Paranormal Book Review: The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones

Description:
As a Part-time PI and fulltime 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…
My Thoughts:
This is the tenth Charley Davidson book and somehow they keep getting better. Charley and Reyes are keeping huge secrets from each other.Charley is still working out her powers and solving cases. There is plenty of P.I. work in this one. She is also trying to keep Beep safe. There were of course some funny moments that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Charley is as funny as ever. I just loved this one and cannot wait for the next.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Language

My Source: Purchased



Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | Google Play | iTunes


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: The Dirt On Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones

Description:
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.


My Thoughts:

I was a little skeptical about the change in this book. I wasn't sure it would work for me but it did. Charley's personality is still there. And her friends, even if she doesn't know it. It is funny how she can be so clueless. It is completely in character for her, though. I love how she is discovering all of these things about herself from a new perspective. I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes a series can get old after so many books but I am still loving this! As always, can't wait to get my hands on the next one. 

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!
*Notes: Language.

My Source: purchased



Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones

Description:
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….


My Thoughts:

Another great book. Beep is on the way. They're stuck at the convent to avoid the Hell hounds that are after them. This just has more of what I love about this series. Charley is still Charley with her snark and talking to ghosts and running into situations that she shouldn't. There is a wedding and plenty of twists. We even see Mr. Wong again. You may think you know where this series is headed, but you're probably wrong. The ending. I need the next book. Now.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Mild language.

My Source: Purchased



Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: Sixth Grave On the Edge by Darynda Jones

Description:
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.


My Thoughts:
These books just keep getting better. This is the sixth book and Charley is as busy as ever, solving cases, learning more about her abilities, and getting into trouble. Reyes is still looking for an answer to his yes/no question. The ending...I just want the next book NOW! Did I mention there is a bonus excerpt from Reyes' point of view? Fans of the series will definitely want to read. And if you haven't started yet, you should definitely check out the first book.


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!

My Source: purchased

Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones

I know I've been slacking on the reviews lately and I apologize. Life, you know. Kids, a new job. I hate when life gets in the way of reading time. I'm hoping things settle soon so I can get back into a routine. 

Description:
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's 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.

My Thoughts:
I  admit that I have an author crush on Darynda Jones. I love these Charley Davidson books so much. They make me laugh out loud and continue to surprise me. Each book is better than the last, though I don't know how such a thing is possible. The characters are great. There is Charley with her ADD, Reyes who can be frustrating but is mostly awesome, Cookie, Uncle Bob, and other assorted characters. 

In this book, Charley has more cases to solve and more dead people showing up in her apartment. Once again, things get pretty dark for Charley, but she manages to come through as sassy as ever. And that might be one of the things I love most about this series. She almost dies, but whatever happens to her she always comes out of it making jokes. 


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!


My Source: purchased

Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

Description:

Sometimes being the grim reaper really is, well, grim. And since Charley’s last case went so awry, she has taken a couple of months off to wallow in the wonders of self-pity. But when a woman shows up on her doorstep convinced someone is trying to kill her, Charley has to force herself to rise above...or at least get dressed. It becomes clear something is amiss when everyone the woman knows swears she’s insane. But the more they refute the woman’s story, the more Charley believes it.

In the meantime, the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, is out of prison and out of Charley’s life, as per her wishes and several perfectly timed death threats. But his absence has put a serious crimp in her sex life. While there are other things to consider, like the fact that the city of Albuquerque has been taken hostage by an arsonist, Charley is having a difficult time staying away. Especially when it looks like Reyes may be involved.

Just when life was returning to normal, Charley is thrust back into the world of crime, punishment, and the devil in blue jeans in this hilarious fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series.

My Thoughts:
Charley is pretty messed up after the events of the last book. Her friends are trying to snap her out of it, but she can't bring herself to leave her apartment until she gets a case she can't turn down. This one is still funny, but a little darker. A war is brewing, and there is more action in this one. She is finding out more about her abilities. And of course, there is more Reyes. Once again, I can't wait to get to the next book.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Language.

My Source: purchased

Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3) by Darynda Jones

Description:
Paranormal private eye. Grim reaper extraordinaire. Whatever. Charley Davidson is back! And she's drinking copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake because, every time she closes her eyes, she sees him: Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan. Yes, she did imprison him for all eternity, but come on. How is she supposed to solve a missing persons case, deal with an ego-driven doctor, calm her curmudgeonly dad, and take on a motorcycle gang hell-bent on murder when the devil's son just won't give up?

My Thoughts:

I love this series. It is so addictive. Each is book better than the last. There is always so much going on. Charley is as funny as ever. I love her banter with Cookie and Garrett. And Uncle Bob. In this book Charley is dealing with her ongoing issues with Reyes while trying to solve mysteries for her P.I. business. On top of that she has her grim reapering to do. Things start to get serious and there are twists that you don't see coming. I just want more. 

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!


My Source: purchased

Where to get it:



Where to find the author:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Review: Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Description:
If you hang around with dead people, life can get pretty complicated. Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Complicated is her middle name. The deceased find her very sparkly. Demons find her irresistible. And one entity in particular wants to seduce her in every way possible.

When Charley and Cookie (her best friend/receptionist) have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Cookie's friend Mimi disappeared five days earlier. Mimi then sends Cookie a cryptic message telling Cookie to meet her at an nearby coffee shop. The coffee is brewing, but Mimi's still missing. There is, however, a clue Mimi left on the bathroom wall: a woman's name. Mimi's husband explains to them that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old high school friend had been murdered. The same woman whose name Mimi had scribbled on the bathroom wall.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He's left his body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.

Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?

My Thoughts:

These books are addictive. With Charley there are usually several mysteries going on at once. Cookie has a friend who is missing that they need to track down. While they're working on that, Charley finds a dead person that she needs to help. At the same time, she needs to find Reyes as soon as possible and he is not cooperating.

Charley is hilarious. I love her sarcasm and sass. She has this secret and has to be careful who she shares it with. She has more supportive friends than she realizes, though. I also love Reyes. Sure, he's the son of Satan, but you can tell he cares about Charley. He may be dangerous, but he seems like a good guy.

There are also continuing mysteries. For example, will she ever find out more about her roommate Mr. Wong? Why does Reyes call her Dutch? I can't wait to keep reading!

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !


My Source: purchased

Where to get it:



Where to find the author:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Goodreads

Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Pictures

Saturday I spent the day in Milwaukee at the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Lunch. This was my first reader event and I had a great time. It was a little overwhelming at first. There were close to 500 people and 60 authors. All the authors I talked to were so incredibly nice. Authors are the best people. :)

Welcome

Raffle

Goodie Bags

Lunch

Cupcakes and Author Goodie Bags

I sat at Kate Meader's table.

Book Signing

Kate Meader

Eloisa James

Dianna Love

Tracy March

Maddie James

Darynda Jones

Sara Humphreys

Elizabeth Hoyt

Tonya Kappes

Susan Elizabeth Phillips 

Ruthie Knox

Sylvia Day

Books!

Swag!

Kate Meader Goodie Bag

More Goodies and Books I Bought

Goodies I Forgot In My Purse

I now have so many new books to read! I had so much fun and met great people. I would definitely do it again. If you want to see more pictures, check out http://barbaravey.com/. There should be pictures up soon. Or check the social media of the authors that were there. Like Twitter. 

Tell me, have you been to any reader events?

Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

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

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

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

My Thoughts:
I've been wanting to read this for a while now. Charley Davidson quotes are all over Facebook and Twitter and they are very funny. Then I found out Darynda Jones is going to be at the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Luncheon that I'm attending next month. So I made room on the list.

I loved this! It is so funny and I enjoyed Charley's snark and sarcasm. I also loved how she is so matter-of-fact about her ability to see dead people and help them cross over. Makes for some funny moments. There are some great characters as well, including her friend Cookie and some of the dead people she meets. This was just such a fun read, but also has mystery and secrets. I look forward to continuing the series. I believe the sixth book is coming out soon, so I have some catching up to do!

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!

My Source: purchased

Where to get it:


B&N

Where to find the author:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Goodreads
Amazon Page