Rating: 
Summary: Seven is Heaven with our Favorite Jersey Girl
Review: As a mystery author with a recently published first novel, I have been amazed by Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Her works have been consistently witty, fast-paced, and unique. SEVEN UP continues to build upon Evanovich's past accomplishments. In SEVEN UP, Stephanie is given the job of delivering an elderly cigarette smuggler to court. As we all know, this set-up will be merely the start of a hilarious tale. Evanovich does not disappoint. She has a winning series, and she delivers once again. You have to in New Jersey. In SEVEN UP, Evanovich serves up what we have grown to expect with style and humor. We are also treated to Stephanie's continuing emotional struggles with Morelli, Ranger, and a certain wedding dress. Great book! Read it!
Rating: 
Summary: 7-Up
Review: I am a fan of Evanovich. I loved her first five books and even rather enjoyed the sixth, but, to me, what a disappointment 7-Up is. It simply did not meet the standards established by the first six stories in the series. I felt Evanovich tried too hard to create comic and the result was ridiculous and even at times disgusting. I guess I don't think ill-mannered children and poop jokes are funny. What I dislike most about this book isthe absence of those laugh-out-loud moments the other books in the series had. Even Lula was sedate in this story. The story line was okay. The new characters were okay, too, but do we want to really know about erection problems? I think not. What did it really add to the story?
Rating:
Summary: Steph is back, just as hot and just as incompetent
Review: Yep Stephanie is back, and people are still busting in to her apartment, her cars are still getting crushed, Rex is still spinning on his wheel and generally all is as it should be Trenton, New Jersey. Well almost everything - Eddie DeChooch - the geriatric who Grandma Mazur once dated (he couldn't get it up and she couldn't see the point of going out with him anymore) - has missed his court date and Steph is sent to bring him in. Not so hard to bring in an 80 year old, right? Wrong! Sure she meets him - he's sitting in his lounge in his underwear and, despite being depressed, seems to have been convinced it is the Right Thing to turn himself in. Of course this is Stephanie (and Lula) so things don't go to plan and he escapes out a window while they are mucking around downstairs. And being that it is Stephanie and Lula they get to find the dead body in the garage out the back. The chase is on. Steph, Swat Princess, after the semi-crippled, depressed senior. Naturally Steph ends up having to call in Ranger for help. Meantime it has been a month since Morelli proposed to Steph and things (as usual) aren't going well in her personal life - there is confusion, there are feelings and then there is all that unresolved tension with her and Ranger. Then write at the outskirts of her life - her sister Valerie, (ideal daughter, perfect mother) has been dumped by her cheating husband and is back in Trenton determined to become a Lesbian. I love Evanovich's ability to write really over the top type characters - but mix it in with a really very clever storyline that ties in Stephanies problem capture with a couple of other intersecting storylines making it a good complex plot with a great story. There are so many wonderfully quotable lines (Mrs Plum's reaction to Grandma Mazur coming back from being kidnapped is classic Evanovich and so true to character!) Again Evanovich has left us with a cliff-hanger at the end of this book - doesn't she always. Being a firm Morelli supporter I certainly have my vote in for how I want things to end up - but will she or won't she?
Rating:
Summary: Terrific as usual
Review: Any book in this series is a good book, and future books in the series will be good as well because Janet Evanovich creates wonderful characters. My only hope is that she'd write a little faster. A year is a long time to wait.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! Plum is Back
Review: I have waited all year for "Seven Up". The wait was not in vain. This is a terrific, funny book. Janet Evanovich is in top form. I can't wait for number 8!!
Rating:
Summary: Most of the Best Characters Reconvened for Cameo Roles!
Review: Summary: Janet Evanovich has a remarkable ability to create humorous characters and even funnier, incongruous habits for them. Ms. Evanovich shows off that strength in Seven Up by reprising almost all of her best characters from the wonderful Stephanie Plum series in the roles that we love them most for. The book will work best for those who have read the six earlier books and liked the continuing characters. Those who don't know the earlier books may not find enough character development here to make them credible. This will be a three or four star book for them. Fans of earlier books who look for the introduction of a new, wild character and an outrageous scene to knock them flat with astonishment will probably not find either Eddie DeChooch or Stephanie's sister, Valerie, up to the usual Evanovich standard in that regard. This book will be a three star effort for those readers. Stephanie's character does mature in this book, and she moves beyond trying to please everyone else to taking her own interests and instincts into account more often. You will also see new sides of Joe Morelli and Ranger. The book's pace is very fast, as the action is piled on with great diversity of direction, frequency, and intensity. If you don't like a scene, wait five paragraphs and you'll be into a totally different one that you will like better. Review: I thought that Seven Up is one of the best two books in the series. It has a better balance of story, humor, plot, and subplot, along with mystery than any of the earlier ones. The writing reflects a very mature talent as well as a great comic wit. This book shows much attention to detail and holding the reader's attention. The only reason I didn't like this story better than the first one (One for the Money) is because Stephanie's bumbling beginning in that story has greater comedy. But the two books are a tie in my mind. I loved the prologue in which Stephanie Plum explains that "I wanted to be an intergalactic princess." "Mostly I wanted to wear the cape and the sexy boots and carry a cool weapon." Those two references set up much of the story. The action in the book begins two weeks after longtime flame Joe Morelli, a cop, has proposed to Stephanie. He's pressing for an answer. Her mother and grandmother know about the proposal, and are trying to push for a wedding date. There are the usual bunch of no-shows for criminal court dates, and Stephanie has the chance to take on more cases while Ranger, her mentor, is out-of-town handling a tough case. Eddie DeChooch misses his court date, and there's a $5,000 fee for Stephanie if she can bring him in. The only problem is that Eddie is a shooter, and Stephanie thinks he's a little beyond her abilities. Vinnie Plum, her cousin the bail bondsman, argues that Eddie's just an old man, and that anyone can take him. It turns out that Stephanie has a better sense of the challenge than Vinnie does. Even though Eddie is almost blind, a senior citizen, and not feeling well, he is able to crash around in a white Caddy blazing away with his gun with the best of them. In fact, his near-sightedness makes him even more dangerous than the typical hoodlum. The story evolves around a mistake. Eddie thought he was supposed to have done one thing, and did another instead. As a result, something is missing, and several people want it back. Stephanie has to join the search, because that the easiest way to find Eddie. The book is filled with rewarding subplots such as Stephanie getting her revenge against Joyce Barnhardt, Stephanie's status in the family rising as her sister returns from her "perfect" life in California, Morelli and Ranger making their moves for her, Eddie's sex life, and Grandma Mazur's interest in funerals. There are also the usual running gags about breaking into Stephanie's apartment, her transportation choices, Bob the dog and his digestion, hair, shoes, and meals at the Plum household. If you don't know this series, I strongly suggest that you begin with the first book rather than reading this one. If you have read some of the past books and liked them, this one is a definite read! After you finish having a lot of fun with this book, you should think about what you want in life from your family relationships. What role should your spouse play? What roles for your parents and siblings? What are friends for? Then let them know, ask what they are looking for from you, and you can probably all enjoy one another more. Seek and ye shall find!
Rating: 
Summary: Good Enough for Summer
Review: Not the best of the Stephanie Plum books, but after waiting a year, it is still a quick, funny summer read. Grandma Mazur is still my "fav" in the book. The three,(at least), mistakes using the wrong names in the story were disappointing. The appearance of Valerie, though nice, was pretty contrived since she was mentioned 14 times before she arrived--it wasn't a surprise she showed up for dinner. The plot/mystery was ok. I, share another reviewer's disappointment about the romantic cliff hanger. I did enjoy Vinnie's turn as a bounty hunter--he should come out of the office and help more often. So, yeah, I am not sorry I bought it and probably I'll cave for 8. In the meantime I'd rather reread the earlier ones for laughs.
Rating:
Summary: Thumbs Up for Seven Up
Review: Stephanie's family wants to hear wedding bells but Stephanie is hearing gun shots. How far will the bounty hunter from hell go to get her man? Depends on who the man is. Morelli, Ranger, or Eddie DeCooch. With the rent due and bills piling up, catching Eddie DeCooch is on her mind but her body is flirting with more dangerous pursuits. Stephanie and Lula are hog-riding, pig-heart toting enforcers trying to rescue Dougie, Mooner, and Grandma Mazur. They get down and dirty as mud wrestlers and manage to get thrown out of the place. I laughed out loud but I may never eat Chinese food again, thanks to Bob. Well worth the read. Hope Janet hurries with the next one or, should I say with number eight.
Rating:
Summary: Not her best effort
Review: I'll keep this short and sweet. I have been hooked on Stephanie Plum since I first read "One For The Money" and I've recommended the books to everyone. But.... this one was disappointing. It's almost as if the author's mind was elsewhere while she wrote this. There were some funny moments, just not the usual side splitting, tears in your eyes, can'tcatchyourbreath kind of laughs. Grandma had a few moments, though even she was substantially subdued. I won't give up on Stephanie Plum yet, but I have my fingers crossed that the next book will be more like Ms. Evanovich's first six efforts.
Rating:
Summary: A lot of fun again
Review: This book was very enjoyable and a lot of fun along the way. The cliffhanger at the end only pertained to her personal life and not the story line, unlike the latest Graffton book (P). I enjoy the tails of Grandma and now with the addition of the perfect sister things should be interesting for a while. I can't wait for 8 to come out.
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