Showing posts with label evanovich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label evanovich. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Mystery

I always pick these books up after a serious or slow read. It's like a little treat to get you ready for your next serious book. I'm not sure whether these can really continue to be called mysteries as there isn't much of a mystery. It's always Stephanie trying to find a bond only to learn that the bond is nowhere to be found. And having no luck with those she can find. Yes, it's the same thing over and over again but it's fun. Would I like some more progression with Stephanie and whomever she picks as her boyfriend? Absolutely. But chances are I'll still read without that.

First Line: "'I don't know why we gotta sit here baking in your car in the middle of the day, in the middle of the summer, in the middle of this crummy neighbourhood,' Lula said."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Mystery

Stephanie just returned from what was supposed to be a relaxing trip in Hawaii. Unfortunately it ended up with her spotting a criminal on her bond sheet and bringing the two men in her life Ranger and Morelli to help her out. Instead it was a big jealous mess, with Stephanie leaving all of them to return home to Jersey. Jersey isn't much better. Her cousin's bond office is still under construction, her arch nemesis might be dead (maybe that's a good thing?), and there are lots of skips she needs to find.

Enlisting the help of Lula, the two get in to more trouble than they solve. It's a typical Stephanie Plum book. Easy to read, fun, with lots of shenanigans. The only thing I find is that after 18 books in this series, I kind of wish that Stephanie would just pick a man already rather than leading the two of them on. I feel bad for them.

First Line: "New Jersey was 40,000 feet below me, obscured by the cloud cover."

Rating:
(4/5)

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

Fiction

This is a "between the numbers" book within Evanovich's number series. Stephanie Plum, the unlucky bounty hunter is back. There's also a guy name Diesel who I don't ever remember meeting in the number series, though it says these two have met before. Anyways, Grandma Mazur happens to find a huge bag of money on the street and when Stephanie finds her, a short man in bright green pants is trying to steal it from her. It's St. Patricks day, which could explain the green pants, but this guy actually thinks he's a leprechaun. Soon, Grandma disappears so Stephanie and ex-ho Lula chase her to Atlantic City where she's trying to make even more money, but losing it quickly.

This is a quick, fun read which is true to all other books in this series. Grandma and Lula always make me laugh. There was no romance in this, like there would be in a usual full number series book, but the story didn't lack for it.

First Line: "My mother and grandmother raised me to be a good girl, and I have no problems with the girl part."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Mystery

Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire is back for another round of crazy. Two bodies were found in the lot where Vinnie is building the new bond office after it blew up. It's not good for business so Stephanie tries to bring in the last few bonds before there's no business left. Given that she's a pretty bad bond enforcement officer, this doesn't work out too well and eventually, one of them is looking to kill her.

This book was as fun as expected. I always find that the endings wrap up too quickly in this series. The mystery is solved and then bam the book is over.

I also feel bad for Morelli, with Stephanie being so wishy-washy on who she loves and what she wants to do with their relationship.

First Line: "My Grandma Mazur called me early this morning."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Friday, July 24, 2015

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Mystery

In another book of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, this time we learn that Stephanie's cousin and employer has been kidnapped and held for ransom. Vinnie owes a lot of money to some bad people and the team at the bond office doesn't know how they are going to come up with it. Stephanie think she may be able to bag some outstanding bonds but she's not a very good bounty hunter to start with.

True to form, there are some very funny moments in this book. Most of which come from the banter between Stephanie, ex-hoe Lula, and feisty Grandma Mazur.

When I sit down to read books in this series, I'm expecting something quick, light, and fun. From that perspective, the series never fails to disappoint.

First Line: "Uncle Pip died and left me his lucky bottle."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich

Mystery

Alexandra Barnaby gets a call from her brother in Miami that ends with a woman screaming. She knows something isn't right so she heads down to Florida to try and find him, coming across NASCAR driver Sam Hooker. Alex's brother stole Hooker's boat so he has reason to try and find him.

Evanovich is known for her fun-loving characters, specifically with the number series and Stephanie Plum. The problem that I had with this book is that it felt like a cheap copy of the characters from Evanovich's number series. Alex was the independent female with a carefree attitude towards danger. Hooker is the sexy but somewhat undesirable man who tries to help. There's also a cast of characters that help these two find the brother. Really, the only thing that was missing was Grandma Mazure.

That said, this book was still fun. Just not as fun as Stephanie Plum!

First Line: "Just because I know how to change a guy's oil doesn't mean I want to spend the rest of my life on my back, staring up his undercarriage."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich

Holiday

It's a few days before Christmas and, like usual, Stephanie Plum is less than prepared. She keeps putting off everything, including finding her latest skip Sandy Claws. Suddenly a not-too-bad-looking man appears in her kitchen. He's going to help her get in the Christmas spirit and find Claws. But how exactly did he just appear like that? Typical to Stephanie's chaotic nature, there's a car fire and other craziness that follows her around.

I was pretty disappointed with this book compared to the rest in the series. It was rushed and not nearly as funny as most the books in this series. Perhaps that's because there wasn't enough time to have grandma or Lula get up to their regular antics. The book just ended and I was left with the feeling that I was missing something.

First Line: "My name is Stephanie Plum and I've got a strange man in my kitchen."

Rating:
(2.5/5)

Friday, September 19, 2014

Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Mystery/Chick Lit

Stephanie Plum is a horrible bounty hunter. When sexy and mysterious Ranger asks her to help him out with a problem he's having with break ins of customers for his security firm, Stephanie knows it's too good to pass up. Especially since her and Morelli have had a huge argument and are no longer seeing each other. Stephanie starts to spy on Ranger's employees, thinking that one of them may have something to do with this since the robber knows the codes. Stephanie can't give up her day job though, and still has to find her skips, including the ancient old man who likes to flash to elderly ladies.

The end of this book, at the BBQ competition, almost had me laughing on the train. I would have been nice to know what happened with Lula and Tank. In the last book they were together and in this book it was no more. What a shame!

A frequent complaint I have about these books is that the mysteries are solved and then the books instantly end. It would be nice if there was a bit more closure on the books before they wrapped up.

First Line: "When I was a kid, I was afraid of spiders and vegetables."

Rating:
(4/5)

Sunday, September 07, 2014

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

Mystery

Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter from New Jersey, is back for the fourteenth installment of her series. This time she isn't doing as much bounty hunting as she is bodyguarding and babysitting. A famous singer is in town and Stephanie has been asked by Ranger to help with keeping her in line and on time. In her spare time she does look up one skip, Loretta, who asks Stephanie to take care of her teenage son while she's getting bonded out. This ends up lasting for much loner than expected and Stephanie has to live with a teenager in Morelli's house for quite a few days.

These books have become less about plot for me and more about how the characters interact with each other. These books still make me smile and are easy to plow through which I why I keep coming back to them. After I've read something heavy, these are a nice break.

First Line: "In my mind, my kitchen is filled with crackers and cheese, roast chicken leftovers, farm fresh eggs, and coffee beans ready to grind."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
Mystery

In the thirteenth installment of Stephanie Plum, this time Ranger asks Plum to put a listening device close to her ex-husband Dickie. Stephanie can hardly control her animosity towards him and manages to just long enough to plant the bug, then throttles him before stealing his desk clock. Shortly thereafter, Dickie disappears and not surprisingly Stephanie is the prime suspect. Morelli, Stephanie's on-again-off-again boyfriend, is a cop and knows it wasn't her but has to go through normal police procedure. Stephanie wants to take matters in to her own hand, which will involve destroyed cars and danger.

This book didn't have as many moments where I found myself laughing but it was still lots of fun. Though I really do wish that Morelli and Stephanie would make their "thing" a little more official and grow up a bit. These books also need more Bob. He's the cutest dog ever!

First Line: "For the last five minutes, I'd been parked outside my cousin Vinnie's bail bonds office in my crapola car, debating whether to continue on with my day, or return to my apartment and crawl back into bed."

Rating:
(4/5)

Monday, February 03, 2014

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Mystery

In the 12th book of the series, Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire, is back and trying to pick up the long list of criminals that haven't appeared for their court date. Then Stephanie runs in to Ranger's wife and she's not happy. Who knew Ranger had a wife? She knows that something is going on between Ranger and Stephanie and stays on Stephanie's tail, deciding that Stephanie will lead her to Ranger. But Ranger has left to Miami and soon there's news that his kid had been kidnapped. Stephanie tries to find out what is going on, with the help of on-again, off-again boyfriend Morelli.

These books are always such great pick-me-ups. Reading this book on the train, there was a page where I was shoving my face in to my scarf to stop from laughing out loud. Though in the past few books, it feels to me like Stephanie has been running from someone that wants to kill her. It would be nice if things got switched up a bit.

First Line: "When I was twelve years old I accidentally substituted salt for sugar in a cake recipe."

Rating:
(4/5)