Review: Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich

Not every witness protection programme is fool proof...

Stephanie Plum finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time in Ten Big Ones, the tenth gripping adventure in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. The perfect read for fans of Harlan Coben and Lee Child.

As the only witness able to ID a gang member who has been firebombing local deli-marts, Stephanie is working overtime avoiding death threats and attempts on her life. New Jersey's hottest cop, Joe Morelli, would be more than happy to keep her safe in his house. So would her irresistible mentor, Ranger.

Stephanie doesn't know which is worse: the death threats, the overprotective men in her life, or her sister's nightmare wedding. But she does know that she's never been one to hide...

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie has done it again - she's managed to get caught in the crosshairs of a gang and has a target on her back. This time she's the only witness who can identify gang members who have been carrying out a series of bombings and they will do whatever it takes to stop her from being able to testify. When it becomes clear that they know she's been living with Morelli she decides its time to find a new home base and ends up taking residence in Ranger's bat cave, what could possibly go wrong with that?

It's weird because there are a lot of things about the Stephanie Plum series that should irritate me, the whole triangle with her, Morelli and Ranger being the biggest, but these stories are just so light hearted and entertaining that things that would bug me from other authors just make me laugh here. Stephanie desperately needs to start learning some skills for her job but watching her and Lulu stumble from one disaster to the next is hilarious, especially when Grandma Mazur decides to tag along for the ride. I also really like the dynamics in the Plum family and found the wedding planning going on in this book hilarious.

I honesty don't know how Morelli puts up with Stephanie though, she seems determined to walk away from him whenever they have even a tiny argument and then kissing Ranger behind his back is just a step too far. I totally understand the attraction to Ranger, he's a mystery man who we still know very little about (although we do see more of him in this instalment which was fantastic) but it's pretty obvious that he's not a long term prospect whereas Morelli is looking for marriage and a family. I've read the first 16 books before so I know this triangle doesn't end any time soon but I really hope things are resolved eventually.

The series is definitely doing something right though, these books are often one sitting reads because they're just so light hearted and easy to devour. Really they're perfect holiday books, something to read on the beach or by the pool when you just want something that is going to make you giggle but that you won't have to concentrate too hard on and theres absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Book Tag: Seven Deadly Sins

I don't often do book tags but I spotted Andy from The Pewter Wolf post this one a couple of weeks ago and it looked like fun so I thought I'd join in. I'm not going to tag anyone else but if you do decide to post (of if you already have posted!) leave me a link in the comments so I can check out your answers :o)

GREED:

What is The Most Expensive Book You Own?

I'm not sure if this really counts since it's technically more of a box set but without a doubt it's the most expensive set of books I own so I'm going to include it anyway - Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey Collectors Edition.

I just realised I've not got around to reviewing this set yet but it really is gorgeous set & I love everything about it, especially the replica of the Monster book of Monsters!

GLUTTONY:

What Book(s) Have You Shamelessly Devoured Many Times?

I could easily count the Harry Potter series for this sin too but I think the series I've actually read the most in the last few years would have to be Ilona Andrew's Hidden Legacy series. To be honest I reread all of Ilona and Gordon's books on a regular basis but when it comes to the Hidden Legacy books  I have literally been known to read the entire trilogy through twice in the space of a week!

If you haven't read these books yet you are seriously missing out, you can read my reviews for the series here.

SLOTH:

What Book/Series Have You Neglected Over Sheer Laziness?

To be honest I'm pretty terrible at starting series and never getting around to finishing them so it's hard to pick just one LOL. It's not that I deliberately stop reading halfway through a series, I just get distracted by all the shiny new books that come along while I'm waiting for the next instalment and don't always remember to go back to them.

For this post I'll just talk about a few of the series that I really want to try and catch up with some time soon.

1. First we have Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters I love these books so I'm not sure why it's taking me so long to read them but I still have quite a few books to read before I catch up. 
2. Next is J.D. Robb's In Death series, this is a HUGE series topping over 40 books already with at least 2 new books published every year so I worked out recently that reading one book a month it'll take me about four years to catch up. Quite intimidating for sure but I'm going to give it a good try LOL.
3. Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is a bit different to the others because I have already read most of these books over the years but I want to reread them to review them on my blog. I'm also kind of putting off the last few books that I haven't read yet because there will never be any new books written in this world and I kind of like the comfort of knowing that I have a couple saved up ready for when I really need them.
4. Last on the list is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, these books are so much fun to read so although I read the first 16 or so books before I started blogging I'm trying to slowly reread them to review on my blog.

PRIDE:

What Books(s) Do You Bring Up When You Want To Sound Like An Intelligent Reader?

To be honest I really don't care what anyone else thinks about my reading choices, perhaps I did when I was younger but these days I read completely for pleasure and don't care what judgements others might choose to make.

I sometimes think I should tackle on of those "100 classics everyone should read before they die" lists but then I look at the lists and decide I'm not really that interested after all LOL. If something appeals to me then I'll pick it up, no matter what the genre but I think as long as people are reading then it's all good, whether they choose classics, graphic novels or anything in between.

LUST:

What Attributes Do You Find Most Attractive In Characters?

Ooh that's a difficult question because there are different things that draw me to different characters and what one author can pull off another will fail completely on. I think most of all I want to read books with characters I can relate to in some way, obviously we're not all witches and wizards like Harry, Ron and Hermione but whats so great about them is that apart from their magical abilities they're really quite normal, they still have the same insecurities, fears and weaknesses that we do and still have to deal with the same day to day issues on top of trying to save the world. I enjoy stories where I can imagine myself hanging out with the characters, I want to feel like if they walked off of the pages and into my front room we could be friends.

ENVY:

What Books Would You Most Like To Receive As a Gift?

I could write a huge list of books I'm saving up for or books that I'm desperately waiting to be published  but the biggest unicorn that I would LOVE to own a copy of has to be the limited edition hardcover of The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling. It's such a gorgeous set that comes with art prints and a lovely keepsake box & I think it would go perfectly with the rest of my Harry Potter collection. It's getting harder and harder to find though and the copies that I have seen are FAR outside of my price range but I live in hope so who knows, perhaps one day the book faeries will decide to leave a copy underneath my Christmas tree LOL.

WRATH:

What Author(s) Do You Have a Love/Hate Relationship With?

There are two authors who immediately spring to mind to answer this question, one is going to be a hugely unpopular choice and the other is an author who used to be one of my favourites so I still find it difficult to believe I'm including their name on this list.

So first we have Sarah J Maas (yes shocking I know!), I was actually a huge fan of Sarah's for a long time, I went to signings and met her twice and I would devour her books the minute I got my hands on them. She was an author I'd preorder immediately and get super excited about but it all started going horribly wrong when she completely rewrote Chaol's character in Queen of Shadows just because she had decided Rowan was a better fit for Aelin. I would have been bitter about that ship change no matter what but if she had written it better then I'd have gotten over my disappointment eventually.

As if that wasn't bad enough the next book she published was A Court of Mist and Fury which I HATED with the passion of a thousand suns. Now I know that is going to be a shockingly unpopular opinion because that series has so many fans but I absolutely hated everything about that book and I've not been able to pick up a book by Sarah J Maas since.  I just hate the way she is so fickle with her pairings, and how in one book certain characters are true mates but then a guy comes along that Sarah suddenly likes better so she has to rewrite history and give her characters personality transplants in order to fit square pegs into round holes. She has absolutely zero skill or subtlety about it and goes about the shift like a bull in a china shop. It's gutting because I did really love Rhys so if she'd paired him with anyone other than Feyre, or even split up Feyre and Tamlin without changing Tamlin into someone he wasn't, then I would have stayed a superfan. As it is I know I want to finish the Throne of Glass series eventually but I have very little enthusiasm left for the series or anything else Sarah J Maas may write in the future.

It actually pains me to say this but the second author on this list is Patricia Briggs. I have been a HUGE fan of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega books for years now, if you've been following this blog for any length of time you've probably heard me talking about them before because I've reread the books at least once a year for a long time now. I honestly thought this series would continue to be a favourite forever and I've always been so excited to get my hands on each new instalment.

But then along came Burn Bright and that book destroyed everything. Some of the things revealed in that book have totally ruined my opinion of both one of my most loved characters AND of Patricia Briggs herself. I know it's her world and they're her characters so she's entitled to do whatever she likes to them but this is some seriously messed up shit that I just can't deal with. Not after reading (and rereading again and again!) fourteen full length books (and multiple short stories!) set in this world without a single hint of what was coming. I don't think I've ever felt so betrayed, not even by Sarah J Maas which is really saying something! I hope that one day I'll recover from this enough to be able to enjoy the first fourteen books again but I don't think I'll ever be able to reread Burn Bright or any new books in this world which is utterly heartbreaking because they used to be one of the highlights of my reading year.

So what do you think of my choices? Are any the same as yours? What books and authors would make your Seven Deadly Sins list?

Review: To the Nines - Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum's got rent to pay, people shooting at her, and psychos wanting her dead every day of the week (much to the dismay of her mother, her family, the men in her life, the guy who slices meat at the deli... the list goes on). An ordinary person would cave under the pressure.

But hey, she's from Jersey.

Stephanie Plum may not be the best bounty hunter in beautiful downtown Trenton, but she's pretty damn good at turning situations her way... and she always gets her man.

Her cousin Vinnie (who's also her boss) has posted bail on Samuel Singh, who mysteriously disappears just as his work visa is running out. And Stephanie is on the case to ensure the elusive Mr Singh doesn't make his disappearance more permanent. But what she uncovers is far more sinister than anyone imagines and leads to a group of killers who give a whole new meaning to the word ' hunter'. In a race against time that takes her from the Jersey Turnpike to the Vegas strip, Stephanie Plum is on the chase of her life.

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie's latest case involves a trip to Las Vegas searching for a guy who jumped bail and abducted a dog in the process. Her antics are usually bonkers enough on her home ground so you can just imagine the sort of madness that goes on when she's in Vegas with Lula and Connie! As always this series is full of crazy but hilarious situations (in this case made even funnier by Lula's latest fad diet), Stephanie running around like a headless chicken trying to work out what the heck is going on around her and the ongoing mess of her romantic life where she can't seem to make a final decision between Morelli and Ranger.

Ranger is used to Stephanie destroying his cars but this time around it's his men she keeps wiping out with a series of ever more bemusing accidents. I think Morelli just hasn't got a clue how to handle the crazy that Stephanie brings, his life would be much quieter without her but he can't seem to resist her anyway. I love Stephanie's family, Grandma Mazur in particular and Lula is a hilarious sidekick.

I have to admit the mystery was a little lacking here - it was far too easy to spot the bad guy! - and I should be getting irritated by the fact that Stephanie never seems to learn any bounty hunter skills at all but I just enjoy these books too much to complain about those details. When I'm in the mood for something light hearted, something that requires absolutely no brain power but is guaranteed to make me laugh out loud then this is my go to series and I can't see that changing anytime soon.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Visions of Sugar Plums - Janet Evanovich

It's five days before Christmas and things are not looking merry for Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum. She hasn't got a tree. She hasn't bought any presents. The malls are jam-packed with staggering shoppers. There's not a twinkle light anywhere to be seen in her apartment.

And there's a strange man in her kitchen.

Sure, this has happened to Stephanie Plum before. Strangers, weirdos, felons, creeps, and lunatics are always finding their way to her front door. But this guy is different. This guy is mysterious, sexy--and he has his own agenda. His name is Diesel and he is a man on a mission. And Diesel is unlike anyone Stephanie has ever met before in her life. The question is, what does he want with her? Can he help her find a little old toy maker who has skipped out on his bail right before Christmas? Can he survive the Plum family holiday dinner? Can he get Stephanie a tree that doesn't look like it was grown next to a nuclear power plant? These questions and more are keeping Stephanie awake at night. Not to mention the fact that she needs to find a bunch of nasty elves, her sister Valerie has a Christmas "surprise" for the Plums, her niece Mary Alice doesn't believe in Santa anymore, and Grandma Mazur has a new stud muffin. So bring out the plastic reindeer, strap on your jingle bells, and get ready to celebrate the holidays-Jersey style. Visions of Sugar Plums-the world of Plum has never been merrier!

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
It's five days before Christmas and Stephanie, the world's worst bounty hunter, has been tasked with apprehending Sandy Claws. Hunting down a toymaker just before the holidays isn't much fun but she needs the bounty he'll earn her so that she can afford to celebrate Christmas. As of right now she doesn't have any decorations, she's relying on her parents for dinner and she hasn't bought a single present so the situation is getting critical.

Visions of Sugar Plums is all the fun of a Stephanie Plum novel sprinkled with a whole lot of Christmas magic. I'd forgotten how much I love the Between the Numbers novels, Diesel is a great addition to the series and I love the mysterious vibe he gives off with the way he seems to appear and disappear at will. Throw in shopping with Lula, Grandma Mazur's new stud muffin, Valerie's surprise, a couple of appearances by Morelli and some elves starting a riot and you're in for a treat.

This book is slightly shorter than the main novels in the series but it's perfect reading for this time of year and it's pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It's definitely put me in the mood to dig out the Christmas decorations and put up the tree so perhaps I should have waited until december to read it :o)

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:

Review: Hard Eight - Janet Evanovich

The stakes get higher, the chases get faster, and the men get hotter

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has a big problem. Seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother Evelyn have disappeared - and estranged husband, Steven, shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. Finding a missing child is an unusual assignment, but as a favour to her parents' neighbour, Evelyn's grandmother, Stephanie agrees to follow the trail - and finds a lot more than she bargained for.

The case is somehow linked to the very scary Eddie Abruzzi. Both cop Joe Morelli, Stephanie's on-again, off-again fiance, and Ranger, her mentor and tormentor, have warned her about Abruzzi - but it's Abruzzi's soulless eyes and mannerisms that frighten her most. Stephanie needs Ranger's expertise, and she's willing to accept his help to find Annie even though it might mean getting too involved with him. Also with her are Lula (who's not going to miss the action) and Albert, Evelyn's almost-qualified lawyer (and Laundromat manager). The search turns out to be a race between Stephanie's posse, the True Blue Bonds' agent - a Rangerette known as Jeanne Ellen Burrows - and the Abruzzi crew. Not to mention the killer rabbit on the loose!

Get ready for the ride of your life with Stephanie's funniest, most riotous misadventure yet. The world of Plum has never been wilder.

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie has a slightly different challenge to face in this instalment - she's been asked to track down a missing young girl on behalf of her very worried grandmother. Unfortunately the search puts her in the sights of Eddie Abruzzi, a nasty piece of work who is in business with the child's father. As the danger ratchets up a notch and Morelli continues to keep his distance after their latest fallout it's up to Ranger to come to Stephanie's aid when she needs him the most.

This series is just so much fun to read, I don't care that Stephanie is the world's worst bounty hunter who can't hold onto a pair of handcuffs for more than five minutes and who manages to get her cars blown up on a pretty much daily basis. Let's face it the worse Stephanie is the more excuses she has to call Ranger or Morelli in for help and that's never going to be a bad thing in my eyes!

These stories aren't meant to be taken too seriously but they are fantastic light entertainment. I pick up these books when I want something that is going to put a smile on my face, they never fail to make me laugh out loud and I just love Stephanie and the crazy people she surrounds herself with. Hard Eight sees her love life get even more complicated which makes for brilliant reading. Things are in the off-again position with Morelli but that just allows Ranger to finally make his move and bow chicka wow wow has that been a long time coming (but well worth the wait!). I can't wait to continue my reread of this series and I'm looking forward to finally finding out who she chooses in the long run.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Seven Up - Janet Evanovich

In her most explosive adventure yet, bombshell bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is dropped into a smorgasbord of murder, kidnapping and extortion - a magnificent buffet of mud wrestling, motorcycles, fast cars, fast food, and fast men.

Stephanie Plum thinks she's going after an easy FTA: a senior citizen charged with smuggling contraband cigarettes. But when she and Lula show up at his house, they get more than they bargained for - a corpse in the woodshed and an old man who's learned a lot of tricks during his years in the mob, and isn't afraid to use his gun.

But Stephanie's mind is on other matters, because she has two proposals to consider: vice cop Joe Morelli is proposing marriage, and fellow bounty hunter Ranger is proposing a single perfect night . . .

All in all, a typical dilemma in the world of Plum.

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
It's no secret that I love this series, Stephanie's antics and her crazy family never fail to make me giggle and these books are the perfect thing to pick up when you're having a bad day and just need something to make you smile.

You'd think that Stephanie might be getting the hang of this bounty hunter thing by now but unfortunately for her she's just as terrible as ever. Even when she's up against a pensioner things don't go to plan for our plucky heroine and her sidekick Lula. I swear these two could get themselves in trouble in a kids soft play area!

Throw in family drama with her not-so-perfect sister Valerie who has moved back home with her two daughters and put Grandma Mazur on a motorbike and you know you're going to be in for an interesting ride, especially since all that's before we even think about the two men in her life.

Stephanie somehow seems to be accidentally engaged to Morelli even though he never officially proposed and now that it looks like she's off the market (her mother is already shopping for the wedding dress and Grandma Mazur has the hall booked!) Ranger has decided it's time to up the ante and make his presence felt. What's a girl to do when she's stuck between two very hard, very hot alpha men who both want to stake their claim? Personally if I was Stephanie I'd be tempted to keep them both but I'm not sure if either Morelli or Ranger would be willing to share.

There's no point me going into detail about the plot, if you're familiar with this series you know what to expect by now and you'll love this just as much as the first six books. If you're new to the series what the hell are you waiting for - go and grab a copy of One for the Money now and prepare to laugh from start to finish.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Hot Six - Janet Evanovich

Big-haired bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is back - and, boy, has she got man-trouble . . .

First there's fellow bounty hunter Ranger, currently on the run from a murder rap and requesting Stephanie's help. Trouble is she can't decide if she should turn him in or keep him for herself.

Then there's sexy vice cop Joe Morelli - the man her heart says she's in love with (even though her head says otherwise). He's after ranger too - but for less romantic reasons . . .

And now there's another man in her life. He's big, he's orange and he howls when he's left alone.

Sexual temptation, homicidal maniacs, car crashes and doughnut addiction are all part of Stephanie Plum's daily routine. But they pale into insignificance when Grandma Mazur moves in . . .

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Janet Evanovich has done it again, she made me snort coffee out of my nose and she left me with stomach ache from laughing so hard. This is without a doubt one of my favourite comedic series and I'm enjoying it just as much on a reread.

Stephanie is one of the most completely clueless bounty hunters you'll ever come across, you'd think she might be getting the hang of things by now but really she just blunders along in her own little world seemingly catching the bad guys by accident. I know she's a klutz and I know she's totally hopeless but I can't help it, I love her anyway! Her sassy attitude and snark is a constant source of amusement and her crazy family and fun sidekicks just add to the hilarity. Grandma Mazur gets a lot of page time in this book and I love that nutty old bird just as much, you can definitely tell which side of the family Stephanie takes after.

Just when you think Stephanie has her love life sorted something comes along and mixes it up, in this case it's her growing attraction to Ranger and his darkly seductive flirting that sends her pulse racing. Ranger is in trouble and for once he's the one who needs Stephanie's help. He's been set up for murder and it's up to our hapless heroine to try and prove his innocence, something which is definitely easier said than done. Then you have Morelli, he's her on again / off again lover and while their relationship might currently be in the off position he's not given up on changing that. In fact he's going all out to win Stephanie around to his way of thinking.

Throw in a deranged arsonist, a rather large dog who will eat anything, two newly destroyed cars, and a new permanent houseguest and Stephanie is way out of her depth. I don't think I'll ever get enough of these books and I can't wait to read the next one!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:

Review: High Five - Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum has a whole lot of trouble on her doorstep.

Her Uncle Fred has disappeared and Grandma Mazur is convinced he's been abducted by aliens.

Meanwhile, cousin Vinnie has asked her to bring in the vertically challenged Randy Briggs who's jumped bail. But instead of coming quietly, he has taken up residence in Stephanie's closet. The mysterious man called Bunchy is trailing Stephanie in the hope of tracking down Fred. And Benito Ramirez is back from jail, quoting Scripture and vowing to introduce Stephanie to God - face to face.

Thankfully Joe Morelli, the irresistible cop, is still around to give her the odd sleepless night - though he now faces tough competition from the enigmatic Ranger . . .

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie doesn't have the best of luck but she's reached an all time low in this fifth instalment of the series. Things are on the rocks between her and Joe Morelli, her favourite stalker Benito Ramirez has been released from prison and gone straight back to hunting her, she's completely broke and nobody seems to be skipping bail right now so work is hard to come by. To top it all off her uncle Fred is missing and she's now obliged to spend her time trying to track him down, something that won't help her financial situation as it's a job she won't be paid for. Thankfully her fellow bounty hunter and mentor Ranger throws her a lifeline and offers her a side job working for Rangeman Enterprises but that's only going to make things more complicated, especially when Ranger turns the charm on full force.

The Stephanie Plum series is so much fun to read and I think that High Five was the funniest book yet, I giggled so many times when I was reading this thanks to Stephanie's disastrous luck with cars and there were some hilarious conversations around Ranger's increasing interest in her romantically. Now let's just have a quick chat about Ranger here, if you thought Morelli had things all sewn up in the relationship department Ranger is about to make you question everything, and, as someone who normally hates love triangles with the passion of a burning sun, it's amazing how much I enjoy this one.

It's been a long time since I read this series last but I'm on my 3rd read through of about the first 10 books and 2nd of the following 6 so I'm not a newbie by any means and I honestly STILL can't decide which one of the guys I like best. They both suit Stephanie in different ways and I actually think she'd stand a good chance of making things work with either of them but I do think her history with Joe puts him in a good position to come out on top (please don't spoiler me if you know who she chooses, I honestly can't remember if a decision has been made or not in the books I read in and I'm planning on reading the entire series so I will find out for myself soon enough). Up until this point Stephanie's chemistry with Joe has been the most obvious but they both currently have very different ideas about marriage and what they want from the future. Ranger is a man of mystery but we finally get to learn a little more about his background in this one, including a couple of surprising revelations about his relationship history. We still have a lot of questions about what he does with most of his time and how he can afford to keep Stephanie stocked with a seemingly endless supply of high level cars but it's pretty clear that he works in a few gray areas. I enjoyed seeing him push Stephanie a bit in this book, he knocks her out of her comfort zone and it makes for an interesting dynamic between them.

The romance really isn't the main focus of these stories though and it's Stephanie along with her friends and family that really make this series shine. I absolutely adore Grandma Mazur, she never fails to make me laugh and she gets herself into some hilarious situations this time. I'm actually quite surprised that Stephanie's poor father hasn't moved out yet, he must be close to a nervous breakdown by now! We get fun new side characters introduced in every book but this one sees the return of the creepiest villain of the entire series and he absolutely terrifies me. Stephanie is one gutsy lady to manage to stand her ground when facing him and I don't blame her in the slightest for falling to pieces afterwards. The mystery of Stephanie's missing uncle was well done and took things in a direction I wasn't expecting but that's something this series has always done well. These books are brilliant, light hearted, very, very funny and the perfect way to spend an afternoon, High Five ends on a MAJOR tease so I'm glad I don't have to wait for the next book to be released.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:

Review: Four to Score - Janet Evanovich

The problem with being a bounty hunter is it's all on-the-job training. And Stephanie Plum is still learning the ways to get yourself killed. Take the case of Maxine Norwicki . . .

When Maxine failed to turn up for her day in court, Stephanie was given the task of bringing her in. Simple. Except Maxine's boyfriend has now begun receiving mysterious, coded notes from the runaway that hint at buried treasure.

In fact the notes are so indecipherable that Stephanie has to call on the help of Sally Sweet, giant drag queen and code-breaker extraordinaire. And Steph's knight errant, cop Joe Morelli. is also proving useful - although he can't decide what he wants most: Maxine's bounty or Stephanie's body.

Meanwhile a friend loses a finger, a mother is scalped, an apartment is firebombed and a store clerk is murdered. And out in the street, the crazy treasure hunt game goes on . . .

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
When Stephanie is asked to hunt down a waitress who skipped bail after stealing her ex-boyfriend's car she thinks it'll be easy. That's before the ex-boyfriend offers her extra cash on the side if she'll tip him off to Maxine's location before the cops get involved though. It turns out that Maxine has been leaving clues for her ex and now Stephanie finds herself on a crazy treasure hunt trying to figure out what Maxine is really up to. When Maxine's friend loses a finger and her mother gets scalped the chase really starts to heat up and it looks like Maxine is in a lot more danger that Stephanie could have imagined.

I really struggle to write reviews for this series, not because I don't love these books but because I just want to rave like a lunatic about how fantastic they all are. The main trouble is that I've probably said it all before, I adore these characters, they're all over the top and completely stereotypical but absolutely brilliant in spite of that (or possibly because of it). These characters are larger than life, funny as hell and all of the books make me snort with laughter. If you enjoyed the previous books then you're bound to love Four to Score too, I'm on at least my 3rd read through of the earlier books in this series and that probably says more about my love for these books than anything else could. It's a series that I continuously go back to when I need something that is going to put a smile on my face.

Stephanie is just as out of her depth here as ever, but she always manages to come out on top no matter how crazy the situations she lands in are. Grandma Mazur and Lula are two of my favourite fictional sidekicks but here we have the addition of transvestite Sally Sweet who I really hope is going to become a cast regular (it's been so long since I read these books last that I really can't remember if he crops up again later but I'm keeping my fingers crossed). We also have two great guys to swoon over and after all these years I'm still not sure if I can choose a favourite. Things are progressing well between Stephanie and Joe Morelli though and we even get to meet his family in this book. His grandmother is one scary lady and I certainly wouldn't want her giving me the evil eye! Ranger is still around too and I love the friendly flirtation between him and Stephanie, I don't think it'll ever go anywhere but I enjoy it all the same and who doesn't like to daydream about a batman type of superhero? These books are pure entertainment, perfect for when you're in the mood for something light hearted, a little bit silly and guaranteed to make you giggle and I don't think I'll ever get bored of spending time with Stephanie and her friends!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:

Review: Three to Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich

Cuddly Mo Bedemier, Trenton's favourite ice-cream seller, has gone missing. Stephanie Plum, carbohydrates' biggest fan, needs to track him down. But it's not raspberry ripple she's after: Mo's jumped bail, and Stephanie's job is bounty hunting.

Nobody can believe Mo would do anything wrong. But Stephanie - with the help of big blonde Lula, good cop/bad cop Joe Morelli and fitness-freak Ranger - soon discovers that Mo has more than candy in his basement. Uncovering the truth about Mo is one thing, but coping with dead drug dealers, a man-sized chicken and a seriously bright hair colour is pushing Stephanie to the edge. And when someone holds her hamster to ransom, things look like they're getting deadly.

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Mo is a much loved character around the Burg, he's the owner of the local sweet shop and adored by all, from the youngest children right through to the little old ladies who frequent his shop. Unfortunately Mo has skipped his bail and it's Stephanie's job to bring him in, something that might be a little bit easier if his fan club wasn't causing her problems at every turn. Nobody can believe that Mo could possibly have done anything wrong so of course Stephanie comes across as the mean woman with nothing better to do than cart an innocent man off to jail which doesn't exactly make her very popular with the locals. When dead bodies start turning up and Stephanie finds herself being threatened by masked gun men warning her to stop looking for Mo she knows she's out of her league so she calls in the help of bounty hunter extraordinaire Ranger.

This series is just so much fun to read, Stephanie is such a trouble magnet and she always manages to stumble into such crazy situations that you just have to laugh at her antics. In Three to Get Deadly we see her crazy sidekick Lula play a bigger part, we also get to find out a bit more about Ranger (personally I like Lula's theory that he's a secret superhero in his spare time!) and of course we see more of our favourite local cop Morelli. I'm not going to say much about the plot but expect plenty of wacky antics, weird and wonderful characters and unexpected twists. Janet Evanovich never fails to make me snort with laughter and this series always leaves me grinning from ear to ear - even on a reread.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:

Review: Two for the Dough - Janet Evanovich

Kenny Mancuso shot his childhood buddy Moogey Bues in the knee and then jumped bail. Now bounty hunter extraordinaire Stephanie Plum is on the case to track Kenny down.

Then someone finishes Moogey off, Kenny can't be found, twenty-four coffins are missing, and there's some ex-army heavy artillery roaming the streets. And Joe Morelli - the cop with more than a professional interest in her every move - is tailing Stephanie.

With a healthy disregard for the law, and an unhealthy dependence on marshmallow hot chocolate, Stephanie's a match for anyone - even Morelli. That is, until her eccentric grandmother goes AWOL and little pieces of corpses start to disappear . . .

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie's latest skip should be easy to collar, local boy Kenny shot his best friend in the knee during an argument but it was only a minor incident and Moogey didn't even want to press charges so there is no need for him to do a disappearing act. Then, after Kenny misses his court date, Moogey is murdered and prime suspect Kenny falls completely off the radar. Not one to walk away from a case Stephanie becomes determined to track Kenny down but when her investigations lead her to a funeral parlour with a missing batch of caskets and then various body parts start going missing things get much more complicated.

This series is just so much fun to read, it's pure entertainment from first page to last and every book has me giggling the whole way through. I must be on my third read through of the early books in the series yet I never get tired of them. Stephanie is such a likeable character, she has a knack for finding trouble and she gets herself into the most ridiculous and crazy situations but I love her all the more because of it. The best thing about these books are the characters, Stephanie's whole family is brilliant but it's Grandma Mazur who steals the show in this book, she manages to cause even more trouble than Stephanie and that's really saying something. I love the things she comes out with and I could happily quote half the book in this review.

I also love the men in the series, Ranger is still pretty much a complete mystery at this point but I know from later books how brilliant he is and I'm looking forward to unravelling him a bit more. Morelli is fantastic and the chemistry between him and Stephanie is great, they have a very complicated history so she is very wary of trusting him but it's obvious he's more than a little interested and I'm enjoying watching their relationship develop.

I've been wanting to reread these books and catch up with the most recent releases (I think I got to about book 15 in my last read through) for a long time now so I'm glad to be reading the series with a group of friends. At one book a month this is going to be a very long ongoing project but I'm actually enjoying having at least one really funny and light hearted read to look forward to each month and I think having such a relaxed schedule is going to make it much easier to stick to. Roll on January so I can get started on Three to Get Deadly!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Series I Want To Read in 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

Today's topic is Top Ten Resolutions We Have For 2016. This year I want to focus on reading some of those books and series that I've been meaning to catch up with for years.

My top ten series I want to catch up with in 2016:

1. Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs - Patricia Briggs is one of my favourite urban fantasy authors and I absolutely adore the Mercy Thompson world. It's one of my go to series for when I need something that I know is going to be amazing and I recently started rereading it (for the third time!) with a friend in preparation for the newest book, Dead Heat, in March.
2. Fever series by Karen Marie Moning - I absolutely loved the first five books in the Fever series but was too scared to read Iced and Burned after seeing so many negative reviews for them. Anyway, I've been rereading the series with a group of friends in preparation for the release of Feverborn, we've finished the original five books so I'm finally going to get to read the later books for the first time!
3. Dark-Hunters and Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon - I started reading the Dark-Hunters series a couple of years ago now and it's one I've been wanting to catch up with for a long time now so I'm determined that 2016 is going to be the year I FINALLY catch up with the rest of the world!
4. Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole - This is another series that I'm part way through but have never quite managed to catch up with so it's also on the list.
5. Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward - I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the BDB, the earlier books were AMAZING but the series lost it's way a bit and I kind of lost interest in it. I took a 2 year break though and last year I really enjoyed Lover Unleashed so I'm going to give the series another chance.
6. Weather Warden Series & Outcast Season by Rachel Caine - This series is another old favourite, in fact I read the earlier books before I even started blogging (so over 6 years ago now). It's been one I've wanted to go back to for a while now but then Rachel Caine launched her kickstarter campaign and is now writing a new book set in that world so I HAVE to reread the rest of the books before the new one is published.
7. Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan - Another series that I love but have fallen woefully behind on so it's beyond time for a catch up.
8. Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - I read about 16 books in this series 6 or 7 years ago and loved them but it's been a long time so I've forgotten all the details. I'm rereading the series with some friends, we're reading one book a month so it's going to take us about 2 years to catch up but I want to make sure I stay on track with this group read.
9. Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson - This is an absolutely ginormous series - 14 books and most of them are over 700 pages long! - but it's one I've had so many people recommend to me. I've always been a bit too intimidated to start it but another group of friends (I love my Goodreads reading buddies!!) have decided to read the series one book a month for the next 14 months. I'm only part way through the first book but I already love it so I'm definitely planning on keeping up with this group read too. Having people to hold my hands is going to help keep me motivated I think :o)
10. In Death by J.D. Robb - I've wanted to try this series for absolutely ages so I'm making it a personal goal to start it in 2016. I'm reading this series by myself (unless anyone wants to join me?!) but as long as I enjoy the first book I'm planning on reading at least one a month until I'm caught up. There are over 30 books available already so this is another very long ongoing project but we'll see how far I manage to get with it!

So what are your reading resolutions for 2016? Do you have certain books or series that you want to get through or have you set completely different kinds of goals? If anyone is interested in joining the buddy reads I'm taking part in you're very welcome - I'm part of a great group on Goodreads & we have a lot of fun reading together and chatting about the books along the way :o)

Review: One for the Money - Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum is down on her luck. She's lost her job at New Jersey's most down-market lingerie store, her car's on the brink of repossession, and her apartment is fast becoming furniture-free. Enter Cousin Vinnie, a low-life who runs a bail-bond company. If Stephanie can bring in vice cop turned outlaw Joe Morelli, she stands to pick up $10,000.

But tracking down a cop wanted for murder isn't easy. And suddenly Stephanie has another problem on her hands. Benito Ramirez, a prize-fighter with more menace than mentality, wants to be her friend - and he won't take no for an answer. Soon Stephanie begins to know exactly what it feels like to be pursued - and the best person to protect her just happens to be on the run . . .

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie has lost her job, she's completely broke and is about to lose both her car and her apartment so she needs money and she needs it quickly. Desperate she turns to her cousin Vinnie for a job at his bail bond company and finds herself thrown in at the deep end when she is asked to bring in Joe Morelli. Stephanie and Morelli may have history but it isn't going to be easy to capture a cop who is up on a murder charge. Then when Stephanie finds herself getting unwanted attention from boxer Benito it looks like Morelli may be the only person who can keep her safe.

I first discovered the Stephanie Plum series years ago and I must be on at least my third re-read of the series by now (well for the earlier books anyway). I'm a massive fan of Janet Evanovich and with the film version of One for the Money coming out in the UK in February I thought it was about time I picked up the series again. This is one of my favourite series, especially when I'm looking for something light hearted and pure fun that never fails to have me in tears of laughter.

Stephanie is like the Bridget Jones of the bounty hunting world and she skips from one disaster to the next in hilarious fashion. Along with her sidekicks Lula (an ex hooker with a love of all things Lycra, a heart of gold and a big attitude) and Grandma Mazur (a completely kooky old lady who loves guns and dreams of becoming a hot shot bounty hunter like her granddaughter) she manages to get herself into all sorts of trouble. Luckily she has two hot men to call on for back up - the sexy cop Morelli and the deliciously mysterious bounty hunter extraordinaire Ranger. 10 years and more than 15 books since I started reading this series and I still can't make up my mind which of these guys I love the most!

One for the Money is a fabulous introduction to Stephanie's world - you meet one of my favourite casts of characters, the plot is fast paced, the mystery keeps you guessing right to the end and the story will have you snorting with laughter. I can't recommend this series highly enough!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

News Roundup: Cover Reveals, New Book Deals & a Movie Trailer

It's been a while since I did a news post but I've had quite a few exciting emails over the last couple of weeks so I thought I'd do a roundup post and share it all with you.  You've probably already seen at least some of this on other blogs but hopefully there will be something new here for you to discover.

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First I want to share the cover for Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver.  Pandemonium is the second book in Lauren's Delirium series and will be released in the UK on the 1st of March by Hodder & Stoughton.  I absolutely loved Delirium (read my review here) so I can't wait to read this one and I love the cover.

Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver

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HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS SIGNS DIRECTOR CHRIS COLUMBUS FOR NEW BOOK SERIES

DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER TO PEN MIDDLE-GRADE SERIES WITH BESTSELLING TEEN AUTHOR NED VIZZINI

New York, NY/ London (January 5, 2012)—HarperCollins Publishers announced today that it has preempted rights to a three-book middle-grade series, House of Secrets by iconic Hollywood director and producer Chris Columbus, co-authored by acclaimed young adult novelist Ned Vizzini. This is Columbus’s debut series for young readers with the first book slated for global publication in Spring 2013.

The three-book North American deal was negotiated by Alessandra Balzer, Co-Publisher of the Balzer + Bray imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, with Dorian Karchmar at William Morris Endeavor. UK & Commonwealth rights were acquired by Rachel Denwood, Publishing Director from Cathryn Summerhayes at William Morris Endeavour. Rights have been sold in twelve foreign territories so far.

“Master storytellers Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini have created a high-stakes fantasy,” said Balzer. “From the very first page I knew we had to publish this series. It’s an incredibly imaginative adventure with clever plot twists and nonstop action—not to mention a family that readers will immediately fall in love with. House of Secrets has all the hallmarks of a new classic."

Denwood added, “Combining classic adventure with sublime offbeat humor, and with three brilliant siblings at its heart, this has the potential to be the next big series. It's going to be epic.”

“The opportunity to write this novel is a dream come true," said Columbus. "I have lived with the characters of this novel and their world for many years, and was saving them for something very special. Working on House of Secrets with Ned has been a thrill.”

The Pagett kids had it all: loving parents, a big house in San Francisco, all the latest video games . . . But everything changed when their father lost his job as a result of an inexplicable transgression. Now the family is moving into Kristoff House, a mysterious place built nearly a century earlier by a troubled fantasy writer with a penchant for the occult. Suddenly the siblings find themselves launched on an epic journey into a mash-up world born of Kristoff's dangerous imagination, to retrieve a dark book of untold power, uncover the Pagett family's secret history and save their parents . . . and maybe even the world.

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On the 1st of May HarperCollins will be publishing the much anticipated sequel to Divergent by Veronica Roth.  Divergent was one of my favourite reads of 2011 (read my review here) so I can't wait to get my hands on Insurgent!  I absolutely love the Insurgent cover and I have to say I much prefer the new paperback cover for Divergent than the hardback one.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

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DFB Storyblog

by David Fickling Books

Do you know who Candy Gourley’s favourite monsters are? Which famous author John Dickinson failed to recognise at a book launch? SF Said’s favourite hobby?

The DFB Storyblog is just that – a blog full of STORIES, written by David Fickling Books’ authors and illustrators! Every week, a range of DFB creators take it in turns to share their experiences and discuss a topic which coincides with the publication of a new DFB title. For example, the recent topic ‘Retelling Classic Stories’ celebrated Kenneth Oppel’s This Dark Endeavour, which tells the story of young Victor Frankenstein. The current topic unveils influence and research behind the authors' work - Linda Newbery, author of Set in Stone, talks about trying her hand at stone-carving, and Neill Cameron explains how he recreated (and then destroyed!) his old school, in order to write and draw the graphic novel Mo-Bot High. The Storyblog includes posts from debut authors and emerging illustrators alongside more familiar names, so watch out for some author legends such as Margo Lanagan and Philip Pullman!

David Fickling, Publisher, comments: “I am the last person who should be recommending a blog. I hate blogs. I hate tweets. I hate bleats. And I particularly hate TWOGS. But then I took a look at our own blog and... WOW! I was blown away by it. This is something different. It is written by our very own DFB AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS. And they know how to write. I feel very proud of it and hugely grateful to all our great authors and thank them so much for contributing. They have made something new. I still hate blogs. But I love STORYBLOGS”

http://www.davidficklingbooks.co.uk/blog/

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Last but not least I thought I'd share the movie trailer for One For the Money. I absolutely love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, the books are just so funny and are great when you're looking for a light hearted but hilarious read.  I realised a couple of weeks ago that I've not read any of the books since before I stared blogging so I re-read One For the Money last week and will be posting my review soon.



Are you a Stephanie Plum fan?  What do you think of the trailer?  I have to say it looks like the film is going to stick fairly closely to the plot of the book.  I'm not too sure about Morelli - he isn't at all how I pictured him but I'll reserve my judgement until I've seen the film.  I think I'm going to like Stephanie though and I already love Grandma, Lula and Ranger (from what we've seen of them anyway!).  I can't wait to go and see the film when it comes out over here in February!