This was such an amazing book. Francis White gave his all in this tale and I appreciate the dynamic characters and the amazing plotlines. I think that it is an amazing combination of fantasy, murder, and along with some comedic tidbits that I truly appreciated. It gives the reader reassurance that as though there are murders going on. The characters are light hearted and the reader does not have to be tensed while reading this. Love Love Love Love this book.

Twelve heirs from the provinces of Concordia embark on a twelve day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain. All have been blessed except for Ganymedes aka D of the fish reigon. He has told everyone that he has had his blessing but in reality he hasn't. D is a great disappointment to his proviance and his father. He feels he can do nothing right. Soon after the boat sets sails one by one the twelve blessed are being murdered. In order to figure out who and why they are being killed D takes it upon himself to solve the mystery. D must also find out what the others blessings are before time runs out on him and the remaining passengers. This was a very good whodunit that had you guessing until the very end.

Listen, I love a book where you spend most of the time building a relationship with the characters, only to get the twists and turns that make the story so good that you know you will recommend it to people. This is that book! This book is not perfect, but it is a good read for an adventurous person and maybe a nice thriller book club. I give it a 3.5/5.

"Voyage of the Damned" is a gripping and well-crafted historical novel that immerses readers in a dramatic and turbulent journey. The author’s meticulous research and vivid descriptions bring the setting to life, creating a palpable sense of time and place. The characters are richly developed, each adding depth to the unfolding drama. While the pacing occasionally slows, the narrative remains engaging and emotionally impactful. The book’s exploration of human resilience and moral dilemmas makes for a thought-provoking read. Overall, "Voyage of the Damned" is a powerful and compelling story that will resonate with readers long after they’ve finished.

This book was incredibly satisfying. It's one of the few times I felt like characters had reactions to outrageous circumstances that were actually believable. The world building was great as well. There was enough description to get a clear picture of the world, as well as the general lived experiences of a diverse array of characters and their provinces, without the reader getting lost in the sauce. The characters' development and growth were also exciting to watch. Overall, this was a very well-written, well-balanced book that I would absolutely recommend to anyone who likes a good fantasy, whodunnit, hero's quest, or buck wild sea adventure. I look forward to reading anything else this author writes in the future.

Voyage of the Damned is such a witty and fun to read murder mystery! I enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to other books! An enjoyable, magical read!

While I enjoyed aspects of this, including the premise and main character's personality, overall the tone felt all over the place, like it wasn't sure what to take seriously and what to play as a joke. I couldn't buy into the romance, and the ending left a lot up in the air. I'm glad I read it, because there were parts I really enjoyed, but it didn't stick the landing for me.

••• review •••
✨ Magic, murder, and mystery rolled into one with side of humor.

✨ Wow! This was such a fun read. It took a bit for me to get into it since it has a completely new concept (at least to me), but after about 1/4 through, I was hooked.

✨ The main character, Dee, was hilarious and relatable. Many of the characters were relatable in different aspects. I laughed so many times and my heart ached for Dee. Grasshopper reminded me of my own children, for better or worse!

✨ I loved the magic concept. You learn more about it as you read on and once it was all clear, I really thought there was so much beauty in how the Blessing (magic) appeared.

✨ I also loved how there were deep topics, specifically self-worth and depression, woven throughout the story. It really made the characters more relatable and well rounded.

✨ My only dislikes were the ending…seemed very sudden, and the redemption of a specific character (just felt really off to me).

✨ There were so many twists that I did not expect, keeping me engaged through the end. The character development was also amazing. This was a great read if you like mystery in a fantasy world!

••• quotes •••
💬 My father always says: 'You can't run from your responsibilities,' but he lacks imagination. Besides, I'm not running. I'm sidestepping. Crossing the road so me and my responsibilities don't make eye contact and aren't forced into awkward small talk both of us know isn't going anywhere.

💬 “You see the world in a way nobody else does. You’re better than all of them. Because you don’t need a Blessing to be a miracle.”

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ½
✏️✏️✏️✏️
🌶️🌶️

Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really, really wanted to like this book, but the main character's tone just grated on my nerves :(

I liked this one, it was a fun read, nothing too serious. I agree that this doesn't really read as Adult, but I liked the diverseness of characters and representation.

The narration was an interesting vibe for me, sometimes I enjoyed it, sometimes I didn't - I'll let you make up your own judgement on this.

Enthralling blend of fantasy and mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Set in the magical world of Concordia, the story follows Ganymedes Piscero, an unlikely hero who finds himself in the midst of a murder mystery aboard a ship filled with powerful heirs, each possessing unique magical abilities known as Blessings.

White’s writing is captivating, with a richly imagined setting and a plot full of twists and turns. Ganymedes, or Dee, is a wonderfully flawed and relatable protagonist whose journey from class clown to unexpected hero is both humorous and heartwarming. The ensemble cast of characters is vibrant and complex, each adding depth to the story and keeping you guessing until the very end.

This is a book with a big cast that you have to keep track of. It's a locked room on top of a locked room. Only 12 people on a boat in space. It's like an old murder mystery show that happens on a cruise episode. I think the world building was okay. It's not too in depth but it gives you enough to understand what is going on. It has definite fantasy setting with magic, but it is squarely a murder mystery. This is an adult book with a tiny bit of spice towards the very end, but it does read a little closer to Young Adult than Adult to me. If you want Agatha Christie meets (not quite high) fantasy, this is the book for you!

✅ the 12 heirs of each of the Provinces of Corcordia embark on 12 day voyage (on a ship)
✅ each heir has a secret magical ability, except for Ganymedes who is generally known as a slacker
✅ when an heir is found dead, and then another, this becomes Agatha Christie x fantasy
🌈 LGBTQ rep!
🌶️: at the very end but this is not really a romantasy.

I like the idea of this book but it was a bit flat. I think it mostly needed better direction..it read much like a YA novel and probably would have been better if it stayed in that space.

I had such a good/fun time with this book. This is exactly what is described a locked room murder mystery set on a boat with each suspect having magically abilities. I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect of this book. I've heard/seen some complaints that the magic isn't explained and to some extent that's true as it's not a hard magic system with rules and limitations. However, how each blessed get's their ability is explained and why they have them. The world building is lacking which is why I don't have this rated higher as I was intrigued by the world but had and continue to have questions about eh world. I enjoyed our MC, he has a distinct tone and voice which may not work for some readers. The book is 1st person so we only really get to know Dee, and I would have liked to know more about all the other characters. There are a couple different 'romances' in the book with various LGBTQIA+ representation throughout. I had a lot of fun with this book mostly because of the mystery as I was invested in what was happening. But if you are wanting more fantasy and a plot that isn't just a murder mystery than you will be disappointed with this book. This is predominantly a mystery with fantastical elements, not really a fantasy novel.

Would recommend to people who enjoy murder mysteries, want to dip into fantasy without a ton of worldbuilding, lots of queer representation, and a standalone.

This is a fun filled ride, with lots of twist and turns along the way. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and travel on this journey with them and trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
Sure to be a popular new teen read.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

“My father always says: ‘You can’t run from your responsibilities,’ but he lacks imagination. Besides, I’m not running. ”
Here are reasons to read the Fantasy book:

Cruise - during a 12 day cruise to the sacred mountain
Blessed - 12 Blessed representatives from the 12 provinces
Magic - each bestowed with a magical ability
Murder - begin to be murder one by one

This book was on my anticipated list because it is both a fantasy and a mystery and I will tell you that it did not disappoint. We follow the point of view of Dee who is very much an underdog character. He is harboring a secret as well that kind of comes into play significantly in this book. But you will fall in love with the characters and be enthralled by the sleuthing that happens here. And the twists were very shocking as well. I am so happy that this book did not disappoint because I will definitely be reading it again!

This book does take quite a bit to get into.

That being said, I think it needed more world building and maybe a couple of less characters for a better in depth character build. Voyage of the Damned does remind me a bit of the game Clue so that was kind of fun.

The book itself has a good concept and is very different from my normal reads which was refreshing. And I like how much different representation there was.

All in all it's a good read.

This was good, however, this felt very YA for me.
There was a lot of good humor and romance. The book felt very quirky at times with the humor and I’m nit mad about it. The magic system was nothing that enamored me as it was very simple. The dialogue needed some work / editing. The saving grace was the found family aspect. It was spectacular.

Frances White’s VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED is a romp of a magical murder cruise.

Witty, whipsmart, romantic, infuriating, & laugh out loud funny, this fantasy mystery is a pure delight.

Highly recommended for fellow fans of Agatha Christie, GIDEON THE NINTH & Aiden Thomas.