Summary:
A collection of short personal stories and musings covering a variety of topics. Many have a historical slant to them. She talks about her secret love affair with the Godfather, her trip with her twin sister that followed the Cherokee Indians' Trail of Tears, curiosities over mixed tapes, a trip through Hoboken to search for Sinatra sentimentality, and more.
Thoughts:
The previous book I read by Ms. Vowell, was held together by a couple of strings that were woven throughout the book, namely the presidential assassination angle, and also that she only wrote about the three that had Lincoln's son inadvertently involved. This book feels much more disjointed. Very few stories have anything to do with each other, and even the book itself is split into several different sections. These are literally just a few stories and essays that Vowell seems to have written in the past that she and the publisher strung together to fill a two-hundred page book. Sure, some of it is interesting, including her talk of the Trail of Tears, and the writing itself isn't bad. It just doesn't feel like the book gels at all. Whatsoever. It's a thorough disappointment compared to her other book. To be fair, though, this particular book was released five years prior to the other, and maybe her skill at bringing topics together had improved greatly over that time. Unfortunately, that skill was not in evidence here. I'm honestly disappointed. What's worse, it took me so long to trudge through this book, the forgettable beginning was completely lost on me by the end, and I had to go back and remind myself what the early topics in the book were.
Book 49 of 50
Pages: 219
Genre: Non-fiction, some history
Grade: C-
Would I Recommend?: Eh. Assassination Vacation was far more interesting.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Lean Mean Thirteen (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter not-so-extraordinaire, is given one task. Plant a bug on her asshole ex-husband. But thanks to his asshole tendencies, Hurricane Stephanie whips through his office, leaving his shell-shocked staff in her homicidal wake. This isn't usually news, but Stephanie then has the misfortune of her ex going missing in the middle of the night, complete with gunshots and a blood trail. Guess who gets fingered for the crime. What's worse, her arch-nemesis Joyce, the woman that broke up her marriage in the first place, is not only sleeping with the jerk again, she won't leave Stephanie alone. With Morelli tied up with a case, Stephanie has to turn to Ranger for help in sorting out the whole mess, which could result in a wholly different kind of mess.
Thoughts:
This one was a good one. The whole way through the book, I was rooting for Stephanie and hoping she would be cleared of the murder. But knowing the characters as I do now, I was really not sorry to hear that the ex was in trouble and probably dead. Poor Steph, too, doesn't know what the hell to do about Ranger. She's hopelessly attracted to both him and Morelli, though Morelli's a much more stabilizing presence in her life, and she keeps getting thrown at Ranger, having to live in his space, being expected to share a bed with him, and having to fight the draw this man has for her. It's almost heartbreaking to see her struggle with this whole mess, but then she's really bringing a lot of it on herself with the work she does and the messes she allows herself to get into all the time. The twist near the end, too, is a fantastic one that makes total sense looking back on the clues, but sort of comes out of nowhere. I was honestly surprised by it, and while I won't say word one about what comes about, I will say it's absolutely worth checking this one out, just for the twist. Well done as always, Ms. E.
Book 48 of 50
Pages: 310
Genre: mystery with romantic undertones
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Definitely, though a lot of the anxiety and crazy of this one can only really be understood from reading the previous books. Not a good jumping-in point anymore.
Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter not-so-extraordinaire, is given one task. Plant a bug on her asshole ex-husband. But thanks to his asshole tendencies, Hurricane Stephanie whips through his office, leaving his shell-shocked staff in her homicidal wake. This isn't usually news, but Stephanie then has the misfortune of her ex going missing in the middle of the night, complete with gunshots and a blood trail. Guess who gets fingered for the crime. What's worse, her arch-nemesis Joyce, the woman that broke up her marriage in the first place, is not only sleeping with the jerk again, she won't leave Stephanie alone. With Morelli tied up with a case, Stephanie has to turn to Ranger for help in sorting out the whole mess, which could result in a wholly different kind of mess.
Thoughts:
This one was a good one. The whole way through the book, I was rooting for Stephanie and hoping she would be cleared of the murder. But knowing the characters as I do now, I was really not sorry to hear that the ex was in trouble and probably dead. Poor Steph, too, doesn't know what the hell to do about Ranger. She's hopelessly attracted to both him and Morelli, though Morelli's a much more stabilizing presence in her life, and she keeps getting thrown at Ranger, having to live in his space, being expected to share a bed with him, and having to fight the draw this man has for her. It's almost heartbreaking to see her struggle with this whole mess, but then she's really bringing a lot of it on herself with the work she does and the messes she allows herself to get into all the time. The twist near the end, too, is a fantastic one that makes total sense looking back on the clues, but sort of comes out of nowhere. I was honestly surprised by it, and while I won't say word one about what comes about, I will say it's absolutely worth checking this one out, just for the twist. Well done as always, Ms. E.
Book 48 of 50
Pages: 310
Genre: mystery with romantic undertones
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Definitely, though a lot of the anxiety and crazy of this one can only really be understood from reading the previous books. Not a good jumping-in point anymore.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Plum Lovin' (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
It's almost Valentine's Day. There's hardly anything going on at the bond office, and Stephanie's only case, Annie Hart, is being held out of her reach by none other than Diesel, Steph's slightly supernatural bud. The catch this time around is that Stephanie's got to play Cupid while Annie can't, while Diesel finds the guy that's so ticked off at Annie, he's going after her with a vengeance. Annie's in the "relationship specialist" business, and Diesel forces Stephanie to help the five schlubs that can't find love before Valentine's Day. Most are easy, but one of the poor schmucks is Stephanie's sister's boyfriend, who wants to BE married to her sister, but just can't get to the GETTING married part without passing out cold. It's a race with the clock to get these unhappy people to find their happily ever afters.
Thoughts:
More fun holiday mayhem with our buddy Diesel. You might remember him from Visions of Sugar Plums, the Christmas book from two months ago. He's back, with more vaguely supernatural hijinks to throw upon Stephanie. When Diesel is around, you know there's going to be something fun and holiday-related. This one's fun for Valentine's time but, having read it during September, it's still fun to read at any time of the year. It's a standard mystery, like the rest of the Plum series, but this time the romance doesn't circle entirely around Stephanie. Like the previous Between-The-Numbers book from Evanovich, it's short and sweet, though this one's got a little bit more meat to it. And who doesn't love a happy ending?
Book 47 of 50
Pages: 164
Genre: Mystery, romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Great little read for Valentine's time, though I'd try to keep it in order with the rest of the series... There might be some spoilers otherwise.
It's almost Valentine's Day. There's hardly anything going on at the bond office, and Stephanie's only case, Annie Hart, is being held out of her reach by none other than Diesel, Steph's slightly supernatural bud. The catch this time around is that Stephanie's got to play Cupid while Annie can't, while Diesel finds the guy that's so ticked off at Annie, he's going after her with a vengeance. Annie's in the "relationship specialist" business, and Diesel forces Stephanie to help the five schlubs that can't find love before Valentine's Day. Most are easy, but one of the poor schmucks is Stephanie's sister's boyfriend, who wants to BE married to her sister, but just can't get to the GETTING married part without passing out cold. It's a race with the clock to get these unhappy people to find their happily ever afters.
Thoughts:
More fun holiday mayhem with our buddy Diesel. You might remember him from Visions of Sugar Plums, the Christmas book from two months ago. He's back, with more vaguely supernatural hijinks to throw upon Stephanie. When Diesel is around, you know there's going to be something fun and holiday-related. This one's fun for Valentine's time but, having read it during September, it's still fun to read at any time of the year. It's a standard mystery, like the rest of the Plum series, but this time the romance doesn't circle entirely around Stephanie. Like the previous Between-The-Numbers book from Evanovich, it's short and sweet, though this one's got a little bit more meat to it. And who doesn't love a happy ending?
Book 47 of 50
Pages: 164
Genre: Mystery, romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Great little read for Valentine's time, though I'd try to keep it in order with the rest of the series... There might be some spoilers otherwise.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Twelve Sharp (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum, almost-average bounty hunter, finds herself the target of one Carmen Manoso, the self-proclaimed wife of Ranger, hottie extraordinaire and sometimes love interest of Stephanie herself. Carmen has found out that Stephanie has slept with Ranger, and wants revenge. Ranger's not around to dispute the claim, thanks to some "bad business" of his in Miami. Stephanie finds Crazy Carmen around every corner for a while. Days later, news gets out that Ranger's daughter has been kidnapped, and Ranger is the police's only suspect. And then Stephanie starts to wonder why Carmen's car, which has been watching the bond office where her friends Lula and Connie work (and where she gets handed her bounty assignments), hasn't moved in days. Stephanie peeks inside to see that Carmen's not in the driver's seat, and there's a body shaped lump in the trunk. Now that things are getting serious, Ranger happens to show up without his daughter, but with a suspected stalker coming after him, trying to BE him. And Stephanie is his next target...
Thoughts:
Really a great story. The stalker/wannabe is always a step ahead of not only the cops, but Ranger too, which is odd for him. This one sees Ranger moving himself into Steph's space for a change, and all the standard concern Steph has regarding Ranger vs. Joe Morelli is there in full force. Their concern for her safety trumps their fighting each other for her hand every time, but it's still always there for the two men, and poor Stephanie just has no idea who to choose. I'm starting to get used to this whole limbo thing she's got going on for her, though for her own sanity, she should probably make a decision some day... We all know, though, that it's never going to happen. Poor girl
Book 46 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: Mystery with a touch of romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Oh of course. This late in the series, though, I'll suggest reading more of the early books, so there's nothing missing when you get to this guy.
Stephanie Plum, almost-average bounty hunter, finds herself the target of one Carmen Manoso, the self-proclaimed wife of Ranger, hottie extraordinaire and sometimes love interest of Stephanie herself. Carmen has found out that Stephanie has slept with Ranger, and wants revenge. Ranger's not around to dispute the claim, thanks to some "bad business" of his in Miami. Stephanie finds Crazy Carmen around every corner for a while. Days later, news gets out that Ranger's daughter has been kidnapped, and Ranger is the police's only suspect. And then Stephanie starts to wonder why Carmen's car, which has been watching the bond office where her friends Lula and Connie work (and where she gets handed her bounty assignments), hasn't moved in days. Stephanie peeks inside to see that Carmen's not in the driver's seat, and there's a body shaped lump in the trunk. Now that things are getting serious, Ranger happens to show up without his daughter, but with a suspected stalker coming after him, trying to BE him. And Stephanie is his next target...
Thoughts:
Really a great story. The stalker/wannabe is always a step ahead of not only the cops, but Ranger too, which is odd for him. This one sees Ranger moving himself into Steph's space for a change, and all the standard concern Steph has regarding Ranger vs. Joe Morelli is there in full force. Their concern for her safety trumps their fighting each other for her hand every time, but it's still always there for the two men, and poor Stephanie just has no idea who to choose. I'm starting to get used to this whole limbo thing she's got going on for her, though for her own sanity, she should probably make a decision some day... We all know, though, that it's never going to happen. Poor girl
Book 46 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: Mystery with a touch of romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Oh of course. This late in the series, though, I'll suggest reading more of the early books, so there's nothing missing when you get to this guy.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Little Shop of Homicide (Denise Swanson)
Summary:
Devereaux Sinclair is a financial hot-shot turned small town shop keeper living in her tiny home town, whose storied past gets her accused by a vindictive detective from nearby Kansas City of the murder of her high school boyfriend's fiancee. Dev hasn't even seen her ex for years, let alone cared that he was getting married to someone else. Her grandmother, whose health is okay but mind is failing, decides to get the neighbor's hot grandson to help Dev out. It helps that grandson Jake is an injured deputy U.S. Marshall, and has the time to spare helping Dev out. Sparks fly when Jake is around, and Dev can't help but love spending time with him, even if her life is on the line...
Thoughts:
If you've read this blog much, you'll know that my opinion of Ms. Swanson has fallen recently, thanks to her other series, with Skye Denison in Scumble River, drastically reducing in quality. This book was not much better. In fact, it borders on worse, if I'm being honest. It was plain from the start that Devereaux was going to fall in love with someone coming along soon within the book. At first, I expected her love interest to be Detective Woods, because it was the first man she was to encounter, but he turned out to be a crazy S.O.B. that no one would want around for any extended length of time (or pages), so as soon as Dev spotted Jake walk in her store, I knew it was going to be him. It didn't help that her best friends told her she should start dating some man to get the detective off her trail, and then in walks a very handsome man whose sole purpose was to help her get out of trouble. Who wouldn't fall for that mess? It was very predictable, even the love scenes. I could tell when someone was about to walk in on them, because they were getting to into the idea of hooking up. Even the "other woman" scenario Swanson throws into the mix was easily figured. Jake gets a phone call- conveniently for Swanson, it comes right in the middle of their first make-out session- and Dev can hear it's a woman's voice, and who does it turn out to be? Jake's uninterested ex-wife. Predictable. Shamefully so. The worst part of the whole book, though, was the fact that it didn't actually end. It had a resolution to the crime, sure. But it ended with a paragraph full of questions. Why would you even bother with that if you were an author? Two reasons that I can see, both equally heinous: The first is padding the word count so that your publisher doesn't bitch that your book was under 250 pages. The second is so your readers don't have to read between the lines to remember which plot holes you left open. I find this one offensive thanks to the fact that it makes us as readers seem like unobservant asses, and it shows that she knows damn well that she's going to be writing more in the series, so why bother ending it cleanly? I doubt I'll pick up the next book in the series, unless I can get my hands on it for free, or very cheap.
Book 44 of 50
Pages: 250
Genre: An even split between mystery and romance
Grade: C+ at most
Would I Recommend?: Meh. It's a light read, easily breezed through in a few hours' reading time, but it's not especially fantastic. If you like Swanson's work, go for it. If not, you don't need to go there.
Devereaux Sinclair is a financial hot-shot turned small town shop keeper living in her tiny home town, whose storied past gets her accused by a vindictive detective from nearby Kansas City of the murder of her high school boyfriend's fiancee. Dev hasn't even seen her ex for years, let alone cared that he was getting married to someone else. Her grandmother, whose health is okay but mind is failing, decides to get the neighbor's hot grandson to help Dev out. It helps that grandson Jake is an injured deputy U.S. Marshall, and has the time to spare helping Dev out. Sparks fly when Jake is around, and Dev can't help but love spending time with him, even if her life is on the line...
Thoughts:
If you've read this blog much, you'll know that my opinion of Ms. Swanson has fallen recently, thanks to her other series, with Skye Denison in Scumble River, drastically reducing in quality. This book was not much better. In fact, it borders on worse, if I'm being honest. It was plain from the start that Devereaux was going to fall in love with someone coming along soon within the book. At first, I expected her love interest to be Detective Woods, because it was the first man she was to encounter, but he turned out to be a crazy S.O.B. that no one would want around for any extended length of time (or pages), so as soon as Dev spotted Jake walk in her store, I knew it was going to be him. It didn't help that her best friends told her she should start dating some man to get the detective off her trail, and then in walks a very handsome man whose sole purpose was to help her get out of trouble. Who wouldn't fall for that mess? It was very predictable, even the love scenes. I could tell when someone was about to walk in on them, because they were getting to into the idea of hooking up. Even the "other woman" scenario Swanson throws into the mix was easily figured. Jake gets a phone call- conveniently for Swanson, it comes right in the middle of their first make-out session- and Dev can hear it's a woman's voice, and who does it turn out to be? Jake's uninterested ex-wife. Predictable. Shamefully so. The worst part of the whole book, though, was the fact that it didn't actually end. It had a resolution to the crime, sure. But it ended with a paragraph full of questions. Why would you even bother with that if you were an author? Two reasons that I can see, both equally heinous: The first is padding the word count so that your publisher doesn't bitch that your book was under 250 pages. The second is so your readers don't have to read between the lines to remember which plot holes you left open. I find this one offensive thanks to the fact that it makes us as readers seem like unobservant asses, and it shows that she knows damn well that she's going to be writing more in the series, so why bother ending it cleanly? I doubt I'll pick up the next book in the series, unless I can get my hands on it for free, or very cheap.
Book 44 of 50
Pages: 250
Genre: An even split between mystery and romance
Grade: C+ at most
Would I Recommend?: Meh. It's a light read, easily breezed through in a few hours' reading time, but it's not especially fantastic. If you like Swanson's work, go for it. If not, you don't need to go there.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
You Have Seven Messages (Stewart Lewis)
Summary:
Luna has recently lost her mother, and when visiting her mother's old studio, she finds her mother's cell phone, and a man's cuff link she doesn't recognize. She checks the phone, and there are seven messages left on the phone. She is curious, and wants to figure out why there's a stranger's cuff link in her mother's studio, and why her dad isn't telling her everything. The cute boy across the street from her even offers to help solve the mystery. But will her whole world change when she finds out the truth?
Thoughts:
Very interesting. I really enjoyed this. Sure, Luna takes some really big risks, and should probably have not done all the things she did (she's only fourteen), but if she feels she's ready to know the things she winds up knowing, she's got a right to it. The book really deals with a teen that's not completely ready to let go of her mother yet, and is aided in that process by the messages she finds, and the people she meets along the way. The last few chapters are, I'll admit, a little weird. (She travels to Italy to get away from New York City and the things she finds out about her mother.) But it works out fairly well by the end. Sure, the book ends with a lot of open endings, but sometimes life doesn't get that happy ending we're always expecting, or even an ending at all. For once, this non-ending ending is not as offensive as many others I've encountered.
Book 43 of 50
Pages: 304
Genre: teen lit
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Sure, especially a teenager trying to deal with a loss.
Luna has recently lost her mother, and when visiting her mother's old studio, she finds her mother's cell phone, and a man's cuff link she doesn't recognize. She checks the phone, and there are seven messages left on the phone. She is curious, and wants to figure out why there's a stranger's cuff link in her mother's studio, and why her dad isn't telling her everything. The cute boy across the street from her even offers to help solve the mystery. But will her whole world change when she finds out the truth?
Thoughts:
Very interesting. I really enjoyed this. Sure, Luna takes some really big risks, and should probably have not done all the things she did (she's only fourteen), but if she feels she's ready to know the things she winds up knowing, she's got a right to it. The book really deals with a teen that's not completely ready to let go of her mother yet, and is aided in that process by the messages she finds, and the people she meets along the way. The last few chapters are, I'll admit, a little weird. (She travels to Italy to get away from New York City and the things she finds out about her mother.) But it works out fairly well by the end. Sure, the book ends with a lot of open endings, but sometimes life doesn't get that happy ending we're always expecting, or even an ending at all. For once, this non-ending ending is not as offensive as many others I've encountered.
Book 43 of 50
Pages: 304
Genre: teen lit
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Sure, especially a teenager trying to deal with a loss.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Eleven on Top (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum has had enough of the bounty hunter game. She's been kidnapped, spat on, shot at, had at least a dozen cars destroyed, and can't stand it anymore. She tries to get other jobs, but no matter what, something goes horribly wrong. Someone is after her, and doesn't want her to get back to the normal life she so desperately wants. Oh, and her love life is complicated as always.
Thoughts:
I love this series. This one has definitely not gotten old. I enjoy reading these every single time. Evanovich just has the voice right. She's got it all right. No wonder she's such a popular author. As I read, I could tel that she was having fun telling yet another ridiculous story about poor Steph. The storyline surprised me, even the ending, thanks to the masterful work of Ms E. The hits just keep on coming for Stephanie, and don't let up until the very end. Love this series.
Book 42 of 50
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery and romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: YES. Read the series. Fight through the hype, it's worth it.
Stephanie Plum has had enough of the bounty hunter game. She's been kidnapped, spat on, shot at, had at least a dozen cars destroyed, and can't stand it anymore. She tries to get other jobs, but no matter what, something goes horribly wrong. Someone is after her, and doesn't want her to get back to the normal life she so desperately wants. Oh, and her love life is complicated as always.
Thoughts:
I love this series. This one has definitely not gotten old. I enjoy reading these every single time. Evanovich just has the voice right. She's got it all right. No wonder she's such a popular author. As I read, I could tel that she was having fun telling yet another ridiculous story about poor Steph. The storyline surprised me, even the ending, thanks to the masterful work of Ms E. The hits just keep on coming for Stephanie, and don't let up until the very end. Love this series.
Book 42 of 50
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery and romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: YES. Read the series. Fight through the hype, it's worth it.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
How to Ditch Your Fairy (Justine Larbalestier)
Summary:
Charlie is a freshman in high school, in a magical place called New Avalon, where all the celebrities are cooler than everyone else in the world and are called "Ours," as in "Our Tom Hanks," or "Our Justin Bieber." And nearly everyone has a fairy. Different people's fairies help do different things. One of Charlie's best friends, Rochelle, has a "clothes shopping" fairy, the boy she's got a crush on has a "get out of trouble" fairy, and the girl she hates more than anything has an "every boy will like you no matter what" fairy. Charlie has a parking fairy, so that no matter where she goes, whether she's driving or not (which has always been a "not" because she can't yet drive), there will always be the perfect parking spot. Charlie gets sick of being used for her parking fairy's abilities, and has been walking everywhere for months, in the hopes that her fairy will go away since there's nothing for it to do. But it isn't working fast enough for her, and she keeps getting demerits from her super-strict school. If she can't find a way to get rid of her fairy, she might be expelled from school, and she doesn't want that. If only she knew what to do...
Thoughts:
Weird book. I thought it would be a little more fun than it was, but it turned out to be a little tedious. There were a few times I wondered where something was coming from, and why, but it wound up just being pretty mediocre. It is an interesting concept, but the main character is very selfish, and very self-centered, not to mention the town itself. (Apparently no one in New Avalon ever wants to leave because nothing else outside the town could nearly as wonderful as it is in New Avalon, and no one really thinks of anything from the outside, or knows anything from the outside. Strange.) The author creates a bunch of slang words for the book that are fairly stupid, and make the speakers sound strange. There's a glossary in the back, of course, because why wouldn't there be. I had been looking forward to this book for a while, in the hopes that it would be fun and worth the wait. It wasn't. I even had given this as an option for a book group at one point, but the idea was nixed for another book entirely. Thank goodness we didn't read this, because I would have been embarrassed for suggesting it. Boo.
Book 41 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: fantasy, teen lit
Grade: C
Would I Recommend?: Meh. Not really worth the time and effort.
Charlie is a freshman in high school, in a magical place called New Avalon, where all the celebrities are cooler than everyone else in the world and are called "Ours," as in "Our Tom Hanks," or "Our Justin Bieber." And nearly everyone has a fairy. Different people's fairies help do different things. One of Charlie's best friends, Rochelle, has a "clothes shopping" fairy, the boy she's got a crush on has a "get out of trouble" fairy, and the girl she hates more than anything has an "every boy will like you no matter what" fairy. Charlie has a parking fairy, so that no matter where she goes, whether she's driving or not (which has always been a "not" because she can't yet drive), there will always be the perfect parking spot. Charlie gets sick of being used for her parking fairy's abilities, and has been walking everywhere for months, in the hopes that her fairy will go away since there's nothing for it to do. But it isn't working fast enough for her, and she keeps getting demerits from her super-strict school. If she can't find a way to get rid of her fairy, she might be expelled from school, and she doesn't want that. If only she knew what to do...
Thoughts:
Weird book. I thought it would be a little more fun than it was, but it turned out to be a little tedious. There were a few times I wondered where something was coming from, and why, but it wound up just being pretty mediocre. It is an interesting concept, but the main character is very selfish, and very self-centered, not to mention the town itself. (Apparently no one in New Avalon ever wants to leave because nothing else outside the town could nearly as wonderful as it is in New Avalon, and no one really thinks of anything from the outside, or knows anything from the outside. Strange.) The author creates a bunch of slang words for the book that are fairly stupid, and make the speakers sound strange. There's a glossary in the back, of course, because why wouldn't there be. I had been looking forward to this book for a while, in the hopes that it would be fun and worth the wait. It wasn't. I even had given this as an option for a book group at one point, but the idea was nixed for another book entirely. Thank goodness we didn't read this, because I would have been embarrassed for suggesting it. Boo.
Book 41 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: fantasy, teen lit
Grade: C
Would I Recommend?: Meh. Not really worth the time and effort.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Murder of a Creped Suzette (Denise Swanson)
Summary:
Skye Denison, school psychologist and analyst for the local cops, manages to get her nose in everyone's business all the time. This time, Skye overhears a fight between a local country star and his manager over the cute little woman they've picked to be the star's opening act. Suzette, Miss Opening Act herself then asks Skye to help her find out what really happened the night her mother died. But before Skye can get much information out of Suzette, the starlet-to-be gets herself steamrolled. Literally. Now Skye finds herself needing to learn both who killed Suzette, and what happened to Suzette's mother, and of course Skye can't resist a good mystery.
Thoughts:
Ugh. This series is getting very tired. Sure, the storylines are still good mysteries, but getting Skye involved in them keeps getting more and more convoluted. I also tend to want to smack Skye upside the head more often now. I'm finding that in some series, I get more annoyed with the characters as time goes on, and I think that might be the case with this series as well. But if you're still okay to muddle your way through this series, more power to you. I think I'm done.
Book 40 of 50
Pages: 272
Genre: mystery with a hint of romance
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: The series started out well, but has gone downhill for me. If you've liked the series so far, though, go for it.
Skye Denison, school psychologist and analyst for the local cops, manages to get her nose in everyone's business all the time. This time, Skye overhears a fight between a local country star and his manager over the cute little woman they've picked to be the star's opening act. Suzette, Miss Opening Act herself then asks Skye to help her find out what really happened the night her mother died. But before Skye can get much information out of Suzette, the starlet-to-be gets herself steamrolled. Literally. Now Skye finds herself needing to learn both who killed Suzette, and what happened to Suzette's mother, and of course Skye can't resist a good mystery.
Thoughts:
Ugh. This series is getting very tired. Sure, the storylines are still good mysteries, but getting Skye involved in them keeps getting more and more convoluted. I also tend to want to smack Skye upside the head more often now. I'm finding that in some series, I get more annoyed with the characters as time goes on, and I think that might be the case with this series as well. But if you're still okay to muddle your way through this series, more power to you. I think I'm done.
Book 40 of 50
Pages: 272
Genre: mystery with a hint of romance
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: The series started out well, but has gone downhill for me. If you've liked the series so far, though, go for it.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Ten Big Ones (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum can't seem to keep herself out of trouble. When she and Lula go out for lunch, they spot a robbery in progress, one of a series of them of the past few weeks, and Steph manages to get a look at the guy who did it, something no one else has done. The man she spotted is part of one of Trenton's most scary gangs, and they come after her with a vengeance. What else is new? It doesn't help that Ranger, one of the biggest and scariest men Steph's ever met, is on an assignment out of the country. Steph's in a fight with her on-again-off-again, Joe Morelli, too, so she's got little to no place she feels safe. What's a poor girl to do?
Thoughts:
Wonderful as always. Janet Evanovich has yet to get stale in this series. Where I was complaining about a lack of surprises in my post last week, this week it's nothing but good. Evanovich brings it all to the table again and again, and this installment is no exception. Sure, I wish Steph would make up her mind already about which man she likes best, but breaking up that love triangle would really suck some of the fun out of these books. Keep up the great work, Miss Janet. Can't wait to read more!
Book 39 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: mystery/romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Yes. For sure!!
Stephanie Plum can't seem to keep herself out of trouble. When she and Lula go out for lunch, they spot a robbery in progress, one of a series of them of the past few weeks, and Steph manages to get a look at the guy who did it, something no one else has done. The man she spotted is part of one of Trenton's most scary gangs, and they come after her with a vengeance. What else is new? It doesn't help that Ranger, one of the biggest and scariest men Steph's ever met, is on an assignment out of the country. Steph's in a fight with her on-again-off-again, Joe Morelli, too, so she's got little to no place she feels safe. What's a poor girl to do?
Thoughts:
Wonderful as always. Janet Evanovich has yet to get stale in this series. Where I was complaining about a lack of surprises in my post last week, this week it's nothing but good. Evanovich brings it all to the table again and again, and this installment is no exception. Sure, I wish Steph would make up her mind already about which man she likes best, but breaking up that love triangle would really suck some of the fun out of these books. Keep up the great work, Miss Janet. Can't wait to read more!
Book 39 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: mystery/romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Yes. For sure!!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Swan for the Money (Donna Andrews)
Summary:
Meg Langslow has a crazy family that always gets her stuck into crazy situations. This is yet another of them. Her parents decide to get into raising and cultivating roses, and Meg's overbearing, doesn't-hear-the-word-no mother nags Meg into running the annual rose show, on the estate of a crazy woman who insists that her entire home, and every animal on her property be in black and white only. Of course someone ends up dead. Shocker. Especially when not only Meg finds the body, but then figures out who's the killer. Again.
Thoughts:
Boy, Ms. Andrews, Meg is really good at solving mysteries. Why isn't she a cop yet? Oh right, because she's a blacksmith. To be honest, I'm starting to tire of this series. Unless there's something really spectacular that comes out of the next book or so, I'm done. The writing is still pretty good, but it's getting much more predictable. And to be honest, I tried a couple times before I was able to actually get into this one. Not a good sign. I guess it's good for the series, but I guess after eleven books, she gets a little tired of creating a new way for Meg to get involved in the whole mess.
Book 38 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: mystery
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: Meh. If you've made it this far into the series, you might as well finish it, right?
Meg Langslow has a crazy family that always gets her stuck into crazy situations. This is yet another of them. Her parents decide to get into raising and cultivating roses, and Meg's overbearing, doesn't-hear-the-word-no mother nags Meg into running the annual rose show, on the estate of a crazy woman who insists that her entire home, and every animal on her property be in black and white only. Of course someone ends up dead. Shocker. Especially when not only Meg finds the body, but then figures out who's the killer. Again.
Thoughts:
Boy, Ms. Andrews, Meg is really good at solving mysteries. Why isn't she a cop yet? Oh right, because she's a blacksmith. To be honest, I'm starting to tire of this series. Unless there's something really spectacular that comes out of the next book or so, I'm done. The writing is still pretty good, but it's getting much more predictable. And to be honest, I tried a couple times before I was able to actually get into this one. Not a good sign. I guess it's good for the series, but I guess after eleven books, she gets a little tired of creating a new way for Meg to get involved in the whole mess.
Book 38 of 50
Pages: 320
Genre: mystery
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: Meh. If you've made it this far into the series, you might as well finish it, right?
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Visions of Sugar Plums (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, is given one task this Christmas. Bring in toy shop owner Sandy Claws. Thanks to this case, and all her others that have been keeping her busy, Steph hasn't found the time to get herself into the Christmas spirit. That's where Diesel comes in. Who's Diesel, you say? You who have read all Evanovich's other fantastic novels about one Stephanie Plum... Diesel, friends, is a vaguely supernatural character that pops in and out of Stephanie's life occasionally, apparently only in the Between-The-Numbers addenda that have been published outside of the usual numbered titles in the Plum series. What follows Diesel's appearance is a holiday-related adventure that follows Stephanie as she and Diesel try to find Sandy, and hopefully save Christmas.
Thoughts:
This tiny little tidbit of a book, more a novella at most, is really a fun little thing. This book is actually meant to come between books eight and nine in the series, though I read it between eleven and twelve. You're seeing this post a little out of reading-order for me, (hence the "45 of 50" below instead of "38 of 50") so that people who are trying to keep up with me can stay almost close to the right order. That being said, onward... The book reads VERY quickly. I think I was through it in a matter of five or six hours. Diesel is so much fun. Stephanie seems to like him, even if he does seem to come and go startlingly quickly. It's nice to see Evanovich play a little with the supernatural, even if it is barely so. If you like this series, I highly suggest catching the Between-The-Numbers set of books as well as the rest. It's the same set of characters, with the addition of Diesel, and they're looking to be fun little trips down Holiday Lane. Grab it and enjoy. You won't be sorry, and even if you are, it's not like it'll take you all that long.
Book 45 of 50
Pages: 149
Genre: Mystery, holiday related
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. It's a quick read. It'll take you no more than a few hours.
Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, is given one task this Christmas. Bring in toy shop owner Sandy Claws. Thanks to this case, and all her others that have been keeping her busy, Steph hasn't found the time to get herself into the Christmas spirit. That's where Diesel comes in. Who's Diesel, you say? You who have read all Evanovich's other fantastic novels about one Stephanie Plum... Diesel, friends, is a vaguely supernatural character that pops in and out of Stephanie's life occasionally, apparently only in the Between-The-Numbers addenda that have been published outside of the usual numbered titles in the Plum series. What follows Diesel's appearance is a holiday-related adventure that follows Stephanie as she and Diesel try to find Sandy, and hopefully save Christmas.
Thoughts:
This tiny little tidbit of a book, more a novella at most, is really a fun little thing. This book is actually meant to come between books eight and nine in the series, though I read it between eleven and twelve. You're seeing this post a little out of reading-order for me, (hence the "45 of 50" below instead of "38 of 50") so that people who are trying to keep up with me can stay almost close to the right order. That being said, onward... The book reads VERY quickly. I think I was through it in a matter of five or six hours. Diesel is so much fun. Stephanie seems to like him, even if he does seem to come and go startlingly quickly. It's nice to see Evanovich play a little with the supernatural, even if it is barely so. If you like this series, I highly suggest catching the Between-The-Numbers set of books as well as the rest. It's the same set of characters, with the addition of Diesel, and they're looking to be fun little trips down Holiday Lane. Grab it and enjoy. You won't be sorry, and even if you are, it's not like it'll take you all that long.
Book 45 of 50
Pages: 149
Genre: Mystery, holiday related
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. It's a quick read. It'll take you no more than a few hours.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
To the Nines (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum gets handed a new and different kind of case from her boss, a bond out for a guy who promised to leave the country in a week. It's a new kind of bond, and there's been some publicity surrounding it, and Vinnie, Steph's boss, doesn't want it to blow up in his face. The problem is, the guy's now missing. Vinnie teams her with Ranger and demands that the guy is found before he needs to leave the country. Morelli, Steph's on-again guy, is not too pleased with the idea of her and Ranger working together, but he's dealing with it. Steph is forced to move in with Morelli temporarily, thanks to some creep that decides to stalk her. Oh, and Steph and her sidekick Lula wind up in Vegas for a day. More fun and games for Stephanie!
Thoughts:
Another good one. The plot is wonderfully twisty, though when the full idea of the plot was revealed, I had the right person pegged almost immediately. It was wonderful as usual, though. Who doesn't love a good murder plot, especially when there's stalking and creepiness involved! I continue to appreciate Stephanie's relationship with Morelli, too. They're a good pair, if only Stephanie would stop drooling in Ranger's direction. I've always been a one-man-woman, though, so I suppose I shouldn't judge. As I said, though, another fun book. Only nine more to get through!
Book 37 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: Mystery-romance hybrid
Grade: A-/B+
Would I Recommend?: Read the series. Love it.
Stephanie Plum gets handed a new and different kind of case from her boss, a bond out for a guy who promised to leave the country in a week. It's a new kind of bond, and there's been some publicity surrounding it, and Vinnie, Steph's boss, doesn't want it to blow up in his face. The problem is, the guy's now missing. Vinnie teams her with Ranger and demands that the guy is found before he needs to leave the country. Morelli, Steph's on-again guy, is not too pleased with the idea of her and Ranger working together, but he's dealing with it. Steph is forced to move in with Morelli temporarily, thanks to some creep that decides to stalk her. Oh, and Steph and her sidekick Lula wind up in Vegas for a day. More fun and games for Stephanie!
Thoughts:
Another good one. The plot is wonderfully twisty, though when the full idea of the plot was revealed, I had the right person pegged almost immediately. It was wonderful as usual, though. Who doesn't love a good murder plot, especially when there's stalking and creepiness involved! I continue to appreciate Stephanie's relationship with Morelli, too. They're a good pair, if only Stephanie would stop drooling in Ranger's direction. I've always been a one-man-woman, though, so I suppose I shouldn't judge. As I said, though, another fun book. Only nine more to get through!
Book 37 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: Mystery-romance hybrid
Grade: A-/B+
Would I Recommend?: Read the series. Love it.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Full House (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Nick is a riding instructor and newspaper mogul with tons of money. Billie is a divorced mother of two with a bug problem and an empty house while the kids are with their dad. In the first ten pages, you know these two are going to wind up sleeping together, no matter how much Billie protests. But first, Nick cons Billie into letting his annoying cousin Deedee live with her for two weeks before Deedee gets married. Nick's taking care of Deedee's little brother Max, who likes blowing things up to get Nick's attention. In classic romance novel fashion, after sleeping together twice, Nick and Billie are hopelessly in love and there's almost immediately talk of marriage and happily ever after. Some minor trouble appears when there are a string of break-ins in Billie's neighborhood, a persistent bug problem that the bug man can't get rid of, and things start blowing up at Nick's, and it isn't just Max. When the kids get home early, the situation gets more complicated, and Billie and Nick have to figure out how to deal with it all.
Thoughts:
Honestly, not one of Evanovich's best. It's one of Evanovich's early books, published originally in '89, and it showcases her early talent for spinning a story, but not much with her actual prose. It's stiffly written, and the particular copy that I had included several glaring editing mistakes. (Nick is called Neil for a couple paragraphs on the same page as he's called Nick, and Billie's son Joel is called Joey for two full pages.) The prose really sounds like someone testing out the writing waters which, of course, she was at the time of the original writing. Honestly disappointing compared to her later work in the Plum series. Thank goodness Evanovich got more into the mystery end of the writing and didn't stick with the romance. There is a little mystery in this particular book, which is a minor redeeming quality, though it could have been a little less obvious who was actually making the mischief.
Book 36 of 50
Pages: 334
Genre: Romance, with hints of mystery
Grade: C+
Would I Recommend?: Eh. If you want to see how Evanovich handled a romance pre-Plum, or want to be an Evanovich completionist, go for it. Otherwise, find a better romance novel in the Romance section of your local bookstore.
Nick is a riding instructor and newspaper mogul with tons of money. Billie is a divorced mother of two with a bug problem and an empty house while the kids are with their dad. In the first ten pages, you know these two are going to wind up sleeping together, no matter how much Billie protests. But first, Nick cons Billie into letting his annoying cousin Deedee live with her for two weeks before Deedee gets married. Nick's taking care of Deedee's little brother Max, who likes blowing things up to get Nick's attention. In classic romance novel fashion, after sleeping together twice, Nick and Billie are hopelessly in love and there's almost immediately talk of marriage and happily ever after. Some minor trouble appears when there are a string of break-ins in Billie's neighborhood, a persistent bug problem that the bug man can't get rid of, and things start blowing up at Nick's, and it isn't just Max. When the kids get home early, the situation gets more complicated, and Billie and Nick have to figure out how to deal with it all.
Thoughts:
Honestly, not one of Evanovich's best. It's one of Evanovich's early books, published originally in '89, and it showcases her early talent for spinning a story, but not much with her actual prose. It's stiffly written, and the particular copy that I had included several glaring editing mistakes. (Nick is called Neil for a couple paragraphs on the same page as he's called Nick, and Billie's son Joel is called Joey for two full pages.) The prose really sounds like someone testing out the writing waters which, of course, she was at the time of the original writing. Honestly disappointing compared to her later work in the Plum series. Thank goodness Evanovich got more into the mystery end of the writing and didn't stick with the romance. There is a little mystery in this particular book, which is a minor redeeming quality, though it could have been a little less obvious who was actually making the mischief.
Book 36 of 50
Pages: 334
Genre: Romance, with hints of mystery
Grade: C+
Would I Recommend?: Eh. If you want to see how Evanovich handled a romance pre-Plum, or want to be an Evanovich completionist, go for it. Otherwise, find a better romance novel in the Romance section of your local bookstore.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Hard Eight (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, gets roped into going on the hunt for a woman and her daughter who have gone on the run to get away from her crazy husband and his mob-ish connections. Stephanie quickly realizes that it's not just because the woman's husband is nuts, there is something wholly else going on, and Steph is determined to figure it out. The tough spot with this particular case is that Stephanie runs into another bounty hunter from another agency who is looking for the same mother and daughter. This other bounty hunter just happens to be someone who may or may not have had a fling with Ranger, so of course Steph's jealous meter goes off the charts. And she and Ranger aren't even a thing... Are they? Steph's on-again-off-again, Morelli, would like to think not.
Thoughts:
It was definitely another good one. (Shocker, right?) I am really enjoying this series. They're the kind of summer reading books that make you want to read the whole entire series over the course of a few weeks. I've been trying to pace myself, but boy it's rough. These books are fun, and they're so quintessentially New Jersey. I recognize at least one mentioned location every book, and definitely recognize the character profiles. This one is a little more serious than most, I felt, but there's enough that you can't help but love it. When do I not suggest you get your hands on an Evanovich book? Never. Keep going with the series. It hasn't failed me yet, nor will it fail you. Enjoy.
Book 35 of 50
Pages: 326
Genre: Mystery with a side of romance
Grade: A-/B+
Would I Recommend?: Read this series. It's ridiculously fun. And there's plenty of it to enjoy, considering there's another ten books after this one!
Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, gets roped into going on the hunt for a woman and her daughter who have gone on the run to get away from her crazy husband and his mob-ish connections. Stephanie quickly realizes that it's not just because the woman's husband is nuts, there is something wholly else going on, and Steph is determined to figure it out. The tough spot with this particular case is that Stephanie runs into another bounty hunter from another agency who is looking for the same mother and daughter. This other bounty hunter just happens to be someone who may or may not have had a fling with Ranger, so of course Steph's jealous meter goes off the charts. And she and Ranger aren't even a thing... Are they? Steph's on-again-off-again, Morelli, would like to think not.
Thoughts:
It was definitely another good one. (Shocker, right?) I am really enjoying this series. They're the kind of summer reading books that make you want to read the whole entire series over the course of a few weeks. I've been trying to pace myself, but boy it's rough. These books are fun, and they're so quintessentially New Jersey. I recognize at least one mentioned location every book, and definitely recognize the character profiles. This one is a little more serious than most, I felt, but there's enough that you can't help but love it. When do I not suggest you get your hands on an Evanovich book? Never. Keep going with the series. It hasn't failed me yet, nor will it fail you. Enjoy.
Book 35 of 50
Pages: 326
Genre: Mystery with a side of romance
Grade: A-/B+
Would I Recommend?: Read this series. It's ridiculously fun. And there's plenty of it to enjoy, considering there's another ten books after this one!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)