Ashley's "Easter" Books

Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series

I guess I'm on a book kick, because Ashley is also getting books in her Easter basket this year. I was first introduced to this laugh-out-loud series about ten years ago; somewhere along the line Ashley picked one up and read it which is very unusual since she usually avoids the books I read like the plague. Of course she was instantly hooked and has read the entire series, and like all of her favorite series, she has decided she wants to own them all. So I have been diligently trying to seek out & round up the 14 books (so far) in the Stephanie Plum series, along with the miscellaneous "Plum" books Evanovich has put out. I think I've almost got them all! If you've never read a book about this feisty New Jersey bounty hunter and her colorful cast of friends and enemies, pick up the 1st, "One for the Money", and you'll be hooked!

From the back cover: "Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash--fast--but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family. Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water--wanted for murder. Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn't. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she'll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight--and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man."

For years there have been rumors of this series being made into a movie, with entire websites dedicated to who should be cast as Stephanie, Grandma Mazur, Morelli, and the whole bunch. The competition & opinions have been fierce, especially for something that may never see the light of day. For me, one of the most important casting calls would be for Ranger; he is so extremely sexy and mysterious I can't think of anyone who would do him justice. Many people who read these books are either pro-Morelli or pro-Ranger, comparable to the Team Edward/ Team Jacob competition of the Twilight series. Give these books a try and discover if you're a Morelli or Ranger fan and let me know! Jodi

P.S. As you can probably guess, I am firmly planted in the Ranger camp!

For more information and fun stuff about Janet's books (including how many cars Stephanie has destroyed) check out her website at http://www.evanovich.com/.