Dreams are pointless when you're destined to serve the Devil.
Alexander Pike VI inherited far more than a name from his father. He has been saddled with the family curse for the past seven years, tasked with completing jobs for the Devil.
Hope.
Joy.
Love.
Freedom.
These were never in the cards for his life in the family business. This was his lot. But, a curse isn't so bad when you refuse to care.
Then he met her.
Now, that one chance encounter sparks hope for a future he never dared imagine. But when you work for the Devil, is freedom worth the risk? Is freedom even possible? ____
This is a dark tale about a morally gray hero, an inspiring heroine, and new friends who show him there can be more to life if he's willing to fight for it. This is a stand alone novel about hope, courage, and friendship.
Alexander Pike VI is a nice young man, except for one thing: he works for the Devil. The trouble is, Pike still has a conscience. He's not a demon, he's just a cursed human. And he hates what he has to do, but he's stuck doing it because, if he doesn't, someone he loves will be chained to the Devil's will instead. He chooses to serve out the sentence of his forebears so no one else has to.
And then, Pike meets Miss Cassidy Jackson, a sweet and lively young lady, the daughter of a respected doctor. When Pike realizes he's falling in love with her, he tries to hide his affection from the Devil, knowing his master will turn this against him.
In the end, Pike must accept that he has always had choices, and even though he told himself he was only doing the Devil's bidding to protect someone else, he's been lying to himself all along. There are a lot of powerful metaphors going on in this book about temptation, sin, and how we justify our behavior to ourselves. And about how enticing and attractive the Devil can be.
Yes, this is a new adult fantasy book, but it has some nice weight to it, and I like that it doesn't shy away from difficult moral questions. At the same time, it never descends into the kind of tawdry material that so many new-adult fantasy books do, and I very much appreciated and applaud that.
I received a free ARC of This Cursed Line from the publisher. I was not asked or instructed to leave a review, positive or otherwise. All opinions are my own, and honest.
"Death comes for us all, kid." In a sense, Death had literally followed Alexander Pike VI his entire life, death was coming for him, and it had a name, the Devil. For me, This Cursed Line checked off every one of these boxes; gritty realism, morally gray characters, and redemption arcs. Pike isn't the hero of his story and honestly that was amazingly refreshing, but he does get his redemption arc even if, no especially, because he was undeserving of it and it was that which made it so genuine and profound. My hat's off to Hubbard for writing a clean yet real and gritty fiction I’ll come back to read again and again.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into this book, mainly due to the concept of being a slave to the Devil… BUT this story surprised me in the absolute best of ways!
It isn’t an allegory, but the metaphors… wow! I was reminded of Romans 6-7 as we follow Pike — an extremely likeable young man — enslaved to do the Devi’s bidding in payment of a debt & on his journey to finding freedom.
The side characters were so well done. Watson… my heart. Cass was just lovely & I loved her adorable awkwardness with Pike.
The setting threw me off just a smidgen at the beginning as it’s a blend of a Western & fantasy. Still, once I caught my footing, I loved it.
I actually cried a little bit because of the beautiful themes (and that one scene… which I can’t mention because spoilers…) There is redemption & hope & the reminder that none of us are too far gone to be reached by the grace of God!
Content: mild language; mention of a man having a mistress; attempted assault on a girl (not graphic & stopped before anything happens)
Oh, I liked this! I love a good historical fantasy, and this delivered all the atmospheric autumnal vibes I was hoping for! The pacing was perfect, the characters loveable (except those we're supposed to hate, obviously), I needed to know how it was all going to end! (also I love Pike and Cass. so much.)
I teared up a few times, and I adored the faith content! Definitely one I'm going to be recommending in the future! Four stars from me!
**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
We meet Alexander Pike VI who is destined to serve the devil. Pike has inherited a family curse and has to complete his father's jobs for the devil. Pike becomes numb to his tasks until he starts to dream and hope and feel. Choices. We all make choices daily. What do you do when your choices or your freewill is taken from you? Pike is on this journey and we follow him through some difficult tasks And ask Can there be freedom , love, joy, grace, forgiveness and hope. For someone like Pike? I became attached to Pike following him around. I wanted things for him and was heart broken in some areas, angry at him in others. Hope filled my heart at moments and then shocked the next. I went on a ride of emotions while reading this story. It's a period piece set in the late 1800s we meet a wide range of characters along the way. I loved it. I definitely have my favorite character! Morgan did an amazing job world building, giving us characters with depth and a story with meaning that makes you think and feel all the feels and ask questions along the way. I highly recommend this story.
I was blessed to receive an early copy and am so thankful I got to read it ahead of time. I was not required to review my opinions are my own. I wanted to share about this book because it is so good.
I’m so glad I was gifted the opportunity to read an eARC of this incredible book. This book truly has it all: a deliciously morally grey main character, found family, a splash of romance, and a beautiful redemption arc. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Morgan is a wonderful story teller and I cannot recommend this book enough. Five stars!
I hope you get to see Pike's story how I saw it, up close and personal. This story came from a special time in my life, wrestling with questions I needed answered for myself. So I hope you get your questions answered and make a friend while you're at it!
An emotional, atmospheric debut that will leave you on the edge of your seat, Hubbard weaves a beautiful tale of darkness and redemption that will linger long after you’ve reached the end.
This is a beautiful story of light in darkness, hope in despair, forgiveness in sin, and love in unexpected places. Pike’s wrestling with his past–the life he was thrown into and the decisions he made–is raw and so, so real. A literal depiction of our souls’ helpless slavery to sin until Christ steps in. Hubbard doesn’t shy away from or sugar coat the depths of darkness Pike stumbles in, his conflict, or the consequences of his actions and decisions. Which makes the option of another way, another choice, all the more powerful. Hope. True freedom. Sacrifice. The journey of Pike’s latest jobs is both wrenching and poignant as grace and love continue to put themselves in the path of this broken man, chasing him even though he cannot believe himself worth it, and I couldn’t ask for a more dramatic, moving, triumphant crescendo. A real treasure and needed reminder that no matter how close one is tied to the devil, we are never beyond saving.
The Cursed Line is a great book to read in autumn (or fall if you prefer 😊🍂)not least because the book is based in fall, but because it transports you into that late autumn ambience
Absolutely a 5 star read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In short, Alexander Pike is cursed to work for the devil, the sixth generation of his family to do so;
"Pike's nature had shifted to mirror the beast he served"
"Pike was soulless, perhaps that was part of his debt, losing his soul"
Hubbard has crafted a stunning tale, articulately and elegantly placed in time and space with subtle references to the season and era
The tide shifts for Pike at when he meets the beautiful Cassidy Jackson (who is a good influence and strong jnspiration), and he begins to dream of a different future, but he still has work to do;
"You do some great work when you let your demons out"
This morally grey hero continues with his task of bringing the sinners to their retribution with the devil, each one giving a different perspective and reaction to their fate.
The twists and turns are glorious and not only was the book beautifully written, it kept me hooked and guessing
You cannot help but cheer Pike on throughout the book despite his grisly task
Reminiscent of Dickens, and would appeal to readers of Ana Huang, Emily McIntyre and Nikki St Crowe
This story is powerful, emotional, gritty, yet incredibly endearing.
I think we’ve all felt like Pike at one point of another Lost .. hopeless .. joyless …. Going through the motions of life’s demands The power Someone or something might have over us
Is forgiveness attainable? Is redemption possible?….what’s waiting for me on the other side of this ?
This book is another story of proof for all, that NO ONE is too far gone.
This story was painful for me to read about Pike going through with what he felt had no choice in. I am happy with the ending. Closure is included.
My biggest hope is that this book reaches as many hands as possible.
This is perfect for fans of Addie LaRue! I loved reading about Pikes life and all of his struggles. This was such an amazing setting and I loved how many places the MCs goes and all the different characters he meets along the way. It was a perfect length and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Pike.
A brilliant fantasy novel with a Western feel. Eerie, gritty, & provocative, it gave me such Ballad of Buster Scruggs vibes!
My only complaint is that I wanted so much more. The themes of this book are so big and epic that I longed for a richer, lengthier style. I wanted old letters and diary entries from the first Pike sprinkled throughout. I wanted more POVs to see Pike from other perspectives (especially Cassie's!)
But as a lean, fast-paced ride through demons, darkness, and the wild, wild west, This Cursed Line was excellent. I'm excited to read more from this author, especially if it's more of Pike, Cassie, and/or the world of TCL.
Alexander Pike VI has inherited the family curse - he is enslaved to the Devil, compelled to do the Devil's dirty work here on earth. But he is actually kind at heart, and all he wants is out.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this astonishing mashup of genre - historical fantasy, Christian fiction, curses, Westerns, a touch of romance, and from a new indie author to boot, but the plot was intriguing to me so I gave it a chance. And I am so glad I did! Admittedly, the pace at the beginning was a little slow, and the plot was.... well, not "predictable" exactly (how could that mix of genres be predictable?) but it was pretty much what I had expected from the book blurb and the promo material I had read. So I was beginning to tire of the story, and contemplated skipping ahead, but decided to plow through. And then about halfway through the book, something Unexpected and with Many Possibilities happened, and the story became fresh and interesting again, and remained that way until the end.
An enjoyable read. Some mild language and disturbing events/ideas as the Devil does his mischief
My favorite part of this read was The Devil and the way he was written! A truly menacing villain but not overly exaggerated. Overall a very entertaining story about redemption and entrapment.
So proud of you Morgan!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Just what I needed to get out of my reading slump. Morgan did a terrific job of weaving significance and faith into a digestible story. Where other stories can feel heavy with theme and message, following Pike was thought provoking and hopeful all at once, without the soapbox delivery!
This book is a WILD ride. It emotionally wrecked me, really, I was soo emotional but I really couldn’t stop. Pike has since stopped having hope, about a future, a life of his own, freedom. Working for the devil is no easy job specially if it wasn’t your choice in the first place.
He was born into this cursed line and as much as he wants, there’s no changing that. Dive into this heartbreaking but full of hope story and see for yourself how it ends 💕
I don’t think any words could describe how powerful, how beautiful this book is. Beneath the captivating settings, the gorgeous imagery, the characters who feel so alive and real, is the tale’s very heartbeat—the declaration that freedom can be found from the deepest darkness, the reminder that nothing is broken beyond redemption. Not even Alexander Pike.
MORGAN!!! I loved the story of Pike. You stirred this story so beautifully with your words. It is an honor to get to read your first book. Congratulations!
I was kindly given an eARC by the author. This Cursed Line is a powerful novel about burdens, hope, love, and redemption. Through Pike’s adventure, I am reminded that hope is always possible, even in the darkest of moments when it seems like there’s no way out or light at the end of the tunnel. Forgiveness, kindness, and grace exist and can change lives, like they did for the characters in this book. The novel is captivating and moving, heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt like a wandering soul. Reading about Pike finding his way home was a beautiful comfort and reminder to me. So so glad I got to read this story.
When I saw This Cursed Line around instagram, I was intrigued, but I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy a story with a morally gray hero that worked for the devil. I was worried the story would be too intense for me, but then I saw a post from the author about the redemption arc and I preordered the ebook on the spot.
It didn’t disappoint! I empathized with the main character, adored the side characters, held my breath through the storyline, and couldn’t put it down. (I laughed, I cried, you get it.)
I do want to put a small content warning. I’m someone who is very careful about what I read, so for others that are also careful, I’ll put a mild language, violence, and frightening imagery warning on it. I felt like the author handled the darker elements well without getting too dark or grotesque, but it’s told from the point of view of a broken, unsaved man who works for the devil.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book. I had my doubts (based on the tagline and the blurb), but I had heard very good things from this story and it did intrigue me. When I won it in a giveaway, I finally picked it up some months later.
This book reminds me much of Dracula and Hamlet. I loved all the annotations from the author in my copy that really brought the thought put into this story to life. From all the references, especially to scriptural themes—utterly brilliant! And also all the wonderful circling back throughout this story. It is a beautiful tale of the darkness of sin and how it enslaves us and how we can only be set free by grace and the sacrifice of Christ. In some places, it felt rough-hewn, but it's a solid debut and this author shows so much promise.
My only complaints would be I would have liked the redemption side to be shown stronger. For Pike not only to find his freedom but also to find his redemption in Christ. I felt this could have been more developed to match the rest of this story. I also felt that the romance was a bit rushed, but that's just me—I'm a slow person in that regard, so it may just be my opinions solely. Otherwise, I enjoyed this tale very much and am so grateful for this copy!
This Cursed Line is a breathtaking story of struggling with grief, and finding forgiveness. I felt encased in Pike's world from beginning to end. His feelings of self loathing and desperation leapt off the pages and straight into my heart. I was moved to tears as his story went on, though I refuse to spoil how. If you're picking this book up, I highly recommend having a box of tissues close by. I can't wait to add this to my bookshelf. This will be a story I turn to when I feel unworthy and lost, and one I hope both of my kids get to read one day.
This story is about Pike, a cursed man who is destined to serve the devil. We follow his journey which is beautifully brought. The pacing was really good and it read very smoothly! The story was easy to follow and the characters were absolutely adorable! Want a quick, fluent, beautiful, meaningful, emotional story? Then read this!