A Kiss Before Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton

Series: Dru Jasper #2
290 p.
Publisher: Pyr
Published: 7/11/17
Source: From publisher for review

When sorcerers disappear off the streets of Denver, the only person to notice a pattern is Dru, proprietor of The Crystal Connection and newly-minted sorceress. Monstrous creatures are attacking and dragging off anyone with magical powers. Signs point to forbidden necromancy in the hands of someone trying to fulfill the prophecy of the apocalypse scroll. 

With the dead rising from the grave, Dru fears someone is picking up where the Harbingers left off half a century ago. Now more than ever, Dru needs half-demon Greyson and his infernal car, Hellbringer. Though Greyson is missing and presumed dead, Dru believes he’s alive—and trapped at the center of this evil.
Dru will need her friends—and her enemies—trusting in Rane’s strength, Opal’s wisdom, and her own crystal magic to infiltrate the mountainous fortress of a powerful sorcerer intent on bringing about doomsday. 

Because the moment the prophecy is fulfilled, legions of undead will rise to consume the souls of everyone on Earth…

My thoughts:

I reviewed the first one where I didn't know what to expect and found myself having some fun with it. I knew I'd probably feel the same way with this book, but things got in the way so I didn't get to this story until now. I'm so glad I did read it.

It has the same fun as the last one and I think surpasses it. I knew what to expect and the characters really grew on me this time. They all matured a bit but not too much (which is a good thing). Plus, with the awful cliffie of the last book, this one gives you all the answers and only an open ending for the next book. No real cliffies in this one! YaY! My only complaint is that Hellbringer, the car with an attitude, really didn't get a part in this one. He was there, he saved their collective behinds but it wasn't quite the same as the first. I missed that and it was my favorite part of the first book. Still, he is there and will be in the next one. So, I'm good. :)

I give this fun short book 4 stars. I recommend this series now since you get the answers you didn't get from the first book. Plus with these being very short (but not short on action) you could easily read them back to back. I do suggest reading these in order. I think those who like a fun PNR will enjoy this series.

🛣

Ward Against Death by Melanie Card

Description:

Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…

I'd have to say that most of this book revolved around the theme of light and dark. Good and evil. Even so, it did not make these distinctions wholly black and white. Some of it remained in the grey area and so did Ward. To me he was fully on the side of the light and stuck to what he believed. In other words he was who he said he was. Doesn't mean that his life was therefore without inner conflict, but he allowed his beliefs in what was right to guide him. He also wasn't rigid in these beliefs and so we saw a bit of growth in his character in the end. I really enjoyed Ward's character. I mean how could I not? His last name was de 'Ath (death) and although he was a gifted necromancer (unbeknownst to him); he rather be a surgeon which was illegal to do in this world. Loved his angst!

Now, I couldn't fully connect to Celia. I suspect in a way that was on purpose. She was a assassin, and a good one. She couldn't have come across as sympathetic to our senses or it wouldn't have rung true. I did enjoy her struggles in finding that there might be someone within the world that she may fully trust and fall in love. I also enjoyed her struggle with being dead. I know that sounded weird, but it was true. If she didn't struggle with it I would have hated her more. I will say this... In the end, I did like her and I wouldn't mind knowing more about her.

My biggest complaint was Solartti. I thought his roguish and mystery solving attitude so interesting. I was upset that he was only a small part of the book and would have loved to have gotten to know him more. I really want that book! :)

I find this book a very good start to a series and give it 3 stars. Oh, and you'll be happy to know there is no cliffie! Everything is solved by the end of the book. Well, almost everything. There is one thread missing, but it doesn't cause you total anxiety in not finding it out. You know you will eventually!
I received this book from the publisher and no compensation for my review was given.

Come back tomorrow for a author blog post and a giveaway!!