Takedown Twenty

Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Stephanie Plum is back and hot on the trail of a local Godfather who also happens to be the godfather of her on again off again boyfriend Joe Morelli. As usual she is in way over her head; she is dodging bullets, killers, Morelli's grandmother, Ranger and a giraffe. If she can make it through with out destroying to many cars she may just make it through the day.

Can I just say as much as I love Stephanie and her side kicks, the series is getting a little old. It has all the same bizarre story lines and wacky characters as the previous books in the series but I didn't laugh out loud anymore. I barely crack a smile. There are still funny parts but I just feel like we have been here done that and I want something new and fun.

I want Stephanie to grow as a person, I want her to choose between Morelli and Ranger (Morelli). I want LuLu to find love. I want Connie to take over the Bonds office. I want Vinnie...I don't know what I want Vinnie to do but something besides hide in his office all the time.

I just want something more from one of my favorite characters...she seems to be stalled out in life and while I have changed and matured it would be nice if she did also.

I know that Evanovich has contracted to write at least 22 books and lets cross our fingers that she finally ends the series, with Stephanie and Morelli together of course.


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Notorious Nineteen

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Stephanie Plum is once again in over her head. A high-level skip is missing, along with the money he stole from a nursing home and Ranger, for once, need Stephanie's help solving a mystery.

I have to say this was not my favorite Stephanie Plum novel. I felt like the laughs were a little slow in coming, the sex was less than steamy, and it just felt tired and done before. Don't get me wrong, there were some funny moments. The whole scenario with the Tiki was a little fun. I just didn't laugh out loud like I normally do (and in the past I have busted a gut laughing).

Part of me wishes Evanovich would end the series or at least take it on a wild new spin that readers really hate just for something a little different. For more years than I can remember (or will admit out loud) I have loved the Stephanie Plum series. Now I'm feeling a little and down and hoping the next book is much better.

At least I can still fantasize about Joe Morelli.


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One for the Money

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read this book several times. This time I decided to reread it just in time for the release of the movie. This book still makes me laugh. I am not writing a summary of the plot. If you haven't read this book yet then get on it.

The thing that stuck in my mind this time around was that part of the reason Vinnie gave Stephanie FTAs to track down (besides Stephanie blackmailing Vinnie's) was that Morty Byers was in the hospital with a ruptured appendix.

In the past when I read it was a funny little side story that meant nothing (especially after Morty Byers was blown up along with Joe's jeep). But now the part were he is all hunched over at Stephanie's apartment getting his paperwork back on his FTAs had me laughing. Probably because I have been there done that...recently. I to was sightly hunched over returning to work a week after my appendix ruptured and the surgery that followed. I wasn't looking for people who had skipped bail but sitting in the office was unpleasant.

I guess no matter how many times you read One for the Money you will find a new something to laugh at.

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The Trouble with Magic

The Trouble With Magic by Madelyn Alt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maggie O'Neil's life has never been what you call spectacular or exciting. She has a job she hates, in the town she grew up in and no love life to speak about. Then one day while procrastinating on her way to work she stumbles upon a quaint antique shop and meets the owner Felicity Dow's who immediately offers her a job. Now Maggie is working in an antique store and her new boss is a witch. Then her boss is accused of killing someone and Maggie is determined to proof her boss is innocent.

What a cute little book! I loved the writer’s dialogue between characters, while reading it I felt like I was part of a conversation with friends. I really liked that I was truly in the dark about the murderer's identity until Maggie figured it out herself. This is a book I would recommend to my mom a nice little cozy mystery

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At Risk

At Risk by Patricia Cornwell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A Massachusetts state investigator Winston is ordered back from training by his boss, the district attorney to showcase new crime initiative called At Risk. She wants to employ some cutting edge DNA testing in a 20 year old murder. But before he can start investigating his boss is brutally attacked, rape and obviously an attempt was made on her life. Winston things it’s not a random event. He things someone is targeting his boss. What he doesn’t know is if it is personal or professional. And things are only getting worse.

I didn’t like this book at all. The characters were not engaging and honestly I found them annoying. The mystery did not appeal to me and I truly didn’t care who was behind everything. I was disappoint in Patricia Cornwell I have in the past enjoyed her books a lot.

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Royal Flush

Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lady Georgiana's clients have all fled the city for better weather. To help keep her in tea she decided to hire herself out as a dinner companion & is immediately in over her head. After a narrow escape from a very bad dinner date Georgiana is banished to Scotland and she has a secret assignment. Someone is trying to harm the Royal Family (on vacation in Scotland) and as an insider she is asked to report anything suspicious. Soon there is a series of accident involving Binky, The Prince of Wales and Georgie herself. Now Georgie needs to discover who is behind all these "accidents" before someone gets killed.

Another fun book in the A Royal Spyness Mystery series! Georgie is a great character who takes your mind off the world as you become part of hers.

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A Royal Pain

A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lady Georgina 34th in line for the throne of England is still hanging in there cleaning the houses of her peers of course in disguise. Now the Queen of England wants her to host a German Princess in the hopes that her playboy son will be interested in her. But Georgie is penniless and has no servants how can she possibly complete this task...by blackmailing her brother Binky to send money and talking her non-royal Grandfather and his neighbor into playing butler and cook. Unfortunately Georgie and the Princess find the body of a young member of the Communist party. To avoid an international scandal that could led to another World War Georgie needs to solve the crime, keep the Princess save and keep The King and Queen of England from being assassinated.

Another fun adventure with Georgie! Even though the body count is adding up this is a light hearted fun series that I have really enjoyed reading.

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Her Royal Spyness

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie of Glen Garry and Rannoch or Georgie is thirty-fourth in line for the throne. Not that it matters she's still 21 single and broke. Not wanting to marry the foreign prince her family (as in the King and Queen of England) want her to marry Georgie leaves the family home in Scotland and runs away to London. Of course penniless in London is worse than penniless in Scotland. So Georgie does the only thing she can starts a domestic service under a false name. Keeping it a secret from The Family is harder than she thought especially when the Queen calls on Georgie to spy on her son the Prince of Wales. But then a body is found in the tub of her family home implicating her dense but sweet natured brother Binky. Now Georgie needs to solve the murder before her brother is hanged.

Her Royal Spyness is the 1st in the series A Royal Spyness. This was a fun sweet quirky book. As far as I can tell very historically accurate since it takes place in 1931. The banter between Georgie and her friends was delight to read. I have devoured the 1st 3 books in this series in a matter of days. Nothing heavy or intense and I would recommend it to my mom.

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Wicked Appetite

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Diesel is back, hotter than ever and in his own book. Elizabeth Tucker has a special gift beyond making the worldest best cupcakes. She is an unmentionable able to find powerful artifacts only she doesn’t know it until Diesel walks into the bakery shop she works in Salem Massachusetts. Diesel needs her help finding the Seven Deadly Sin Stones before they fall into the wrong hands.

Janet Evanovich brings forth a funny engaging tale like only she can. It’s a fun lighthearted adventure that I hope is the beginning of a new series by Ms. Evanovich.

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