OMG!

Ms. Jones continues to impress with her Charles Davidson series! The writing is witty, smart, filled with humor, innuendo and snark. What a playground of freaky awesomeness must her imagination look like? But don't be fooled by all the humor and cheek, these are horror stories too. Several men, women and children die and/or have died in each installment and we, the reader, are subjected to their stories and sometimes their endings as well. Most times, the humor does get you over the hurdle of despair, but every once in awhile, I needed a break. Yet, I always come back for more! The stories are addicting and every character captivating.

Recalling any of the story feels like a spoiler so I'll just say, "Start with book one and enjoy the ride, it's going to be a long one with lots of surprising twists and turns. Oh, and hot sexy times too. We mustn't forget those!"

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I hate to be the dissenting voice, but as much as I enjoyed the first several of this series the last few have been less fun and unique. There are some good humorous moments, but on the whole, there has been little movement in the story line and too many cliff-hanger endings. This may be my last unless I see reviews indicating some movement.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

*spoilers to follow from the previous installments*

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong with society. No one drinks from the skulls of their enemies anymore.”

Charley always seems to have a crazy amount of stuff to deal with but I think in Twelfth Grave she managed to surpass herself. After Reyes escapes from the Hell dimension she accidentally trapped him in, she’s having to deal with his new feral nature and trying to figure out if the God side of him has won over the human side or not. And the actual God has given her a timeframe to fix it, or else. She’s having to actually cover up a murder in order to save a friend. Cookie’s daughter Amber and Quentin have decided to open their own detective agency after someone starts stealing office supplies and Charley says she’d help them out to find the culprit (and to keep them out of trouble). Add to that, the Vatican is asking a lot of questions about Charley’s daughter, Beep, who is still in hiding from the dangerous entities that wish to cause her harm. Oh, and did I mention that Charley can’t sleep? Every time she closes her eyes she’s visited by this new godly version of her husband and the visits are becoming increasingly disturbing. Charley’s running on nothing but fumes and an ungodly (ha) amount of coffee.

“But noooo. The man with the balls had to go in because he’s manly with manly balls and a penis to guide him. And now he’s all savage and wild, but he still has his balls. That’s all that’s important, by God. His man parts.”

The penultimate book! Gah. I know that this series is due to end with the thirteenth book but man, I could read the hilarious antics of Charley Davidson forever. We’re finally getting pieces of the mythology behind Charley and the origins of her creation, of Reyes’ purpose in it all, and of course Beep. It’s fascinating although at times it can feel a little rambling since we’re missing all the connecting pieces still. But with only a final book left, I fear we have a lot to cover still but I remain hopeful that Jones is going to knock it out of the park. Her writing has maintained throughout this entire series to be consistent in delivering exciting, non-stop thrills. She continues to heighten the intensity in the final pages, leaving enormous cliffhangers, routinely leaving us readers in the midst of an existential crisis.

Existential crisis or not, I’ll take all that I can get. Fingers crossed this includes a spin-off Beep series. The countdown to the release of book 13 on October 30, 2018 begins. 354 days to go.

The Trouble With Twelfth Grave is another great entry in the popular Charley Davidson series. Charley brings her trademark sass, however, the tone is much darker than the previous books. Not surprisingly there are multiple subplots, and I'm in awe of they are handled without detracting from the main characters. The story ends with a huge cliffhanger which I never like, but it builds excitement and desperation for the next book. If you love supernatural fiction and sassy humor this is the series to read!

I get lost every time I read one of the Charley Davidson additions. The world around her is uniquely hers. The ways she approaches things makes for a fantastic read. Every single read is a new and exciting journey.

Life is hard when you are the Grimm Reaper but Charley Daniels is so good at it. Snarky, snappy, witty and such a fun read.

Oh my gosh, that was a bit of a shocking book. With the cliffhanger ending of the last book, I knew this would start really fast paced, but I did not expect everything that was crammed in there. And I wasn't expecting that ending. Wow I did not expect it. I really can't wait for the next book to come out.

I started reading this series (Charley Davidson) a long time ago and I don't remember why I haven't kept up with all the books. This is book 12 and it is great the series has the number in the title. Charley is still helping dead people but she has a lot of problems with her demon husband Reyes and the the other gods. Reyes has escaped the from hell where Charley has accidentally sent him and he's after something very near and dear to Charley. Great addition to the series and a wonderful lead in for book 13.

Things were left in a rather ticklish spot at the end of Eleventh Grave so I fairly pounced when Twelfth Grave came available. The Charley Davidson series continues to charm, wow, and crack me up even a dozen books in.
Review

The Trouble With Twelfth Grave is the latest in this cackle-inducing, pulse-pounding urban fantasy featuring a goddess-grim reaper and her badder than the baddest son of Satan husband and the rest of her gang of misfits. This series is meant to be read in order and really makes the best sense that way especially now that the series plot has gotten so complex with the reveals and world building.

The book opens pretty much where the last one left off. Reyes is back, but he’s different. Someone’s killing people in horrific and mysterious ways. The Catholic church along with the angels of heaven are watching Charley like a hawk. Amber and Quentin are starting their own amateur investigation firm. Cooky and Ubie support Charley as always. Officer Taft is still missing and Charley? Well Charley hasn’t slept in days because a certain sultry dark god keeps invading her dreams while evading her traps.

So much is going on and the stakes are higher, but I appreciate how the author stays true to the roots of the series when it comes to what makes Charley a fantastic heroine and the plots into page-turners. There is all the world in trouble stuff, but also murder mysteries and seeming unrelated troubles for Charley to work out. The banter is witty and several times had me snorting or laughing aloud.

And oh yes, we did manage to end on a shocking cliffie. Stay tuned for Thirteenth Grave.

An abso-fab blend of humor, mystery, passion, and paranormal all in a powerhouse urban fantasy series. Don’t miss it, UF fans!

I rec’d this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

The wait for this book was excruciating...
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I got a chance to read this book in advance from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review...
But, oh boy, where to start? (No spoilers of course.)

First of all, there was no question in my mind if I was going to enjoy reading The Trouble with Twelfth Grave. I just hopped on a train that lead to the awe-inspiring Charley world again, and I knew. I just knew I was in for an awesome ride.

With that said, I wasn't disappointed. The last book's ending was driving me crazy all year and I NEEDED to know what happened next.
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Darynda Jones ALWAYS delivers. I was biting my nails at some point and was sad, then even astonished by some revelations and meetings of new... people. She always puts us readers (and fans - if you are reading the 12th book in a series you surely are one) through a rollercoaster of emotions, not even one moment of any book a dull one so far.

The ending... oh my goodness, the ending...

You are going to love reading this one, my fellow reader. And you are going to go through all stages of denial once the final book in the series comes around... As will I. ;)

Such a fan of this series! Charley always has something going on, and being her sarcastic self it's always entertaining. You learn a few things about the destiny of Charlie and Reyes in this book, and even though Reyes went a little bad, and wasn't with Charlie the whole way, it was a great read. But man what a cliffhanger... I just want the next one!

Reyes is back from a Hell dimension, but he's not quite his lovable self. Charley and her friends are trying to find a way to revert him to that state. And while she has a limited amount of time to perform this miracle there are other mysteries for Charley to solve including a grisly string of murders most likely committed by someone else supernatural. And there's a budding private investigator business to mentor. She's also seeing her usual ghosts.

The dialogue, both internal and external, is loaded with humor and sarcasm. Charley has quite a wit about her. And Charley wouldn't be Charley without the sarcasm, coffee, and the supportive group of friends.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well written and engaging. It's hard to put down. And it has a cliffhanger ending leaving you wanting the thirteenth book in the series ASAP, but you have to wait until next October for it. Number 13 is going to be the last book in the series.

While you probably could read it as a standalone, it's such a great series, I would recommend that you start with an earlier volume if you haven't read any yet. If you love urban fantasy or paranormal tales with some romance, this would be a good series for you. Charley is a kickass, snarky heroine. You can read more about the author and the series on her website here.

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones was released October 31, 2017 from St. Martin's Press.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

This one was a little bit darker than the past books in this series, but luckily Charlie's humor was still there to make it another great addition to this series.

Welcome to the twelfth installment of Charley , Reyes and the rest of the gang . I must say that this series is just getting better and funnier . I love the coffee swigging sassy pi / grim reaper . When we left off Reyes , the sexy man and god . Blew out of the God glass in his true form and is on the hunt for their daughter . Doing mass destruction in his wake . Charley is out to stop him at any cost . Not wanting to kill her husband but is willing to do it to save their little daughter . Will they survive the evil and come back together . 
     This is the 12th book in the series and it was a good fast read for me . I sat down and got sucked into Charley and the guys again. The story took off with a bang and just kept on going , The characters are getting better and better with each book . Charley is such a kick ass woman and you see her actually struggling this time . She doesn't want to hurt her love but she will if she has to . Reyes is still hot and sexy as sin but the evil side of him is doing everything in his power to hunt for their daughter . But all isn't what it seems with Reyes and you will want to kill him then in the next breathe you will want to climb him like a monkey and have your way with him .  Cookie and the gang are also back , doing what they have to do to keep Charley on the right path . I feel so bad for Garrett though he goes through so much in one scene in the book . 
      The series is one that I will always love the stories are hilarious and the characters are quirky and so much fun to read .  The only thing I found that it was just a little short . Started and then bang it was over . I just wish the author just flushed it out a little bit more . Other then that I loved the story and have never laughed so hard in awhile . So if you want a funny series check out Charley Davidson series . you will not be disappointed .

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave is definitely not a stand alone book and there were some truly great moments in this book! However a couple of things kept this from being a 5 star book for me. If you're a fan of the series then you know everything that Charley and Reyes have been through in the last 11 books and of course book 11 ended on a huge cliff hanger with Reyes coming back from a hell realm not himself.

Honestly, I had forgotten some things so I loved the way Darynda Jones reminded us of Charley and Reyes past as well as filled in a lot of details that we didn't know before. It's through a set of children's books that Garrett discovers and gives to Charley to read. A seven year old deaf and blind prophet wrote the books about Charley, Reyes and Beep and through Charley reading these books we are reminded and give details of the history.

There is a lot of humor in this book and I love Charley's sarcasm however I do wish she would grow a bit. Her stick her head in the sand and hope things will go away and her naming everything under the sun is a little over the top in this book with all she is dealing with. I love funny and crazy Charley but she can still be that with some growth as well. As for Reyes - I love him whether he is Reyes or Rey'aziel or Rey'azikeen but a couple of scenes from his POV would have helped because honestly there was a huh moment at the end for me. <spoiler>I'm still not sure whether he was aware of exactly who he was and his feelings for Charley the whole time? After all some of his actions really hurt Charley. Yet it seems at the end it was more a matter of well I just needed you to trust me no matter what. Really?</spoiler> I also wish we had a bit more of Reyes in this book but then I always say that cause I just can't get enough!

The story certainly isn't predictable and that says's something after 12 books! It's exciting, and fun and will keep you on the edge of your seat to see what happens. The whole gang is there and with plenty of humor and Charleyisms. However, I don't see why we had to have another huge cliffhanger. After 12 books I would hope the author knows we are going to come back for the final book and wouldn't see the need for another cliffhanger - it's frustrating.

Still it was an excellent book and aside from the few things mentioned above I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be coming back to read the final book as soon as it's released to see how it all ends!

A copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.

Charley Davidson, a.k.a. the Grim Reaper, is back. This time someone or something is attacking people who are in some way sensitive to the supernatural world.
The book was exactly what I have come to expect from Darynda Jones. It was fast-paced, kept me on the edge of my seat, and kept me laughing throughout.

In this installment, Grim Reaper/Investigator, Charley Davidson is looking for the person responsible for attacking humans sensitive to the supernatural world. A hard task if they can’t get any clues, much less see anyone in the security cameras. Charley is also tackling the return of her husband Reyes, AKA the son of Satan. He’s badder, sexier, and, stronger but certainly not the same. The ante is up and Charley is left with little choice but to make hardest decision she will ever make.

I’m going to be honest, when I first received the ARC for this book, I thought it was too short and I was afraid it will not have the same impact as the previous books. I should’ve known better though. Darynda delivered another installment that’s packed with humor, mystery, and emotions that will leave you in awe. I promise you, by the end of this book, you’ll be left with your mouth open. And with that said, a fair warning, there is a bit of a cliffhanger that will make you rethink if you like this book or not. I had to step back from my emotions and assess my opinion of this whole book not just the ending. LOL. But alas, I realize not liking a cliffhanger is not an accurate rating of the entire book. I don’t have any complaints. I loved every page!

If you haven’t read this series yet, I would like to just ask “why the hell not?” If you like Urban Fantasy, I would really urge you to do so. This series has funny characters, mystery, suspense, sexy hero, and an amazing heroine. You won’t be disappointed.

I have been a loyal Charley fan for quite some time, but this one just isn’t my favorite. The storylines continue to get a little more out there and things are left unresolved. There are more characters added and it’s getting to the point I forget who is who and what they’re doing in the story. The humor is still there. I’m looking forward to the final book to see how Darynda wraps things up.

Charley was the only Grim Reaper this side of eternity. Charley didn’t scare easily. Charley got a ton of requests from people swearing their hose was haunted. Begging Charley to cleanse the house of the evil that lurked in said house. Ghosts could see Charley’s light from anywhere in the world. Charley ferried lost souls that were left behind after their initial offer of a one way trip up or down whichever way they were suppose to go. But seeing the dead and getting them to cross over were two different skills. But in this case Mrs. Blomme’s case but Mrs. Blomme was the ghost. Charley didn’t know if she was still married to Reyes. Charley had brought down a bloodthirsty cult a few days ago then she had devoured a blood thirsty God. Charley had gotten drunk as she had held Beunnocent when he died but there was nothing Charley could do it. Charley had thought about going to a hell dimension to rescue some innocent people but Reyes had talked her into sending him instead. Reyes had gone to the hells dimension through a God Stone but when he finally got out he was different and acted like he didn’t know Charley. Then the being used Charley’s astral name The being standing before Charley was not her husband Reyes. Charley did not know how much of the being was her husband reyes and how much angry God guy. Charley hadn’t seen Reyes in three days he had just disappeared. Then Charley got a text from her Uncle Bob who was a detective for APD. Charley sometimes helped with cases when the dead people could tell Charley who killed them. And she told her uncle. But their current case was more disturbing than she had let her Uncle Bob know Two bodies had been mutilated and burned. Mutilated in a very unusual way and burnt in random spots. The burns hadn’t killed them blood had. It was as if they had been clawed to death. But the M E said the attacker had been human. So Charley wondered if it was a God like Reyes. Noone dead or alive seemed to know about the murders. Angel was a dead thirteen year old gangbangers ghost and Charley’s only investigator Ange was upset because he could feel Reyes but not find him. Angel and Charley both felt anger. Charley told Angel she was going to talk to Garrett that he would know what to do. Charley knew Reyes could be a problem but for it to affect Angel to such a degree was unexpected. Then Charley grew to realize it wasn’t Reyes anymore but Rez’eezckeen. Charley could feel his anger and he was looking for ashes and embers and Charley had no idea what he was looking for. But some being was killing people and they left burn marks as as beating the victims and left them tore up.
I loved this book it was great as far as I am concerned. I loved Cookie’s loyality asusual. The love of her Uncle Bob, her friend Pari who was a constant in Charley;s life. Also Blue, Rocket, and Strawberry Shortcake. And all the people and beings who make up Charley’s world. Then it was pretty great for Charley to summon God who was reyes brother. Just an awesome read. Great plot and pace. Great action, and suspense, intrigue, and so many other things in this book. I hated when I had to put this book down and came back to it as often as I could. No problem with keeping my interest with this book. My only problem was it ended in a cliffhanger but I had to accept it cause I loved the book so much and am looking forward to the next book. This is part of a series and I advise you to read the other books in the series before this one as everything will all fall together and you will have all the backstory you need. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.