Review: Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Smokin' Seventeen: A Stephanie Plum NovelDetails:  Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

  • Pub. Date: June 2011
  • Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
  • Format: Hardcover , 320pp
  • Sales Rank: 18
  • Series: Stephanie Plum Series #17
Synopsis:
Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. 

Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list.

Short on time to find evidence proving the killer’s identity, Stephanie faces further complications when her family and friends decide that it’s time for her to choose between her longtime off-again-on-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom is encouraging Stephanie to dump them both and choose a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, is encouraging Stephanie to have a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Grandma Bella, Morelli’s old-world grandmother, is encouraging Stephanie to move to a new state when she puts “the eye” on Stephanie.
With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.
The hardcover edition of Smokin’ Seventeen contains two smokin’ hot stickers inside!
My Thoughts:
As always, Stephanie finds herself in an odd situation at the beginning of book 17 in the Stephanie Plum Series.  At the end of the last book, we found the bail bond building destroyed and now bodies are showing up in what remains of the grounds.  She also finds herself face with another set up from her mother and tracking down a man who thinks he is a vampire.  Don’t worry there are plenty of appearances by both Ranger and Morelli.
This series has always made me laugh out loud the situations that Stephanie finds herself are crazy and just down right funny.  I will say that for me this book was not as funny as some of the previous.  Okay, I take that back the 2nd half of the book was not as funny.  I know that it must be very difficult to keep the same level of banter between family members and situations going through such a long series.  My favorite part of ever book is wondering when Ranger is going to show up out of the blue with all of his hotness!  This man is almost too much for me.  I love the bad body.  Don’t get me wrong Morelli and his dog are nice too but I love the mystery that is Ranger.  And as always some awesome car end up being destroyed when Ranger lends them to Stephanie because as always something happens to hers.
I have been waiting for a “vampire” to show up in one of these novels and I think that Janet Evanovich did a great job creating a way to bring this popular culture into The Plum Series.
I was a bit frustrated with this story because it just seemed so predictable from the very beginning but I know that I know this author writing style well and what comes with that is knowing where the story will head.
All in all, this was worth the read and I will be waiting for the next one to come out.
My Rating:
1/2
3 and 1/2 Penguins.  Good story but could have been a bit stronger in my opinion with more mystery
*I purchased this book.  All opinions are my own.

Waiting on Wednesday

 
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
 

The Next Always: Book One of the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy

By Nora Roberts
November 1, 2011
The Next Always: Book One of the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy
“America’s favorite writer” (The New Yorker) begins an all-new trilogy-inspired by the inn she owns and the town she loves.
The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…
I have read every book Nora Roberts has written and I am super excited about this book because of the setting.  I have always wanted to own a bed and breakfast so this book just clicks with me.
What are you waiting on?

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading 
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Summer House: A Novel
 
Summer House By Nancy Thayer
Page 15
 
Some Days she succeeded better than others.  Some days the present rushed toward her like a storm, wild with gale-force winds, rogue lightening strikes, and thundering rain, and she found herself taking refuge in the past.
 
What teaser do you have for me this week?