Hardcore Twenty-Four

Hardcore Twenty-Four by Janet Evanovich, 285 pages

“Trouble comes in bunches for Stephanie Plum. First, professional grave robber and semi-professional loon, Simon Diggery, won't let her take him in until she agrees to care for his boa constrictor, Ethel. Stephanie's main qualification for babysitting an extremely large snake is that she owns a stun gun--whether that's for use on the wandering serpent or the petrified neighbors remains to be seen. Events take a dark turn when headless bodies start appearing across town. At first, it's just corpses from a funeral home and the morgue that have had the heads removed. But when a homeless man is murdered and dumped behind a church Stephanie knows that she's the only one with a prayer of catching this killer. If all that's not enough, Diesel's back in town. The 6-foot-tall, blonde-haired hunk is a man who accepts no limits--that includes locked doors, closed windows and underwear. Trenton's hottest cop, Joe Morelli isn't pleased at this unexpected arrival nor is Ranger, the high-powered security consultant who has his own plans for Stephanie. As usual Jersey's favorite bounty hunter is stuck in the middle with more questions than answers. What's the deal with Grandma Mazur's latest online paramour? Who is behind the startling epidemic of mutilated corpses? And is the enigmatic Diesel's sudden appearance a coincidence or the cause of recent deadly events?” This series is back to being hilarious.  I laughed out loud at more than one scene.  Anyone who likes humorous adventure romance should read these books.

Warcross

Warcross by Marie Lu, 353 pages

“For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game--it's a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships--only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. Convinced she's going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game's creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year's tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika's whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she's only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.” I can’t wait for the sequel to this book.  It was really good and even though the book was unfinished enough to make me want the sequel, this story wrapped up enough that I’m not angry about needing to wait.  I would highly recommend this to teens who like science fiction and fantasy.

How to Run with a Naked Werewolf

How to Run with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper, 317 pages

Tina has been on the run from her crazy husband for a couple of years.  When she's afraid he's getting close to finding her, she picks up and moves again, changing identities each time.  She recently had to leave a community of werewolves who she'd been treating as the pack doctor for some time and shortly after that, had to leave her situation again.  this time she ended up running with a werewolf, Caleb, who is from the pack she had left such a short time before.  The problem is, she thinks she might be falling in love with him.  If she can't fix her problem with her husband, or figure out how to tell Caleb the truth about her situation, she can't possibly stay.  I like Harper's stories a lot.  They're pretty formulaic but light, fun, and enjoyable.  Fans of the paranormal romances will want to read them.