Book: "Second Grave on the left"
Series: A Charley Davidson Story
Author: Darynda Jones
Pages: 304
Grim reapers are to die for. —T-shirt Seen often on Charlotte Jean Davidson, Grim Reaper Extraordinaire
If you hang around with dead people, life can deliver a whole world of trouble. Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time P.I. and full-time Grim Reaper. The deceased find her very sparkly. Demons find her irresistable. And one entity in particular wants to seduce her in every way possible.
When Charley and Cookie, her best friend slash receptionish, have to track down a missing woman the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Meanwhile Reyes Alexander Farrow (Otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally.) has left his corporeal body because he's being tortured by demons who wants to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven... well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.
Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?
Hello, Angels!
Charley Davidson is back and more sarcastic than ever! Her life is more crazy even than mine, and all those dangerous adventures she is getting herself into.. Wow!
Now let me not make you wait and let's just go right to the review.
The first book left us at the edge of shock and the Charley's discovery of Reyes Alexander Farrow - he is actually the Son of Satan. Now you will probably say that's so not true... Well it is! Go back and read it again! Yes, Reyes is sexy, amazing, with a body that we would probably sell our souls to touch... And now we get what exactly? Yeah, the Son of Satan. So unexpected! Then Reyes left Charley angry and on the edge of hystery at the end of the first book, telling her that he wants her to not to search for his corporeal body and he want her to let his human body die. That's a twist I didn't see coming. But he is doing it for the right reason I guess - because if he is left with his corporeal body the demons will find Charley and they will have a way to heaven, which will so not be good. And you can't help but wondering who would even agree to leave their soulmate, their one true love just to die, even if it is such a profane reason. Nobody in their right mind wouldn't agree - neither does Charley. If I was in her shoes I wouldn't agree to this insanity as well.
In the second book Reyes is angry at Charley because she is willing to do anything to find his body and prevent his stupid idea to left his corporeal body die. Then we have the next complication - Charley's best friend Cookie is barging in to her apartment with the horrifying news that her friend has disappeared. Charley cannot let this go and is going on a very dangerous adventure, which she is so not sure will she survive.
Darynda yet again managed to amaze me with the unexpected plot twist and the sarcastic and funny Charley that is unruffled even when three FBI imposters barge in to her apartment and wants to do all sorts of stuff to her, except of leaving her alive. Along with that Charley has to swallow her pride and find a way to find Reyes' body because the demons that are torturing him will destroy his corporeal body any moment now, and she is running out of time.
Now here the sexy Garett Swops comes to the rescue and even though in the first book he was unsure of Charley's abuilities, here... If I have to be honest I think that he is so fallen for her but we'll see about that later on. Charley and Garett are working along so they could resolve the mystery around the Cookie's friend, and as well the unusual mystery around the dead person in Cookie's car. Then we have lots of shooting, fights and so much more. I couldn't even count how many times Charley almost died in this second book.
Now what else could I say, Darynda always manages to give us the right amount of humour and sarcasm in the right moment in time, in the right place, and Charley is so brave, that she is just reckless which made me laugh with tears. There are so many twists and revelatins that I was wondering how Charley manages to get along with everything. If I were in her place I wouldn't take well even half of it.
The book goes a long way with very dangerous and funny moments, that when you least expect it - Darynda is serving you a big plate of twist that leaves you hanging there and trying to figure out where that came from and you are shocked for at least ten minutes. At the end of the day Charley manages to find Reyes' corporeal body, and let me tell you this - no matter how big of a fan I am of his and no matter how badly I would love to take him home... If he would tell me that he would kill me if I don't let his corporeal body die... I would've killed him and send him straight back to his father! Too bad, that Charley didn't do it and I am glad that in a single moment of desperation and selfishness she just bind him to his corporeal body, and of course he deserved to be taught a lesson! He can't just mess around with her. And no matter how bad does that sound - I would've probably done the same. I completely stand behind Charley and her doing. I just can't justify Reyes' doings - he is acting like a spoiled child that has just been separated from his toy, and now he is sulking over Charley for her doings. So not cool! I do hope that in the next book Charley would give him a good lesson and will prove him once and for all who's the boss.
Once we pass through all the torment, going back and forward, shooting, investigating and an overdose from the typical Charley Davidson sarcasm, the books has just finished and you are left hanging there in anticipation to get the next one and find out what will happen next.
Now that's exactly what I'm planning to do!
I will have to say goodbye because I really want to see what will happen between Charley and Reyes.
And you, my dearest Angels, don't stop reading and stay tuned for the next review. It's going to be scandalous, I promise!
XoXo, -K.