Tag Archives: Charley Davidson

Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Second Grave on the Left
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #2
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Grim reapers, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Urban fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Year: 2011

Thoughts

This book, like the first in this series is filled with laugh out loud goodness. Charley is ridiculously sassy and glorious – she might find herself in situation after situation, but she always handles it with plenty of humour and wit. I absolutely love how she careens from one moment of trouble to another, with no real clue how she’s gotten there. That, and every chapter starts with a sassy pun on her t-shirt that helps to set the tone of the chapter. Starting a chapter with a bit of a giggle, and continuing in that vein throughout the whole book? It was a wild and incredibly funny ride. One that I look forward to picking up in the next Charley Davidson novel.

The first book in this series introduces Charley, Cookie and the many people in her life, this novel then starts to investigate and highlight not only Charley’s relationship to Reyes, but their powers. And the ways that they are intertwined, and just generally all of the somewhat horrifying implications of what their presence on earth means to the world. I love that there is a bit of an apocalyptic threat and theme to this story – one that I’m sure will get worse and more developed as the tale unfolds. Reyes and Charley are a great couple and I love how they are the literal definition of opposites attract (son of hell, daughter of heaven).

Not only is this a fantastic book that unfolds more of the lore in the world of Charley Davidson, but it also has not one, not two, but three mysteries throughout. Charley doesn’t just have to figure out how to find Reyes, save his life and stop this moment of Armageddon. She also has to help Cookie find Mimi (and discover just what it is that has her hiding in the first place). And finally, the mystery of the ghost in the trunk and just how he ended up there. All of which would be great drivers to the story in and of themselves, but when all three are combined? It made for an incredibly difficult book to put down. I just had to turn one more page…

Alongside the development of the relationship between Charley and Reyes, there is a bit more of a reveal as to the state of Charley’s relationship with her family. And it was a seriously heartbreaking reveal. My heart broke for what Charley has had to deal with. But, there is a hint of reconciliation with her sister, one that I clung to in the hopes that this would mean she finally gets to have a healthier relationship with the people who are supposed to love her no matter what.

<- For I Have SinnedThird Grave Dead Ahead ->

Image source: Booktopia

For I Have Sinned by Darynda Jones

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
For I Have Sinned (Charley Davidson, #1.5) by Darynda Jones

Title: For I Have Sinned
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #1.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Grim reapers, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Dates read: 25th April 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martins Paperbacks
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Absolutely perfect.

Synopsis

Darynda Jones revisits the sexy, suspenseful world of supernatural shenanigans she created in her Grave series with For I Have Sinned. In this Charley Davidson story, Charley helps a woman find out how she died and gives her the closure she needs to pass through to the other side.

Thoughts

This is my second ever Charley Davidson story. And I had no idea what to expect from it. What I loved about this though was the fact that although it’s about Charley, it’s not written from her point of view. Rather, it’s written from the point of view of one of her “clients” – a dead woman.

Throughout this short story there is the constant question of what did the departed do? There are so many different moments of mystery. And it’s only a very short story. And, even if you kind of wonder if she’s done the wrong thing… there is this beautiful sense of mystery that surprised me. But also one that I seriously wanted.

Reyes still, of course, makes a dark and intriguing appearance. Which, of course makes me just want to read the next book in this series all that much more. There is a great, big mystery going on and I want to know what it is!!!

<- First Grave on the RightSecond Grave on the Left ->

Image source: Goodreads

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Book Review, , ,
Overview
First Grave on the Right | Darynda Jones | Macmillan

Title: First Grave on the Right
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Grim reapers, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Dates read: 23rd – 25th April 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: St. Martins Paperbacks
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: After a meaningful stare-down, I pointed to the exit.

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Synopsis

With scorching-hot tension and high-octane humor, First Grave on the Right is your signpost to paranormal suspense of the highest order.

This whole grim reaper thing should have come with a manual.
Or a diagram of some kind.
A flowchart would have been nice.

Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper. Meaning, she sees dead people. Really. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light”. But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (like murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an entity who has been following her all her life… and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. But what does he want with Charley? And why can’t she seem to resist him? And what does she have to lose by giving in?

Thoughts

I had a challenge that said I had to read a book by Darynda Jones. I knew nothing more of the woman, but I was intrigued. And now, admittedly. I’m kind of a little obsessed. This was an amazingly fun book to read and I’m seriously disappointed that I now have to wait for the post to catch up and the next book to arrive at my doorstep… so very, very disappointed.

I’ve got a few stories on my shelves that feature women / witches who can see ghosts. I may even have one (that I haven’t really read yet) that features the woman as the grim reaper. But none like this. The grim reaper in this is sassy, unique and completely unique. She’s also a little unhinged. Which is probably why I loved her so much. After all, I’m slightly unhinged, and I don’t converse with ghosts on a regular basis.

Although I love the ghosts in this story, the grim reaper aspect to it, what I really love is that Charley is constantly trying to help. That no matter what is going on, she’s fighting to help others and make a better life for anyone who needs it. The fact that she does this in a myriad of ways that generally end up with her being beaten and bruised (sometimes because of others, often because she’s just not all that lucky) worked really well for me. Every time I get in the shower I tend to have a fresh bruise, so it was nice to read about someone who is WAY more accident prone than I am.

The intricate webs of this storyline made me incredibly happy. Mostly because instead of one main storyline, there were several. All of which drew me in and had me wondering in a somewhat perplexed manner just what was going to happen next. Normally I would have the potential of guessing the answer… but with so much going on, I found it almost impossible to figure out. Which is, honestly, something that I thoroughly enjoy. Now I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next novel!

<- More Darynda JonesFor I Have Sinned ->

Image source: Macmillan Publishers