SOME MONSTERS NEVER DIEOver a hundred years after the death of Magnus Blackwell, Altmover Manor sits abandoned.Lexie Arden and her fiancé, Will Bennet, 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 … 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.
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I don’t typically read books about ghosts and voodoo, but I’m really glad I gave Damned a chance.
From the beginning, you’re given hints that not all is as it seems with the various characters. I’d really like to know the whole story behind Magnus, Jacob, Frances, and Katherine. I’m guessing it’s in the prequel, so I’ll have to check it out when I have some extra reading time.
Will confused me. We’re never given the reason he so desperately wanted to buy Altmover Manor, so I can’t easily justify his seeming lack of emotion at losing the house. For the first half of the book, he puts up a huge fuss, to the point of being insensitive, about Lexie’s abilities, but then easily accepts them and her new life once he gets to New Orleans. And, while I understand that there are events that can change your opinion of a person, his complete 180 in his opinion of Magnus doesn’t seem to fit. I would have expected a bit of soul-searching first.
Lexie is much easier to follow. Although her feelings about her abilities and surroundings tend to go back and forth a bit, they seem to follow a much more realistic and understandable progression. I enjoyed following her journey.
I have to give the authors credit for making Magnus’ character arc believable. It was rather extreme, but was executed masterfully, such that I didn’t question his changes.
There were a couple of odd patches where I was sure the book was ending, only to swipe to the next page and find that there was still quite a bit more. Damned could have easily been broken up into two books and done just fine, although I don’t really see this as a problem, it’s just something worth commenting on.
I’d like to mention that there were quite a few typos and errors in the copy I received. However, I don’t know if those exist in the final edition available for purchase, because I received a digital ARC copy, and it clearly states that it may contain errors.
Overall, I enjoyed Damned and I look forward to reading Blackwell and Bound. I hope the identity of Lexie’s mysterious ghostly helpers is confirmed in Bound. We’re given some solid clues as to who they are, but I’d like to know for certain.
Damned is the first book I’ve ever read by Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor. It’s not a typical “go to” genre for me and I am oh so glad I read this story. It is a romance, mystery, ghost story and travel journal all rolled up into one magical story.
I found that all of the characters were developed quickly yet left an air of mystery about them. As new characters were brought in, others dropped off so I didn’t have to keep track of 100 different players. The blending of old and new was a great way to tell this story and I really enjoyed the way current events like
Hurricane Katrina played an integral role in moving the story along in a specific direction.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure I would like it when I started Page 1. The relationship between Lexie and Will bothered me. It was so one sided and he just rubbed me the wrong way. I warmed up to him as I settled into the story.
One of my favorite quotes in the story is: “if spirits can’t change, then what hope do we have for the living?”
This is the first book in the Magnus Blackwell series and I’m excited to watch all the future adventures in this series unfold. I will be adding these authors to my “follow” list on Amazon & Bookbub.
DAMNED by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor is the continuing story of Magnus Blackwell, a Victorian era gentleman whose spirit has been cursed to his beloved Altmover Manor in Maine. The new owners, Lexie Arden and her fiancé Will Bennett are determined to renovate Altmover Manor to its’ original glory but the building’s fabled history of hauntings and ghosts becomes the focus of our heroine when two spirits from the past battle for Lexie’s attention and help. Enter Magnus Blackwell, the former owner of Altmover Manor, and the ghost who will mentor our heroine through a world of the supernatural, voodoo priestesses and curses, magic, murder, power and revenge.
NOTE: Although listed as book one in the series, DAMNED is technically book two. For background and history about Magnus Blackwell pick up a copy of BLACKWELL (Magnus Blackwell .5) before venturing into the territory of the DAMNED.
DAMNED is a story of the paranormal; an intriguing thriller where the ghost of Magnus Blackwell is caught between the past and present; cursed to serve time for the sins of the past. Lexie Arden has the ability to see and speak with the spirits but there is more to our heroine than a reluctant medium-she’s a woman whose growing powers are seen as a threat to those in charge. From Boston to New Orleans Lexie, along with her ghostly companion, will go in search of a mysterious dragon cane that will change our heroine’s life forever.
Fans of Alexandrea Weis will recognize the author’s love of New Orleans, ghosts and the power of voodoo from many of her previous story lines including the Corde Noire Series, The Ghosts of Rue Domaine, and The Satyr’s Curse Series. DAMNED will explore the cult religion of voodoo-the power, the magic, the belief system and the rituals-all meant to pull the reader into a fantasy tale of ghosts caught in the ether between the ’then and now’, and the one woman whose gift of talking to the spirits is only the beginning of a magical journey. The world building is phenomenal; the sights and sounds of New Orleans are palpable; the mystery of the restless spirits continues to unfold.
Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor’s DAMNED is a fantastic journey; a well –written, dark and spirited story that will captivate the imagination with its’ passionate characters and vivid imagery.