Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich is another in the Stephanie Plum series. Here’s what Booklist had to say about the novel:

Our heroine, the irrepressible bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, finds herself watching over a goth teen called Zook, who is heavily into gaming, after his mom can’t make bail and disappears (or has been kidnapped). A lot of people think there is stolen money buried in or near Officer Morelli’s little house—that’s Steph’s Morelli, the cop who is her number-one boyfriend most of the time, or at least when the entrancing Ranger isn’t nearby. The money is the reason behind Zook’s mom’s disappearance, and it’s the tie that binds Evanovich’s various plotlines, which carom about endlessly, not always resolving. Questions abound: Are Steph’s sidekick, the plus-size Lula, and Ranger’s man Tank really engaged? Ranger is working security for a fading but brassy pop star: How does Steph manage to get into and out of her reality show? Can Zook and his sidekicks protect Morelli’s house—and Stephanie—with their homegrown weaponry (think potatoes as missiles)? Where else but Evanovich’s fourteenth novel can a line like “it’s raining money and popsicles!” actually make sense? Fans will be delighted, but others, who stumble into the series at this advanced point, may find themselves starved for backstory, so much so that they may need to go all the way back to One for the Money (1994).

As for me, what’s not to love about Stephanie, Grandma Mazur, Ranger, Morelli and especially Lula? If you haven’t read any of the novels, start with the first, One for the Money and get busy reading!! They’re all a lot of fun, and Fearless Fourteen was no different.

I listened to this novel, rather than reading it and Lorelei King absolutely nails the reading! She IS the voice of Stephanie, and does an awesome Lula and a more than passable Morelli as well. I can’t wait for Finger Lickin’ Fifteen due out in June.

My rating:

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz fourth installment in his Odd Thomas series brings us Odd Hours. Odd Thomas is a simple, ordinary fry cook from a dinky little California town, Pico Mundo. Odd would have preferred to spend his life in a quest to create the perfect omelet and home fries, but he has an extraordinary gift. He communicates with the dead. Odd finds himself in the, well, oddest situations. He is drawn to places and people that need his help, and it almost seems like he has been tasked with keeping the evil that men plot and plan at bay. Having been accompanied by Elvis and a ghostly dog, Boo in the past, now Odd finds himself and Boo with a different companion. With their assistance Odd must come to understand the frightening dream he has been having; a dream of red ebbing tides and horrible light hanging over the sea.

It’s hard for me to say what I love the most about the Odd Thomas books. It could be Odds humble and humorous way of dealing with life, his wry delivery when speaking about the strangeness he lives with. It could also be the fascinating characters that fill the pages. Odd always finds the most unique and interesting people. These people are folks we see every day and Odd Thomas discovers their stories. I finish one of these books and find myself looking at the people I see daily and wondering if they have an interesting story too.

I find the thoughts of the protagonist particularly refreshing…

“This will go a long way toward encouraging the New Civility and toward discouraging the endless quarreling and tiresome debate that characterize our current society, which to so many impatient citizens seems old and tired. All that has been will be blown away, and you may be frightened sometimes by all the changes, but those who have the perspective and the ability to shape societal consensus are as sure as they have ever been about anything that, in the end, you will like your new world and feel that it is a paradise on earth, so just shut up already."

I was given a copy of Odd Hours and also had the audio book, so this was a combination of listening and reading. David Aaron Baker read the audio book in an absolutely spectacular performance. Odd Hours could most likely stand alone, but really why would you want to ignore the other three books in the series? The whole series is very good, and Odd Hours is just great!

My rating:

Sunday's at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet follow the life of a perfectly lovely, lonely little girl, Jane Margaux. Jane has one friend, Michel, who she turns to for comfort, kindness and attention. Michael, however, is her imaginary friend. Jane’s mother is a powerful theatrical producer who only has time for Jane scheduled in once a week, for their weekly stop at Tiffany’s to admire the jewelry. In the world of imaginary friends, rules exist. And Michael must leave Jane on her ninth birthday. According to the rules, Jane won’t remember Michael and he will move on to yet another child that needs him.

Fast-forward thirty years, Jane is working for her overbearing mother, dating a total self-absorbed jerk, and is still a lovely, lonely girl. Yet, she remembered Michael through her whole life. When something, call it fate, conspires to allows them to meet again, it could be her one chance at altering her life forever.

This is the first audio book I’ve ever listened to. I have to say that I’m hooked. How cool is it, to be able to listen to a book while doing all the things I have to do during the day. Thanks to the “culture of the Ipod”, it’s acceptable to walk around with earbuds in ones years. “Reading” while shopping, driving, cooking and cleaning. That’s my kind of multi-tasking! One more excuse to never watch or listen to the depressing news again!

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s is a very mushy romantic book. Part way through, I found myself thinking, “Wow, Patterson is a huge mushball!” I don’t know the logistics of the writing when James Patterson partners with another author, but after listening to this book, I would guess he’s more advisory than hands on. This is a book written by a woman, for women. I usually avoid books like this like the plague. I don’t like romance novels, and have little patience for the whole heaving bosum genre.

That said though, I enjoyed this book. The plot had a clever take on the whole imaginary friend thing. Although I’ll admit that I was a teeny bit creeped out by the adult imaginary friend. Everyone I’ve known with imaginary friends always has other kids as friends. (Yep, I’ve known quite a few people who will admit to having had them, either we’re all really imaginative or seriously messed up…..) I think that Michael could have been a bit older child and still been an adult when they met again, but that’s just my perspective.

For all that, I still enjoyed this book a lot. I was standing in line at the post office near the ending of the novel, in a particularly touching moment. I realized I was really really close to puddling up. (Note to self…don’t listen to tearjerkers in public places….) I realized then, that I did not only like the idea of this book, but the book as well.

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s would be a fast read, light and a bit fluffy, but good for some easy entertainment. Ellen Archer beautifully narrates the audio book to which this review refers.

My rating: