Fearless Fourteen - Janet Evanovich

Janet's done it again. This Stephanie Plum novel is as entertaining as all of the Stephanie Plum series books. This time Lula's engaged and planning a wedding despite the fact that Tank, her "fiance," never actually proposed. And never mind the fact that he doesn't want to marry her. Stephanie is blue. Not sad, just blue. We also meet Brenda who is basically a washed up Britney Spears. Then there's Brenda's stalker, Gary, who is also a self-proclaimed psychic and her cousin. There's Zoot who is responsible for bringing out Stephanie's motherly qualities. Zoot likes to paint his name on anything that doesn't move and a few things that do. Mooner is back and this time he's got a potato gun. So it's basically your run of the mill boring bounty hunter book, Not!

Spare Change - Robert B. Parker

Robert B. Parker is one of my favorite authors but I've mostly stuck to reading his Spencer series. In fact I've read all but the newest of the Spenser books. But I do have it on my hold list at the library. While I was waiting for that one I needed something else to take on my San Francisco trip. I thought why try a book from one of his other series. Thus I checked out Spare Change: A Sunny Randall Novel.

I gotta admit that I was a little skeptical as to how much I would like it. But Parker quickly won me over. How did he do that, you ask. (Well pretend you did ask.) Right away, he let's us know that the setting is the same for the Spenser series. Sunny Randall is a private investigator in Boston. Spenser is also a private investigator in Boston. Then we find out that Sunny is seeing a shrink. It's not just any shrink, it's Susan Silverman, Spenser's love interest. Through the course of the novel Sunny interacts with characters (Belson, Quirk, etc.) that we are already familiar with from Spenser books. And of course, Parker's dialogs between the various characters are filled with the quick wit that I love.

Another thing that makes me lover Parker's writing is that he personifies the dogs. Each dog is a regular character with thoughts, emotions, etc. In the Spenser series there is Pearl, Spenser and Susan's dog, who provides many of the humorous moments. Knowing that, Sunny would have to have to have a dog also, right? Parker does not disappoint. While Rosie, Sunny's dog, didn't have as many funny moments, Rosie did become one of the main characters and added her own humorous interactions with the other characters.

So if you are a fan of the Spenser series and love Parker's writing there, don't be afraid to check out the other series. (I've started a Jesse Stone novell by Parker. So I'll let you know how it works out.)

Plum Lucky - Janet Evanovich

Plum Lucky - Janet Evanovich

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a big fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series. Rarely is there a book that will make me laugh out loud but Stephanie's shenanigans never fail me. I've just finished Plum Lucky.

This time Stephanie hits the road for Atlantic City when Grandma Mazur goes missing along with a duffle bag full of money that she stubbled over while watching a rainbow. Stephanie doesn't venture out alone. She takes the whole crew: Lula the former "ho" who get's a shady job modeling plus-size lingerie, Connie the middle aged sharp-shooter, and Diesel the mysterious man hunting down a guy who thinks he a leprechaun. One of my favorite "laugh out loud" moments include taking Doug the horse (who "talks" to the leprechaun) for an evelator ride after being cooped up in Stephanie's kitchen all day.

Janet is the author who writes all the number books. This is just a short "in between the numbers" book. It's quick read for anyone who might want to try out the series. Another quick one is Plum Lovin. Actually they are all quick reads, these two just have less number of pages.

Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich

I just finished Lean Mean Thirteen, the latest in the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie was up to her ol' antics. She was joined by the regulars: Grandma Mazur and her new stuffed cat, Blackie; Lula the former ho; Joyce, the money grubbing Stephanie wannabe, and let's not forget Stephanie's love/lust interests, Joe Morelli and Ranger.

I've said it before and I'll say it again for this book. Janet Evanovich is one of the few authors I've read that can actually elicit a audible laugh out of me while at the gym. I find her writing very fun with great visuals. I recommend it if you are looking for a light read. Beware, as with Ms. Evanovich's previous novels, there is plenty of sexual inuendo and some strong language also.

The Anatomy of Peace - The Arbinger Institue

So I just finished reading The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by The Arbinger Institute. This the second of two books written by this institute. The first was Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box. Now I've read both and I highly recommend them to anyone who either enjoys self-help books or who is interested in have more peace in their day to day lives. It's helped me.