So the seventh. With the twelve. And with some usual missing people cases, with some new screeching souls and with the Beep.

I was reading it and I just could not help myself. There was the lovesquare a la Twilight, and the Anita Blake’s main squeeze like character and also the Ghost Whisperer like action. And in total there was so much action that I have really hard time to remember, what was in this book or maybe in previous book, or is still coming. It was an busy week for Charley and the boys, lot of tearing and bleeding and healing, and Rocket is upset, since he had to erase some of the names, that were already written on the wall.

Charley is getting into her powers and she needs all of them, once Beep is here.

Still a good read!

Darynda Jones continues to gravitate away from the funny and more towards the serious in this seventh book of the Charley Davidson series. While it still has it's funny moments, it's filled to the brim with mysterious disappearances after suicide notes are left behind, the disappearance of Charley's father, the unwanted attentions of a local reporter to Charley's fiancé Reyes, and oh yeah, those hellhounds that can't be killed but want to tear out Charley's throat. A now deceased, shrill and annoying ex-best friend, too much testosterone in the form of Reyes, Swopes, and the Osh (aka the Dealer) in Charley's apartment, and a well-intentioned and supportive best friend and uncle help supply the lighter moments in this book, but I kind of miss the balance of funny, sexy and serious of some of the earlier books.

Book 7 and this series is still going strong.

I loved this book as much as the previous books. Just like the previous books I was hooked from the beginning.

I do recommend this series.

Another fantastic episode in this wonderful fantasy series. Wonderful stuff and still many more books to look forward to.

Review:

Since I read all of the Charley Davidson in one long run, yes, I had not read any of the series yet, I decided to write one review for the previously released books and one for the last book in the series.

First let me say, these are wickedly awesome books! Loved the story line, the writing and the characters. For me it was great to read them all at once and a little sad, since there will not be anymore. One of the things I loved about the books was Charley and her balls to the wall, help whoever, whenever she can attitude. Now that sure got her in lots of trouble, but it was so much fun to read. I loved the snarky witty dialogue and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter cracked me up. Now, it is not all fun and games in this story, there were points when I was crying and points I was on the edge of my seat with the action going on. I have to say on the whole this is one of the best and most well-rounded series I have read where I was not once bored or wanting to put down a book.

I am not sure what this Author has coming next, but she has me on the hook for whatever it is.

5 Big Stars for all of the books in the series

*I voluntarily read reader copies of each book provided by the publisher for review.*

The next installment in the life and times of Charley Davidson will have you asking a lot of questions. As Charley searches for her missing father, she is slowly but surely becoming an adult. As her relationship with Reyes grows, so do the many questions she must ask herself about where life is taking her. In this installment, Charley is facing pursuit from everything devilish and also trying to keep her human life on an even keel. Yep, not gonna happen. Darynda Jones know how to keep her readers happy and coming back for more.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
Book 7 in the Charley Davidson series was really intense. The entire tone of the series has been changing, this story is a bit more insidious and mature. While Charley is always trying to save the world, one missing and/or dead person at a time, Satan is on the hunt for HER.

As always, there is a ton of action: romantic, mystery, physical, emotional. There are hell hounds nipping at Charley's heels. Reyes isn't willing to let her out of his sight but is still hiding stuff from her. Not only are they at odds with one another, but now there's another life to be considering. (This part bothers me, Charley is just way too reckless when it comes to her well-being.) The search for Charley's dad is still on, Ubie and Cookie are getting together, and Amber may have a hand to play in the upcoming war. In short, the proverbial excrement has hit the fan and this band of merry friends are in for some serious problems.

Overall, I couldn't put this book down. There was something happening at each page turn, I'm totally invested in Charley's powers and Reyes’ purpose. I need to know what happens to Beep. I need to know there is a happy ending. ~Keeping my fingers crossed~


Dawn – ☆☆☆☆
Ooh hello supporting characters. I really loved them in this instalment.

I'm not going to lie, I didn't much like Charley in this book, she was a little annoying. I hope she snaps out of it in the next one.

As always, there ares a million things going on to keep your attention and keep the pages turning.

This just wasn't my favourite from this series so far.


Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Stars.

Seventh Grave and No Body is obviously the seventh installment of the Charley Davidson series. I suggest strongly against reading it as a standalone, as this series slowly builds from book to book on the world-building as Charley learns more about her abilities and the prophesy, as well as the evolution of relationship building between friends, family, and lovers, and character building.

I need to be honest and state how I had a difficult time at the start of the novel. The beginning felt more manic, chaotic, and over-the-top, where before the humor was snarky, sarcastic, or witty, when this was full stop irrational. It started out with what should have been some heavy content, with major action, but it was the dismissive, flippant aftermath, like none of it was important, that was an issue.

A conversation Charley had on the phone to Cookie, while trapped in a car with Agent Carson driving, where Charley kept thinking Kit wasn't to know about her abilities, yet the conversation was so irrational, unnecessary, and gave far too much away... and we never saw Agent Carson again after the first few pages, never exploring how she learned too much. Actually, that entire mystery was solved and over in pages, never heard from again. Charley's inner monologue was how Kit wasn't to know, but she did everything she possibly could to tell the woman, via conversations with Reyes and the erratic phone call with Cookie, when both Reyes and Cookie already knew everything discussed. It was used purposefully to tell Kit, while thinking she wasn't to know, only for the thread to drop off in the first few pages and never crop up again.

Then in the next passage, which picks up immediately after they got out of the car... the way Charley spoke to the judge after interrupting a trial, instead of just ANSWERING/EXPLAINING like a rational human being why she interrupted something of such an important magnitude – it was all over the place and highly irrational and immature. I longed for someone, anyone, to ask if Charley was high or in need of a medical professional.

After that, around the 15 to 20% mark, the irrationality leveled out and became classic Charley Davidson and I was able to fall into the book and not come back out until the last page.

Detective and police work, along with helping ghosts, all that takes a backseat to the evolution of the world-building, as Charley learns more about the prophesy and what it means for her to have what powers she's thus far discovered.

Reyes is angry, simply because there is a fine line Charley keeps crossing, where she investigates insignificant mysteries that someone else could EASILY tackle, which are simply used as a vehicle to put her into danger with the hellhounds, where she puts herself and Beep at constant risk. For what? What's the sense in helping someone with something that is a minor annoyance, putting your life at risk? At least take all the help you can, right? Wrong.

After the way the beginning started, I agreed with Reyes. Charley's immaturity was a bitter pill for me to swallow, seeming more so than in previous installments. While I appreciated her still investigating little tasks for the ghosts, especially what she did for her childhood friend, leaving Reyes behind was like a personal mission in life was ridiculous, which would be the end of Beep and her own life. All Reyes wanted was to keep watch on the daylight missions, and no nighttime missions. Was that too much to ask? Evidently yes, since Charley spent the entire novel trying to lose her tail, just to show she could take care of herself, when she knew she couldn't. It was frustrating to read, because that behavior is not lucid thinking.

The prophesy, discovering new powers, dealing with the hellhounds, Dad missing, and everyday life fills the pages of the novel. Aside from the few issues I had, I did highly enjoy this installment. The ending had a few hard-hitting conclusions to story threads, which was as exciting as emotional, leaving me hungry to read more and more.

Seventh Grave and No Body, the side characters and the world-building shined, where it was our heroine who devolved, turning into classic damsel in distress with too many powers, who doesn't have many brain cells to rub together. Charley was to the detriment of this installment, instead of being the heroine she previously was. I'm holding out hope this isn't Beep Brain, because I'll pray for Beep's arrival, because I can't handle books' worth of this irrational behavior. It's not entertaining, yet equally dangerous, to have the person with all the power in the universe be self-destructive and purposefully ignorant.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is, as you would expect, the seventh book in the series – and you absolutely definitely need to read them in order to even have a hope of getting with the story! A wonderful mix of crazy in this world and hints of madness in others.

There is a lot of humour in this episode, once again often involving Cookie, Charley's faithful assistant. However, for me there is also a real annoyance at Charley herself. Her ditsy, clumsy, confused way of life was very funny, but she is not showing much personal development. I have completely bought into the slow burn romance between her and Reyes, but they are now engaged, living together, and facing hell hounds... with Reyes saving her time and time again... yet she continues to act like a petulant child, proud of herself for evading him, and through it, causing him pain. It means that I am not really buying the love from her, nor do I like how she is treating him – she sometimes understands afterwards, but this is seven books in, so her lack of awareness is not so sweet any more.

Overall I enjoyed the madcap, the linking of earthly issues to those of another plane, and am curious as to how the powers finally vest themselves in Charley (she gets so many hints, yet is still like a newborn foal trying to walk). Hopefully she will wake up to her behaviour issues and grow up fast. Plenty has been thrown at her, so it can't be too far away.

Thank goodness book eight is sat waiting for me on my Kindle.

I loved this entire series so much I read the entire thing back to back. Charley Davidson is fascinating, and has jumped to one of my favorite Urban Fantasy Heroines ever.

Another explosive installment of Charley Davidson!

Charley and caffeine withdrawals is not a good combination. But what can you do when you have Beep on board? haha!

I felt this book was better than #6. So, if you were a little let on on the last book, just hold on. Things get so much better!

Seventh book, and yes you need to have read them in order, it is a continuing story arc that builds more in each book. The overall story arc moved along big time with this one, and as always the book story is closed so it doesn't leave on a cliff hanger. There is so much going on in this book, and I'm not into spoilers, but I have to wonder is Denise from the dark side meant to thwart Charlie as a child and hasn't given up her assignment, what a piece of work. The ending left my emotions all over the place, happy, sad, angry, worried, but looking forward to the next.

Seventh in this series and so far my favorite. These book have a tendency to spin out, this one actually, kind of, made sense. There is the snarky humor we always expect from Charley and the back wash of side stories, that are always included in these books. There is laugh out loud humor in this one. I always wonder how one person/reaper/god can have so much heart ache and turmoil but still be positive and good. Fun, good read.

Book seven of the fan-freaking-tastic Charley Davidson series is still kicking butt and taking names. Plenty of action, romance, comedy, and awesome characters to pull it off. These need to be read in order, starting at the very beginning, for maximum enjoyment. Otherwise, the reader may miss out on a great deal that would make the book go from dud to fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary ebook in exchange for a review. Opinions expressed are strictly my own.

The sinfully good Charley Davidson series continues with our heroine being hunted by twelve hell hounds and haunted by her former frenemy while working on a series of suspicious suicides for the police. As she tries to solve the crime while dealing with the fact that her father is missing and she may be the subject of a Vatican investigation , the reader is swept along for an action packed adventure. Pacy and punchy as always, this is a fun read for fans of the ongoing series.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Seventh Grave and No Body
By Darynda Jones

4 stars.

Darynda Jones new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, 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 (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice.

Twelve of the deadliest beasts ever forged in the fires of hell have escaped onto our plane, and they want nothing more than to rip out Charley Davidson’s jugular and serve her body to Satan for dinner. So there’s that. But Charley has more on her plate than a mob of testy hellhounds. For one thing, her father has disappeared, and as she retraces his last steps she learns he was conducting an investigation of his own, one that has Charley questioning everything she’s ever known about him. Add to that an ex-BFF who is haunting her night and day, a rash of suicides that has authorities baffled, and a drop-dead sexy fiancé who has attracted the attentions of a local celebrity, and Charley is not having the best week of her life. But all of that barely scratches the surface of her problems. Recent developments have forced her to become a responsible adult. To conquer such a monumental task, she’s decided to start small. Really small. She gets a pet. But how can she save the world against the forces of evil when she can’t even keep a goldfish alive?

A tad north of hell, a hop, skip, and a jump past the realm of eternity, is a little place called Earth, and Charley Davidson, grim reaper extraordinaire, is determined to do everything in her power to protect it.
While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#NetGalley

Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

ARC Kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read these books over and over and over, and everytime I read them I fall more in love with it. The only thing that frustrates me is the waiting in between and for the ultimate fight, other than that and is like an addiction.

I am too sad to see this series over, but something tells me this will not be the end at all.

If you haven't read this series, start now, it is just amazing!

Thank you for the early copy.

I recommend this seventh novel of the series to fans of urban fantasy. Once again a good addition to the series as we follow our favorite grim reaper! :)

“He wanted a war? He’d get one.”

It’s been a bad day so the enraged ending worked for me. The supernatural world is more dangerous than ever and Charley has so much to lose.

Osh was the highlight of the book: attractive, interesting, calm, and battle-ready.

Unfortunately the book had a saccharine stank: the overly emotional affianced.

I will give you that this book is primarily fluff. There isn't a lot going on but there were a few reveals for the series as a whole.

What's interesting is that most people state the their favorite part of this series is Charley's humor and at times I find it to be my least favorite part. I like it when it's subtle but too many times it goes over the top.

But, regardless, it's fun, easy reading and sometimes that's all you need.

3.5/5. And, yes, I've already started the next book. I need more fluff in my life.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

The Binge Continues!

Yep, still reading this series and we’re really back on track with this one.

As you know, Reyes has his daddy issues, but in this one Charley’s own daddy issues come tearing into the picture in a very dangerous way! But of course, that’s not it. Charley’s problems multiply exponentially in this one, including a troublesome ex-friend (or frenemy) with problems of her own.

As usual, the book manages to be funny, sad, and so much fun!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

A big thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Never a dull moment with Charley and Reyes. This is a re-read for me, but still a fun read. I think they might not read as well as stand alones. I would suggest reading them in order. I m doing it backward, but I have read them all at this point. A good mystery, a bit of craziness, paranormal galore, and a love that is fascinating and makes me solo jealous! Great read. 4 stars