Sunshine is an amazing character!

So, I was expecting something from this book. Something hot. Something very First Grave/ Charlie Davidson hot. I just want to tell you now- I didn't get that. What I did get was an alternating story that came from the POV of Sunshine and her child, who is a teenager, filled with some mystery and intrigue from several different stories that intertwine into a beautiful story (I mean, beautiful for a fictional sheriff). Every second of this story left me wanting more and more from both of these woman.

First, I need to tell you, draw no parallels between Charlie Davidson and Sunshine before reading. Don't do it. Sunshine is her own character. I expected Sunshine to be someone similar to Charlie but she isn't. She doesn't parent how I would expect Charlie to parent. She doesn't attack a mystery like Charlie would. She isn't her. Sunshine is her own strong and independent woman who is amazing and capable.

Now, for our teenage girl. Our fourteen year old beauty who can run the town if she isn't stopped because she is that determined. Auri is special. She is the unique kid that actually thinks about what she is doing before doing it. She is the kid that, in three years, we will see leading people through the dystopian world for the water that might exist across the vast desert. Auri is worthy of the chapters that are written from her POV in every way.

Dual POVs equals something that you will love if you love Young Adult books and also Love regular old main stream fiction. That is? Two separate love stories. A love story for our little girl with the shy and almost too attractive for his own good fifteen year old. A love story for our Sheriff mom who is still attracted and slightly in love with the bad boy from her own teen years.

There is one main mystery that this book revolves around. There is a teen girl missing and that teen girl is on borrowed time, it seems. I don't do spoilers but I honestly didn't see it coming until the literal end. I was sitting in my kitchen and literally said "What. The. Hell?" Because I just didn't see it happening until the last second. Now, my original thought wasn't far off but it was still pretty dang far off. So, there isn't a lot of "HAHA Saw that Coming."

There is a supernatural element to this book. There is a moment in the beginning when you get the whole "Wait- so is there a supernatural reason that she is sheriff?" but that isn't what actually convinced me of it. Nor were the muffins that predict the future. I'm a southerner. We will say that we feel something is comin and bake and to me that's a self fulfilling proficiency. There are a couple little weird things in there that made me question if there was or wasn't but it is never blatant. However, there is a part at the end few chapters when I was like "Oh, okay, so if that's not supernatural then what is it?" Even that? It isn't definitive. So, this is an opinion of this lady. ;)

Lorelei King is, as always, amazing.

I know that there is more that I should say in this but I just can't help but end it here. With this note.

Sunshine and Auri are two amazing females who will completely ruin us for both Young Adult and Contemporary Mystery Heroines in one book.

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26 people found this helpful

Sunshine & Charley Would’ve Been an Awesome Team

Or would they? Prepare yourself, this is a review coming from a huge fan of the Charley Davidson series, so if you’re looking to see if this lives up to it, this may be the review for you.

First Impression: Don’t compare too much. In comparison to Charley’s adventures, this is SLIGHTLY more realistic and down to Earth. No dead people are hanging around helping with the investigation. A beautiful boy from hell isn’t haunting our Main Girl’s dreams. Sunshine is as normal and human as can be.

I went into this book skeptical. How could Darynda Jones possibly top the chaos beauty that was Charley Davidson? It must’ve been something she KNEW was going to be a problem, and yet Jones still popped out a beautiful book with finesse and her signature wit and humor. All of this while still keeping one Sunshine Vicrum (hope I spelt that right) her own character rather than a cheap knock off of Charley.

Sunshine is just as funny, witty, and intelligent, but far more reigned in than Charley. And she has every right to be: we first meet Sunshine well into her maturity as a mother to a teenager, with a complicated past that would determine someone’s strength in the long run. What didn’t happen to Charley...happened to her.

The Author: It seems that Jones took every complaint from her last book and created a whole new series from it, while keeping her characters hers. Sunshine isn’t psychotic or super childish. The plot isn’t also littered with one mind shocking plot point after another. Ut feels a lot more smooth and panned out.

This series suggests that it’s going to be more light hearted rather than gut wrenching, but still has that serious tone with triggering problems that aren’t shoved in your face. So that was a HUGE plus for me.

She handles every issue with feminist grace without shoving that down your throat either. She writes her characters exactly the way a person SHOULD react when encountering problems such as sexual assault, mental health, or PTSD. And it feels completely natural.

She also keeps her characters real in that not every Main Character has to have every sordid, tragic thing happen to them to make you feel bad for them. Sunshine comes from a loving family, and has healthy platonic relationships with those around her. She’s respected, but not so much so that she doesn’t have petty enemies in high places. And as someone with a lot to hold on her shoulders, she’s not forced to go through the hardships of life alone. For that, I found this story incredibly refreshing.

And Lorelai King, the beautiful goddess that she is, brought new life to this character, her talents seeming to know no bounds.

The Story: Romance isn’t at all the focus of this book, and I really hope that remains the theme throughout the rest of the series. It is sprinkled in there, but remains a key point and has a REASON for being important. We don’t get insta-love, but rather, a knowing insta-lust that isnt immediately acted upon for the sake of stuffing a relationship in there. Plus, we have options for Sunshine’s attraction, and while we do know the end game for the series’ end, it’s going to be an actual adventure for us to get there. We’ll maybe go through a relationship or two first. I’ve never seen that before...

A teen girl has been kidnapped, and for some peculiar reason, the girl knew it was going to happen. Why? Because she was given a premonition since she was a child that she was going to get kidnapped and killed, and now, 3 days before her 15th birthday, that vision has come true. Newly elected Sherif Sunshine Vicrum doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but when more and more impossible clues pop up to help the case, she has to wonder if things aren’t always as they seem.

If only she had the powers to see the dead...much like the weird private detective the bartender she met used to work with before he quit because it got too weird over there...Hm 😉

Overall, this book was fantastic. I highly recommend. But if you’re looking for something with magic at every turn, this might be a bit boring for you.

Don’t look at this as something to replace Charley Davidson’s world, but rather, something that can compliment it, and vice-versa.

I have a lot of theories in place for this series already, one of which includes the idea that we may have some cameos from our friends in Albuquerque. And if nothing else sells you on this book, THAT definitely should. Because if you haven’t caught on, this series seems to take place in the same world of our favorite Grim Reaper turned Omnipotent Goddess.

And if there’s one thing we all can be sure of, it’s that things will get super heated when worlds finally collide 😏

3 people found this helpful

Love this new series!!!

Darynda does it again! I love the MC Sunshine and her daughter Ari and so many of the supporting characters! Can’t wait to read what’s next! Love the humor as is per usual for this author! Listened to the story on Audible and Lorelei King does an amazing job reading the story!!!

3 people found this helpful

Darynda Jones delivers!!

I thought all the plots had been taken but this story is so unique. It is full of twists and turns and you don’t want to put it down. It is not dark humor but snarky irreverence. I can’t wait for the next book.

3 people found this helpful

Not as expected

This was not a police detective mystery as I expected but a cheesy romance novel. A lot of men’s rock hard abs and sinewy arms. Predictable. Cliche. If you like predictable romance novels, this one is for you.

2 people found this helpful

loved it

really enjoyable book. no great surprise there, big fan of the author. great narration. what's not to love?

2 people found this helpful

Holy Crap!

i didn't think i was going to enjoy this as much as the Charley Davidson books, but man was i wrong! Sun and Ari are a dream team! The setting and little nuggets given out throughout the book were fantastic. It's very difficult to review without giving away too much, but all you need to know is that it's very much worthy as a follow up series!

1 person found this helpful

Mediocre at best

I couldn’t even get halfway through it. Wish I could be refunded. Bored my to tears, and the writing was corny and predictable. Literally made me cringe at times. Just not a good quality book.... Was like it was written by a high schooler. Definitely DO NOT recommend.

1 person found this helpful

Enjoyable

I was captivated and drawn in from the first chapter. can't wait for the rest of the series.

1 person found this helpful

Surprisingly blown away!

I am new to this author but am now a dedicated fan! This is a great mystery - the perfect combination of funny, suspenseful, somewhere-between-romantic-and-erotic, good friends and family, and with a sprinkling of magic. I was looking for something that would engage and distract, and this more than fit the bill! Darynda Jones has a new fan!