First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Oct 29, 2011 Lisa Kay rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series-c, reviewed-by-me, authors-d, m-audible-dot-com, authors-j, genre-urban-fantasy, buddy-read, character-ghosts, genre-paranormal, setting-usa-new-mexico

★★★½✩ This is a review of the audiobook, which is very well narrated by Lorelei King. I’m so conflicted about this book. It started out great and was a lot of fun ー for about two thirds of the book. However, it had some major plot holes a mile wide and, worse , toward the end it lost that sense of fun – even ending on a bit of a downer.

Make that several downers. I’m tempted to rate it lower by another ½ star. The dilemma of rating with a ½ star is: do I round up or down when I click on the Go ★★★½✩ This is a review of the audiobook, which is very well narrated by Lorelei King. I’m so conflicted about this book. It started out great and was a lot of fun ー for about two thirds of the book. However, it had some major plot holes a mile wide and, worse , toward the end it lost that sense of fun – even ending on a bit of a downer.

Make that several downers. I’m tempted to rate it lower by another ½ star. The dilemma of rating with a ½ star is: do I round up or down when I click on the GoodReads stars? I’ve changed my mind half a dozen times because I know there will be people out there who will LOVE this book. I’ll generously give it the benefit of the doubt as I plan to continue with the story, since I really like Charley Davidson. Nah. Maybe I won’t.

Why? What did I like dislike? Well. . . I didn’t quite get the whole Reyes thing. His personality was too elusive for me. At times he was really H.O.T. At others, I was like, “Well, I like the strong, silent type, but this is ridiculous.” But I guess that’s the point ー and the allure. (view spoiler)

This book is an amalgam of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, murder mystery, and chick-lit all thrown together to make a nice premise that doesn’t quite pull it off at the end. (Wow. I just realized ー that’s just like the characters. Each is an amalgam, and too much so.) Perfectly amazing secondary characters go to waste and some of the decisions made by the major (and minor) characters made me go, “Huh? If he could do that, why didn’t he do it sooner?”

Plus, I’m not voyeuristic, so I really couldn’t help wishing Mr. Wong, however incorporeal a being, kept his eyes firmly shut and scrounged up a pair of industrial-strength ear plugs.
...more

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May 30, 2011 Literary Ames rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, 1st-in-series, death-reapers-zombies, read-in-2011

Charley Davidson a.k.a. Dutch is Stephanie Plum's irritating cousin. She spits out jokes as if her life depends on it. First Grave on the Right is Arabian Nights with wisecracks instead of stories. Only I'd kill her before the end of the first night. Unless you're at a comedy gig jokes are like perfume; to be applied here and there. Too much is overpowering and ruins the effect. Less is most definitely more.

This isn't what I was expecting. As some have all ready mentioned, it's paranormal chick- Charley Davidson a.k.a. Dutch is Stephanie Plum's irritating cousin. She spits out jokes as if her life depends on it. First Grave on the Right is Arabian Nights with wisecracks instead of stories. Only I'd kill her before the end of the first night. Unless you're at a comedy gig jokes are like perfume; to be applied here and there. Too much is overpowering and ruins the effect. Less is most definitely more.

This isn't what I was expecting. As some have all ready mentioned, it's paranormal chick-lit. For me, it was a forgettable throwaway. In theory, I should've enjoyed the concept of a grim reaper helping the dead deal with their unfinished business and serve as their means of crossing over, this part I liked but the rest, I didn't. Charley isn't people-friendly although she has her reasons, she can be sympathetic but also quite offensive.

One section of the book I loved: the part devoid of humour. When Charley remembers her traumatising reaper experience as a 5-year-old and reflects on the negative effect she thinks she has on the lives around her. That was when we finally got to see the real person underneath the defense mechanisms, and I liked her. It's a shame we didn't see more of this person. I did my best to forgive her rudeness and her sometimes mean words but they still bugged me. I wouldn't want to meet her, I certainly wouldn't want to be her friend. On the other hand, with the dead she can be generous and kind. She has confidence as the grim reaper and her ability to help the deceased find peace.

As for the case she was working on -human trafficking of teenage boys, smuggling them outside of the US? I admittedly know very little about this topic but I would assume the opposite was more likely: smuggling them into the US.

The romance aspect of the story grated on my nerves a bit. First we meet Garrett (who could also be mistaken for Ranger, one of Stephanie Plum's love interests) an attractive skip-tracer. He makes a concerted effort to get to know the real Charley and her reaper abilities and attempts to ask her out on a date but she's nothing but argumentative and rude to him. He was pretty damn polite and unassuming around her considering her behaviour.

And then there's Reyes, the not-quite-normal and mysterious ghost Charley has lots of anonymous and incorporeal sex with. Very strange. He doesn't speak for most of the book and when he does, there are very few words. Although what he eventually reveals about himself is interesting I'm still left looking at Garrett and wondering why Charley hasn't considered him boyfriend material. Charley's obsession with Reyes was a little much. I'm also uncertain as to what Reyes' motives are. He's uber-protective of Charley, incapacitating any and all of her attackers (there have been many), but is he just there to prevent her from being used by...others? I don't trust him at all.

With my difficulty in liking the main character I'm not sure I'll be continuing with this series. ...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, 4-stars, 2014, female-lead, why-do-i-do-this-to-myself, paranormal, not-manga, title-f

My oh my oh my...
How is it that I haven't ever heard of this series.
Then bam! It hits me!

photo 1004541_188033824709382_521753909_n_zpsd45e6b52.jpg

The characters were brilliant and witty. I especially enjoyed the banter between Charley and Cookie. The plot and mystery were very well done, and fairly twisted. You weren't able to figure out who the villain was until almost the end.
I think what I'm not to hip on is the male protagonist in this story. I'm not to crazy about the idea of this guy.
I thought the theory of crossing through the Grim Reape ...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Dichotomy Girl rated it liked it

Shelves: 2015, paranormal-or-spec, urban-fantasy

Ok, so why am I the only one that seems bothered by the fact that her first meeting at age 15 with the super hot guy, involved sexual assault and him asking her if she'd ever been raped?!?!? It was so hard for me to think of him as anything but a total creeper, and very difficult for me not to think of Charley as severely psychologically damaged!

However (view spoiler) ...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Carlyn rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book! It made me laugh so many times and I really got pulled in to the story.

Charley Davidson is a grim reaper, and works with the police to help solves crimes. It helps that she can talk to the dead and ask them who killed them! She is on the case of three dead lawyers who never seen who kills them and it seems they died as result of something much bigger! Charley has to solve the case as well as face a blast from her past who it seems he is much more than he appeared.

Th ...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Michelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-october-2011, darynda-jones

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Charlie is a fun character, serious ADD but it added a little something to the book. I like Cookie, I hope there's more of her to come. Reyes is perfectly yummy! :) ...more

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Mar 15, 2013 R. rated it really liked it

3.5 stars
'Charley must be Loralai Gilmore's long lost twin' the thought kept hitting me every time I picked a book in this series. Seriously, if you have watched the Gilmore girls, you would know what I mean.
I have finished the 4 books that are already out, and I'm waiting for the fifth. And I LOVE Charley, and here is why:She's smart, confident, independent,she can tell the difference between being in love and being in lust, she has her priorities straight( her romantic interest in Reyes doesn' ...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Sarah Dizon rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, mystery, fantasy, acquired-in-2012, 4-stars, urban-fantasy, read-in-2016

I've heard/read a lot of great things about this series. As first books go, it had a lot of things you needed to flesh out for yourself. Some of it I caught on to pretty quickly. By the end, everything is so different. There is a lot of detective work for Charley, which keeps the story going besides the shenanigans she gets herself into as well as the grim reaper aspect. While I loved this, I couldn't give it 5 stars. Many times I felt my eyes roll because of Charley's snark/wit/sarcasm/humor. I ...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Crissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011, favorites

This book was hilarious and sexy and just all around good stuff. Definitely my bag. Charley is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. I read Book 1.5 and it was just as great! Book 2 is out Tuesday! I totally recommend this series, it is probably my favorite read of the summer!

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Apr 18, 2012 Jenny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr, series, demons, witches, magic-paranormal, mystery, own, humour, challenge-read, paperback

I found it a bit slow off the start but once it got rolling really enjoyed the read. Charley was great, so was Reyes. It was an interesting turn when you find out who he is at the end of the book and makes me glad that I have to second close at hand for reading. Definitely a great start to a new series IMO.

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