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.*

Charley finds herself in Sleepy Hollow, New York with a bad case of amnesia and no idea who she is. Going by the name Janey Doerr, she gets a job at a cafe and tries to understand why she sees dead people and can hear a difference between someone lying or telling the truth. In fact she spends most of the book around this setting, in NY.

Cookie, Reyes and lots of other friends and family make the move to Sleepy Hollow, NY, too. They love Charley and want to help her, but have been cautioned against outright telling her anything. It could cause Charley harm. So, they circle around and do what they can and lie about what is necessary. To the lie detector. Yeah, I was confused about how that would work.

Ultimately, at tremendous personal cost, someone gives Charley her memory back. In addition to her memories being restored, even more is revealed to Charley.

I can't wait for the next book! Good thing it's already been downloaded.

I read and reviewed a copy courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, all opinions are my own. Review posted on NetGalley, Amazon, BookBub, and Goodreads.

Never let her go!! This book just made my heart swoon. I love how Reyes will always be there for Charley, even if she doesn't remember him. It was heartbreaking how she got into this fuddle, but in the end Reyes made it all better.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shelby – ☆☆☆
I don't know what to say about book nine in the Charley Davidson series, except it isn't my favorite book. Maybe this should be titled Janey and the Diner as that would be more closely matched to the subject of the story.

After book eight, I don't know what I was expecting, but it was NOT this. Charley is nowhere to be found. We've been transported to New York (from Arizona) and all of the friends seem to be here too. This book lacked the normal sass of Charley, the excitement of the investigations, the steam of Reyes. There wasn't much scenery, as this entire story (until the last few chapters) took place in the Twilight Grill. As disappointed as I was on the whole, the last few chapters made this a three-star read.

FINALLY some action happens, and we meet the evil demon Kuur (sent from Hell). Not only do we meet him, but we learn some really interesting facts about all the dimensions, Heaven, Hell, and the origins of the gods that we know.

This story just felt totally different from the rest of the series, and I was happy to be done with it. I'm hoping that book 10 will resume Charley's normal antics.


Dawn – ☆☆☆☆
Well, with the ending of the last book, I really didn't know what to expect.

I felt so sorry for Reyes in this book, that's not something I've said in this series before.

Charley has no idea who she is; however, she is still herself at her core. She is still helping people and solving cases.

It really was hard to watch Charley struggling in this book.

She thinks she is alone, but little does she know that the whole gang is there for her.

This was another great book in the series, on to the next book.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I love that this book pushes the reset button on the whole series. The whole supernatural storyline is put on hold while Charley suffers from amnesia and restarts her life in Sleepy Hollow.

Nothing about this series is plausible, so the daytime soap amnesia storyline at the centre of this book isn’t really any stranger than the storylines about angels, gods, demons, and the Grim Reaper.

I’d started to dislike Charley in book seven and I have to say that I like her much better with amnesia. Charley with amnesia is vulnerable and resourceful and capable. I still don’t understand the purpose of her friends and family members all moving to New York to support her (without telling her anything about herself), but I liked getting to see everyone from a fresh perspective.

I have to admit that I didn’t completely follow the storyline about Mr. V and his family but I found the stalker storyline quite creepy. The last scenes in this book perfectly pull this story into the wider story arc and there is one horrible sacrifice at the end that made me cry.

This book does reset the series and it also reset my interest in the series. The writing is tighter and the characters are more clear. And Charley is likeable again. This book is a somewhat bizarre interlude from the main story in New Mexico but it works and it pulls an increasingly unwieldy series back together.


Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Stars

The Dirt on Ninth Grave is obviously the ninth installment of the Charley Davidson series. I strongly suggest against reading it as a standalone, as well as every other book in the series. Please read in series order for the maximum payoff with world-building, as well as with relationship and character building.

To say I struggled would be an understatement, not that the novel wasn't an easy, quick read for me. Just as I'm struggling with the series as a whole and this review itself. I'm conflicted on how I feel, because a part of me is so close to just throwing in the towel, but a larger part of me is going to stick this out until the end. Not for Charley, but for the rest of the cast, whom I've come to hold in high affection.

This plot didn't go where I expected, so I'll give the author that. With an amnesia premise – which I have never been a fan of, whether it be a book or in a soap opera – I expected something vastly different than was delivered.

Charley was more mature, adult-like, which I've been praying for since book four or five, but it's a false sense of maturity, as she didn't evolve her character but simply has amnesia. So it didn't feel like I was reading a Charley Davidson novel because her personality is what makes it a Charley Davidson novel. Losing one's memories shouldn't alter their personality, as that is innate. It's her narcissism under the guise of being selfless, along with her immaturity that rub me raw time and time again throughout the series – her grim reaping and familial, relationship, and friendship bonds are what keep me coming back. I am holding out hope to see REAL character evolution and maturity, where Charley acknowledges her actions have far-reaching consequences affecting more than just herself.

Charley helps a town solve mysteries, which I felt was odd, since they don't know her any more than she knows them, so where is this trust coming from? It just falls into her lap too conveniently. Anyway, it didn't feel like Charley, and I knew these people and this place has ZERO to do with the series as a whole, so for everything but the ending of the novel, I knew it didn't truly matter what happened on the pages, as it was simply...

Filler.

A detour.

Not Charley.

After giving nine books worth of my time, I felt let down, simply because by this far in the series, with only a small handful left in the series, the focus should be on propelling us toward the conclusion, not things of zero consequence.

I have much hope for the next installment, but I do believe some of this is on me. Attempting to read such a long-standing series in the span of a few weeks' time in anticipation for the final installment, versus the ability to read when the craving struck, when I wasn't raw or annoyed by the direction a few of the plots and the characterization had taken. So that is on me, as normally, if I read as a book was released, I would have looked forward to the next in the series, knowing I would only get one or two per year. But being slightly annoyed and having to start the next novel straight away, that affects my mood and overall enjoyment, and that is most definitely on me.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is (not surprisingly) the ninth book in the series – and you most definitely need to read them in order to have any hope of understanding even a small part of this book. Never was that statement more true!

I only read book eight a week or so ago, but when catapulted into Sleepy Hollow, I was truly confused (admittedly I have read five books in between and it is Christmas, so busy!). A quick reread of the last few pages reminded me of the crazy ending and that Charley had transported herself there whilst in great distress. Sadly, she still doesn't remember who she is, and in spite of being surrounded by all her family and friends who have moved to support her... but will not tell her who she is due to her sister, Gemma, saying it will be bad for her. I have to admit that it got old quickly. Partly because not all the characters are named as they are in every other book, so the reader has to work it out... and I just found that annoying. There were no reminders anywhere, as we are as in the dark as poor Janey/Charley/Dutch.

The amnesia idea was fun for a little while, then I just got frustrated. Thankfully, Reyes and Cookie were consistently good reading, although I disagreed with their decision. What's more, when we get to the big conclusion, which did reveal more of what we need to know, the person who finally gives her her memory back does so at an enormous personal cost – and which felt too soon.

I am going straight into book 10, as I can't risk breaking the momentum. I am very hopeful that Charley is in better form and finally grows a little more responsible. I also want the humour back, as really the laughs were not plentiful in this installment.

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.

Not a standalone. Charlie has amnesia and is located in Sleepy Hollow N.Y. a ways away from Albuquerque N.M. This is several adventures rolled into one with all the supporting characters from the other books to help her. Her personality is basically the same wise cracking as always she doesn't remember anything about herself. She of course puts herself in danger for others, but this time Reyes finally accepts that's just a part of her. It's a fun read with reminders how this series began. The ending was fast and lots of info in the last pages.

Book nine in the ongoing Charley Davidson series certainly shakes things up, and will have fans gripped from the beginning. Our beloved Charley finds herself in Sleepy Hollow, with no memory of who she is or how she got there. She may know that she is different to others, but she has no inkling of just how powerful she really is, or what dangers, both physical and paranormal are lying in wait for her. Luckily her posse have found her, and are keeping a watchful eye, harder than it seems since they cannot reveal who they are , Charley or Jane as she is now known, needs to figure things out for herself. She's done a pretty good job of building something of a life for herself, and as always even manages to help out a ghost or two, but when things go very badly wrong, the only person who she can rely on is herself...as long as she figures out who she really is.
A real change of pace, but a welcome hint of freshness in this fun series,
I read and reviewed a copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The Dirt on Ninth Grave
By Darynda Jones

4 stars.

Darynda Jones 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.

In a small village in New York lives Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her-even from her new and trusted friends-the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way.

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 ninth novel of the series to fans of urban fantasy and interesting plots. Another good novel in this series with one of my favorite main characters.

I wasn’t sure what to expect after the ending in the previous book. I thought there would be all kinds of drama and excitement as well as the usual humor. While this one certainly had the drama and excitement, it came much later in the book without the usual build up the previous stories had. The humor was still present but much more laid back. All of that to say, I still enjoyed this one but not as much as the ones that preceded it. However, we are given some extremely hard core information that I’m sure will come into play as this series begins to wrap up. I’m talking some serious stuff that had my blood pumping again.

I’m anxious to start the next but have mixed emotions. I’m so close to finishing and I want it to last but I’m excited to learn what happens and how all of these characters, not just Charley and Reyes, end up in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This one was my least favorite as this one breaks The follow of The plot.
Charlie doesn't remember who she is. And she suddenly appeared in Sleepy Hollow! What is going on? What had happened? Due to amnesia everything is different, Jenny (Charlie's New name) still has Her kind of humor but this one hadn't been this funny it action-packed as The others.
Others characters also appear and I really enjoyed The way they were introduced to Charlie!
Ms. Jones really can complicate things and that's really intrigued.

Book Info
ebook, 352 pages
Published January 12th 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Original Title The Dirt on Ninth Grave
ISBN 1466886153 (ISBN13: 9781466886155)
Edition Language English
Series Charley Davidson #9
Characters Charley Davidson, Reyes Farrow, Cookie Kowalski
setting New York State (United States)
Other Editions (12)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK BLURB


In a small village in New York lives Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her—even from her new and trusted friends—the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way.

My Thoughts


This time the series has taken a sharp left turn and amnesia is brought into the equation for Charley.

Having forgotten not only who she is but virtually all the important people in her life as well our Jane Doe, or in this case Jane Doerr, is given the chance most of us never will that of taking a breather from regular life and finding her way day by day.

A totally new direction for the series which of course gives readers a breather as well, at least until things start to once again speed up for Janey as she finds herself closer and closer to recalling everything and everyone from her past.

What struck me the most in reading this book in the series is how much more vulnerable not only Charley is but the entire group of friends that have remained solidly in her corner despite her lack of memory for any of them. This of course includes her husband and main protector Reyes Farrow.

The danger that Janey/Charley's amnesia carries is a very real threat because without the knowledge of her abilities she could unknowingly use them in a way that would be devastating, as evidenced several times during the story.

While she can still discern lies from truth and see dead people Janey/Charley does not understand the full extent of what these things mean causing her more concerned confusion than she has time to deal with.

Fighting an internal battle against the attraction she feels for Reyes and longing to find out exactly who and what they both are to each other also keeps her on edge.

For a woman without full recall of herself these are trying times, she has no idea how much until once again her life becomes threatened and the only way to stay alive is to trust those who are lying while only trying to protect her.

To say this was an interesting chapter in Charley Davidson's fictional history would be an understatement at the very least!

[EArc from Netgalley]



On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

It’s getting harder to write reviews without big spoilers for this series, but if you’ve read the other books and are ready to pick up this one, or are looking for a series to immerse yourself in with hours of non-stop enjoyment, you’ll find a change in the tone and the emotions in this one – all for the better. I have to say that Cooke, Bob, Garret, Angel, Artemis, Osh and even Reyes had me choked up for most of the story, as in Sleepy Hollow, New York a woman arrived with no memories of who she was, and an uncanny ability to see dead people, auras, demons and to intuit emotions, including when someone is lying. But, with no name, no history and no real understanding of who she is or why she is in this little town, and that could be dangerous. For everyone. Even without knowing who she is or where she came from, the newly named Janey Dorr is still Charley in many respects: her coffee addiction, her humor, even her desire to help those obviously in distress.

The emotions in this story that had me reeling frequently were those from Cookie – she’s so BAD at lying, yet desperate to help Janey in any way she can – even explaining how she lost her best friend: Jones made her worry and grief palpable, and with Angel popping in and being his rather smart-aleck thirteen year old self (for the past decades), and the flirting from Osh, the ‘smoky’ presence of Reyes and his constant vigilance, and the slips from Ubie when he regularly calls her “pumpkin’, the grief and worry that just oozed from the pages from everyone in “Charley’s Crew” from before, as well as her new boss Dixie are all “in on the who”, and there are moments when you think she’s going to get it – only to see the sorrow in the eyes of those who know and love her best.

But, this is Charley at the core of it all, and of course she NEEDS to make the first moves in what could be incredibly dangerous situations herself, and discovering that a being with wings is trying to kill you, not to mention the psychotic cop who has become a threat, and a return visit from beings from the past who alternate between threat and bodyguard, and the story was just the piece we needed to start the climb to what will become the ultimate showdown in this battle of good versus evil – one that has been millennia in the making. Go now, grab ALL the books, and start with the first in the series….then get snacks, comfy blankies and a do not disturb sign. Start reading. You’ll be all ready to grab the latest installment in January 2018.

I received an eBook copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-abi/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

My emotions are all over the place on this journey. I felt it all in this book and then some. The uncertainty, sense of loss, drowning sorrow and a small amount of undeniable joy..... She starts out so lost yet in her marrow still the snarky and strong hero she has been all along... The whole gang is here yet we are getting to know them all over again and learn some shocking new things along the way... Highly entertaining evening of reading.

I enjoyed the ninth book, but I confess to being extremely annoyed at Gemma because I just felt that they should have told her what was going on. I recognize that Gemma said that she was fragile, but at the same time, I feel that she would've had a much easier time if they had just told her the basics of who she was. There's a ton of unnecessary struggle in this book.

I've struggled through the first four in the Charley Davidson series, but I'm now raising the white flag of surrender. There must be something to these books, as there are a staggering number of positive reviews. Readers seem to be lapping these stories up like a cat to cream, so I don't blame the author for continuing to crank them out. However- I am done.

I'm done with Charley being stupidly gaga over Reyes. She loses her damn mind (and all her common sense) the second he looks her way. She has a high enough opinion of herself that I don't get why she'd allow herself to be treated the way he carries on. He says he loves her, but puts her in danger. Sure, he saves her, but what's a guy to do? Maybe not use his girlfriend as bait in the first place?

Their relationship seems immature, self-serving on both sides, and doomed to implode. Maybe this is the author's intention, watching them grow into a healthy relationship as the series moves along, but I'm not going to stick around for any more of the nonsense.

I love this series as a whole. Daryna Jones has perfected her storytelling to where all parts flow together flawlessly. Would recommend!

A big thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I have to say that I enjoy this series. Ms.Jones has a phenomenal imagination! This is book 9. I think it particularly reads well as a stand alone, because Charley has amnesia. So everyone is explained after a while. Always interesting, and never dull! A solid 4.

Summary question that encompasses the book’s entirety:
How can an amnesiac woman who has just given birth not feel the changes her body underwent during pregnancy and childbirth? I.e. breastmilk!

This book read as 3 steps back. Not progressive and confusing filler.

And then it was a total cop out for Charley to get her memories back when her father crossed over through her. Everything came together last minute and excessively tidy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.