Sizzling Sixteen – More fizzle than sizzle

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Genre - Mystery

Available – Hardcover/Kindle

Having read the vast majority of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, I was more than a little excited about the latest installment in the series. I pre-ordered it for my Kindle and began reading it on the subway ride the morning it was released. That alone should tell you how eager about the release of this book. Unfortunately, not only did it fall short of my expectations (I also found a downside to Kindle, you can’t chuck it across the room when you’re ticked-off like a regular book), but left me incredibly frustrated.


While I’m used to the madcap adventures of Stephanie, Lula, and Grandma Mazur I was more than a little put off with the pure insanity of this book. First off there was this lucky bottle, which is made out of glass that Stephanie carries around in her handbag throughout most of the story. I’m still trying to figure out how it never broke, especially considering she was chased by an alligator at one point (don’t ask!) and ran off a collapsing fire escape.


Also not to mention the fact that Ranger willing gave her two cars (one of which of course ends up destroyed). I’m certain he likes her a whole lot, but I don’t think anyone could like someone so much so that they would let them destroy a vehicle and not make her pay for it. Odd. What was also odd was how she was saved when she was in a terrible pickle, Hobbits anyone?


My other biggest issue was the sheer amount of Lula I had to endure. Don’t get me wrong Lula is a fun character, but in moderation. I felt like she was in every scene, spewing bad grammar at every turn. At some point it grated on my nerves and I almost wished the alligator would’ve eaten her! Mean I know, but there’s only so much tight pink spandex and Cluck-in-a-Bucket a girl can take.


The most glaring problem is the continuous flip-flopping Stephanie does when it comes to her love life. Nothing developed on this front at all. No choice has been made. She moons for Ranger when she sees him and then longs for Joe when she’s in his presence. I don’t know how either man tolerates her inability to commit to one of them for more than a week. It’s getting a bit played out.


Janet, it’s time Stephanie grew up. She grumbles constantly about how much she hates bounty hunting, well get another job and/or settle down! She can’t bring herself to decide who she wants as a permanent fixture in her life. She needs to stop stringing two guys along like a sixteen year old who can’t decide if she wants to take the motorcycle dude or the start quarterback to the prom. I understand that if she does one or both of these things the series is over, but maybe it’s for the best. It’s been a fun, wacky ride and I’ve enjoyed every minute until this installment. The next book should be called Sayonara Seventeen.