A Year of J.D. Robb

[Christine]

One more book to go this year! I've set up the thread for next year: Books 15 - 26!

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

[Kami]

Cool. And I already have Reunion in Death for this month. Anytime I see them at the Goodwill or at a used book sale I pick them up. I have four of them for next year. :)

[Dee]

'll be joining you in March because that is where I am up to!

[~Leslie~]

I'll be ready!! My library has these starting around book #20 so I'm excited.

[Kami]

2 days till Reunion in Death. Excited!

[~Leslie~]

I'll be ready!

[Christine]

I picked my copy up from the library just the other day. I may actually read this one on time this month!

[Kami]

Still reeling after the tragedy in Connecticut yesterday. I was really upset and was scared. I just about burst into tears when I picked up my son yesterday from school. Elementary schools are supposed to be safe!

Anyway, maybe immersing myself in a book will make me feel better.

[Christine]

Me too, Kami. I finally gave up at work and had to leave early because I kept dissolving into tears just thinking about it. Then I made my husband pick the kids up from school because I was afraid I'd burst ino tears the second I saw them. You send your kids to school thinking it's the one place you know they'll be safe. That the worse they'll have to face are bullies. Especially an elementary school. I just can't fathom what all those families are going through now and for the rest of their lives.

I was originally going to start this book last night, but just didn't have the energy. Maybe tonight.

[~Leslie~]

I was subbing at an elementary/middle school when the principal sent out an email to the teachers to let them know what was happening. It was a very difficult day at the school. The teachers were so emotional and yet didn't want to let the kids know what was going on.

On a lighter note, I will be starting this tomorrow.

[Kami]

I started it. Only on page 30.

[Kami]

Now I am on page 256. I wasn't really liking it at first but now Eve is showing her vulnerabilities some more and I am liking it better. Interesting side story with Peabody's parents.

[Christine]

I still haven't started. Crazy weekend. Planning to start it tonight.

[Christine]

Leslie wrote: "I was subbing at an elementary/middle school when the principal sent out an email to the teachers to let them know what was happening. It was a very difficult day at the school. The teachers were s..."



That must have been incredibly difficult.

[~Leslie~]

I am trying desperately to finish a long book before I start this one. I'm ready for it after being submerged in Welsh history! Though I did have a day trip into the psy-changeling world. That was fun.

[Christine]

I've been trying to finish up another buddy read. I'm almost done with it and hope to be able to at least start this one tonight. BTW, I love the Psy-Changeling series. What book are you on?

[Kami]

I have only read three of the Psy-Changeling. I liked the third one, Caressed by Ice so far the best.

I finished Reunion in Death. It really started getting good towards the end. I am giving it four stars. Charles' and Louise's relationship is strange to me. I don't understand how it could not bother her that he is a prostitute.

[Christine]

Kami wrote: "I have only read three of the Psy-Changeling. I liked the third one, Caressed by Ice so far the best."


Ooooh! Judd. *sigh* My favorite Psy and one of my favorite books in the series. That was the book that hooked me on the series.

[~Leslie~]

I actually finished the last one Tangle in Need. AMAZING. That's all I can say. I love this series and am so sorry that there won't be more for awhile.

I'm on p. 107 of Reunion. And I am really struggling with it. (view spoiler)[ I'm at the part where Dr. Mira concludes that Julianne Dunn had consensual sex with her stepfather at the age of 15. I'm sorry. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. As a rape crisis counselor for many years, my blood just boils. (hide spoiler)] I'm going to try and just move past that and enjoy the story, but it's difficult.

[Christine]

I'm only about 45 pages in, and I've really enjoyed what I've read so far. Maybe it's just my mood and I needed something lighter (so far) and entertaining, because I've been smiling and chuckling over the interactions between Eve and Roarke and Peabody and McNab. I love how Roarke sneaks clothes into her closet. When she first went back to work and the one detective was commenting on her clothes, I liked how they all cheered when she finally said "bite me" because they knew she was really back. And the whole Peabody and McNab half naked in Bimini! Poor, poor Eve. I should have her problems.

I've only just gotten to the murder so I can't say anything to that. They've interviewed the wife and that's where I fell asleep. Resisting the spoiler....

I'm curious to see if there is an intersection between the main murder and the cold case Eve handed Peabody or if they remain two separate story lines.


I've read the whole Psy/Changeling series as well. I've listened to the first seven on audio as well for a refresher and now I have a suspicion about who that was at the end of Tangle of Need. I hope Kaleb's book is next or at least soon. Have you read her Guild Hunter series? It's good too, but I prefer the Psy/Changelings.

[~Leslie~]

Finished. I liked it okay but still had major problems with the premise of it. For that reason I will only give it 3 stars. Though there were things I really loved in it as well. But it annoyed me too much with how it depicted the villain of the piece.

[Christine]

Now you have me curious to get into the mystery and meet the suspect...

Let's see, I can alternate this evening: wrap a Christmas present, read a page of the book, wrap a present, read a page. Somehow, I think I would end up reading more pages and wrapping fewer presents....

[~Leslie~]

That's how I feel about all the books I still need to read this month! We are leaving for New Orleans on Saturday morning and I'm so not ready. On top of Christmas, my husband and I are throwing an engagement party on the Friday after for my son and his fiance. And my oldest daughter, who also just got engaged, wants to go dress shopping and looking at venues. And of course, I have to go see Les Mis on Christmas Day. It's all just so crazy.
And I loved Peabody's parents. The mom with the crazy stare. My kids claim I have a death stare. But doesn't every mom.

[Kami]

I wish I had a closet fairy. I liked how vulnerable Eve was in this one. And I liked that Roarke didn't force anything down Eve's throat. I really hate that about him. Luckily there was none of that in this book. Instead Louise and Peabody's father did all the healing on Eve.

So what do you guys think about Louise and Charles? Is it only me that thinks that is weird to be having a relationship with a prostitute and not have it be an issue?

[Christine]

Wow, Leslie, you are really busy. We're heading to Pennsylvania Saturday morning to spend the holiday with my parents, so I'm trying to get everything wrapped before we leave and get caught on the laundry I've neglected so the kids can actually pack clean clothes.

And Kami, I would so love a closet fairy! That's what I should have put on my Christmas wish list.

I manged to read a whole chapter yesterday during my lunch break. But what a chapter it was. Near the end of the chapter, Eve left work and went home on time. She talked to Roarke about how the victims wife talked about their relationship becoming one of contentment and that wasn't enough for her ex-husband and Eve's worried if that will happen to them, too someday. And then they reminisced about the day they first met and Roarke says to Eve about when he first saw her:

"I looked, darling Eve, and saw the woman I would love, and trust, and need as I'd never expected to love or trust or need another living soul. The only woman I wanted to be with, to live with, to sleep and wake with. And a ghra, to grow old with."

Swoon. Sometimes the man knows just what to say. And it's great to see Eve gradually letting down more of her walls to show her vulnerability to him.

And oh how I wish I could have seen Peabody's mother put the whammy on Roarke to get him to invite them to stay in the mansion. I love how she pulls the "mother thing" on them and they are both so unprepared for it.

I doubt I'll get much reading done today either, but my two goals for the weekend are to finish this book and go see The Hobbit!

[Christine]

I still haven't made it to any scenes with Louise and Charles in this one. Personally, I do think I would have a hard time with it. But then, in the setting of this book, prostitution seems to be viewed in a different light by many people versus the way we look at it today in our world. Maybe the good doctor really does just see it as any other job? I don't think I could, but good for her.

[Christine]

Still slow going. I made it to the scene where Eve stops by Mira's house to get her impression of the case. My question is what's up with Mira's husband? I got the impression that it was more than mere forgetfulness.

[Kami]

Yeah, I thought so too. Seemed liked he had Alzheimer's. Or maybe just an absent minded professor.

[Christine]

I finally finished this one on Christmas. I have mixed emotions about this one. I loved the interplay between the familiar characters. The moments between Eve and Roarke, when both were showing their vulnerability and love for one another. When Peabody stood up to Eve about her not driving, and then Eve later pretended it was all her idea. Even the snark between Eve and Summerset. The familiarity of those little moments had me smiling.

But the mystery was a little...hinky?...for me. It didn't feel like we really got into the psyche of the killer. I'm like you, Leslie. I have a hard time swallowing the blanket acceptance that at fifteen the girl manipulated her step-father into a sexual relationship and this somehow just serves to prove her skewed views of sex and males. Whatever the girls machinations, she was still only fifteen and he was "the adult" in the situation. It was on him to draw the line and not cross it. Don't try to make me feel sorry for him that he allowed himself to be manipulated by a child. And have we never heard of statutory rape?

Plus, where did that come from? She had sex with a boy her own age, who then dumped her, so she moves on to seducing and killing older men? As Roarke, or someone in the book, said most girls would be heartbroken for a while, but then move on with their lives. There had to be something already going on with this girl that she went down the path that she did. I wish that had been explored a bit more rather than just glossing over it the way it was.

And I would have liked to spend a bit more time with Peabody's parents. But still, I really enjoyed the moments between my favorite characters.

I want to know when Feeney gets a bigger storyline? I like him and the glimpses we've had of his relationship with Eve. I'd really like to see more of that.

[~Leslie~]

Just caught up with all the comments. Hope everyone had a great holiday! Mine was as crazy as expected! So much going on, but it all worked out. The party was a huge success and we did manage to go dress shopping and see Les Mis Christmas Day.

And yes, Christine, this one was not my favorite. I'm excited to move on to a different storyline. But I did like getting to know Peabody's parents. Eve was pretty vulnerable with the mom and the dad.
And the whole thing with (view spoiler)[Charles going to have sex with the incarcerated young woman was just a little weird. I understand we are in the future and some things might be a little different, but I'm with Eve on this one, yuck! (hide spoiler)]