The Departed

MacKinnon Curse #3

by J.A. Templeton

Psychic? Check.


Haunted by a malevolent spirit who is making life a living hell? Check.


In love with a smoking hot Scot, who is the reincarnation of the man creepy malevolent ghost murdered two centuries before? Check.


Friends and family think you’re losing your mind? Check.


Welcome to the life of sixteen-year-old Riley Williams, whose life hasn’t been the same since she moved to Scotland and met the spirit of Ian MacKinnon, and Laria, the witch who murdered him.


Since helping Ian cross over to the other side, Riley became Laria’s target, and now the witch has made it clear she wants her dead. Laria has already possessed Riley’s brother and friends, and Riley is starting to feel a little strange herself. She just hopes that she can stop Laria before the ghost takes everything from her. With her boyfriend Kade, her brother, and her buddies by her side, Riley is in for the fight of her life.


THE DEPARTED is a mature YA paranormal romance. Due to strong language, mention of alcohol, drug use, cutting, and sexual content, it is not recommended for younger readers.

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult, Ghosts, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Horror, Fiction

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2012

About the author

J.A. Templeton is the YA/New Adult pen name for adult romance author Julia Templeton. A psychic medium, Julia loves history, travel, and reading in every subgenre of romance, especially young and new adult.

Reviews

[Jess (jessreads1985) · Rating 5 out of 5]

O holy shit, this book was just fantastic!



Kade MacKinnon I freaking adore you.



His love for riley is so endearing and breathtaking, and I really enjoyed every moment between them.

I love how J.A. really captures the loving bond between Shane and Riley. The way he is always there for her is really heartmelting. Dana is still the biggest bitch like always, and I love what Riley does to her in this book (I was cracking up a storm). I was rooting for Shane and Cait to get together and I got my wish, hehehe. Peter and Aaron were cutie pie's :)

I am sad that the series has ended, but I am looking forward to Ian's POV this summer, as well as any future books that J.A. does(you rock J.A.)!!

[Wendy Cantu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three-Sentence Synopsis: In the third installment of the MacKinnon chronicles, Riley continues to fight against the malevolent spirit Laria. Laria is stronger than ever and, with the help of the spirits of her coven, there's no knowing how far she will go to exact her revenge. Riley must rely on the help of her friends to stop Laria before it's too late.

What I loved: I LOVED Riley's growth in this book. In the first two books, she seemed too obsessed and reliant on her relationship with Ian/Kade. It seemed to be the only thing she cared about or felt protective over. In The Departed, Riley isn't so much the lovestruck puppy dog following Kade around and she actually steps up into more of a heroine role to protect her friends.

What I liked: This book actually had an ending. When I was about 90% done I panicked that there wasn't going to be any closure and I'd be left hanging like at the end of The Haunted.

What I "meh'd: I wish this book was longer. I think there should've been more of a tie in or explanation of who Peter and the blonde victim of the cover were. Why did they try to guide Riley? Who were they when they were alive? Also, the ending could've been a little bit better. I was happy it provided closure, but it seemed a little abrupt for all the build up (especially about them going to find Laria's).

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaky scary ride and great conclusion to the series. Full review to come!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will have nightmares for the next couple of days. I'm sure of it. O_O Creepy, creepy, creepy.

As for the rest of the story and the ending especially... After a while I felt like the story didn't process anymore. The situation with Laria remained more or less the same (or got even worse) but nobody was able to do anything about it. Then Cheryl was added to the mix and I really expected some kind of deeper story there, but nothing happend either. And then all of the sudden there's a solution to the ghost problem and all is well (simply put). The issues with their dad (and he's an asshole, IMO), the thing with Cheryl, Dana...all the problems seem to be solved all of the sudden. I don't know, but for me the ending was just a little too convenient and of the love, piece and harmony variety. A bit disappointing. I expected more somehow...

[Tee Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

While part of me is so sad to see this series end, it was honestly past time for Riley and Kade to have their happily ever after!! I absolutely love this series, Templeton created this unbelievably eerie and frightening world for Riley's unforgettable journey, and I was captivated from start to finish. The Departed was the final leg of this journey, and it was filled to the brim with spine-tingling creepiness, heartwarming devotion, and pulse-racing excitement!!

The Departed starts out literally right where Haunted left off, with Riley having a sleepover with Cait and their friends. When evil spirit Laria makes a terrifying appearance, Riley is forced to admit everything to her friends and eventually Kade, and it becomes clear that their situation is more dire than they ever realized. While Riley has agree to put the past behind them and get back together with Kade, there's no peace for her thanks to the unending torment from Laria and her band of malevolent spirits. Riley and her friends face constant terror, forcing them to take matters into their own hands. With the help of some friendly haunts, they hope to finally send Laria's spirit away for good. If only they can stay alive long enough to succeed...

The Departed was by far the most frightening book of this series. Laria and her cohorts are more bold and malicious, taking their hauntings to the point of The Exorcist on steroids!! Honestly, Riley just could NOT catch a break in this book, it was beyond the scope of what any normal human could ever endure! She's grown so much in this series, and the strength she has this time around was incredible. She finally has the support of her friends, and it gives her new purpose and bravery to endure the barrage of attacks. I felt so awful for her by the time things came to a final boiling point, Riley had been put through absolute hell on earth. And Kade, that boy that we all love to swoon over, was so absolutely devoted to Riley and I loved that after everything they went through she could always know he's there for her. He finished the battle with her, along with her friends and family, and it was a beautiful way to come full circle. The huge reveal about Riley and all of the MacKinnons was a really neat twist, the whole idea of fate having a way of working things out. It made everything seem destined and at the same time that much more eerie!! I'm so sad to see this series end, but I was very pleased with the way Templeton wraps things up with Departed. Riley and Kade's story was a thrill ride of romance and danger, and I loved every minute!!

[Lady Raven RAVE! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: GOOD
Enjoyment: GOOD
Length: 175 pages

This was a great conclusion to the MacKinnon Curse series. The author stayed true to the concept of the storyline while developing the characters with each book. Looking back on The Deepest Cut (a MacKinnon Curse novel, Book 1), the first book, Riley as come a long way. What make this book so much more fun, is that Riley is not the only one whose in on the issues of the haunting at hand. Now that everyone knows in some way it gave the story more of an appeal for me.

The re budding romance of Riley and Kade was good for me to see, ever since what happen in The Haunted (a MacKinnon Curse novel, book 2). I think the author's approach to that issue was fun and interesting to see as well as the pairing off of the other friends and couples. The author also still gave that spooky feeling throughout the book. I think book 3 was more intense with the ghost, haunting and possessing. The villain, Laria, also seeing her evil grows with each book gets scarier to see. Good job to her on giving this book also the interest for me as much as Riley did.

Overall, I good series that I would recommend to a young mature reader.


http://www.romancenoveljunkies.com/So...

[Red Mamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good. I can't wait to read Ian's story. A very gifted writer. The story just draws you in and you can imagine how the characters feel in the story. J.A. you ROCK the ghostly world. I would love to read another story like this.......

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good ending to The Mackinnon Curse series. I've enjoyed the series and it's different to other books in this genre. The ending was well written with some unusual plot twists along the way. Definitely one to read for lovers of YA Fantasy books.

[Crystal Navarro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have finally decided why I like these books so much. You know how someone has a book that most people may not find a fantastic piece of literature, but they cannot help but eat it up?

Yeah. The MacKinnon Curse series is my guilty pleasure. Fast to read, interesting characters, and believable paranormal activity that for some reason doesn't frighten me at all! I think I have found a winner. I cannot watch even the cheesiest of scary movies without having nightmares. Heck, The Book of Lost Things gave me anxiety attacks. But for some reason I was more at peace with what I was reading, no matter how frightening it was at the time. Possession is not a fun thing.

I have waited until the final review to give a full out opinion on the books. I have rated them 4 stars across the board, and in my mind they deserve every last star-- for entertainment value, for ease of read, for the love story.

Oh, the love story. What I originally felt was very rickety and full of holes, something that seemed driven by hormones or obsession, turned out to be something completely different and far deeper than I thought. Anyone who has read My Name is Memory will understand what I mean about the fast, head-first love affair that came come in to play when characters have lived more than one life. This one takes it a little differently and applies the term soul mate to the batter. Ahh, a recipe for hopeless romantics like me. I couldn't help myself. I was hooked.

The characters were interesting, even if a little flat at times. There were a lot of things that started to make more sense in this book than in the others, which I was thankful for. There were a lot of very passionate emotions from characters all across the realm, but it turns out there is a reason for all of it as well.

The writing style could have been better, but considering the narrator is a 16 year old girl who can see ghosts, I think it was fitting as well. Some of the things that usually irk me, like over description of clothing and make up, made sense. Riley is 16, and she is the one narrating- of course she's going to notice those kinds of things. And it didn't deter from the story.

I loved how drastically different everyone in Riley's group of friends were (ghosts included). You had the very rich girl who could care less how much money her friends had, the poor girl who cared for her brother, the own-style-new-age-punk, the gentleman who was best friends with a douche bag... yeah. Lots of good mixes.

Now for spoilers.

There is a lot of drug use in these books, which is something I am normally uncomfortable with. I've never had any experiences like that myself, being quite the homebody child who never went anywhere or did anything. This is part of the reason I did not give these books a higher rating.

Cutting and self harm are rampant throughout the book, which is something I do have experience with. At first I felt it was not very well explained, but Riley struggled with self harm throughout the series (sometimes of her own accord, and others by divine intervention so to speak), and it gave me more appreciation for this flaw in Riley's character.

I would be lying if I didn't say I loved the fact that Margot and Ian got to be together again through Riley and Kade. Ahhhhh~

[Rose Strong (Kljuc za knjigu Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This will be a review of the whole trilogy because it's easier for me to see it as a whole than judge it part by part :)

The trilogy started a bit slow, and maybe even a bit boring. I really had to make myself stay still and not to give up on reading.
The second part was way more interesting and dinamic. Things finally started happening and I really liked the plot.
The third book was perfect until the moment of egzorcism. I mean, I understand it was a book about ghosts and spirits, but that scene simply didn't work. It looked like the author didn't know how to end things and this was the simple solution and something that should be justified by the fact that we were reading a ghost story. This is the first reason why I can't give it 5 stars.

The characters weren't realy deep and their behavior stays on surface. There were no inner monologues or great character changes, so not even 4 stars can I give it.

So, 3/5 stars for this trilogy.

Some people compare this series to the series Anna by Kendare Blake, but for me, MacKinnona are way better. So if you read and liked Anna, you will love MacKinnons!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Very fast paced! This book starts off and ends with lots of paranormal action. Very little lull moments. The relationship between Kade and Riley is very sweet and I adore the two together...and in this book you get more back story into their relationship and why they fell for each other. I would of given a full 5 stars but I felt that the big climax of the whole series was rushed and the resolution a little too easy. I would of also liked to know more about the why, as in why did they all end up in that particular place and time. Why now and not sooner or later (that question will make sense after you read as i don't want to give anything away). The ending was good, we get our closure and so do the characters. I'm anxious to read Ian's POV as the dream scenes from the past lives were very interesting. Overall good read and a decent end to a really good series

[Jax O · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book three of the Mackinnon Curse novels. These are all incredibly short reads that I can buzz through in a mere sitting, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat every minute of the ride. As a reluctant horror reader; I was impressed by my captivation to these stories. Our main character, Riley, is an amazingly strong young woman. The display of bravery and strength seen through this terrifying journey was awe worthy. Templeton is talented author that will have you looking over your shoulder while reading her bone chilling tale. The Departed seemed to conclude the current situations surround the Mackinnon Curse which leaves me anxious to see if the future holds more for these well loved characters. If this is the end for the Riley and her friends I felt that it wrapped up nicely, and look forward to seeing more from this highly talented author.

[Tiana411 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy crap this book scared the hell out of me. It was even scarier than the second one.
This book was more developed than the other two and the characters more lively. I felt like I was reading the exorcist!
I telly liked Riley in this last book, she was a lot stronger and more mature in this one. I liked how this went back to t original MacKinnon's so you can see what happened. The story was well done and I really enjoyed how it flowed. I'm really glad I wasn't home alone when I read this!
I will admit I had some misgivings about this series when I started, but I'm glad I continued.
Wow, well done on scaring the crap out of me Ms. Templeton, well done! I will definitely check out any future books from this author!
If you want a good scare with romance, you need to read this!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great ending to a fun and unique young adult series. I love the specific details of dealing with the spirits, as well as the flaws in the main character. The whole book feels like something a friend could've told you really happened and that's awesome.
The final book does a great job of tying up loose ends...although I think an explanation for Megan's jealousy about Shane could've used some work, and I think the ending was a teensy bit rushed. But really - great book. I almost never like the final book of a series simply because it means the end. lol

[Ashly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so sad that this series is over, I love Kade and Riley. I was very surprised that there was not too much of Kade in this book. I was expecting him to be more a forefront character, however that seemed to be Shawn, which is fine I liked him as a character as well. I thought it sweet that Shawn and Riley became so close at the end of these books. Great spooky read and I cant wait for more books from Ms. Templeton.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series reminded me of Meg Cabot's The Mediator Series, but it still held its own unique quality. The story of the servant poisoning a member of the family she serves because of unrequited love and then hanged for her crime is exactly the true life story about Chloe and The Myrtle's in St. Francisville, LA which is haunted by both the family and Chloe as well as others. So, if anyone is looking for a true haunted story look up The Myrtles.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing. This book was the best one yet. I didn't think they could get any better, but they did. I am happy to see Riley and Kade(Ian) get their happy ending, but I am sad that I won't get to read about them anymore. I would recommend this book to everyone, it is worth the read. You will not be disappointed. Wish I could read it again for the first time :)

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pity that character building was compromised by the action-packed nature of this story. The ending came a little too abrupt, and it was still hard to digest the fact that Kade and Ian are pretty much the same dude. I do wish that Kade and Riley's relationship was more developed. Overall a good and quick read.

[Sara Schoen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the first book and the second but this one just DRAGGED. I skipped chapters, and the ending was anticlimactic. I had gone out to the store to get an iTunes gift card just to finish the series and now I'm kind of disappointed. I will just re-read the first one and be happy with how that one ended

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom got me on the series and I fell in love right off the bat!!! (She loves it too.) We were both counting down the days until this one came out...and fighting over who would read it first on our shared NOOK account. I won :-) LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!!!

[Vilmarys · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this series. It was creepy and suspenseful and such a breath of fresh air compared to other ghost stories. I felt afraid with the characters. I can't believe it's over! Well done Ms.Templeton!

[Kitten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words can't describe how good this book was. I wish there was another 200 pages of it. This series is a light read with just the right amount of romance, paranormal activity and action to make it one of the best reads this month!!

[Melanie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series!! It didn't have the love triangle mess like most popular books do these days. Fast easy read too

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to end a series!! I absolutely fell in love with this series and book three did not fail to meet my expectations. I can not wait to read the series from Ian's POV!!!!

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the threads of connection through all the characters from past to present that were reveled.

[Lalie AV · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED IT~!! so sad it has to end :|

[J. Sterling]

so sad it's done!!!! now I cant wait for more :)

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great ending to a wonderful story. I love how everything came around full circle and tied together. It was about time Riley got some peace

[Elise Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great teen series. I enjoyed the books and it has a great plot that follows nicely through the books. Spooky and filled with teen mischief, love, friendship, and an overall balance of scary and heartfelt. Loved the friend group and ghost characters as well. Very well written moments of the hauntings. I wish we had a bit more on the reconciliation with dad. He really pissed me off with the whole "dropping your kids to then go off with my new girlfriend" crap. But...did it really have to end like that? Woohoo! Everything is back to normal! Let's go have s*x 🤣 teen hormones at its finest

[Jessica McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read!!!

Laria is even more relentless in the finale of the series. Things get even more wicked before and it was the perfect ending to the series. There is a slight plot hole in the beginning where Shane all of a sudden knows about Riley. Sure in the last book, Riley mentioned something to him about him being possessed but it never got resolved. That is the only thing that could have been changed a bit.