and join the fun! I just realized today that I never pulled a winner for the December challenge giveaway! There were three participants who read four or more In Death books from September to December 2010: Lori, Maija and Sarah. I used random.org to select a winner and the winner is.....
Sarah! :)
Congrats! I'll be sending you an email so we can work out your prize.
The next giveaway will be at the end of April. To be qualified for the giveaway, you must read at least four In Death books between January and April, 2011. You need to post a review or keep a list somewhere on your blog as you read the books. If you don't have a blog, you need to leave a comment in the monthly end of the month round-up posts I make here on my blog stating which book(s) you read. Most of all, though, have fun reading this series!
As for me, I've fallen a bit behind schedule. I didn't read an In Death book in December or January. I'm sure once I get the urge to pick one up, I'll find my groove again.
How did you do?
CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:
Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter in the Mr. Linky below along with your name so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily.
If you're just keeping a running list of the books as you read them, grab the link to your list post and enter in the Mr. Linky so we can recognize your success this month.
If you're reading or rereading without documenting it on your blog, let me know in the comments which book(s) you read in this month. This will also help me keep track of who's eligible for the challenge giveaway this month!
REMINDER: In order to be eligible for the challenge giveaway in April 2011, you must have read four In Death books between January 1, 2011 and April 30, 2011 and have documented that you have either on your own blog or on my blog within the comments of the monthly In Death Reading Challenge posts.
BOOK DISCUSSION:
I think it's pretty safe to say we are all thoroughly enjoying this series and have grown very fond of the characters. So much so that when we pick up the next book, it's like visiting with friends. But chances are there are some things about the series that bug you now and then.
Series pet peeves?
I have two.
One. I think Roarke's role as civilian consultant on almost every single one of Eve's cases lately has become utterly ridiculous. Not only do I find it farfetched that the NYPSD would allow it, but I'm starting to think it would go against Eve's nature as well. Although who am I to think the latter when I'm not the one writing Eve's character. Also, I think he'd be kind of busy buying and selling and managing half the private world like he does and not realistically have the time to stay up all night hacking systems to get Eve data she needs to crack a case? Or to drive her to places so that he can break into them for her. This kind of Roarke interference is starting to lose some credibility with me.
Two. Roarke ought to be putting in a little bit more effort beyond commanding Eve 'go over' immediately upon entry.
Your turn. Do you have any pet peeves? If so, spill.
Congrats Sarah!
ReplyDeleteI think Roarke's role as civilian consultant on almost every single one of Eve's cases lately has become utterly ridiculous.
YES! It's been bugging me book after book after book. You're right - when does he have the time? And apart from that, there is a particular scene, not sure which book, in which Eve hands Roarke a piece of evidence and then walks off. And I'm like...what happened to the chain of evidence?
But the above pales because it seems like almost every case - who am I fooling? it is every case - Roarke ends up involved in beyond the civilian consultant angle. What I mean is, it's his business that is hit, or a friend, or an employee or...it always leads back to him! And he takes it personally. Like the character on CSI Miami! Enough already!
Oh, and...Eve's hang-ups about clothes and friends and not understanding xyz about relationships. It feels like there's no character progression...for Eve or anyone for that matter.
So, my new plan is to just ignore Eve and Roarke and focus on the secondary characters, particularly Charles and Peabody and Morris :)
Thank you for letting me get that off my chest.
I take the civilian consultant thing in stride. In truth that would never happen but in a way it's showing how Eve's black and white view of the law at the beginning of the series is changing.
ReplyDeleteAs for your second pet peeve? HAHAHA! Not touching that one with a ten foot pole. *G*
I'd like a little more backstory on how Feeney and Eve were like as partners.
My tiny pet peeve is that I'd like Summerset to show just a tiny bit of affection for Eve when she's not around. *g*
Hope you had a glorious weekend!
I read three ID novels and one novella. What a great way to start a new year!
ReplyDelete---Survivor in Death (20): I was really looking forward to reading it, because azteclady recommended it. And I did enjoy it a lot! It belongs to my favorites - it's somewhere there after Conspiracy and Judgment for me. There were many great scenes relationship wise and it was quite an emotional read. This book touched some of the things I've had questions about (children etc) and I think I got answers that satisfy my previous curiosity. I give it 4.5 stars.
---Origin in Death (21): Well, after reading that great Survivor I wasn’t expecting much from the next (why I thought that, I don’t know). But wow, I think I liked this one even more. Sometimes I’m more and sometimes less interested in the murder mystery, and this one falls into the former category. It was very intriguing! I couldn’t get enough of it. About 5- stars, almost perfect for me!
---Memory in Death (22): Two great stories behind and again I was thinking perhaps the next one isn’t that good. But after I read the synopsis I was like “noooo, this one sounds so good!”. And it was. I found it a bit “lighter” than the previous books and I welcomed it with open arms. We learned more stuff from Eve’s past and I liked it. 4.5 stars to this one.
---Haunted in Death (22.5): I was on a holiday and couldn’t concentrate to the story as much as it deserved. An okay read, somewhere around 3 stars.
And congratulations to Sarah!
ReplyDeleteYou asked about pet peeves… At first I was thinking I have none, but when you mentioned Roarke’s role as civilian consultant – yep, that is one! It doesn’t bother me that much, but sometimes I’ve thought why he has to be in every case now. I’d like to see them be apart from each other more so they would get to miss one another etc.
I’m currently reading Born in Death and becoming more anxious about the next book because it hasn’t arrived yet. I ordered it some time ago, but it still hasn’t showed up. But other books I ordered just recently already came. Perhaps I should go to the post office to inquire about it. I feel I can’t continue with Born if I don’t have the next one waiting for me…
It's funny that you mention that because as I was reading Reunion this month I realized -- they ALWAYS are in the shower! What is with that? In every book?
ReplyDeleteStarting from the beginning again I'm realizing that it really does seem like her cases start as normal workload but then begin to revolve around only family and friends.
The civilian consultant doesn't bother me so much as the three books in a row where he involves himself by going over Eve's head to get involved. Then they argue about it like it's the first time it's ever happened. There is no "You do this all the time!" It's just a bit odd.
Thanks -- they still are my favorite books, though!
Yea me! LOL. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteOther than the constant civilian consultant who is totally breaking the rules and everyone knows it, I find it annoying that Roarke is always drugging Eve, or forcing her to sleep, and this never seems to become an issue.
And the fact that there is no bringing up past things that keep repeating. I know it makes it easier to pick up just one book, but it is totally not realistic. Not that the books are meant to be realistic, but some more realism in the characters would be nice.
First of all... Congratulations, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteAnd always, thank you, Christine, for hosting these discussions.
There are some things that bother me a bit about some of the books in the series, but (interestingly enough) they are different than what most of you have mentioned so far.
For example, the continuity errors (for example, same character with different names--gah!) and, lately, the rehashing of themes/storylines (those of you who have read Indulgence in Death will probably know what I'm talking about here).
Mind you, I understand that after more than thirty stories in the same universe, written around the same two central characters and with a recurring cast of secondary characters, it must be quite difficult to come up with entirely novel plots each time--but still.
(and Maija, you have no idea how happy I am that you liked Survivor so much!)
Thanks so much for your note on my about page! :) Hope you try some of the recipes and enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteLord I've been lax on this, but I will be picking up again!
ReplyDeletePaula
Tomes Devotee
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI must be a bit weird, but I like that Roarke sometimes drugs Eve :P
azteclady,
Thanks to you for recommending it :) Any other recommendations to give: which ID book should I look forward to next?
Roarke ought to be putting in a little bit more effort beyond commanding Eve 'go over' immediately upon entry.
ReplyDeleteLOLOL!!!! I'd love to see a little more tension between them re: cases - although there definitely was some in the books I read this past month. Haven't written any of them up yet, but I read Memory, Born, and Innocent In Death in January.
Oh, and Congrats, Sarah!!!
LOL! I had so much fun reading all of your pet peeves about this series. There is obviously so much to love about these books... but sometimes it's good to have some fun with the "what the heck?" parts, too, right?
ReplyDeleteMaija: WOW! You've been busy!!! I'm looking forward to those that you enjoyed so much. I think they're not too far from where I am right now.
Lori: You, too! I'm glad you're still enjoying the series!
Thank you all for participating in the challenge and taking the time to discuss each month. This is fun. :)
Belated congrats to Sarah!
ReplyDeleteMy major pet peeve with this series is also about Roarke consulting on the cases. It is far-fetch, annoying, tiresome, too easy, and well tiresome again.
Another peeve is how Eve tags a suspect and gather evidence on said suspect....and gets it right. The last few cases have been like that and it's just not realistic for me.
I have more peeves but my brain isn't working at the moment. Lol.