Print Length: 427 pages
Publisher: Vesuvian Books (October 3, 2017)
Publication Date: October 3, 2017
Language: English
ASIN: B073QYW64Y
Praise for DAMNED
“… seamlessly blends mystery, magic and matters of the heart to create and enthralling read.” ―RT Book Reviews
“Damned is absolutely riveting, an absolute page turner. Just when you think the carnival ride is over you discover it’s barley begun… If you only read one book, this should be it.” ―Tracy Riva, Midwest Book Review
“Damned is full of intricate characters, voodoo, and a luxurious setting that will steal your breath away. You’ll want to follow Magnus and Lexie to Hell and back, and that’s stunningly likely.” ―Mercedes B. Yardley, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of Little Dead Red
Over a hundred years after the death of Magnus Blackwell, Altmover Manor sits abandoned.
Lexie Arden and her fiancé, Will Bennett, are determined to rescue the neglected Mount Desert Island landmark. They want to make Altmover Manor their home. But Magnus has other plans.
A spirit bound to his former residence, Magnus finds himself inexplicably drawn to the young woman. She has a supernatural gift; a gift Magnus wants to exploit.
As Lexie and Will settle in, secrets from Magnus’s past begin to surface. Compelled to learn all she can about the former owner, Lexie becomes immersed in a world of voodoo, curses, and the whereabouts of a mysterious dragon cane.
Magnus’s crimes won’t be so easily forgotten, and what Lexie unearths is going to change the future … for everyone.
MY REVIEW
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Jean Book Nerd for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation for this review.
Damned is the second book I’ve read from Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor. The first one is a YA thriller. Damned is a horror/thriller that centers on a couple and them moving to a house that has more than just a bit of faulty wiring.
I am a sucker for a ghost story. I love the ambiance of a haunted house and the twisted tales that are within the walls. The creepier and more interesting, the better. Damned has both of those qualities. Altmover Manor is a mansion on a cliff and begs to be in a ghost story. Add in the spirits of a previous owner and another person, you get a juicy start.
The book itself is well written and does keep you entertained as you are reading. However, I felt it may have been better separated into two separate entities. There is a lot of information and there is a change of tone in the mid-way mark. That said, the second half doesn’t pull away from the story. It just expands on the world. Like a sequel would.
The book can be a bit slow moving but I feel this was designed to add to the suspense. There is a lot of interesting detail and though I did dislike Will in the beginning, the characters were believable. No worries, by the way, Will gets better personality wise and there’s a reason why he was the way he was.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and wouldn’t say no to reading the second or even the prequel. I actually have a feeling that if I read the prequel first, this book would lose the slow-moving feel.
Final Rating: 3/5
Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author of over twenty-seven novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers Association, Weis writes mystery, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.
Lucas Astor is a multi-award-winning author from New York. He has resided in Central America, the Middle East, and traveled throughout Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight. He is a writer and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.
PART ONE
MARCH 12th TUESDAY Random Bookish Banter REVIEW
MARCH 12th TUESDAY Bookriot REVIEW
MARCH 13th WEDNESDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace REVIEW
MARCH 14th THURSDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT
MARCH 15th FRIDAY Casia’s Corner REVIEW
PART TWO
MARCH 16th SATURDAY Insane About Books REVIEW
MARCH 16th SATURDAY FUONLYKNEW EXCERPT
MARCH 16th SATURDAY Kelly P’s Blog REVIEW
MARCH 17th SUNDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT
MARCH 17th SUNDAY Stephanie’s Life of Determination REVIEW
MARCH 17th SUNDAY Lisa-Queen of Random EXCERPT
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