More fun and games with our favorite grim reaper/deity Charley, and her sizzling hot spouse Reyes. Charley is shocked when an enemy hires her to prove a man innocent of murder, the twist in the tale being that he is the prosecutor on the case. As if that's not enough, keeping celestial secrets is putting a strain on the relationship between Charley and Reyes.
Once again the author has created a page turner of an adventure, and cleverly given just a few more hints of the larger story at play, ensuring that fans of the series will not only be satisfied, but will be eagerly awaiting the next book.
I read and reviewed a copy of the book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Book ten in the wildly successful Charley Davidson series is ripe with the tension that's been ramping up since the beginning. Charley is trying to track, trap, and cast out the the three malevolent gods on earth to kill Beep. The Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, stole her heart long ago. Can he change or will his allegiance go with his brothers? If that wasn't enough, Charley also has several cases where it seems she is the only one who can help, the last chance.

This series has been one of my absolute favorites. I had been meaning to read it for a few years but the time never presented itself. Now that I have time, and all of the books in the series are written, except for the very last book, I am reading these one after another. I can't believe I waited so long! The downside is once book thirteen is released in a few days I won't know what to do with my spare time. Series like this are true gems and only show up once in a great while.

I received a complementary ebook from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. All opinions are my own. Review posted on NetGalley, Amazon, Goodreads and BookBub.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the book I’ve been waiting for. In book ten, all of the characters, all of the prophecies, and all of the fragmented pieces of this series come together in a fast, action-packed adventure.

The cracks in Reyes and Charley’s relationship started many books back but they’re not really a couple that talks about their feelings. And they are both pretty good at keeping secrets. So when Charley learns that Reyes is actually an evil god, she finds herself pulling away from her husband.

Reyes and Charley’s marital problems play out against a terrifying supernatural backdrop. Gods, demons, and angels are searching for Beep and twelve hellhounds and a motley army are protecting her.

The combination of the supernatural cat and mouse game and the emotional depth of Charley and Reyes’ problems kept me glued to the story. Charley has grown up. She is still a little bit reckless, but she has grown into her powers and her role as a mother.

I think this is the best book in the series in quite a while. I like the way all the storylines are now working together and I’m enjoying the relationships between characters more than I have in the last few books. I read this one very quickly and had to start number 11 the moment I finished.


Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
Book 10 in the Charley Davidson series did not disappoint. I wasn't thrilled with the last story, but this definitely made up for it!

As always, Charley is in the middle of chaos but this time it's not just a case or Reyes. This time the chaos is human, angel, supernatural, and Reyes. Of course, there is a case, or two, she needs to solve – and both of them were exciting. There's a curse at an orphanage and Charley needs to figure out how to save the next "victim." The bigger case involves an investigator who doesn't like Charley but needs her help in saving his college buddy from murder charges. While both these are going on, Charley is ALSO dealing with her concern with Reyes and the info she's learned. At some point I hope Charley and Reyes start to really communicate. They just continue to keep secrets and their feelings hidden from one another. The way I see it, they will only succeed in this madness if they work together.

If the above isn't enough excitement for you, then I will mention one more thing. Charley needs to find/destroy/trap the second god of Uzan. This evil entity is going to destroy everything if Charley can't get to him first...

I love that Charley isn't as reckless in this book, not to say she's totally reasonable because that's totally uncharacteristic, but she's maturing. I can still appreciate the wise cracks and one-liners, but they aren't as silly. The full situation (good vs. evil) is getting more intense with each book, and the stakes keep rising. I worry about these characters and what is coming next.

Bring on book 11!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is (unsurprisingly) the tenth book in the series, and you absolutely have to read them in order to understand what is going on! There are pointers for a fan who has not read one for a while, but certainly not enough to get a newbie up to speed.

This book was right back on top form as far as I am concerned. After the last one, which I found somewhat frustrating, this finally got Charley to do some serious soul searching about who she is, what matters to her, and how she needs to understand and trust her husband, aka the son of Satan... so, yes, her nervousness at doing that is probably wise, but time to face the truth, or walk away. Amazingly, it is all thanks to Cookie and a game of Twister that we get to see Reyes and Charley move closer in every sense, and plane!

As more and more revelations are made, it is clear that we are getting closer to the big finale, so tension is definitely rising as the stakes feel higher than ever. I am so glad that I have book 11 sitting on my Kindle waiting for me, but am going to force myself to read a couple of other books first, as I don't want to waste this feeling of anticipation.


Dawn – ☆☆☆☆☆
Another amazing addition to this series.

Charley is back to her old self in this book, solving a few cases of course.

This book isn't just about solving cases though; there seems to be some angels and other supernatural things happening, this keeps things interesting.

As always, I love Reyes, and Charley keeps me entertained with her wit.

There are some big things revealed in this book and many more mysteries that still need to be uncovered.

RE-READ

I feel nostalgic rereading The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones. It reminded me of how far Charley has come from when this series had just started. In this installment, Charley has just returned to her family and friends and trying to get some normalcy in her life, which is pretty much impossible. So much has happened that it’s brought her relationship with Reyes issues. There are secrets on both sides and trust issues that it broke my heart Not to mention, they both experience big loses here. It totally brought me to tears again reading certain scenes. There are also big reveals here that will make a big play for the next two books and I’m sure for the very last book, Summoned to Thirteenth Grave. Now that the series is about to end, looking back to what they have gone through, I am excited for them to finally get the happy ending they truly deserve.

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.

Don't even try to read this one as a standalone, it simply would lose you. We start out with Charlie back to her old life, but she and Reyes are strained. Of course she doesn't talk to him about it until quite awhile goes by, and amazingly everything is worked out just by a few sentences. Charlie is growing up and maturing in this book, her self thoughts are finally getting into perspective of the big picture for Beep. We find out more about Reyes and several of their loved ones too. Of course we have several other story lines going on too, which can be entertaining, but also serious notes. Enjoyable, good movement of the overall story arc.

Charlie's life got even more complicated - after getting her memory back she started doing PIs work once again and a new case is about the death of a girl, and her boyfriend is the main suspect but is he for real? When the father of the girl thinks that he is innocent, well that case can't be easy, right?
The relationship with Reyes is even more complicated they are so apart in this book, and the atmosphere is so heavy from misunderstandings and hidden truths... that getting thru it will be HARD, trust me - there will be lots of details that will be considered.
There will be also leaking into the Internet movie and the thing with being gods will get even more complicated.
And the end left me screaming for more as always, Ms. Jones is a master in that kind of endings.

The Curse of Tenth 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.

There’s just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers?
Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who’s been charged with murdering the daughter of a degenerate gambler, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying-gods thing, we’re saved. If not, well…

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 tenth novel of the series to fans of urban fantasy and interesting plots. It has a great main character and another good mystery to keep you entertained.

★★ 4.5 stars! ★★

I don’t read urban fantasy novels very often, but the Charley Davidson series is one that has kept me coming back since book one. I’ve become emotionally invested in the characters, enjoyed the unique storylines, and the humor is absolutely the best.

Charley Davidson is the grim reaper, yes, but that isn’t all; she’s a wife, a mother, a private investigator, a friend, and a smart aleck who loves a good chile relleno and an IV drip of coffee wouldn’t be too extreme. I love that while she is dealing with demons and malevolent gods and general evil, she’s also a ‘normal person’ who handles everyday dilemmas and dramas. She’s there when her friends and family need her, worries about her marriage, names all of her furniture and appliances, and tries to balance her work with her paranormal activities.

In this installment, we see that Charley’s memories have indeed returned and she’s back in the PI saddle once again. Her cases keep her busy, but she’s not too distracted to see that there is a distance between her and her husband, Reyes. Being separated from her baby to keep her safe is also a hardship, but as usual, Charley is able to focus on the task at hand.

SO MUCH has happened in ten books and with only a few remaining, the tension and revelations are starting to heat up. The last 10% had my jaw hanging open as the set-up for the next book is dropped like a bomb. I already have the next book cued up, ready to devour, and I'm so thankful that I am a little behind on this series--the wait for Eleventh Grave in Moonlight would have killed me!

Book Info
Hardcover, 342 pages
Published June 28th 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Original Title The Curse of Tenth Grave
ISBN 1250078199 (ISBN13: 9781250078193)
Edition Language English
Series Charley Davidson #10
Characters Reyes Farrow, Garrett Swopes, Charley Davidson, Cookie Kowalski
Literary Awards Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy (2016)
Other Editions (12)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK BLURB


As a part-time PI and full-time grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life:
* Why can I see dead people?
* Who is the hot supernatural entity following me?
* How do I get gum out of my sister’s hair before she wakes up?
* But, “How do I trap not one malevolent god, but three?” was never among them. Until now. And since those gods are on earth to kill her daughter, she has little choice but to track them down, trap them, and cast them from this dimension.

There’s just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers?

Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who’s been charged with murder, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying-gods thing, we’re saved. If not, well…

My Thoughts


As the series progresses there have been stories that were not all I wanted, this 10th book was more than I expected and totally worth waiting for the read of it!

Not only did Charley Davidson fully regain her own memories but those of someone very important to her that passed through her light and left some really strong memories in his wake.

I felt vindicated with this character finally as she was not the easiest female lead for me to warm up to early on in the series, now however am totally invested in seeing where the journey takes Charley, Reyes, Cookie and the rest of the group!

This had some poignant storylines. The three cases that are running simultaneously throughout the book each have very different scenarios but one major commonality, Charley is the last hope for solving them.

The relationship between Charley and Reyes is explored in depth in a new manner.

As other readers of the series like me are I am personally fascinated with how these two characters have evolved and are still doing so with each book.

The secrets that are uncovered about each one over the course of 10 books are ever growing as both of them prove more and more complicated in new ways.

Still filled with Charley's demented brand of humor, snark and witticisms this was another in the author's arsenal that proves even off-the-wall characters have long lasting appeal.

When I finally finished this 10th book there was a resounding silence followed by a roar inside my head that it could not have ended!

Not only is Charley back in spades but her bag of tricks has expanded and boy has she gotten even more awesome if that is even possible.

[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.

Holy Hades!!! Every single one of these books ends in spectacular fashion and I think, it can’t get any more explosive. And I am wrong every single time. This one absolutely blew my mind away!

Throughout the whole book we have Charley struggling to figure out what’s gone wrong between her and Reyes. Why he’s locking her out. She spreads her humor, loves her friends and family, is sarcastic and smart and solves cases no one else can. But when things start getting wrapped up in a nice pretty bow, everything we thought we knew is blown to smithereens. There are so many astounding revelations I can’t even wrap my mind around it. Or the fact that this author had the forethought to plan this series out to such vivid and precise detail.

And let me also say here for all the times I might not have mentioned it in previous reviews, these books always have at least one scene, one moment where I am fighting back the lump in my throat. This author, in an instant, is able to move me from smiles and intrigue into an emotional mess, sometimes beautiful sometimes devastating but always deeply moving.

I’m already grieving the loss of this series as there are three more and yet I’m craving what further astronomical surprises I will find as Charley and Reyes’ story comes to a close.

Could not get enough of this out of this world thrilling fight for the fate of all man kind (not to mention Beep) ... This is a highly entertaining roller-coaster of emotional ups and downs that will keep you guessing what will happen around the next corner till the very end and leave you breathless for more... can not wait for what might happen next.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This one was again as usual full of surprises and crazy antics. Lack of communication fIxed some problems among the main characters. Not my favorite of the series but still well worth a read! I rate this a 3.5.

Grab your hat, a comfy chair and be prepared: secrets kept and shared, sacrifices, choices and moments of true love are all contained within, along with the humor, the snark and Charley heading off half-cocked and full of misguided assumptions. Yes. Charley and the gang are back in Albuquerque, and those who’ve not seen her for a month are thrilled to see her. Well, if thrilled equates to pushing her to solve a case for a DA who is also compiling a file against her, the constant whispers between Garrett, Osh and Reyes, and not one, but two minivans tailing her.

With every day Charley is learning more about her powers, the talisman she got in New York, and the constant worry about Beep and her safety have her wondering – and the three big secrets she’s keeping from Reyes, all of which she’s certain he’ll be more than furious about, have her wondering. When you add in the monumental task of locating and obtaining safe houses for Beep and her new parents, a job left to Reyes’ sister Kim in conjunction with Osh and Reyes, and the sudden realization that Charley and Reyes have accountants (plural), a business manager and bank accounts (also plural) with wealth that most small countries would envy, things are going swimmingly. Until they aren’t.

Fortunately with all the action there is also plenty of answers, and a new threat to one Charley loves dearly, a loss of control and a choice made that pits Charley against the Angels as they plan to collect on Reyes’ agreement, and her determination that while she may have been ‘sent’ and ‘manipulated’ into the gig of Reaper, she’s not only so much more that just that -but she’s never been one who colors inside the lines. Yep, while some things are settled, and the moments with Beep – happy, chubby and utterly loved are balm to her very troubled soul, there are battles to come, and answers still yet to present themselves. Perhaps Reyes is right, and that Charley’s powers are infinite and bound only by her ability to exert her will -but he’s been her touchstone, and she won’t let him forget that – even as he won’t forgive himself, or feel worthy. They’ve got some work to do – but with the gang of human, not quite human and supernaturals, along with the sheer determination and a dash of dumb luck – the answers will come in a ride that is engaging, funny and utterly addictive.

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-ac8/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

She and Reyes keep a lot of secrets from one another. It's kind of like a Harlequin novel where you want to shake them and shove them into an elevator so they just tell each other what's going on. Dancing around their issues creates a ton of tension. I did like the storyline with the mysterious deaths in Harbor House - that part was pretty new.

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!

5 stars
The best Charley Davidson book yet! Hilarious, suspenseful, exhilarating and a helluva smexy book! Just when I thought the path was set in this series, Darynda throws in a loop. I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait till number 11 !