended to be. Some of that is because of what we find out, but some of the shock is also from how we find out and what happens afterward. The seven Princes might be dangerous, but the Big Bad Envy and Camilla must face at the end is true evil. He is so bad that I am slightly frightened of Ms. Maniscalco's mind for devising such horrible characters and macabre scenes. With THRONE OF THE FALLEN, Ms. Maniscalco confirms her place among my auto-buy authors. I feel it is her best novel to date. Her roots might be in the YA realm, but her strengths are definitely in the adult fantasy romance category. In THRONE OF THE FALLEN, she created a complex and compelling story in which the spiciness is part of the character development. I am so happy that there are more books about the other brothers in our future, although, by now, I will read everything Ms. Maniscalco publishes.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com