Wicked Business (Lizzy and Diesel Book 2) by Janet Evanovich

Rating 3 out of 5
Title: Wicked Business
Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: Lizzy and Diesel Book 2
File Size: 961 KB
Print Length: 321 pages
Publisher: Review (June 19, 2012)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B0082CXE7O
ISBN: B0061C1N5W  

Synopsis
Lizzy Tucker's once normal life as a pastry chef in Salem, Massachusetts, turns upside down as she battles both sinister forces and an inconvenient attraction to her unnaturally talented but off-limits partner, Diesel. When Harvard University English professor and dyed-in-the wool romantic Gilbert Reedy is mysteriously murdered and thrown off his fourth-floor balcony, Lizzy and Diesel take up his twenty-year quest for the Luxuria Stone, an ancient relic believed by some to be infused with the power of lust. Following clues contained in a cryptic nineteenth-century book of sonnets, Lizzy and Diesel tear through Boston catacombs, government buildings, and multimillion-dollar residences. On their way they'll leave behind a trail of robbed graves, public disturbances, and general mayhem.Diesel's black sheep cousin, Gerwulf Grimoire, also wants the Stone. His motives are far from pure, and what he plans on doing with the treasure, no one knows . . . but Lizzy Tucker fears she's in his crosshairs. Never far and always watching, Grimoire has a growing, vested interest in the cupcake-baker-turned-finder-of-lost-things. As does another dangerous and dark opponent in the hunt--a devotee of lawlessness and chaos, known only as Anarchy. Treasures will be sought, and the power of lust will be unmistakable as Lizzy and Diesel attempt to stay ahead of Anarchy, Grimoire, and his medieval minion, Hatchet, in this ancient game of twisted riddles and high-stakes hide-and-seek.

My thoughts
Janes Evanovich writes screw ball comedies very well. She has made her career out on them. But this felt like a Stephanie Plumb novel, with a the setting, and names changed with a dash of magic to make it "different". It wasn't different, it wasn't new. In fact I felt if you swapped the names with the main characters from the Stephanie Plumb series then I could be reading a Plumb book.


This book is light and quick to read.  There are no surprises and everything is familiar (if you have previously read the Plumb Series). Best of all you don't have to think when reading this.

I did much prefer book one Wicked Appetite (click on the link to see my review) to this book, and while I will read book three something had better change or I might just forget this series (which should be roughly seven books long due to there being seven stones).


But I did still enjoy this book, as I said Evanovich does this type of thing well. I did snort and giggle here and there but admittedly those scenes included the monkey, a character named and an old guy who could bend spoons with his mind.

Would I recommend it?
Only if you had read Wicked Appetite and a Janet Evanovich fan.

Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Rating: 3 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 439 KB
Print Length: 320 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 075538489X
Publisher: Review (June 21, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0051GY24S

Stephnie is back in her 17th adventure as a Bounty hunter in Jersey. This time Stephanie has a serial killer leaving her presents and she needs to discover who the murderer is before he decides to kill her.

My initial feelings towards this book is that it was not as good as her last, and that this book was rather average. Though other reviewers seem to think the opposit that the last book was crap and this was great. For me the story line was predictable, and the same as the previous sixteen adventures with no real development character and story wise. Most of the humor I found centered around Lula and Grandma Mazur and I was laughing out loud at some of their antics.I am starting to think Grandma Mazur and Lula should get their own spin off series as detectives, and throw in Mooner and Sally, which I think would make an awesome book. But I am getting off topic.

There has been some rather harsh criticism around the web about this book. Most seem to be rather apposed to Stephanie sleeping with both Morellie and Ranger one after another. If I recall correctly in the other books Stephanie was either with one or the other in a relationship, when she slept with either man. But in this book it just seemed to be for the sake of it (blamed on vordoo).

Now I personally do not have a problem with this, its a romantic comedy type book so if your a bit prudish about it all read another series. What I do have a problem with is Stephanie needs to seriously make a decision, one or the other, or even neither. The reason I have a problem with her lack of decision is that I am really getting rather bored now with the whole love triangle. Also I felt there was a lack of chemistry between all of them, there was no spark, and as a reader I just didn’t care if Stephanie was with Ranger or Morellie.

To be honest I found Stepahnie to be well, a whinger, in this book. I started to get annoyed with her “oh woe is me I need a change” mantra that she repeated over and over again. Stephanie’s character needs some development, and the story line needs to move forward. It’s stagnated and I think that is really where most of the criticism about this book is coming from. People are getting bored.

I think the author knows this, and may even be setting the scene for a change. There were numerous references by Stephanie and other characters to Stephanie needing to change her life and pick a man. I hope the author does something soon either to progress the story/character development, or to end the series. I really think it needs that to keep it fresh.

BUT having said that I still enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it to fans. Because lets face it if you have stuck with the series for this long, you like the formula and know what to expect. There are no surprises with a Stephanie Plumb book and this book doesn’t fail on the expectations. You have the outrageous skips, the hilarious take downs, witty one liners, a ruined car (and what Stephanie Plumb novel wouldn’t have a destroyed car), the antics of Lula and Grandma Mazur, and finally the love triangle that is Morellie, Ranger and Stephanie.

Even though I have been a little negative about this book in this review, I did still enjoy it and will buy the new one due out in November (just in time for Christmas holiday's Thanks Janet Evanovich).

Extras
If you want to read an excerpt you can find on here on Janet Evanovich's website

Wicked Appetite (Book 1) by Janet Evanovich

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (September 14, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312652917
ISBN-13: 978-0312652913

Series: A Unmentionable Diesel and Tucker

First Sentence:"My name is Elizabeth Tucker."

Elizabeth Tucker is a baker, a baker of delicious cup cakes. However she is also an Unmentionable (not of the underwear variety), someone who has an ability. Lizzy's ability is to find magical objects. I one day she meets the darkly, menacing Wulf and the drop-dead spunky Diesel, who are both in a race to find a magical item that only Lizzy can find. Of course the fate of the world rests on finding the object, and she isn't so sure about her new side kicks the ninja cat or rude monkey.

There were lots of laugh out loud moments, and some sniggering moments. I could totally relate to the scene where Lizzy thought the last of the chocolate coated donuts had been taken. To be honest I thought she under-reacted (is that a word?) I would have karate chopped Diesel upside the head and drop kicked him outta the car.

Evanovich has created a great cast of characters who are all hilarious. My favorite though were the cat (called Cat) and the monkey Carl. Most of my laugh out loud moments involved Carl he was pretty good comedy relief.

My only quibble is that this seemed to follow the same formula as her Stephanie Plum series. Slightly useless, but loveable, main character, sexy side kick guy, another sexy guy (the baddie), weirdo friend, crazy pets, weirdo baddie, and a long suffering but normal co-worker. BUT Evanvovich does this formula well, and using the paranormal angle does make it refreshing.

This is obviously the first book in a new series as the story talks about a group of stones that need to be collected and only one stone is found in this book. I will definitely pick up the next installment. If you like the Stephanie Plum series, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Other Reviews

Books and Musings from Downunder

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

Rating: 5 out of 5

Stephanie is at it again. She and Morelli are currently off again and she is struggling to bring in the skips to earn her cash. Ranger is having some “security issues” and hires Stephanie to investigate his staff. Meanwhile Lula witnesses the murder of celebrity Chef Chipotle and enters the bbq spare ribs cook off in an effort to catch the killers and get the reward of $1 million.

Where to begin, firstly I think this is Evanovichs best for a long time. While I sniggered and giggled through the last couple of adventures they were just good to ok. This book is a return to Evanovich form. I could not stop laughing in this book and even had to stop reading at one point I was laughing so hard.

Lula and Grandma Mazur really are stealing the show now and are just as funny here. Most of my tears inducing laughter spots involved Lula and Grandma Mazur. I really thought this book might be the one where Stephanies mother has a complete and utter break down. The poor woman must have drunk the whole bottle of her secret liquor stash and said enough hail Mary’s to cover most of The Burbs.

I was turned off Ranger a little in this book. I’m not sure why but I found him to be a little bit of an arrogant prick in the way he spoke to Stephanie. Some of his comments I was just waiting for a “woman” to be tacked on like “get my beer woman”. I cant say I have ever noticed this before but if it was there previously it didn’t bug me like it did in this book.

Stephanies life seems to be in limbo and she admits this herself during the book. I really hope this signals a change in terms of the whole Morelli, Ranger, Stephanie love triangle thing. I think the triangle has really run its course and needs a resolution of some kind.

A great fun read. Definately worth the effort.