I'd like to say that this was my first true romance book I have read. On the other hand, if I take into consideration all the Janet Evanovich books I've read, then this would not be my first. But for the sake of argument, this book by Jennifer Crusie was my first "real" romance book. I'm generally not a big fan of it and I think that goes with the stereotype that all romance books are like the Harrlequin books. I did not find this to be true with this particular book. After reading the book Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, I found that I really enjoyed reading contemporary romance books. This book was recommended by a librarian at Bettendorf (IA) Public Library. She's really into romance books and was very helpful in my selection.
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie is about a girl in her early 30s that does not believe in happily ever after. Minerva Dobbs, otherwise known as Min, is an actuary, she bases everything on statistics, including love. Cal Morrisey is a gorgeous man who has trouble making commitments to women who want to become serious. Min and Cal meet when David, Min's ex-boyfriend, bets Cal that he can't get Min to bed in a month. Min over hears most of the conversation and from there begins to play a game to. The only thing is that Min and Cal find themselves falling for each other. Two people who are complete opposites, fall for each other and yet do all they can to stop it. After each run in with each other, they try to cut their losses and agree to never meet again. However, their paths keep crossing, whether at a movie theatre or a restaurant, fate continues to bring them together. Min does not feel she is worthy of Cal's attention since he is a gorgeous, hot guy that could have any woman he wanted. Min is somewhat overweight in this story, so she feels that Cal is not in her league. Cal finds Min difficult to get along with at times. She has a very hard exterior but he can see that she is so much more on the inside if she would let it out. When she starts to feel that love for him, she remembers the bet and then tries to prevent herself from feeling for him anymore.
This definitely was one of those books that was difficult to put down. I found myself reading it for hours and staying up way past my bedtime. Jennifer Crusie definitely writes romance books that are worth reading. I enjoyed the characters and the flow of the entire book. I will definitely read more of Jennifer Crusie's books and any books that are similarly written.
My two recommended fiction reads:
This Heart is Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz
According to Novelist Plus, these books are great to read if you have read books by Jennifer Crusie.
My two recommended non-fiction reads:
In the book Bet Me, Min was an avid fan of Elvis and spoke of waiting for Elvis to come back to be her lover, so, I found a book that is about Elvis.
Fortunate Son: the Life of Elvis Presley by Charles L Ponce de Leon
The next non-fiction recommendation I picked because Min was single and looking for love but not willing to give up sex to get it unless she knew there was going to be a total commitment. The author of this book tells of the trials and tribulations of dating, she talks of horrors such as the singles table at weddings and speed dating. In Bet Me, Min's sister Diana is getting married and with Min and David broke up, Min now needs a date for the wedding. That becomes a focus after Min and David broke up.
The Curse of the Singles Table: A True Story of 1,001 Nights without Sex by Suzanne Schlossberg
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich (Mystery)
Sizzling Sixteen is the latest installment of many from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I would consider these books a mystery with some romance and lots of humor. I have always thought that this series of books was absolutely great. Evanovich loves to keep the readers coming and she does every time she puts out a new Stephanie Plum book. As always this newest book in the series novel was funny, riveting, and quite interesting.
Each series of these books you think you already know what you are going to read about, however Evanovich continues to impress by changing up the story by bringing in new characters and revisiting old characters. Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinny at his Bond Enforcement Agency. It isn't the job she went to school for but a job nonetheless. She isn't the greatest bounty hunter around but she gets the job done in a comical messed up way. I liked the fact that each time I read these books, Stephanie Plum is dealing with something different as a bounty hunter. Her love life continues on this ride of which man shall she choose or can she even attempt to choose. Joe Morelli, a childhood friend that was quite the wild boy back in their high school days has always tried something with Stephanie, primarily sexually related. They have an on again off again relationship. And once you think they are going to make it and get married, Evanovich stops and keeps you thinking and wishing for more. Then there is Ranger, a bounty hunter as well, who sometimes brings in the skippers for Vinny. He owns his own security company and he's very private. He has helped Stephanie on many occasions in apprehending a fugitive and is very interested in her personally. It is what I believe to be one of the struggles Stephanie has between Morelli and Ranger. Who does she pick? Should she pick? They are both nice looking, well built men, and each does something different to Stephanie (how she feels).
I liked this latest title because it involved Stephanie's cousin Vinny. He's mentioned in the other series but usually the focus is not solely on him. This time, he's a major part of the story when he gets into gambling trouble with some Russia mafia guy and gets kidnapped for ransom money. Stephanie and Lula (large African American woman with a lot of spunk and attitude and former hooker) met up in one of the earlier series and have been friends ever since. Lula works at Vinny's agency filing but rarely does any filing, she likes to help Stephanie out on her captures, which makes for quite a hysterical time. Connie, Vinny's secretary, gives Stephanie the captures she has to bring in and attempts to keep Vinny in line. What I liked in Sizzling Sixteen, is that Connie, Lula, and Stephanie all work together to get Vinny back. They might not do it the best or right way, but they get the job done leaving behind their trail in the utmost funniest way.
Evanovich's series of Stephanie Plum books always make me laugh and keep me wishing for more. I can hardly ever wait for the next one to come out. When a series has gone on as long as this one has, you often wonder if the next one is going to be as good as the last. Will it be everything you hope it to be? I have never been disappointed by Janet Evanovich's books, including the Stephanie Plum series.
If a reader liked this book then I recommended them to read the following books:
Fiction:
Any of the Stephanie Plum series, starting with book number one: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. These books do not have to really be read in order, but if you want to completely understand how Stephanie Plum becomes a bounty hunter and where all the characters fit, then starting from the beginning is the best. If you found yourself unable to put this book down, then reading the other books in this series is a must.
If Evanovich isn't your style but Sizzling Sixteen still sparked your interest, then I would suggest books by Sandra Brown. Play Dirty or Rainwater are a couple of title suggestions. Sandra Brown writes mysteries about the same way Evanovich does, while not all of them contain the amount of humor Evanovich's does, they do contain the mystery and the romance. Brown's books can be just as addicting as Evanovich's books.
Nonfiction books that may interest someone who likes to read mysteries:
Nonfiction:
A Cold Case by Philip Gourevitch. ISBN 0312420021. 183 pages.
This book is about an investigators 30 year pursuit of petty criminal and murderer Frank Koehler, who shot two men in a continuation of a bar agreement in 1970. The investigator Andy Rosenzweig used research and interviews to take the reader back to his earlier days as a New York City police officer. Rosenzweig describes the background of the Koehler family's crime and how he tracked down the infamous criminal living in California.
This book is described as an impossible to stop reading narrative which is beautifully written. If a reader likes a good mystery book in fiction then this book in nonfiction will surely perk their interest.
American Roulette: How I Turned the Odds Upside Down--My Wild Twenty-Five Year Ride Ripping Off the World's Casinos by Richard Marcus. ISBN 0312291396. 370 pages.
This book is a first person account of Marcus' many years spent making a living by cheating the casinos. This is a quick paced adventurous book, however there is language and jargon that is on the rawside of honest. Marcus describes his many partners and numerous scams. He takes great pride in the way he made his living doing illegal activities.
While this book does sound a bit on the blundt side of writing, I recommend it because in the book Sizzling Sixteen, a great deal of gambling and scamming is mentioned. If readers liked reading about that in Evanovich's book, they may find it fascinating to read about a real life account from someone who made a living at it.
Each series of these books you think you already know what you are going to read about, however Evanovich continues to impress by changing up the story by bringing in new characters and revisiting old characters. Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinny at his Bond Enforcement Agency. It isn't the job she went to school for but a job nonetheless. She isn't the greatest bounty hunter around but she gets the job done in a comical messed up way. I liked the fact that each time I read these books, Stephanie Plum is dealing with something different as a bounty hunter. Her love life continues on this ride of which man shall she choose or can she even attempt to choose. Joe Morelli, a childhood friend that was quite the wild boy back in their high school days has always tried something with Stephanie, primarily sexually related. They have an on again off again relationship. And once you think they are going to make it and get married, Evanovich stops and keeps you thinking and wishing for more. Then there is Ranger, a bounty hunter as well, who sometimes brings in the skippers for Vinny. He owns his own security company and he's very private. He has helped Stephanie on many occasions in apprehending a fugitive and is very interested in her personally. It is what I believe to be one of the struggles Stephanie has between Morelli and Ranger. Who does she pick? Should she pick? They are both nice looking, well built men, and each does something different to Stephanie (how she feels).
I liked this latest title because it involved Stephanie's cousin Vinny. He's mentioned in the other series but usually the focus is not solely on him. This time, he's a major part of the story when he gets into gambling trouble with some Russia mafia guy and gets kidnapped for ransom money. Stephanie and Lula (large African American woman with a lot of spunk and attitude and former hooker) met up in one of the earlier series and have been friends ever since. Lula works at Vinny's agency filing but rarely does any filing, she likes to help Stephanie out on her captures, which makes for quite a hysterical time. Connie, Vinny's secretary, gives Stephanie the captures she has to bring in and attempts to keep Vinny in line. What I liked in Sizzling Sixteen, is that Connie, Lula, and Stephanie all work together to get Vinny back. They might not do it the best or right way, but they get the job done leaving behind their trail in the utmost funniest way.
Evanovich's series of Stephanie Plum books always make me laugh and keep me wishing for more. I can hardly ever wait for the next one to come out. When a series has gone on as long as this one has, you often wonder if the next one is going to be as good as the last. Will it be everything you hope it to be? I have never been disappointed by Janet Evanovich's books, including the Stephanie Plum series.
If a reader liked this book then I recommended them to read the following books:
Fiction:
Any of the Stephanie Plum series, starting with book number one: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. These books do not have to really be read in order, but if you want to completely understand how Stephanie Plum becomes a bounty hunter and where all the characters fit, then starting from the beginning is the best. If you found yourself unable to put this book down, then reading the other books in this series is a must.
If Evanovich isn't your style but Sizzling Sixteen still sparked your interest, then I would suggest books by Sandra Brown. Play Dirty or Rainwater are a couple of title suggestions. Sandra Brown writes mysteries about the same way Evanovich does, while not all of them contain the amount of humor Evanovich's does, they do contain the mystery and the romance. Brown's books can be just as addicting as Evanovich's books.
Nonfiction books that may interest someone who likes to read mysteries:
Nonfiction:
A Cold Case by Philip Gourevitch. ISBN 0312420021. 183 pages.
This book is about an investigators 30 year pursuit of petty criminal and murderer Frank Koehler, who shot two men in a continuation of a bar agreement in 1970. The investigator Andy Rosenzweig used research and interviews to take the reader back to his earlier days as a New York City police officer. Rosenzweig describes the background of the Koehler family's crime and how he tracked down the infamous criminal living in California.
This book is described as an impossible to stop reading narrative which is beautifully written. If a reader likes a good mystery book in fiction then this book in nonfiction will surely perk their interest.
American Roulette: How I Turned the Odds Upside Down--My Wild Twenty-Five Year Ride Ripping Off the World's Casinos by Richard Marcus. ISBN 0312291396. 370 pages.
This book is a first person account of Marcus' many years spent making a living by cheating the casinos. This is a quick paced adventurous book, however there is language and jargon that is on the rawside of honest. Marcus describes his many partners and numerous scams. He takes great pride in the way he made his living doing illegal activities.
While this book does sound a bit on the blundt side of writing, I recommend it because in the book Sizzling Sixteen, a great deal of gambling and scamming is mentioned. If readers liked reading about that in Evanovich's book, they may find it fascinating to read about a real life account from someone who made a living at it.
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