Ann Charles—Author Nearly Departed in Deadwood, the 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award Winner and a 2011 RWA Golden Heart Award Winner. *USA Today Best Selling Author, *Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Author *Barnes & Noble Top 100 Bestselling Author *Winner Suspense Magazine Best of 2012, 2015. 2016 *Winner of Paranormal Grand Prize from Chanticleer Book Reviews and Media, *Winner of Southern Writers Best Covers Contest You'll laugh. You'll cringe. You'll want more.
Violet Parker acting like a whiny brat who can't let go of the past + worst Christmas-themed sexual innuendo ever (you don't want to know) + bad puns all around + yawwwwwnnnnnn =
It's Christmas Eve and Violet is in Deadwood while her children are in Rapid City with her parents. She's determined to get there before December 25 but a blizzard has blown in that could keep her from her kids and might very well ruin Christmas.
The whole gang including Elvis the chicken have piled into her Honda and are determined to cross that mountain come hell or high-water.
What an absolute hoot. There isn't all that much to Don't Let it Snow in Deadwood. There doesn't need to be. It's comic brilliance and charming characters in spades. I don't need anything else.
This was book 10 in the "Dead wood"series. Violet and the gang are back its Christmas time and Violet tries to make it to her parents house for the holiday. This is her and Doc's first Christmas together and her nerves are already rattled knowing her sister has already been sniffing around. I hated Susan she is one evil witch who is selfish and self centered. Violet has to battle winter and the demons to make it to her parents. Her friends have her back and help her get through. This book was funny with all the chaos going on. This was a good edition to this series. I am looking forward to listening or reading the next book in this series.
I was kind of ambivalent about my rating for this. Love the Deadwood series, which is paranormal mystery, heavy on the paranormal/supernatural. So I was kind of lost on how to slot this one, as the paranormal was very light, and there was no real mystery. As a family Christmas tale it worked very well, though, with all the quirky (plus a hateful) characters of the previous books, hence my uncertainty on the rating. So I'll just say: 3.5*
Ann Charles ALWAYS delivers a fantastic story. This book made me laugh (a lot), swoon with Violet & Doc scenes, and get angry at the demon spawn! You won’t be able to put down once you start. Now I’m off to make myself an Aunt Zoe’s Whiskey Slush!
I read this fairly short book on my Kindle, out of order. I am having trouble finding some of the others. This story was mainly about families and Xmas. Vi was suppose to leave her home in Deadwood to join her parents at their place in Rapid City, but a blizzard was starting before she got a chance to leave. Finding out several of her friends would be alone for Xmas, she rounded them up and they started off, only to get stranded in the Black Hills. Cooper and Reid came to the rescue in a Snow Cat, and joined the party. They all had a great time in Rapid City, other than Susan pulling another crazy stunt on her sister (a spoiler.) No monsters or ghosts in this one, although they talked about finding one when they arrived back home.
Love, love. love the Deadwood series! Being that this was the inevitable Christmas edition, Ann Charles definitely made this one heavy on the feels and light on the action. It was good to see an evolution (of sorts) of the relationship between Violet and her "demon spawn" sister, Susan. And, of course, it is always good to check in with all of our old friends: Harvey, Natalie, Cornelius, Doc, etc. So, now that the Yuletide 'warm and fuzzies' are done with, let's hope that the next installment is more about Violet kicking ass and taking names. After all, there are several ghosts, goblins, and other paranormal entities that need to be dealt with in Deadwood and with a little help from her friends and her brand new mace, Violet has the cojones to clean up that town. As a fan, I would certainly love to see some of her old enemies vanquished before new ones start cropping up.
It was awesome to spend Christmas with Violet & her family & friends! Of course there was adventure involved! Violet’s relationship with her sister & brother is always interesting to read about. I love that her Deadwood friends are so close they all pack up & head home with her. I get a good feeling we might be seeing a new book about the Morgan sister but I am always excited about whatever Ann Charles brings us!
This story was actually fine I just wished the resolution between Violet and Susan had been fleshed out some more. I also didn’t like the constant excuses for Susan”s horrible behavior and minimization of how it impacted Violet’s life, which has led to a lot of her insecurities. It was nice to see the kids finally warm up to Doc being a permanent fixture in Violent’s life. Cornelius is a hoot, love him as an addition to the zany cast of characters :).
What a romp in the snow. Violet must get from deadwood to Rapid City for christmas with her kids in a blizzard.. Lets just say.. if it can go wrong it did.
A fun romp with violet and her friends and family. Christmas Dinner sounds so yummy.
I didn't like this one as much. On the one hand, we get all the good characters and only one of the bad ones. On the other, there is no executioner action, it's just a setup for the next volume. I still love spending time with these characters.
It's Christmas time hilarity as Violet tries to make it to her parent's house and to her kids for the holiday while trying to keep her calm knowing that the demon that her parents call her sister is waiting to pounce! This is her and Doc's first Christmas together and her nerves are already rattled knowing her sister has already been sniffing around, and with their history, there is no telling what hell the woman is going to conjure up! It takes a village, well her entire circle of friends at least, to help Violet battle Old Man Winter and her inner demons to make it home for the holidays. Once again, I laughed out loud from the very beginning to the last page as Ann recounts a tale of Christmas went haywire in her unique style.
Christmas with Violet Parker and company exceeds expectations! From the hair raising trip through the snow to the family drama, this is a non-stop sleigh ride you will want to revisit every year. It is also nice to see Violet get a break from her Executioner gig, even though things still get hilariously out of control. Ann Charles is the best in her field. If you read only one series, make it this one. The dialogue is rapid fire, almost dizzying in parts, and the characters are so real, you feel that you are right there with them. Brilliantly written and flawlessly edited, the book is the gift that keeps on giving.
There are few things as exciting to me as the unveiling of a new Deadwood mystery! The mystery gets more mysterious with each book. There are some resolutions, of course, but each book pulls me more into the full picture than the last, with new teasers and twists! This newest book finds Violet trying to get to her children, who are spending Christmas with her parents and her sister (aka The Wicked Witch of the West... or Swamp Hag...or Satan's concubine...you get the picture!) Many plotlines merge for Violet and her usual gang of misfits, and the revelations might shock you!! Another awesome addition to the Deadwood collection!!
I’m confused about all the high ratings for this book. I’m also confused about how this is considered a full book. Are all the authors stories like this? Just as an actual mystery happens the book ends and the author writes “the end...for now.” Literally mid story. I’m not even interested enough to find out where the story goes in the next book. Thanks but no thanks. Hard pass.
I realize that it’s confusing to jump in on book #10 in a series, but this book was so poorly written, I would have no interest in reading more. The author feels a need to inject humor repeatedly—often using metaphors that are purely stupid—like calling some one “as slippery as a pocket full of pudding.��� Yuck.
This is a good throw away story with the characters of the Deadwood series, but it lacks any mystery to be solved. Basically a human interest story. It would have better as a side story, rather than putting in the main line of novels.
I loved this book. Oh my gosh, Susan is a pill. I enjoyed Christmas with this crazy group. I'm looking forward to their shenanigans in the next installment. #deadwooddeputy #dontletitsnowindeadwood
Snow, man. It can nearly keep you from the place you most want to be when it's hitting blizzard like conditions and you haven't left on your Christmas Eve journey AND it can keep you cooped up with the bane of your existence (we're talking bane of both childhood and adulthood, here) when that blizzard hits and traps you at the family homestead.
Yeah. Violet's got a lot on her plate. Besides being big hearted and inviting all her friends to join the family festivities because she doesn't want them to be alone over the holiday, she has her sister to worry about. Her sister who's known for stealing her boyfriends. Did I mention that Doc is going to be meeting her for the first time? Yeah. A lot on her plate.
On the plus side, she's surrounded by friends and family and (most) of them are well aware of her sister's viper-like proclivities. Also on the plus side, she's forcing a few of said friends and family to confront lingering feelings and (maybe?) this will help them figure things out. Maybe. May.Be.
There might not be any demons or ghosties to do literal battle with, but wading through all the family together time is more than enough this time around. And, HELLO SUSAN, YOU GOT A BUCKET OF CRAZY YOU'RE CARRYING AROUND LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL, DON'T YOU? Yeah, Susan knows how to bring a party to a screeching halt. A screeching halt.
A little family, a lot of friends, and some snowman decapitation. Because it wouldn't be the holidays without mayhem and dismemberment. (Maybe that last part isn't true.)
This was more of a filler book that didn't forward the series at all, but set up the next book and a spinoff series. As someone who tries to support indie writers on a limited budget, this was a disappointment and a waste of money. The only tension is with Violet trying to make it to her parents' house in a storm, but all the trouble could have been avoided if she hadn't spent much of the day exchanging gifts (as if adults have to receive their gifts on Christmas Eve lest they stop believing in Santa), and making out with Doc instead of hitting the road. I get that it was all to further the plot of getting people together, but Violet was more insufferable than irreverent, and I found myself hoping she'd miss Christmas with her family. The interpersonal issues with her sister Susan could have salvaged the story line, but that fizzled out as well. Any possible tension and/or mystery remained undeveloped. I loved this series until this point, and I'll have to reconsider purchasing any more books.
An excellent and interesting story about family friends and Christmas. Violet is due home to her parents for Christmas with Doc, her children, parents and the sister from hell. Now let’s start with a snow storm / blizzard and add pick up of Doc and drop off of gifts and other items. The storm gets worst and Violet ends up going to her parents but not with just Doc. She has managed to add friends and a couple of surprises. The trip to her parents is very interesting and humorous with a couple of unusual eye openers. Arriving home to her parents is a twist in itself but the surprises and plots twists do not stop there! We are throughout the story given more information about the sister to hell,Susan and their relationship which has been very rocky! The latest antic by Susan will shock you but the end result will shock you more! I highly recommend this book! The series is excellent and I recommend it highly as well! As Christmas stories I give this 10 stars!
Ann Charles (2019) DON'T LET IT SNOW IN DEADWOOD (AUDIOBOOK) Audible - Blackstone Publishing
⭐⭐⭐ 3 out of 5 stars
Audible writes, "It’s Christmas Eve, and Violet Parker has one request on her list for Santa - to make it home to her kids. Unfortunately, “home” is also the lair of her life-long nemesis, her sister Susan, aka the devil’s concubine. Standing in Violet’s way is Old Man Winter, who slammed the Black Hills with a show-stopping blizzard. However, a little snow isn’t going to ground her sleigh, not with family counting on her to deliver Santa’s goods. Trying to keep Christmas from turning into a candy cane calamity, Violet battles her demons and struggles through the chaos storming around her. Can she make it through the holiday without cracking anyone’s nut?" ===== Wayyyyyy too short! ===== #AnnCharles #DontLetItSnowInDeadwood #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #Audible
It’s Christmas Eve and Violet Parker has one request on her list for Santa—to make it home to her kids. Unfortunately, “home” is also the lair of her life-long nemesis, her sister Susan (aka the devil’s concubine).
Another wonderful book by Ann Charles! All of our favorite characters are together for Christmas, and, as usual, things don't go as planned. If you've read the other books in this series, and you should, you know that paranormal activity is a big part of life in Deadwood. This book focuses more on the human characters than the paranormal story line, so it's more like a side story than a continuation of book 9. Make sure you read it, though, because Susan finally gets what's coming to her. Worth a read for that alone.
I can sum this book up in one word - damned hilarious. No wait, that's two. Oh well, it was a great book. Lots of friends and family craziness made for a holiday that I could identify with 100%. (I could have written the chapter in the mini mart from personal experience.) Violet was a bit whiney at times and the way she obsessed over her no good sister was a bit over the top but I really didn't care because I was having so much fun with the story. I love, love loved the art work and would really like to see a lot more in all of Ms. Charles books (hint, hint). I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Make that I'm looking forward to the next books in all of Ms. Charles series. Thanks for the great (early) Christmas present.
Fantastic read. Lots of fun and love. Everyone manages to make an appearance and come out looking good. Even Susan had some good morning moments. Explains some things between her and Vi.. the scarlet is the weather and emotions. Violet is growing in maturity though would she have a baby with doc is an interesting thought the food made me hungry. For awhile you wonder if the snow is going to win. You will find out it's a tough battle. Altogether a really great book tying a lot of loose ends together making things make more sense in some cases. Will be interesting to see what comes next. Get writing Ann!!!!!
Loved it! Just when you think a simple holiday will be ordinary---insert Violet and her family and you know nothing will be simple or easy. If you are looking for Christmas hilarity, get this book. All Violet wants to do in get to her parents to celebrate Christmas and of course you know that won't be easy. Throw in a blizzard, additional travel companions and a run away chicken and that is just the start of Violet's problems. Thankfully Reed comes to the rescue and joins the merry travelers. Little do you know the real fun is when Violet find out what mess her little sister has created for her as her "present". Definitely a must read!
If you’ve read the other Deadwood books you know that will also mean the extended family too! I love reading these and always feel a little sad when I start as I know I won’t be able to put it down till it’s finished! This book is a little different, you learn more about her mum and dad, and at last her sister Susan gets her comeuppance. There’s no dealings with the usual monsters just her sister!! Can’t wait for the next book. If you love paranormal, with a goof dose of comedy and romance, please get these books. You won’t be disappointed, I promise
Have you ever had a guilty pleasure? Maybe some kind of treat that you look forward too? Well that's how I feel about Ann Charles's books. Especially the Deadwood series. I love all of the characters in this series (okay well except for Susan). I really enjoyed how Ann built this book around Violet's family and friends and brought them all together for Christmas as one big dysfunctional but fun family. Sometimes I wonder how Ann comes up with the specific characterizations of each one. They are hilarious! I truly hope this series never ends. Ann Charles is such a good writer and appreciate her talent!!!!
The Deadwood series are probably my favourite 'go to' books when I need to curl up with a feel good book.
No spoilers here - but I will say that if you are familiar with the series then get ya' boots on & look out for some splendid sister payback action Deadwood style!
... & if not- well your in for a treat, but I would suggest you give your grey matter some long overdue FUN. Start at the beginning with Nearly Departed in Deadwood- of course this comes with the added bonus that by the time you get to #10 you will have a whole new Deadwood vocabulary to draw upon at dinner parties & utilise when out grocery shopping! :-D
No monsters, ghosts or demons to fight just a deadly blizzard bringing lots of snow and ice making Violet, Doc and the gangs trip home to Violets mothers for Christmas a dangerous one. This is a lovely warm slice of life story, forty eight hours of peace and good will to all (including Violets evil sister Susan) a welcome break from all the horrors Violet usually has to face. This her first Christmas spent with Doc and the rest of her family has all Violets future hopes and dreams riding on it. The book doesn't disappoint one of the nicest Christmas takes I've ever read.