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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
The Dirt on Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones is the ninth book in the Charley Davidson series. It Sleepy Hollow, New York the Firelight Grill has a new employee named Janey Doerr (aka Charlotte “Charley” Davidson). Jane Doe was too boring and normal so she changed it up a little. Charley has amnesia and does not remember who she is. She woke up behind the diner four weeks ago with memory. Charley has special abilities (she can see the dead, see aura, and can tell if someone is lying are a few of them), but she does not understand how they work. She is also afraid to tell anyone (for fear of what they will think). Charley is lucky to have made a good friend in fellow worker Cookie (and her husband, Bob). The diner gets a new cook. One of the regulars, Reyes Alexander Farrow has just been hired, and Charley is very attracted to him. Charley is not sure she should act on the attraction (he also infuriates her). Then Charley notices something strange going on at Mr. Vandenberg’s antique store. Charley discovers that some Middle Eastern men are holding Mr. Vandenberg and his family hostage so they can use his storeroom (to drill a tunnel into a dry cleaners). Charley sets out to help him. Will Charley be able to help the Vandenberg’s? Will she ever get her memory back (and why did she lose it) and what happens when she does?
I have not read any of the books in this series before, and I discovered that is a detriment. You really do need to read the other books in the Charley Davidson series in order to understand everything going on in The Dirt on Ninth Grave (or just to understand the book). I thought the book was okay. There is a lot of foul language and sex (talk and act) with very little mystery. The first twenty percent of the book is basically Charley admiring Reyes (how handsome, sexy, hot, etc.) and the other guys that are regulars at the diner. There is no action (the book does not move forward at all). The book picks up pace in the last forty percent (if you make it that far). I give Dirt on Ninth Grave 3 out of 5 stars. The idea is good, but I was just not a fan (I think I will have to go back and read the other books in the series—at least the first book). The Dirt on Ninth Grave reads more like an erotic novel than a paranormal mystery book.
I received a complimentary copy of Dirt on Ninth Grave from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-dirt-on-ninth-grave.html
I have not read any of the books in this series before, and I discovered that is a detriment. You really do need to read the other books in the Charley Davidson series in order to understand everything going on in The Dirt on Ninth Grave (or just to understand the book). I thought the book was okay. There is a lot of foul language and sex (talk and act) with very little mystery. The first twenty percent of the book is basically Charley admiring Reyes (how handsome, sexy, hot, etc.) and the other guys that are regulars at the diner. There is no action (the book does not move forward at all). The book picks up pace in the last forty percent (if you make it that far). I give Dirt on Ninth Grave 3 out of 5 stars. The idea is good, but I was just not a fan (I think I will have to go back and read the other books in the series—at least the first book). The Dirt on Ninth Grave reads more like an erotic novel than a paranormal mystery book.
I received a complimentary copy of Dirt on Ninth Grave from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-dirt-on-ninth-grave.html
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 ⭐
Wahou quel tome ! Vu la façon dont se terminait le tome 8, j'appréhendais un peu de lire celui-ci, je me demandais vraiment comment Darynda Jones (et Charley !) allait s'en sortir après un tel retournement de scénario ...
Eh bien le résultat est largement à la hauteur du choc de ce cliffhanger de malheur ! Je me suis tout bonnement régalée avec ce tome, j'ai souri, j'ai ri, j'ai eu les larmes aux yeux, j'ai flippé comme c'est pas possible à un moment donné, et Reyes a encore une fois fait battre mon coeur très fort.
C'est marrant parce que Charley, même amnésique, reste Charley. Tout ce qui fait l'essence de sa personnalité reste intact. Sous l'identité de Janey, on retrouve la même générosité, le même sens de l'humour, la même obsession pour le café, la même manie de donner des noms aux objets qui l'entourent ... et le même côté casse-cou/tête brûlée qui m'a parfois tant agacée dans les tomes précédents.
Aux côtés de Charley, toute la bande est là (à quelques exceptions près) et c'est très touchant de les voir la guider tout en douceur, être toujours là pour elle. Et elle, alors qu'elle ne les "connaît" pas, va se lier d'amitié avec eux, se rapprocher d'eux exactement de la même manière que lorsqu'elle était Charley. Les autres personnages secondaires nouvellement introduits sont tout aussi sympathiques que ceux que l'on connaît déjà, j'ai notamment bien apprécié le mari d'Erin (lol, la touche avec sa serviette et sa poêle !), et tous les gens qui travaillent au café. Oh et puis bon, ce décor de Sleepy Hollow et ce cameo d'un célèbre cavalier vaut aussi des points !
Côté intrigue et action, on peut dire que ça déménage (même si j'ai trouvé que l'intrigue liée aux Vanderberg était un peu confuse), et fait même parfois carrément flipper !! Et côté romance, snif ... que c'était beau et touchant ...
Wahou quel tome ! Vu la façon dont se terminait le tome 8, j'appréhendais un peu de lire celui-ci, je me demandais vraiment comment Darynda Jones (et Charley !) allait s'en sortir après un tel retournement de scénario ...
Eh bien le résultat est largement à la hauteur du choc de ce cliffhanger de malheur ! Je me suis tout bonnement régalée avec ce tome, j'ai souri, j'ai ri, j'ai eu les larmes aux yeux, j'ai flippé comme c'est pas possible à un moment donné, et Reyes a encore une fois fait battre mon coeur très fort.
C'est marrant parce que Charley, même amnésique, reste Charley. Tout ce qui fait l'essence de sa personnalité reste intact. Sous l'identité de Janey, on retrouve la même générosité, le même sens de l'humour, la même obsession pour le café, la même manie de donner des noms aux objets qui l'entourent ... et le même côté casse-cou/tête brûlée qui m'a parfois tant agacée dans les tomes précédents.
Aux côtés de Charley, toute la bande est là (à quelques exceptions près) et c'est très touchant de les voir la guider tout en douceur, être toujours là pour elle. Et elle, alors qu'elle ne les "connaît" pas, va se lier d'amitié avec eux, se rapprocher d'eux exactement de la même manière que lorsqu'elle était Charley. Les autres personnages secondaires nouvellement introduits sont tout aussi sympathiques que ceux que l'on connaît déjà, j'ai notamment bien apprécié le mari d'Erin (lol, la touche avec sa serviette et sa poêle !), et tous les gens qui travaillent au café. Oh et puis bon, ce décor de Sleepy Hollow et ce cameo d'un célèbre cavalier vaut aussi des points !
Côté intrigue et action, on peut dire que ça déménage (même si j'ai trouvé que l'intrigue liée aux Vanderberg était un peu confuse), et fait même parfois carrément flipper !! Et côté romance, snif ... que c'était beau et touchant ...
mimikins34's review against another edition
4.0
I’m just committed to finishing this series at this point.
missnatalieann's review against another edition
5.0
Had some love/hate with this one (mostly love).
Loved: The love.
"I’ve loved you for a thousand years," I said, because it seemed true.
“There, written in French, were the words Je t’ai aimée pendant mille et un. –R. I stilled. Read it again. And again. Je t’ai aimée pendant mille et un. –R. I’ve loved you for a thousand and one. –R.”
“No offense, but what on earth could I ask of you that would be a great hardship?” His gaze rested on my mouth before making its way to my eyes again. “You could ask for the world, and then where would civilization be when I conquered it and laid it at your feet?”
Loved: The humorous chapter headings.
"Alex, I’ll take The Slightly Less Traumatic Life for $400.—JEOPARDY! CONTESTANT"
"I have seen things. Awful things. Empty coffee cup things.—T-SHIRT"
Also loved: The narrator, Lorelei King. I've listened to this entire series on audio, Lorelei is fantastic!
Hated: Janey and her damn amnesia. I don't like amnesia story lines. I hate knowing all the things the character used to know and no longer does. But it didn't stop me from loving this book.
After Eighth Grave After Dark I had to take a break from this series to recoup and gather up my strength to carry on. Eight was intense. Nine was a restart. As much as I didn't like the Amnesia storyline it did change things up a bit. It was a new setting with new rules. Thankfully all our favorite characters moved about 2,000 miles (give or take a few) to remain part of Charley's new life. Charley was still herself in the basic sense: her need to help others, her delightfully crude sense of humor, and of course her ability to see the departed. I felt this was more of an internal journey for her to figure out who she was instead of trying to figure out who (or what) Reyes was. It was a nice change of pace, but I am happy (minor spoiler, but not really) she gets her memories back. Can't wait to start The Curse of Tenth Grave and see what trouble Charley gets into next!
Loved: The love.
"I’ve loved you for a thousand years," I said, because it seemed true.
“There, written in French, were the words Je t’ai aimée pendant mille et un. –R. I stilled. Read it again. And again. Je t’ai aimée pendant mille et un. –R. I’ve loved you for a thousand and one. –R.”
“No offense, but what on earth could I ask of you that would be a great hardship?” His gaze rested on my mouth before making its way to my eyes again. “You could ask for the world, and then where would civilization be when I conquered it and laid it at your feet?”
Loved: The humorous chapter headings.
"Alex, I’ll take The Slightly Less Traumatic Life for $400.—JEOPARDY! CONTESTANT"
"I have seen things. Awful things. Empty coffee cup things.—T-SHIRT"
Also loved: The narrator, Lorelei King. I've listened to this entire series on audio, Lorelei is fantastic!
Hated: Janey and her damn amnesia. I don't like amnesia story lines. I hate knowing all the things the character used to know and no longer does. But it didn't stop me from loving this book.
After Eighth Grave After Dark I had to take a break from this series to recoup and gather up my strength to carry on. Eight was intense. Nine was a restart. As much as I didn't like the Amnesia storyline it did change things up a bit. It was a new setting with new rules. Thankfully all our favorite characters moved about 2,000 miles (give or take a few) to remain part of Charley's new life. Charley was still herself in the basic sense: her need to help others, her delightfully crude sense of humor, and of course her ability to see the departed. I felt this was more of an internal journey for her to figure out who she was instead of trying to figure out who (or what) Reyes was. It was a nice change of pace, but I am happy (minor spoiler, but not really) she gets her memories back. Can't wait to start The Curse of Tenth Grave and see what trouble Charley gets into next!
april_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
shawniebooks's review against another edition
3.0
I was so over the amnesia a quarter in. This wasn't my favorite installment, but will continue on.
bookeen_la_rouquine's review against another edition
3.0
Un tome assez plat qui n'a pas su me séduire comme les précédents. Il m'est apparu comme un tome de "remplissage", j'ai trouvé le temps long