October 2023 Standalone BOTM - Throne of the Fallen, by Kerri Maniscalco

[Alaina]

The adult debut of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco, Throne of the Fallen is a seductive new standalone novel set within her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, perfect for readers of fantasy, romance, and mystery alike.

Sinner. Villain. Ruthless.

These are wicked names the Prince of Envy welcomes. They remind 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 her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin—and passion—like no other…

Talented. 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 notorious rake—and satire sheet legend—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 Waverly Green’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 Shifting Isles—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm, and encounters with exiled Fae—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.

**This BOTM thread will be open until November 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Jessica]

Chapter Fourteen
This is really interesting so far. I haven't read her other series, but I've learned they are interconnected and I'll definitely be reading that one after.
(view spoiler)[ I really like this set up and the sexual tension between Envy and Camilla is amazing. I love how he just keeps appearing to help her which just pisses her off. I really like her sass. I'm very curious about this game Envy is involved in and what the stakes are. I want to know more about the Fae and how this one managed to get power over Envy. I'm excited to see where this goes. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapter Nineteen
(view spoiler)[ Hell yeah for a fake engagement I love this trope. It does suck for her that she worked so hard to maintain her reputation but I don't think it's going to matter going forward once she's embroiled in Envy's court and company. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Twenty-Seven
(view spoiler)[ What is going on with his court? This is horrible and I feel so bad for him and those now dead demons. What has the Unseelie King done to them? And will winning make it so this didn't happen, or just prevent it from continuing to happen. Also very interesting that Camilla lost her talent as a result of the painting. So much is going on here and I am eager to get answers. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Thirty-Three
(view spoiler)[ So this story of his mortal lover is awful. No wonder he hates the Unseelie King but it makes me even more curious how he ended up in this game in the first place. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Thirty-Six
(view spoiler)[ I am enjoying their denial sex game way too much. It's so fun and funny. It's going to be explosive when they finally do give in. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Forty-Two
(view spoiler)[ I wish she had let Blade sample her blood so we could know what she is. I am so curious about this. This fight between Envy and the Vampire prince is going to be interesting. I like that Blade the good one will take over after, but I can't imagine there won't be consequences for it. (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

I loved this one!

Prologue - Chapter 10: (view spoiler)[Interesting set up so far although the games mentioned immediately took me to the world of Caraval since I read it so recently. However similarities end there it seems. Camilla being an art dealer and Envy, a prince of sin makes for an inquisitive plot. I am liking their banter so far. Vex the Hex cracked me up. Kitty seems fiercely loyal to Camilla and I am excited to see the direction the story moves in now (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11-28: (view spoiler)[Envy is quite an intelligent demon for convincing Camilla to paint the hexed throne the way he did, I am wondering why that Lord wanted her locket so desperately and why was it imperative that she gave it to him by her own hands. Camilla being able to bring things to reality with her art sounds more than a mere talent, I am curious to see if her father was somehow involved with magic. Her losing the ability to paint made me very sad for her. But i am absolutely loving the starting of romance between her and Envy. The chemistry is off the charts. I wonder what happened to those demons in Envy's court (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 29-40: (view spoiler)[So there are two aspects to this book - one is the sizzling romance between Envy and Camilla which is absolutely incredible and the second is the mystery of the game and what exactly does the King Unseelie have over Envy which has forced his hand. I am guessing it has something to do with Envy's wings. I am really enjoying both of these storylines immensely especially the fact that Camilla isn't some unsuspecting maiden and is challenging Envy equally. The crossover from Kingdom of the Wicked series is making things exciting too. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 41-54: (view spoiler)[Yikes i thought we had left Vexley behind in the mortal realm but apparently that was not the case, he really was a vermin right up until Camilla had had enough and relieved the world of his presence. Can't say i mourned his loss honestly. The fight between Envy and the vampire prince was very interesting and led to the next clue. I am loving how pivotal of a role Camilla is playing in this game. She and Envy share some next level chemistry between them. I did not expect at all that she would turn out to be fae herself and would be in knowledge of the same. I am curious to see how the game ends finally (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[Oh my god that ending just blew my mind. Lennox was Camilla's father all along and this whole game was strung together to bring her to him after her mother stole her away?? I am still trying to process it all ngl and this book was simply marvelous. Now I am kinda excited to read the story for other five brothers of sin as well since each and every one of them are interesting in their own way. The way Envy came back for Camilla at the end was so sweet and then his surprises to her melted my heart completely. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Finished
Really enjoyed this ride.
(view spoiler)[ I actually kind of loved how Vexley kept popping up like an annoying fly you can't get rid of and I like that Camilla despite two attempts didn't actually kill him.
I was pretty surprised by the revelation of what and who Camilla was. I get why it didn't fit in this but I really want to know what happened that made her mom flee.
I'm really excited for the other brother's books and I'll definetly be reading Kingdom of the Wicked soon. (hide spoiler)]