Book Review: Thanksgiving

Author: Janet Evanovich
Title: Thanksgiving
Publisher: Harper Touch
Publish Date: Oct 31, 2006
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb:  When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families.

Review:  I've lost a lot of interest in the Stephanie Plum series, mostly because its 20 books in and I think its time for the characters to move on. That's why I love reading these reissues. They feel fresh, even though they were written well before Plum.

Evanovich writes funny so well and she did romance pretty well too, which makes me wonder why poor Stephanie has such issues.

Megan and Pat are an unlikely couple, thrown together by a runaway rabbit and a young mother who takes off without explanation. Megan does Pottery and Pat is a pediatrician just starting out, and he's oddly broke.

All the action takes place in Williamsburg around the holidays. Oh and neither of of them are good in the kitchen, which makes the traditional Thanksgiving that they want seem a bit far fetched, and funny.

They really fall for each other pretty quickly, but not without hijinks. I loved how Megan quickly fell for Timmy, especially since she was so anti-marriage.

Toss in a strange ex-boyfriend and you have a short, funny romance that is perfect for a lazy afternoon.

Janet, you need to go back to your romantic roots!

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: The Chase

Author: Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg
Title: The Chase
Publisher: Bantam
Publish Date: Feb 25, 2014
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling authors of The Heist, return in this action-packed, exciting adventure featuring master con artist Nicolas Fox and die-hard FBI agent Kate O’Hare. And this time around, things go from hot to nuclear when government secrets are on the line. Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals. Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back. Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills f their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad. A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.

Review:  The Fox & O'Hare series is a bit different from what I'm used to reading by Janet Evanovich, but it does leave me feeling like I'm having a case of deja vu. When you toss Lee Goldberg into the mix, Evanovich's crazy style ends up looking like a cross between several USA Network dramadies (Covert Affairs, Psych and White Collar)

Nick Fox is so much like Neil Caffrey that it is hard to believe I'm not reading a White Collar tie in book (except they don't write those ..at least I think they don't write those)

I think the highlight of the book is Boyd, the actor they hire to help with the cons. He's hysterical. He has that wacky crazy that you get in the Plum novels, kinda like Lula!

The book was full of action and Kate is definitely a kick butt kind of girl. More so, than any of Evanovich's other characters.

There's a lot of chemistry between Kate and Neil, but I can't picture them ever together, which is in a way kind of cool. There are too many love triangles in these books, and the way this series is written, I don't think romance between Kate and Neil would really work.

As for the con? It felt like it was going on and on and on. I knew when they completed the first part quickly that things were going to go wrong, and did they ever.

I'm going to file this series under guilty pleasure reading, even though I have no guilt about it. It was light fluffy fun.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Explosive Eighteen

Author: Janet Evanovich
Title: Explosive Eighteen
Publisher: Bantam
Publish Date: Nov 22, 2011
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.

Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead—and a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph he was supposed to be carrying.

Only one person has seen the missing photo: Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target. An FBI sketch artist helps Stephanie re-create the person in the photo, but Stephanie’s descriptive skills are lacking. Until she can improve them, she’ll need to watch her back.

Over at the bail bonds agency things are going from bad to worse. Vinnie’s temporary HQ has gone up in smoke. Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls for their largest skip yet. Lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment. And everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?

Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii. And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.

Review: Every so often I have to visit my old pal Stephanie Plum. I have to admit, 18 books have taken the sparkle off of Steph and the gang, but that doesn't mean I don't smile through the books.

It's been awhile since I visited Trenton, NJ, but I'm glad I took the time to read Explosive Eighteen. It was fun and funny and oddly, I don't think Stephanie had any cars blown up. When did that stop? OK, nothing gets blown up, but one of their skips...who Lula ends up hooking up with, sure likes to steal them, from her!

Not to worry, she still has a hard time doing her job, but what fun would it be if she actually could catch most of her skips? She also still hasn't decided between Morelli and Ranger, and to tell you the truth, I don't think I could decide either. I like the extra tension in this one that is a result of her Hawaiian vacation that went terribly wrong and leaves her with a tan line where a wedding ring used to be.

La La La...no spoilers...but the reason for that tan line is a little less satisfying than I was hoping, especially as things are a bit chilly from one of her two guys.

Then there's the matter of this photo that's getting her chased by lots of thugs and the FBI as well as an issue with Joyce. And of course there's a funeral or two. This book is a little light on Grandma Mazur and the rest of Steph's family, which is a little disappointing, because they really bring on the laughs, but when Grandma appears she always steals the show, especially with her friend Annie who makes love potions. (Lula and the love potion = hilarity!)

There's lots going on in this book, maybe too much, but it was still a good time and it has put me in the mood for more Plum.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Hot Stuff

Author: Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks
Title: Hot Stuff
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperback
Publish Date: April 3, 2007
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Dear Reader,

If you like hot men, hot action and hot attraction you're going to love this HOT new series! HOT STUFF introduces Cate Madigan, a Boston native from a large and crazy Irish family. Cate has far too much going on to get involved in extracurricular activities, like men and marriage. She spends all day in school, earning her teaching degree, and all night working as a bartender in Boston's South End. Ex-cop Kellen McBride has decided to make Cate's bar his nightly haunt. He likes Cate's sassy Irish spirit and wild red hair. He also has an ulterior motive for getting close to her. Cate has sworn off all things romantic, but when she comes home to a ransacked apartment, a roommate who has flown the coop, and a sleeping bullmastiff named Beast, Cate has no choice but to ask Kellen for help. Can Kate resist the charming Kellen McBride while keeping herself out of danger? Or will Kellen turn up the heat on Cate and everything in her life?

We know you'll have a blast with HOT STUFF!

Janet & Leanne

Review: Some books are meant to be read for the fun of reading. Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks is one of those books. Janet is stepping away from Stephanie Plum on this one, but she's not stepping away from a fun mystery/suspense story that is full of humor and some zany characters. Zany? What is zany anyway? Zany is Patrick Pugg who is always saying stuff like "Pugg thinks....." Pugg doesn't use the word "I" until, Cate's neighbor Julie offers to rearrange certain parts of his anatomy!

Then there's Kellen...He's a hot ex-cop looking for some stolen property that Cate's roommate, Marty, an awesome drag queen, might know about. He's totally hot, but even though he is..Pugg's strangeness eclipses him, because he's too normal. I do love the girl's nickname for him, Mr. Yummy.

Oh and the best part? Beast, the bull mastiff puppy that Marty bought.

I love that Janet's books always feature an animal..be it a dog..or a hamster...Animals make funny books funnier.

This is a fluffy fun good time read.

Rating:  4 flowers

Book Review: The Grand Finale

 
Author: Janet Evanovich

Title: The Grand Finale

Publisher: Spice

Publish Date: February 2009

Rating: 4 Stars

Book Blurb:  Berry Knudson had a talent for disaster, but when she climbed a tree to rescue a kitten, she wasn't prepared for the scrumptious hunk undressing in a nearby window, or her dive downward that smashed Jake Sawyer's pizza and won his heart! But was there room in her chaotic schedule for a risk-taking inventor with dreams? She took classes, delivered pizzas, and cared for three eccentric old ladies she rescued from the train station. But Jake thrived on a challenge, and he could be very inventive. Could he teach her there was time to make butterscotch pudding and let herself be loved?

Review: You can see the evolution of Plum in some of Janet's early romances that she wrote for the Loveswept line in the 80s. This one is particularly Plummy with cars getting stolen and smashed, and little old ladies running amuck! It all comes nicely packaged with the trademark Evanovich humor.

If you don't like a little or a lot of silliness in your books, you should stay away from these. There's nothing realistic about these books, just a whole lot of fun and laughter. Plus how can you not love a heroine with a name like Lidonberry Knudson? Berry for short!

Her love affair with Jake starts with a pizza delivery gone wrong and nothing really seems to go right afterward, except for the falling in love part. Her three little old lady friends that work in her pizza shop and live in her apartment kind of put a cramp to her style and when they move in with Jake after a series of unfortunate events...Jake takes matters into his own hands.

This books is all about laughing. The romance is there, but really, with an Evanovich novel, you don't pay much of attention to it. I think that's why you can still care about Ranger and Morelli after 16 books. The romance isn't that important. Its the zany antics and the cast of crazy characters that Janet creates.

Nothing is close to real life, but it is, if that makes sense. Its life exaggerated, and that's what makes her books fun. Oh and there's almost always an animal! In this book its a black cocker spaniel named Calamity Jane, who swallows a very expensive ring...and eats and poos at the drop of a hat.

This book was a real mood lifter! Definitely one for the keeper shelf, just like all of Janet's other books.

Book Review: Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Author: Janet Evanovich
Title: Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Publish Date: June 23, 2009
Rating: 5 Stars
Book Blurb: "Unbuckle your belt and pull up a chair. It's the spiciest, sauciest, most rib-sticking plum yet." "Recipe for disaster: Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head - literally." "Throw in some spice: Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she'll talk to is Trenton cop Joe Morelli." "Pump up the heat: Chipotle's sponsor is offering a million-dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers." "Stir the pot: Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah." "Add a secret ingredient: Stephanie Plum's Grandma Mazur. Enough said." "Bring to a boil: Stephanie Plum is working overtime tracking felons for the bonds office at night and snooping for security expert Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger, during the day. Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, and five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, and solve Ranger's problems and not jump his bones?" Warning: Habanero hot. So good you'll want seconds.

Review: Do you need to laugh? To really belly laugh and smile? If you do, pick up a copy of this book and start reading. There is something about Stephanie Plum's madcap antics that really draws you in, and this has to be one of Evanovich's best books in awhile. Book 15! And the characters don't get old, in fact, they feel like old friends you visit with once or twice a year.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen is all about Lula with a touch of Ranger thrown in to make things interesting. Actually a book that revolves around Lula has to be funny. The descriptions of her clothes alone will make you crack a smile and in this one she's got some yellow spandex! Plus she's making BBQ to catch a killer and she's doing it with Grandma Mazur! The thought of that combination should bring some smiles.

Like all Plum novels things get blown up. I think she loses at least 3 cars in this one! Note to self: when my next car gets old, hunt Steph down to get rid of it! Poor Ranger loses 2 Porsche Cayenne's in the space of 24 hours. That combined with a security breach @ Rangeman would be enough to make him cry, but not Ranger. This book does give a glimpse at some of his more human qualities.

Then there's the other man in Stephanie's life, Morelli. They're broken up in this one, but not for long, especially since he's on the case to see who killed the celebrity chef and who is trying to kill Lula!

This book was fun, fast paced and probably one of my favorite reads of the year. It had me in stitches in several places. Oh and for those of you that haven't read any Plum novels? Jump in and try one. That's the thing about these books, you don't have to read them in order, it helps but they stand alone quite nicely.

I can't wait to read the new one in the coming weeks!

Waiting On Wednesday

This meme is from Breaking The Spine spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Janet Evanovich - Sizzling Sixteen

From Books-A-Million

Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a "lucky" bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn't specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck. . . .

BAD LUCK:

Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

GOOD LUCK:

Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

BAD LUCK:

Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie's messing up Mooner's vibe, running up pay-per-view porn charges in Ranger's apartment, and making Stephanie question genetics.

GOOD LUCK:

Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, Mooner's Hobbit-Con charity event, and Uncle Pip's lucky bottle, they just might raise enough money to save the business, and Vinnie, from ruin.

BAD LUCK:

Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

GOOD LUCK:

The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton's hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous security expert, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip's lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky---the only question is . . . with whom?

"Sizzling Sixteen" . . . so hot, the pages might spontaneously combust.

Just one month to go! I can't believe I've read just about all of the Plum books!

It Was A Good Book Day

Let me first say that driving a BRAND NEW CHEVY COBALT even for 3 days is totally awesome. This car has less than 2000 miles on it. I've never ever driven anything that new.

So, I'm motoring along in the Cobalt, did I mention its red? Yes, its gorgeous and RED! I go to the gym like a good little girl. Then I head off to Goodwill aka: Best Used Bookstore in the area.

Lots of books but slim pickings if you are in the market for some romance, however I did find two great books.

The first one being a reprint of one of Janet Evanovich's novels for Loveswept called "The Grand Finale." I wonder if anyone has the originals? I bet those are worth a mint if they are in good condition.

This should tide me over until Sizzling Sixteen comes out in June. I'm super excited for that, because I love Stephanie Plum novels. Though I have to say I wouldn't mind a new "Metro Girl" books sometime soon.

The next book is one by Candace Camp called The Wedding Challenge. I love a good historical, and if its set in England, all the better.

The best thing about my purchases? The cost! I got both books for $2.10! You really can't beat that. I couldn't believe I found those two, because other than that, there really wasn't much to excite me in the book section of the store.

I've got lots to read. Now I just have to find more time to pick up these books. In fact, I need to finish reading Jen Lancaster's Bright Lights Big Ass, because, well, its fan-freaking-tastic and it makes me laugh until I pee myself!

Yeah TMI! But its such a good book!