A Very Charley Christmas

Charley Davidson #10.5

by Darynda Jones

Exclusive Charley Davidson Short Story featured in the December 2016 newsletter.

Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Short Stories, Paranormal Romance, Christmas

12 pages, ebook

First published December 1, 2016

About the author

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier, and her books have been translated into 17 languages. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, certain they went away the better for it. She penned the international bestselling Charley Davidson series and is currently working on several beloved projects, most notably the Sunshine Vicram Mystery Series with St. Martin's Press and the Betwixt and Between Series of paranormal women's fiction. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

Click here to read one of the more popular short stories by Darynda called The Monster:
https://theneverneath.com/2018/02/02/...

She can be found at http://www.daryndajones.com

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been enjoying most of the free online extras for this series, and I especially loved any that were from Reyes's POV.

This one, though, doesn't follow the usual pattern of basically just being one very short, (but very hot and spicy!) sex scene. That made it a bit dull for me. I'll take as much Charley as I can get, but I only really recommend this one for completionists.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?u=...

Just a quick look into what Reyes had to deal with as a child and how Charley soothes him now as an adult.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any story with Charlie and Reyes is a good story.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

There wasn't enough sarcasm & steamy stuff to make this one okay for me.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story doesn't add anything to the series plot line. Still a fun read.

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 to 4 stars

“Reyes, what’s wrong?” I asked in alarm.
He glanced at me from beneath his painfully thick lashes, his dark irises shimmering in the faux light, before returning to his task. “So,” he said, addressing me at last.
I perked up. I did that a lot when he talked. Or walked. Or breathed.
“The presents already taking up half the apartment weren’t enough?”

This was just a very quick peek into the relationship dynamics between Charley and Reyes during Christmas after the events in The Curse of Tenth Grave for fans of the series.

“Are you going to tell me what that was about?”
“What?”
“That look when I brought in the presents.”
“Probably not.”
“I could pay you. I’m married to a very rich man.”
“You don’t say.”
Clearly my powers of persuasion had taken a vacay. It happened. I rounded the island to force his attention my way. It didn’t work. “Reyes, I’m your wife.”
“So, that’s why you sleep in my bed. I was wondering.”

I was just settling in and then it was done...



Enjoyed this wee window into their world all the same as I get a kick out of these two.

Definitely looking forward to reading/listening to Eleventh Grave in Moonlight.

Soon...

[Lillian ☁ Cloud 9 Books ☁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 5 Stars *****

Short. Sweet. And a little bit sad as it gives a glimpse of Reye's Christmas as a kid.
There is a spoiler- So don't read it unless you've read the previous books in the series.

►►Link to story

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Charley and Reyes so I'll jump at any opportunity to spend more time with them but to be honest for a Christmas story this one was pretty depressing. I never expected Reyes to have happy childhood memories so that wasn't a surprise but to find out Denise's apathy towards Charley lead to her getting half the number of presents that Gemma did just made me all the more angry with Denise AND with Charley's father. He watched his wife treat his daughter like a second class citizen for her entire life and didn't do anything to stop it. If he was any kind of decent father he'd have kicked Denise out YEARS ago and no matter how many good things he's done in the last couple of books it doesn't make up for years of neglect.

Throw in the fact that this is Beep's first Christmas and Charley and Reyes won't get to spend it with her and it was just heart breaking. Charley is overcompensating by buying a million presents for her but thats really not the same. This should be such a happy time for them and they should be getting to finally make some happy Christmas memories as a family yet they can't.

No, this wasn't the fun and cheery Christmas snippet I was hoping for, thats for sure.

[Cheryl La Pa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet & romantic Christmas with Charley & Reyes

[Fanny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me encanta leer estas escenas extras, sobretodo cuando son de una saga que me gusta tanto como la de Charley Davidson.
Una escena tierna y triste a la vez, pero nunca dire que no a mas momentos entre Reyes y Charley, siempre me saben a poco.

3 Estrellas!

[Jackie Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick yummy morsel about Charley & Reyes on Christmas morning.

Very cute, but ended too quickly, just when it was getting good - LOL!

[Sana Zameer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: February, 2018
Reread: January, 2024

So sweet and heartfelt. I wish there was more.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhhhh!

This was a great short piece that I somehow missed earlier. It had a nice mash of funny, bittersweet, and spicy Christmas cheer. Reyes and Charley at home. Her needling him to share childhood Christmas memories, and then... the Christmas rule.

I do love this pair and how they work well together. Its always a good time getting Charley's wacky POV, too.

[elizabeth • paper ghosts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ouch. A little depressing, and lacking in the usual spiciness of the other bonus novellas to the series. While it technically maybe has more relevant plot than the other novellas, it's way sadder, and maybe only necessary if you're in the completionist camp of readers.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick holiday look in with Charley and Reyes, but this one isn't all smexy times. This is a more heartfelt reality of the holidays for Reyes and his past. Touching, but not all the fun of most of the series.

[Ciru · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little snippet of Charley+Reyes at Christmas. My only disappointment was that it ended when things were just getting interesting.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute very short shortie.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short Christmas scene with Charley and Reyes.

[Thenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Charley Christmas on Books On Track

RTC

Previous book reviews:
✦ The Curse of Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson, #10) ~ ★★★★ (01/07/2021)
✦ The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson, #9) ~ ★★★★ (18/05/2020)
✦ Brighter Than the Sun (Charley Davidson, #8.5) ~ ★★★ (06/06/2020)
✦ Eighth Grave After Dark (Charley Davidson, #8) ~ ★★★ (25/06/2019)
✦ Seventh Grave and No Body (Charley Davidson, #7) ~ ★★★ (07/11/2018)
✦ Sixth Grave on the Edge (Charley Davidson, #6) ~ ★★★★ (10/06/2017)
✦ Glow (Charley Davidson #5.6) ~ ★★★ (06/11/2016)
✦ Shimmer (Charley Davidson #5.5) ~ ★★★ (06/11/2016)
✦ Fifth Grave Past the Light (Charley Davidson #5) ~ ★★★★ (14/12/2014)
✦ Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson #4) ~ ★★★ (28/10/2014)
✦ Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3) ~ ★★★ (17/10/2014)
✦ Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson #2) ~ ★★★★ (04/07/2014)
✦ For I Have Sinned (Charley Davidson #1.5) ~ ★★★ (23/12/2013)
✦ First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) ~ ★★★ (19/08/2011)

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet and soo sad.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading the novelettes that are being inserted into series nowadays. Each one is fully capable of adding insight to our favorite series.

[Phe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars - A Very Charley Christmas is an adult urban fantasy by Darynda Jones and a holiday short story in her Charley Davidson series.

I also recommend:

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catch it in full at ♀ Bookworm

A Very Charley Xmas is that tiny shorty that Darynda puts up on her newsletter that very often I avoid. I don’t know why I do it, but after some time, I find it again, copy and paste to a doc and save it as mobi to read on my Kindle or my iPhone. Whichever is full on battery.

Honestly, I have no idea why I went ahead with this. Maybe I like suffering. I have paused Charley until the release of the newest and final installment next year, and I’m sure this is a mistake. Reading this, not waiting. I like the prospect of reading two books and crying my ass off in which for a full week after.

Anyway, these tiny little insights always make me cry, untrue, but almost. Charley is a clown. I love her. I have one screenshot to share, if you have missed said newsletter. But that’s all I’m sharing. I can’t share much with a two-page story, can I? It is but a moment in time in this story. All I ever ask of authors is: gimme his POV. A lot of it. But they never hear. Ouch. Bye.

[Jessica (a GREAT read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Digging back into the archives, I finally found A Very Charley Christmas by Darynda Jones! I had to hold off reading it when I initially received the newsletter, because, obviously, I wasn't quite caught up with the series yet. This one was an extremely short read, but still a nice little Christmas-y kind of read! It's a scene, a mere moment between Charley and Reyes after the events of the The Curse of the Tenth Grave--so be wary of a HUGE spoiler within it!

It's truly just a short little memory of a Christmas Reyes had. And as we all know, Reyes had very few happy memories in his childhood. While this one was part good, it naturally wasn't all happy.

Thankfully, Charley is there to make the current moment in time a happy one! This is definitely just a short little read for the fans of all things Charley and Reyes.


Overall Rating 4/5 stars

[Deena · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the books had stayed true to the writing & characterizations in this story, I'd still be reading them. I had no trouble at all picking up on the story-arc, despite the fact that I am at least 3 books behind and have no intention of catching up. It was nice to go back and visit for a little while, though.

[Kelly⁷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have totally forgot that I had read this short story. I will reread the whole saga and then, I will do a proper review of this story.

But what can I say? This is Reyes Farrow and Charley Davidson-Farrow. I love them.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 3 out of 5]

A holiday insight into Reyes following the loss of Kim, the birth of his daughter and all the other things that have been going on around him and Charley. This was a very very quick look at Charley and Reyes on this Christmas holiday season. A more serious side with some of old Charley mixed in.

[Katter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay short. Charley just wants to try to help her hubby feel better during the holidays. These two are adorable together and make a great team. There is some darkness in this but it's not all consuming. Ends on a sweet note. Thank goodness for mistletoe!

[Naomi Sif · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I love these ppl so much. One of the things I love the most is how Charlie knows how to push and then when to let it go. All while her little brain of a bird goes a million miles an hour. She's incredible. A true delicate freaking flower. LMAO