First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) in Audiobook Junkies

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

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

★★★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.
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Oct 13, 2012 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

First Grave on the Left is a witty combination of clichés, one-liners and stereotypes; add well-written characters and an original storyline to the mix, and you can’t help but call Darynda Jones’ debut novel a raging success. Grim Reapers are quickly becoming one of my favourite supernaturals and this book went a long way towards bumping them further up my list. I’d even go so far as to say that they currently rank second, right under werewolves and you all know how much Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

First Grave on the Left is a witty combination of clichés, one-liners and stereotypes; add well-written characters and an original storyline to the mix, and you can’t help but call Darynda Jones’ debut novel a raging success. Grim Reapers are quickly becoming one of my favourite supernaturals and this book went a long way towards bumping them further up my list. I’d even go so far as to say that they currently rank second, right under werewolves and you all know how much I love them! I was as intrigued by the plot line of this novel as I was entertained by Jones’ side-splitting humour. As a result, this entire series has become a must-read for me.

With a name like Charley Davidson you pretty much have no choice but to have a sarcastic side to your personality; having to constantly deal with smart-aleck comments about your name tends to do that to a person. I should know. That point aside, I found that her overall character was incredibly thought out and after only one book I felt like I walked away really knowing her. I’m positive that she still has a lot more to share with readers but Jones does a phenomenal job conveying Davidson’s complexity in just one installment. My first impression of Charley was “boy does she have a mouth on her!” but later on it became apparent that her snark is actually a defense mechanism. No one told her how to be a Reaper and it’s difficult for her to get close to anyone because if she shares too much they usually think she’s nuts. Underneath the surface Davidson is compassionate, fearless and has an innate sense of justice which makes her a stand up gal in my books.

There are three engaging plotlines in First Grave on the Left that are guaranteed to keep you interested. Charley’s investigating the murder of 3 lawyers, trying to figure out her Reaper side and then there’s the mystery that is Reyes Farrow. You’d think that with this many competing plotlines the story would get a bit muddled but Darynda isn’t just gifted in the area of character development, she’s also a natural at storytelling. I loved all of the ghosts that Davidson encounters in this book; they’re quirky and just plain funny. There’s her crazy aunt who likes making “coffee”, the evil demon child, the weird guy in the corner who Charley’s named Mr. Wong, and of course the 3 lawyers. The other secondary characters are also equally as enjoyable and last but not least there’s Reyes. Jones describes him in such a way that by the end I found myself drooling at the mere mention of his name. I highly doubt that this is the last we’ll see of him and thank god for that!

In the span of just one book Darynda Jones went from being a previously unknown author to me to an absolute must read. This novel also allowed me to discover Lorelei King as a narrator and I immediately became an insta-fan of hers. She reads the story like it was written for her and is the perfect voice for Charley’s brand of humour. First Grave on the Right is a brilliant first installment; now on to Second Grave on the Right!

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Nov 09, 2011 Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, audio, 2015-shelf-love-challenge, 2015-audiobook-challenge

I’ve had this series on my to-read for a while now so finally I got started with the audios. Firstly, Charlie Davidson is full of awesome sass. I love a good sassy heroine who can make fun of herself and who puts herself in sticky situations and gets out of them. She is seriously a fun character. She’s a (the?) grim reaper so she uses her ability to talk to the departed to solve their murders. How’s that for a useful skill for a PI? Also, I love her assistant and bestie Cookie who knows all abou ...more

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May 17, 2011 Linda (un)Conventional Bookworms rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, fantasy, mystery, read-in-2015, i-own, kindle, urban-fantasy, magic, strong-female-protgagonist, secret-santa-gift

First Grave on the Right is filled with amazing snark! I loved Charley's sarcastic humor, and of course, her skills when it came to seeing and talking to ghosts were great, too. The overall story and plot were well done, and I think I've found a new heroine I'll love.

This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews ...more

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Apr 14, 2011 ☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) rated it really liked it

This was an good story. A total twist on what happens when you die and a PI story. There are some steamy moments but they leave the reader to use their imagination rather then being graphic. This is going to be a series and is one I will continue to read. The characters are interesting and I am anxious to see how things will play out.

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Nov 03, 2011 Angela Carr rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

4.5 Stars

Charlie Davidson has a sixth sense and not afraid to use it. She can see dead people and use the ability to help them and the loved ones they left behind. I honestly did not think I would enjoy this plot, but I have to tell you, Charlie Davidson is a very funny and quirky character. She has a way of dealing with issues at hand. I could not get enough of her.

In this book, she works with her uncle as a private PI specifically to solve a case of 3 murdered lawyers. And helping her are ...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, 2012-new-to-me-author, charley-davidson-series

Note: This is a joint review of the first two books in the series, originally posted at http://www.twimom227.com/2012/12/revi...

My Rating:
First Grave on the Right
4.5 stars: Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)

Second Grave on the Left
4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Charley is the daughter of a retired cop, and her Uncle Bob (or Ubie as Charley likes to call him) is an accomplished detective for the Albuquerque Police Department. Charley has been helping them solve crimes since she ...more

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Jun 22, 2011 Melindeeloo rated it really liked it

This fun series starter takes the grim out of the Grim Reaper.

Her name is Charley Davidson. She is a PI and the 'go to' consultant when dead bodies turn-up - because it is a heck of a lot easier to catch a murderer when Charley can just ask the victim, 'who dunnit?' - oh did I forget to mention Charley is actualy The Grim Reaper? This time though Charlie's got her hands full with two cases one professional - three dead lawyers and two teens, one dead and one missing- and one personal -tracking d ...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Tonyalee rated it really liked it

Shelves: lol-funny, adult, favorites, own, 2014-read

See this review and more on my blog Lilybloombooks

I have been on the hunt for a new adult Urban Fantasy to sink my teeth into. I’ve see First Grave on the Right around, but never snagged it until I saw it on sale at my local book store. And let me just say; I think I have found another series to sate my fix.

Charley is a kick ass, hilarious main character. She’s a private investigator, using her Reaper abilities to help the local police, solving crimes and what have you. Original? Not really, but See this review and more on my blog Lilybloombooks

I have been on the hunt for a new adult Urban Fantasy to sink my teeth into. I’ve see First Grave on the Right around, but never snagged it until I saw it on sale at my local book store. And let me just say; I think I have found another series to sate my fix.

Charley is a kick ass, hilarious main character. She’s a private investigator, using her Reaper abilities to help the local police, solving crimes and what have you. Original? Not really, but I love this story line. I loved her relationship with her Uncle, “Ubie”, and her best friend Cookie. It does feel like she holds them at arms length, but with her abilities and history, I can understand why. Her “I like you but hate you” relationship with Swopes, too. Even though he is a skeptic, he really tried to understand how Charley’s abilities work. I loved their banter.

Of course, we have a romance. This was a very interesting way to start out a… “relationship”. I honestly don’t really know how to describe him, because I don’t even really know what is going on there. Sure, I know what he is but there is still so much more to discover about him and his attraction/affection for Charley. But their scenes together were HOT.

I love the writing. Darynda has a sense of humor that just comes naturally to the pages. There were several times when I was crackin up and even reading small snid-bits to my husband. Although I must admit, while overall the humor was well, funny; and it felt natural– I did feel like there were times where the humor wasn’t necessary and I could have went without. There are just times when shit is serious and real, ya know? I did like how we got the back story on Charley, too. I hate info dump, and the slow reveals over the course of the story worked out really well. The mysteries too, were really well written and kept me guessing and on my toes until the end.

I feel like we are only barely brushing on the world that Darynda will bring us, and I love it when you learn and discover more, along side the main character. The small taste we got at the end has me anticipating what else is to come.

My Peeve- Just the infrequent times when I felt the humor was overdone and unnecessary.

Overall- I really enjoyed this! Well written, fast paced mystery that will keep you on your toes and has a kick ass main character. Great start to a series, I can’t wait to continue. Highly recommend. ...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Darcy rated it it was ok

Shelves: ghosts, uf, 2011, reaper, private-security-investigator

My first thoughts when seeing this book was that it was a chick lit book, however when I read the blurb, it seemed more like paranormal, however after reading it I have to go with my first instinct as the book reads more like chick lit.

I loved the concept of the book, a woman who is a reaper, one who helps people pass to the light. I loved that she is a private investigator and helps her relatives, who are cops, to solve murders. She always tried to do the right thing, even at a young age.

Whil ...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Marcela (BookaholicCat) rated it really liked it

4 ½ Stars

This review is also published at http://thebookaholiccat.com

Charlotte “Charley” Jean Davidson had always had the ability to see dead people. She is The Grim Reaper, but she is a modern version of it, she doesn’t go around wearing a black hooded robe and a scythe in her hand. She is more of jeans, T-shirt and cell phone kind of Reaper. She is also a P.I who works as a consultant for the police, usually helping her uncle detective Bob Davidson to solve murder cases with the help of the g ...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Melanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-stars, 5-star-narration, urban-fantasy

I listened to this as an audiobook. Great story. Fast paced. Nice to have something different. I have not done a book with a grim reaper before. There are some very funny spots, so it was great to have something fresh and funny. I haven't had a funny book in a while. ...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Liza rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I somehow had missed this book when it first came out. Was talking books with someone in B&N and she told me she had to read this book. I'm so glad I listened to her and i totally love the characters from this series. ...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Nichole ~Bookaholic~ rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, pnr-uf

I really enjoyed this one...it had a bit of everything...humor, romance, murder, and Lorelei King does a great job with the narration.

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Feb 01, 2012 Karin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: street-teams, 5-star-reads, condition2-signed, format-mass-market, owned

Book 1 in the Charley Davidson series.

Charley is not your average, everyday girl. She is THE Grim Reaper...except for the grim part. She's a quirky girl who ushers the dead to their afterlife while trying to live a relatively normal life. But this week is National Kill or Seriously Maim Charley Davidson week...didn't you know that?

If you are looking for a fantastically funny, light-hearted paranormal story, this is the book for you! ...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Lupdilup rated it really liked it

It reminded me so much of Stephanie Plum, very humorous and entertaining.
I really liked Charley. Reyes seems to be a very promising character.
I’m definitely looking forward to the next book.

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