Book Review: Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco

Okay, here’s the thing: I really wanted to like Throne of the Fallen. I was in the mood for a lush, romantic fantasy with high stakes, some dark and twisty vibes, and maybe a broody demon or two. And to be fair, it looked like it was going to be that kind of book. Gorgeous cover, great premise, enemies-to-lovers setup, demons, bargains, betrayal — you know, the usual checklist. But sadly… the execution just wasn’t there for me.

The Writing

The biggest issue, right off the bat, was the writing. It just wasn’t well-crafted — and I don’t say that lightly. I genuinely tried to sink into the story, but the prose kept pulling me out. The sentence structure was clunky, the worldbuilding felt lackluster, and there was this sense that the book didn’t quite know what tone it was going for. It was trying to be sexy and sinister and philosophical and swoony all at once, but instead it came across like a jumble of vibes that didn’t quite mesh.

Honestly, I’ve read fanfiction with more consistent pacing and stronger emotional beats. It was frustrating because I wanted to fall into this world but the story never gave me the tools to actually care. The dialogue often felt more like performance than character interaction, which did not help.

Romance? …It tried

This was probably the biggest disappointment for me. I live for the longing, and the tension. But here, Envy and Camilla were immediately attracted to each other. It was instant lust with zero build-up. Which could have worked, I guess, if that spark evolved into something deeper. But… it didn’t. It just stayed at surface-level attraction for most of the book.

There was barely any yearning. No slow burn. Not even much banter to create tension. And every time they did interact, it felt like their entire personalities revolved around sex. I don’t mind spice in books, but I like it to mean something. 

Also, Envy himself just didn’t work as a love interest. I ended up really disliking him. He felt flat, kind of dull, and honestly, a little gross. 

The plot was… somewhere, I think?

So technically there is a plot. There’s a whole “game” being orchestrated by the Unseelie King (who sounds like he should be interesting, right?). But the stakes never felt real, and I had a hard time following why anything was happening. Camilla has a mysterious past and some hidden trauma, and Envy is… well, Envy. But their arcs are so thinly drawn, and everything that happens between them feels more like set dressing for the next forced intimacy scene than part of an actual story.

At times, it felt like the worldbuilding and the stakes were being made up as the book went along. There’s a palace of sin, there’s a kingdom of demons, there’s courtly games and bargains and secrets — but none of it feels grounded. It’s like getting a very expensive cake that looks beautiful on the outside but tastes like crap.

And despite all the sensual language and sexy posturing, the whole book was weirdly not sexy at all. When every page is trying to be seductive, none of it ends up landing. 

Final thoughts

I didn’t read the previous series, so I went into this without expectations — I just wanted to have a silly goofy good time. And I think that actually made the experience worse, because nothing was explained well enough for a new reader to fully invest. If this was meant to be a fresh start or a standalone, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

That said, I do think there’s an audience for this book. If you love angsty demon romance and lots of spice, then this might work better for you.