After I finished [b:Finger Lickin' Fifteen|6048530|Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum, #15)|Janet Evanovich|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51+tn4BDKlL._SL75_.jpg|6224145], I realized that I'd skipped the previous Plum novel. Remedied that this weekend (thank you, Chicago Public Library).Not as funny as the 15th, but maybe I'm suffering from Lula fatigue. ( )

There is very little that is fearless about this edition in the Plum series. Gone is any sense of real danger, risk or threat. Instead this installment is little more than a watered down romance novel, complete with secondary characters that have become more caricatures than believable sidekicks, particularly Lula. This is a lightweight piece of fluff that is a re-hash of all previous story lines with nothing new in character development or relationship advancement. Sure it's mildly enjoyable to spend time with old friends, but Evanovich mailed this effort in. ( )

Hysterical, as usual! Great beach read.

OK

I don’t know what it is about Janet Evanovich, but I love her! It may be her creative writing, it may be the way I feel like I’m in the stories, or it may just be the craziness that makes my life look simple.

I liked this book because it brought all of my favorite characters back together. The Mooner is back in this book and Grandma Mazur, whom I love! And it brought a couple of new characters that I became fans of. Who doesn’t love a psychic (Gary) and a graffiti paintin, Internet gamin teen (Zook)?

This book was pretty action-packed, as most are. I liked the story line… but unlike other books, I couldn’t figure it out. This is one you’ll never guess the killer. I promise you that.

This is the 17th Stephanie Plum book I’ve read, and all of them never fail to surprise me. They are all very well written and each of them are completely different. I was worried when I started the series that they would overlap too much, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised that Evanovich can think of so many story lines. Very impressive.

I liked that Stephanie took part in security for a celebrity, but I didn’t like how the celebrity stayed around. She got on my nerves.

I try not to go into too many details in these, in case you want to read the book, but I always write things down while I read. One of things I wrote down this time is when one of the male characters punches a woman in the face. I’m not saying it would be funny if a man punched me in the face, but for some reason, I laughed out loud at this. I don’t think it’s right for men to hit women, but this cracked me up.

I also wrote down “change in text” … not sure what that meant, I’ll keep thinking and if I remember, I’ll come back.

I give this book 4 bookmarks. ( )

A mystery and a comedy all in one! I love the characters. I laughed out loud a few times. ( )

Quick enjoyable murder mystery with just a dab of slapstick humor. The only bad thing is I can read them faster than Evanovich can write them. ( )

I am starting to get bored and annoyed with Stephanie Plum.

No matter what the situation, if there is a good/safe course of action and a very stupid one, you can bet Stephanie will go for the stupid get-yourself-in-a-shity-situation one. Ms. Evanovich, this is truly becoming annoying and so, so, so predictable.

Next, Stephanie can't choose between her two men. Well, 'scuse me! Ok, so I'd like to have the same problem. I truly don't see what these men see in her. She's a trouble magnet, and has little appeal.

How about she starts developing real bounty hunter skills? She's been at it for, what, 14 books. Enough with the "I'm a bounty hunter, but I rely more on lucky than actual skill". It was part of her charm that she was a bit clumsy, but it's been too long now. How about she starts knowing what to do for a change? ( )

Stephanie is back for another mystery that, not suprisingly, ends up with more car deaths. Her feelings for Ranger and Morelli are still confused, her skips still get the best of her, and Lula is still one of the funniest characters. While the story is repetative and highly predictable, it is still funny and very entertaining. I love the Stephanie Plum Novels and I can not wait to read FLF. ( )

I wish I could say I laughed as much as I did with the first thriteen, but it's getting a little old. Grandma Mazur does something that make Stephanie's mother hit the liquer cabinet and ironing board, Lula wants some chicken, Ranger sys "Babe" a lot, cars are destoyed and Bob the dog has digestive issues.

I still laughed outloud in parts, just not the tears rolling down my face, sides actually hurting, cats looking at me funny laughter I'm used to with these books.

This one took Evanovich off my Buy the Hardback immediately list, and sent her straight to Get it From the Library list. Sorry to say 15 didn't put her back on. ( )

Although the stories Evanovich continues to spit out still make me laugh and want to read to the end, I have to admit (and this is carrying over from book 13) the whole love triangle thing, well, let's just end it!
I think Evanovich backed off with it in this book, which I liked, but can we let Stephanie chose and move on with her life? I hope this is setting us up for that happening in book number 15. Because I think the books can be fun and entertaining if she were to settle down with one of the two men or heck, skip them all and find a new guy! LOL!
That aside, I love these books. Grandma Mazur might be my favorite person to read about ... and adding the gaming into the book - which is something I also do on-line, completely cracked me and I thought man, this is what I must sound like to some people on some occasions! LOL!
I cant' wait to get my hands on 15!! ( )

More standard Stephanie Plum. Lots of crazy grandma in this one, a little more Morelli than Ranger as I recall, and some amusing computer geeks to add to the weird. The usual fare. Fun and entertaining. ( )

Nothing much new in this Stephanie Plum story. ( )

Another laugh a minute adventure! This one has a monkey called Carl, a trio of bizarro helpmates with homemade potato launchers and bad ass diva looking for action from Ranger.
I wish it lasted longer as I read it in one sitting. Not for those embarrassed to laugh out loud on public transport and those prone to incontinence accidents!
Bring on Number 15!!

This is a comfort read for me. I love Stephanie Plum. I know its the same story with different details over and over, but it still satisfies. I love the characters, and the humor, and the wacky incidents and the goofy plots.

This time a distant relative of Morelli's named Dom, is getting out of jail for bank robbery. He has served his time, but no one knows where the money is hidden. Dom had partners, and each has something so all of them need to combine to find and get the loot. His partners start dying and Dom goes into hiding.

Stephanie has to arrest his sister, because she failed to appear in court. She held up a liquor store with a light saber for a bottle of gin. Stephanie takes her away, and ends up watching her teenage son until she can make bail. Only she can't and the son named Mario, but who only answers to Zook, moves in with Morelli. He is a computer geek and an illegal spray painter, so he paints Bob the dog, and Stephanie's latest car. He ends ups with his on-line game pals inhabiting the house, and he turns Grandma into a game addicted goth.

Morelli's house used to belong to his Aunt Rose, and he inherited it when she died. She had promised it to Dom, but was upset with his crime and changed her will. Turns out there is something related to the money hidden in the house. So criminals (including a dead one) and treasure hunters show up at the house in all kinds of places and times.

This line *** is the epitome of why I love this series. Stephanie and Zook are having breakfast and discussing the latest man who popped out of the cellar.

Stephanie: Did you let any strangers in the house ?
Zook: Just the Pizza Delivery guy

Stephanie: *** Did he go into the basement and not come out ? ***
Zook: No. He got into his Pizza car and drove away.

I laughed so hard, I almost fell on the floor. Imagine living in a world where it seems reasonable that Pizza delivery men MIGHT move into your basement and never leave.

There is also a side plot that intersects with Stephanie doing Ranger a favor and helping him as personal security for a wild, aging, singer who is on the down slide and comes to town for a concert. They need to keep her alive, from getting into brawls, and sober and drug free for her appearances. They try a female bounty-hunter reality show, but that doesn't work. So she takes up reporting live for the news and blabs about the money maybe being hidden in Morelli's house.

I just devoured this in one sitting and can't wait for the next one to go into paper. I know some people are upset that there is no resolution between the love triangle between Morelli, Stephanie, and Ranger. I don't care. I want her with Morelli and don't mind the flirting with Ranger. ( )

The Stephanie Plum mystery-comedy formula is familiar to most everyone by now – a little mystery, a little sex, a bunch of lovable screw-ups on both sides of the law, a bit of danger, and some laughs at everyone’s expense. Fearless Fourteen doesn’t move an inch away from the formula. Why mess with success? Now, this is not highbrow stuff – the characters are one-dimensional, the “sight gags” are strictly Three Stooges, the sex hard “R”, the plot turns don’t stand up to much scrutiny, and the detecting is strictly elementary. It’s appalling to me that a sophisticated, sensitive, intellectual (like me) would find any appeal in a book like this. So why couldn’t I put it down? I guess it’s simply because it made me laugh out loud at the frequently inept Stephanie and her odd collection of co-workers, family, lovers and friends. I’m not sure I’d want any of these eccentrics in my house, but they’re fun to read about. I gobbled this book up like a bag of potato chips.

Janet Evanovich not only has mastered a genre that is very difficult to be consistent in, but she has avoided one of my cardinal sins in serial mysteries, trotting out all her past characters in each new book. You’ve seen it before, when characters from previous installments come into the current book for a few pages just so we catch up on their lives or something. Spare me. Evanovich has left behind her annoying sister and a host of other characters and I say bravo! I’m sure we’ll hear about them when Evanovich concocts a plot where they’re useful, not just ornamental. I’ll be waiting. ( )

Everything you'd want and more from the fourteenth installment of the Stephanie Plum series. All the wacky characters are back including Mooner, the lovable stoner, along with new characters like the goth teen Zook who looks a lot like Morelli and a 60 year old pop singer. This time there's rumor of a treasure hidden in Morelli's house, Stephanie and Morelli are playing the parent role to three people living in the house, and Steph has to help keep the crazy pop singer under control while hunting down FTAs. Wacky, silly, and a true enjoyment to read. ( )

Classic Stephanie Plum.I listened to this one rather than reading it and I actually really liked that...it was fun to hear it rather than read it.When I first started the book, I actually thought I might have already read it because it starts very similar to another one (I think it was Lean Mean Thirteen). It is different, but still more of the same. I'm honestly getting a little tired of the same old, same old...a few characters were introduced for this book that kept it different, but the idea is still the same...Still waiting for Stephanie to make a decision between Ranger and Morrelli... ( )

Stephanie Plum, Bounty Hunter, is back. She tries to help figure out why someone keeps trying to break into her cop boyfriends apartment. Of course, she has the help of the ever -so -handsome, Ranger. janet Evanovich's humor is as perfect as ever in the 14th edition of the Stephanie Plum series.

The Stephanie Plum novels are the only ones that routinely get me to laugh out loud. There's a lot of crap in here that seems like filler to me, but I still enjoy them. I don't know how much longer Evanovich is going to get away with Plum's indecisiveness between Morelli and Ranger. Not much in the way of character development, mostly just (funny) plot. ( )

I absolutely love all these books. I am just waiting for her to finally choose for good. Ranger or Morelli! ( )

The Stephanie Plum series is clearly going downhill. There is a formula to every story and everything is becoming very predictable.

I think it might be time to hang it up, move onto something new. ( )

I've read all the books in this series and realized I needed to finish this one up because the next one is about to come out. While the uniqueness is starting to wear thin, the book continues the tradition of being a fun, laugh-out-loud experience. I always enjoy spending time with Stephanie and her gang. ( )

Stephanie Plum finds herself babysitting a teenager for a kidnapped victim, being a bodyguard for a wayward star and searching for stolen money.

Phew! I'm caught up with the series - which was my goal. I did think this one was better than "13", but I didn't really like it. Stephanie kept herself busy with other jobs beside bounty hunting, which allowed her to show another dimension of herself and Lula experienced some excitement in her life, but other than that, there were the same type of ridiculous characters and dialog that possibly has me closing this chapter of my reading. (2.75/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )