Tag Archives: Darynda Jones

Graveyard Dog (Charley Davidson) by Darynda Jones-review tour

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Graveyard Dog (Charley Davidson 13.9 / 1001 Dark Nights) by Darynda Jones-review & excerpt tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 19,2024

Michael Cavalcante has one thing on his mind when he knocks on Izzabel Walsh’s door at two in the morning, half-dressed and a bit toasted: fix the woman’s heater and get back to bed. He vows never to cover for his maintenance tech again, especially after he gets tased and knocked out with a frying pan for his efforts.

Izzy thought she was safe. She’d dyed her hair, changed her name, and moved 1,500 miles away, and still they found her. When a member of her ex’s motorcycle club knocks on her door in the middle of the night, supposedly to fix a perfectly good heater, Izzy panics. Not only have they found her, but they would soon discover she has a daughter. Aka, a weakness. Aka, leverage. She needs time to think. To plan. To figure out how to keep the sexy neanderthal quiet. But she has no idea how to, short of murder. Can she win him over to her side? Or will he be just like all the others once he finds out what she is capable of?

Michael has one chance to convince Izzy he doesn’t want to harm her or her daughter, but more than that, he wants to know who does. And why. And where he can find them. After all, how else is he going to make sure the two sprites, who have wound their way into his heart, are safe?

••••••

REVIEW:GRAVEYARD DOG by Darynda Jones is a contemporary, adult paranormal romance novella set in the author’s CHARLEY DAVIDSON series, and a part of the multi-authored 1001 DARK NIGHTS series. This is Michael Cavalcante, and single mother Izzabel Walsh’s story line. GRAVEYARD DOG can be read as a stand alone but for cohesion and back story I recommend reading the series in order or having some background knowledge of the series.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspectives (Michael and Izzabel) GRAVEYARD DOG follows in the wake of the attack against our story line hero. Michael Calvalcante owns the building wherein single mother Izzabel Walsh and her daughter Emma reside but a late night phone call finds Michael struggling with an attack by our story line heroine. Izzabel and her daughter Emma are on the run, and Michael’s appearance threatens their safety and their future but Izzabel and Emma are more than they appear to be, and it is Izzabel’s special abilities that keep her on the run, ahead of anyone trying to control her life. When the past returns, Izzabel struggles to keep Emma safe, and knows in her heart, Michael is willing to do anything to protect Izzabel’s daughter.

The world building covers approximately twenty-four hours in the life of our story line couple as Michael begins to suspect his presence in Izzabel’s life has been ordained by the heavens, or at the very least, the daughter of two powerful gods 😉. Izzabel is desperate to keep her daughter safe but it is Izzabel’s special abilities that have placed a target on their backs.

The relationship between Izzabel and Michael is one of immediate attraction but Izzabel’s attack on Michael has left our hero with a number of questions. Unaware that Michael is more than capable of accepting the specialities in both Izzabel and Emma’s lives, Izzabel struggles with revealing the truth, a truth that Michael and his ‘friends’ are able to see. The lone $ex scene is passionate.

The secondary and supporting characters are familiar and flirty, powerful and determined. We are reintroduced to Donovan St. James and Sia, Elwyn aka Beep, Eric Vause, and Agent Carson. I am so pleased that Darynda had plans for Donovan and the MC.

GRAVEYARD DOG is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, magic and the supernatural, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing and inviting ; the characters are animated and determined; the romance is limited but seductive. There is a slight twist you won’t see coming.

Reading Order and previous reviews
First Grave on the Right
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Straight Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past The Light
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (novella)
The Dirt on Ninth Grave
The Curse on Tenth Grave
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave
The Graveyard Shift
The Gravedigger’s Son
The Graveside Bar and Grill
The Grave Robber

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

She had hair the same color as the girl’s, hanging in soft waves around her face and past her shoulders. A similar bow-shaped mouth and eyes the same ashen brown confirmed their relationship.
“She’s not my daughter,” she said, frantically clutching the girl to her.
Or not.
“Mama,” the girl pouted, placing the accent on the second ma, her lower lip jutting out.
“She’s the neighbor’s kid. They’re British. I just watch her from time to time.”
The girl tried to shake out of her grip. While she failed, she did manage to turn in the woman’s arms and look up at her. “Why do you always say that?” she asked in her soft British accent—one the woman didn’t have.
The laugh that escaped the older woman was so exaggerated and forced that Michael was appalled such talent had somehow eluded Hollywood scouts. She pulled the girl to her and petted her hair until he worried the child might go bald. “She’s a bit dramatic.”
The girl pushed at the brunette’s hands. “Mama, stop.”
“Look,” Michael said, growing impatient. And numb. “Like I said when you answered the door this morning, I got a call about your heater.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my heater.”
“Then why did you call?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t. But you know that already.”
“I do?” He did? He was lost. Had he come to the wrong apartment? Damn it. How much had he drunk? He tried to count on his fingers but could no longer feel them.
The woman pushed the girl behind her as she walked closer to him. So close he could have easily taken her out with a single sweep of his leg and a triangle chokehold. And it wasn’t like an oven—dishwasher?—door handle could hold him if he didn’t want it to. Maybe for a few seconds. But he’d once fought a bear. Long story. He was fairly certain he could take an appliance door under the right circumstances.
Clearly not a criminal mastermind, the woman leaned close to him, the scent of peach shampoo washing over him, and said the oddest thing he’d heard all day. And he’d heard a lot of strange things already. “Be still.”
He could barely move as it was. How much stiller could he get?
“You will forget the girl in sixty seconds.”
“Mama!” the girl shouted in protest, tugging at the woman’s robe—a micro-thin garment that did little to conceal the curves underneath.
How the fuck was he just now seeing them? The curves. It was the frying pan; it had to be. Because as she leaned even closer, her beautiful face came into focus, and he felt a rippling punch to his gut.
Unhinged and beautiful.
Just his type.


 

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NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

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THE GRAVE ROBBER (Charley Davidson) by Darynda Jones-review tour

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THE GRAVE ROBBER (Charley Davidson 13.8) by Darynda Jones-review & excerpt tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September5, 2023

Eric Vause is done.

Done with ghosts. Done with hellhounds. And definitely done with asshole demons, mostly because he’d been possessed by one. Even now, five years later, the rage he absorbed from the creature has yet to wane, so he decides a road trip is in order. Surely some cool air, great scenery, and a case of Dos Equis will shake things loose. Unfortunately, supernatural events happen everywhere. When he meets up with a friend whose partner’s daughter needs help with a pest problem—aka, a ghost—Eric takes that as his cue to leave.

Until he sees her.

He can tell Halle’s house isn’t the only thing that is haunted. The hopelessness behind her eyes tugs at something deep inside him. Something all too familiar. The fact that she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen has nothing to do with his change of heart. And he vows to leave her in his rearview the minute he takes care of the poltergeist. Then again, vows were never his strong suit.

•••••

REVIEW: THE GRAVE ROBBER is instalment 13.8 in Darynda Jones’ contemporary, adult CHARLEY DAVIDSON paranormal series, and a part of the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights. This is Eric Vause, and twenty-nine year old Halle Nordstrom’s story line. THE GRAVE ROBBER can be read as a stand alone but for cohesion and back story I recommend reading book thirteen SUMMONED TO THE THIRTEENTH GRAVE where Eric’s life change.

Told from first person perspective (Eric Vause) THE GRAVE ROBBER follows Eric Vause as he is tasked with hunting down a ghost haunting our story line heroine. All of his life Eric has had the ability to know if something is going to happen but five years earlier, Eric was possessed by a demon during Charley and Reyes war to save their daughter, and in the ensuing time Eric’s ability to see the future also allows his to talk to the dead. Halle Nordstrom believes she is haunted by a ghost, a ghost that came into her life at twelve years of age, when something catastrophic happened in her life but Eric is about to discover there is more to the ‘ghost’ than he could have imagined, something more tangible and deadly for our story line heroine. What ensues is the search for the truth, and the potential fall-out when our couple are targeted by a ‘ghost’ from the past.

The relationship between Halle and Eric begins when Eric is asked to ‘exorcise’ the ghost from Halle’s life but Eric suspects there is more to the story than anyone has revealed. Halle and Eric’s sexual attraction is palpable, but Eric believes his time with Halle is about to come to a violent close. The $ex scene is limited but passionate and intense.

The secondary and supporting characters include bar manager and Eric’s friend Jason Vigil, as well as Halle’s father, Charley’s late Aunt Lil, and her father’s head of security Paul.

THE GRAVE ROBBER is a fast paced, character driven story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, acceptance and love. The premise is intriguing and captivating ; the characters are energetic, sassy and determined.

Reading Order and previous reviews
First Grave on the Right
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Straight Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past The Light
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (novella)
The Dirt on Ninth Grave
The Curse on Tenth Grave
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave
The Graveyard Shift
The Gravedigger’s Son
The Graveside Bar and Grill

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

 

“What do the notes say?”
She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, stalling. She stalled some more when she said, “I can’t always read them.”
“Halle,” I warned.
Her shoulders deflated as she released a surrendering sigh. “At first, they were just numbers. They started right after my mom died. The number twelve kept popping up. But a month later, it changed to an eleven. Then a ten. Then a nine.”
“A countdown.”
“Yes. Every month for the last year, he’s been counting down. And now we’re at number two.” She leveled an accusing gaze on me. “And you’ve known since the first time you laid eyes on me.”
“Not the first time,” I said, slightly offended. “What makes you think they’re death threats? They could mean anything.”
“Because the other note he leaves is pretty explicit. It’s just one word. Payback.”
Ah. Now we were getting somewhere. “Halle, what happened seventeen years ago? What changed your life so dramatically? And who wants payback?”
She shook her head and looked away, tears shimmering in her eyes.
I leaned onto my elbows and put a hand over hers. “Halle, I know this is hard, but please trust me.”
“It’s not that. It’s not that I don’t trust you. You’ve earned that and then some. But if I tell you what happened, what I did, you won’t want to have sex with me anymore.”
I almost snorted. Clearly, she didn’t understand the male thought process.
But I needed to chill. I was pushing her too hard. I wanted her to bend. Not break.
The furball started whimpering at her feet. Halle picked her up, nuzzled her, then set her in the box she’d brought along with a dry towel from the bathroom. With a full belly, the furball settled immediately and went to sleep.
Halle straightened and walked over to stand in front of me. “Is that a yes?”
“No,” I said, taking in every curve she had to offer. She smelled sweet, like jasmine. “It’s a hell yes.” I put a hand on her hip, the heat from her body soaking into my skin as she straddled me.
With hesitant fingers, she tested the abrasion on my jaw. “Are you sure this is okay? You were hit by a truck yesterday.”
“I was sideswiped by a truck. Huge difference.”
She nodded and grew thoughtful as though making calculations in her head. Now was not the time for math.
“I’m pretty sure you’re a supernatural being,” she said, completely serious. “That you’re not real and will disappear as soon as all of this is over.”
“I have several friends who are supernaturally inclined. I am not one of them. And I’m not going anywhere.”
She buried her fingers in my hair and covered my mouth with hers. I’d never welcomed a kiss more in my life.


 

Follow: Website / Facebook / Twitter /Goodreads

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

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A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones-dual review

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A Hard Day for a Hangover (Sunshine Vicram 3) by Darynda Jones-dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 6, 2022

Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there’s just too much going on right now. There’s a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There’s her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who’s out to singlehandedly become Del Sol’s youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there’s drama with Levi Ravinder—the guy she’s loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him—and Sunshine—for good.

Like we said, the new day can take a hike.

••••

Sandy’s Review:

A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER is the third and final instalment in Darynda Jones’ contemporary, adult SUNSHINE VICRAM romantic suspense series focusing on small town Sheriff Sunshine Vicram, her daughter Auri aka Aurora, and Del Sol’s eclectic group of mad men, thieves, murderers, mean girls and amateur investigators. A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER should not be read as a stand alone as there is an ongoing theme and premise throughout, and picks up immediately after the events of book two A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Sunshine and Auri) following several intersecting pathways, A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER follows the investigation into the discovery of a badly injured young woman who may or may not be a victim of a serial abuser. Sunshine and her team are called to the cliffs outside of Del Sol where a barely recognizable Jane Doe is struggling to survive. With her daughter Auri on the hunt for clues, Sunshine finds herself investigating the possibility of one of their own targeting innocent young woman. Meanwhile, the love of Sunshine’s life, distillery owner Levi Ravinder must contend with his dysfunctional family, a war ‘brewing’ for ownership of the business, and a secret that is about to change the direction of this life. From the town’s ‘tiny boy band’ breaking into local homes, to another orphan discovering his is no longer alone, Del Sol is the proverbial small town ‘Peyton Place’ and ‘Knot’s Landing’ where secrets reveal decades of lies, buried sins, and years of abnormal social behavior culminating in vengeance and obsession.

A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER is a story of family, relationships, friendships, and love with a little bit of Darynda Jones’ requisite humor thrown in for release; jealousy and greed, betrayal, vengeance, and murder. The premise is intriguing, captivating and thrilling but the ‘guilty party’ is too easily deduced; the romance between Sunshine and Levi is heartwarming and emotional; the characters are numerous, energetic and dynamic.

__________

Barb’s Review:
A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones is the 3rd book in her Sunshine Vicram series. Refresher: Sunshine (Sunny) Vicram, our heroine, is the newly elected sheriff in her home town of Del Sol, New Mexico.  Sunny recently returned home, having left town years before, at the age of 17; after she suffered a trauma, having been kidnapped and then pregnant. Sunny is a tough, independent, smart, funny heroine, which you couldn’t help but love.  Her relationship with her now 15 year old daughter, Auri was wonderful, as I loved how close they were; while Auri was slowly learning to be like her mother in helping solve crimes. 

Sunny has built her own team, as sheriff, with Deputy Quincy her right hand, not to mention best friend.  Seems things never slow down in Del Sol, and Sunny is called to the scene of a young girl found over the edge of the cliff, brutally beaten, but still alive and unconscious.   Sunny begins to suspect that this is another case of women being missing. Is this the work of a serial killer?

Auri, who likes to do sleuthing on her own, questioning others at school, much to the dismay of her mom. Despite the danger, Auri is too headstrong to listen, but she is very good in technical things, as well as finding some clues. 

Levi Ravinder, the man Sunny has always loved, has his own problems, with his ruthless members of his family.  Levi, who also cares about Sunny, will learn some secrets that will escalate their relationship.  Levi runs the family distillery, and is determined to make it successful; but he knows other evil members of this family are threatening his life, as well as others. 

The first half of the book was hilarious, funny, snarky that made us laugh often, especially with Quincy and her team; but the investigation still stood in front.  I loved how Levi and Sunny came together, and the love Auri had for both of them. The second half of the book was so exciting, filled with non-stop action, danger, murder and violence.  The suspense was so great, I could not put the book down, and the wild frantic ending had me on the edge of my seat throughout. 

A Hard Day for a Hangover was not only an intense, exciting, but with lots of heartwarming humor that was a lot of fun. Darynda Jones does an excellent job of giving us light-hearted humor, as well as an intense suspenseful page turner. Jones also gives us great characters, such as Sunny, Levi, Auri, Quincy, Cruz, just to name a few. If you have not read the first two books, I suggest you start with A Bad Day for Sunshine, then A Good Day for Chardonnay, and now A Hard Day for a Hangover.  I had heard this could be the finale of this series, but I would love to read more stories with Sheriff Sunshine Vicram.

 

 

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
A Bad Day for Sunshine
A Good Day for Chardonnay

Copies supplied for review

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The Graveside Bar & Grill by Darynda Jones-review & excerpt tour

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The Graveside Bar and Grill (Charley Davidson novella) by Darynda Jones-review & excerpt tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date

When Donovan St. James’ precocious charge asks him—no questions asked—to tail the doctor who keeps their ragtag team patched up, he wants to refuse. Not because the saucy teen is getting too big for her britches, ordering him around like a mob boss, but because the woman stirs feelings in him he would rather not explore. However, when evil threatens the doc’s life, he realizes he has no choice. Sia saved his life once. He will try to return the favor. He just prays he can do it without losing his heart.

Running from the supernatural entity that has destroyed entire worlds to have her, Sia thought she’d found a haven on Earth with a motley team of warriors protecting the girl destined to save humanity. But when Sia’s found, she realizes something on this plane is more scrumptious than her: that very teen. So, she runs—and Donovan St. James follows. Nothing is more alluring than a scruffy biker with a lacerating gaze. And she vows to tell him that…if they survive.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

••••••

REVIEW: THE GRAVESIDE BAR AND GRILL by Darynda Jones is a contemporary, adult novella found in the author’s CHARLEY DAVIDSON paranormal, fantasy series. This is biker/bar owner Donovan St. James, and Sia’s story line. THE GRAVESIDE BAR AND GRILL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion regarding Donovan St. James and his contribution to the Charley Davidson series.

Told from third person perspective THE GRAVESIDE BAR AND GRILL follows biker and bar owner Donovan St. James as he is tasked by Elwyn Alexandra Loehr aka Beep with keeping a watch over Dr. Lucia Mirabal aka Zhou aka Sia. Beep believes something is wrong, and Sia could be heading into danger. A mysterious call sends Sia on the run in the hopes of staying one step ahead of monster who preys on the mind of innocent people, a monster who is determined to destroy them all but Donovan St. James is human, and he may be about to meet his match when the otherworldly meets the mundane.

THE GRAVESIDE BAR AND GRILL brings together some of our favorite characters including Charley and Reyes, Donovan and Artemis, as well as the introduction of King Henry VIII. The fast paced premise is entertaining and exciting; the characters are familiar and energetic; the romance is frenetic and fun-I just wish there was more time spent together with our leading couple.

 

Reading Order and previous reviews
First Grave on the Right
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Straight Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past The Light
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (novella)
The Dirt on Ninth Grave
The Curse on Tenth Grave
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave
The Graveyard Shift
The Gravedigger’s Son

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

 

Keep reading for a look inside The Graveside Bar and Grill!“What are you doing?” a smooth, deep voice asked from behind her.
Sia spun around, fear and guilt seizing her lungs, though she couldn’t fathom what she had to feel guilty about. She clutched her phone to her chest, her gaze darting about. Because that surely was a great look on her. “Nothing,” she said after a moment. “What are you doing?”
Donovan’s dark lashes lowered over irises shimmering softly in the streetlamp’s light as he studied her. He tilted his head to one side, causing a lock of dark hair to fall over his brow. “Is everything okay, Doc?”
Forcing a smile at that point in her life was like peeling taffy that had melted and then cooled again off her car dashboard, but she finally managed to do it. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” She tried to cross her arms over her chest and lean against a stack of crates. She failed and almost landed face-first on the pavement.
He rushed forward, but she caught herself and smoothed a hand over her hair. “How’s Elwyn?” she asked, deflecting. Her cheeks burned, and she thanked the powers for low light. Blushing was another human trait she despised.
After a long moment, Donovan lifted a shoulder. “You’d know better than me, you being her medic and all.”
Medic. Wasn’t that a military term? Had he served? Donovan had been the first member of the group she’d met when she walked up to the main house of the Loehr’s compound, the one constructed to keep Charley’s daughter safe. Knowing that Charley wasn’t around to contest her proclamation, Sia had pretended to be a friend of Charley’s from school. She’d told them that Charley had asked her to keep an eye on Elwyn and offered her services. A man named Garrett Swopes, another of Elwyn’s guardians, had hired her on the spot as Donovan watched their interaction.
Coincidentally, Donovan was also the first of the ragtag team she’d treated when he laid down his bike to avoid getting beheaded by a truck that had pulled out in front of him. And yet, even after all these years, she still knew so little about him.
Her phone pinged, and she read the text from Benji. Run, Sia. And believe nothing.

 

 

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NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

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A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones-Dual Review

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A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram 2) by Darynda Jones-Dual Review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 27, 2021

Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff–and even fuller-time coffee guzzler–Sunshine Vicram, didn’t get that memo.

All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?)

Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunny’s got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer and, oh yes, the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She’s seen it. Once. Accidentally.

Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls four cents short of a nickel, that pesky crush she has on Levi which seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn’t know when to quit, Sunny’s life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy.

Yep, definitely a good day for chardonnay.

••••••••

SANDY’S REVIEW:

A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY is the second instalment in Darynda Jones’ contemporary, adult SUNSHINE VICRAM mystery, suspense, and of-times humorous series focusing on thirty-three year old, Sheriff Sunshine Blaze Vicram and her fifteen year old daughter Aurora ‘Auri’. A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

Told from dual third person perspective (Sunshine and Auri) A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY follows several paths including Del Sol, New Mexico sheriff Sunshine Vicram in the wake of a vicious stabbing, and hit and run at a local bar that left too many questions for our story line heroine. With the stabbing victim in the hospital, and his injured friend and Sunshine’s love interest Levi Ravinder on the hunt for the people responsible, Sunshine and her team of police investigators begin a search for the truth.

Meanwhile, believing her eighty year old neighbor Mrs. Fairborn is a serial killer, Sunshine’s daughter Auri, along with her friends Cruz and Sybil, begin an investigation of their own, only to place themselves in the direct line of fire. As Sunshine continues to search for Levi Ravinder, and the truth about what happened and why, secrets and lies are revealed pulling Sunshine into the past when her life spiralled out of control. A prisoner serving a life sentence for murder wants to come home but his story begins to contradict everything Sunshine thought to be true.

The world building continues to focus on the abduction, fifteen years earlier, of our story line heroine Sunshine Vicram, and the aftermath that would change her life forever. Without any solid evidence as to the who, how and why, Sunshine’s memories of that fateful time slowly begin to reveal a heart breaking connection, and the possibility that what she believes isn’t even close to the truth.

The colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters include Levi Ravinder, his sister Hailey, and their uncle Wynn; Sunshine’s parents Cyrus and Elaine Freyr: Sunshine’s best friend and fellow law enforcement officer Chief Deputy Quincy Cooper; fellow law enforcement Poetry Rojas, Deputies Zee and Salazar; Auri’s besties Cruz De los Santos, and Sybil St. Aubin; as well as Keith Seabright, a mercenary for hire. The requisite evil has many faces.

A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY and the SUNSHINE VICRAM series reads similarly to the author’s Charley Davidson series- a best friend, a love interest who remains secretive and aloof, a great team of supporting friends and characters, a couple of teens who begin a series of investigations, and the snark, sarcasm, humor, giggles and laughs that add a little bit of ‘Sunshine’ into your life 😉

A GOOD FOR CHARDONNAY is a detailed and complex story of family, betrayal, secrets, greed, murder and love with spirited characters, a tragic back story, and a heart warming and twisted love affair that has been buried by secrets and lies.

__________

BARB’S REVIEW:
A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones is the 2nd book in her fun Sunshine Vicram series. I loved the first book in this series, and I loved this one even more. Refresher: Sunshine (Sunny) Vicram, our heroine, returned to her home town of Del Sol, New Mexico, as the newly elected sheriff, which she suspects her parents meddled into getting her elected.  Sunny left town years before, at the age of 17; after she suffered a trauma, having been kidnapped and then pregnant, and now comes home having had a seasoned and successful career as a detective, with her 14-year-old daughter, Auri.

Sunny, who seems to never have a day off, as her police team continually calls her for anything, even trying to catch a racoon, and all she wants is to relax with a glass of chardonnay.  Sunny is a tough, independent, smart, funny heroine, which you couldn’t help but love.  The relationship between Sunshine and Auri was wonderful, and I loved how close they were and their cute bantering back and forth throughout the book with each other.

Her best friend, Quincy (chief deputy), is crazy obsessed with this racoon, and calls her to his place, with the rest of the team.  They are a crazy, close and very good team, which gives us plenty of laughs.  While out, the team is called to a bar, as a fight broke out with people getting hurt.  One being Levi Ravinder (Sunny’s secret obsession), and his friend, who has been seriously injured.   The attackers have escaped, and Levi, despite his injuries is determined to find them.  At this point, the storyline splits between the attack at the bar, and discovering clues to an old case of Sunny’s when she was a detective; as well truths are revealed regarding her kidnapping years before.  This becomes an exciting, suspenseful, action filled, edge of your seat adventure, which kept me glued to my seat throughout. What makes this even better is the craziness and fun banter between Sunny, Quincy, Auri, the grandparents, and even Levi; so much fun, releasing the tension.

Auri, who I loved, decides she wants to be like her mom, and gets her boyfriend, Cruz and friend Sybil to help prove that a local 80-year-old lady is a serial killer.  Of course, they constantly get into trouble, but I loved Cruz, who gave me the feel of a young Levi. 

I absolutely loved Levi (he comes from a dangerous family, with one having been the one who kidnapped Sunny all those years ago); they both had feelings for each other; and as we edged slowly toward the end, both will act on their feelings. Levi was so great with Auri, acting almost like a father.  I liked Hailey, another member of the Ravinders, as she and Sunny became secret friends. 

A Good Day for Chardonnay was not only an intense exciting mystery, with lots of heartwarming humor that was a lot of fun, as Sunny, Levi, Auri, Quincy, Zee, Cruz, and others were so great together, making us laugh quite a bit.    I look forward to the next book in this series, as spending more time with Sheriff Sunshine Vicram is a must for me.  I suggest you jump on the bandwagon now, and start with A Bad Day for Sunshine, then A Good Day for Chardonnay, so very well written by a fantastic author, Darynda Jones.

 

Click HERE for review of book one A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON (Charley Davidson 13.6) by Darynda Jones

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THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON (Charley Davidson 13.6) by Darynda Jones-Review * Excerpt tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 11, 2021

The job should have been easy.

Get in. Assess the situation. Get out. But for veteran tracker Quentin Rutherford, things get sticky when the girl he’s loved since puberty shows up, conducting her own investigation into the strange occurrences of the small, New Mexico town. He knew it would be a risk coming back to the area, but he had no idea Amber Kowalski had become a bona fide PI, investigating things that go bump in the night. He shouldn’t be surprised, however. She can see through the dead as clearly as he can. The real question is, can she see through him?

But is anything that’s worth it ever easy?

To say that Amber is shocked to see her childhood crush would be the understatement of her fragile second life. One look at him tells her everything she needs to know. He’s changed. So drastically she barely recognizes him. He is savage now, a hardened—in all the right places—demon hunter, and she is simply the awkward, lovestruck girl he left behind.

But she doesn’t have time to dwell on the past. A supernatural entity has set up shop, and it’s up to them to stop it before it kills again.

While thousands of questions burn inside her, she has to put her concern over him, over what he’s become, aside for now. Because he’s about to learn one, undeniable fact: she’s changed, too.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

••••••••

REVIEW:  THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON is instalment 13.6 and novella in Darynda Jones’ contemporary, adult CHARLEY DAVIDSON paranormal, UF series, and the latest instalment in the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights series. This is twenty-seven year old demon tracker Quentin Rutherford, and psychic/traveller Amber Kowalski’s story line. For fans of the series, Amber and Quentin were first introduced in the earlier instalments of the Charley Davidson series. Amber is the daughter of Charley’s assistant Cookie.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Amber and Quentin) THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON focuses on two of the secondary characters in the author’s Charley Davidson series. Approximately ten to twelve years have past since we were last up close and personal with our story line couple, teens who have been in love for one another for a very long time but Quentin Rutherford disappeared from Amber’s life, a disappearance that ripped out her heart, and destroyed her soul but both Quentin and Amber have psychic abilities, abilities that grew stronger, through their teen years into adulthood.

Amber Kowalski hadn’t seen Quentin for close to ten years but investigating the possible murder of a recently deceased brings Amber up close and personal with Quentin Rutherford, the boy turned man, who is much more than she could ever have imagined. While Quentin is hunting a demon that had quite possibly gone rogue, everything begins to connect including the murder of three people connected by the past. What ensues is the search and take down of a murdering demon, and the potential fall-out as the demon sets his sights on Amber, and Amber learns the truth about the man that she still loves.

We are introduced to Amber’s assistant and earthbound spirit Kyle, and Quentin’s ‘demon’ other Rune.

For followers of the Charley Davidson series, the humour and snark is limited except for the t-shirt and meme quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I was hoping for a little more of the familiarity of the dark comedy, sarcasm and sass.

THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON is a quick read; a fast paced, action packed story of vengeance and betrayal; friendship and love; second chances and hope. The premise is captivating; the romance is seductive and steamy; the characters are familiar and energetic. THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON is a welcome return to the Charley Davidson’s series, a return of which there will be so much more. Here’s hoping the author has plans for a spin-off series focusing on Amber and Quentin.

Reading Order and previous reviews
First Grave on the Right
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Straight Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past The Light
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (novella)
The Dirt on Ninth Grave
The Curse on Tenth Grave
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave
The Graveyard Shift

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“Intruder!” Kyle said from behind him, a day late and a dollar short.
Quentin glared at him, and Kyle stepped back reflexively. Then he refocused his glare on Amber.
“What?” she asked, her hackles rising as hackles are wont to do.
“What are you doing here?” Again, his signs were sharp with irritation.
As Amber sat in utter astonishment—He Who Must Not Be Named was literally the last person on Earth she’d expected to see today—she used the break to take him in.
How much could a guy change in five years?
If Quentin Rutherford was any indication, a hella lot.
She barely recognized him. He’d hardened—in all the right places. His shoulders had widened more than most twenty-seven-year-olds. He’d always been muscular, even when they were kids, but either he’d been hitting the gym, or he’d been magically photoshopped. The hills and valleys that covered his body to exquisite perfection could be seen through the long-sleeved T-shirt he wore, his biceps stretching the seams to their limits. And the jeans, the ones with a few holes here and there, were not a fashion statement so much as a favored pair of work pants.
“Ms. Kowalski?” Kyle said.
Quentin turned to him, and Amber caught a glimpse of two things: the profile of his steely buttocks that had developed as much as the rest of him, and a particularly well-placed rip in the worn jeans that showed part of the indentation in his left ass cheek. The fact that he wasn’t wearing underwear was a bonus. How could anyone she hated so much be so startlingly drop-dead sexy? Life was not fair.
Then she realized something. He’d heard Kyle. Quentin had turned when Kyle spoke, and she wondered if he’d finally gotten a pair of hearing aids. They’d never helped him that much before, so he never wore them, but technology had advanced a lot since then. Maybe they had more powerful aids now that could help him hear.
She snuck a glance but didn’t see any mechanical earpieces. Interesting.
When he turned back to her, she couldn’t get over how much he’d changed. His hair was shorter now and a little darker but still a rich, tawny blond. And he’d either started wearing it spiked, or he had bedhead. Either way, he was even more gorgeous than before. Full mouth. Straight nose. Deep blue eyes like the cobalt on a ceramic bowl.
Damn it.

Follow: Website / Facebook / Twitter /Goodreads

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

 

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The Graveyard Shift (Charley Davidson) by Darynda Jones-Review Tour

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The Graveyard Shift (Charley Davidson 13.5 /1001 Dark Nights) by Darynda Jones-Review & Excerpt Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 9, 2020

Guarding a precocious five-year-old who is half-human, half-god, and 100% destined to save the world is no easy feat.

Garrett Swopes was the ultimate skeptic until he met a certain hellion and her husband. They vanished after stopping a catastrophic event and left him, a mere mortal, in charge of protecting their gift to mankind. But when she disappears as well, he needs the help of another breed of hellion. One who can see past the veil of space and time. One who betrayed him.

She will get a truce in the deal, but she will never earn his forgiveness.

Marika Dubois’s son—a warrior in the coming war between heaven and hell—was foreseen long before his birth. But to create a child strong enough to endure the trials that lay ahead, she needed a descendant of powerful magics. She found that in Garrett Swopes and tricked him into fathering her son. A ploy he has never forgiven her for. But when he knocks on her door asking for her help, she sees the fierce attraction he tries to deny rise within him.

And Marika has to decide if she dares risk her heart a second time to help the only man she’s ever loved.

••••••••

REVIEW:THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT is the 13.5 instalment, and latest entry into the 1001 Dark Nights world, in Darynda Jones’ contemporary, adult CHARLEY DAVIDSON urban fantasy series focusing on part time private investigator, full-time grim reaper, and omnipotent god Charley Davidson. THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT changes the focus of the series to Charley and Reyes’ daughter- five year old, Elwyn Alexandra Loehr aka Beep.

Told from third person perspective (Garrett Swopes) THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT follows Garrett in the aftermath of Elwyn’s disappearance. Garrett had been assigned as protector of Charley and Reyes’ infant daughter but as Elwyn grew so too, did her supernatural powers, powers that were surpassing those of her mother and father’s. In an effort to locate said missing child, Garrett needs help from the woman who fathered his son, a woman with connections and powers in the world of Voodoo and magic. Enter Marika Dubois. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship between Marika and Garrett, as Garrett calls in the gang to help find a child-a god, actually- who is more than capable of looking after herself.

THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT is a welcome return to the world of Charley Davidson, and all of the characters we have come to know and love: Cookie and Uncle Bob, Angel, Donovan and the boys, Artemis, and the Hellhounds, and even a quick glimpse at the demon who has promised his love to an infant child. We are introduced to Marika Dubois and her son Zaire, both of whom are going to figure prominently in Elwyn’s life. THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT is a fast paced, astonishing and delightful story, one I am going to guess is the prequel to Beep’s series, and all of the gods and monsters who are aiming to take her down.

Reading Order and previous reviews
First Grave on the Right
Second Grave on the Left
Third Grave Straight Ahead
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Fifth Grave Past The Light
Sixth Grave on the Edge
Seventh Grave and No Body
Eighth Grave After Dark
Brighter Than the Sun (novella)
The Dirt on Ninth Grave
The Curse on Tenth Grave
Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Charley Davidson, a god with a penchant for maiming first and asking questions later, was going to kill Garrett. No, that wasn’t right. Charley’s husband, Reyes Farrow, also a god with a penchant for maiming first and asking questions later, would start the whole process by ripping him to shreds, then letting Charley finish him off. Gladly. And with much glee.
Garrett had one job. One. Fucking. Job. Watch his best friends’ daughter, Beep, aka Elwyn Alexandra Loehr, a kid who just happened to be destined to save the world from a catastrophic demon uprising. He was supposed to guard her with his life. To keep her safe. To protect her from all the ghosts and goblins—metaphorically speaking since he didn’t have a supernatural bone in his body—hell-bent on doing her harm before she could prevent said catastrophic demon uprising.
He failed.
Yesterday, at exactly 3:33 p.m., the precocious five-year-old was running across a sun-drenched field of sagebrush and wild grasses when she disappeared right before his eyes. One second she was tripping over, well, absolutely nothing—so much like her mother, it startled him—and the next, she was gone.
If he hadn’t been looking right at her, if his gaze hadn’t been laser-locked on the long, dark tangles cascading down her back, if she hadn’t disappeared between his strategically placed blinks, he would’ve questioned the entire event. But there was simply no doubt about it. She’d vanished into thin air.
The way she disappeared would suggest a supernatural influence, especially considering the fact that she was the daughter of two gods, but her celestial parents had placed a shield over the entire area. No supernatural entity could penetrate it. Was there some loophole they’d missed? Some escape clause they’d overlooked?
Garrett didn’t hesitate. He immediately called in his entire team, but even his most preternaturally enhanced members couldn’t figure out what had happened, and one of them was a bona fide angel. Well, former angel.
After thirty-six hours of scouring every inch of Santa Fe and the surrounding area for even a sign of the little hellion, a storm had rolled in, and the search had to be abandoned. Garrett left his team at the compound, as well as the Loehrs, Elwyn’s grandparents, panicked and scrambling to figure out what’d happened. In the meantime, he went in search of the only woman he knew who could see past the veil of not only space, but time as well.
He had one clue to go on. Elwyn’s last words before she took off across the rugged New Mexican terrain.
Surely, he’d heard her wrong. He prayed he’d heard her wrong as he fought the winds and icy pelts of the desert storm, then raised a fist and pounded on the door of his ex, Marika Dubois.

Follow: Website / Facebook / Twitter /Goodreads

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

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A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones-dual review

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A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) by Darynda Jones-dual review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK:Release Date April 7, 2020

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.

Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff–an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in–and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it’s reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

•••••••

Sandy’s Review

A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE is the first instalment in Darynda Jones contemporary, adult SUNSHINE VICRAM mystery, suspense, somewhat humorous series focusing on Sheriff Sunshine Blaze Vicram and her daughter Aurora ‘Auri’.

Told from dual third person perspectives ( Sunshine and Auri) A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE follows Sunshine Blaze Vicram Freyr on her return to her home town of Del Sol, New Mexico following her questionable election win as the new sheriff. With her fourteen year old daughter Auri in tow, Sunshine’s return to Del Sol is met with derision, especially for Auri as she enters high school for the first time. A kidnapped teenager, a missing lieutenant, a decomposed body, an escaped fugitive, a flasher, a rooster named Puff Daddy, and demons from the past find Sunshine struggling within hours on her first day of the job, a job that will bring her up close and personal with Del Sol’s meanest, strangest and bad.

Sunshine Vicram has suffered like no one else, and with her return come the memories that are slowly revealing a forgotten connection to the town that almost destroyed her life. Our heroine, a passionate mother and daughter, finds herself facing down her demons when her daughter reveals a secret Sunshine had long thought buried.

A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE is reminiscent of Darynda Jones’ CHARLEY DAVIDSON series including an Easter egg or two referencing the aforementioned series. The premise is complex, detailed, gritty and real; the numerous characters are colorful, nosy, quirky and bad- the mean girls and bullies at the local high school are heart breaking and sad. We are introduced to Sunshine’s parents Cyrus and Elaine Freyr, her best friend and fellow law enforcement officer Chief Deputy Quincy Cooper; students Cruz De los Santos and his father Chris, Sybil St. Aubin and her parents Mari and Forest; the local ‘book babes’ who get together for drinking and gossip but every once in awhile, a basket of muffins foretells of darker things to come. The in-depth world building is full of possibilities. There is the hint of a romance for our leading heroine but life and past history may get in the way.

As per Darynda Jones’ style of writing, the humor is spot on. The back and forth between Sunshine and Auri is priceless, sassy and fun. Each chapter begins with a humorous window sign found at the local restaurants and shops. A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE is the perfect vehicle to add a little ‘sunshine’ and humor into your life.

 

Barb’s Review:
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones is the 1st book in her new Sunshine Vicram series.  I was excited to see what Darynda had in store for us in this new series, and I am happy to say I loved A Bad Day for Sunshine.

Sunshine (Sunny) Vicram, our heroine, returns to her home town of Del Sol, New Mexico, as the newly elected sheriff, which she suspects her parents meddled into getting her elected.  Sunny left town years before, at the age of 17; after she suffered a trauma, having been kidnapped and then pregnant, and now comes home as a seasoned successful career as a detective, with her 14 year old daughter, Auri.  Sunny is a tough, independent, smart, funny heroine, which you couldn’t help but love.  The relationship between Sunshine and Auri was wonderful, and I loved how close they were and their cute bantering back and forth throughout the book with each other, as we got to see the POV’s between them both.  

The story begins with Sunshine’s first day on the job as Sheriff, with her expecting the basic misdemeanors of a small town; but immediately there is a kidnapping case of a 14 year old schoolgirl, who had also befriended her daughter.  Sunny’s best friend, Deputy Quincy Cooper, is thrilled to have his friend back, and together they work with Zee, another new member (sniper) of the police team to find the missing girl.  They made a great team, and I enjoyed their camaraderie.  I must say, I absolutely loved Levi, whom Sunny always had a crush on, but he comes from a violent dangerous family, that does include Hailey (who have become secret friends, but must keep their friendship private). Levi was not only a hunk, but he was also a great tracker, and ends up helping Sunny and her team.  You can tell he cares about her, as well as Auri, but tries to be distant, in order for them to be safe. 

Auri also wants to help her mom find Sybil (the missing girl) and uses the internet, as well as school papers to find information; she shows her smarts, as she is her mother’s daughter as a budding detective.  School at first is difficult, with some mean girls at school treating her badly, especially since her mom is the sheriff.   Auri finds help and friendship from a boy, Cruz, who is considered the most popular boy in school, and their friendship helps her handle the brutal treatment from the girls.   

What follows is an exciting adventure to find the missing girl, which will bring in some surprises along the way.  There is also a mystery about Sunny’s kidnapping, as she remembers very little of what happened, and is still determined to find out who the culprit was. I also loved how Levi was like a father figure Auri, having helped her when she was a child. 

A Bad Day for Sunshine was not only an intense mystery, but was a lot of fun, as Sunny, Auri, Quincy, Zee, Cruz, and others were so great together, making us laugh quite a bit.   Darynda Jones once again gives us another fantastic heroine, with a wonderful daughter and great secondary characters.  I expect in future books we will see more romance, hopefully between Sunny and Levi.  I look forward to the next book in this series, as spending more time with Sheriff Sunshine Vicram is a must for me.  I suggest you jump on the bandwagon now, and start with A Bad Day for Sunshine by a fantastic author, Darynda Jones.

 Copies supplied by Netgalley

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