Type: Fiction, Series, Mystery, Humor, Paranormal, Lizzy is a lot of Stephanie Plum, Diesel is still the best!, Maybe Carl
About the Book: Murdered and mummified more than ninety years ago, bootlegger Collier “Peg Leg” Dazzle once found and re-hid a famous pirate’s treasure somewhere along the coast of New England. A vast collection of gold and silver coins and precious gems, the bounty also contains the Stone of Avarice — the very item reluctant treasure seeker, Lizzy Tucker, and her partner, Diesel, have been enlisted to find. While Lizzy would just like to live a quiet, semi-normal life, Diesel is all about the hunt. And this hunt is going to require a genuine treasure map and a ship worthy of sailing the seven seas . . . or at least getting them from Salem Harbor to Maine.
Greed is eternal and insatiable, and Lizzy and Diesel aren’t the only ones searching for the lost pirate’s chest. There are people who have dedicated their entire lives to finding it, and are willing to commit murder or make a deal with the devil, just to hold the fortune in their hands. One of those people may even be Wulf, Diesel’s deceptively charming and enigmatic cousin. Wulf desires the Stone of Avarice. He also desires Lizzy. It’s hard to say how far he’s willing to go to gain either one.
It’s a swashbuckling adventure full of raiders, monkeys, minions, and mayhem. Lizzy and Diesel are going to have to do everything they can to keep their heads above water and hope they are living a charmed life. [Description from Goodreads.com]
My Review: I started reading Janet Evanovich years ago when I picked up her Stephanie Plum series, because I wanted something mystery-ish without being too heavy. I stopped reading at book 17 because it got to the point where there was absolutely no character growth from book 1 to 17. But the paranormal and science fiction lover in me couldn't help but love the Plum holiday stories, featuring Diesel. And I jumped for joy when he was going to get his own series. Unfortunately, Lizzy is very Stephanie Plum-like, but at least Lizzy has some talents, and some sense. But the hijinks are fun, and still feel fresh, compared to the author's other long-running series.
I call this type of book a "mind break." These books are ones I pick up purely for the chuckles. They're not the best written book, and if you want high class literature, you best look elsewhere. But what they are is fun. Wicked Charms is no exception to this fun-ness. I chuckled my way through this book, and once I got two chapters in, I was hooked and didn't want to put it down. So rating this book on fun factor, I'm giving it a four. Because I enjoyed the heck out of it.
Cover Lovin': Good cover. A little plain, maybe, but it fits in with the rest of the series.
Recommendation: You need to start from book one to understand Lizzy and Diesel's mission, and where Wulf and Hatchet fit in, but this is one of those fun, silly reads that are good to cleanse your mind from heavier stuff.
Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). I can't help myself. I just really enjoy this series. Sure, it's simple, but it's great fun. And everyone needs a little fun in their reading schedule from time to time.
Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~
