Fifth Grave Past the Light

Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book #5 picks up a few days after book #4 leaves off. This time Charley is juggling a case involving a cheating husband; her suspicions that her boyfriend, Reyes, might be a serial arsonist; concerns over her sister's nervous new client; and a couple dozen terrified dead blonde women who have taken over her apartment but don't seem to want to communicate with her or cross over. Her friend Garrett is being frustratingly closed-mouthed regarding his time in Hell and his subsequent investigation of all things Reyes. And now Uncle Bob's boss, the chief, has become suspicious about how she solves so many cases so quickly and is snooping around, turning up where he is least expected and most unwanted. What's a grim reaper to do?!

I love these books so much! It's nearly impossible to put them down, and this one is no exception. I craved reading it like Charley craves coffee, and that is saying something. It's very fast-paced, which is great, except then I finished it too quickly and now have to wait (impatiently) for the next one.

I finally figured out who Charley reminds me of: a combination of Janet Evanovich's heroine, Stephanie Plum, and the character of U.S. Marshall Mary Shannon, played by the actress Mary McCormack on the TV show "In Plain Sight." Charley is brash and often crass, independent and yet endearingly vulnerable and empathetic. She gets herself into all sorts of messes because she barges full speed ahead in pursuit of justice and in defense of the defenseless. It's a really good thing that she has supernatural healing abilities and can sometimes stop time or leave her body to act in times of life-and-death emergency--qualities both Ms. Plum and Agent Shannon lack.

For readers' advisors: story doorway is primary, and I definitely would not suggest this series to anyone looking for "clean reads," as the language and sex scenes are not tame.

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Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Private investigator Charley Davidson hasn't left her apartment building in the two months since she was tortured by the man Reyes Farrow, her supernatural boyfriend, had been jailed a decade ago for murdering. Turns out he wasn't all that dead, so Reyes has been released from prison, while Charley is stuck in a self-imposed one. But a girl's gotta pay her bills eventually, and Charley owes a lot of money to the home shopping channels on television, so she takes the case of a young woman convinced someone has been tormenting her since childhood and is now trying to kill her. Her investigations keep being interrupted, however, by demon attacks, bank robberies, and family interventions. Charley needs to figure out--and fast--what other abilities come with her birthright as the grim reaper, or soon the bad guys might not be the only ones dying.

As always, Darynda Jones' books are a fast-paced, hilarious romp from beginning to end. This one has a bit less sexual content, though, since Charley and Reyes are furious with each other through much of the novel. My only complaint is that I now have to wait for months until the fifth book is released and I can find out what happens next!

For readers' advisors: story doorway is primary, character is secondary. There is plenty of swearing and sexual references, so don't suggest this series for people who want "clean reads." Fans of Janet Evanovich's zany Stephanie Plum series will usually love it, though.

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Third Grave Dead Ahead

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Charley Davidson hasn't slept in 13 days. The moment she closes her eyes, her supernatural--and furious--boyfriend is there, doing all kinds of erotic things to her and completely preventing her from getting any rest. His anger is something she wants to avoid, so she's been drinking gallons of coffee and inventing zany ways to stay continuously awake. But now he needs her help to prove that the man he went to prison for killing ten years ago is not, in fact, dead. Meanwhile, she's searching for a missing wife whose husband is the prime suspect.

Darynda Jones writes such hilarious, fast-paced novels, I could not put this one down until I finished it last night. I sure hope she publishes the next one asap because I need to know what happens next! What other powers will Charley discover she has? How will she keep the demons from destroying them all? Will she and Reyes ever forgive each other? Will Charley ever be able to forgive her father? Will Cookie date Uncle Bob? And how does this new guardian of hers factor in? I thought I knew how the book would resolve, but there is an unexpected twist at the very end! Well, a couple of them, technically.

For readers' advisors: story and character doorways primarily. Swearing and steamy sex scenes (particularly early in the novel) may be too much for some readers.



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Second Grave on the Left

Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wise-cracking grim reaper Charley Davidson is back, and this time she's racing to save both her supernatural boyfriend's corporeal body and her best friend's (regular human) friend. She's not that great of a private investigator, but being able to see and talk to the dead does give her a distinct advantage. Also, she heals freakishly fast, which is a useful skill to have, given that people and demons are hunting her down, trying to kill her.

I devoured this second book just as fast as the first...only now I have to wait until January for the next one! Augh!! Third Grave Dead Ahead is scheduled to come out in January 2012. I will be placing it on hold as soon as the catalog record is available.

For readers' advisors: story and character doorways. There is some sexual content, although less than in the first book.



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First Grave on the Right

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


OK, where is the next one?! And why did I wait to read this one? I put it on hold a while ago and then kept suspending my hold because I couldn't remember why I'd put it on hold or where I'd heard about it. (Apparently I'd read an excerpt on Bookbrowse.com.) Eventually I forgot to re-suspend the hold, and the book showed up at my library, so I checked it out with some others and read those first. But by yesterday I needed something to read at lunch and grabbed First Grave on the Right, which grabbed me right back. Could not put it down. Even took it with me when we went to run errands this afternoon.

It's got a sort of Stephanie-Plum-sees-dead-people feel to it. Similar zany, fast-paced style and sense of humor but with more ghosts and steamy supernatural sex scenes. See, Charley Davidson is the grim reaper, but in a nice way--she helps the departed pass through her into the light. Only sometimes they need her to do things for them before they go, like solve their murders, for example. So she helps her Uncle Bob, an Albuquerque police detective, with his case files.

Meanwhile, she's also dealing with an irritating but super-good-looking skiptracer named Garrett Swopes who has the hots for her but who is also having a hard time believing she can see dead people. And then there is Big Bad, the mysterious blurry black shadow who's saved her life several times over the years and keeps appearing at the edges of her vision. Not to mention the fantasy lover who has been visiting her dreams every night for the last month or so and is now starting to appear other places, such as her shower, living room, office, and who may turn out be less a fantasy and more...out of this world.

I'm glad this is the first in a series because I can't wait to find out what happens next.

For readers' advisors: story and character doorways



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