Warning! Warning! You should not operate a treadmill while reading Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books.Why, do you ask? Because hysterical laughter can and more than likely will trip you. Thank goodness for that little string that turns off the treadmill. WHAM! Trip, slip, hit, roll! Reading this book was refreshing. I’ve been reading so much blood gore and paranormal romance, that my mind was in desperate need for funny.This book centered around Stephanie Plum (duh, right?) and her knack for stumbling into dangerous situations. Felons to apprehend. Humping dogs to evade (scene to be posted individually as it deserves nothing less!). And two extremely sexy men to fantasize over.Hiding from gang members and some psycho badass, Stephanie finds herself living with Ranger, only he doesn’t know it yet. Sexual tension much?Stephanie is a hilariously gorgeous woman with a sidekick that rocks. Two women fighting crime and eating donuts. What better way to live? Luck is the only thing that saves her ass.Lula, Stephanie’s sidekick is awesome. She is the most hilarious character ever invented. Be still my beating heart.Actually, Lula still looked like a hooker. Lula’s a full-bodied black woman who favors animal print spandex enhanced with sequins. I figured Lula didn’t want to hear my fashion opinion, so I didn’t say anything. I just raised an eyebrow.Morelli, the sexy cop, and Stephanie’s on again off again main squeeze, just can’t get his head out of his ass. Trying to convince Stephanie that she needs to be a stay at home housewife … just isn’t good for his health.Morelli’s a very sexy, very handsome Trenton cop. Morelli and I have a long history and possibility a long future. Mostly we take it day by day, neither of us feeling the need for documented commitment right now.Vinnie doesn’t show up too much in this book. Nonetheless, the fact that he once loved a duck is enough to bless this post’s presence.Vinnie is my cousin on my father’s side of the family and sole owner of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. He’s an oily little guy with slicked-back black hair, pointy-toed shoes, and a bunch of gold chains hanging around his scrawny tanning salon-tanned neck. It’s rumored that he once had a romantic relationship with a duck.Ranger, latino and deadly. It just doesn’t get much better than Ranger. Read him. Love him. Lust him. That’s the only way it works. He just flat-out does it for me.Ranger rarely showed emotion. He was more a man of action… throwing people against walls and out windows, never breaking a sweat, his face perfectly composed. Now you’ve made me mad, he’d calmly say. And then bodies would fly through the air.I recommend this book to all mature adults and above. Super mild sexual content with some interesting scenes filled with violence.Triple thumbs up .. Silly, but I just can’t help myself!Line of the book:If you buy chocolate with loose change the calories don’t count.~Happy reading!
If your personal ad reads something like “SWM seeks literate MWF for book chat and maybe more” then I have just the hook for you. Walk around with a Janet Evenovich paperback. It really doesn’t matter which one, they all have bright colors and the EVANOVICH name in a distinctive font. I have had more women say something to me like “Oh, you’re reading one of her books” which inevitably leads to a conversation about how funny they are and “don’t you find yourself laughing out loud?” I do. And realized a few books back that chic lit can also be a chic magnet. Guys . . . trust me on this . . . these books open all kinds of possibilities. Read one and you have enough characters to carry you though any conversation. Wear them around your neck. It’s better than a T-shit that says I’m a keeper or Stud Muffin. I want reports.If you remember Sally, get ready because he/she is back. Sally is a heterosexual transvestite who is now driving a school bus (with an Uzi under the seat) and is in charge of Stephanie’s sister’s wedding (she’s gonna marry ‘Clown’ – maybe). Stephanie makes the mistake of rounding up a couple gang members whose buddies hire a hit man named Junkman to take her out. That’s all you need to know about #10. I am still stunned that I am reading these, but I gotta tell you they are enjoyable as hell (yes, I think hell will be fun). Steph is a bounty hunter who tends to bring in captures that just happen to be naked. She really wants to break the trend but between gunfire and stuffing guys into trunks she is maintaining her image. Morelli is pissed she is living with Ranger and the sexual tension is palpable. One of the running jokes in this novel of a female bond breaker who robbed a Frito truck because of some whacked PMS.Books are supposed to be serious, right? Nah, have a little fun I say. Damn, these are good.
What do You think about Ten Big Ones (2005)?
For yet another series’ book that I just could not wait to read, I dropped in Barnes and Noble the day this one hit the stores. I was that impatient. I even started reading the book while stuck in the parking lot after work that same day, waiting for my husband to come rescue me (car trouble). Good thing I had it with me! What a better way to pass the time than with my favorite bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, and her crazy friends and family? Stephanie is the only one who can identify the Red Devil, a man wanted for armed robbery and assault, and finds herself at the top of the hit list of a dangerous Trenton gang. While trying to keep a low profile and hiding out, Stephanie must earn her living and she continues to join forces with Lulu to catch bounty jumpers. The sexual tension between Stephanie, Joe and Ranger continues to smolder, and Grandma Mazur is as witty and charming as ever in her own sort of way. There were moments in the book where I found myself slapping my forehead wondering what in the world Stephanie was thinking, and yet with every page, I found myself laughing and wanting to see what would happen next. With a mixture of mystery, romance, and humor, Janet Evanovich serves up a delicious read in Ten Big Ones.
—Wendy
Ten Big Ones is your average Stephanie Plum novel. The one thing that pushed the book past mediocrity was the ending. I loved the ending. It was one of those never saw it coming, awesome surprises. Probably the best ending of the first ten books.Stephanie leaves Morelli (yet again). This time she's claiming it's for his safety. In fact, Stephanie seems to be trying to keep herself out of danger this time around. She's not as bumbling as usual and it's about time. She's still not great at her job, but at least she seems slightly less likely to be killed.Lots of Ranger, though only a little Ranger action - in both senses of the word. Ranger actually starts to seem like a real live person in Ten Big Ones, rather than super hot, action-figure Ranger. He's even funny on occasion.A great balance between Stephanie's home and work life as usual. Valerie's planning her wedding with Sally Sweet as her wedding planner. And he's good at it. Lula and Connie help Stephanie in a hysterical "torture" scene that'll leave you thinking less of all of them. All in all, an interesting addition to the series that leaves me wondering if Stephanie's days as a bounty hunter are numbered.
—Jennifer
This had to be my favorite one so far. I've been told by quite a few people they do not like this series and do not understand why I read it. Well, let me tell ya this series makes me actually laugh out loud. They are a joy to read, because of the stupid luck Stephanie has. The trouble, her band of back up, and the triangle between Ranger, Steph, and Joe. I mean really in her position I would probably do the same things. Stephanie manages to get herself in deep this time with the gangs of Trenton. Her sister is getting married, Sally Sweet makes a return appearance (which excites me because I really like his character), Steph yet again loses another car and Ranger comes to the rescue. This time I was surprised she manages to lose and have all three cars destroyed or in need of repair, but manages to keep all three of Ranger's vehicles clean. Ten big ones, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie band together to get answers from a gang member they bonded out of jail. To the Nines I really enjoyed the three working together in Vegas, but in Ten big ones it was hilarious their inability to interrogate the gang member. The love triangle going on between Ranger, Stephanie, and Joe sometimes bugs me a little bit, because Joe wants her to quit her job and do as he says. However we all know that if she did that would Joe really be happy? Less stressed yes, but why else has Stephanie always kept his attention. If she changed and got out of Bounty Hunting and stayed out of trouble. It really wouldn't be Stephanie anymore. She decides to hide in Rangers apartment. I thought we were getting closer to the BatCave. Sadly we haven't yet, but I feel Stephanie will finally find it at some point. Ranger doesn't want Stephanie hurt either but he approaches it in a different way. He knows she will go against any demand that is made of her she doesn't like so he is smart enough to send someone to protect her if he can't. This is what Joe needs to learn. Yes he's Italian and a cop, but still. He's known Stephanie for how long???? Just ask her instead of demanding. She usually knows the danger she's in and is admitting it until Joe makes a demand that sends her usually into more trouble. I cannot wait to pick up the next book and read the next adventure.
—Samantha
