I was a Nancy Drew freak when I was a kid. I’ve got like 80+ of the paperback “newer” Nancy Drew books not to mention a slew of Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Mysteries and River Heights books. I keep wondering why I keep them? I could use those bookshelves. I pretend it’s for my kid – so she will can love Nancy as much as I did. I suspect the truth is more that I don’t want to let go of *my* love.

Meanwhile, I had to disrupt the order of my Nancy Drew books just so that I could find the books I was suddenly craving. Did anyone else ever read the All That Glitters series by Kristi Andrews? I think there were 8 books in the series. I’m missing a few of them and I need to see if I can find the missing books online. This is the line across the top of the book meant to describe it for those picking it up, “Their lives are a soap opera – on and off the screen!”

Look, even when I was a kid I liked cheesy teen dramas!

As I was pulling out the books, I rediscovered one of my other favorites, the My Name is Paris series by Elizabeth Howard. There were only 4 books in this series and I always wished she had written more. Hmmm, I’d probably write fanfic of these books if I were into them today. I may just have to re-read these four this week. Paris called to me and there was mystery because we all know I’m a sucker for mysteries. Anyone else ever heard of this series? Beyond my Nancy Drew fetish, I have discovered that I often liked books no one else read. What’s up with that?

Eleven on Top (A Stephanie Plum Novel)
by Janet Evanovich

Last night I got comfy and settled down with my shiny *NEW* Janet Evanovich book, Eleven On Top.

Mini-review? Almost all I have to say is: Babe.

Now I will commence with the waxing poetic about the book. Stop reading now if you haven’t read it yet and/or don’t want to be spoiled for it!

First of all, the book had me rolling. My Betsy got a little worried that I was going crazy. She was laying on the pillow next to me but, after I burst into laughter for the hundredth time, she flounced off in a huff. Whatever, cat.

Where was I? Oh the laughter. These books just make me laugh and the interactions between the characters is fucking great. With the exception of not seeing Connie much, I loved all return appearances by people. Oh, well, I missed the Eddie/Stephanie friendship but I understood why there wasn’t much room for it this time around.

There are not many wrters who can sell me on two love interests for one person. I usually warm to one of them and spend the rest of the time questioning why the writer wants me to believe the other one is any kind of competition. However, Janet is so great at making both Joe and Ranger interesting that I am glad it’s Stephanie who has to make the choice and not me. I love that Joe loves Stephanie and I want to hate Ranger for confusing her but, hot damn, I also want her to fuck him again. It’s drives me crazy and I love it.

Dude. I solved it before Stephanie! Actually, she never really solved it. He had to tell her but I called it as soon as she discovered the room. I remembered the part that was bothering Joe about the case and it all suddenly fit together for me. Actually, I didn’t much care about the case this time around because I was too busy just enjoying Steph’s crazy life and all of the mishaps she gets into by just being herself. However, it’s important that the clues are there all along and you could figure it out if you were paying attention.

The worst part about the book? That it was too quick a read and I have no idea how I’ll deal with waiting for the next one. I’d already begun rereading the series to help tide me over until this one so I can continue that but will it be enough? Hmm, maybe I will actually follow through with my plans to create a memorial for all of Stephanie’s cars. With the way they were dying in this book, I better hurry up and do it before I’ll have too many to keep track.