A Stephanie Plum Holiday Novel (Stephanie Plum Novels)

I was looking forward to romance but Janet Evanovich forgot that the best part of the story is always Stephanie with Morelli here and Ranger there. Lula and Grandma are entertaining, their antics funny, but Lula becoming a major character is less interesting. Stephanie doesn't follow her better instincts and makes the same mistakes over and over with fewer rescues by Morellli and Ranger. Disappointing --I would have liked more book for my money.

I hope to read fantabulous Fifty someday. I do not know how Janet Evanovich does this,over and over and makes me snatch each new one off the shelf, knowing I am in for an exciting laugh filled experience. I will gladly take Stephanie s reject ,when she finally makes up her mind between Morelli and Ranger.

Great read. Love the characters, the plot, and the locale. The dialogue is fast and furious. The only cricism I would offer is that it left me hanging in some ways. I don't know if it is a prequel for more Diesel books or not, but I don't know if he got together with the heroine or not. And I don't know what happened to several of the characters, like the bakery kooky girl, the bad guy, or many others. Perhaps the author is just leaving me hungry for a sequel, where she will explain all of this. I am looking forward to it, if she is.

If Lula and Stephanie Plum merged and became a single character, the result would be the heroine of this book. Lizzie is a woman who bakes amazing cupcakes. Within the first few pages of the book, Diesel, from the Stephanie Plum In Between the Numbers books, has strolled in and involved her in a hunt for an object that only Lizzie has the ability to identify. The rest of the book becomes stranger the farther in you read.
One of the most frustrating things about this book was that the dialogue was absolutely identical to the Stephanie Plum series. There was nothing unique about this heroine other than her ability to bake cupcakes. An unfortunate amount of dialogue had sentences that began with "Probably."
As this story developed, it simply made less and less sense. The plot seemed to just have been made up as the author went along, rather than planned and thought out. Rules for the "Unmentionable" world seemed to have been simply thrown in where convenient rather than properly introduced as you would expect in a well written fantasy or paranormal series. And the reactions of the characters to suddenly finding themselves in a situation with paranormal creatures was completely unrealistic.
The use of a monkey and a cat were just an excuse for slapstick humor. They seemed to be a way to fill the necessary pages rather than further developing the plot.
I will admit, the humor of Janet Evanovich's dialogue is still present. However, I felt like I was reading the next Stephanie Plum novel. I was just intrigued enough that I may pick up the next book, but from the library.

I still haven't figured out why Janet didn't continue the Hooker Nascar Guy series in a normal novel,(graphic novels may be the rage with some literary fans, but not this one and not a lot of her PLUM fans either); it kind of ticks me off because I did become invested in THOSE characters. But this new series isn't anywhere near as bad as some of the reviews would make you think, and unlike the PLUM and HOOKER series, this one includes a little "MAGIC". You only have to look at the success of other authors who took the leap into the Magic, Supernatural and "DEMON" genre to realize that with a little more creativity, this could become a hit series.

In the meantime, I did laugh a lot, did find some of the incidents slightly familiar, and I did think "I bet I know what happens next" more than once.

But I don't buy Janet's books expecting Tolstoy, Tolkein or Grisham, I buy them for light entertainment and this book was right up there with all the other books that fit into that category. No better, and certainly no worse. If I could have given it 3 1/2 stars I would have, but only 3 isn't enough, so I gave it 4.

I have read all the Plum books and thought them good, light, easy reads. The first Wicked book was readable, but this book is boring...I don't know Lizzy and don't like Diesel. My favorite character is the cat. So far I have not finished it as it has been so unappetizing-pun intended.

There simply aren't enough stars to express my love for the Stephanie Plum series of novels. This one has surprises as well as the predictable situations we've all come to adore about Grandma and Lula. The love triangle continues.

It was a gift for my daugter she is enjoying the series and we buy the books used at the store.She is just starting out on her own and has limited resources and the store makes it possible for her to read one of her favorite authors

Evanovich and Plum at their best. Can't wait for more of Stephanie, Joe, Grandma Mazur, Lula and Ranger. Just when I think it can't possibly continue to tickle me - it does. Good job with these characters.

I have read all of Janet Evanovich's other books and have found most to be excellent. Characters from previous books show up in the very thin story line which is described best as silly. Had I not paid $12.99 for my Kindle version I would have not finished this book. I give credit to anyone who can write books and hold my interest but I found Wicked Appetite to be a huge disappointment.

I know reading Plum stories are bad for me but I keep reading them, so that makes me a slut or an addict. I really hated the last couple of books. This one was better than those, but reading the label off the back of a can of soup would be better than the last two books.

Evanovich does something different from her other books. She takes a page out of 87th Preceint books by Ed McBain. In these stories there are multiple story lines going on and in the end they all come together in one big climax, for example the book Fuzz. Here we have the FBI, thugs, a crazy killer all looking for a picture, Joyce looking for treasure chest, hackers, hairdressers, a mountain of a moron who likes cars, rats in the ceiling, and that's not including Ranger, Morelli, and Hawaii. Oh how could I forget the Pink Panthers and the love potions! Well the big climax is a retellling of a climax from a previous Plum book where we have a factory, thugs, fire, Ranger... I found it to be Evanovilch ripping herself off.

The humor was not as flat as in previous novels but the zaniness is not here. I quess I have outgrown this dtype of humor? The trailer for the delayed One For The Money movie is now playing and I can already see some casting mistakes in some of the characters. I am wondering how the movie's success or lack of will affect future Plum novels.

I would like to offer the following suggestions for improving Stephanie Plum novels:
1. Stephanie goes to a new city. She leaves everything behind and starts over. Maybe she runs a pet store or becomes a hooker.
2. Have Stephanie grow up and make adult decisions like to own a pet store or become a hooker.
3. My personal favorite go gay and end the whole man thing.

This series started out great and has become worse with each book. The characters never grow and have just become dull and repetitive. The author is pumping books out too fast and the quality is certainly suffering. I won't be buying the next one...I'm done!

I have read ALL of Janet Evanovich's books and maybe that is the problem. This latest, WICKED APPETITE, is a real let down! Even with Diesel woven throughout the plot the thing is little more than a paste and glue of her prior books. It got so I could almost close my eyes and chant the paragraph to follow. It's about time she flushed her brain and came up with some new stuff. It isn't cute to take whole descriptions from former books and just decorate them with a few new twists.

This was a good book but not my favorite in the Stephanie Plum series. I've read them all and wasn't blown away by this one. I look forward to the release of Stephanie's nineteenth adventure and hope it's a little more like the Stephanie in previous adventures.

Explosive Eighteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel (Stephanie Plum Novels)
Stephanie Plum strikes again. One of the wonderful books from Janet Evanovich 's series. I never want to put it down when I am reading it.

Just when I thought something exciting was going to happen, the book ended. I have read every book Janet has written and this was a very large disappointment. From now on I will not be buying any more of the Stephanie Plum books, not worth the paper it is written on. My opinion the Stephanie Plum novels need to end. Janet just wrap this series up and move on to something else.

I was really disappointed in this read. It was the same thing on a different day. Janet needs to move forward with the characters or quit writing about them. She is not doing them justice. Even Grandma was boring in this book. Sad.

Having read the previous Stephenie Plum novels I was looking forward to the newest, easy read, adventure for Stephanie and crew. Brother, was I disappointed. There was no humor. Lula eats, wears too tight clothes and dyes her hair. So what! I read these books because they were laugh-out-loud funny, riotous, outrageous and slapstick adventures. Evanovich disappointed me. There was no connection with Ranger or Morelli and Stephanie. "Babe" and "Cupcake" without dialogue to support the sarcasm do nothing for me. Grandma even fell short on her visit to the funeral home to see the body. No blown up car for Stefanie. She traded in a car because her regular car kept being stolen by the same loser. Do not wase your money or time. If you enjoyed the numbers books before reread 1-10.

I love Janet Evanovich's Plum series. I wish she would write more than one a year! I hate to read but her books consume me. She is funny, witty, stupid, naive and clumbsy but once you start reading her books, you cannot put them down and that's saying something coming from a person who hates to read anything. I highly recommend if you need entertainment in your life, if you need to laugh out loud, GET THESE BOOKS!!!

I have been a fan of Janet Evanovich since "One for the Money," but I'm just about over it. I was reluctant to plunk down nearly $13.00 for an e-book (outrageous), and now I regret that I did. In Ms. Evanovich's favor, I love the characters she created and have enjoyed their antics in the past, but in Explosive Eighteen, it is difficult not to want to scream. If Lula messes up one more capture, I think I'll OD on fried chicken. If Ranger says Babe one more time, I may have to dial the suicide hotline. And I don't even know what to say about Stephanie's cars. Seriously? The dialogue that was supposed to be humorous left me flat, and the ongoing love interests just aren't interesting any more.

I haven't written off Janet Evanovich yet, but if there is a book nineteen, it should be titled "Monotonous Nineteen" followed by "Tedious Twenty." I love you Janet and thank you for all the fun you have given me over the years, but I'm begging you to have mercy on your readers.

With her first person narrative and off the wall descriptions like "we got to fatten her up, she got enough skin for two people" I did not want to put it down. I had to though because my sides ached from Full on belly laughs.

Murder Mystery novels are my preference. A friend recommended Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum
series and it was a joy from the get go. It is the first book series I couldn't put down. I literally carried
the books and later the kindle everywhere until I finished. They draw you in and you can't wait to see
what happens next. Author has a wicked sense of humor and great talent spoofing regional characters. You find
yourself rooting for hard luck Stephanie Plum and her daily fiascos. After you read this series, you will feel
like the luckiest person in the world by comparison! CAUTION: this series is highly ADDICTIVE.
Janet Evanovich is the piper piper of stories...expect to commit yourself to 18 books. And be anxiously waiting
for her to write the next one.

Janet Evanovich, as always, remains my favorite author. I love the quirky, over-the-top characters that she manages to make seem like the people who live next door. You can't go wrong with a Stephanie Plum novel.

This book was a boring read. I didn't laugh once and usually I find these books a riot. It was all, been there, done that. I'm just glad I borrowed the book from a friend and didn't waste my own money buying it.

This book was better than the last few of her Plum series. The first books in this series were written better and the story line was more entertaining. I will probably continue reading her books but not with the same anticipation as I used to.

I think she wrote this one in too much of a hurry - it's not as good as the rest of them. Also, Stephanie needs to decide on one man and not hop from one bed to the other with the two guys! I love the Plum books, but this one kind of disappointed me.

I love all of the books in this series. I read them with the expectation that I can simply escape for a few hours- I will not be a better person or even gain a fresh perspective after reading the books. What I will do is laugh until the tears are rolling down my face, and I have to put the book down to concentrate on breathing and wipe my eyes. Janet Evanovich has never failed to deliver the laughs. The Ranger/Morelli triangle is still amusing to me. I don't mind that Stephanie can't make up her mind- I don't really blame her! I hope she doesn't decide on either of them any time soon, because I can't imagine her world without either of them in it. This book was just as funny as all the books in the series to me. Janet Evanovich continues to keep the laughs fresh to me by describing things so well and bringing each character to life. Stephanie may be in danger again, but the off-the-wall villains along with Stephanie's responses continue to take me by suprise and having me laughing out loud!

This book was a real disappointment. Kind of a "blah" story, not the page turner with the colorful characters that makes us come back for more from Evanovich. I've been a faithful reader of all of her Stephanie Plum books but I'm disenchanted by the last 2 or 3. Getting tired of the love triangle than never goes anywhere. Would like more stories with grandma playing a bigger part.

I really enjoyed Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich, had quite a few laughs with Lulu's escapades, I wish she would make up her mind about the men in her life. Read it on my Kindle and would recommend it to anyone with a sense of humor.

So, here I am again. I swore I wouldn't read another Evanovich Plum Novel--after my last review of 17, I swore tooth and nail to my husband, my mom, and my blog readers that I wouldn't read it! So...I went to the library. I really just had to know if it was as bad as the previous one. After being teased that she might make a decision in 18, I let my small curiosity overshadow my intellect.

Remember back in the day of the early awesome plum books, where Stephanie felt BAD for kissing Ranger when she was dating Morelli? Remember back in the day where she swore she would never be like Joyce the whore? Remember? Well, it seems Stephanie has inhaled too many donuts, smoke fumes--from her cars always catching fire, and hair spray, because after she slept with Ranger and Morelli on back to back nights in 17, cementing her in my hoochie hall of fame; She is now sleeping with both men regularly in 18. How many times was it? 3 or so with Ranger? 2 or 3 with Morelli and then I'm sure her and Ranger had more sex in Hawaii than we were told. I mean, dudes--it's Ranger...and Hawaii. I would! Well, I would if I wasn't conflicted or dating another man, but hey, that's me. I have morals and scruples and a code of non-whorism.

I wish Joe had caught Steph having sex with Ranger in Hawaii. That would have been good. I also wish we got to see Joe and Ranger fight. That would have been panty melting too. But No.

Picturing Lula in all black with painted on pants and boob squish, does make me laugh. I did laugh a little. But it doesn't make up for the complete 180 degree turns every character in the Plum series has taken. Her mom is a lush, Steph is a whore, Ranger has no sack, Joe lost his possessive balls too, Lula still thinks too much about food, but she at least strives to be better...sometimes. When it's easier ;)

It seems that after 18 books, Ranger and Morelli have lost their balls. Huh. Who would have seen that one coming. Heh, I said coming. Did Stephanie here that? She probably is one of them right now, and while in the throes with whomever it is, is secretly wondering how long she has to wait to sleep with the other one so she doesn't seem tacky. Should she take a shower first? Nah. Why bother? She is just going to get sweaty again.

I jest. Sort of. I know, If I get so angry about the direction, why do I keep reading? I keep hoping things will change and they have! Finally, they have! Only for the worse. I remember thinking, why does she keep getting back with Joe? She should give Ranger a turn. Only, not this way. Why can't she have a relationship again? For a whole book, let her be with Ranger! Then at the end, have Joe tell Ranger to meet him at midnight, in the dark park, alone. with no guns. Only fists. YAY!

Pulease.

Janet Evanovich? What on earth are you doing to your characters? They have completely morphed into pod-people. They have been replaced with robots!

Lula got on my nerves. She reminded me of Boomer from ESPN with his "Whoops!" with her "Bams!"

So, once again we are left on a 'cliff' only this time? I am not falling! I am going to back away, gracefully from the edge, and bow down to the awesomeness that Stephanie used to be, and keep her alive in my memories.

I am getting off the crazy train. If I want to read cars getting blown up, her sneaky snarkness, and some hot glimpses of two actual men...I'll read the early plum books.

This book is for all intents and purposes what I refer to as a "contractual obligation" endeavor. In other words, the author has promised the publisher that he/she will produce a new book within a certain time limit and does, but did not particularly care to make an effort to create a first class product. They figure they can write a piece of crap and because they have a loyal following, the fans will buy it. The author and publisher make a little cash on the initial sales of the book and the fans get the royal shaft from both parties involved in these debacles. Word of the actual quality eventually leaks and sales of the book drop very quickly. This "book" does indeed fall under the category of debacle.

Not only do I want the time that I spent reading this piece of crap back, I wish there was some way to recover the money that was spent to purchase it.

Ms. Evanovich needs to retire and live off royalties if this is the kind of tripe that she is going to be delivering to her fans. Even her mainstream Stephanie Plum novels are now mundane.

I recommend that you purchase something else if you have some money burning a hole in your pocket.

Explosive Eighteen is a perfect light read. As are most of the Stephanie Plum novels, the characters are delightfully comical and the situations are hilarious. If you're looking for something to lighten your day, this book will do it. A just-for-fun book.

Very good book, couldn't put it down. Stephanie and Lula are up to their old tricks. Of course Morelli and Ranger showed up, whew! those two are hunks.Grandma Mazur was there is all her shinking glory too!
And Mrs plum just about got snockered on Jack Daniels,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,she's so afraid Stephanie is not gonn give her grandkids.

Not to worry tho, Stephanie does things in her own time.

Eighteen left me a little disappointed. It seems like Janet is running out of ideas and she's
just grasping at far fetched story lines to keep the reader entertained. It has some funny monents,
but I probably should have just checked the book out from the library and saved my money.

This book was a giant disappointment for me. I was so anxious to read it that I bought it the first day it came out and devoured it by the following morning. I wish now I had practiced patience and waited until I had read the reviews so I could have saved my money.

My problem was not that Stephanie and Lula were still inept at capturing their skips since I expected that. It was not even that Stephanie still did not choose between Ranger and Morelli since I expected that, too, even though I hoped she would. My major disappointment is that readers were led to believe the next book following Smokin' Seventeen: A Stephanie Plum Novel (Stephanie Plum Novels) would be at least partially about Stephanie's time in Hawaii. This was relegated to one small paragraph.

Overall this book was the same as the last three or four in the series, but with less excitement or humor. This is the first negative review I've ever felt compelled to write and I hope it's my last.

I have read ALL of Janet Evanovich's books and maybe that is the problem. This latest, WICKED APPETITE, is a real let down! Even with Diesel woven throughout the plot the thing is little more than a paste and glue of her prior books. It got so I could almost close my eyes and chant the paragraph to follow. It's about time she flushed her brain and came up with some new stuff. It isn't cute to take whole descriptions from former books and just decorate them with a few new twists.

I have read all 18 books in this series and loved everyone of them. I feel like I am reading about family. My favorite character is Lula. In my head j see her as being Wanda Sykes. I love these books!

Another hilarious Lizzie & Diesel saga that satisfies on many levels. Humor...check, crazy characters....
check, readability.....check & interesting adventure..... checkmate! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Unbelievably bland. This novel is a poor rehash of every Stephanie Plum novel Janet Evanocich has written. I stopped reading the Plum novels 3 or 4 ago as it had become very apparent that the method being used is the same... every time. They're boring and predictable. I had hoped that with the change of characters the author would have come up with something new and interesting. She hasn't. Don't waste your time or money on this novel. If I had actually bought the paperback this book would be in the recycling bin already. As it is; I'll just have to console myself with deleting the file off my kindle.

I enjoy theses books, they make me laugh out loud. Whenever I have a challenging day I sit and read some of Janet's light hearten misadventures, and life looks a little brighter. This book strays a little from the Stephanie Plum book's and runs more along the lines if the between the Numbers books. So there is lighthearted fun with Diesel and the likes of his merry band. I found it to be filled with lovable wonderful characters. My book came in great shape for next to nothing, since it was previously owned. There's nothing better than a read at a great price.

I loved this series for a long time. I faithfully bought each book as they have been published. I have them all including the romance novels. Yet, the storyline is getting tired. Stephanie needs to grow up. Also, each book now feels like Janet is meeting a contractual obligation rather than writing for herself. Please, Janet move on to your next challenge while you still can.

The earlier books were great. Loved the relationship between Stephanie and Ranger and Joe (I was pulling for Ranger). This one, like the last couple, fell flat. It seemed to stand still and was missing the spark the earlier books had. The comedy found in the situations with Lula and Stephanie is completely gone; no laugh out loud moments. And no great love scenes between Stephanie and either guy; just Stephanie being really confused (like all the readers).

I really enjoyed this latest Stephanie Plum adventure. I understand everyone's frustration with the love triangle and the fact that Stephanie never gets better at her job, but personally I read these books because I enjoy the mysteries and the dialogue. Everything else is just background to me. I hope this series keeps going on for a long time :]

I was afraid that the stories would become repetitive, but Janet Evanovich has come up with another laugh hit. Stefanie's as conflicted as ever with Joe and Ranger. Looking forward to number nineteen and twenty.

...but I'm officially fed up with this series. I'm disappointed to see that she is choosing to allow this series to become so formulaic and predictable. Nothing changes, no big decisions are made and most of the humor is stale. Not even Grandma Mazur got any laughs out of me these last two books. I doubt I'll bother with any future books, unless I hear they've gone back to the humor and intrigue that drew me in to begin with.

I was really disappointed in this read. It was the same thing on a different day. Janet needs to move forward with the characters or quit writing about them. She is not doing them justice. Even Grandma was boring in this book. Sad.

Having read the previous Stephenie Plum novels I was looking forward to the newest, easy read, adventure for Stephanie and crew. Brother, was I disappointed. There was no humor. Lula eats, wears too tight clothes and dyes her hair. So what! I read these books because they were laugh-out-loud funny, riotous, outrageous and slapstick adventures. Evanovich disappointed me. There was no connection with Ranger or Morelli and Stephanie. "Babe" and "Cupcake" without dialogue to support the sarcasm do nothing for me. Grandma even fell short on her visit to the funeral home to see the body. No blown up car for Stefanie. She traded in a car because her regular car kept being stolen by the same loser. Do not wase your money or time. If you enjoyed the numbers books before reread 1-10.

I love Janet Evanovich's Plum series. I wish she would write more than one a year! I hate to read but her books consume me. She is funny, witty, stupid, naive and clumbsy but once you start reading her books, you cannot put them down and that's saying something coming from a person who hates to read anything. I highly recommend if you need entertainment in your life, if you need to laugh out loud, GET THESE BOOKS!!!

I have been a fan of Janet Evanovich since "One for the Money," but I'm just about over it. I was reluctant to plunk down nearly $13.00 for an e-book (outrageous), and now I regret that I did. In Ms. Evanovich's favor, I love the characters she created and have enjoyed their antics in the past, but in Explosive Eighteen, it is difficult not to want to scream. If Lula messes up one more capture, I think I'll OD on fried chicken. If Ranger says Babe one more time, I may have to dial the suicide hotline. And I don't even know what to say about Stephanie's cars. Seriously? The dialogue that was supposed to be humorous left me flat, and the ongoing love interests just aren't interesting any more.

I haven't written off Janet Evanovich yet, but if there is a book nineteen, it should be titled "Monotonous Nineteen" followed by "Tedious Twenty." I love you Janet and thank you for all the fun you have given me over the years, but I'm begging you to have mercy on your readers.

With her first person narrative and off the wall descriptions like "we got to fatten her up, she got enough skin for two people" I did not want to put it down. I had to though because my sides ached from Full on belly laughs.

Murder Mystery novels are my preference. A friend recommended Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum
series and it was a joy from the get go. It is the first book series I couldn't put down. I literally carried
the books and later the kindle everywhere until I finished. They draw you in and you can't wait to see
what happens next. Author has a wicked sense of humor and great talent spoofing regional characters. You find
yourself rooting for hard luck Stephanie Plum and her daily fiascos. After you read this series, you will feel
like the luckiest person in the world by comparison! CAUTION: this series is highly ADDICTIVE.
Janet Evanovich is the piper piper of stories...expect to commit yourself to 18 books. And be anxiously waiting
for her to write the next one.

I have been a Plum lovin fan for many years and have always enjoyed grabbing the next plumventure right when it came out....but the last few books...I didnt feel the rush right out need. The last few books felt unfinished and choppy.

I remember laughing out loud during the first 10 books...then the laughing was less and the eye rolling began. I long to love these books again....so maybe instead of churning two out a year...we could have one amazing one. Just a suggestion.

I actually love the series of books but when this book was first presented to me, it was presented as a "NEW" book and it was never stated that it was actually 3 of the previous "in between" novels put into one book. So I definetly purchased it and when I received it and opened it to start reading, that is when I realize I was duped! Then I went back to the site and it was advertised correctly that time. I am very disappointed in the way it was presented to me so I would purchase it. Since I got rid of all my paperwork on the purchase it wasn't returnable, so I decided to just donate the book at our local train station library so maybe someone who hasn't read the 3 books that are combined into this 1 book, can have a chance to read it.

I do look forward to the new book in the series that will be coming out in November. This series is so addicting because of the characters and have many times made me laugh out loud while reading. Lula and Grandma Mazur are such hoots! They actually make the stories more enjoyable.

I loved the Stephanie Plum books up to no 12 and kept hoping that JE would get back on track with each following book. As they got progressively worse I told myself to stop putting myself through the tired writing that no longer gave me the belly laugh moments that I loved. As Stephanie became more annoying even Grandma and Lula started losing their originality and I just wanted Joe and Ranger to dump the silly witch!. When no 18 came out so quickly I thought to myself that JE must have realised the series had come to the end and this was the finale where the decision on who would be revealed. However, this was not to be and 18 was by far the worst book of the series.
Janet, its time to stop!

While some fans I know have already given up on Stephanie Plum as a character who is not moving forward, I'll still carry on with Lula. Although I cannot personally identify with her, I love her spunk. Lula carries this story ---and thus the Stephanie Plum series--- forward. She keeps me laughing and wondering what she will get into next while Stephanie seems to be snoozing. That laugh out loud humor is what drew me to this series initially. However, if Stephanie doesn't wake up, I will most likely be waiting for my opportunity to catch up with her and Lula et al via my local library rather than my own copy.

After reading all of the Janet Evanovich collection over the past three months, I was hungry for anything else to come along in that same genre. Her style of witty writing leaves one hungry for more of that less serious and fun stuff!! She didn't disappoint with this selection.

I always find something funny enough to laugh out loud when reading Stephanie Plum ... this book had none of those moments. Just the same old story with Stephanie, Lula, Morelli, Ranger, Grandma Mazur -- blah, blah, blah.

Thought it was a waste of money.

I cannot tell you how disappointed I was with this book! Miss Evanovich took the easy way out, glossing over the best story and going back to the same old same OLD. I'll have to be really convinced before I take another Plum novel.

Most readers who enjoyed the previous Stephanie Plum books will like "Explosive Eighteen". Janet Evanovich does a commendable job of following up the story line from book seventeen, taking the readers through the various twists and turns, and leaves us waiting for book nineteen to become available.

Ordered this product along with two other books on 6-11-12. it took only 5 days for one book, and 6 days for another to arrive here, but it was over a month for this last book to arrive. all books were from different vendors - all goodwill stores - so I was surprised when the number 18 book was so long in arriving. good thing all were as advertised, in good condition, and am looking forward to reading this last book in the series.
alohas! (*_*)

Oh my goodness, this book was BAD. I sure wish I had read the reviews before wasting my time and money. It had no plot and there was no real "ending". The characters had no personality at all and they didn't seem to connect.

The last Stefanie Plum book was such a letdown, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this, but I was pleasantly surprised. Diesel has left Stefanie to help Lizzie and the ensuing romantic tension was typical Janet, but still enjoyable. I actually laughed out loud while reading this on the train, much to the amusement of my fellow commuters. Not everything is terrific, but Janet seemed to have her groove back with this book.

This book really missed the mark for me. It didn't seem to try to entertain, just another rehash of the same relationships and plots. The car gag is old to me, and the 'torn between two men' theme got a little mean this time.
I was looking forward to the book, even pre-ordered it. Next one, I will wait for some reviews. Sorry Stephanie, you just weren't yourself in this one.

If Janet plans on making this a series, I stopping with this one. It is formulaic and lacking in depth. Although I half expected a recipe for cupcakes included!! The plot had promise but the execution was lacking. Wake up, Janet.

The Stephanie Plum shenanigans continue in Evanovich's Explosive Eighteen. True to form, Evanovich recreates more mayhem, trouble, and love triangles for Stephanie and somehow creates another similar yet different tale for Stephanie to solve. Sadly, I thought this novel was somewhat predictable and didn't end how I had hoped but I still find myself loving Evanovich's Plum series and looking forward to the next book in the series.

I did not find much to like about this book. The characters were boring. I love Janet's Stephanie Plum and I like Diesel alot, but just wasn't enough substance to enjoy the story. Sorry Janet this one was a bomb.

I think maybe the reason so many people are giving this book bad reviews is because it does step outside the normal Evanovich bounds of genre. It's a good deal more on the supernatural side, which I happen to love. It's not the Plum series. I love those books too, but I believe Wicked Appetite is a fresh new series that will draw in a whole new group of fans for JE. I can't wait for the next installment and I hope that the bad reviews do not discourage JE from continuing the series.

The earlier books were great. Loved the relationship between Stephanie and Ranger and Joe (I was pulling for Ranger). This one, like the last couple, fell flat. It seemed to stand still and was missing the spark the earlier books had. The comedy found in the situations with Lula and Stephanie is completely gone; no laugh out loud moments. And no great love scenes between Stephanie and either guy; just Stephanie being really confused (like all the readers).

I really enjoyed this latest Stephanie Plum adventure. I understand everyone's frustration with the love triangle and the fact that Stephanie never gets better at her job, but personally I read these books because I enjoy the mysteries and the dialogue. Everything else is just background to me. I hope this series keeps going on for a long time :]

I was afraid that the stories would become repetitive, but Janet Evanovich has come up with another laugh hit. Stefanie's as conflicted as ever with Joe and Ranger. Looking forward to number nineteen and twenty.

Written by a former lover of all things Stephanie Plum:

I have read all of the books in this series, and Explosive Eighteen (which was not explosive at all, unless you count the scene with Lula in the deli....) is by far the WORST of the lot. I rarely write reviews, but after spending 13.99 for the Kindle version of this book, I just had to warn others: do not buy this book!!!!

Just as in the movie Groundhog Day (where Bill Murray's character keeps reliving the same day over and over again), I feel that when I read JE's Plum books, I am rereading the same book over and over again. Anyone who has read all of the books in this series can basically describe the plot of this book: Stephanie can't bring in a skip to save her life, some idiot gets the best of her at least twice, Lula eats waaaayyyy too much food and stinks up the bathroom, Vinny is a weasel, Connie uses too much hairspray and shows too much cleavage, Grandma Mazur goes to funerals, Stephanie's mom spends her time in the kitchen, while her dad sits in front of the TV until it's time to eat, Stephanie loves two guys at once and just can't pick between them, and somehow, even though Stephanie acts like a moron, she will end up bringing down an enemy or a skip in an unrealistic way to save the day. The saddest part of this book was that absolutely NOTHING was fresh or new.

Somehow, even though these books have always been unrealistic, the quirky characters, humorous writing, and fresh 'voice' of JE made them showstoppers. Unfortunately, 18 books in, these books just aren't worth it anymore.

JE: Please do us a favor and wrap up this series for good..... and put Stephanie with Morelli!!! :)

Sizzlin' Sixteen was a flop, in my opinion. Something just wasn't as funny and it was way too short and then I read she's letting her daughter write these books. Now there's this totally lame "Wicked Appetite." It isn't even funny. Super powers? Get real. I waited eagerly for every new Stephanie Plum book and now I'm about ready to find a new author. I read not even half of WA and stopped because it was just too stupid and it didn't hold my interest. Evanovich must have so much money that she doesn't care about her readers. If her daughter wants to write, then she needs to start her own series and Evanovich needs to write her OWN material.

I am once again disppointed by one of my favorite authors. I "deleted" this from my Kindle, when I was about 50 pages in. A total waste of money. It appears that Evanovich is out of steam, and I'm done with her.

I bought this book for my wife for Christmas. She has the entire set and has thoroughly enjoyed each one. Once she started it, each spare minute was spent with the book and she finished it in two days. Now she can hardly wait for the movie of book 1 to be released.

I ordered this as a gift for a friend & she loves it.Thank you the store.com.It came in a timely manner but the only bad thing about this purchase was that I was not given a tracking number to track my order. It still came on time.

You might think that after 17 novels featuring the same implausible characters acting in similarly stupid ways that the humor in the 18th would pale. Not so. In Explosive Eighteen, the exploits of incompetent bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and her sidekick Lula, a former `ho, continue to evoke laugh-out-loud embarrassment in public places, and, yes, her ongoing affairs with detective Morelli and bad boy Ranger continue unresolved. As Lula says to Stephanie, "It's like you're a reality show, all by yourself."

Stephanie and Lula set out on the trail of a series of "skips" who have failed to show up in court, among them Stephanie's old nemesis, Joyce Barnhardt. After a series of misadventures involving the repeated loss of Stephanie's car (as usual), the two find themselves embroiled in a complex set of relationships with Joyce and a rumored international gang of jewel thieves called the Pink Panthers. It's pointless to sketch out the story any more than this. The book is worth discovering for yourself.

Here, for example, is Lula in action:

Lancer [a bad guy] "eyeballed the rocket launcher and turned white. "I'm going to have to get tough now. I'm going to have to force you to leave."

"Do you got one of these babies?" Lula asked him, patting the rocket launcher.

"No."

"Then how you gonna force us to leave?"

"I have a gun," Lancer said. And he pointed his gun at Lula.

"I don't like when people point a gun at me," Lula said. "It makes me nervous, and it's rude. Do you see me pointing my rocket launcher at you? I don't think so."

Coincidentally, this month the first film built on the Stephanie Plum novels will open, with Katherine Heigl playing Stephanie. Heigl is too blonde, too tall, and too busty to match the character of Evanovich's imagining, but her skills as a comic actor and her delightfully breezy manner are perfect, and she's pictured as a brunette in stills promoting the movie. Sherri Shepherd will play Lula, and Debbie Reynolds, Grandma Mazur, one of the series most unforgettable characters. (Grandma Mazur protests: "I'm not so old. There's parts of me don't sit as high as they used to, but I've got some miles left." Grandma packs a .45 in her purse. Her hobby is attending viewings at funeral homes.)

(From [...])

Janet should have found some potion for herself when she wrote this book. I have always been a huge fan of the Plum books and was excited when I heard that I wouldn't have to wait until the usual summer releases. Now, I feel like the wait would have been worth it. Was the early release to promote the series before the movie is released? If you're a fan, borrow the book. Do not waste your money.

I love Janet Evanovich, but her latest Stephanie Plum books are just not as funny as they once were. This book I absolutely loved. I thought it was like the earlier number books. It was funny, and I absolutely love the characters. I cannot wait until the next one comes out. So glad Carl is back. This book is a great distraction from ordinary life.

I have read the whole Stepanie Plum series. This was just more of the same. Makes me think I'm done with these books. It's time for Stepanie to make up her mind about her two lovers and either pick one or find a third and settle down. This wasn't nearly as amusing as prior books.

Reading this version was like reading 12 - 17 all over again...same plot, same Grandma attending a funeral, same torn between two guys (can't blame her though...I couldn't pick between the two either), same Lulu...only funnier.

But even though it was repetitive it was funny as heck!

So, if you want a couple of LOLs (because you actually do laugh out loud) go ahead and read it...

I have been reading the Stephanie Plum novels since they first came out and I have really grown to love and enjoy the characters. This one was another hilarious group of adventures that, in my opinion, made this another Janet Evanovich hit. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a little who done it and a lot of laughs.

Of course we love Stephanie and this books is no exception. I loved book "17" and I know it is hard to try to top the next book and the next book!! I was not disappointed with this book and of course Lula is a stitch. The trailer for the movie looks pretty good which I must admit I was a little prejudice towards who is playing the characters. Enjoy

I've read all of the previous 17 books and love them so much, I couldn't wait for Explosive Eighteen to hit the shelves...I ordered it the first day it came out. It was nice having it within minutes of ordering it.

I took this book out of my public library. i enjoyed reading it so much i bought a copy from the store and had it sent to my daughter. The book is hilariously funny. Even now I giggle when I think about the broom in the tree, I would recommend this read for anyone who likes to laugh, likes slightly weird stories, and sexual innuendos. The monkey is the BEST.

I have been a Plum lovin fan for many years and have always enjoyed grabbing the next plumventure right when it came out....but the last few books...I didnt feel the rush right out need. The last few books felt unfinished and choppy.

I remember laughing out loud during the first 10 books...then the laughing was less and the eye rolling began. I long to love these books again....so maybe instead of churning two out a year...we could have one amazing one. Just a suggestion.

I actually love the series of books but when this book was first presented to me, it was presented as a "NEW" book and it was never stated that it was actually 3 of the previous "in between" novels put into one book. So I definetly purchased it and when I received it and opened it to start reading, that is when I realize I was duped! Then I went back to the site and it was advertised correctly that time. I am very disappointed in the way it was presented to me so I would purchase it. Since I got rid of all my paperwork on the purchase it wasn't returnable, so I decided to just donate the book at our local train station library so maybe someone who hasn't read the 3 books that are combined into this 1 book, can have a chance to read it.

I do look forward to the new book in the series that will be coming out in November. This series is so addicting because of the characters and have many times made me laugh out loud while reading. Lula and Grandma Mazur are such hoots! They actually make the stories more enjoyable.

It just keeps getting better and better. Love the drama between Stephanie's choice of Ranger or Joe -- or both. And, her antics, along with Grandma Mazur and Lula's antics and comments keep you laughing out loud.

I loved the Stephanie Plum books up to no 12 and kept hoping that JE would get back on track with each following book. As they got progressively worse I told myself to stop putting myself through the tired writing that no longer gave me the belly laugh moments that I loved. As Stephanie became more annoying even Grandma and Lula started losing their originality and I just wanted Joe and Ranger to dump the silly witch!. When no 18 came out so quickly I thought to myself that JE must have realised the series had come to the end and this was the finale where the decision on who would be revealed. However, this was not to be and 18 was by far the worst book of the series.
Janet, its time to stop!

While some fans I know have already given up on Stephanie Plum as a character who is not moving forward, I'll still carry on with Lula. Although I cannot personally identify with her, I love her spunk. Lula carries this story ---and thus the Stephanie Plum series--- forward. She keeps me laughing and wondering what she will get into next while Stephanie seems to be snoozing. That laugh out loud humor is what drew me to this series initially. However, if Stephanie doesn't wake up, I will most likely be waiting for my opportunity to catch up with her and Lula et al via my local library rather than my own copy.

After reading all of the Janet Evanovich collection over the past three months, I was hungry for anything else to come along in that same genre. Her style of witty writing leaves one hungry for more of that less serious and fun stuff!! She didn't disappoint with this selection.