★★★½
St. Martin’s Press | 2014
Filed Under: Blow jobs as portals to otherworldly secrets
So, in this instalment we follow our hero (sans coffee, the horror!) as she balances running from the 12 hell hounds sent to kill her, trying to solve a Friday The 13th style mystery, testing her growing abilities, learning more about whether she’s going to save or destroy the world as per the big ole prophecy, dealing with being pregnant with Beep, and of course, delving deeper into her dysfunctional relationship with Reyes.
At this point, fans pretty much know what they’re going to get when they pick up a Charley book. There’s not a lot to say about this series that hasn’t already been said, or can’t be said exclusively with gifs and some swear words.
Also, I don’t like pregnant Charley.
Babies ruin everything. There. I said it.
If the overall prophecy arc has been a favourite part of this series for you, then you’re in luck! We learn so much more about what the fuck is really going on, including all that Charley is capable of and what her destiny is shaping up to be.
I do find it kind of annoying that it’s taken six or seven books for Charley to start getting a Reaper education. I love Charley and her inability to take anything seriously, but even with that aspect of her personality, you would think she would have had the desire to figure out more about being a Reaper. How can someone be that nonchalant about their own life?
And while I did find parts of the plot kind of ridiculous – for instance, the blowjob that reveals otherworldly secrets about Charley to Reyes – overall it was fun and crucial to the big overall arc.
Honestly, though, I must be doing blowjobs wrong?
Reyes is fully entrenched in this Charley story. Anyone who thought maybe Reyes was lightening up and becoming less of a controlling, uptight dickwad was sorely mistaken. (That’s me.)
In between dealing with every woman on the planet fangirling over him and wanting to sit on his face, Reyes is also doing everything he can to protect Charley, which I guess is supposed to be sexy. But hiring people to follow her around, spying on her, telling her what she can and cannot do in the form of commands, is such a turn-off for me.
Some women like that testosterone-macho-alpha-bullshit, including Charley apparently, who essentially doesn’t do much more than huff and puff about the lengths Reyes will go to control her, but then he looks at her through his lashes and she gives him permission to be as possessive as he wants to be. So, like whatever works for your relationship I guess.
They did actually for real get married in this one. I’d take bets on when they’ll get divorced, but I’m like 4 books behind at this point so you all could totally cheat and I’d never know. At the very least, I don’t have to read the word “affianced” anymore.
Reyes’ behaviour has always halfway triggered my PTSD from a previous relationship, and Reyes turned it up to 11 this time, so once it was over I was filled with white-hot rage and I’m pretty sure I need a friggin’ break.
Give me Percy Sledge, When a Man Loves a Woman type of love any day.
I like how everything is moving, plotwise. I can see Darynda Jones setting up the long game, giving just enough plot advancement to answer questions without giving it all away, setting up even bigger secrets that will keep you coming back for the next book. But what I most desperately want to know that just isn’t being answered is who exactly is Mr. Wong?
“What you should be asking yourself,” he said, indicating Mr. Wong with a nod as the departed man hovered in my corner, “is why a being that ungodly powerful is hanging out in your apartment.”
Be prepared for another action-packed cliffhanger ending that leaves Charley in complete emotional turmoil, and opens the door for the next round of skilful arc progression.
My quest to finish this series continues! Onward!
🔪🔪🔪
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 attention of a local celebrity, and Charley is not having the best week of her life.
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.
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