Welcome to the 9th monthly round up post of the In Death Reading Challenge.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 in August.
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BOOK REVIEW(s)!
After being late finishing my monthly In Death book two months in a row and noticing a drop in participation, I was considering suggesting we all take a breather from the challenge for a month or two. Maybe we've been overdosing on the goings on at Central and a break would give us the space we needed to crave more of Lieutenant Eve Dallas and the NYPSD. But then I went ahead and caught the bug and read the next three stories in the series and I nearly opened a fourth. I don't know what happened, but I just wanted to keep connected to Eve. And Peabody, too! I'm telling you, that girl's personal life just gets more and more interesting. LOL!
"Interlude In Death" novella by J.D. Robb
Book 14
This story takes place off planet while Roarke accompanies Eve to a law enforcement conference at which Eve is a guest of honor. Of course, she gets pulled into a murder investigation, but what was interesting about this one is that she's not primary. Can you imagine Eve trying to solve a murder in which she's not calling the shots? Fun stuff.
Seduction In Death by J.D. RobbBook 15
The murderers in this book are playing a deadly game using online chat groups to meet beautiful, intelligent young women luring them with promises of romance. They use date rape drugs on the women before murdering them. All murders affect Eve tremendously, but the nature of these murders is tearing Eve apart.
Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb
Book 16
In this book, Eve and her team are investigating the murders of wealthy middle aged men with no apparent connection to each other. They quickly determine who the murderer is--a woman whom Eve helped put behind bars nearly a decade prior who got out of jail on good behavior. Turns out she's been busy watching and waiting and scheming some serious revenge. Eve's investigation brings her to Dallas, TX to interview the suspect's step father, which is where Eve was found traumatized and orphaned as an 8 year old child. Roarke accompanies Eve to the room of the hotel where she last lived with her abusive father, which was extremely difficult and emotional for Eve to revisit her past like that. Difficult for Roarke as well. Next up is Purity In Death. I may just read it earlier this month than later because it's been two weeks and I miss Eve and Peabody!
I think one of the reasons that I got the In Death bug this month is because it was a busy month for me with the start up of school and so forth, and these stories are great to read when you've got a lot of other stuff going on. You don't need to learn background information about the core characters because you know them already, you don't need much for world building after the first couple of books, the murder investigations are smart and suspenseful, but not so complicated that you have to concentrate so hard, and all of the personal interrelationship stuff is so genuine. You can just pick up the next book and straight away you're among friends and following Eve along her investigation.
My question this month is what drives you to pick up the next In Death book off your shelf, whether it be a first time read or a re-read?
Or maybe there's just something there in these particular books ;) These were all the same books I read in those two months in summer when I devoured many ID stories… :) I just had to keep on reading them, one after another...
ReplyDeleteFor this month I read Imitation in Death. I started it some weeks ago but I was so drawn to historicals at the time that I put it aside. I was hesitant to pick it up again, because I thought I wouldn't be able to read it (still devouring those lovely historicals). But no worries, it really engaged my interest right away. Imitation in Death was a basic ID story for me. Nice murder mystery and also nice in relationship wise. Some things "evolved" and it makes me want to grab the next book and see how those things turn out to be... 4 stars out of 5 :)
You asked what drives people to pick up the next ID book off their shelves? Usually the latest read does that to me. After finishing Imitation, I really wanted to read more. More about Eve, more about Roarke, Peabody, murder mysteries... But I didn't pick it up yet, because I think I'll finish one historical romance first. My next ID book is that combined Roberts/Robb book called Remember When. I like her Roberts books too, so that isn't a problem. And it's about time to read a Roberts novel. I think it might have been spring since I last read one. And I should order few more ID books, just to make sure I've got them in my shelf when ever the ID mood happens to strike again..
I think what keeps us picking up the next book is the relationship we as readers form with the characters. We laugh at Peabody and McNabb's relationship, we awww when Eve and Roarke grow ever closer together and we adore the snarkfest between Eve and Sommerset. Not to mention all the other favorite characters. After a while the characters seem more real because we feel we know them and we have to know what affects them.
ReplyDeleteNo sooner does a new In Death book come out that I start to reread the others on my shelves. It's one of the few series I can read over and over and over again.
Hope you're having a good week!
I've been curious about this series since forever. What's keeping me from it is the sheer number of books(!) and the author shows no sign of stopping in the near future! I'm leery of long series - it's just me, I know - I usually get bored by the 4th or 5th book (which is why I stopped reading Ward's BDB and Cole's Immortals After Dark series). Maybe I'll pick you In Death Book 1 when I'm brave enough. :)
ReplyDeleteJace,
ReplyDeletedon't let that big number scare you! Once you start the series, you might be surprised and could even feel grateful there are so many books waiting to be read. Always knowing there's that next book you can grab… I've actually started to dread the moment I'll catch up the series and read the latest book. But luckily there's still X number of books left to read...
What makes me pick up the next one? I love them! It's like visiting friends. Sometimes I hide away and do what I must first, but other times I crave them and read as much as I can at once...
ReplyDeleteI've been missing them, I just promised to do more ARCs than I should have so work's taking priority over love...
Don't forget November's a big month!
ReplyDeleteIndulgence in Death will be released on 11/2/10 & Possession In Death (The Other Side Novella) comes out on 11/30.
I'm still fairly close to the beginning of the series (book 6), so for me it's getting to know the great characters.
ReplyDeleteI finally beat the "bump" I hit with Ceremony in Death that lasted months, and moved on and had a tough time not going off on an In-Death binge after that -- read Vengeance in Death and stopped there, though. ;P
Yay, I haven't read any ID for September because of other books I've had in my TBR.
ReplyDeleteI've started "Interlude ID" back in August and I promised myself I'll finish it this month and maybe move on to the next book in the series.
For me, it started as an obsession with the author's mind and writing style, because I love love love NR and so I became a fan of Robb. Then I fell in love with the characters -- if only I have all the time in the world and read many books at once...
Right now, what's driving me to pick up Interlude again is the release of her latest books and realizing I'm way behind, thinking I wouldn't be able to read her soon to be released books 'till probably next year or the next after. Sigh...Robb is such a -- a -- a --- Okay, I'm lost for words when it comes to her. I'm laughing at myself now...
This is the only series that I continually re-read. This is my comfort read.
ReplyDeleteIt's the characters, always the characters.
ReplyDeleteI have, occasionally, issues with the world building (rather, some continuity issues--I still have to write that post, dammit!), but the characters are the main draw for me.
Despite the fact that the romance between Eve and Roarke, and the romances between... oops--was gonna spoil stuff there *ahem*. Anyway, despite having the HEA for the main characters, they still grow through each book. Sometimes is a rather large leap (Survivor in Death and Memory in Death for example) and sometimes it's not, but there is always that evolution of each character and their relationships with each other.
Really, for me, it's to see where Eve and Roarke are headed. What new revelations they have to share. And I really, really need to get back to it already!
ReplyDeleteazteclady,
ReplyDeleteSurvivor and Memory you say? Those books are so nearby, only a few books until I get to them. I can't wait, you got me interested... :)
Maija, Survivor is actually my all time favorite In Death novel--and I don't know how I could forget to mention Divided in Death for character growth! Have you read it yet?
ReplyDeleteazteclady,
ReplyDeleteYou are such a tease :) My next ID is Remember When, so Divided is after that... *runs to bookshelf to pick up Remember When*. Divided in Death can't come soon enough!
Hi everyone! I'm sorry I haven't replied to your comments yet--it's been pretty busy around here. I hope to carve some time for replies tomorrow! : )
ReplyDelete