Review: Surviving in the Shadow of Death by Donna Augustine

First I want to thank everyone for their kind words during this very difficult time for me, you don't know how much it's meant. <3

Those who know me well know that I love Donna Augustine's fantasy series and this one is one of if not my favorite so far. The characters are all so real even though some of them are far from human and the storytelling is top notch,

I can not wait for book 3

ASIN: B0CVR65QPX
Day After Death Day #2
Release Date: 02-22-2024
Length: 249 pp
Source: Author for review
Buy It: Amazon

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

I thought I was a fake, a spiritual guide doling out nothing more than a placebo effect to the pack. Turns out I’m more legitimate than anyone realizes—and more deadly.

It doesn’t matter whether I’m the real thing or not, whether the pack has accepted me or not, because Duncan’s mate never will and she’s in charge. As long as he still wants me in his bed, she’ll want me in a grave.

When her two leading goons go missing, I’m at the top of her hit list. As things get rough, my alliances begin to dwindle and my dreams of a white knight are all but gone. But sometimes the best man for the job doesn’t ride up in white…

My Review:

Surviving in the Shadow of Death
Life After Death Day 2
Donna Augustine

 

Book 2 in Donna Augustine’s Life After Death Day series, Surviving in the Shadow of Death, is AMAZING, with multiple villains, friends who may be enemies and some OMG twists and turns. This author really plays with emotions and heartstrings in this installation.

Piper and her little brother Charlie survived Death Day and Piper will be forever grateful to Duncan and his pack of shifters for saving Charlie’s life, making them honorary pack members and taking them with them to join forces with another pack for strength in more numbers. That was until, Groza, the female Alpha of the new pack takes Duncan as her mate in some sort of convoluted deal and makes it perfectly clear that she wouldn’t mind if Piper met some untimely death, dashing Piper’s hope of having more with Duncan and wondering why if he’s mated, he’s still giving her mixed signals. Then Piper is given the gift/curse of the pack’s spiritual leader, making her an important pack member and making it harder for Groza to get rid of her. But when Piper confronts two of Groza’s goons and they end up dead Groza points a finger at Piper making the pack doubt her and putting her between a rock and a hard place. Now if someone would just throw her a lifeline.

Donna’s narrative is as usual edgy and her characters good bad and ugly are fantastic and over the top, especially her kick-butt, heroine Piper who readers will learn a bit more about in book 2.  But this time instead of knowing which dangling carrot to follow Donna gives readers a, DUH, DUH, DUH, DUH, plot twist. That’s right folks just when you think you know what’s going to happen, she throws a wrench in the form of, Kicks. Is he a red herring or another possible choice for Piper? (And personally, Duncan would have to do something extraordinary to make him deserve Piper in my eyes. )

We’ll all have to wait to find out, we’ll also have to wait to see if she reveals what killed most of the population on Death Day so we have all that and I’m sure more to look forward to in book 3, which can’t release soon enough. Fans of this author, of post-apocalyptic, fantasy reads, strong female protagonists and I’ll say it again, plot twists will stay up all night until they finish this novel.

About the author:
Donna Augustine is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Wilds, Karma and Ollie Wit. She enjoys writing new worlds, with unique twists and romance. She enjoys complicated characters who are rarely perfect and sidekicks that are quirky. Her writing is fueled by liberal amounts of coffee and chai lattes. When she's not writing, she's either reading, caring for homeless cats or trying her hand at a home improvement project, which doesn't always turn out so well.

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