Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

A Year of J.D. Robb

For 2012, I dare you to read one book each month from J.D. Robb’s ‘In Death’ series, featuring Detective Eve Dallas and the mysterious Roarke.

The rules are simple: Around the 15th of each month, we will read the next book in J.D. Robb’s ‘In Death’ series, starting with Immortal in Death in January. Stop by here to chat about each book, posting your comments, questions, and opinion as you read (or listen if it’s an audiobook).

Because this is an extension of buddy reads from November and December 2011, we’re starting with book #3 of the series rather than book 1. If you haven’t already read book #1, Naked in Death, and book #2, Glory in Death, you’ve got plenty of time to catch up.

If you’ve already read the series, feel free to pop in and add to the discussion!

The reading schedule is in message 2.

You can check out our previous discussion threads here:
Naked in Death - http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...

Glory in Death - http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...

January - Immortal in Death
February - Rapture in Death
March - Ceremony in Death
April - Vengeance in Death
May - Holiday in Death
June - Conspiracy in Death
July - Loyalty in Death
August - Witness in Death
September - Judgment in Death
October - Betrayal in Death
November - Seduction in Death
December - Reunion in Death

Oh Christine, this is awesome!! Count me in of course.

Editing my entry! Moved my books to my Reading Challenge Log and made it a personal one. However, I'll re-read some of these with you. Sounds fun!

Nice job Christine! I love the way you posted the challenge, well-done. And of course I'm in but I'm wondering if Lisa misunderstood the rules of this challenge and if it's Ok to her to begin with book #9

Hi, Lisa Kay. Welcome. It looks like you are several books ahead of Isabella and I. Our plan was to start with book 3 in January and work our way through 12 books in the series by next December, discussing each one along the way. You are definitely welcome to join in the discussion. Since you're ahead of us, you might have some interesting insight to add. I guess if you want to use this thread as motivation to read the next 24 books you need to read, that's fine, too.

The more the merrier!

I can't wait until you guys meet McNabb!!!

Dee wrote: "I can't wait until you guys meet McNabb!!!"

Now I wonder who's McNabb :D

I'm in for this! I read #1 last month and got the snd book from the library yesterday, so I'll be all caught up by the time we start this! I'm so excited!

Welcome, Susan!

Thanks for the teaser, Dee...

Sorry, I misunderstood. Should have read a bit more carefully. However much I'd like to wait for you ladies, this series is just too, too good!!! And it keeps getting better. I might just re-listen to some with you, though. ☺ Certainly the one with Ian McNab. **hee heeing b/c Dee is right!** I've been dying to make comments.

If you really don't mind, I'll post my progress here. However, I can move too; no hard feelings.

you guys are welcome...how to describe McNabb...nah, that's no fun (hehe)...I can't remember what book he shows up in for sure...maybe 6 or 7...Lisa do you remember?

Dee wrote: "you guys are welcome...how to describe McNabb...nah, that's no fun (hehe)...I can't remember what book he shows up in for sure...maybe 6 or 7...Lisa do you remember?"

I just had to google him (for some reason that sounds like a lot more fun than it was!). All I know is that he first shows up in Vengeance in Death. Which we should get to in April. Which is also when my birthday is. So there! I was very good and resisted the urge to read anything else about him.

but now I can't tease you guys...lol!

I just finished #6, Vengeance in Death, and McNabb made his first appearence...He is quite adorable isn't he? I wish I could wait for you ladies to catch up with me, but Lisa Kay is right, these books are too good to put on the backburner! Happy reading!

yeah, I love McNabb...and Lacy you have some great reads ahead of you...for me, book 10ish is where they get really good, to date 14 and 15 are my favorites though

Lacy wrote: "I just finished #6, Vengeance in Death, and McNabb made his first appearence...He is quite adorable isn't he? I wish I could wait for you ladies to catch up with me, but Lisa Kay is right, these ..."

Feel free to pop back in and add to the discussion if you'd like!

I'm in. Just so I understand. You are starting Immortal in Death on January 15th?

Yes around the middle of each month starting with Immortal in Death

Okay, now I'm dying to know who McNabb is! I hope those who are ahead will jump in and join the discussion. I for one don't mind spoilers!! And yes, Kami, we are starting "Immortal in Death" on Jan 15th. Welcome to the discussion.

Cool. I'm ready.

I guess I remember him now as I've already read Seduction In Death pulling all the rest, but I didn't know he'll be included in more than one book. I have to wait and discover his first entrance.

Welcome, Kami. I'm glad you'll be joining us.

This series is so good, I can see myself listening to them again. Yes, McNab first appears in . I'll definitely be around for that one. This series just gets better and better as it goes along and I look forward to your comments. ☺

I'm in, I love this series and have listened to all the books at least once. I'm looking forward to the new one in February.

I got the book for this month at the library yesterday and DYING to read it LOL

few days left, wait for us!! :)

Although, as fast as Leslie reads, maybe we should start it now! : D
I got the first in the series, Naked in Death, on audio from the library and have been listening to it on my drive to work. It's my first experience with an audiobook. I'm not sure how I feel about one woman doing everyone's voices, but I like the way she does Roarke's accent. Listening to her, I can picture some of the scenes very well.

Susan Erickson is for me, one of the best narrators out there...and her backlist says it all, I think when I searched on audible she had over 120 books credited to her

I've been impressed at how well she does all the different characters. I think I'm even more in love with Roarke now.

Yes, Susan Erickson does great on the voices, but especially Roarke's. Who knew a woman could make me *sigh* like that? LOL!

Naked in Death was the first audio book that I liked and didn't drift while listening to. I read the 2nd one, but could hear her voice in my head while reading LOL

i had the first one on the to-read pile for so long, i would pick it up, put it down...i could just never get into it...and then I picked up the audio when audible did their 4.95 first in series sale...i mean WTH, if i didn't like it I only lost 5 bucks and loved it

Lisa Kay wrote: " Who knew a woman could make me *sigh* like that? LOL!"

I had that same thought! I'm relieved to find I'm not alone.

I started this morning. I need to console myself after my Saints lost. I'm interested in people who like audiobooks. My mother loves them and I have never been able to tolerate being read to, even when I was a kid I had to sit where I could see the pages and read along. I'm a terrible audio learner as well. Pictures are not created in my mind when I hear words.

Leslie, I never thought I could stay focused on an audiobook myself. That's why I decided to try one for a book I had already read. I was surprised to see how much I loved it. Of course, if it had been a new-to-me book, I don't know what my reaction might have been. And, I'll bet the person doing the reading has a big effect. Susan Erickson is awesome. When the third victim was killed and Eve was informing the victim's daughter, Ms. Erickson did such a good job conveing the daughter's distress that I almost started to cry. My problem is, I've been listening to it for almost two weeks on my commute and I'm still not done. I read the book in about three days. So I still prefer reading, but I think audiobooks might be a good way to refesh myself on series when it's time for new releases. Or I need a Roarke fix. : )

Sorry your team lost. We're waiting to see how the Ravens perform today. Oh, and I'll be starting Immortal in Death later today.

I'll be cheering on the Ravens. I actually really like that team and I love Joe Flacco. I have an audiobooks app on my android tablet, but I've never tried it. I wouldn't mind listening while I cook dinner maybe. It would totally depend on the voice reading, though. What do you do if you hate the voice? That's why I normally don't like first person stories. I get distracted by the voice.

The voice for these books is great. I've never been able to listen and enjoy before listening to Naked in Death. Now, I want to listen to all of this series LOL

ON page 98. So far, pretty good. One of things I've noticed about her mysteries, is that there always seems to be areas that Eve misses in her investigation of the crime. Does anyone else notice that?

I'm on about page 50 myself. I have noticed that sometimes Eve doesn't notice something that I think she should, or she waits to check on something that she should have jumped on from the beginning. I haven't gotten far enough in this one yet to see that happen. She just interviewed Mavis about being found with Pandora's body. It kind of bothers me that she's so quick to share confidential information with Roarke about her cases. I guess she can justify it because of his access to equipment that puts the police departments stuff to shame. But still, she seems like such a stickler most of the time.
So far, I'm assuming Eve's two cases will end up being connected. Pandora was "jazzed up" on something. I'm guessing the mystery blue powder that Booomer had, given it's suspected regenerative (age-defying) affects. And I'm hoping Leonardo didn't do it, 'cause I really liked what little I saw of him.

I am on page 42. I figured Pandora would be killed since Leonardo said he wanted her dead. I also thought that she was probably on the drug that Boomer had with its regenerative properties, something a model would definitely be interested in.

Now I am on page 93. It is really good and since I don't work today I have a lot of time to read. I may read all day and finish it today. Since it is obvious that Mavis and Leonardo didn't kill Pandora, it seems to me that it is the same killer who killed Boomer that killed Pandora since they were both beaten to death. And it has to do with the drug. Someone is eliminating the witnesses.

I started reading this morning and am on page 109. I have to say I'm liking Eve a little more in this book. She's not so hard...she's cracked some jokes and is even smiling some.

I agree that I think the cases will be related. And I also hope that Leonardo didn't kill Pandora and that he'll stick around with Mavis.

I was a sexual abuse counselor for 10 years and I appreciate how they handle her memories of her sexual abuse. The only issue I have is that she has no issues with sex. Not that I necessarily want that clouding up the storyline, but realistically she would.
I am now on page 211, heading for the climax. I like the mystery in this one better than I thought I would at the beginning of the story. It tightened up as the story progressed. And I agree about her sharing with Rourke. I also think it's strange that a murder suspect was staying at her house. Just little bothersome details.
Also, I think Redford has something to do with it. She has totally overlooked him throughout the story and it just seems like such a huge oversight. I mean he has no alibi for the time of the murder.

I agree Leslie, the story of her abuse by her father and Roarke's own abuse as a child, you would think these two would have more hangups. They are damaged people but they have no problems living their lives. I am on page 178 now. It is odd that Redford was paying Pandora so much money. I was wondering if the Illegals guy Casto knows more than he's letting on.

I do think it's odd that Redford was paying Pandora so much money. Especially since he says he didn't like her. I also wonder if Casto doesn't have something to do with the murders and the drugs.

Thanks to a poor night's sleep and a day off of work, I just finished the book. I knew they shouldn't trust that guy from day one! As mysteries go, I sometimes feel like I'm a step (or two) ahead of Eve, but then other times she does figure out something that surprises me. And I was surprised that she was allowed to be primary on a case that involved her close friend and that no one had a problem with the prime suspect temporarily moving in with the lead investigator on the case. Oh well.
That being said, I think I enjoyed this book the most of the three I've read, mainly because of what it showed of Eve's relationships with Roarke, Mavis, and Peabody. I really like Peabody and am glad that it looks like she'll be sticking around.
One thing I've noticed that I admire about Eve's character is that she doesn't feel the need to defend herself to most people. When Sumerset tore her apart after she had to arrest Mavis, she just walked away and didn't try to explain it to him why she had to do what she did. Same way in the last book when she tried to make herself a target via media coverage and people accused her of being unprofessional and trying to make herself famous with the attention. She knew what she was doing, and didn't feel the need to explain it to anyone else.
And, oh, how I adore Roarke! I just love the interaction between him and Eve. I like watching Eve come to accept that it's okay to depend on Roarke without it meaning she's totally dependent on him. And it was interesting to see Roarke's concern that he might somehow harm her and remind her of her past. It's nice watching the give and take between them.
I'll probably think of more later, but that's it for now.

I wondered about Casto from the start. He just seemed so odd in his dealings with Eve. I'm on page 243 now so just getting to the climax. And I have to admit I'm never a step ahead in murder mysteries! I don't always see the complex links, which is good in some ways.

Leslie, I wondered about her not seeming to have issues with sex myself. Particularly, I remember in the first book during their first sexual encounter he at one point pins her hands above her head and she freezes and he almost lets her go. But then notices that in addition to the fear in her eyes there is also desire, or something to that affect. I found that a little hard to swallow given her past history. I would have thought she would totally freak out, but then I have no experience with this issue.
Would the fact that she had forced it our of her memory for so long account for her lack of sexual issues, since she didn't consciously remember the abuse? Again, I don't have any experience with these issues.

Casto was just too slick for me from the start, and I didn't like how he blatantly hit on Eve, then turned around and slept with Peabody, and continued to hit on Eve right in front of Peabody.