Vengeance is mine saith the Lord.

Book Info: Vengeance In Death by J.D. Robb. Originally published by Berkley in 1997.

The past links to the present and readers are finally given a glimpse into the reality of Roarke's past. We already know about the horrific death of Summerset's daughter Marlena, but here we learn about Roarke's revenge. We see Roarke and Eve head off to Dublin and even meet some of the friends from Roarke's early adventures.

This case hits closer to home than any other since Mavis. The murderer is setting up Summerset as a fall guy and Eve must prove his innocence. The rivalry between the two come to a head, yet Eve still works to prove his innocence. As usual, Eve comes close to to dying, this time she is almost blown up.

The big things:

Readers get to meet IAN MCNABB

and

Peabody's new nickname is born: She-body.

Ian is the EDD detective that steps in while Feeney is away on vacation with his family. (Eve has sent Feeney and his family to their house in Mexico.) Ian is a skinny, slave to fashion. He is also the golden boy of the EDD division. though he is young, he's almost almost as good as Feeney and he idolizes Roarke's equipment. He and Peabody do not get along, but Ian definitely appreciates the way Pea-body fills out her uniform.

Yet Another Eve Dallas Story....

Book Info: Ceremony In Death by J.D. Robb. Originally published by Berkley in 1997.

Another sleepless night, another J.D. Robb novel.

The death of a cop and his granddaughter opens this novels and places Eve yet again in the hot seat. Clearing the other cops and navigating the emotion minefields are tricky for Eve. Especially when those you fight with one who knows all of your soft spots. i.e. Feeney This time we get to see Roarke explain things to Feeney instead of the reverse from the first book.

The moving scene where Eve breaks down after Feeney takes his shot is pretty powerful. For women who feel they must be strong at all times, we all wish for a Roarke to help us when we can't hold it together any more.

We also get to meet Jaimie for the first time. This computer wiz who impresses us with not only his mental abilities but also with his ability to handle the horrors with which he is faced. We also see that Roarke is still in touch with the Barristers from book one as well. Robb continues to connect the various books in the series allowing us to begin to really see the world that has been created.

Calla's Finale

Book Info: BloodRose by Andrea Cremer. Published by Philomel 2012

If you have read the preceding books in this trilogy, you know that this book is about a war that has been brewing for centuries. Everything that is being done is working towards a great battle between the Keepers and the Searchers. This battle will decide the fate

of the world. Therefore it should come as no shock that Bloodrose is that great battle. The stage has been set, the war has begun.

One would think with the fate of the world in their hands, the three main characters would put their romantic troubles on hold. At least that seems to be Calla's wish. Unfortunately, that isn't possible for these teenagers. With both Ren and Shay in the house, the tension runs high. Each must take their place in this war. Each plays an important role. Each still wants Calla. Calla does make her choice, but refuses to deal with it until after the battle.

As with every battle, there is a downside. Death is a mandatory consequence of battle and, I am glad to say that, Andrea Cremer is not afraid to include it in her book.  When we are fighting with arrows and swords, and animals, we should loose a few characters, even some that we love.

As for the twist at the end, (which I won't reveal here) it caught me off guard. I had thought that the situation would require attention but had never conceived of the consequences that would be chosen. While I might not have been happy with the results, the fact that I was able to understand the reasoning and accept the choice, shows how good of an author Andrea Cremer really is.

All in all, I enjoyed these. They were filled with moments of beauty, pain, and triumph. These will stay on my shelves and I will probably pick up the next couple of books written by this author.

Ansel's Torment

Book Info: Treachery: A Nightshade Novella by Andrea Cremer.
     Published by Philomel 2011

This very short novella opens with Calla's mating ceremony from Ansel's point of view. What follows is the fallout from Calla's choice to run with Shay at the end of Nightshade. From that moment on Ansel's world falls apart. We see how he is broken by the wolves and Ren. We see why he chooses to betray the searchers. Our hearts break for Ansel, as we see the suffering and confusion of his reality during this time.

Calla's Discovery....

Book Info: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. Published by Philomel in 2011.

The second book in Cremer's trilogy starts off slowly. This time we are seeing the other side of the war. Nightshade was about the wolves and their life; the routines and realities, the secrets and lies. Wolfsbane allows us a look at the reality of the Searcher's lives. The truth of the Keeper's treachery continues to be revealed but most of the book focuses on the good guys. Calla and Shay seem to have started the final battle of a war that has been ongoing for centuries. Keepers vs Searchers. As young adults thrown into a very adult world, Shay and Calla must decide who to trust.

Calla's main concern is for her family and her pack at home in Vail. While she understands the importance of the war, her alpha nature requires her to look after her pack. In her efforts to save them readers finally see the true evil of the keepers. The consequences of Calla's choices are horrific. Death and torture seem to be the standard. It is shocking to see who sides with Calla and Shay and who buckles under the pressure. Ansel shows up about halfway through the novel and readers mourn for this poor broken boy. Yet his arrival sets in motion things that no one expects.

We continue to see the failure of the Keepers patriarchal society. As one who was raised in a patriarchal society, I can see how evil could easily infiltrate such a society when women have less value then men. But I also realize that this outcome isn't a requirement. It is interesting to contrast my up bring with what I see in the novel.

Though this is a fairly dark novel of betrayal and war, there are quite a few moments of light. Connor continues to amuse, and the struggle of the love triangle provides a romantic air to certain scenes. All in all, I really enjoyed book 2!

More than a few....starting with more Robb

The only timeI have to read for myself is after I go to bed...... Unfortuantely (or not so unfortunately) I have not been able to sleep for the past couple of days. This gives me lots of time to read. So the next 4 posts are books that have been read in the last 2 days.

Continuing with my desire to read a book that I didn't need to finish is one go, I started (and finished) the next In Death Novel:

Book Info: Rapture In Death by J.D. Robb; first published by Berkely in 1996.

Eve and Rourke are yet again thrown into the grizzly world of death. This time it is while the coupling is honeymooning off planet. By the end of the book the cost is 4 lives, including the murderers. Sorry... that is a bit of a spoiler but I don't tell you who the killer is. Especially since this one has you guessing all over the place.

There are fun moments: Mavis' singing career takes off, plenty of witty banter between Roarke and Eve, and Peabody gets to go into interview again which allows for  more witty banter. Conversely there are not so fun moments:  Dr. Mira gets her feelings hurt, Eve and Peabody almost get blown up, and Roarke worries. We also catch a glimpse of a new side of Roarke... or should I say an old side that has been carefully hidden. His upbringing comes to the front in a way I didn't expect... or had forgotten about.

Reading in Snippets..

Book Info: Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb. First published by Berkley in July of 1996

Since school started and I have no extra time I picked up book 3 in the In Death series in an effort to slow my brain down before slipping off to sleep. This book therefore took me all week to read.

Here we see Eve and Roarke trying to prepare for their upcoming nuptials..... though Eve is thrown into yet another messy case. This time it involves her best friend Mavis and the world'd biggest name in modeling. Juggling cases and relationships has never been Eve's strong suit yet here we see her yet again doing her best to save not only her friends but her city.

Officer Peabody is here and readers begin to catch glimpses of her sly sense of humor and amazing dedication to her goal of becoming a homicide detective.  I think my favorite part is the wedding bouquet.... yet again we see that Roarke truly understands not only what Eve wants, but who she is.

The cop side of things in this novel have readers all over the place. Scenes jump from flop houses of drug dealers to the runway of high fashion. Theories lead to dead ends, and are recycled to find truth. While Eve yet again saves the day, we also see that, though worlds apart in the present, Eve and Roarke are perfectly suited in temperament: Neither can give up without all of the answers. :)

A comfort read.....

Book Info: Glory In Death by J.D. Robb published originally by Berkley in 1995.

While down with the flu I chose to pick up this novel since I know the story back to front. This is the second book in the In Death series. I believed I have mentioned that Eve and Rourke are a favorite story
line of mine. Regardless of the ugly that surrounds a homicide detective they always find away to come together and have a personal relationship. Not often do I consider these romance novels but I want to read about a relationship that works these are the ones I read. In our society we know that relationships to take work and often people aren't willing to put in the effort. Rourke and Eve are ones that fight to make it work and in this novel that work is apparent.

While trying to find a murderer who is killing high profile women, Rourke decides to take their relationship to the next level. Which Eve with her past is not comfortable. After a major fight these two must work their ways back to each other. For those new to the series, as I was over a decade ago, there is a tiny flicker of true fear that this might be the end of it for the great couple. By the time the fight reaches its climax in the middle of the second books readers understand who these characters are. Readers know the strength and power of each individual and the emotions that would be required to come together. It has always been an intense scene for me.

The cop side of the novel is still interesting. The murders are intriguing and Eve is all over the map due to the relationship trouble that she is having. Of course, the first two deaths are connected to Rourke that adds to the stress. We also get the chance to meet the ever-efficient Officer Delia Peabody as well as re-visit our old friends Mira and Feeney.

I have to admit that I started book three for this one as well. Once I get into these books I want to return them again and again.

Starting the final step in Calla's journey.

Book Info: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. Originally published by Philomel in 2010.

I ran into this trilogy by accident when I attended the Breathless Reads Book Tour in 2010. I was attending with friends and was excited to hear for an author who was also a professor of history for a college in Minnesota. Up until that point I had a strict policy that I would not begin a trilogy until all the novels had been released. But after listening to Cremer speak I was intrigued with the plot of the novel and wanted to know if the author had included her research on 17th century New England in a contemporary young adult fantasy novel. That night as I lay in bed I picked up the novel and couldn't put it down until I had finished the book. This time around I started earlier in the day and finished in just a few hours.

The novel itself revolves around a young pack of werewolves, though the they are called Guardians. I don't want to talk about the plot itself, though there is the seemingly requisite teenage love triangle that all YA novels seem to have.  The writing was compelling and the plot was interesting enough to keep me intrigued. I was interested in the hierarchy that is apparent among the packs. The patriarchal control found within the packs and even those the pack report to lead to quite a discussion  with one of my friends. The possibility of learning that your life has been lived in ignorance. What if everything we thought we knew wasn't true. How do we handle the change? What do we give up to try for the freedom that our American society says is a right?

I have started the second book but wasn't able to concentrate due to a nasty flu bug. With school starting tomorrow I hope to get it finished soon and but can make any promises. All I know is I have a dinner on Friday to discuss the final book in the trilogy that came out last week. So.. here's to making it all work.

My Eve and Roarke Fix....

Apparently I needed to take a break on new books and head back to an oldie but goodie.
Book Info: Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. Originally published by Berkley in 1995

The ongoing storyline of Lieutenant Eve Dallas and International playboy ga-zillionaire Roarke has been one of my favorites for over a decade now. Naked In Death is the first in that series. The plot is fully explained by wikipedia here. I am putting it in as a link as I try not to give too many plot lines away.
For a brief plot... the book is a futuristic crime novel. Eve is a cop with the New York Police and Security Department Homicide Division in the year 2058. She is assigned to a politically sensitive case which brings her into contact with Roarke. Roarke is intrigued by Eve as she is an anomaly in his life. A cop he can respect. While Eve works the case her relationship with Roarke progresses, which threatens both her career and her peace of mind. This is one of my favorite novel of the entire series (which now has over 30 titles). I could easily rank it as onto of the top three. Since I have read it more times than I can count, I am also able to skim past what many would consider gruesome. This is not a book for the faint of heart. The murders are gory and Robb gives us explicit details. Some of those details could make a reader a little uncomfortable.

As for the author, J.D. Robb is the alter ego of Nora Roberts. In an effort to avoid flooding the market with the name Nora Roberts, J.D. Robb was created to funnel a new line genre of Roberts' writing. Unlike her trilogies and series under her own name, these novels are more gritty and gory, a true cop drama.
The future world that is created is one in which homicide detectives are still needed because humans still kill one another. As Dr. Mira says, "With all our technology, with the amazing advancements that have been made in genetics, we are still unable to control human virtues and flaws....It's unfortunate that some passions twist. Sex and violence. For some it's still a natural marriage."(pg 136) It is interesting to note the advancements that the author seems to consider for her future world. The banning of guns, the licensing of prostitutes (to make sure the now legal profession is safe), the auto-chef, and food made of soy substitutes. I would have to read more of the novels again before I feel comfortable commenting on this world, yet one can see the world that Robb has decided to make. It causes one to wonder if the authors personal political views are included or if they are just for characterization.

I am not sure what book I will read tonight... I might go back to Daniel MacGregor's story or I might go onto the second book in the Eve and Roarke world... or I have an interesting book on the Eiffel Tower waiting on m shelf... who knows.

The World of the MacGregors....

For years now I have had Nora Roberts' MacGregor Series on my shelf. Each year I have said I will finally read them..... And haven't. Yesterday I finally found the order the books are supposed to be read in so I decided to start them.  I figure I can get through all 9 stories in the series this week before moving on to Andrea Cremer's novels.
Book Info:
Book 1 - Rebellion by Nora Roberts. Originally published by Harlequin in 1988
Book 2 - In From the Cold by Nora Roberts. Originally published as part of a Christmas
               Anthology by Harlequin in 1990

The series begins with Rebellion. Scotland is on the eve of the battle of Culloden. Any History buff (or Gabaldon fan) can understand the significance of this time. Scotland is gearing up for the rebellion and war with Serena MacGregor's family right in the middle of it. Due to traumatic experiences in her youth, Serena has a valid hate for all things English. Fate brings the English Jacobite named Brigham into Serena's life and the story goes from there.

I am not the biggest fan of Nora's earlier novels. Though this one was pretty good. Dealing with this era is difficult for any writer because the turmoil can be so intense. I am impressed that Nora allows a beloved character to die in battle. Too many authors only kill of the minor characters or the ones that the reader is supposed to hate. Nora on the other hand, not only kills a major character but it is a character that everyone loves.
The other trouble I have with these novels is that I am an avid Diana Gabaldon fan. I know Nora came first as Gabaldon's Outlander wasn't published until 1991, but my love has to side with Jaime and Claire. While Nora weaves a wonderful story, Gabaldon's Jaime and Claire will always have my heart.

The second novel is a short story about the Christmas after the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773). Here we see that most of the MacGregor clan have crossed the Atlantic and settled in the New World.

As warriors, the MacGregors leap to defend their new homeland from the evil British once again.  Here we get the story of Ian, the nephew of Serena and Brigham. He loses his heart to the beautiful Irish widow Alanna Flynn. Alanna has already lost her older brother, her mother, and her husband to the new world and is looking for a man who will be content to stay home by the fire. Ian of course has aligned himself with the Sons of Liberty and is already working for the new rebellion.
This was a cute short story. I think my main issue was that many of the story lines were not fleshed out as much as they needed to be. While still enjoyable, you could tell that this was condensed for the anthology.
There was only 1 moment where I was unable to suspend my disbelief. Brigham barges into the birthing room while Alanna is delivering her son to share some important news from England. While I understood the purpose of the scene for the book, I couldn't wrap my head around the supposed reasoning of the man. Who can't wait to share news - even amazing news- until after the woman is done giving birth! I mean really.

Now on to book 3 in the series.