Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. The book was slow going at first but got better as the story went on. I first thought the various Blessed were adults but it was a mix of mostly teens and adults with a kid in the mix. I liked the murder mystery theme of the book.

The premise of the book is really fun. Mystery on a ship, of course I'm picking that up! I struggled a bit with the worldbuilding as it fell a bit below my expectations and the politics felt a little underwritten. I feel like those aspects could have been fleshed out a little more so the overall story flowed a bit more smoothly. It was an enjoyable read with room for improvement of course.

A fantasy murder mystery set on a cruise where all the Blessed (ie magical) heirs to the empire's provinces are gathered on a pilgrimage. The catch? Our main character Dee has been lying all his life about his blessing.
This was such a fun read and a real page turner. I loved seeing the diversity too, even within such a small cast of characters.
My mine issue is that it felt quite juvenile -- the worldbuilding, the romance, and the writing itself. Not bad by any means but I could tell this was a debut.

The writing was engaging, humorous, and at times intense. The pace of unfolding action and world-building was wonderfully balanced.

Dee’s care of Grasshopper was what first drew me deeply in. I felt the conflict and pain from Dee’s broken relationship with Ravi and enjoyed seeing his connection to Wyatt grow. Dee’s journey to find self-worth was so beautiful and relatable.

I absolutely loved this combination of fantasy, murder mystery, and romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

Okay, so I kind of loved this one. I mean, magical passengers on a magical ship? And there's a a murder mystery to boot? Yes, please! There's way more romance in this book than I'm normally willing to read, but I only rolled my eyes a few times over all the lovey-dovey talk which is definitely an accomplishment (on both mine and the author's parts).

Ganymedes (Dee) is on a magical ship (steered by an insane emperor with incredible powers) with the other rulers of the provinces of Concordia. They each have a magical ability called a Blessing … well, except Dee. He's pretty ordinary. But when the Blessed start dying off one by one, it's up to Dee to unmask the killer.

I pretty much adored all of the characters in this book. Most of them are rather unlikeable – although I'll admit that I had more sympathy for several of them than I expected to – but they're also fascinating. Their backstories are well-fleshed out and the worldbuilding surrounding their provinces is fantastic, and it's interesting to see how the idiosyncrasies of their provinces affect their personalities. Dee is a great main character – he's witty and fun and perhaps just a little bit snarky. And who can not love Grasshopper? Such an adorable (and slightly scary) sidekick!

The murder mystery component is a slow burn but I never found myself bored. I think I suspected pretty much every character at one point or another, including Dee himself, so I guess in a way it turns out that I was right when it came to the identity of the murderer? (Okay, fine, maybe that's a stretch.) There are a couple of twists that I never saw coming – the one involving Bear is just … wow. That “if Agatha Christie wrote fantasy” line in the blurb is a pretty accurate description, honestly.

And the worldbuilding … I've already mentioned it once, but it is really, really well done. I'd love to visit Concordia and visit each of the provinces. Even the scary ones … I think. Maybe. If I'm feeling really brave that day.

The romance? Eh, it was okay considering I'm not usually much of a fan. Ganymedes and Bear really have some insta-love going on, although it did all make a lot more sense in the end. Dee's devotion to Ravi is kind of sweet, though, even if he did go on about it a lot.

My overall rating: 4.05 stars, rounded down. Voyage of the Damned is a magical (and romantic) romp of a murder mystery that will leave you guessing right up until the very end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is August 20, 2024.

Concordia is a realm divided into twelve provinces each directed by one of the Blessed, the heir to the magic of their land. There has long been discord among the Blessed and between the provinces. The one thing that unites them is their hatred for the Crab who live outside their boundaries. Following centuries old tradition the twelve Blessed set sail on a pilgrimage to the sacred mountain. On the first night a belove heir is murdered and all are suspect. Gandymeade, heir to the FIsh province has a secret..---he has no magic . As more deaths ensue He is determined to solve the crimes. Think Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" enshrined on a magical fantasy vessel. I never cease to be in awe of the creative imagination of authors and the amazing tales they spin for my entertainment. The twelve characters are diverse and each quirky in their own unique way. An emotional roller coaster ride with surprises along the way. The romantic elements are far removed from traditional but find their pace in the plot. If you are in the mood for a whimsical diverse murder cruise climb aboard this mystical magic carpet. It ill be quite a ride!!!

"Voyage of the Damned" by Frances White is a masterfully crafted tale that had me utterly enthralled from start to finish! This book is a true cat-and-mouse story, with characters so well-developed that I felt deeply invested in their journeys. The emotional depth of this story is remarkable, with a mystery that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat.

White's writing is pure genius, weaving a fantasy story that's both captivating and suspenseful. I was completely absorbed in the world she created, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.

This was my first experience with Frances White's work, and I'm eager to explore more of her books in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this incredible story. If you're a fan of fantasy and mystery, do yourself a favor and add "Voyage of the Damned" to your reading list - you won't regret it!

Murder on the Orient Express told as a gloriously queer fantasy romp. This was a lot of fun. Don't miss it.

Ok, I had a really hard time with this book. The first maybe 15% is full of nothing but name-calling and false bravado from the main character’s internal monologue. While that part gets less insufferable, the murder mystery isn’t very good, in that we never get any clues or see anyone having any kind of motive, so instead of wondering who did it, we have no suspects.
The only things I liked about this book are the fact that there are several queer characters, including the main character, and the premise of why the main character has to cover up for not actually having the ability he’s supposed to.

While I enjoyed the mystery part of the plot, I’m surprised this book is considered adult fantasy. It read like a YA book which isn’t a problem but it just felt odd at times, it was hard to get past the fatophobia I tried to understand why the author would include it but it felt awkward. I appreciate the inclusivity of the characters, and the books complex magic system. I guess it just wasn’t my type of tea but i would definitely recommend it as it’s not a bad book! It just wasn’t for me. ☺️

4.5 ⭐️ Voyage of the Damned easily skyrocketed into my top reads of the year! It’s a murder mystery that feels reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Clue that includes positive representation of LGBTQIAP+ and BIPOC characters, tackles themes of classism and racism, and explores mental health challenges while weaving in humor, magic, self-love, and found family. At times the story felt a bit longer than it needed to be, but overall the almost 500 pages were worth it for the twists and reveals that came at the end. I’m already looking forward to purchasing & re-reading this book once it’s published in August so that I can look for clues I missed on my first read-through.

- Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! -

What a fun ride. I had so much fun with this one and highly recommend it. Now I want to go on a gay magical adventure ^.^

This was an interesting one cause the POV felt very modern, but the setting definitely did not. The inconsistencies threw me off a little bit.

It also had an insta love type of situation (not totally instant, but too quick to really feel it as a reader) that I’m not a fan of…

But something about me is I’m always going to enjoy a book on a ship. This was fun and fast paced!

I sadly DNFed this book around 40%. This book did not read like an adult fantasy novel and maybe that was due to the mystery part of it, but it truly felt like I was reading YA. I was not a fan at all of the way food and weight was described. While I understand that fatphobia can be a writing tool, in this case it felt very flat and made me uncomfortable due to the way it was handled. It truly added nothing of substance to the story and really took me out of the story.

Each of the twelve provinces of Concordia has an animal mascot, a single industry, and one Blessed: a scion of the ruling house with a temperamentally-appropriate superpower they keep secret. And then there's Dee. The sarcastic, self-loathing future leader of the lowly Fish province never got his Blessing due to his father's philandering. Being stuck on a holy cruise with the other Blesseds was a special form of hell for Dee even before someone started killing them one by one. Dee picks the least likely allies for his chaotic detecting. A fun blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance.

Firstly, I want to extend my thanks to Net Galley and France White for providing me with an ARC of "Voyage of the Damned." Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars.

**What I Liked:**
I found the main character's humor and rebellious attitude refreshing and engaging. The book's complex magic system, unlike anything I've encountered before, added a fascinating layer to the story. Additionally, I appreciated the inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ representation.

**Challenges I Encountered:**
One significant challenge was the multitude of provinces and characters, some with similar names, which made it difficult to keep track of who belonged where. This complexity hindered my understanding of the class system and my connection to many characters.

**Confusion About Blessings:**
I found the concept of blessings confusing. For instance, while dragons received their blessings after the Emperor's death, Fish was supposed to have received his while his father was alive. Moreover, Lysander and Cordelia obtained their blessings while their parents were still alive. This inconsistency left me uncertain about how blessings are bestowed and inherited. Clarity on this aspect would have greatly aided my immersion in the story.

**Conclusion:**
"Voyage of the Damned" offers a compelling narrative with standout elements such as humor, a complex magic system, and inclusive representation. However, the abundance of characters and unclear mechanics surrounding blessings detracted from my overall enjoyment. Nevertheless, I appreciate the opportunity to explore this unique world early, and I believe with some clarification, this book could resonate more deeply with readers.

How to describe this book? It’s an historical fantasy, locked room murder mystery, romance comedy mash up; but put it on a boat, fill it with modern references and make it queer as f***.

If you don’t mind a jumbled world and this description excites you, you will likely love this book!!

Our main character and narrator is an insecure impostor, thrown into a lie that he has a special “blessing” power from the gods by his father for political and narcissistic reasons. Now he has to go on a voyage with all 12 “blessed” (one from each of the 12 provinces) and hope he isn’t discovered as a fake. That is until the “blessed “ start getting murdered one by one, and he has to figure out what the hell is going on!

I had a ball with this book! Most of the humor is found in the MC’s internal commentary. It’s sarcastic and self deprecating but in a refreshing way! The romance is not centered but still vital to the plot and quite heartwarming. If you want consistent world building and depth in the side characters this may not be for you (it is kind of a mess but I’d argue that is on purpose).

What grabbed me the most though was seeing this poor man who has been told his whole life he has no value become a reluctant hero despite his anxieties and learn to believe in himself amidst the mayhem. I’m in 💯 for that!

I’m thrilled Voyage of the Damned will be released in the US on August 20th and there is a cool first edition with sprayed issues available for preorder. So if this sounds like your jam, don’t miss out!

Thanks to @netgalley and @_mira_books_ for early access to an eARC for review purposes.

The emperor's ship embarks on a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess's Mountain to celebrate the achievement of peace across the empire of Concordia. The vessel holds twelve heirs of each province. Each heir, except Ganymedes, has a unique, secret blessing or magical ability. After an heir is found murdered on the ship, everyone becomes a suspect. Ganymedes does not have a blessing to protect him. He must discover the identity of the killer before he is their latest victim.

I do love a zero-to-hero story. Ganymedes "Dee" and Grasshopper's banter was a source of humor and sweetness, like a big brother relationship. It is an extensive journey of self-discovery for our MMC, and he develops depth throughout the book. Initially, he seems shallow and self-serving but becomes a compelling character as the drama unfolds. He spends much of the book struggling with how he sees himself and his value to the empire. Dee's transformation pulls focus on the importance of inner strength and resiliency. All characters deal with some aspect of the expectations and pressures of being an heir.

The book was filled with suspense and unexpected twists. Everyone is a suspect and has a motive. It is difficult to discern who is friend or foe. The setting of the boat creates an isolating sense of danger and no escape. The author does a great job of building tension throughout the story. There were some events at the end that I wish were a little different, but it was an enjoyable read.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.

MAGICAL GAY MURDER CRUISE HERE I COME.
I've actually been there and back again since I read the UK version BUT it's SUCH A GOOD BOOK.

The characters are all so distinct! I was surprised a few times while reading this. Surprising me is really hard to do since I've been a bookseller for nearly 10 years. I'm a wizened veteran bookseller.

Voyage of the Damned is heartwrenching, heartwarming, heartstopping. It does many things to the heart all at once and I loved every minute of it.

The ending was beautifully done. I felt satisfied with it but there's also room for MORE adventures with the gays! HOW EXCITING.

Thank you so much to Harlequin and Netgalley for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

I am not a huge fantasy reader but this one intrigued me since it was a murder mystery set on a cruise ship. This one had a lot of potential and I love the special editions that are coming out.

Unfortunately, I did not like this book. I found the writing to seem childish almost and it didn't feel like an adult book. I had a hard time connecting with the plot and the characters. I ended up DNFing this one because it was not working for me.

I feel like I never like the hyped Tik Tok books and alas this is the same.

I hope others love this one but it was not for me.