Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: The Cost of Living
SERIES: In the Darkness #2
AUTHOR: Emilie Lucadamo
PUBLISHER: Ninestar Press
LENGTH: 171 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2019
BLURB:
Once people die, they’re not meant to wake up.
For college student Beck Murray, this doesn’t quite sink in until he’s sitting in a stranger’s apartment, reading his own obituary. He has no memory of how he died or how he happened to wake up—all Beck knows is that he’s been dead for six months, and now, incredibly, is not.
He assumes his biggest challenge will be explaining himself to his family and friends. This proves not to be the case as, one by one, Beck and his friends become the target of something evil. A darkness hangs over Beck, following every footstep he takes in his new life. He cannot fight it because he does not understand it. Soon, it becomes clear that Beck isn’t the only person who’s returned to life, and far from the only person in danger.
With the help of a young witch and a mysterious bookshop owner, Beck must learn to overcome the evil plaguing him before it drags him back down to the grave… and takes everyone he cares about with him.
REVIEW:
You definitely need to read book 1 first or it will be off to you. And after book 1, there is serious trouble brewing. At the end of book 1, there is a start in the story about Beck, and now we know what happened.
Beck woke up naked in an alley and hurting like you wouldn’t believe. Almost like a hangover, but worse and that what he thought has happened. Until Adam, who owns the bookstore from book 1, comes to his rescue. While Beck recovers, Adam is figuring out what happened to Beck and the results are shocking. Beck was literally dead months ago by a hit and run and now he is very much alive. His friends and roommates are shocked as hell, seeing as they had him cremated, but having him alive seems the better alternative. But how to tell everyone? Worse of all, out of this being brought back to life, Adam discovers Beck is a conduit or open door for demons to come through and possess other people. And that’s his cost for living. But now they have to figure out how to stop all this madness and before the war in hell takes over all.
Dude. Being dead and then being alive gain after 7 months? I would freak the hell out. Oh my gah. Seriously? Talk about your second chances. Beck’s not too crazy about figuring all this out either. He was fine and dandy, more or less, until Adam showed him the reason he can’t remember anything. His obituary. Yeah. I think that would do it for me too. And how DO you tell your friends and family? Surprise! Not dead after all. You might not be but they might from heart attacks. It’s crazy. And because of someone (book 1) stealing the resurrection spell now all this weird stuff is happening even worse and little by little more demons are showing up.
The good thing, I guess, out of all this, is Adam has been hiding from his lineage and powers for years. But because of a death and a promise, he’s stepping into his powers and becoming what he’s supposed to be. Powerful in magic.
And of course, let’s not forget the little cliffhanger at the end with Valac. Or Jack as we know him from book 1. Things are heating up and I wonder how hot it’s going to get in book 3.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
[…] For college student Beck Murray, this doesn’t quite sink in until he’s sitting in a stranger’s apartment, reading his own obituary. He has no memory of how he died or how he happened to wake up—all Beck knows is that he’s been dead for six months, and now, incredibly, is not. […]