Hey! Danny and Heather here. And today, we would like to talk about and feature a series that we both just recently found and fell in love with!
The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones
The series consists of 6 books (right now… ) and 4 are out already! If you haven’t started this series yet, don’t worry this will be a spoiler free series review! And let’s start by admiring the covers!! We absolutely love them!!
Genre: Adult Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
- First Grave on the Right – Book 1 – Feb 1st 2011 – goodreads | amazon | Book Depository
- Second Grave on the Left – Book 2 – Aug 16th 2011 –goodreads |amazon | Book Depository
- Third Grave Dead Ahead – Book 3 – Jan 31st 2012 – goodreads | amazon | Book Depository
- Fourth Grave Beneath my Feet – Oct 30th 2012 – goodreads | amazon | Book Depository
- Fifth Grave Past the Light – July 9th 2013 – goodreads | amazon | Book Depository
- Sixth Grave TBA
- …
Synopsis of First Grave on the Right
A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper
Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she 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. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life…and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely
So instead of reviewing each book, we thought we talk about the series as a whole to get you all hooked!
Charley is the main character in this series and she’s The Grim Reaper! How do you like this paranormal concept?
Danny: I love this paranormal aspect! We are first introduced with her abilities already in the first book “First Grave on the Right” and Charley always knew she was different. There is no adjusting phase for us. I must also say that the Reaper idea is quite uniquely played! I always associated the Reaper with something dark, yet Charley is light and funny!
Heather: You’re right, Danny. Throughout history and literature, the Grim Reaper is always portrayed as a very menacing, masculine figure in a black robe, scythe at the ready… But Charley is so far from menacing, unless you count her scathing sarcasm and wit. And she’s not the one who decides who dies and when, Charley is just there to act as a point for the souls to cross over to the other side.
What would you say you love most about this series?
Danny: That is so easy!!!! It’s Charley! She’s incredibly funny, full of awesome sarcasm and she makes me laugh out loud constantly!!! She’s witty, smart and has the best onliners EVER!!
“My fore-parts, as you so ineloquently put it, have names.” I pointed to my right breast. “This is Danger.” Then my left. “And this is Will Robinson. I would appreciate it if you addressed them accordingly.”
― Darynda Jones, First Grave on the Right“Is it sexy in here or is it just me?”
― Darynda Jones, Second Grave on the Left“Holy shit, are you positive?”
“As a pregnancy test a month after prom.”
― Darynda Jones, Third Grave Dead Ahead
And on top of this, the stories are always fast paced and awesome!! But I swear, I kept laughing out loud while reading and listening to the audio so loud, people would stare at me..
Heather: I love Charley, but I really like her support system as well. Her assistant Cookie never fails to keep Charley organized and on point in an investigation while grilling Charley for information on the latest hotty she’s encountered. Detective Uncle Bob always comes to Charley’s rescue just when she needs it (and usually when Charley’s been beaten to a pulp by a perp), and he’s willing to bend the rules to keep her out of trouble. And with each book, there are a few new characters introduced that are just as colorful and well-fleshed out without taking the focus away from Charley and her latest mission.
Danny: Oh yes Heather! I love all the secondary characters as well! Especially Cookie *giggles*
Oh and there are the Chapter taglines that come with every new chapter! It always has a funny quote from a T-Shirt, or a bumper sticker!
“I know karate, and like two other Japanese words – T-SHIRT”
“I stop fighting my inner demons. We’re on the same side now. T-shirt”
Heather: The quotes always have a little connection to the chapter, and they always make me laugh without exception.
And… how about the Men?
Danny: OMG yes, thanks for asking!!! There is Reyes and he’s … incredible hot, sexy and total bad ass! At first neither Charley and we have no idea who he is, but we find out quickly in book 2 Second Grave on the Left and it’s an epic twist that I didn’t see coming!
Heather: Um, yeah, that’s Reyes all right. We won’t spoil exactly who Reyes is, but let’s just say that he’s supernatural and hot, hot, hot, and connected to Charley in a deep, unexpected way. And by book four, he’s in the book so much, you learn so much about him, and it’s just so…delightful. Yes, I’ll just say delightful.
But, there is also skip tracer Garrett Swopes, and he’s all tall, dark, and not taking Charley’s crap throughout the series. But I really love him, especially by book four (even though he’s not in that one very much). I’m really looking forward to seeing where his character is going.
All right, and what about the storyline?
Danny: The whole series has an overall story arc which is going to get better with each book. In each book we learn more secrets about Charley and also Reyes!
Heather: In the beginning, Charley only knows that she’s the one who crosses souls over, but she learns more about her real purpose over the course of the books. Of course Reyes plays a big part in her bigger purpose, but can he be trusted? I’m eager to find out.
Bewitched Rating
Bottom Line
The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones is made of win and awesome and quickly became one of my favorite series! It’s smart, witty, funny full of sarcasm and fun dialogue. It has hot guys, mysterious kick ass characters and basically everything that makes me happy!
Ditto, Danny. This is on the top of my list of favorite urban fantasy series! I can’t wait for the next book!
Additional Info
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I am so glad to see that both of you continued with this series and that you love it as much as I do! I adore Charley, of course, but Cookie and Garret are awesome as well and now Artemis. I love how fast paced the books are and that they are so funny!
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This is such a great series! The characters are witty and fun, the banter is non-stop and yay for hot guys (the picture you have in your post made my jaw drop. *drool*)!
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I’m sorry. My brain is no longer functioning after seeing that picture of naked Reyes. *stares and drools* Don’t expect a coherent comment from me, and you really only have yourselves to blame because you posted that picture to start with. *stares more*
I’ve only read the first book in the series but I LOVED Charley and Reyes, and I’m really looking forward to getting caught up on the next 3 books!
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I’ve heard of this book series before but never really gave much thought to giving it a try until now. After reading your thoughts on the books, I’m definitely going to check them out! As if that drool-worthy picture of Reyes wasn’t enough of an incentive 😉
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I can’t wait to read this series now. I have had the first book on my shelf for half a year and I really need to dive in. I actually have a ton of audible credits right now that I need to spend so I might even get this series on audio since I drive over an hour 4 days a week to get to school and back.
Thanks for the awesome reviews ladies! 🙂
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I love, LOVE this series and have since the very beginning. I love that more and more people are discovering it and falling head over heals just like I have. This is truly an amazing series and you are truly missing out if you haven’t read it yet.
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I LOVE the Charley Davidson Series..and that naked pic of Reyes, *quickly takes a pic and hides the camera before its caught* This series is one of the most fun, laugh out loud, sexy series i have read. Cant get enough of these books *takes camera out and stares at naked Reyes, transfixed by all that hotness* Im looking forward to the next book and cant imagine how it can get better!
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Glad to know that you love this book as much as we all do. It’s so great to hear how people pick the book’s up and can’t put them down. I got my sister hooked on Charley and Reyes too it’s a great feeling to know someone can be just as crazy as you can be.
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YAY! Another DJ fan! Love her and all her books.
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omg I love your books I cant stop reading them at all. I like practically sleep with them and if I don’t have any other books to read I go back to yours they are so awesome cant wait for the fifth book.
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