The Curse of Tenth Grave
Charley Davidson, Book #10
By Darynda Jones
ISBN# 9781250078193
Author’s Website: http://www.daryndajones.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
*Beware of Spoilers*
Charley, Reyes, and company are back home now that Charley has regained her memories and her identity. But Reyes has been distant since they’ve been back home and Charley is worried, especially when she discovers that Reyes is paying child support! Has he done the unthinkable and cheated on her? Well, you know Charley … she’s bound to jump to conclusions instead of asking him!
Meanwhile, one of Charley’s least favorite detectives has hired her to clear his college buddy from a murder. After talking to the accused she quickly realizes he is innocent, but proving it is another story entirely. And worse, the detective, Nick the Prick Parker, has a file all about her, Reyes, and even Beep! If Charley doesn’t deliver the results he wants, he won’t hesitate to expose her!
And, if all of that wasn’t enough …. Charley has found a runaway who left the children’s home she was living in, thinking she has gotten the curse that has killed multiple other children at the home and is in fear she’s the next to die.
I always get so excited when a new Charley Davidson book is released, and this book was no exception. But sadly the books aren’t engrossing me as much as they once did. This was an okay book, but I found that it just wasn’t as interesting as the ones early in the series were. It seems to be a trend for me with the last few books …. I trend I’m hoping will stop soon! I love the series and I want to get back to the way I used to be with it!
I think Jones is running out of chapter headings to use. In this book she used a lot of meme quotes and even a few she made up herself! There were a few that got a chuckle out of me though.
“The fact that there’s a Highway to Hell and only a Stairway to Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers. —MEME”
I love Reyes as always, but there were a few times that I wanted to smack him … like when Charley threatened to move out (again!). I think I would have moved where he’d never find me if I were Charley! But he has his awesome moments as well. And, there is no doubt that he would go to any lengths necessary to protect Charley and Beep. But Charley can’t help, but be concerned what will happen when he realizes the truth about himself, the truth her dad showed her as he passed through her. Will Beep still be safe when he finds out what/who he really is?
“Should I leave you two alone?” he asked, changing the subject.
“He’s taken,” I said, accepting the fact that forgiving himself was something Reyes didn’t do. “Osh. By someone very special.”
“And who might that be?”
This might be a little hard for him to swallow. Tact was definitely in order. Or I could just blurt it out and watch his expression go from content to disbelief to horror to a bristly, murderous kind of fury. I chose door number two. “He’s destined to be with our daughter.”
Reyes’s expression slowly changed from content to disbelief to horror to a bristly, murderous kind of fury. “Oh, hell, no.” He shot to his feet. “A Daeva? Are you fucking kidding me?”
Just like a dad.
“Yes, a Daeva. But I wouldn’t dismiss him so offhandedly.”
He whirled around and scowled. Not really at me. Just in general. “What do you mean?”
I pressed one corner of my mouth together in thought. “Okay, you know how I was the grim reaper all of my life, then suddenly I’m also this god from another dimension? And how you’re the son of Satan all your life, then suddenly you’re a god from this dimension? Who does that? Our lives are so weird. I think that maybe Osh is something else, too.” I traced one of the dark lines on his face. “I think there’s more than meets the eye. I see greatness in him, Reyes. I see a power beyond our imaginings. I see him giving his life for our daughter.”
“Oh.” He sat back down, satisfied. “As long as he dies in the end.”
Charley and Reyes have a lot of big secrets between them in this book and by the end of the story, they all get dragged out so I’m really hopeful that I’ll be able to enjoy the next book more since they will hopefully be on the same page and be a more united front. Not to mention more steam between these two!
All of the secondary characters were a blast in this book as well. They didn’t play a huge role in the story, but they always bring a lot of fun with them.
Now Charley and Reyes are in a fight against time to save someone who’s very close to Charley, no matter what the consequences! I have no doubt they’ll be successful, but I’m sure it will just add another wrinkle to the storyline and add more enemies into the fold.
This was an okay read, but I’m really hoping the next one will go back to blowing my socks off!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
