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Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness
Luke thought he had left his nightmares behind, but his past refuses to stay buried. Two years after facing his demons and putting his psychotic father behind bars, Luke’s world is about to be turned upside down once again.
As he embarks on his college journey, Luke finds himself struggling to adapt to his new life. With his friends scattered and only his ex-girlfriend Natalie by his side, he feels more alone than ever. But when a fateful night at a fraternity party goes horribly wrong, Luke is forced to flee to New York in search of his girlfriend, Bonnie.
Trapped in a merciless snowstorm and lost in the unforgiving city, Luke soon realizes that his troubles are far from over. An unseen enemy lurks in the shadows, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With danger closing in from all sides, Luke must summon every ounce of courage and strength to survive and protect those he loves.
As he embarks on his college journey, Luke finds himself struggling to adapt to his new life. With his friends scattered and only his ex-girlfriend Natalie by his side, he feels more alone than ever. But when a fateful night at a fraternity party goes horribly wrong, Luke is forced to flee to New York in search of his girlfriend, Bonnie.
Trapped in a merciless snowstorm and lost in the unforgiving city, Luke soon realizes that his troubles are far from over. An unseen enemy lurks in the shadows, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With danger closing in from all sides, Luke must summon every ounce of courage and strength to survive and protect those he loves.
370 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2025
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 23, 2025
They say sequels are never better than the original, but with this book, I feel Jordan Lopez truly leveled up! The story continues from the first book, allowing the readers to rejoin the characters in a new stage of life. This time, it’s not a singular problem that reigns over all the characters. All of the characters have their own issues, which gives more realism to the story. This book also gives so much more character development, allowing you to connect and understand more of the characters on a deeper level. Much like the first book, I couldn’t put this down, enjoying every minute reading it! I can’t wait for the continuation!
May 23, 2025
Didn’t disappoint with all the action.
Again very detailed and vivid descriptions paints the picture perfectly.
Looking forward to the final book !!!!!
Again very detailed and vivid descriptions paints the picture perfectly.
Looking forward to the final book !!!!!
August 16, 2025
Looked Down Upon A Masked Wickedness is the second part in the Looked Down Upon trilogy. It follows Luke Ramirez who goes off to college and has to adjust to a new life without his friends and family at his side.
Every main and side character are fully fleshed out with their own issues they are struggling with and also their happy moments too which readers could relate to. The story has a more dark and mature theme compared to the first book.
There was never a dull moment in the book. It was hard putting the book down! Would highly recommend checking the book out! Looking forward to future books by Jordan!!!
Every main and side character are fully fleshed out with their own issues they are struggling with and also their happy moments too which readers could relate to. The story has a more dark and mature theme compared to the first book.
There was never a dull moment in the book. It was hard putting the book down! Would highly recommend checking the book out! Looking forward to future books by Jordan!!!
February 8, 2026
Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness is the second book in Jordan Lopez’s coming-of-age trilogy. Almost two years following his near-death at the hands of his father, Luke Ramirez’s life is once again about to unravel. With his high school graduation looming, he worries about what will happen once he, Drew, Bonnie – now his beloved girlfriend- and even Natalie, now Drew’s girlfriend, go their separate ways into the adult world. While he has a couple of familiar faces with him at James Buchanan University, Luke feels alone and out of place with Bonnie hundreds of miles away in New York City, and Drew back at the Jasper Hills Police Academy.
When one night at a frat party goes terribly wrong, it sets in motion a dangerous race through the cold, snowy streets of New York City. Scared, lost, and pursued by vagrants with devious motives, Luke and Natalie face mortal terror, tragedy, and self-doubt as they race to find Bonnie. Meanwhile, a new threat lurks, unbeknownst to Luke. Will he prove all his doubters right and find college too difficult to handle? Or can Luke rise above the pain and confusion and lean on his loved ones to help him persevere?
Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness had some marked improvements over the first installment of Lopez’s trilogy. With more genuine dialogue, raw emotions, and a protagonist readers can empathize and identify with, I found it a lot easier to connect with this second book. I particularly felt connected to Luke’s struggle before, during, and after his high school graduation. I grew up in a small town, where I went to school with roughly the same 90 kids that I started kindergarten with, give or take a few new faces along the way. The thought of leaving was suffocating. I had more than a home there, I had a chosen family and, most importantly, a safe haven. Even to this day, the feelings I get looking back on my high school years have never been able to compare to the memories or feelings I’ve had at any other time in my life. I think this is something a lot of readers, especially those the same age as Luke, Drew, Bonnie, and Natalie, will really find comfort and catharsis in.
While the emotional depth saw improvement, the plotline of Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness could potentially use some further development. The book started with a unique, sharp, and captivating hook, but the thread seemed to get buried along the way. In the second half of the book, after Luke flees James Buchanan University following the disastrous fraternity party, the storyline seemed to be more haphazard than thought-out and purposely structured. In the end, the author did connect these events back to that early hook, but the connections did not seem entirely plausible, which creates doubt for readers. While there are hints that the masked threat introduced in the opening of the book will come back in the final book of the trilogy, I wondered if trying to couple that with the fraternity party aftermath just resulted in the plotline becoming a little clogged and blurred.
That being said, I did love the overarching theme of the book, in which Dr. Washington teaches Luke at a time when he needs to hear it most. Luke has spent the majority of these first two books feeling out of place and wondering how he’ll ever belong in a world that doesn’t understand him or his disability. Then, he learns that all he needs to do is find the one place in the world where he fits. We all spend so much of our lives trying to conform ourselves into a world that is often antagonistic to our dreams and beliefs. Maybe what we need to do is find the spaces in the world that fit us. Luke is taught that no matter how “damaged” or different we might be, each person is a unique piece in the puzzle of humanity, and we all fit into the world in our own unique ways and spaces.
Overall, Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness by Jordan Lopez is a thought-provoking, emotional coming-of-age novel. Teenage readers will have a lot to recognize and identify with in its pages. In Luke, Drew, Bonnie, and Natalie, perhaps they can even find a bit of themselves.
When one night at a frat party goes terribly wrong, it sets in motion a dangerous race through the cold, snowy streets of New York City. Scared, lost, and pursued by vagrants with devious motives, Luke and Natalie face mortal terror, tragedy, and self-doubt as they race to find Bonnie. Meanwhile, a new threat lurks, unbeknownst to Luke. Will he prove all his doubters right and find college too difficult to handle? Or can Luke rise above the pain and confusion and lean on his loved ones to help him persevere?
Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness had some marked improvements over the first installment of Lopez’s trilogy. With more genuine dialogue, raw emotions, and a protagonist readers can empathize and identify with, I found it a lot easier to connect with this second book. I particularly felt connected to Luke’s struggle before, during, and after his high school graduation. I grew up in a small town, where I went to school with roughly the same 90 kids that I started kindergarten with, give or take a few new faces along the way. The thought of leaving was suffocating. I had more than a home there, I had a chosen family and, most importantly, a safe haven. Even to this day, the feelings I get looking back on my high school years have never been able to compare to the memories or feelings I’ve had at any other time in my life. I think this is something a lot of readers, especially those the same age as Luke, Drew, Bonnie, and Natalie, will really find comfort and catharsis in.
While the emotional depth saw improvement, the plotline of Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness could potentially use some further development. The book started with a unique, sharp, and captivating hook, but the thread seemed to get buried along the way. In the second half of the book, after Luke flees James Buchanan University following the disastrous fraternity party, the storyline seemed to be more haphazard than thought-out and purposely structured. In the end, the author did connect these events back to that early hook, but the connections did not seem entirely plausible, which creates doubt for readers. While there are hints that the masked threat introduced in the opening of the book will come back in the final book of the trilogy, I wondered if trying to couple that with the fraternity party aftermath just resulted in the plotline becoming a little clogged and blurred.
That being said, I did love the overarching theme of the book, in which Dr. Washington teaches Luke at a time when he needs to hear it most. Luke has spent the majority of these first two books feeling out of place and wondering how he’ll ever belong in a world that doesn’t understand him or his disability. Then, he learns that all he needs to do is find the one place in the world where he fits. We all spend so much of our lives trying to conform ourselves into a world that is often antagonistic to our dreams and beliefs. Maybe what we need to do is find the spaces in the world that fit us. Luke is taught that no matter how “damaged” or different we might be, each person is a unique piece in the puzzle of humanity, and we all fit into the world in our own unique ways and spaces.
Overall, Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness by Jordan Lopez is a thought-provoking, emotional coming-of-age novel. Teenage readers will have a lot to recognize and identify with in its pages. In Luke, Drew, Bonnie, and Natalie, perhaps they can even find a bit of themselves.
February 19, 2026
I like that this book builds off the The Exiled Kin. I felt the characters grew and evolved from the first book which is a testament to the writer's growth. The relationships were more developed, and the struggles Luke faced were relatable. Initially I thought the book was going in one direction and was surprised by the twist but appreciated how the author came full circle and set us up for the third book in the series. I can't wait to see how these new characters come into play and what types of adventures await Luke and his friends as they move into adulthood!
May 20, 2025
Jordan Lopez’s Looked Down Upon: A Masked Wickedness snaps between a ruthless cult-builder and an autistic teen on the brink of adulthood, blending high-octane action with real heart. Because Lopez himself is an autistic author, Luke’s perspective lands with lived-in authenticity, an own-voices portrayal that never feels token. The Tennessee backdrop crackles with small-town realism, and a late-book twist keeps the reader on their toes. Fast, tense, and thoughtfully inclusive; perfect for thriller fans who crave both adrenaline and empathy.
May 13, 2025
In the second entry of the series, Jordan Lopez effectively displays his growth as a writer from the time he published his first book. The writing feels significantly more polished and the techniques being used are much more complex and allow his storytelling to flourish. The story picks up some time after the events of the first book which gives the reader the opportunity to catch up with old characters as well as to meet several new ones. Lopez is effectively able to exhibit character traits that differentiated each individual in the previous book, while allowing them to evolve and develop naturally as they acquire more life experiences and perspective.
Furthermore, he is able to provide meaningful developments when it comes to the stories each character has and the events are very impactful. The new character additions add more substance and create interesting new dynamics. The book made me laugh out loud, sit down and ponder, and it even made me tear up. There’s a lot to unpack in it and I kept this review spoiler-free as the best way to experience it is by reading it yourself. I am excited to see where the story goes next and how everything that unfolded in this entry will impact Luke and the rest of his friends later on. Highly recommended and one of my favorite books ever.
February 11, 2026
Jordan's second book was truly an excellent continuation of his trilogy. Jordan once again delivered not only a compelling narrative (honestly, I had trouble putting his book down!), but a thoughtful exploration of the complexities of young adulthood and major life transitions. Seeing the characters introduced in Jordan's first novel mature and evolve over the course of the second was incredibly satisfying. Their development over the narrative, especially Luke and his relationship with Dr. Washington, added so much depth to the story and showcased Jordan's skill in crafting nuanced, complex characters.
I also really enjoyed Jordan's vibrant and dynamic storytelling, something that has only continued to improve since his first installation in the series. His use of imagery and engaging dialogue really made this story come alive, pulling me into the characters' world and allowing me to experience each character's struggles and triumphs alongside them. I am so excited to see how Luke and his friends' journey unfold in the next book, and I am especially rooting for Bonnie and Luke to have their happy ending!
I also really enjoyed Jordan's vibrant and dynamic storytelling, something that has only continued to improve since his first installation in the series. His use of imagery and engaging dialogue really made this story come alive, pulling me into the characters' world and allowing me to experience each character's struggles and triumphs alongside them. I am so excited to see how Luke and his friends' journey unfold in the next book, and I am especially rooting for Bonnie and Luke to have their happy ending!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews