Fearless Fourteen (Hardcover)

I pick up a Plum book expecting to be entertained and have a few chuckles. I was not disappointed in Fearless Fourteen. Based on the reviews, I expected worse. I was pleasantly surprised, and I found myself laughing at Plum and her cohorts. It is true that there wasn't anything new in the book, and it isn't very exciting. There is less mayhem in this book. None the less, I did find it as funny as many of her others in this series. I particularly enjoyed Lula planning her wedding with Tank. :) Please do not be turned off by the reviews of this book. There isn't much new, but what's "old" is still funny and entertaining.
 
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This book can be summed up in one word...BORING! I actually had a hard time finishing it. There was even more content recycling than usual. Nothing about it was new and exciting. I didn't even laugh out loud once and that is a first for me. (I still laugh thinking about Lula and Jingle Bells from Plum Lovin' and the damn scarf around the dead guys foot hanging out of the trunk.) Lula is normally one of my favorite characters and I hated her in this book. I think that the whole proposal story line was supposed to be funny but instead it made me feel embarrassed for Lula and for poor Tank. I didn't feel any emotion throughout the book, no emotion between the characters and no emotional connection to the characters as the reader. I have never felt such a disconnect with a Plum book before. I never felt any suspense or concern or anticipation waiting to see what would happen next. At one point Stephanie says she's (paraphrasing) "paralyzed with terror" but if I hadn't read the words I wouldn't have known that's how she was feeling. The words and descriptions were not enough to paint the scene as they have always been in the past. Gone is the witty dialog, the rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-your-butt off moments, and also disappointingly gone was the usual sexual charge between Steph and the two men in her life. With all that gone all it left was boring. As a die-hard Plum fan from way back, I REALLY wanted to like this book, but I didn't. It just fell flat in too many ways. People seem to assume that Ranger's lack of page time is what has many people (Babes) disappointed in this book, and I know that for myself that is 100% not true. All I wanted was a well-written story, to be entertained with the comedy and antics of the characters I love, but that is not what I got out of Fearless Fourteen. Instead I got watered-down versions of characters, a messy plot that has already been used a time or two (or three), lackluster humor and several loose ends that were never tied up. I am curious to get more opinions. Judging by the number of negative reviews on bn.com (before they were all deleted) I am not the only person who felt that Fearless Fourteen fell flat.
 
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Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has a lot on her plate: She's running security for Brenda as a favor to Ranger, she's taking care of a teenage boy who may be related to Joe Morelli in more ways than one, and then there's a monkey... and a dead guy... and something about potatoes... As a long-time fan of this series, I was extremely disappointed in this book. I could tell in the last one (Lean Mean Thirteen) that Janet was getting bored with her characters... but I never suspected she'd throw something like this together and call it a day. There was something "off" about it. It was amateurish, disjointed, and sloppy--not up to the standard Janet Evanovich has set for herself and this series. More than once I lost my place, got confused, and gave up trying. The plot, the characters, the dialogue... nothing really made sense. And to make matters worse, it was boring beyond belief. Don't bother buying this one. Get it from the library or wait until it's on sale for a dollar. Shouldn't take too long.
 
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Since discovering Janet Evanovich, I have anxiously awaited the release of a new Stephanie Plum book each year. This series has always been a fun read for me. I couldn't wait to see what kind of trouble Stephanie would get into. This series had it all, funny laugh out loud moments as well as a light mystery which showcased the two men in Stephanie's life. But the ride is over now, for me at least. Fearless Fourteen left me sad and disappointed. I didn't recognize these characters at all. Stephanie felt like a spectator instead of a participant. The plot seemed to fall apart early in the book and I was left with unanswered questions as well as scratching my head wondering what happened. As a loyal fan, I think I deserved better than this book. It truly breaks my heart to say goodbye to Stephanie and gang.
 
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It saddens me considerably to report that the newest offering for the Stephanie Plum series (#14) is anything but the innovative and lighthearted fare with lovable characters, believable bad guys and wickedly funny dialogue that we've come to expect from the Evanovich camp. #14 has a recycled plot and copied scenes from many of the previous books. It's patently obvious, though indescribably sad, that the author has lost the love she previously had for her great characters. In this book, Lula loses the indefatigable independent charm that made her such a funny and lovable character - she resorts to trickery and lying to become engaged. She then inexplicably spends most of the book worrying about a prenuptial agreement for her shoes and car. Steph just sleepwalks through this book. It's as close to a summary of what her life would be like if she got married (shudder) - which is boredom that can't sustain a book. Joe is portrayed as a sleaze who can't remember if he slept with his cousin or not. Yuck. He's not my favorite character, but he surely didn't deserve this treatment. There was a forgettable bad guy whose name you will not remember, and a subplot involving an aging singing star/reality show newbie. This subplot serves absolutely no purpose and doesn't tie into the main story at all. It saddens me to say that this book is not worth the $27.95 list price, nor would I pay $1.00 for it. It further saddens me because this author is capable of much, much better work.
 
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Where did my Plum go? Where's the mystery, the plot, the sly humor that makes you think? If you find it, let me know because I'm one disappointed Stephanie Plum fan. There is no real antagonist, and our protagonist, Stephanie Plum seems to be just letting life happen. There isn't the action one expects, no thrills. Man, I am saddened as this was my favorite series. I read an ARC and let me tell you I will not be purchasing this installment. Next year, maybe. Come on, Janet. Give your fans their just rewards.
 
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