Steph’s Comments (group member since May 22, 2010)

Steph’s comments from the SOS: Serious Overload of Series group.

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I haven't seen it yet, but hope it'll prove helpful.

Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb
Shelf #9: A - Alpha Male (@ GR https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...)
Read: 26 April
Rating: ✮✮✮½

My Review:

In death there were many layers. Violent death added more. It was her job to sift through those layers and find cause. In cause, to meet justice.

This was the first book in the series I had a difficult time picking up after putting it down and sticking with once I'd gotten back into it. It was different, but no less interesting, in that it's the first where we know who the murderer is very quickly, with the hunt for him the challenge. Eve's process is always a joy to read, seeing how her mind works, the challenges she has with Roarke since he's or one of his properties/aquaintences are always somehow also impacted/involved and the continued growth between Eve and her coworkers/subordinates/bosses.

"Fuck me, Roarke, if I'm not proud of you." It struck Roarke, oddly, that no one who had known the boy had ever said those words to the man.

Major foreshadowing when an old friend of Roarke's shows up. Mick's one of his longtime friends, one of only two left from those wild days in the streets of Dublin. It was fun watching these two interacting and reminiscing, especially in front of Eve.

"You're never going to tell me you've retired those magic hands of yours."

"Let's just say I've put them to different uses. Legal ones."

Mick's a guest in their home, but with them both busy with the current case he's left to his own devices most of the time. He tests Roarke's willingness to have a bit of good-ole-days fun, but quickly learns Roarke's cop has changed him maybe a bit more than he was expecting.

"Do you want to see this data?"

"Are we going to be arrested, fined, and imprisoned?"

"We can insist on adjoining cells."

These two are a trip! Eve may not understand that Roarke needs to keep a toe in the grey, but she's slowly accepting of the fact that the help he offers is invaluable. Since falling for his cop, he's made sure his businesses are above board, but his computer skills and the top of the line equipment he uses continue to provide answers her team can't or don't have time to find in most cases. Finding creative ways to clean and import that knowledge into her reports remains a challenge though.

The inclusion of FBI Special Agents James Jacoby and Karen Stowe added some additional frustrations for Eve. She has her process and they're f*king it up. Top that off with Jacoby being "that guy" and she's got her hands full of BS she doesn't have the time or patience for, now or ever. Stowe proves to be more helpful, nevertheless bothersome for Eve.

"He said I was--"

"No!" Eve threw up her arms as if warding off an incoming meteorite.

"No, uh-uh, forget it. You are not dumping it on me. I don't want to hear about it, don't want to know about it, don't want to think about it."

Poor Peabody. She holds Eve in the highest regard and knows Eve's extreme aversion to anything to do with her relationships, but in a weak moment she begins to share. Eve quickly puts a stop to any discussion, but is later reminded by Roarke that, as a friend, Peabody just needs a friendly ear. I completely understand Peabody's stance and hope things work out between these two.

"I want you out of the city, and now. If the chalet doesn't suit you, go where you like. But you will go."

"I have no intention of going anywhere."

"Fuck it. You're fired."
[...]
"Just my luck, you finally say the words I've been waiting over a year to hear and I can't do my happy dance.

"You think when you're in the middle of this kind of mess he's just going to bop over to Switzerland and yodel, or whatever the hell they do there?"

One of the best scenes in this one was the interaction between Roarke and Summerset following an incident with the murderer. It perfectly reflected the intensity of the relationship between the two and reminds you (and them) that losing one or the other would be beyond devastating to one who remained. And, how funny it was that Eve finally hears the words she's been longing to hear, but knows he's reacting only out of fear.

The past can circle back on us no matter what kind of maze we build.

Despite my difficulty with this installment, which was mostlikely a me-thing, I did enjoy it and will most definitely be continuing on.

Harry Potter (Max series/in development/2026)
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13918446/

Some casting articles & controversy over Snape actor (cuz we don’t have bigger problems to rant over than a fantasy character switch-up 😒 sheesh)

Vulture: https://www.vulture.com/article/harry...
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...
BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15...

Welcome, Net

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Welcome 😊

👍🏼😊 all good

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It's time to pick our May Book of the Month! The poll consists of Aoril new releases. Books were randomly chosen from Goodreads' "New Releases for April 2025” list.

Please cast your vote now (write-ins are allowed) and join us in May!

[Poll ends @ 29 April]

May Genre Mini-Challenge
May 4th is Star Wars Day

Duration: 5/1 - 5/31/25
Rules: Read a minimum of 2 books out of the 3

1. PNR -or- UF
2. Space Opera
3. Sci-Fi

May Cover Hunt Challenge
May 3rd is Nat'l Space Day

Duration: 5/1 - 5/31/25
Rules: Read 3 books with the following items found on their covers; Be sure to post your book covers

COLOR: White or Blue cover
ITEM #1: Stars
ITEM #2: Planet(s)

I found a way to view shelves/genres for a book that doesn’t have any listed on the book’s page.

Go to book page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/*show/... (this one has shelf/genre list, but ignore those for this example)

Change SHOW in the web address to SHELVES and it’ll take you to the book’s top shelves list

Eldarwen wrote: "It's about time the series comes to an end."

Sucks when an author doesn’t know when it’s time to say bye-bye.

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