Review: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson, #4) by Darynda Jones
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication date: October 30th, 2012
Number of pages: 308 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | The Book Depository

Welcome to the world of grim reaper extraordinaire, Charley Davidson. Try as she might, there's no avoiding her destiny.

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.

Darynda Jones has done it again. She has produced yet another amazing installment in the Charley Davidson series. She steps everything up a notch. Not only do we learn more about Charley, but also Reyes, who is very promiment in this book, and we finally get major progress for our favourite couple, Charley & Reyes. In every way possible.

Charley has been a bit, not herself after she takes a break after the events of the previous book. She probably wouldn't have come out of her stupor if it wasn't for her best friend, Cookie who brings her a case that she can't refuse. A woman comes by and claims someone is trying to kill her. This may be a run of the mill type case, and at first she doesn't think of it, until Charley begins to think Harper's claim just may well be true.

Charley goes through many changes in this book, but I feel it's to make the readers see that she is human. She goes through life events and it does affect her. She isn't some sort of robot that has no emotions, but she does.
She went through a lot and is still recovering after what Earl did to her in the previous book, and it's not something one easily gets over.  With the help of one best friend, Charley slowly begins to come back into the world and take her place as she knows it.
There are many reveals in this book,  one for example is the reason why her dad went to the extremes that he did, and I think you can understand him a little more now that he wasn't doing those things just for the kick of it. He had valid reasons, and it kind of made me a little teary when telling her about it.

After Charley tries to get the vacant and yet superior apartment, she discover who exactly had bought it, shockingly, a new neighbour in Reyes.
Out of prison and now back in her life. Who would have thought? Reyes acting like a human and decides to court her. He seems to have gotten over his issues about her bounding him when he was in prison and all the stuff that went on.
Charley, and the readers get many answers when it comes to Reyes. Like why he calls her Dutch, and just what other abilities Charley may have that she doesn't yet know about.

I look forward to the fifth installment, to see what Charley and her band of friends are up to.

5 Stars

Review: Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson, #2) by Darynda Jones
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Publication date: January 5th, 2012
Number of pages: 307 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase:  Amazon | The Book Depository

"If you hang around with dead people, life can deliver a whole world of trouble."

Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time P.I. and full-time Grim Reaper.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 slash receptionist, have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally.) has left his corporeal 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. And if they 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?

When Charley gets woken up in the middle of the night by her best friend Cookie, to go to a meeting with her friend, Mimi, but it seems she has gone missing. After some much thought, Charley decides to take the case and she soon discovers not everything is as it seems. There is someone after Mimi, and they won't stop until she is dead.
This is a mystery only Charley can solve, and even she will be finding a hard time in doing that. With questionable suspects, disappearances and murders, she might figure that this is something she can't even solve.

Then there is Reyes. Charley's kind-of lover, who is also the son of Satan. Charley has no idea what's going on with him, and when she demands some answers ---  she may not be prepared for the ones she gets. With his enemies trying to use his body to open up the gates to hell, he'll do anything to stop that from happening... even if it means getting rid of his host body, once and for all.
I loved the relationship between these two.  In The First Grave on the Right, I was intrigued by Reyes and loved their little interactions, but with this book, Second Grave on the Left just expanded things so much more. I couldn't get enough. The chemistry between the two of them is burning hot, and got to love they have some history.

Charley is such an awesome character. She is witty, honest, hilarious and loyal to her loved ones. She'll do what is right, or what she thinks is right and will do her damned best to make sure the spirits get peace and help others any way that she can.
The friendship she has with her best friend, Cookie is great. They have some fabulous scenes to the point I couldn't help laughing at some of the things they find themselves in.

I'm so glad I was introduced to this series. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I am proud to say it has sucked me right in.

Bring on the next book.


If you prefer reading via Audiobooks, here is a sample for this book, thanks to the publisher.

 5 Stars.

Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Darynda Jones
Publisher: St.Martins Griffin
Publication date: July 5th, 2011
Number of pages: 338 pgs
Format: Mass-Market Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: looks; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross over. Thus, when three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, they come to her to find their killer.

In the meantime, Charley's dealing with a being more powerful - and definitely sexier - than any spectre she's ever come across before. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent gangbanger named Angel, and a lifetime supply of sarcasm, Charley sets out to solve the highest profile case of the year and discovers that dodging bullets isn't nearly as dangerous as falling in love

It took me until a few months ago to pick up the first book. A friend of mine kept telling me to read this series, but when I see the word 'Ghosts' and I start to feel disinterested because it's not my favourite aspect to the supernatural world. When she told me that it wasn't ghosts exactly, but the fact the main character is a reaper --- that is the point I thought, Oh well, that is different, so I decided to take the chance and pick up the first book.

In this first novel, Charley is a reaper for ghosts who have died and want to pass on.  She is basically like the light tunnel to which they go through to their ever after. Some stick around though, sometimes because they aren't ready to move on, and sometimes, to maybe bug her, LOL 
In the meantime, Charley has been having hot and sexy dreams of a mystery man, and also she tends to see him in real life from time to time.  She has no idea who he is or why she is seeing him, but why question the sexy man? :P
Work also keeps her pretty busy, especially now when she has more than one case to deal with.  She needs to deal with the fact she has three murdered lawyer ghosts trying to get her to help find their bodies and solve their murders.  Ah, the life of a reaper.  Life is never dull for Charley. Just an everyday occurance.

Charley is a very fabulous heroine.  Not only is she smart, talented and gorgeous... but she also has this awesome wit where you can't help but laugh at some of the things she says, does or events she finds himself in the middle of.  If she wanted easy, she would not be in this job --- not that this was a choice where she could decide yes, or not if she wants this career path. This was chosen for her, but it's not so bad.

The hero for this series, well he is unlike any other male. I have had heard about Reyes from Alpha male contests around the web and also from friends, but until I met him, I had no idea what I was really dealing with.
We see small things regarding him. He is a mystery I can't wait to find out more about. Charley discovers some things about him when she finds out he is the man from her dreams. I loved what I have read about him so far, and I can't wait to dig into the rest of the books to get to know him even more deeply than you do in this first book.

I was surprised at how much I loved this book. It just goes to show that sometimes the best stories are the ones you don't have in your life.

I can't wait to dig into the next book in this new fab series.

Rating: 5/5