Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Review: Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich


Sizzling Sixteen is the 16th book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich from St. Martin's Press.

Book Blurb:

Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a "lucky" bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn't specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck...

Bad Luck: Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

Good Luck: Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Connie, and Lula have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

Bad Luck: Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie's messing up local stoner Walter "Moon Man" Dunphy's vibe, running up pay-per-view porn charges in security expert Ranger's apartment, and making Stephanie question genetics.

Good Luck: Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, Mooner's Hobbit-Con charity event, and Uncle Pip's lucky bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.

Bad Luck: Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bond's means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

Good Luck: The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton's hottest cop, Joe Morelli and the dark and dangerous security expert, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip's lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky - the only question is...with whom?

I love this series. :)

Stephanie, Connie and Lula team up to save Vinnie - and hilarity ensues.

Ranger speaks - "Babe" - 'nuff said. :)

Stephanie and Morelli are in the 'off' stage of their on again, off again - but that doesn't stop Morelli from wanting Stephanie - or from worrying about her.

GrandMa Mazur is up to her usual antics - and she cracks me up. :)

But all that being said, something has to give. How much longer can we go on with the status quo? I'm hoping that this book and the events that transpired with the Bonds office will be used as a turning point for Stephanie.

As much as I love these books - they are becoming a bit redundant - predictable, if you know what I mean. Stephanie goes after a skip, funny stuff happens, Stephanie gets into trouble and is bailed out by Ranger or Morelli. Dinner at Mom & Dad's and GrandMa Mazur being GrandMa Mazur.

It's all great - but predictable. :) I still love the series though - it is entertaining and makes me laugh.

I give Sizzling Sixteen 4 out of 5 stars.

M


4 comments:

Unknown said...

I read the first book out of this series because I heard how great they were. I found it very easy reading (seemed a little too fluffy) and SO predictable. That is why I just can't get into them. Maybe someday I will give another crack at them..:) Great review!

Amy C said...

I still need to read the first in this series :).

I always here how great they are.

Blodeuedd said...

Exactly what I felt :)

Perhaps she is knocked up, wouldn't that be fun, at least it would be new

Danielle said...

I have this book on my nightstand, ready to read. But I'm a little bit fed-up with Stephanie's lack of romantic progress. She and Ranger bumped uglies ONCE!, and then nothing else. She and Morelli are still on/off instead of moving in together or getting engaged. It's 16 books deep now and I think it'd be funny to see Stephanie cope with marriage or a truly permanent relationship.

I'll still read it, but I want something new to happen with Ranger and/or Morelli.