Member Reviews
I thought that i would really like this book, but it didnt really peek my interest. It was one of my most anticipated TBRs. Maybe it was the format that it was transfered to my kindle in, but i could not sit through reading i the way it was.
I was pretty excited about this book. I *do* judge books on their cover (not wholly) and this one is stunning. However I had a really tough time getting into the actual story and didn't feel that spark. The writing is solid and the characters are well done, so I know someone out there will enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance read of this book. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
✨Adult Fantasy
✨Murder Mystery
✨Close Proximity
✨Magic
✨LGBTQ+ Rep
✨Physical Disability Rep
✨Mental Health Rep
⚠ Suicidal Ideation
I loved this book! It’s such a fantastical murder mystery filled with secret magical powers, political enemies, a tongue in cheek protagonist, a splash of romance, and all the pining and revenge-seeking! This story features a complex cast of characters in a “whodunit” scenario and things definitely get very “murdery” as characters continue to meet their demise. Dee is the protagonist and narrator in the book and he’s such a fun character who carries a lot of pain and past trauma that manifests itself into humor and ridiculousness. You can’t help but laugh with him, feel for him, and root for him all at the same time as the book continues.
Despite this being a stabby murder mystery, it almost has a cozy fantasy quality to it. There were moments of unbridled sweetness and positivity that made me feel all warm inside. Acceptance was a big theme to this book, both internally and externally, and it was a much needed journey for the characters.
Overall, this was a 5 star read and I’m so grateful to have received an advanced copy of the North American edition from Harlequin Trade Publishing!
I LOVED this book! It was so much fun to read. Loved how funny the main character was and he held a balance of arrogance with self-doubt. The characters were so human and I enjoyed the journey. Highly recommend!
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I initially saw this book online, but it was only out in the UK and I tried real hard to get my hands on a copy. But, once I heard it was being released in the US I was SO EXCITED. The idea for this book is soc fun and unique, and the plot and setting were really well realized by the author. This was super well-written, with compelling characters and a unique vibe. This was just a great story, it tackled important topics while also keeping you hooked on the murder mystery. Absolutely fantastic, and I've already gotten my hands on my own personal hardcopy. Eee, I cannot wait for more from this author!
This was so beautifully written. It kept me hooked throughout. The story was very unique and the characters so lovable.
I am so happy that I read this book. There should be more books out there with diverse characters like in this one. I laughed a LOT while reading, but also cried so much. The story is really intriguing (it’s a murder and mystery), while also broaching important subjects that are rarely seen in books, such as intimidation, outcasting others because of differences and struggles with self-love.
I loved the first 75% of this book, and I did enjoy the ending, but there was like a 10 page “this is stupid and I don’t like it” thought about 1-2 hours before I finished.
Even though some of this was predictable, I really loved the relationships and characters. It was fun learning about each province and the magical elements brought it to life.
I usually get bored when a story is placed in one setting, and while most of this book takes place on a boat, it was still super exciting and interesting.
Some people mentioned not liking the tongue-in-cheek writing but I loved the humor and wit. It made me love the MMC even more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.
#voyageofthedamned #netgalley
This was definitely an anticipated release for me and I was so excited when I got it early because of the hype. This one ended up being a 3.5 or 3.75 for me. I think I needed more world building and information on the magic systems. This was much more of a murder mystery than a fantasy novel for me. Yes there was some magic and there was some romance but the murder mystery was definitely the largest plot. I think the underdog story of Dee was great and I love Grasshopper. I did love the ending because it definitely had the jaw dropping moment of a thriller that I love.
If you are into fantasy books, the game Clue or murder mysteries with magic… on a ship nonetheless… then this one is going to be for you.
We have our Kingdom of Concordia that is broken up into 12 provinces and has maintained peace between them for a thousand years. Each of these provinces have an ‘heir’ that has special abilities also knowns as ‘Blessings’, except for one of the heirs who is our main character named Ganymedes. All of the herds come together on a 12 day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain.
While on this voyage, the top heir that most everyone seemingly loves is murdered which creates chaos. And then the kicker is that everyone is stuck together on this 12 day voyage because the ship is powered by the the magic of the Emperor who is not on board so the ship cannot stop until it meets its destination.
The chapters cover the morning, afternoon and evening of each of the 12 days where bodies keep piling up and Ganymedes pairs up with 2 of the other heirs to actively try to solve who the unaliver could be. Which is especially hard as it is not common for these Heirs to talk about what their special ability is so that is part of the mystery to solve.
The characters are extremely unique and diverse and there is a good amount of representation in this book including bisexual, non-binary, lesbian, disability, mental health, plus-size and probably a few others that is escaping me right now. Our main character doesn’t quite fit in where he is supposed to be and you unpack a lot with his own personal journey of outer confidence that masks a lot of insecurities underneath and doesn’t think he is capable of great things.
I thought this was a really fun read and I finished this book in 3 days giving it 4 stars.
I really enjoyed reading this!
This book was so incredibly chaotic, but in all the best ways. An LGBTQ+ forward fantasy murder mystery on a boat with 12 incredibly different personalities that both clash and come together so perfectly. The banter is top tier, and I absolutely need Dee to be my best friend. Grasshopper is an amazing side character and I love her so much. I suspected the murderers pretty early on however there was a big plot twist that I absolutely did not expect and left me gasping. This book had me laughing out loud. Make sure you check your trigger warnings, as there are some tough themes of suicidal ideation.
"Living by the sea, death always surrounded me. The ocean gives and the ocean takes, that’s what the fisherfolk say. We take life from the ocean, and it takes lives from us."
I just finished up Voyage of the Damned by Frances White, and to be completely honest, I was a little disappointed by this one.
The cover is absolutely brilliant and it sounded amazing, but it just lacked something for me. I really struggled with the conversation style and couldn't get into the story. It definitely reads more like a YA book, especially with some of the dialogue and humor. I could see how it would be super popular, but this one just wasn't it for me...
But that's okay! I know that other people are going to love the conversation style and the story, and so I hope you'll still give it a chance!
It's an interesting and fresh take on Murder on the Orient Express, and overall, it was a pretty entertaining read!
This murder mystery, Voyage of the Damned, is available to read now!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance read of this book. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Um, hi, can I just live in this book? Thanks. I went through the entire range of emotions while reading this book and I cannot wait to reread it. Murder mystery on the open seas? Yes please!
Voyage of the Damned by Frances White is a phenomenal debut!
A stunning locked door murder mystery with magic, murder and a romantic romp through a fantasy world! Yes please!
The characters are absolutely delightful and the writing is freaking gorgeous!
I had the absolute best time with this one!
Thank You NetGalley and MIRA for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I wanted to love this way more than I did. It read very much as a YA book and I didn’t really feel like it qualified as a fanatsy. The writing was very well done and the characters were solid. I really enjoyed Dee and appreciate his sarcasm and sense of humor. But this definitely qualifies as a murder mystery, it was giving me Murder on the Orient Express Vibes.
I wanted to love this one far more than I did. It’s a definite three star book for me, with everything being solidly okay.
The main plot and main characters were definitely solid. I really enjoyed the slow unraveling of the morder mystery and think it was well executed (hehe) on the part of the author.
Dee was a wonderful main character to follow. His thought patterns and snarky nature kept things moving and interesting - even if I did suspect him of the murders at one point.
Other than that, my favorite elements of fantasy books felt really thin and YA, not in a good way. The provinces and their differences were so surface level, and they along with the magic system, lacked any kind of depth.
To me, it read kind of like a murder mystery in a surface-level fantasy setting rather than a true fantasy novel.
I know some reader friends are going to absolutely love this, while I’ll encourage other friends to pass on it. It definitely has its place, and I hope it finds a lot of success, but it wasn’t my favorite.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance read of this title. All opinions are my own.
The first book to scratch the Gideon the Ninth itch for me! It's got a diverse and mysterious cast of young people, all scions of their houses. Tie in forced proximity, a murder mystery, and and queer MC that is both good-hearted and an idiot -- run don't walk!
The book was really entertaining, though it felt more like a YA novel than I expected. I appreciated the good LGBTQ representation, but the magic system and world building were a bit confusing, which left me feeling lost at times. Because of this, I decided to give it a 3 star rating.
This was so much fun. Who doesn't love a magical, queer, murder mystery cruise?
*My review does contain some spoilers*
I found this impossible to put down. I simply had to know who the culprit of the murders was and this kept me enthralled the whole time. I thoroughly enjoyed the big reveal, I for one did not see part of it so that was nice.
The cast of characters was super enjoyable to me. Did I like everyone? No. But, I think it is obvious you're not meant to but, I enjoyed the way everyone fit together and felt as though all roles were necessary.
I did find the relationship between Ravi & Dee to be super sweet and the evolution of their relationship was nice. I did find the romance between Dee & Bear to be difficult to believe. Yes, at the end it is more believable given what we find out but, while it was happening, eh not so believable for me.
I really liked the magic in this world. Every Blessed has a unique magic that is mostly kept secret. This was interesting for me and added another element of secrecy in this.
This book was fun read for me. I think if you go into expecting to laugh & have fun, you will enjoy this. If you go into expecting overly complex world building and a fully fleshed magic system & characters, you'll be disappointed.
Thank you HTP & The Hive for this ARC 💜
DNF @ 54%
This book started off super promising -- I love the concept of a closed door murder on a ship with a cast of characters that are unapologetically diverse and themselves, but really started to drag in the middle. I don't think I cared enough about the main character to continue through the middle slog.
I think this will work for other readers; particularly those who identify more with Dee, or enjoy the writing style that this is written in (irrevrent, unapologetically British).