Twisted Twenty-Six by Janet Evanovich

Twisted Twenty-Six by Janet Evanovich, 302 pages

I cannot believe this is Janet's twenty sixth Stephanie Plum book and I can't believe I am still reading them!  This book is more of the same.  Stephanie Plum has a car destroyed, cases to solve, and romance issues with Joe and Ranger.

Look Alive Twenty Five by Janet Evanovich

Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich, 311 pages

In this latest Stephanie Plum book, we find bounty hunter Stephanie Plum still in the latest predicaments.  Her boss now has her managing the Red River Deli after three managers turn up missing.  Accompanied by her side kick Lula, Stephanie is not only managing the deli, she is trying to solve the mystery of who kidnapped the missing managers on top of her regular bounty hunting duties.  I thought this book was better than the last Stephanie Plum book, but still quite repetitive in the story line.  Stephanie still has the same old problems with being torn between detective Joe Morelli and hot guy Ranger.  A quick and entertaining read.

Hardcore Twenty Four by Janet Evanovich

Hardcore Twenty Four by Janet Evanovich, 304 pages

I listened to this as an audiobook.  I was very disappointed in this book.  I really think Janet Evanovich is just dragging out this series featuring Stephanie Plum as a bounty hunter who goes through cars like water.  It is frustrating after 24 novels, Stephanie cannot commit to a man.  She leans towards Joe Morelli, but then is also attracted to Ranger.  And, in this latest book, hunky man Diesel is back.  While being pulled between three men, Stephanie and Lula are trying to find who is dumping body parts around town.  Maybe this book is called Hardcore because it is only for hardcore fans. 

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich, 288 pages

In this latest Stephanie Plum mystery, Stephanie again finds herself in the same dilemmas.  After twenty three novels, Stephanie still finds herself trying to chose between comfortable love Joe Morelli or exciting man of mystery Ranger.  Though, Stephanie, along with her partner Lula, finds herself caught up in her exciting career as bounty hunter.  This time she finds herself in a very cold place, solving the murders of an ice cream factory and find out who is trying to take down the business.  I always wonder when will this series end and who will Stephanie end up with.

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich, 312 pages

Stephanie Plum is back at it in book 10 of the Plum series.  I kind of jumped around reading this series.  But, I think as long as you read the first one in the series. you can read these in any order. In Ten Big Ones, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum finds herself stuck in the usual dilemmas of having her car blow up and trying to choose between Ranger and Joe Morelli.  When the local deli mart is robbed by a Trenton street gang, Stephanie finds herself in a dangerous situation.  Who will come to her rescue?

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich, 292 pages

In the twenty second Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich, we find Stephanie still working for her cousin Vinnie as a bails bondwoman. Stephanie still is torn between love interests Joe Morelli and Ranger.  In her newest adventure, Stephanie is chasing Gobbles and has to find out what is going on at the Zeta Fraternity at Kiltman College.  This was an entertaining read, but I felt this series is getting too repetitive.

Top Secret Twenty-one by Janet Evanovich

Top Secret Twenty-one
By Janet Evanovich
341 pages


Stephanie is back with as much bad luck as ever, look forward to more explosions and naked runaways. Stephanie is getting a little predictable but it is impossible to not finish the series.

Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich

Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich - 341 pages
Stephanie Plum Series Book 21

I'm trying to decide if my ambivalence towards this book came from my mood while reading it or from the book itself.  I'm starting to get frustrated with this series because they are all starting to read as the same book.  The characters never seem to learn from what happens in their lives and just keep treading the same paths.  It's no surprise that this book involves Stephanie feeling torn between Ranger and Morelli plus buildings and cars explode.  Stephanie of course gets involved in a larger conspiracy while trying to fulfill her duties of capturing people who have skipped their bond. 

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich, 324 pages

I must say I do find Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books to be very entertaining reads.  I like to read the Stephanie Plum books when I need a light read between heavier reading.  Her books are light reads that give you a good laugh.  Stephanie is such a delightful "mess".  I love her character.  I recently read Takedown Twenty, the newest in the Stephanie Plum series.  I had read eighteen and nineteen and have skipped around a bit in the series, but in my opinion, it does not really matter.  Each book introduces the reader to the characters.  In book Seventeen, Stephanie must find who is killing and dumping bodies in front of her cousin Vinnie's bail bond office. Meanwhile, Stephanie is still torn between Ranger and Morelli, but both seem to win in this book.

Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich

Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich, 302 pages

This is Janet Evanovich's latest novel in the Stephanie Plum series.  I loved this book.  It was a light, fun mystery that does not take itself too seriously.  In Takedown Twenty, Stephanie finds herself torn between her boyfriend, Morelli, and the hot hunk who always comes to her rescue, Ranger.  Stephanie is on the hunt for Uncle Sunny who has skipped out on his bond and is wanted on some pretty serious charges.  While looking for Uncle Sunny, Stephanie has to find the person who is murdering Bingo Grandmas and dumping their bodies in dumpsters around town. So, Stephanie and Lulu go under cover playing bingo and trying to find the killer.  I enjoy these Stephanie Plum books so much, but I wish Stephanie would choose a man.  The rate she is going, it may take another 20 books!

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich, 311 pages

In the most recent Stephanie Plum book, Stephanie has the usual problems.
Her car explodes, and she continues to be torn between Ranger and  Joe Morelli, all while chasing felons to earn her way.  People continue to be able to break in to her apartment without her knowing.  Eventually, you think she will get a stronger lock for her door; drive the same car for more than a month; and eventually chose between Ranger and Joe.  My money is on Joe. Notorious Nineteen doesn't disappoint with humor.  My question is "Will their be a number twenty?"

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich, 305 pages

I read the first three books in the Stephanie Plum series and wanted to read the new one, Notorious Nineteen, so I thought I would jump ahead and read Eighteen.  This book was hilarious, and I was happy to find that I could follow the story and characters without reading the fifteen books in between.  Stephanie Plum is on some interesting cases in between juggling her love life with Morelli and Ranger and still going through many different vehicles.  I can't wait to read Notorious Nineteen.

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Explosive Eighteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich --- 305 pages

I've always enjoyed Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels for the sheer outrageous fun of watching Stephanie stumble from one disastrous situation to the next. Her haphazard attempts to earn a living as a bounty hunter for her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bond agency, her hilariously complicated love life, and her dysfunctional but always there for her family, usually have me laughing hard enough to cry.

That said, I was disappointed in her last effort, Smokin' Seventeen, and wondered if perhaps the series was finally running out of steam. Happily, Evanovich is back on her game in Explosive Eighteen.

Stephanie runs for home when her dream Hawaiian vacation turns into a nightmare. Everyone in town is speculating about what went wrong, but Stephanie isn't talking, and neither are Morelli or Ranger (though both are sporting some intriguing bruises). A chance encounter on the plane leaves Stephanie briefly in possession of a mysterious photograph, and suddenly not only the FBI, but assorted gangsters are all on Stephanie's case.

Meanwhile her archnemesis since gradeschool, Joyce Barnhardt, suspect in a murder investigation, is squatting in Stephanie's apartment and refusing to leave until Stephanie retrieves crucial evidence from the murder victim's house. And Stephanie's friend Lula, as usual, has fallen for yet another unsuitable guy. This time it's a bail jumper named Buggy, who keeps stealing Stephanie's car. Can Stephanie solve the murder, find the photo, escape the gangsters, placate the FBI, bring Lula to her senses and finally make up her mind between Morelli and Ranger?