BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN (Charley Davidson 8.5) by Darynda Jones-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date Octboer 6, 2015

All his life, Reyes Alexander Farrow has suffered the torments of the damned. Only one thing has given him hope: the woman who radiates a light that no mortals can see; a light that only the departed can see…

Told from his point of view, BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN chronicles the first time Reyes ever encountered Charley, and how their relationship has been the one thing that can either save him or doom him.

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REVIEW: BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN is a novella in Darynda Jones’s adult CHARLEY DAVIDSON urban fantasy series told from Reyes Alexander Farrow’s point of view. Darynda Jones takes the reader back to a time just prior to Charley’s birth that finds Reyes following what he believes is a dream-a bright light that calls to him-of a young child, then woman, who is, from birth, the Grim Reaper. BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN runs parallel to several of the events in Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson series.

We get up close and personal with Reyes as he suffers a myriad of abuses at the hands of Earl Walker; and the introduction of his ‘sister’ Kim whom Reyes protects even though he knows he will be the recipient of the torture and abuse. Most of the abuse is ‘behind the scenes’ or implied; there is no graphic text to abhor the reader.

BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN is a quick and simple read that is completely different in tone and emotion than any of the previous installments. The storyline is a darker read without the usual humor, one-liners, witty banter or t-shirt logos that Darynda and her Charley Davidson series are known for. It is a short story that doesn’t add any new or specific information to the series but expands upon what the reader already knows with more details and some background history. We do learn why it is Reyes calls Charley Dutch 😉 Darynda Jones focuses on Reyes-his early years; his need to protect Charley; and the knowledge that Satan’s son has suffered because of who he is, and what he will become.

BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN is a wonderful read to fill in the details that were missing about Reyes’s younger years and his love for the woman who could one day destroy the world.

Reviewed by Sandy