BOOK REVIEW: THE TROUBLE WITH TWELFTH GRAVE by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 12 - PIATKUS - URBAN FANTASY

By: Darynda Jones
Published By: Piatkus
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from the library, 289 Pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones' New York Times bestselling paranormal series, The Trouble with Twelfth Grave.

Ever since Reyes Farrow escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley Davidson accidentally trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that's not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she's not uncovering a murder. This time she's covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican's inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it's time to let loose her razor-sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she's loved for centuries. So the question becomes: Can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she's worked so hard to protect?



BOOK REVIEW:

I do love a good Charley Davidson tale that comes with all the crazy shenanigans and side stories to solve, that ultimately weave back around to cross over the finish line = ending of each book.

I-see-dead-people-Charley, Reyes, Cookie, Ubie… the list goes on of main and sub characters that will inevitably make you snort and giggle in your snuggly reading space.

One book after this one and I feel like there is space for things Darynda has to reveal with Charley and this mega thing she is and…and…and…

Like WOW!

My head is spinning.

Okay, so I did love this installment—how could I not?

I figure I’m a relatively smart person, but I gotta say, I am a little *blinks rapidly* about the Reyes side of this story. I totally get what Darynda was doing with Reyes and his God self, but erm…*whispers* I kinda got a bit *cocks head on the side like a puppy* when it came to the why.

OOO yes. The why. The reason. The big reveal.

It may be a case of it’s me and not you, but…*scratches head* I might need a Dummies 101 explanation from Reyes what he was up to this installment from his perspective. I got what he told Charley, I watched what he did throughout the pages…but the ultimate reason, I kinda get, but me being me, wants more detail for that reason. It felt a little unresolved the answer, considering what Charley’s hubby got up to. I might be thinking too hard about it.

*rubs chin with an eyebrow raised*

Putting that aside, I read this series because I LOVE Charley and crew and I want to laugh and I do. I love Reyes like every other reader and he just bakes my cake for me.

Darynda has to have a spin-off planned…surely. 

Beep and ...

I mean she can’t leave us with nothing after book 13.

I mean she simply can’t.

Well, she could, but I think there must be more coming.

Fingers crossed.

BOOK REVIEW - ELEVENTH GRAVE IN MOONLIGHT by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 11 - URBAN FANTASY - PIATKUS

By: Darynda Jones
Published By: Piatkus
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 320 Pages

RATING: 5 SEXY REYES STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

A typical day in the life of Charley Davidson involves cheating husbands, missing people, errant wives, philandering business owners, and oh yeah...demons, hell hounds, evil gods, and dead people. Lots and lots of dead people.

As a part time Private Investigator and full-time Grim Reaper, Charley has to balance the good, the bad, the undead, and those who want her dead. In this eleventh installment, Charley is learning to make peace with the fact that she is a goddess with all kinds of power and that her own daughter has been born to save the world from total destruction. 

But the forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension. With the son of Satan himself as her husband and world-rocking lover, maybe Charley can find a way to have her happily ever after after all.



BOOK REVIEW :

I think this was one of the best Charley’s for me in a while. I simply adored this installment.

There was a lot going on.

Lots of side stories.

Reyes...

*draw drops*

The sexual encounters he had with Charley were so creative and different and visually…whahhh.

He locked his intense gaze with mine. “Wet your fingers.”

I lifted a hand to my mouth.

“Not there.”

Surprised, I reached between my…

“Farther.”

I pushed them deeper, the sensation swirling in the pit of my stomach.

His breaths grew labored as well. “Rub your…”

I did. The hunger I saw on his face more erotic than my own touch.

“Made a mess?” I asked.

He nodded.

I reached across and caressed his crotch. Felt the warmth. Moistened my panties even more.

“Yeah, I should probably change, too.”

The emotion I felt for Charley and Reyes because they can’t have their bubba in their arms—there was a scene—I felt it.

Deep.

I love Osh. He is kinda hilarious in this installment— for a slave demon.

Ubie and Cookie…always wonderful their interaction.

Hints for bigger things in storyline appear.

Seeds are sprinkled like hundreds and thousands.

Love the Angels hanging about on every corner…and of course Angel, himself.

There was so much for me to love about this installment. We moved forward. We learned things.

Charley still is helping dead people crossover…even that cute little…

I like how Darynda shows us real emotion when it comes to a mother not being able to be in contact with her baby. I want more of that as it is real and true and very much a part of Charley’s current journey and Reyes’.

I want to see Reyes with Beep, even if Charley can’t be near her. Reyes the son of Satan and his baby…yeah. I want to see more of that.

I don’t think there was hardly a page without Charley being switched on with all that wit that simply seems to pour out of her mouth when she opens it. She can make anything Charleyized.

I simply love watching Reyes. I'm a Reyes-stalker.

Yep. We’d turned the corner of the building, heading toward the parking lot, when I spotted Mr. Reyes Farrow standing next to his stunning ’70 Plymouth ‘Cuda. Classic. Dark. And all muscle. The car was hot, too.

Reyes, playing teacher was brilliant. I loved how that all played out. I loved watching Charley get it at the same time we, the reader starts to get who Charley really is and what she is really capable of, in small doses. There was no manual for her to read up on and finally she is getting some guidance.

Watching her shift in her human vs who she really is mind set.

There is lovable Charley, witty Charley, I-must-name-everything-Charley…and then…there is the storm inside that can do things that human-Charley is just beginning to understand.

Even though grain of sand and all.

Bring on The Trouble With Twelfth Grave.

BOOK REVIEW - THE CURSE OF THE TENTH GRAVE by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 10 - PIATKUS - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Darynda Jones
Published By: Piatkus
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 342 Pages

RATING: 5 REYES with a side order of OSH and GARRET STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

As a Part-time PI and full-time grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life: Why can I see dead people? Who is the hot supernatural entity following me? How do I get gum out of my sister’s hair before she wakes up? But, “How do I trap not one malevolent god, but three?” was never among them. Until now. And since those gods are on earth to kill her daughter, she has little choice but to track them down, trap them, and cast them from this dimension.

There’s just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers?

Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who’s been charged with murder, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying-gods thing, we’re saved. If not, well…



BOOK REVIEW:

I always have time in my MASSIVE tbr pile for a Charley Davidson installment. Everybody should make time to read about Charley and her friend Cookie and one of the most sexiest non-human-men named Reyes. If you are lucky enough to have read this installment, then you might find out his real name.

I absolutely adored Reyes in this installment. Damn fine son-of-Satan man, who loveth Charley.

Darynda just gets that readers want a sexy man, who can also be bad and sexy...and I mean reeeeal bad, throw in a lot of one liners that make you laugh and a good who-dunnit to solve.

Bring on Charley and her adventures.

Loved the wee little twist that hurled itself at us in this installment.

Once that last page was finished I was truly left begging for more because the latter part of this installment really got cooking with some new information and whahhhh did we get some new shiz to ponder over.

Not just a PI/Grim Reaper and her sidekick solving crime and who-dunnits with a delicious serving of Reyes.

As always I love the chapter humor.

As always I love Charley’s humor.



We stood like that for a moment. Me with the hugging. Rocket with the accosting. At least he didn’t motorboat me. I didn’t know how Danger and Will ( Charley’s boobies ) would take to being manhandled in such a way.

Who was I kidding? They’d love it.

Charley is so kind to all the odd characters in her life, especially Rocket. I love it when he pops up.

Charley is always doing the best with what she has to work with.

Figured. I was always breaking some celestial being’s rules. They could bite my ass. Every last one of them. I was doing the best I could with what they gave me. If they wanted me to do better, they should have graced me with the Girl’s Guide to Grim Reaperism. Instead, I somehow ended up with Harry Potter’s map, where I had to solemnly swear I was up to no good before it would show me anything. And I couldn’t lie about it, so I had to constantly be up to no good. It was exhausting.

Another fun, sexy, PI solving installment with a dash of new things to come.

The US cover with the champagne flutes. I'll let you find out what that is all about. You may need a fan.

Personally I am so intrigued and ready for a possible spin-off??? Don’t quote me because I don’t know shiz, with Osh and Beep or a continuation of this series with baby Beep no longer a little beep.

Oh how the mind wonders about how daddy Reyes will handle that!



Bring on the 11th book ASAP.

BOOK REVIEW - THE DIRT ON NINTH GRAVE by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 9 - PARANORMAL ROMANCE - PIATKUS

By: Darynda Jones

Published By: Piatkus, St Martin's Press

Released : Available Now so get your Charley Davidson on.

Details: Paperback from library ( I'm a gonna get this series for my shelf ) 326 Pages

RATING: 5 FARK-I-LOVE-THIS-SERIES STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

In a small village in New York lives Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her—even from her new and trusted friends—the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I absolutely adore this series.

Funny.

Sexy...erm that would be Reyes.

Witty...mainly Charley and her dialogue, throw in some Angel, Swopes, Cookie, Bobert ( no that is not a mispelling) ...

If you haven’t picked up a Charley Davidson book...dudes, so missing out.

You are simply in for a good time, with a little feels thrown in on the side, and of course Reyes. 

A sexy time will be had when Reyes enters the pages. You will get all gooey eyed for him. You will wish you were Charley. 

Or is that just me?

Darynda is out to make you laugh.

She will throw in the odd twist.

Ghosts. Always I-see-dead-people.

Ghost animals.

More witty dialogue.

Awesome chapter T-shirt quotes.

More sexy Reyes...but he can also rip your spine from your body, so tread carefully.

Love, loss and all things Charley brings to the table makes this a brilliant series to grab yourself a wine and just let Charley roll at her pace. I really should see what it's like reading and wining this series, sober it is hilarious.

Imagine with wine.

Another installment where Darynda just throws in that twist when I’m not paying attention and gets me all nawwwww.

I tell you what give me fifteen minutes with Reyes any day, as long as he didn’t want to do his dark and scary killing thing.

Just keep on writing 'em Darynda and I will keep on reading 'em.

There were quotes a plenty, like I always pluck out of a CD book, but I was reading so intently I forgot to page note them.

Trust me the book is filled with them.

I Recommend.

Nuff said.

Get your Charley Davidson on people.

Michelle

Coming June 28th

BOOK REVIEW - EIGHT GRAVE AFTER DARK by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 8 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE - PIATKUS

By: Darynda Jones

Published By: Piatkus

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 293 Pages

RATING: 5 HELL RAISER STARS ( PUN INTENDED) 

Blurb: Goodreads

With twelve hellhounds after her, pregnant Charley Davidson takes refuge at the only place she thinks they can’t get to her: the grounds of an abandoned convent. But after months of being cooped up there, Charley is ready to pop. Both metaphorically and literally since she is now roughly the size of a beached whale. Fortunately, a new case has captured her attention, one that involves a murder on the very grounds the team has taken shelter upon. A decades-old murder of the newly-vowed nun she keeps seeing in the shadows is almost enough to pull her out of her doldrums.

Charley’s been forbidden to step foot off the sacred grounds. While the angry hellhounds can’t traverse the consecrated soil, they can lurk just beyond its borders. They have the entire team on edge, especially Reyes. And if Charley didn’t know better, she would swear Reyes is getting sick. He grows hotter with every moment that passes, his heat scorching across her skin every time he’s near, but naturally he swears he’s fine.

While the team searches for clues on the Twelve, Charley just wants answers and is powerless to get them. But the mass of friends they’ve accrued helps. They convince her even more that everyone in her recent life has somehow been drawn to her, as though they were a part of a bigger picture all along. But the good feelings don’t last for long because Charley is about to get the surprise of her crazy, mixed-up, supernatural life….


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Oh MMmmMYyyyy!!

I think this is the BEST book in the series to date for me, personally.

I am so used to laughing at Charley, but this time I got me a cry in.

                              

Dang it! I never get a cry from a Charley Davidson book.

I was so excited when some old friends popped in to say hi. Oh how I adore these old friends. 

I am so freakin’ excited for The Dirt On Ninth Grave because Eight Grave story line has me grabby grabby for it.

Holy Donkey Kong!

Reyes was beyond sexy in this instalment, lordy one scene...how it was written. I was literally on fire. Pardon the pun.

It is so fun inner monologuing with Charley as she tells us all about her thoughts on things and Reyes and things.

I am steering away from story line because I don’t want to spoil. I read this one so quickly because the pages were turning all by themselves.

We learn things.

Lots of things.

That is all I am gonna say.

And cool twists.

Oh and the hunch I had on something in Seventh Grave...well, my hunch was right. Oh my mind wonders how all the things are gonna play out especially with...

I could have gone beep beep beep there, but that really would have been a bad pun.

Giddy up!

Like freakin’ GIDDY. UP!

Bring on The Dirt On Ninth Grave.

Seriously! I’m getting old here people.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - SEVENTH GRAVE AND NO BODY by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 7 - PARANORMAL ROMANCE - PIATKUS - ST. MARTINS PRESS

By: Darynda Jones

Published By : Piatkus, St. Martin's Press

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 322 Pages

RATING: 4.5 SHENANIGAN STARS!

Blueb: Goodreads

Twelve. Twelve of the deadliest beasts ever forged in the fires of hell have escaped onto our plane, and they want nothing more than to rip out the jugular of Charley Davidson and serve her lifeless, mangled body to Satan for dinner. So there’s that. But Charley has more on her plate than a mob of testy hellhounds. For one thing, her father has disappeared, and the more she retraces his last steps, the more she learns he was conducting an investigation of his own, one that has Charley questioning everything she’s ever known about him. Add to that an ex-BFF who is haunting her night and day, a rash of suicides that has authorities baffled, and a drop-dead sexy fiancé who has attracted the attentions of a local celebrity, and Charley is not having the best week of her life.

A tad north of hell, a hop, skip, and a jump past the realm of eternity, is a little place called Earth, and Charley Davidson, grim reaper extraordinaire, is determined to do everything in her power to protect it.

We’re doomed.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Things are starting to move along with Charley and her powers.

Shiz is going down with hellhounds and Beep is cooking in the oven nicely.

Reyes is forever smexy and one must fan themselves with a particularly hot scene.

Charley as always pretty much does not shut up the whole book. LOL! She is a scream to listen to and total verbal diarrhoea and I love her for it. She can inner monologue about anything.


In fact, if I were totally honest, that scowl only added to the allure that was Reyes Farrow. Damn it. When I scowled, I looked constipated. Leave it to the son of Satan to turn a scowl into the stuff of fantasies.

There is an interesting twist and Ubie has his own problems.

Throw in a bit of a psycho stalker and you have another Charley Davidson instalment.

I really can’t wait to see Reyes as a daddy.

Oh and Osh, he knows how to wear a top hat.

Highly recommend. What are you waiting for? Dive on in and get yourself some laughter and shenanigans that abound no matter what Charley does.

Nothing about her environment would be safe. I caused more trouble than gonorrhoea.


Oh and Mr Wong...there is a hint about Mr Wong...but only a hint...then we get nothing. I really am intrigued about Mr Wong.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - SIXTH GRAVE ON THE EDGE by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 6 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE - ST MARTIN'S PRESS - PIATKUS

By: Darynda Jones

Published By : Piatkus, St Martin's Press

Released : Available Now

Details : Paperback From Library, 326 Pages

RATING: 4.5 CHARLEY STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Charley Davidson—part-time P.I. and full-time Grim Reaper—is back in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author

Sometimes I wrestle my demons. Sometimes we just snuggle.—bumper sticker

Most girls might think twice before getting engaged to someone like Reyes Farrow—but Charley Davidson is not most girls. She’s a paranormal private eye and grim reaper-in-training who’s known to be a bit of a hell-raiser, especially after a few shots of caffeine. Her beloved Reyes may be the only begotten son of evil, but he’s dark and sultry and deeply sexy and everything Charley could hope for. Really. But when the FBI file on Reyes’s childhood happens to land in her lap, she can’t help herself: She opens it...and then the real fun begins. First, Charley finds a naked corpse riding shotgun in her car. Then, a man loses his soul in a card game. Throw in a Deaf boy who sees dead people, a woman running from mobsters, and a very suspicious Reyes, and things can’t get any worse for Charley. Unless, of course, the Twelve Beasts of Hell are unleashed...


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Reading another installment in the much loved Charley Davidson series, is like coming home to your favorite bed and frolicking about in it and all the good times that happen in that bed.

Hmmm, not sure if that metaphor worked?

Those that have read this series will understand that a character like Charley Davidson is one we really feel like we know and love. She has a BIG heart, she doesn’t fit the bill of your average story telling Grim Reaper.

Cookie is always there for her friend whether it be as her personal assistant, so to speak, her best friend or the person she bounces her banter off.

I always look forward to my Cookie moments.

Reyes. He is just the cream and ...err...nuts on the chocolate cake. Charley is one special lady to get this man aka son of Satan in her life. The guy is just sexy to the max and knows how to handle Charley.

They handle each other very well.

“Yeah, but you’re a big fat liar. You don’t count. I mean, look at your dad. Pathalogical liar numero uno. Lying is in your genes.”

He leaned forward. “There’s only one thing in my jeans right now.”


Cookie wants some of that!


Cookie sighed. “That’s what I want, damn it.” She pointed to us and questioned Garrett. “Is that asking too much?”

Garrett looked horrified by the thought.



In this installment, I had a hilarious good time.

Did I learn anymore about the whole good guy vs BIG BAD GUY?

A little. 

Did Charley learn more about herself and her capabilities.

A little more than a little.
This installment was more the regulation PI cases, Ubie needing a swift kick up the bum when it came to Cookie.

How the tables turn.

Much female ogling of one Reyes.

Ghosts be appearing.

Captain Eckert be on Charley’s case.



The man held out a hand and I looked up to thank him, only to come face-to-face with Captain Eckert. He’d followed me. Had he been in the same car? I never saw him. He was wearing a tan jacket and knit cap, clearly a master of disguise. Then again, I did have a girl stuck to my face on the ride up.



Swopes...*sigh*... I do love me some Swopes.

“Now, now,” Garrett said, wrestling the gun from him. “Charley brings out the worst in all of us. It’s not her fault.”


I leaned toward him and whispered, “Why were we holding bands downstairs, playing star-crossed lovers, if I have to go in here alone?”

The grin that spread across his face was so full of mischief, I almost laughed.

“You are a dirty, rotten scoundrel,” I said, teasing him.

He winked as I straightened my shoulders, then really knocked.



A new character comes into the mix.

“You know, between Reye’s cryptic answers, that Cleo guy’s ambiguous prophecies that Swopes is looking into, and your mysterious quips, I’ve had about enough of the lot of you. Can you just give me one straight answer?”

“I’ll give it my best shot.”

Intrigued. Much.

Prophecies are trying to be understood.

Angel has been doing some embellishing.

Mr WONG! I love me some Mr. Wong, even if he doesn’t do anything. But, new things have come to light with Mr. Wong.

I’m intrigued.

“I’m just asking him about Mr. Wong. No one seems to know anything about him except he has a power or a force around him.”

Aaaaannnd then at the end of all of that...we get some WHAHHHHH information.

Bring on, Seventh Grave and No Body.

‘Cause, the ending to this installment is simply begging for me to get my hands on # 7!

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - GLOW by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 5.6 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Darynda Jones

Published By: Darynda Jones

Released : Available Now

Details : 10 pages, online

RATING: 4.5 INNER MONOLOGUE STARS!

Blurb : Goodreads

Glow is the sultry short story, Shimmer, as told through the eyes of Reyes Farrow.

It is available on the author's website for free:http://www.daryndajones.com/glow-by-d...

From a timeline perspective, it follows after book 5.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I am glad I read this # 5.6 short story from Reyes Farrow's pov. I learnt some things. 

I enjoyed this insight, even though a lot was the same as Shimmer as it is the same short story but told from his pov.

I really enjoyed his inner monologue. I would love to be in his head more often.

The man has secrets.

He has secrets about Charley.

A great mini read I would recommend taking the time out to read as it just added a little something more to what I already knew about this series.

I could quite easily have a book with Reyes at the helm. Charley could still be doing all her banter, but how exciting to hear Reyes' inner monologue.

Now I sit and wait for # 7 .

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - SHIMMER by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 5.5 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Darynda Jones
Published By: Darynda Jones
Released : Available Now
Details :   http://www.daryndajones.com/shimmer-a-charley-davidson-short-story/

RATING: 4.5 SMEXI TEASE STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Shimmer is a Charley Davidson Christmas Short Story. For more, the author released Glow, which is the same story but through they eyes of Reyes Farrow.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

This little tease was a fun, sexy and very much Reyes and Charley banter, of a read.

Charley thinks she can trick Reyes by getting herself a hobby.

Reyes’ response is rather hilarious, but then the room heats up with some... * waggles eyebrows *

A cute, fun, sexy little tease from Ms Darynda.

Very much worth the read.

It’s not long enough to be called a novella, it simply is a little gift for her readers to read.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - DEATH, DOOM, AND DETENTION by DARYNDA JONES - DARKLIGHT # 2 - ST MARTIN'S GRIFFIN - YA PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Darynda Jones

Published By: St Martin's Griffin

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 306 Pages

RATING: 4.25 JARED STARS!!

Blurb: Goodreads

The normal part of Lorelei MacAlister’s life didn’t just slip away quietly the day Jared Kovach came to town. Nope. The normal part of her life shattered. It exploded. It burst into a gazillion shards of fleeting light.

It went out with a bang.

Goodbye normal.

Hello dark and eerie.

While her best friend, Brooklyn, is focusing all of her energy on helping Lorelei hone her abilities, Lorelei is dealing with the reality that Satan’s second in command has taken up residence inside her body. Oh, and the fact that she has a crush on the Angel of Death. But what a beautiful death it is. If those weren’t bad enough, something sinister has come to town and it wants nothing more than to hear Lorelei’s dying breath as it strangles it out of her. Thank goodness the gang has a supernatural champion. But what happens when the only being who can save them switches sides midstream? How can a group of misfits capture one of the most powerful beings ever created? And will they find out how to bring Jared back to them before it’s too late?


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I am a MEGA HUGE fan of Darynda Jones. LOVE with a PASSION her Charley Davidson series.

Dudes, I just want to live in her world.

Ok, now for the Darklight YA Paranormal series of Darynda’s. I really loved Death and the Girl Next Door, Darklight # 1.

I enjoyed getting to know this trio of friends, Lorelei, Brooklyn and Glitch with the handsome protectors, Cameron a Nephilim and Jared aka Azrael, who is The Angel of Death.

Death, Doom, and Detention got off to a slower start for me. I think around half way mark I was really flipping the pages.

Shiz was going down!

Lorelei is giving Grandma and Grandpa the cold shoulder. She is slightly pissy with them over their secrets and her being out of the loop and their attitude towards Jared.

“He’s the Angel of Death,” my grandmother would say. “The most powerful angel in the heavens.”

Then my grandfather would join in. “He’s not a teenaged boy, despite his appearance, pix. He’s dangerous beyond your wildest imaginings.”


Lorelei has to put up with Lucifer’s second-in-command inside her, a demon, Malak-Tuke, but her friends stand by her. Never waivering with their loyalty.

“More than finding out I was possessed by Lucifer’s second-in-command and he’s still inside me?”

She lifted a shoulder. “It sounds so bad when you put it that way.”

“And more than finding out my grandparents sabotaged the only real relationship I’ve ever had with a guy who could double as a supermodel slash international spy? More than that?”

“Well,” she said, looking away, “yeah. More than that.”


Jared has gone MIA and Cameron is stuck like glue to Lorelei, after all she is the Prophet, here to save the world from impending doom from evil that is closer than she thinks.

Kids are starting to act odd at school, Glitch has an admirer, he is just a bit slow on the uptake and Jared when he finally makes an appearance, isn’t kissing Lorelei. But who is he kissing?

Lorelei is having visions, working out this power of hers for good, and trying to figure out how a sixteen year old kid can actually save the world.

AND!! There is still that hinting going on about something that happened at Boy Scout Camp between Cameron and Glitch.

Intrigued. Much.

At the mention of Boy Scouts, Glitch hardened. His eyes glittered with anger as Cameron let a malicious grin slide across his face.

Glitch is a cutie pie who tries hard to be more in Brookes eyes.

Before he could answer, Glitch burst through the door. I jumped a solid foot. “I’m here,” he said, panting as though he’d just run with the bulls. he put his hands on his knees and swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. “I made it,” he said between gasps for air. “I’m good. What’s going on?”



Villains of the story want Lorelei the prophet dead. They know how to coerce and kill.

I did have to have a chuckle, because when said villain/s got near Lorelei they liked to have a full blown conversation and prance about, toying with Lorelei, yet they had rare chances to nab her and do away with her.

DUDES! Stop yabbering and do it if you are gonna do it. Hehehee! Seriously, by the time said villain/s finished giving a speech, the supermodels of the story were there in all their handsome glory to save the day.

“I’m not one of you.” Cameron raked a cold gaze over him. “You’re a copy of a copy of a copy.” He threw back his shoulders. “I’m the real deal, bitch.”


See, when you are the real deal, you aren’t inept. Villains who don’t give speeches until help arrives are hard to find.

Some great little twists that I enjoyed and brought more to light.

A classic comment from Lorelei.

“I had a few things on my plate. You can’t expect me to remember every little death threat.”

This was a fun and intriguing installment in the Darklight series, a group of friends who don’t run from Lorelei and what follows her, they embrace her, even if she does have a demon tagging along for the ride and demons want to knock her off.

I’m looking forward to reading, Death and The Girl He Loves up next.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - FIFTH GRAVE PAST THE LIGHT by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 5 - PIATKUS - ADULT URBAN FANTASY - 5 STARS - BOOYAHH!

By: Darynda Jones
Published By: Piatkus
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 339 Pages

RATING: 5 WELL, CHECK OUT THAT ENDING!!!

Blurb: Goodreads

The fifth in this fun and sexy New York Times bestselling paranormal series...

Charley Davidson may not look like your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper, but she has vowed to reap grimness wherever she goes despite this unfortunate fact. Sadly, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. As he is the main suspect in her arson case, she has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth.

However, when dead women start appearing in her apartment—lost, confused and terrified beyond reason—Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes' help, especially when it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer's next target. With his ability to observe incorporeally, surely he can find out who's responsible. And even if he can't, he is the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who orwhat came at her. But he wants something in return: Charley. All of her—body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she might be willing to pay...


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Miss Darynda’s writing is like a happy place balm of humor and wit that washes over me when I read a Charley Davidson book. I laugh, I get those silly bursts/ snorts of giggles when Charley starts inner monologuing and also outer monologuing which would probably equal dialoguing.


“I have depth. I’ve read Proust. No. Wait, that was Pooh. Winnie-the-Pooh. My bad.”

Only Miss D could use a GPS voice system to her advantage. Oh, did I almost pee myself laughing at Ozzy.

BAhahahahaaaa!

I got to say this installment certainly had its usual pounds worth of humor and wit, but, all is not humor, she does throw in the serious stuff too. Some of the cases Charley is working on aren’t pretty and are tragic.

Miss D gave us some multitasking for Charley and brought in Captain Eckert. I mean you can only go so long solving multitudes of cases before somebody’s ears prick up and want to know more. Want to know how and why. I quite like Captain E.

“Yeah, but now he’s getting curious. He’s digging. I totally shouldn’t have solved a murder, missing child, bank robber, and a serial killer case all in one day. It drew too much attention.


I love it when Swopes comes back into the Charley party. She has such fun with him.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked.

“To my pleasure, duh. I get all kinds of joy annoying the ever-loving crap out of you.”

“I meant, what’s going on? Is the world ending? Is a mass murderer stalking you? Are you trying to stay up for days at a time to avoid alone time with your evil neighbour?”


Swopes, you stun me! I was like WT! You are one brave man. He also helps shed some light on something.

What? I thought that pun was quite well used.

Garrett Swopes was a lot like a hot gay friend only he wasn’t gay, which was too bad because then I could tell him how hot he was without him getting the wrong idea. He had smooth moch-colored skin that made the silvery gray of his eyes even more arresting. And again he had abs to die for as evidenced not by his lack of a shirt but his negligence in buttoning said shirt.

I drank in a hearty swig of Garrett-abs before addressing him. “How’s it hanging, Swopes?” I asked, ducking past him.


Darynda gave me more direction in this book to where this whole Reyes, Son of Satan and Charley, you-got-more-powers-than-you-know-what-to-do-with. No seriously, she has no idea of her capabilities. I think before this installment in the series, we were happily immersed in humor, good fun, cases to be solved, Reyes popped in and out splicing and lusting. Not necessarily in that order.
Ubie was getting a helping hand from his niece and being the one to understand her.

“Unle Blob,” I said, fighting my tongue’s refusal to work right.

“I know you’re upset, Charley, but that’s no reason to call me names.”

“No, lou lon lullerland.” What the hell did I just say?

It sounded like You don’t understand when I thought it in my head.


Cookie and Charley continue to show us what a great friendship they have. I could listen to those two verbal sparring all day. But, I don’t think we were getting a lot of headway with where the series was going.

Whahhh! Holy mac and cheese, we get a rather large helping of moving forward in this book. In more ways than one.

Charley and Reyes aren’t just doing the verbal tango.

“Have you ever boxed?”

“Took some lessons. Didn’t want to be anybody’s bitch in detention.” He didn’t look convinced, so I explained. “I went to a rough high school. Our mascot was a hit man named Vinnie.”

“I thought you went to La Cueva.”

“I did. I went to a subdivision of La Cueva called La Bettawatch-yaass, Girlfriend. “


“No, your other boyfriend.”

I thought a moment. “Donovan, my biker dude?” I did miss him. Too bad so many of my boyfriends ended up in Mexico, running from the law. That could be a sign of something.

“No, your other -- Fuck, how many boyfriends do you have?”

We also get down and dirty with those two lustful characters.

“Hey, wait,” I said, pulling back, “you are the son of Satan. Maybe we need a safe word.”

His grin morphed into something wickedly charming. “Okay, how about, ‘Oh, my god, it’s so big’.”

Laughter burst out of me before I could stop it. Not that it wasn’t. “That would be a safe phrase, but okay.”I thought about it, then said, “How about ‘Is that all you’ve got?’”



“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to perform an exam.”

“An exam?” I laughed as he carried me to a small area he’d set aside for a dining room table and laid me across it. A startled gasp escaped me when my back touched the cold wood. “Oh, my god,” I said with a shiver.



“You’re under arrest, mister.”

His mouth tilted and a dimple emerged on one cheek as I took his wrist and threw him against a wall. Or, well, urged him toward it. I held him against the cool wood with one hand and frisked him with the other. Slowly. Deliberately caressing parts of him I had no right to caress in public. I ran my hand over his buttocks, caressed first one pocket, then the other. Then slid my hand under the apron and did the same to the front pockets. he tensed when my fingers brushed across his crotch. Feeling the heat surrounding him magnify, I ran my palms down his thighs, front and back, then up over his stomach and ribs. I had no idea frisking could be so fun.


All our faves pop in and out and do their thing. Angel is a fave of mine and so is Quentin.

Oh dear lord did I laugh out loud at Amber’s sign language err... technique/faux pas. 

Cookie’s face would flame, if she knew. I nearly dropped my book.

HA!

Speaking of Cookie, I am so glad she got some lessons in side arms, because I really think she needed some protection when hanging about with Charley. Wit alone will not save her from a baddie.

Hold the phones. Maybe Satan had ADD , too. It would explain a lot.


It feels like Miss D is setting us up with quite a few seeds that may eventually get sown?

Mr Wong! I am beginning to think you are a super undercover ... well in the corner spy, for the dark side, or a side of sorts.

Is this possible?

Just when I was thinking to myself, gee Charley has gotten through rather unscathed ... then ...

WTH!

Most noticeably for me was the absence of that biker gang The Bandits. Now I know Miss Darynda sent them away in Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet.
It had to be done.

But , after a rather smexi WT! moment with Charley and Donovan , I can only assume and totally am making this up in my head, with no factual basis for it what-so-ever, that Miss D is going to give me a spinoff.

Because we are besties, not that we have ever met or know each other, but if we were besties and I had asked her to do this for me she would. Maybe?

Or not?

See, I totally made that up, but I dare to dream. I mean, you can’t just send those handsome lads away, never to be heard from again?

Could you?

Really?

NooOOoo! I stamp my foot on the ground, hands on hips.

This is a quote from Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet from Donovan.

“I’ll let you know where we are when we get there,” he said, not waiting for an answer from me. “You’ll always be welcome.”

“Right,” I scoffed, not believing him for a minute. “You’ll find some Mexican beauty who makes you want to get married and have pequenos banditos for the first time in your life, and you’ll forget all about me.”

The sadness that washed over him spilled out onto me. “Not likely, love.” He ran his thumb over my bottom lip, then covered it with his own, taking it between his teeth and suckling before pressing his mouth to mine.

See, he can’t forget Charley. There’s got to be something in the wind.

*sniff, sniff*

That’s me checking the wind.

Miss D has me laughing, again, at her chapter titles. She just doesn’t understand the words less is more and I love it. The more wit , the better, I say.

I’m a virgin.

But this is an old shirt.

So , that brings me to the end of another Charley Davidson installment, and I am a little sad, well, not because of that ending, but because I have no more to read.

I cannot recommend this series enough. Pick it up and try it on for size. I am sure it will fit. Miss D will give you a really good time, trust me! 

Her books are the best laugh medicine. 

And... shiz just got real intriguing.

Michelle

BLOG TOUR - GIVEAWAY & EXCERPT - FIFTH GRAVE PAST THE LIGHT by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 5 - PIATKUS

Today on Novels On The Run I have my stop on the Fifth Grave Past The Light Blog Tour. Check out the excerpt and giveaway. I LOVE this series with a passion. If you are ever in need of reading a series that will make you laugh, this is the series, Charley Davidson ROCKS! You can check out all my reviews in the left side bar. I love the book titles, I love all the characters and I love the fun chapter titles. Reyes is smexi as all hell, no pun intended and the Bandits Biker gang trio are coming in a close second. Humma, Humma. I can't recommend this series highly enough as it is simply a blast to read, yet has its more serious issues within it. I will be very sad the day I don't have a Charley Davidson book to look forward to.

Michelle

SYNOPSIS:

Never underestimate the power of a woman

on a double espresso with a mocha latte chaser high.

—T-shirt

Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper. She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinaire. However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case. Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason. When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’ help. Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay.

Charley Davidson is at it again in Fifth Grave Past the Light, the sexy, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling series by Darynda Jones.

EXCERPT

Ask me about life after death. 

—T-shirt often seen on Charley Davidson, 

a grim reaper with questionable morals 

The dead guy at the end of the bar kept trying to buy me a drink.
Which figured. No one else was even taking a second look and I’d
dressed to the nines. Or, at the very least, the eight- and- a-halves.
But the truly disturbing part of my evening was the fact that my
mark, one Mr. Marvin Tidwell, blond real estate broker and suspected adulterer, actually turned down the drink I’d tried to buy
him.

Turned it down!

I felt violated.

I sat at the bar, sipping a margarita, lamenting the sad turn my life
had taken. Especially to night. This case was not going as planned.
Maybe I wasn’t Marv’s type. It happened. But I was oozing interest. And I wore makeup. And I had cleavage. Even with all that going for me, this investigation was firmly wedged between the cracks of no and where. At least I could tell my client, aka Mrs. Marvin Tidwell, that it would seem her husband was not cheating on her. Not randomly, anyway. The fact that he could’ve been meeting someone in particular kept me glued to my barstool.

“C-come here often?”

I looked over at the dead guy. He’d finally worked up the courage
to approach and I got a better view of him. I figured him for the runt of the litter. He wore round- rimmed glasses and a tattered baseball cap that sat backwards on top of muddy brown hair. Add to that a faded blue T-shirt and loosely ripped jeans and he could’ve been a skater, a computer geek, or a backwoods moonshiner.

His cause of death was not immediately apparent. No stab wounds
or gaping holes. No missing limbs or tire tracks across his face. He
didn’t even look like a drug addict, so I couldn’t tell why he’d died at such a young age. Taking into account the fact that his baby- faced features would make him look younger than he probably was, I estimated him to be somewhere around my age when he’d passed.

He stood waiting for an answer. I thought “Come here often?” was rhetorical, but okay. Not wanting to be perceived as talking to myself in a room full of people, I responded by lifting one shoulder
in a halfhearted shrug.

Sadly, I did. Come here often. This was my dad’s bar, and while I
never set up stings here for fear of someone I knew blowing my
cover, this just happened to be the very same bar Mr. Tidwell frequented. At least if it came to a knockdown drag- out, I might have some backup. I knew most of the regulars and all of the employees.

Dead Guy glanced toward the kitchen, seeming nervous before he
refocused on me. I glanced that way as well. Saw a door.

“Y-you’re very shiny,” he said, drawing my attention back to him.

He had a stutter. Few things were more adorable than a grown
man with boyish features and a stutter. I stirred my margarita and
pasted on a fake smile. I couldn’t talk to him in a room full of living, breathing patrons. Especially when one was named Jessica Guinn, to my utter mortification. I hadn’t seen her fiery red hair since high school but there she sat, a few seats down from me, surrounded by a group of chattering socialites who looked almost as fake as her boobs.

But that could be my bitterness rearing its ugly head.

Unfortunately, my forced smile only encouraged Dead Guy.

“Y-you are. You’re like the s-sun reflecting off the chrome bumper of a f-fifty- seven Chevy.”

He splayed his fingers in the air to demonstrate, and my heart was
gone. Damn it. He was like all those lost puppies I tried to save as a
child to no avail because I had an evil stepmother who believed all
stray dogs were rabid and would try to rip out her jugular. A fact that had nothing to do with my desire to bring them into the house.

“Yeah,” I said under my breath, doing my best ventriloquist impersonation, “thanks.”

“I’m D-Duff ,” he said.

“I’m Charley.” I kept my hands wrapped around my drink lest he
decide we needed to shake. Not many things looked stranger to the
living world than a grown woman shaking air. You know those kids
with invisible friends? Well, I was one of those. Only I wasn’t a kid,
and my friends weren’t invisible. Not to me, anyway. And I could see them because I’d been born the grim reaper, which was not as bad as it sounded. I was basically a portal to heaven, and whenever someone was stuck on Earth, having chosen not to cross over immediately after death, they could cross to the other side through me. I was like a giant bug light, only what I lured was already dead.

I pulled at my extra- tight sweater. “Is it just me, or is it really
warm in here?”

His baby blues shot toward the kitchen again. “Hot is m-more
like it. S-so, I— I couldn’t help but notice you t-tried to buy that guy over there a drink.”

I let my fake smile go. Freed it like a captured bird. If it came back
to me, it would be mine. If not, it never was. “And?”

“You’re b-barking up the wrong tree with that one.”

Surprised, I put my drink down— the one I bought myself— and
leaned in a little closer. “He’s gay?”

Duff snorted. “N-no. But he’s been in here a lot lately. He l-likes
his women a little . . . l-looser.”

“Dude, how much sluttier can I get?” I indicated my attire with a
sweep of my hand.

“N-no, I mean, well, you’re a l-little—” He let his gaze travel the
length of me. “—t-tight.”

I gasped. “I look anal?”

He drew in a deep breath and tried again. “H-he only hits on
women who are more s-substantial than you.”

Oh, that wasn’t offensive at all. “I have depth. I’ve read Proust.
No, wait, that was Pooh. Winnie- the- Pooh. My bad.”

He shifted his non ex is tent weight, cleared his throat, and tried
again. “More v-voluptuous.”

“I have curves,” I said through a clenched jaw. “Have you seen
my ass?”

“Heavier!” he blurted out.

“I weigh— Oh, you mean he likes bigger women.”

“E-exactly, while I on the other hand—”

Duff ’s words faded into the background like elevator music. So
Marv liked big women. A new plan formed in the darkest, most corrupt corners of Barbara. My brain.

Cookie, otherwise known as my receptionist during regular business
hours and my best friend 24/7, was perfect. She was large and in
charge. Or well, large and kind of bossy. I picked up my cell phone
and called her.

“This better be good,” she said.

“It is. I need your assistance.”

“I’m watching the first season of Prison Break.”

“Cookie, you’re my assistant. I need assistance. With a case. You
know those things we take on to make money?”

“Prison. Break. It’s about these brothers who—”

“I know what Prison Break is.”

“Then have you ever actually seen these boys? If you had, you
would not expect me to abandon them in their time of need. I think
there’s a shower scene coming up.”

“Do these brothers sign your paycheck?”

“No, but technically neither do you.”

Damn. She was right. It was much easier to just have her forge my
name.

“I need you to come flirt with my mark.”

“Oh, okay. I can do that.”

Nice. The F-word always worked with her. I filled her in and told
her the deal with Tidwell, then ordered her to hurry over.

“And dress sexy,” I said right before hanging up. But I regretted
the sexy part instantly. The last time I told Cookie to dress sexy for a much- needed girls’ night out on the town, she wore a lace- up corset, fishnet stockings, and a feather boa. She looked like a dominatrix. I’d never been the same.

Author Bio:

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

Links To Author:

· Darynda Jones Website

· Facebook

· Darynda’s World

· Twitter

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