Review: Unearthed - Cecy Robson

Fae was once a flourishing paradise. Until Death turned greedy and destroyed it, targeting the creatures who inhabited it. Those who survived escaped to Earth’s realm, but Death wasn’t far behind . . .

Olivia Finn is just another pixie trying to blend in among humans and hide from the death hounds who devoured her family. Clinging to the talisman that keeps her veiled from those who hunt her, she believes she is safe. . .. Until Death finds her and discovers she’s immune to its grip.

Now that Olivia’s power is unearthed, she is sought by Fae who see her as their savior and stalked by dark entities compelled to destroy her. Can she trust the King of the Dead who has sworn to train and protect her? Or should she obey her instincts that warn he desires more?

Olivia can no longer hide from Death. To survive, she must seek it.

Death Seeker Series:
Unearthed

Visit Cecy Robson's website for more information.

Review:
Unearthed is the first book in Cecy Robson's new Death Seeker urban fantasy series. She has created a world where the fae are living among us but humans have no idea about it because they're hiding in plain sight. Pixie Olivia lost her magic and her wings when she left her home realm and traveled to earth with her family and now she does her best to blend in by working in a law firm. Fae living in this realm have to keep their magic hidden at all costs or the death hounds will sniff them out and devour them, just like they did with Olivia's parents and sisters, so she is especially conscious about keeping out of trouble.

Of course some people just aren't capable of staying hidden and when a brush with death ignites powers that Olivia didn't realise she even had she finds it harder than ever to stay out of sight. But her new abilities could be enough to save all of the fae from the death hounds, if only she can figure out how to master them.

There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this novel, Olivia was a fun character and I'm enjoying the start of a slow build romance between her and Ryker. I really love that there are so many different types of species in this world too, we have pixies, dragons, gargoyles and even the grim reaper and I know there are others I'm missing from that list. I do wish we'd had a little more detail on the world building though. What I really wanted to know was why the fae chose to come to earth in the first place, it was implied that they came here to get away from the death hounds but how did the death hounds suddenly become such a huge threat? I'd love to know more about where they came from and what they left behind. Also, how did they know about the talismans they would need in order to stay hidden? I think these questions and more will be answered as we continue the series though so I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

The only real negative I have to mention is the amount of woman hating going on, I really disliked that so many women were portrayed as man-grabbing whores who were in competition with Olivia whether she wanted them to be or not. I've read everything Cecy Robson has published to date and I've not noticed that being an issue in previous books but the amount of slut shaming really bothered me in this book and did take a star off of my rating. It did improve in the second half of the book so hopefully we won't see more of it in any sequels.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: To Free a Captured Heart - R.L. Naquin

Fans of R.L. Naquin's Monster Haven series will love this beguiling spin-off, starring a djinn caught in a hot mess of lost souls, food trucks and otherworldly murder.

Hidden Government chaser Kam's luck might finally be changing. Her team of reapers is sent to a riverboat casino to investigate a suspicious increase in missing souls--a job that sounds more like a vacation than an assignment. A little drinking, a little gambling and maybe a little romance with Tahm, the fiancé she's not sure she wants to run from anymore.

Plans for fun and games are canceled, though, when they find the pesky Leprechaun Mafia is behind the mischief. Of course they are.

Before Kam and her team can spring into action, the leprechauns make good on their threat to capture Tahm.

How far will Kam go to break her true love out of confinement? Working in the casino to pay off some of his debt is one thing, but it could mean Kam spends another hundred years locked up in his stead...

This book is approximately 70,000 words

Monster Haven Series:
Monster in My Closet
Ill-Conceived Magic (Short Story)
Pooka in My Pantry
Hidden Holidays (Short Story)
Fairies in My Fireplace
What Zoey Doesn't Know (Short Story)
Golem in My Glovebox
Demons in My Driveway
Transmonstrified (Short Story Collection)
Phoenix in My Fortune

Djinn Haven series:
(Spin off from the Monster Haven series but can be read separately)
To Catch A Stolen Soul
To Seize a Wayward Spirit
To Free a Captured Heart

Visit R.L. Naquin's website for more information

Review:
This instalment sees Kam, Tahm and Ash sent to investigate suspicious soul activity at a riverboat casino. It should be a fairly easy job with plenty of leisure time built in but things quickly go downhill when they find out the leprechaun mafia are running the show. It gets even worse when Tahm gets himself captured and now it's up to Kam to find a way to rescue him while keeping herself and Ash out of trouble.

To Free a Captured Heart is the final book in the Djinn Haven series and while I'm glad that Kam finally gets her happily ever after I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this instalment. There was a lot to like about this story but it didn't quite have the humour of the earlier books and I felt the pacing was a little off. I also would have liked a bit more focus on the relationship between Kam and Tahm since that has been building for three books now.

I do find the leprechaun mafia amusing though, they're always finding new ways to cause mischief and they've definitely come up with quite a scam this time around. I enjoy the friendship between Kam and Ash, they're more like sisters now and work really well together. I've been rooting for Kam and Tahm for ages now so I'm glad that things worked out for them but I did find the ending left me feeling kind underwhelmed.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Grave Destiny - Kalayna Price

The thrilling sixth book in the USA Today bestselling Alex Craft series.

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, and that makes her a dangerous enemy for anyone with something to hide. . . .

Alex is still trying to come to terms with her changing powers and her growing ties to Faerie when a case she'd rather avoid falls right into her lap. A fae prince desperately needs Alex to investigate a politically sensitive murder. She reluctantly agrees to the case, taking FIB agent Falin Andrews along as her backup.

But as Alex begins to delve into the mystery, she realizes that the intricate web of alliances and intrigue in the Faerie courts is strained to its limits. War is about to break out, one that threatens to spill over into the mortal realm. This murder is tied right to the center of centuries-old arcane unrest, and if Alex isn't careful she may follow the twisting path ahead of her right into her grave end.

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
This isn't the first time that Alex has been asked to investigate a murder that happened in Faerie but this time the potential consequences are all out war between two of the courts so the stakes have never been higher. When it appears that a member of the Shadows has murdered a Winter Court noble tensions between the two reach breaking point. Dugan comes to Alex for help as he wants to prevent a war and along with Falin the three begin a difficult investigation, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it first appears and they need to get to the bottom of the conspiracy fast if they want to prevent any further deaths.

I've been a fan of the Alex Craft series for years now and I really enjoyed learning more about Faerie and Alex's magical planeweaving abilities in this instalment. Alex, Falin and Dugan have to visit multiple Faerie courts during their investigation and this was the first time we really get to find out more about the other rulers and how their courts are run. This story had a lot of action and there were some really great developments for certain characters that are going to have a huge knock on affect as the series continues.

It also looks like we finally have a resolution to the love triangle (or should that be square since Dugan was also a potential suitor?). I'm not sure I love the way it's been resolved, personally I think a certain character's potential was wasted by the way things were handled in the last book which was really disappointing, but I at the same time I was fed up with the dithering so I'll be pleased if Alex has made a decision and sticks to it. I'm not convinced the best man won although his character has grown on me so hopefully I'll come round to the idea eventually.

Completely disregarding my feelings about the romance I'm very happy with the way this series is going, I like that Alex is starting to come into her Fae heritage and learn more about her magical abilities and I really love that she's starting to make a name for herself in Faerie as someone who shouldn't be crossed lightly. I'm desperate to know more about her parents too and hope we'll see more of the different courts in the next book.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Grave Ransom - Kalayna Price

The Grave Witch is about to find herself face-to-face with the walking dead . . .

Grave witch Alex Craft is no stranger to the dead talking. She raises shades, works with ghosts, and is dating Death himself. But the dead walking? That's not supposed to happen. And yet reanimated corpses are committing crimes across Nekros City.

Alex's investigation leads her deep into a web of sinister magic. When Briar Darque of the Magical Crimes Investigation Bureau gets involved, Alex finds herself with an unexpected ally of sorts. But as the dead continue to rise and wreak havoc on the living, can she get to the soul of the matter in time?

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
I've been a fan of this series for a long time now so it pains me to say that this book was a bit on the disappointing side. It wasn't awful by any means but it definitely wasn't the high standards I expect from this series. To start with the positives I did really enjoy Alex's latest investigation. Things get really complicated for her when she is a witness to a bank robbery and realises that the robbers are already dead. She's seen a lot of things in her life but walking corpses isn't one of them and it looks like she's facing a dangerous opponent this time.

I always enjoy seeing Alex work a case and previously I've liked Briar from the MCIB but this time I really struggled with her. Briar is totally willing to throw Alex under a bus, she doesn't care how much danger her actions put Alex and her friends in as long as it gets her closer to the bad guy. She can't even be bothered to give Alex a heads up about her plans so that Alex can prepare herself for what's coming. Poor Alex finds herself constantly getting put in harm's way throughout this story and she's also constantly apologising for things that aren't her fault.

I'm also really struggling with the love triangle, I was honestly hoping that by book 5 we'd have more of an idea where the romance was going but so far things are just going from bad to worse. I hate that we still know so little about both Death and Falin, they both have commitments that prevent them from prioritising Alex and that is understandable but it's starting to bore me now. I've never really felt the attraction towards Falin but where I've been totally team Death right from the beginning in this book I ended up feeling ambivalent towards him too which was just sad.

I do still have a lot of love for these characters though so I'm really hoping that this book was just a blip and that the next one will be back to the highs of previous instalments.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Grave Visions - Kalayna Price

The fourth book in the Alex Craft urban fantasy series about a Grave Witch who can talk to the dead. Perfect for fans of Charlaine Harris and Cassandra Clare.

If you want to hear voices from the dead in Nekros City, you call Alex Craft. She's a Grave Witch with reasonable rates and extraordinary powers, who specializes in revealing the secrets of the dead. But now she's the one fighting to keep her own secret. She's not human - and her newly discovered heritage is causing havoc for her both in the human realm and in Faerie.

But her status as an unaffiliated fae also makes her an ideal candidate to investigate a new street drug that has surfaced in several of the spaces between the human and fae worlds. This glamour-infused drug causes hallucinations that turn real - at least for a while and often with deadly consequences. Searching for the source of this drug - and its purpose - lands Alex front and centre in the conflict brewing in Faerie and she must find answers before she's dragged so deep she loses her freedom.

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
I think it was the very long break between the release of Grave Visions and the previous book that led to me loosing track of this series the first time I started reading it but I'm really glad I discovered these books again as it's such a fun series to read. Anyway, I'm glad that I reread the previous three books before jumping into this one because there was just so much I'd forgotten about both the world and the main characters.

This story sees Alex working two different cases that are possibly connected in ways she can't even begin to imagine. Firstly she's still dealing with the fallout of learning that she's half fae and the fact that she has to choose a court to belong to. She's desperate to avoid joining the Winter Court but unless she can get the queen to agree to Alex living in her territory as an independent she will be forced to move away from Nekros City. As Alex has rare abilities the Winter Queen is reluctant to lose her skills entirely but she reluctantly agrees to give Alex independent status IF she finds out who killed one of the Queen's handmaidens.

At the same time she's looking into a string of increasingly bizarre deaths in the city, where the victims have injuries that just don't make any sense. When she discovers the cause is a new street drug that causes the victim's hallucinations to become temporarily real she knows it is vital to uncover who is behind the drug and find a way to stop them. But with the Queen giving her a deadline on her murder investigation and her own increasing ill health things are getting really complicated.

I really enjoyed the investigation side of this story, there's a lot going on and it's interesting watching Alex try to come to grips with her newly discovered fae heritage and how that affects her daily life. I am hoping we'll get a resolution in terms of the love triangle soon though. I like Falin and we see a lot more of him in this book but his ties to the Winter Queen, and the fact that he has already betrayed her once because of those ties, make it very hard to trust him. There's a big gulf between them right now and I don't see any way for them to bridge it unless he somehow manages to break away from the Winter Queen and I really don't see that happening. I actually prefer her with Death anyway but her relationship with him is just as impossible, if not even more so. I just wish Alex didn't hold herself at quite such a distance from everyone, her friends included, I want to see her opening up more and letting people in even though I understand why she's so scared of doing that.

The last few paragraphs of this book were hilarious and have definitely left Alex with a lot of explaining to do so I can't wait to see the fallout in the next book.

Source: Received from Berkley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave - Darynda Jones

It's lucky number thirteen . . . this is the epic finale for our favourite Grim Reaper and her sinfully sexy son-of-the-devil husband, Reyes.

Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper extraordinaire, is pissed. She's been kicked off the earthly plane for eternity - which is exactly the amount of time it takes to make a person stark, raving mad. But someone's looking out for her, and she's allowed to return after a mere hundred years in exile. Is it too much to hope for that not much has changed? Apparently it is. Bummer.

She's missed her daughter. She's missed Reyes. She's missed Cookie and Garrett and Uncle Bob. But now that she's back on earth, it's time to put to rest burning questions that need answers. What happened to her mother? How did she really die? Who killed her? And are cupcakes or coffee the best medicine for a broken heart? It all comes to a head in an epic showdown between good and evil in this final smart and hilarious novel.

It's Charley's last adventure, and the one thing we know for sure is that it's going to be one wild ride . . .

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave
The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
If you follow me on Goodreads you'll know I binge read the last five books in this series in less than a week, I've been totally hooked on this series and overall I've really enjoyed it. The trouble with final books in popular series though is that it can be hard for authors to live up to fan's high expectations and I think that was the problem with Summoned to Thirteenth Grave.

This book had all the elements I love from this series, the humour, brilliant side characters, madcap plans to save the world and of course the heat from Charley and Reyes' relationship. There has been a lot of build up for this story and I was happy with a lot of events and reveals in this story. I did feel sad about the way a few of the characters stories ended but if you've read the rest of the series you'll probably know not to expect everyone getting a happily ever after.

I think my two biggest issues with this story were one that the major battle was such a tiny part of the story and over far too quickly and easily and two the way things ended for Charley and Reyes. Yes they kind of get a happy ending but it wasn't the ending I was hoping for for them and Beep and it certainly wasn't the ending they deserved. I know we're gearing up for a spin off series about Beep and her future adventures and I'm 99% sure that I'll be reading those books but it makes me sad to think about how things were left at the end of this story and that makes me a little nervous about how things will move forward from here.

You know a series ended well when it leaves you completely satisfied but in this case it actually left me feeling sad and that's disappointing for a series I've had so much fun reading.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Trouble With Twelfth Grave - Darynda Jones

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series.

Ever since Reyes escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley accidently 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?

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
After the ending of the previous book I couldn't wait to dive into Twelfth Grave and this was another action packed instalment in the series. Reyes may have escaped from the hell dimension BUT while he was there he regained all his godly memories and now it looks like the Reyes Charlie knows and loves has left the building. In his place is Rey’azikeen, the malevolent god with the power to destroy the world if Charley doesn't manage to get through to him.

This story sees Charley focused on trying to find Rey’azikeen and show him that he doesn't have to be evil. She also has a supernatural serial killer to deal with, one that was also set loose when Reyes escaped from the god glass dimension, and who is currently targeting people who have any kind of ability to see beyond the human plane. As if that wasn't enough she's Amber and Quentin have also decided to open their own private detective agency so Charley and Cookie are mentoring them as they try to solve their first case.

I loved this book, it has all the usual mayhem and madcap antics from Charley and her friends and Reyes is delicious even when he's veering towards the dark side. I think what I loved most was how strong Charley's faith in Reyes is, she knows that despite all the horrendous things he has been through there is good inside him and she's determined to find a way to bring back the man she loves. She won't accept any other option and she refuses to let anyone else sway her mind on that.

This book does end on a killer cliffhanger though, seriously if you thought the last book was bad you haven't seen anything yet! If I'd read this book when it was first published I would be pulling my hair out waiting for the next instalment but luckily Thirteenth Grave is already available and I've already been able to start reading. It isn't often that I binge read a series quite as fast as I have this one and I'm actually pretty sad that it's about to come to an end.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Eleventh Grave in Moonlight - Darynda Jones

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.

Now 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. The forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension but with the son of Satan himself as her husband, maybe Charley can find a way to have her happily ever after after all.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
This review is deliberately going to be short because after THAT ENDING I have to go and start the next book as fast as humanly possible. This is where Charley's superpowers would come in handy but sadly I'm not a god.

In this book we see Charley investigating the couple who stole Reyes as a baby from his birth parents and gave him to the monster Earl Walker. It turns out that Reyes isn't the only child they stole, something that Charley has suspected for a while now but has only just set out to prove. Reyes isn't happy that she's digging into his past again but this time she's been hired by another one of their victims so she can't turn away from someone else who needs her help.

There are plenty of other things going on in this instalment too, there is still a god from Usen on the loose and hunting for Beep, Amber has picked up a crazy stalker who is sending her messages that no thirteen year old girl should ever have to read, Ubie is acting like a madman and has Cookie convinced he's having an affair and Reyes is determined to make Charley learn more about her abilities even if it means throwing her off the top of very tall buildings and hoping she figures things out before she hits the bottom.

The ending though, THAT ENDING!! It really has left me desperate to find out what happens next and I'm so ridiculously glad that I don't have to wait for book twelve to be published. That cliffhanger would probably have killed me if I didn't already have the next book on hand!

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: A Very Charley Christmas - Darynda Jones

Exclusive Charley Davidson Short Story featured in the December 2016 newsletter.

You can read this story for free online here: https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?u=c2c549bf3e53fa785a8d3bb0d&id=4372d0474e

The story is set after The Curse of the Tenth Grave and contains spoilers for previous books.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
I love Charley and Reyes so I'll jump at any opportunity to spend more time with them but to be honest for a Christmas story this one was pretty depressing. I never expected Reyes to have happy childhood memories so that wasn't a surprise but to find out Denise's apathy towards Charley lead to her getting half the number of presents that Gemma did just made me all the more angry with Denise AND with Charley's father. He watched his wife treat his daughter like a second class citizen for her entire life and didn't do anything to stop it. If he was any kind of decent father he'd have kicked Denise out YEARS ago and no matter how many good things he's done in the last couple of books it doesn't make up for years of neglect.

Throw in the fact that this is Beep's first Christmas and Charley and Reyes won't get to spend it with her and it was just heart breaking. Charley is overcompensating by buying a million presents for her but thats really not the same. This should be such a happy time for them and they should be getting to finally make some happy Christmas memories as a family yet they can't.

No, this wasn't the fun and cheery Christmas snippet I was hoping for, thats for sure.

Source: Read for free on the author's website

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Review: The Curse of the Tenth Grave - Darynda Jones

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 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.

But one of them stole her heart a very long time ago. Can a god of absolute death and destruction change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiance lie with his brothers?

Those are just some of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl on the run for her life, a man who's been framed for murdering a woman who is still very much alive, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, 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...

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
I'm so happy that this series is completely back on track now that Charley has her memory back. We're back to seeing her work her magic as she simultaneously tries to prove a man is innocent of murder, help a young runaway who believes she has been cursed, deal with a blackmailer, oh and try to figure out a way to stop the gods of Usen and thwart the apocalypse. All of that would be much easier if she wasn't trying to keep secrets from Reyes but he's been keeping her at arm's length ever since they got back from New York and she's got no idea how to bridge the gap between them (thank goodness for Cookie on that one because she comes up with a very creative way to get them talking again!).

There have been some really interesting revelations about both Charley and Reyes in the last couple of books, ones that are going to have a huge impact on the rest of the series so I'm dying to see how everything all comes together now we're in the final stretch. I did find myself frustrated that Charley still doesn't completely trust Reyes, he has been through so much trying to keep her safe and it just takes one small thing, that potentially happened years before they became a couple, for her to doubt his love for her. I could understand why she was keeping certain secrets but I was so relieved when everything was out in the open and that they're now fully back on track relationship wise.

It's also great to see Charley starting to push herself and figure out what her abilities actually are, she's learning all the time and is capable of far more than she ever expected. There was one moment that left me utterly heartbroken for Reyes in this book, he's lost so much already and it really isn't fair for even more to be taken from him. I was far more upset about that than I was about Charley's loss in the previous book but I am extremely worried about a certain revelation about Ubie and hope Charley is able to figure out a way to stop what is coming. Anyway, I'm glad I can dive straight into the next book so I won't have to wait to find out what happens next. I have a feeling I'm going to be binging the last three books very quickly!

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Dirt on the Ninth Grave - Darynda Jones

In a small village in New York Charley Davidson is living as 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.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of this series but I have to admit after the disappointment of book eight I put off starting this one for quite a while. I just wasn't sure what to expect from a Charley with no memory and was worried that this would be another filler book that didn't really add much to the overall story arc. In a way I was right about that, nothing huge happens in this book and I don't think you'd really miss much by skipping it. However, this was FAR better than book eight, it's back to being more of an action oriented story as Charley goes out of her way to try and solve a mystery and save people she's only just met. It feels like this series is starting to get back on track and I'm back to being excited to carry on reading it

Charley spends nearly the whole book in a strange kind of limbo wondering who she is and where she's from, more importantly she wonders why nobody has come looking for her. What she doesn't realise is that her closest friends and family have all inserted themselves into her new life so all of they're still with her even if she doesn't recognise them. I have to say I didn't really buy the reasoning of keeping their identities hidden from her, Charley is so distraught at not knowing who she is and she thinks she must have been a terrible person because nobody is looking for her and they could have saved her a lot of that pain by being honest with her.

It was interesting to see that even without knowing her history her personality hasn't changed. She still cares about the underdogs and wants to help people. Watching her try to figure out why she could see dead people everywhere she went was quite hilarious, particularly when she had a run in with a ghost horse! I also loved getting back that intense sexual tension between her and Reyes. Charley doesn't remember him but she's still totally attracted to him and doesn't understand why he goes from practically eating her with his eyes to acting like he hates her. Reyes on the other hand is dreadfully angry at Charley for leaving him, he's angry about the situation they're in and he's hurt that she could forget him but he still loves her and is desperately hoping she'll come back to him. It makes for some wonderful will they / won't they moments between them that I couldn't get enough of.

I'm very glad that Charley eventually gets her memory back, I don't think I could read another book of her second guessing herself and everyone around her because she knows they're hiding things but doesn't know what or why. I'm hoping that from here onwards we're going to get back to the series I love and I can't wait to see how Charley and Reyes' story ends.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Brighter Than the Sun - Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper extraordinaire, has taken centre stage for too long. It's time for Reyes's side of the story . . . 

Discover how Reyes met Charley; from Reyes' point of view: a Charley Davidson novella

All his life, Reyes Alexander Farrow has suffered the torments of the damned. Only one thing has given him hope: the woman who radiates a light that no mortals can see; a light that only the departed can see...

Told from his point of view, this novella chronicles the first time Reyes ever encountered Charley, and how their relationship has been the one thing that can either save him or doom him.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
Brighter Than the Sun is a novella told completely from Reyes' point of view and I loved every minute of it. Here we get to see glimpses of important moments in Reyes' life from when he first saw Charley as a baby right up until events during the first few books in the series.

This isn't as light and fluffy as the rest of the series, we already knew that Reyes had a horrific upbringing at the hands of Earl Walker and this novella doesn't shy away from showing just how awful that was so there is a lot of darkness here. There are also some sweet moments too though, the loving bond he shares with his sister Kim, the incredible friendship he has with Amador and of course the light that Charley brings into his life.

I don't want to say much more but if you're a Reyes fan you're going to love this novella. It was great to get inside his head and learn a little more about why he acts the way he does. This was a great addition to the series and left me looking forward to reading more.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Eighth Grave After Dark - Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson has enough to be getting on with. She is, after all, incredibly pregnant and feeling like she could pop at any moment. But, just her luck, twelve deadly beasts from hell have chosen this time to escape, and they've made Charley their target. She takes refuge at the only place they can't get to her: the grounds of an abandoned convent. Before long, Charley also has a new case to hold her attention: the decades-old murder of a newly-vowed nun she keeps seeing in the shadows of the convent.

Add to that the still unsolved murder of her father, the strange behavior of her husband, and Charley's tendency to attract the, shall we say, undead, and she has her hands full . . . but also tied. While the angry hellhounds can't traverse the consecrated soil, they lurk beyond its borders like evil sentries, so Charley has been forbidden from leaving the sacred grounds and is powerless to get the answers she wants.

Luckily, she has her loyal team with her, and they're a scrappy bunch. They scour the prophesies, searching for clues on the Twelve, and their presence is comforting - it's almost as though they've all been drawn to her as part of a bigger picture . . . But the good feelings don't last for long because Charley is about to get the surprise of her crazy, mixed-up, supernatural life.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
I'd been flying through this series and enjoying every minute of it but then I hit book eight and just kind of stalled. It pains me to say it but I just didn't feel the magic with this one. To be fair it's very hard to write an exciting book when your narrator is not only 8 months pregnant but also trapped in a convent to avoid being eaten by hellhounds. Charley has spent months stuck in one location and as much as her friends and family drop by to keep her company it's just really not the same as seeing her out and about kicking butt and taking names.

I was a bit wary when we found out Charley was pregnant, to be honest I prefer to avoid kids in UF books unless they're either old enough to be interesting characters in their own right, or come at the end of the series to signify the the fact that the main characters are finally getting to settle down and have their well earned happily ever after. I mean how is Charley supposed to deal with a potential apocalypse if she's carting around a newborn? Well that issue was kind of resolved but I'm not even sure I like the way that side of things was handled either. It just seems a bit pointless to bring a kid into things and then do what happened in this book.

So this book wasn't as full of action as the previous stories and if I'm honest the first half was kind of boring. I was frustrated with Charley for going against Reyes' wishes and trying to track down his birth parents when he specifically asked her not to but I think I was even more angry at the way that entire plot thread ended and I wanted to smack some sense into the pair of them for keeping such ridiculously stupid secrets from each other. I was also really irritated by Gemma and the way she kept trying to force Charley to accept Denise, the stepmother from hell, back into her life. Denise has been horrible to Charley throughout the entire series, was a monster to her when she was a child and now expects to be allowed to play grandmother of the year. No chance and the fact Gemma was taking Denise's side made me really mad. I have to admit I loved the way things played out with Denise though, I think that probably makes me a terrible person but I don't care because the whole thing was hilarious!

The story did improve towards the end, we finally start getting some answers about Charley's powers and why she's been given them. I still have a lot of questions and some things confused me a bit but we're getting answers and that's great. I'm still not sure how I feel about the twist at the end though, in some ways I think it'll make things really interesting and will hopefully send the series back in the right direction action and plot wise but in others it felt like a bit of a cop out. I guess I'll have to see how it plays out in book nine before I make my mind up. Even though this wasn't my favourite book I'm still hooked enough that I want to know how things play out so I'm definitely going to be continuing the series.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Seventh Grave and No Body - Darynda Jones

It's lucky number seven for Darynda Jones in her bestselling Charley Davidson series! Following up from Sixth Grave on the Edge, Charley's back and she's ready to reap . . .

Lead me not into temptation.
Follow me instead! I know a shortcut!
--T-shirt

Twelve. Twelve of the deadliest beasts ever forged in the fires of hell have escaped, and they want nothing more than to rip out Charley Davidson's jugular and serve her 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 as she retraces his last steps 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. But all of that barely scratches the surface of her problems . . .

Recent developments have forced her to become a responsible adult. To conquer such a monumental task, she's decided to start small. Really small. She gets a pet. But how can she save the world against the forces of evil when she can't even keep a goldfish alive?

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.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
As always there is a lot going on in this book but I think the funniest thing would have to be Charley trying to quit caffeine, I think that girl has coffee running through her veins instead of blood so it's a huge shock to her system when she goes cold turkey! In the grand scheme of things that's the least of her worries though, she's being haunted by her best friend turned enemy, her dad has gone awol, she only has about 8 months to learn how to be a responsible adult, oh and there are twelve deadly, impossible to kill, hellhounds who are out for her blood. Just a normal day for her really.

I love the snark in this series, these books never fail to make me laugh out loud but I've also come to genuinely care about Charley and her motley crew of sidekicks. It was easy to fall for Reyes and his mysterious bad boy persona but Cookie, Ubie, Garrett, Angel & Rocket are all firm favourites and I really like new addition Osh too. As much as I love seeing Charley working as a PI and solving cases I'm really liking the way we're getting to learn more about her grim reaper abilities and that the supernatural is playing a bigger role in the stories.

There was a lot to love about this book and one particular scene at the end was something I'd waited a long time for and was very happy about. Unfortunately it was followed by something that was absolutely heartbreaking for Charley and it's going to be hard watching her deal with the fallout from that in the next book. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series though and can't wait to continue reading.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Sixth Grave on the Edge - Darynda Jones

Few things in life can come between a grim reaper and her coffee, but the sexy, sultry son of Satan is one of them. Now that Reyes Farrow has asked for her hand, Charley Davidson feels it's time to learn more about his past, but Reyes is reluctant to open up. When the official FBI file of his childhood abduction lands in her lap, Charley decides to go behind her mysterious beau’s back and conduct her own investigation. Because what could go wrong?

Unfortunately, another case has fallen into her lap—one with dangerous implications. Some very insistent men want Charley to hunt down a witness who is scheduled to testify against their boss, a major player in the local crime syndicate. If Charley doesn't come up with an address in 48 hours, the people closest to her will start to disappear.

Add to that a desperate man in search of the soul he lost in a card game, a dogged mother determined to find the ghost of her son, and a beautiful, young Deaf boy haunted by his new ability to see the departed as clearly as he sees the living, and Charley has her hands full. The fact that Reyes has caught on to her latest venture only adds fuel to the inferno that he is. Good thing for Charley she's used to multi-tasking and always up for a challenge…especially when that challenge comes in the form of Reyes Farrow.

Charley Davidson Series:
First Grave on the Right
For I Have Sinned (Novella)
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Dead Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past the Light
Shimmer (Free Short Story)
Glow (Free Short Story)
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (Novella)
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave
The Curse of Tenth Grave
A Very Charley Christmas (Free Short Story)
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

The Graveyard Shift (Novella)

Visit Darynda Jones' website for more information

Review:
I know Charley's sense of humour isn't for everyone but I love her and lets face it if you don't like her then I'm pretty sure you'll have given up this series long before you reached book six. Charley may be more than a little insane but has a heart of gold and she's willing to put herself in danger to help even strangers so it's no wonder she has loyal friends. I love her friendship with Cookie and her daughter Amber, I love how protective her uncle Ubie is of her and of course, like pretty much the rest of the female population, I'm obsessed with her nigh-fiancé Reyes. If there was one thing I found slightly frustrating in this book it was her holding out so long before giving Reyes an answer but since they were having fun teasing each other about it I was willing to overlook that.

As always Charley has a lot on her plate, she's still trying to find out more about her Reaper abilities, she's got a client who accidentally sold his soul to the devil, there's the naked dead guy who won't get out of her car, Cookie and Ubie are being stubborn so she's trying to push them together, she's also worrying about Rocket's prediction for Reyes, looking into Reyes' human family and if that wasn't enough she's held at gunpoint by two men who want her to find a woman who is currently in the witness protection program. Yes, there's definitely a lot going on in this one and the way things are going it looks like the series is just going to get even more intense from her onwards.

It's not all action though, there are some great moments between Charley and Reyes as they try to figure out how their relationship is going to work, we get some revelations about her ghostly sidekick Angel that brought a tear to my eye, and there is definitely something strange going on with Charley's father. I'm still not very happy with him so I really want to see more of a redemption arc as we start to unravel his secrets. As long as that arc doesn't include a happy ending for Charley's step-mother I'll be okay with it, that woman is a monster and she does NOT deserve any kind of forgiveness from Charley. Especially after the way she acted in this instalment!

Anyway, I think that's enough to show that I'm still loving this series so I'm signing off here so I can get started on book seven.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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