*jaw drop* Another fantastic Charley book from Darynda. It'll be bittersweet--so excited for the next one, but it's also the last. Tell me we will get more in this world--like a grown up Beep!

From Goodreads: 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?

~*~*~*

My Thoughts: So to be honest, I'm going to read everything that comes out in this series because our heroine makes me laugh. She's snarky, she's a coffee addict, and she'd do anything for her best friend...what's not to like?! That being said, while I've enjoyed the series, I wasn't sure where it was going and thought maybe it was losing a bit of its punch. I take all those thoughts back after reading book 12. Wow. Hit me in the emotions in ways I didn't expect, and definitely sets the series up for some new and interesting directions. I don't think there's ever a true doubt about where Reyes falls in terms of good vs evil in this book, but the story itself, the buildup, it all comes together to keep you wondering and eventually in tears and then angry that you have to wait for the next book to come out to find out what the heck happens next. Well worth picking up, even if you found yourself in a bit of series fatigue up to this point.

I probably shouldn’t have to say this, but I’ve actually been asked a few times, so here it is – No, you cannot read this book without reading the first 11 books in the series. This isn’t a romance series, separate stories focusing on different couples that are somehow intertwined. This is an ongoing, continuing series. Don’t try to jump in here. Also – that means this review may spoil some events from previous books.

Now that that’s out of the way – what did I think of this one? Honestly, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Which I know is basically blasphemy in the UF world, but there it is. Reyes was more tolerable in this book, maybe because he seemed to be embracing his dark side, not pretending that he can prove his love to Charley by physically abusing her and trying to control everything she does. In fact, most of the characters in this book spend a large chunk of time trying to convince her to devour the man she knew as Reyes. (Charley’s a god who can destroy other gods by devouring them. It’s a thing) He’s no longer Reyes, he’s not even Rey’aziel. He’s full-on Rey’azikeen, which is trouble for Charley and her crew. And the rest of the world. He appears to be wreaking havoc across Albuquerque, but no one’s really sure if it is him, or if it’s a random serial killer, or a different evil entity, and while they are looking for Reyes, it’s not to find out if he’s the one who’s murdering people and mutilating their corpses. It’s because Charley wants to prove to everyone that he’s still Reyes, deep inside somewhere.

That’s where this one fell apart for me. This book opens exactly where book 11 left off. Reyes went into the god glass and came back out clearly not Reyes anymore. Charley sees some of the innocent souls trapped in the god glass escape, but not the evil spirits that were supposed to be in there. Then she just…. goes about her day? Without trying to figure out where the evil went? After 11 books, Charley is still completely ignoring everything she doesn’t think is directly related to herself or Reyes, even when it’s proven in book after book that it usually is. She’s basically the exact same person she was in book 1, which is frustrating. In every single book, the stakes are raised. Not just for Charley, but for literally the entire world, and Charley still can’t be bothered to pay attention to anything beyond her next quip or beyond her immediate circle. She’s gone from thinking she was just a random reaper, to finding out she’s actually the one and only Grim Reaper, to finding out she has way more power than she ever imagined, to finding out she’s actually a god. Throughout this entire, multiple-year-long process, she hasn’t changed one iota. She ignores everyone around her unless they’re supposed to be helping her with something, goes out of her way to fuck with everyone’s investigations no matter the cost to the people who are actually charged with making arrests and getting the bad humans off of the streets, and is completely oblivious to the way her actions affect everyone else. Willfully oblivious, I think.

Here, as usual, she’s focused on Reyes, and as usual, Reyes is fucking with Charley’s head, manipulating her into proving she’ll trust him no matter what, even when he’s threatening her, threatening their daughter, and threatening everyone around them. I actually like Reyes better like this, because he wasn’t pretending to be doing out of any great love for anyone other than himself. Even though he actually was. Some sort of double-back-flip reverse psychology. So he was more tolerable for most of the book until I found out what was actually happening. Then I was just mad at him again, and at Charley for being so blinded by her obsession with Reyes that she was ok with it. More than ok with it – happy about it.

And he smears some of his blood onto Beep’s head to make her “…invisible to all who would cause her harm. Our enemies will not be able to find her until she wants to be found.” Why, what possible reason could there be, for him to not done that immediately upon her birth?? This baby is months old. They’ve known since before she was born what her future holds and that there are already demons, fallen angels, gods, wraiths, goblins, and who knows what else looking for her. They went as far as sending her somewhere and blocking the knowledge of where from their own minds in order to hide her from these entities, but all Reyes ever had to do was smear her with some of his blood to hide her and make her invisible??

I know I always come across as hating this series when I review it, but I really don’t. I love the world Darynda Jones has created, and I love getting to visit it. Weirdly, Reyes and Charley have always been the weakest part of it for me, and that’s not going to change. I read this series for Cookie, Uncle Bob, Garrett, Osh, Amber, and Quentin. Fair warning – this one ends on a pretty dramatic cliffhanger, and the finale won’t be out until next October, so if you pick this one up, which you should if you’re up to date on the series, be prepared for a bit of a wait.

Ms Jones has once again floored me with her wondrously genius creativity, which, in my opinion, is solely instrumental in keeping this long running series continuously fresh and captivating, not to mention laugh out hilarious. I marvel at Charley's sass, snark, and snappy comebacks...oh to have a tenth of Charley's tenacity. The supporting cast of characters are endearing and oftentimes quirky, yet also play an important part in the success of such intriguing plot. With a whole host of gods, demons, ghosts, and other unworldly creatures, how can a story be anything other a page turner!

As has been typical of each new installment of the Charley Davidson series, you are hooked from the opening paragraph...with a underlying storyline that has run throughout the series, ever evolving and growing in suspense and completely unexpected twists and turns, there are the smaller, side stories which run concurrently adding different elements to an already captivating plot...in its totality the story keeps you on a suspenseful edge, and is assuredly guaranteed to have the unexpected jump out and completely throw a different twist for more drama, as surely as humor...with Charley, both are a given.

I always thoroughly enjoy the endings of each story, within a couple of sentences, the door is left wide open, taking on a new and different direction that you never saw coming...but is sure to leave your heart pounding.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Darynda Jones keeps the humor light and the tension tight in her latest novel, raising the stakes once again as Charlie and Reyes fight each other to protect their child (and future universe saver). The threads from multiple books are tying together as this celestial conflict comes to a head, with a major cliffhanger. This series just keeps getting better.

I'm still loving this series and it's on book 12! Definitely read from the beginning! Love the humor, and totally love Reyes! I always want more Reyes! In this installment, Charley once again has many cases and situations she's trying to solve. Reyes was trapped in some hell dimension type of place, but he's back, but he's not exactly Reyes, so Charley needs to figure out how to deal with that. Plus, there's a murderer on the loose. Love Charley and Reyes! There romance is beyond adorable and sexy, and I just love the chemistry between them. These books need a lot more Reyes and Charley being adorable together! Love all the side characters too! Well, except for Garrett, I don't know what it is about his character, but I haven't cared for him since book one, so I'd be fine if he died heroically. This book as the others ends with a not so good situation, so I'm biting my nails in anticipation for the next book! One of my favorite series! Clever and fun with lots of heart!

If you are looking for a fast paced urban fantasy with plenty of snark and a delightfully quirky cast of characters look no further.  The Trouble with Twelfth Grave is the newest addition to Darynda Jones’s long running series featuring grim reaper Charley Davidson.  It’s been a while since I’ve read one of Jones’s novels, but I was able to quickly catch up and understand what is going on.  Still I highly recommend reading the novels in order.  If you like one you are likely to enjoy the others.  Charley Davidson is a character with a unique outlook on life.  Her narration is hilarious, which makes up for weaknesses in the plot.

Basically most of The Trouble with Twelfth Grave involves running from one place to another hoping to find and stop Reyes who has become an angry and unpredictable god. Charley’s godhood is repeatedly expressed, though not seen, as she tries to find out whether he is linked to the attacks on sensitive humans.  Planning is not Charley’s strong point despite her ability to name just about anything and trade quips with the best of them.  

Is the book a fun read? Absolutely!  It doesn't have much plot, but it is exciting and funny.  I’d recommend it to fans of the series, but it isn't good enough to provide a reason to start reading the series if you haven't already read a few of Jones’s novels.  

4 /  5

I received a copy of The Trouble with Twelfth Grave from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

I am so glad that even 12 books in, this series still manages to surprise me and make me laugh. I never get tired of Charlie's antics and Reyes' broodiness. I also loved how much Garrett there was in this! The one thing I didn't like was that I felt this book ended a bit abruptly, and Charlie's case wasn't solved by the end of it. Either way, this book was a great addition to the series. I don't know what I'll do when this series ends.

I always enjoy these books, but this one lacks much of the humor as in her past books. I will keep reading but I hope the next one is a lighter funnier story line.

Darynda has managed to write another captivating story with death, love, sarcasm, and mayhem.

In the twelfth installment of Charley Davidson's story she must figure out how to get her husband back. He's returned from the hell dimension of the god glass, but not as Reyes... and not alone. Will Charley and Reyes EVER catch a break?!

Twists and turns...
Family and friends - all your favorite characters...
Gods, angels, demons, and clairvoyants...
Tears, laughter, and love...

**I received a complimentary e-copy of this book via NetGalley.**

Darynda has done it again and given us another great addition to this series!

My rating scale:
5☆ - I loved this book and it brought out true emotion in me (laughter, anger, a good cry, etc)
4☆ - I loved this book.
3☆ - I liked this book.
2☆ - I didn't really care for this book.
1☆ - I did not like this book at all and probably did not finish it.

Still working on reading books 2-11 - can't stop hearing about this book in my romance book club so I know it will be worth the wait!

Phenomenal! Darynda Jones gets all the credit for creating and sustaining such an immensely enjoyable series, without any filler books. Every single story delves deeper into Charley and her relationships and Twelfth Grave is no exception. I tore through the book, screamed at the ending, and cursed the universe for making me wait for book 13. Well done!

First off let me say that this is one of my favorite authors and series and I will never get tired of reading this story over and over again as well as the entire series that grace our book shelves.

OMG! Another fantastic read that was filled with so much suspense and humor.The story had a cast of unique and fun characters.Charley definitively has group of interesting friends all with interesting personalities and talents and I have to say that that we love reading about them as well.

Charley never disappoints she always makes me laugh and she still amazes me at the lengths that she is willing to go to protect and the ones she loves.Charley is a fiercely loyal friend .

I love everything about Charley especially how fiercely she loves.I love that she has a sense of humor ,I love how she loves coffee and it is her vice as it is mine.A like seeing her doing something she was born to do and how she helps all those lost souls.The cases she investigates are always intriguing and exciting and we are always looking forward to how she solves them.What I love most about Charley is that she is always so laid back she is a god after all and a grim reaper to boot but acts almost normal or as normal as a supernatural element can act.Just down to earth as well as sweet kind, loving and loyal yet one of the most deadliest beings on earth.

I have to say that the story constantly kept you on edge as we were always looking for the Axe to fall.I love how Charley had faith and hope in Reyes knowing with her heart that he would never betray her or their love and always do what it takes to keep their daughter safe even when common sense tells you to do the opposite.

The saying must be true that the heart will always recognize ones soul mate in no matter what shape or form and that was true for Charley when It came to Reyes.I loved how Reyes even not being Reyes at the present recognized the connection he had with Charley and how protective and jealous he was over her even not knowing she was his wife.Reyes is sex on a stick for sure whether he is acting good or bad we still love the bad boy even when things are not what they seem.Reyes and Charley create heat and fire when ever they are together but when their intimate things are hotter than hell.No matter what name Reyes is going with he always need a good dose of Charley to keep him happy and sane .

I loved the story from cover to cover it was intriguing and intense and full of twists and turns and many surprises.This story was quite the page turner as I never put the book down until it was finished.

I love when you can connect with the characters you read about and I was able to do that with this cast of characters as I loved them all with their quirky personalties they made this story all the more interesting.I love all the Chaos that surrounds Charley all the time as her actions and deeds make me laugh constantly through out this current tale.

We learned a really big secret this time around and I have to say that I never saw that coming.I was awestruck!

Favorite quote:
"Okay,Fine,You're a god.How would you track and capture yourself?""I'd lure me with coffee then keep the cups coming.Trust me I would go anywhere.I doubt that would work for him though.Not all gods enjoy java as mush as I do."

5 stars from us

Another superb read from a fantastic author.

Goes in to the keeper pile!

Recommended read to all and the entire series as well you won't be disappointed.These characters are why I love reading series so much as we can never get enough I our favorite characters.

So I did a very silly thing with this series. I read First Grave on the Right and then jumped right to The Trouble with Twelfth Grave. I skipped every single book between. So, yeah, I was a teeny-weeny bit confused while reading The Trouble with Twelfth Grave. I didn’t let my confusion get in the way of reading the book. It was the new relationships/new people who threw me off.

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave starts with Charley unloading her problems on a ghost. Long story short, she sent Reyes into a hell dimension. Reyes was supposed to save some innocent people who were trapped inside. Only thing….she accidentally trapped him inside the god glass pendant. He was trapped with an evil priest, a demon assassin and a malevolent deity. Reyes changed when trapped in that dimension. He reverted back to his deity form. And that deity form hates human. He also hates Charley because Charley, when in her deity form, had trapped him in that hell dimension. So, yeah, it made things a bit awkward.

Charley has her hands full. She is trying to convince everyone that Reyes will remember her….in time. She is also hiding her daughter from the Vatican, who has taken an interest in her. Her best friend’s teenage daughter has decided to open a PI venture. She is also trying to keep a friend out of jail by covering up the murder of a hot-headed criminal. On top of that, she also gets a case when someone or something is attacking and killing humans who are sensitive to the paranormal world. It’s a lot on her plate and will it implode on her?

Charley was still her snarky self in The Trouble with Twelfth Grave, which was awesome. Charley is that one girl that you can count on to help you out. When Peri told her what happened, Charley was there with a plan to help her. That plan cracked me up and I did sing The Mission Impossible theme song in my head the entire time they were doing it. I could see myself being friends with Charley, she was that interesting to be around.

I do wish Reyes was more in this book. I loved reading the sexual tension between Charley and him. Also, seeing him fight that evil part of himself was very interesting. I did think that the author included a very interesting plot twist towards the end of the book with Reyes. Makes me think about what could be happening in book 13.

The sexual tension between Charley and Reyes could be cut with a knife. He did what he did in book 1 and would show up and molest her. There was that one sex scene where Charley burned her clothes off. Talk about hot!!

The end of the book was pretty busy. All the storylines except the one with Beep and the one with the PI venture were ended very nicely. I was not expecting the twist that came with Reyes at the end. I also was most definitely expecting what happened at the end of the book. That bit of a cliffhanger definitely makes me want to read book 13.

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave was a very good book. I enjoyed reading it. The plot and characters were fleshed out. Unfortunately, you do need to read the earlier 11 books before reading this one. It is not a stand-alone book.

Will I reread: Yes (after I have read the earlier books)

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, language

I would like to thank Darynda Jones, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Trouble with Twelfth Grave.

All opinions stated in this review of The Trouble with Twelfth Grave are mine

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Five Stars: A spectacular edition to a favorite series. Loved this one!

Charley has her hands full again. She must hurry and figure out a way to prevent the now feral Reyes from destroying the world while solving a couple of cases, including why people are being attacked by a demonic force, figure out how to cover up a possible murder, help Amber start up an investigation firm, and fix the fate of the world. Just another day in the life of grim reaper extraordinaire: Charley Davidson. The question is can she juggle it all and save the day?
What I Liked:
*What am I going to do when this series ends? Twelfth Grave is the next to the last installment, and it doesn’t disappoint. This one is hilarious, exciting, revealing and just plain awesome. If you still haven’t tried this series, what is wrong with you?
*I went into this one with some trepidation as I found Eleventh Grave to be a bit dark, and the finale was a shocker. I was pleasantly surprised that in spite of the dire situation with Reyes, the book was full of humor. It had me chuckling on numerous occasions, and I was pleased that this one was on the lighter side.
*Garret Swopes is one of my favorite characters, and I was thrilled that we got a heaping dose of Garret in this one. Some of the scenes with Garret, Charley and Osh are downright hilarious. I couldn’t get enough!
*The humor is terrific in this book. I love that the Charley Davidson series continues to make me laugh, and I was pleased that this one was chock full of Charley’s ditzy antics. Love it.
*This one continues to develop the major story arc with Charley, Reyes and Beep saving the fate of the world. I am enjoying seeing it all come together, and I can only imagine what the final book will entail. There were some major reveals in this one, and some shocking developments that I loved.
*The audiobook narrated by Lorelei King was as usual amazing. I can only listen to this series now because Lorelei has completely spoiled me. You must listen to these books!
And The Not So Much:
*The ending was another shocker. Just when the dust was settling and all seemed right, there is a major event that left me speechless. Why must Darynda be so cruel and end her books with major cliffhangers? Still, I won’t complain too much because I love this series so darn much.
*I was disappointed that one of the cases Charley was following was left undone. Usually the investigations Charley works on are completed, but that wasn’t the case in this one.

Twelfth Grave is another outstanding edition to a favorite series. Ms. Jones proves again and again that she knows how to spin one amazing story. I love the characters, the humor, the story lines and everything about this series. It continues to impress and amaze me even after twelve books, which speaks volumes of a series. If you want a fabulous series, look no further!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Charley Davidson is back in a non-stop action filled adventure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

If I had only one word to describe this book, I would have to go with unpredictable but luckily I have more than one word because this book is worth many more. The unpredictable word is very fitting because there are many twists and turns and a conclusion that will knock your socks off because I sure didn’t see that one coming. I have to admit that for the majority of the book I didn’t see how Charley could possible come out on top of the latest troubles in her world which kept me glued to the pages as Charley and all the other wonderful characters set about not only saving the world but also saving Charley’s family.

It is a bit of a roller coaster ride with lots of hair raising thrills and chills and of course snarky dialogue that catches you unaware and startles a laugh out of you because of Charley’s unique view of the world and how everyone fits in it. This book doesn’t have a lot of romance scenes but hey how much more romantic can it be when one has to save the love of her life from certain death.

Once again, Darynda Jones has written a funny but electrifyingly exciting book that readers can’t put down and I can’t wait to find out what happens next in Charley’s world. One last thing, for those of you who have not read the previous books, then you could become a bit lost because you missed the events that let up to this point and also because Charley’s penchant for renaming people and things may throw you off somewhat besides you would be missing out on Charley’s fun, thrilling adventure of a life.

Note: This will contain mild spoilers for the series.

I was a little disappointed with this addition to the Charley Davidson series, which has been a longstanding Urban Fantasy fave of mine. With less than a year between this book’s release and the previous one, I can see why there is a noticeable lack of depth in this book compared to the previous ones. Nonetheless, I’m glad I picked it up still and can’t wait to see where the next book (and I believe last?) has in store for us readers!

The cliffhanger from the eleventh book was really wild and had me counting down the days to this one’s release! The subject of the problem was Reyes, Charley’s husband, who went into the god glass and somehow came back as his god self - a terrifying version of him, too. I thought that the resolution regarding Reyes’s god self and the difference with his normal self was a bit sloppy and hastily written. It was a very on-the-page explained kind of narration that I sped through and got bored with. Additionally, the murder-mystery that is always featured in one of these books also had a lackluster resolution that I expected more from. With such successful previous books, following the plot for this one was essentially a disappointment.

What I did enjoy, however, was revisiting the lovable characters and their relationship dynamics. Charley is trying to do many things at once, while she has her charming uncle and bubbly friend, Cookie, to help out. There are ghosts who come and go throughout the story, each with distinctive voices and characterizations. The only character relationship that was lacking is the romance with Reyes, who was also not present for the majority of the book. He’s labeled as “terrifying” in his god-self, but I never got a sense of danger from him. With the way Charley goes against the rules, it’s hard to really feel a sense of danger at all in any situation for the series. Halfway through the book, I even stopped caring about Reyes’s character. This is a big “whoa!” for me because he plays such an essential role in the series and I really like his quiet mysteriousness and strength. But his absence and lack of character in general in this book just made me exasperated. Charley continues on with a rather silly yet caring attitude toward her duties, bringing lightness to the mood of the book. My biggest reason of complaint - other than the Reyes plotline - was the flimsiness in story of the book in general and the large “filler” feeling I got while reading. It felt like readers - and the plot - didn’t gain anything or change from the start of this book to the end.

While this was an interesting, diverting read, I wasn’t quite impressed with it as an addition to the Charley Davidson series. The beginning books were action-packed and full of story and characterization. This one felt like a major filler that kind of went in a circle. While this book was meh in general - much more of a 2.5 star rating than anything, I really do recommend the series in general. It’s a delightful blend of action, romance, and urban fantasy and great for book slumps and mindless reads in general. Perhaps just not this one.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy!

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

YES!!!! But also, THAT ENDING!!

I absolutely L O V E this series and am not yet tired of reading it. This book was a great addition which made me laugh, smile, gasp, and made my eyes water. I cannot get enough of Charley.

I do not know what else to say besides that I would love to recommend this to many different people. I am so excited for the next book and seriously hope for a beep spin-off!!

I think that the fact that I haven't read the other books in this series left me lost in this book. For me I was confused at who everyone was and found it hard to read. With that said I am going to go back to the beginning and start from there.



** I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**