REVIEW by Jena: Seventh Grave and No Body (Charley Davidson #7) by Darynda Jones (@Darynda)

BookMojo

11 years ago

Twelve. 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 the jugular of Charley Davidson and serve her lifeless, mangled 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 the more she retraces his last steps, the more 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 combined barely scratches the surface of her problems. Recent developments–and a few distressing prophesies–have forced her to become a responsible adult. Exactly the kind of adult she’s never aspired to be. 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.

We’re doomed.

Seventh Grave and No Body
by Darynda Jones

Series:
Charley Davidson #7

Genre:
Urban Fantasy
Paranormal Romance

Publisher:
St. Martin’s Press

Publication Date:
October 21, 2014

I was about to start writing my review for Eighth Grave After Dark and realized that I somehow missed posting my review of Seventh Grave! I don’t know how the hell I managed that, but I did. You cant see it right now, but I am shaking my head at myself. Eh, well, we’re here now!

Seventh Grave was yet another great addition to the series. There were a few minor setbacks in my eyes, but nothing crazy.

Charley now has a baby on the way, which, given the chances she takes and the way she lives her life, is proving to be a more tender situation than most pregnancies. She’s all over the place and aside from her struggle with the caffeine-free life, our main girl’s reaction to being pregnant actually seems a bit immature at times. I mean, first off, why are you surprised? Really? You two have been boning like bunnies. DON’T YOU REMEMBER SEX ED?!?!? Lol Plus, there’s the whole using a gold fish as training for becoming a mom. Not exactly anywhere near being on the same playing field. If you let a gold fish die, you’re out $2.00. If you let a baby die, you become Inmate # 5468743217 in your local prison system.

But this is Charley we’re talking about. She doesn’t exactly deal with things in a way anyone else would consider “normal”. When she finally does come to terms with her impending motherhood, there is nothing but love in her heart. When you break it down, her fears are the same fears all new moms have. She just has a heaping plate of supernatural problems in top of it.

I’m not going to post a spoiler here, but I will say the Charley’s dad situation =BLARGH!!!! He goes missing in the beginning of this book and rather than finding out the whole story, we are left with a MASSIVE cliff hanger. I don’t particularly mind cliffies, but I know a lot of people do, so consider yourselves warned, bitches. I will say, for what we DO learn in this book, bring your tissues. You’re going to need them…

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seventh Grave also sheds a little light on Mr. Wong! Like, way little. Like, a flicker, really, but we finally know there IS more to that story than just an anti-social specter hanging out in the corner of her living room. We don’t get nearly all the details, but we get enough to tease at a much bigger story. Side note: I’ve already read Eighth Grave After Dark and you’re NEVER going to see this plot twist coming! Review for Eighth Grave After Dark coming tomorrow!

The only thing I will say is although I loved the book, I did not feel it was the best in the series. Where we normally have a few different story lines happening, Seventh Grave has so many that I found when one of them wraps up at the end, I had completely forgotten it was even going on. However, with everything that happens in this book, the book also seems a lot longer than it really is, which is something I counted as a good thing.

Overall, I thought Seventh Grave and No Body was another excellent addition to the series and serves as a wonderful segue between the old Charley and the new. As always, the book is riddled with Jones’s signature snark and humor, and the author did not skimp on the urban fantasy action. I am never disappointed with this series and Jones goes down as one of my favorite UF authors!

The review copy of Seventh Grave and No Body was supplied by the publisher St. Martin’s Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

About Darynda Jones

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.