New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones is back with the first novel in the brand-new snarky, sassy, wickedly fun Sunshine Vicram series—A Bad Day for Sunshine!“Laugh-out-loud funny, intensely suspenseful, page-turning fun.”—New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan”A Bad Day For Sunshine is a great day for the rest of us.”—New York Times bestselling author Lee Child Sheriff … rest of us.”—New York Times bestselling author Lee Child
Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.
Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, strong cups of coffee—and, now, a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff—thanks to her adorably meddlesome parents who nominated her—and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of this is reminding Sunshine why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that the trouble at her daughter’s new school, plus and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and, well, the forecast looks anything but sunny.
But even clouds have their silver linings. This one’s got Levi, Sunshine’s sexy, almost-old-flame, and a fiery-hot US Marshal. With temperatures rising everywhere she turns, Del Sol’s normally cool-minded sheriff is finding herself knee-deep in drama and danger. Can Sunshine face the call of duty—and find the kidnapper who’s terrorizing her beloved hometown—without falling head over high heels in love…or worse?
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What a fun, quick-paced first book in a new series! I enjoyed reading about Sunshine, her daughter, and their return to Sunshine’s quirky home town of Del Sol, New Mexico. This should be a very interesting series to read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
From page one, you are hooked. The story is unique and compelling. Sunshine Vicram has been elected sheriff of her small hometown, but she never ran for office. Everything presented is a mystery the author serves up as a unique dish. You will delight in unraveling her story. However, there is a cliff hanger ending. Darynda Jones delivers. She is an excellent writer and easy to read. Enjoy!!!
As a die hard Charley Davidson fan, who was bummed when that series ended, I have to say, it seems like Jones hasn’t missed a beat with her new smart @$$, female, @$$ kicker raising #%!! in some God forsaken New Mexico town.
I might even like Sunshine more than Charley. Hmmm…..nah, never gonna happen!!!!!
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones was such a fun ride, and I am already impatiently waiting for the next book to this series!
Sunshine and her daughter Auri have got to be two of my favorite characters of all time. Their sass, strength, and humor were lovely, and I have never seen a more mature 14-year-old as Auri. They were both pretty badass, and I really liked that the book switched between both of their viewpoints. When reading from Auri’s point of view it didn’t even seem like she was a teenager (besides the high school stuff of course), and I love that because I don’t really like it when I have to read from a naive or immature viewpoint. There is a tiny bit of steam, but overall nothing too detailed or intense.
There are definitely serious parts to A Bad Day for Sunshine, and I found myself tearing up a few times. The mix of wit, sarcasm, mystery, and seriousness were completely on point in this novel and I absolutely loved Jones’s writing style. The acknowledgements are at the front of the book and I knew after reading just those I would love the book itself and that is exactly what happened.
The mystery was solid and I didn’t expect any of the twists, but most importantly, A Bad Day for Sunshine is laugh out loud funny and may be for you if you are looking for a quirky read with heart, sexual tension, suspense, and plenty of endearing moments. It was so different from most books I have read and I loved that about it.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
Plus points: Mother/teen daughter dynamic, quirky town (love Puff Daddy), concurrent teen vs. adult world chapters/scenes, awesome boys/men/best friends, chapter opening quotations, strong sense of place, great sense of humor.
Somewhat limiting factors: Beginning is a bit slow–until the car event (you’ll know when you get there); the snark that worked for Charley Davidson is sometimes either too much or forced here (less is more); and while the most pressing mysteries/crimes are solved, there is an overarching core series mystery that actually provides more questions while answering only a few.
Sheriff Sunshine Vicram’s introduction to her job sets her on an intense first few days, a pacing model I like, and introduces a lot of characters, some of whom I lost track of. However, I expect they will continue as the series progresses. Overall the book satisfies with the wrap-up/solution of the immediate mysteries–even Puff Daddy–and like all good series, sets up the long running question. I’ll look forward to the next book because we all need both humor and justice these days, even if we only get it in fiction.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
After 15 years, Sunshine Vicram returns to her hometown of Del Sol, New Mexico which people refer to as the Psych Ward. Of course, Vicram is more surprised than the town Mayor Donna Lomas to discover she had won the election for town sheriff since she hadn’t run for the position. Her parents are delighted and seem to have rigged the election in her favor. Sun has always had a contentious relationship with her parents who pay no regard to letter of the law.
Mayor Lomas is tolerating Sunshine as the sheriff and primarily focused on discovering the identities of the infamous Dangerous Daughters. This is a group of women who have secretly “run” the town since it went bankrupt. Del Sol went from a mining town to a hippie commune in 1930. The positive aspect of moving home for Sun was being able to work with her childhood best friend, Quincy, who works for the Del Sol police department. Her parents, Cyrus and Elaine Freyr, had living quarters built for Sunshine and her 14 yo daughter Aurora on their property.
Only Quincy is aware of Sun’s additional intention for moving back which is to follow up on a traumatic event which led to her moving away to Albuquerque and then Santa Fe when she was 17 years old. Her past experiences helped shape her into a strong, feisty and sarcastic woman capable of running a police department. Her daughter, Aurora “Auri” is a capable, independent teen who has the same investigative instincts as her mother.
It seems the past and present collide for Sunshine when she sees Levi Ravinder with whom she had a crush on back in school. The family name was synonymous with crime and illegal business practices. Sun is pleased to learn that Levi has been legitimizing the family moonshine business into a thriving company, Dark River Shine.
Auri is having a difficult time adjusting to her new school and desperately tries to keep her troubles to herself. She admires her hard working single mother and never wants to be a burden on her. She makes an unlikely friend with Cruz De los Santos who appears to be an angry poetic kid. She admires his confidence and independence.
On Sunshine’s first day at the station, Ruby Moore sent muffins to police station, which always alarms the officers. They claim that strange things happen in their small town whenever she sends muffins. Much to Sun’s chagrin at superstitious gossip, her first day becomes more eventful than she ever imagined.
The novel unfolds a messy and confusing case involving a missing classmate of Auri. There are many moving pieces and accusations being thrown around. It’s up to Sunshine to weed through the lies and truths before times runs out in finding this missing girl.
Sunshine Vicram has returned home to Del Sol, New Mexico with her teenage daughter as the newly elected sheriff. Her first day on the job ends up being more than she expected with a missing kid, a kidnapper on the loose, and a missing prized rooster named Puff Daddy. Also she is dealing with her old flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky U.S. Marshal.
This story is told from the POVs of Sunshine and her daughter Auri. I wasn’t expecting this but I actually enjoyed it. I loved the interaction between Sunshine and Auri. Sunshines parenting of Auri was great and I love that their motto is WWLSD, What would Lisbeth Salander do? Auri is a smart kid who is an amatuer slueth. I think she will definitely be following in her mother’s footsteps.
There are touches of paranormal in this book, with premonitions and references to a girl who can see ghosts. I actually thought this book was a paranormal when I first requested it but that was because I didn’t read the blurb before requesting it. I love all the hints of paranormal.
This was a fun, entertaining read filled with unique characters. I cannot wait to read the next book and find out how Sunshine deals with the next case.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Publishing and Darynda Jones for giving me the opportunity to read and review A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE. I met Darynda Jones at a Book Lovers Con last year in New Orleans and she is friendly and gracious.
Sunshine Vicram has had some bad days in the past in Del Sol, New Mexico, but still has decided to move back there with her fourteen year old daughter, Aurora Dawn aka Auri. She wants to see if she can clear up horrendous events from the past that she still cannot fully remember. She becomes sheriff of the small town thanks to some sneaky maneuvers by her parents.
She is thrust back into dealing with a notorious family in town and not sure if Levi, the supposed “good guy” who want to make the family business legit, is a saint or as bad as the rest of his clan when he tries to help her with the disappearance and abduction of one of Auri’s new friends.
I loved the Charlie Davidson series with its mixture of mystery, paranormal and lol humor. A BAD DAY FOR Sunshine has the trademark funny sayings at the beginning of each chapter. There is not much paranormal happenings, expect a few woo-woo moments about how someone can see parts of their future. The love scenes are more full of longing than the super steamy ones with Charlie Davidson novels.
The author slowly reveals the back story to the characters, but certainly leaves a lot to still be discovered in upcoming books in the series. The small town atmosphere lends itself to people knowing others business, but also keeping secrets.
One of my favorite parts of the story is when Auri takes a friend’s advice and suddenly schoolmates have a new respect for her and the worst of the bullies slink off. Any of us who have ever faced bullies or “mean girls” wish we has done that in our early days.
Even if you have never read anything by Darynda Jones before, you will want to grab this book and get lost in an entertaining and compelling plot.
Oh my goodness!!! Absolutely loving Sunshine!! Plus there is Levi, Auri, Cruz, Jimmy, Copper!! This was such a great and amazing read. It was a roller coaster ride and trying to untangle it all provide futile. I’ve loved this author since I came across her Charley Davidson Series. The story starts with Sunshine moving back home to Del Sole with her daughter Aurora after winning an election Sunshine doesn’t recall entering making her sheriff. Things on the very first day do not go as Sunshine an Aurora (Auri) hope they instead end up in a whirlwind of events neither could have expected. However the shining lining comes in the form of Cruz for Auri, which is so cute the crush that blooms. Sunshine has to deal with Levi the man she’s harbored feelings for what seems like a lifetime but things can never be simple or easy for her when it comes to the dark, brooding, handsome man. Things just seem to grow more complicated and sticky. Once, I begin it was hard to put down even when my eyes were screaming for a break. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, I need answers to my questions!! Totally worth reading!!
Sunshine returned home to Del Sol, New Mexico after she was voted in as the new sheriff, even though she never ran for the office. Although there are bad things happening in town, the humor provided by the characters made the book lighthearted enough to be pure joy. Sunshine and her daughter Auri move into a guest house on her parent’s property, giving them plenty of time with her parents. The banter between them is adorable. Auri is the new kid in high school, which is hard. But she did spend summers with her grandparents and has friends in town. And then there is Darynda’s childhood crush, Levi, whose family has been on the wrong side of the law, but the attraction is hard to resist. And of course there are the gorgeous men in her life who are fun to flirt with, but her heart belongs to Levi.
There are twists and turns, plenty of interesting characters, and a great start to a new series. I’m happy.
Great book and an excellent start for a new series. It was different enough from Charley Davidson books to feel fresh, and similar enough to feel like coming home. Biggest change on the outset was the use of third person narrative, with alternating points of view between Sunshine and her daughter Aurora. Both were wonderful characters with interesting story-lines of their own.
The book follows Sunshine Vicaram, the new seriff in a small town. It’s her home town, but she’s been away for years, and while she knows the people and places, it’s new for her as well. Her first day at work starts with a bang, literally, and goes downhill from there when a young girl goes missing. It brings her back memories of her own abduction. At school, Auri has her own trouble in the form of bullies and a new crush. Sun is a good cop and a quirky mom, Auri is a brilliant but troubled daughter. Together they are a great team and I loved them both.
The main case of the missing girl seems odd on the surface, but turns out to be straightforward enough that I guessed the bad guy surprisingly early on. But that’s not all the book is about. There are all sorts of shenanigans going on around Sun, with weird and quirky characters brightening the day, and amazingly sexy men pouring in from every direction. And none as sexy as Sun’s biggest crush since she was a girl, Levi, who may be the hero or he could be the baddie of Sun’s life. With clues from Sun’s past surfacing towards the end and the mystery of how she was elected a seriff when she didn’t run still unsolved, the following books should prove to be as interesting as the first. I can’t wait.
I’ve been a long-time fan of the Charley Davidson urban fantasy series by Darynda Jones. Sadly, it has come to a close, so I was very excited to learn she was releasing a new series, based around a Sheriff named Sunshine Vicram. The first book is A Bad Day for Sunshine.
Jones returns to the stomping ground she knows best for the setting, New Mexico, with coffee and Tex-Mex food to make us salivate, as well as gorgeous love interests for our heroine.
Sunshine has won an election she never even entered, to become sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico. She knows her mother and father had something to do with it, but she can’t get anyone to tell her exactly how they managed it.
But Sunshine has accepted the outcome of the election and returned to Del Sol for the soul purpose of finding out who abducted her and held her for ransom when she was seventeen. She doesn’t remember much of what transpired at all, has no idea who kidnapped her, or how she became pregnant during that time. And her daughter, Auri, doesn’t know that she is the product of a probable rape.
The beginning of this story is strangely humorous and lighthearted for the darkness of the subject matter. It seemed incongruous at times, but is more spread out as the story goes on. More immediate and dire events unfold as one teen girl and one young man go missing, though we are unsure what their connection is for some time.
It is a very fast-paced book with all of the distant angst for a seemingly unavailable love interest that we are used to in Jones’ books. It’s a very contemporary book in that there is no beating around the bush about the fact that a single woman in her early thirties would find certain men sexually attractive.
Sunshine is also very matter-of-fact with her fourteen-year-old daughter, Auri, about her expectation that her daughter not engage in any such pursuits.
On thing that I really loved in this book is Auri’s voice. Her intelligence and humor, her infatuation with a boy in her new school, are deeply relatable to anyone who remembers their teen years. The interplay between mom and daughter is sweet and delightful.
Sunshine’s love interest is very attractive, though I felt the plot wore a little thin where he was concerned, because he makes assumptions about her motives and she ignores things that he does, that so clearly signal a vested interest. It seems clear that this will be a series and I hope any twists in the plot will rise above and surprise me.
The plot is twisty and fast-paced enough to keep things interesting, but the tone is light enough to keep the dark events from becoming too dark. I read this one in two days and intend to go back and read it again now. I would give it a solid 4.5 out of 5.
A fabulous start to the Sunshine Vicram series. I loved the character interaction, the back and forth had me compelled to keep reading. The story was exception and engaging and I highly recommend you go grab a copy, while I wait anxiously for the next book
I love Darynda Jones’s words. And, I really enjoyed this start of a new series and am eager to read more.
Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones a five-star read that will bring Sunshine into your life. This is number one in the Sunshine Vicram series and well all I can say is when will number two arrive as it isn’t quick enough!!! I am a he Charley Davidson fan and was looking forward to this as it was a fresh story from a writer I adore and I was so impressed with the writing (that being said I was so happy to see a cameo, from a certain barman who referenced a certain lady, and yes I use the term loosely). Well what can I say about Sunshine other than she will bring light to your life, no matter how dark it is. There is someone for everyone in this story, as each of the characters has a different story and they will each resonate with you in different ways. There are so many dips and dives in this that you will be hooked from start to finish, who abducted the girl, was it the wrong girl? Who will end up with sunshine’s heart? Who is the baddie? Are they a sheep I wolfs clothing or a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Your brain will not stop running while reading this and it will not disappoint, you will be running in the snow and running in the sunshine, but will you ever catch what you are chasing. I am not going to lie, if Levi was ever running, I would chase that man down and lick the sweat off his body. (But that’s just me) The question is what will happen next, I honestly don’t think I have a clue despite the hundred theories running through my brain.
I really enjoyed this book! I have been wanting to read Darynda Jones’s work for a very long time but just haven’t fit it into my reading schedule yet for one reason or another. As soon as I saw this book, I knew that this would be one that I would have to read. I really like the fact that this is the start of a brand new series and that is a very different premise than the books in her popular series. This story hooked me from the beginning and entertained me until the final page.
Sunshine Vicram is the new sheriff in town. She’s not really sure how that happened since she didn’t even know she was running but that is something that her parents will need to explain. She has moved back home with her daughter, Auri, and hopes to ease herself into her new position but that is not meant to be. Before she knows what is going on, she must lead a search to find a couple of missing teenagers and deal with a few other cases hitting her small town.
I found this to be a rather exciting story. There were several different mysteries that Sunshine had to deal with and I liked how she was able to juggle the workload. I really liked the characters and appreciated getting to know about their past slowly as the story progressed. I was delighted to not only follow Sunshine on her adventures but to also get the opportunity to see things from her daughter’s point of view. I really liked that the characters in this story had a wonderful sense of humor. I thought that the added humor helped to offset some of the more serious moments.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this to be a wonderful start to a very promising series. I fell in love with the characters and was captivated by the rather complex mystery. I look forward to reading future installments in this series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan – St. Martin’s Press via Edelweiss.
I am a tremendous fan of Darynda Jones. Having read her Charlie Davidson series, I was eager to dive in, and she did not disappoint. Sunshine Vicram is the new sheriff in her hometown of Del Sol, New Mexico.
Sunshine is a fun lead. She is sassy, intelligent, and hilarious. Her initial days on the job are portrayed with endearing lightheartedness, and drama when appropriate. Conflicts in Del Sol, at times, have an otherworldly edge which the entire cast takes in stride. No disbelief or arguing the logic, the cast accepts it and does what is necessary. A deeper mystery is at play here as well, one that I cannot wait to experience in more novels.
If you have read Charlie Davidson, you will love Sunshine. If you haven’t, but like a good crime mystery with humor and heart, you should give A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones a try.
Emotionally thrilling, sexy, fun and action packed adventure filled with intriguing and engaging charters, witty and memorable dialog, heart racing twists, unexpected turns and an exciting journey! Really loved this story.
Smart, sexy, clever… and so many laughs! Darynda Jones brings her trademark wit and charm in A Bad Day for Sunshine. I couldn’t get enough!
Smart, sexy, and outrageously funny. Jones masterfully balances heartwarming comedy and bone chilling suspense.