Book Review: The Throne of the Fallen #1 by Kerri Maniscalco
- jolaineabad
- Nov 9
- 4 min read
"He'd kill the whole realm before anyone else got to her."
Rating: ★★★ (3 stars)
Genres: Adult // Fantasy, Romance, Dark Romance
Quick Thoughts: The book is focusing on Envy — one of the seven deadly sins princes. It dives deep into the darkly seductive world of the Seven Circles, mixing magic, sin, deceit, and passion. The story has strong romantic tension, court intrigue, and dangerous secrets, making it a perfect pick if you love morally gray characters and steamy fantasy settings.
⚠️ Content Warnings for Throne of the Fallen
Throne of the Fallen contains mature and potentially triggering themes, including:
Sexual content (explicit scenes; not fade-to-black)
Seduction and temptation themes tied to the concept of sin
Violence (fantasy violence, magical combat, and injury)
Blood and death (brief but present)
Manipulation / deceit
Emotional trauma and guilt
Religious symbolism (loosely inspired by sin and the Seven Circles, not preachy but may bother some)
Power dynamics / dominance themes in romantic and political contexts
🖤 Tone-wise:
The book is dark, seductive, and morally gray — not horror-level disturbing, but emotionally and sensually intense. It’s not meant for younger YA readers; it fits firmly in Adult Dark Romance / Fantasy Romance territory.
⚔ Enemies to Lovers | ˚ˋঌ˖ Slow Burn Romance | ❤︎ Morally Gray Love | ☠ Forbidden Love | ⛧ Gothic world-building | 🗝 Intrigue & Secrets | ♛ Power Dynamics | ;༊ Redemption Arc |
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Seductive. Ruination. Transformation.
The Prince of Envy received a note about a dangerous game that could save his court from ruination. He didn’t hesitate for a second to do whatever it took to protect it—even if it meant breaking his rule about yielding to anyone who desired him.
Camilla Antonius, a gifted artist from Waverly Green, found herself blackmailed by a notorious rake. To avoid ruin for herself and her family, she faces a choice: join the Prince of Hell in a deadly game that could save his court—while guarding all her own secrets—or remain in Waverly Green, facing humiliation and a forced marriage to the man she despises most.
As the Prince of Envy and Camilla Antonius journey into Hell, their bond begins to blossom into something neither of them expected.
But when secrets are revealed, will they fall in love—or destroy each other?
Initial thoughts 💬
First, I have to say I absolutely love the book cover and the details on the edges of this edition. Even though it’s not mine, it made me want to get my own copy. That said, I honestly didn’t enjoy the book as much as I hoped.
I was really looking forward to it because my book club members did a buddy read. At first, the story gave me those “oh” and “ah” moments, and I was so excited to see what would happen with the two main characters.
But as the story progressed, I started to feel bored and found myself dragging through it just to reach the end.
My Book Review ✎ᝰ.
The first few pages of this book were incredibly intriguing and immediately got me hooked—I was so excited to see what would happen next.
I was especially eager to uncover Camilla’s secrets and understand why the Prince of Hell, Envy, has problems with his court. I mean, he’s one of the princes in Hell, so I expected he must have done something seriously wrong to anger someone above him. But the situation turned out to be something entirely different, which was a bit confusing compared to what I’ve seen on TV or read in other books.
Photo generated by AI
Change was terrifying. The Unknown always was. It was the very essence of its being unknown that made it so. The familiar was comforting even when is wasn't necessarily good.
This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions—from “I like this” to “I love this” to “I hate this book.” I don’t hate it, hate it, per se. I just disliked that it took the entire book before we learned Camilla’s secret. To me, it felt dragging and a bit boring. I understand it’s meant to be a slow burn, but by the time I got closer to the end, it started to feel frustrating—like the slow burn was being forced.
The dynamics between the Prince of Hell and Camilla are really well done, I’ll admit. I just wish the author hadn’t made us wait until the last 100 pages to truly understand who Camilla is.
Also, I’m a bit confused—how is it possible that a Fae is stronger than the Prince of Hell? Is it just me, or could this really happen? Maybe I’m overthinking it… or maybe I’ve been watching too much Supernatural.
On the bright side, aside from enjoying the dynamics between Envy and Camilla, I absolutely loved the banter! You know me—I live for banter. The way Camilla shuts Envy down every time is chef’s kiss. Even though he’s the Prince of Hell, and she’s just a mortal, he lets her trash-talk him. Deep down, he’s already liked Camilla from the first moment he laid eyes on her—he’s just held back by his stupid rules because of his past sins.
Maybe they were both damned, wicked things, broken in all the right places so they lined up, jagged edge to smooth.
But I have to admit, Ms. Kerri Maniscalco made this book incredibly spicy in every way possible. And the romance? The idea that a demon can still be a gentleman and find contentment despite his sins is probably every reader’s fantasy. Envy is giving full “I will burn down a whole realm for you” vibes, and I’m absolutely here for it.
Overall, while I didn’t enjoy every part of this book, there are definitely moments that are undeniably good—surprising, spicy, and wonderfully romantic! I highly recommend it, and I can’t wait to start reading more books by this author.
Rating ☕︎
☕☕☕.5
Happy Reading!
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