Scan barcode
blove0312's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Let’s see, the bonds office burns down <i>(or was that in 16?)</i>, at least three separate people are trying to kill Stephanie, someone is killing people and leaving them FOR Stephanie, and Grandma Bella gives Stephanie <b>THE EYE.</b>
I think that about covers it.
Oh and I think at least 2 cars get destroyed.
librarianinperiwinkle's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars, maybe. The whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger triangle is getting really stale. I think Evanovich wrote herself into a corner when she based so much of the humor and sexual tension of her earlier books on those relationships. Who can Stephanie choose, and who gets the shaft? And would either choice be believable, or would it kill the series? I understand Evanovich's dilemma, but if she continues to do nothing, she's going to alienate readers by the droves.
There were a few chuckles in this book, but no belly laughs. The bail bonds office hasn't yet been rebuilt since it burnt to the ground, so Vinnie, Connie, Lula, & Stephanie are sharing "office space" in Mooner's bus. Then a backhoe uncovers a body where the dumpsters used to be, and the search is on to figure out who did it and why. (I actually guessed really early on who the killer was.) More bodies turn up. Business slows down. Vinnie comes up with some...creative advertising.
Meanwhile, Stephanie's mom decides Stephanie will never get married at the rate she's going, so she fixes Stephanie up with Dave Brewer, recently returned to the Burg to live with his folks after his divorce and a scandal over foreclosure fraud. Now Stephanie has three men, not just two, vying for her attention.
For readers' advisors: story doorway. The character development is virtually nonexistent in this one.
There were a few chuckles in this book, but no belly laughs. The bail bonds office hasn't yet been rebuilt since it burnt to the ground, so Vinnie, Connie, Lula, & Stephanie are sharing "office space" in Mooner's bus. Then a backhoe uncovers a body where the dumpsters used to be, and the search is on to figure out who did it and why. (I actually guessed really early on who the killer was.) More bodies turn up. Business slows down. Vinnie comes up with some...creative advertising.
Meanwhile, Stephanie's mom decides Stephanie will never get married at the rate she's going, so she fixes Stephanie up with Dave Brewer, recently returned to the Burg to live with his folks after his divorce and a scandal over foreclosure fraud. Now Stephanie has three men, not just two, vying for her attention.
For readers' advisors: story doorway. The character development is virtually nonexistent in this one.
amberwallace2012's review against another edition
4.0
I found this one to be a bit predictable but I loved it all the same.
suzyreadsalot's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
raleighem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
heathercottledillon's review against another edition
3.0
I get a few laughs from Stephanie, her friends, and their bizarre adventures, but it seems like each book is the same story. Each time I finish one, I think I won't read the next, but somehow I always do. I'm pretty sure I keep coming back because of the characters. I love Stephanie's narration and that she's goofy, fun, and doesn't have it all together--that's refreshing. Grandma and Lula are pretty stereotypical, but I love them anyway. Also, I hang on because I want to see whether Stephanie ultimately chooses Morelli or Ranger. The bottom line is that this series isn't great literature, or even good mysteries (in this one, especially, it's extremely easy to figure out who the killer is), but they're good for light "fluff" reading if you don't mind a lot of wackiness.
kathydavie's review against another edition
1.0
First read November 2, 2011.
Seventeenth in the Stephanie Plum romance suspense series set in Trenton, New Jersey, and revolving around a somewhat inept, but lovable bail bonds agent.
My Take
This is the most half-hearted Stephanie Plum installment ever! Maybe Evanovich needs to end the series if she's not excited about it anymore as this is the third novel in a row that just hasn't done it for me—and the worst. I mean, I don't get it. A Stephanie Plum novel is always, or used to be, good for a lotta laughs and some hot sexual tension; this one is the red-headed stepchild.
All her characters are just going through the motions. Heck, even Lula is toned down. There's very little that happens with the bear. When her sister's family comes over to mom and dad's for dinner and there's the dinner with Brewer and his parents—nothing. There's always some crazy thing that happens during dinner.
And what's with the lack of birthday cake?? Stephanie always buys at least one birthday cake to gorge on instead, there is one cake that Dave bakes.
Very little interaction with any of the Rangeman employees other than Ranger's practically word-for-word repetition of Stephanie being a line item under Entertainment. Vinnie has set up temporary bail bonds operations in Mooner's RV and there's nothing happening there either. Okay, so they replace all of Mooner's black upholstery, carpeting, walls, ceiling, and countertops. That doesn't count. The one car that blows up is almost a non-event. She lets slide an ideal moment to poke at Vinnie's penchant for sex with ducks. Grandma Mazur's incident at the funeral parlor is a yawn. The penultimate drama is weak.
As for the sex, Evanovich provides a few words and no emotion. She even has Stephanie having sex with Ranger without worrying about it! And since when has the sex with Ranger or Morelli not been hotter than blazes?? What drugs has Evanovich got Stephanie on?? Hmmm, let me rephrase, what drugs is Evanovich on, 'cause, dude, get her off 'em!!
This is definitely NOT going on my Buy list. I may be obsessive about buying every book in a series, but this one I will gladly skip.
The Story
Stephanie is having her usual run of not enough income with a couple of odd-duck FTAs that need capturing. She's also wondering where her love life is going. She loves two men, can't or won't choose between them, and doesn't really want to get married.
Mom figures she just needs to expand her dating pool and sets up a blind date [over dinner, of course] with Dave Brewer. Hey, he is just so eligible...he's single. Stephanie actually considers it—hey, he cooks, what's not to consider. In the meantime, Stephanie is enjoying some one-on-one with both Ranger and Morelli as part of her assessment approach and it's just not working. The boys are, ahem, neck and neck in this race.
But then the bodies start turning up. Some are even turning up with gift tags addressed to Stephanie.
The Characters
Stephanie Plum strongly supported by Joe Morelli and Ranger on the one hand and Lula on the other. Connie provides back up and information gathering. Valerie is Stephanie's sister and married to Albert Kloughn; they now have four kids. Grandma Mazur is...there. Grandma Bella lays the eye on Steph a couple times.
Walter Dunphy, a.k.a., Moonman, a.k.a., Mooner has rented Vinnie his RV as a temporary office while their old building is rebuilt.
Dave Brewer is an old classmate of Steph's from high school who has returned to Trenton. Used to be the football team captain and very popular in school—Stephanie reckons he never noticed her in school. Now he can't seem to keep away. Worse, his mom and hers have gotten together and want to make a match of it. Well, he is a really good cook and loves being in the kitchen...
Nick Alpha has just been released from prison. Seems he's been brooding about Stephanie killing his brother Jimmy for some time now. Evanovich has a second Ziggy character that she's simply plugged in. What? There aren't enough nicknames to go around and she needs to recycle??
The Cover and Title
The cover is in existence. It's the best I can come up with as the only relationship it has to the story is that's a three-dimensional number "17" filled with bubbles. What bubbles have to do with the story, I don't know. As usual, the title simply refers to its position within the series. In this case, Smokin' should be replaced with Smothered.
Seventeenth in the Stephanie Plum romance suspense series set in Trenton, New Jersey, and revolving around a somewhat inept, but lovable bail bonds agent.
My Take
This is the most half-hearted Stephanie Plum installment ever! Maybe Evanovich needs to end the series if she's not excited about it anymore as this is the third novel in a row that just hasn't done it for me—and the worst. I mean, I don't get it. A Stephanie Plum novel is always, or used to be, good for a lotta laughs and some hot sexual tension; this one is the red-headed stepchild.
All her characters are just going through the motions. Heck, even Lula is toned down. There's very little that happens with the bear. When her sister's family comes over to mom and dad's for dinner and there's the dinner with Brewer and his parents—nothing. There's always some crazy thing that happens during dinner.
And what's with the lack of birthday cake?? Stephanie always buys at least one birthday cake to gorge on instead, there is one cake that Dave bakes.
Very little interaction with any of the Rangeman employees other than Ranger's practically word-for-word repetition of Stephanie being a line item under Entertainment. Vinnie has set up temporary bail bonds operations in Mooner's RV and there's nothing happening there either. Okay, so they replace all of Mooner's black upholstery, carpeting, walls, ceiling, and countertops. That doesn't count. The one car that blows up is almost a non-event. She lets slide an ideal moment to poke at Vinnie's penchant for sex with ducks. Grandma Mazur's incident at the funeral parlor is a yawn. The penultimate drama is weak.
As for the sex, Evanovich provides a few words and no emotion. She even has Stephanie having sex with Ranger without worrying about it! And since when has the sex with Ranger or Morelli not been hotter than blazes?? What drugs has Evanovich got Stephanie on?? Hmmm, let me rephrase, what drugs is Evanovich on, 'cause, dude, get her off 'em!!
This is definitely NOT going on my Buy list. I may be obsessive about buying every book in a series, but this one I will gladly skip.
The Story
Stephanie is having her usual run of not enough income with a couple of odd-duck FTAs that need capturing. She's also wondering where her love life is going. She loves two men, can't or won't choose between them, and doesn't really want to get married.
Mom figures she just needs to expand her dating pool and sets up a blind date [over dinner, of course] with Dave Brewer. Hey, he is just so eligible...he's single. Stephanie actually considers it—hey, he cooks, what's not to consider. In the meantime, Stephanie is enjoying some one-on-one with both Ranger and Morelli as part of her assessment approach and it's just not working. The boys are, ahem, neck and neck in this race.
But then the bodies start turning up. Some are even turning up with gift tags addressed to Stephanie.
The Characters
Stephanie Plum strongly supported by Joe Morelli and Ranger on the one hand and Lula on the other. Connie provides back up and information gathering. Valerie is Stephanie's sister and married to Albert Kloughn; they now have four kids. Grandma Mazur is...there. Grandma Bella lays the eye on Steph a couple times.
Walter Dunphy, a.k.a., Moonman, a.k.a., Mooner has rented Vinnie his RV as a temporary office while their old building is rebuilt.
Dave Brewer is an old classmate of Steph's from high school who has returned to Trenton. Used to be the football team captain and very popular in school—Stephanie reckons he never noticed her in school. Now he can't seem to keep away. Worse, his mom and hers have gotten together and want to make a match of it. Well, he is a really good cook and loves being in the kitchen...
Nick Alpha has just been released from prison. Seems he's been brooding about Stephanie killing his brother Jimmy for some time now. Evanovich has a second Ziggy character that she's simply plugged in. What? There aren't enough nicknames to go around and she needs to recycle??
The Cover and Title
The cover is in existence. It's the best I can come up with as the only relationship it has to the story is that's a three-dimensional number "17" filled with bubbles. What bubbles have to do with the story, I don't know. As usual, the title simply refers to its position within the series. In this case, Smokin' should be replaced with Smothered.
karrama's review against another edition
2.0
The characters are becoming more unrealistic with each novel. They are also becoming racist stereotypes in some cases and the decision Stephanie makes are similar to the ones she decided in earlier books. Once, in maybe book 4 (?), Stephanie thought that the death and destruction around her was adversly affecting her mental health. Now she's OK with a lot of violence, still doesn't carry a gun, and still goes home to the same apartment everyone knows she lives in after a stalker, a killer, and firebug all come to visit. And don't get me started on the relationships. I'll read the next book when it comes out in paperback and arrives at goodwill on 99cents day...but I'll read it all the same... hoping for improvement.
deweythereader's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75