Book Discussion Sunday! (PLUS, Drug Store Finds!)
Alright, once again, it is Book Discussion Sunday because...well, mostly I was sleepy and lazy on Saturday. Oops.
This time, something completely OOC and unexpected: The Stephanie Plum Series, by Janet Evanovich.
Perhaps surprisingly, I've been a big fan of these books for a number of years now. No, there's no castles, spooky places, or compelling villains--they're set in Trenton, NJ, and the protagonist is a female bounty hunter of dubious prowess. Sounds completely wrong for me, right?
Wrong! (Er...right?)
The books are all laden with sarcasm and sharp, deadpan humor, provided mostly by Stephanie Plum's various (and usually unsuccessful) attempts at capturing 'skips', her hapless partner-of-sorts Lula, and her dysfunctional family. There's a decent amount of 'female' humor, but none of that "Oh, silly boys! I have to scurry off and make a pie!" brand that I loathe.
Of course, it wouldn't be chick-lit if there weren't the obligatory eye-candy, which is found in the form of her on-again/off-again boyfriend Morelli; and uber-bounty hunter Ranger. Curiously enough, it's usually when describing these two people (and on occasion, Lula) that Stephanie gets really insightful as a character. Speaking of Ranger's lack of home: "...Maybe it's a place he hasn't found yet. Or maybe he carries it around inside himself." It's totally unexpected! In the midst of cars being blown up and botched funeral viewings, she makes these profound statements, and about stupidly hot men or her whacky friends.
The downside to having a series that is fifteen, soon to be sixteen not including special holiday novels, long is that the formula starts to feel a little predictable. Someone skips out on bail. Stephanie can't catch them. Hijinks and shenanigans abound with Lula and/or Grandma. Ranger swoops in and does something awesome. There's great sex with Morelli. The end. To be fair, there's a bit of expectation, true, and every once in a while, we get thrown for a loop and get some interesting plot points. They're never boring, however.
All in all, I strongly recommend these books for anyone in search of an amusing, quick read that doesn't require a lot of emotional investment on the part of the reader.
BONUS: Awesome Things at the Drugstore!
NOW.
I like dying my hair, mmkay? Like a lot. As such, my hair is a little, well, it's well on its merry way to being fried. I've recently switched to using Manic Panic for my ink-black-hair needs, and that's helped a bit. However, my hair just still needs some love. Enter Palmer's Coconut Oil Protein Pack! Normally found in the ethnic hair care aisle, this little baby will set you back just upwards of a dollar. Squeeze it onto hair that's been shampooed and rinsed (always wring out the water before conditioning, your hair will absorb more!), then hang out in the shower for a good 5 minutes. The steam and heat will help it to infuse more with your hair, less waste.
I can tell a difference in my hair while I'm still in the shower--it curls a little bit more, there's defined locks, it feels weighted better. Rinsing it out is a little disappointing, mostly because I was expecting instantly glass-smooth hair. Follow up with regular amount of conditioner on the ends, and a slightly lighter amount, if any, on the roots.
The real moment of truth comes once it's drying. If I let my hair air-dry, it normally curls and waves a little. After using this stuff, the 'bottom' layer of hair closest to my scalp and neck curls into ringlets. My bangs, the newly-grown-in hair, the shorter layers...it's all curly! Not only that, it is SO fucking soft! Miraculous.
This time, something completely OOC and unexpected: The Stephanie Plum Series, by Janet Evanovich.
Perhaps surprisingly, I've been a big fan of these books for a number of years now. No, there's no castles, spooky places, or compelling villains--they're set in Trenton, NJ, and the protagonist is a female bounty hunter of dubious prowess. Sounds completely wrong for me, right?
Wrong! (Er...right?)
The books are all laden with sarcasm and sharp, deadpan humor, provided mostly by Stephanie Plum's various (and usually unsuccessful) attempts at capturing 'skips', her hapless partner-of-sorts Lula, and her dysfunctional family. There's a decent amount of 'female' humor, but none of that "Oh, silly boys! I have to scurry off and make a pie!" brand that I loathe.
Of course, it wouldn't be chick-lit if there weren't the obligatory eye-candy, which is found in the form of her on-again/off-again boyfriend Morelli; and uber-bounty hunter Ranger. Curiously enough, it's usually when describing these two people (and on occasion, Lula) that Stephanie gets really insightful as a character. Speaking of Ranger's lack of home: "...Maybe it's a place he hasn't found yet. Or maybe he carries it around inside himself." It's totally unexpected! In the midst of cars being blown up and botched funeral viewings, she makes these profound statements, and about stupidly hot men or her whacky friends.
The downside to having a series that is fifteen, soon to be sixteen not including special holiday novels, long is that the formula starts to feel a little predictable. Someone skips out on bail. Stephanie can't catch them. Hijinks and shenanigans abound with Lula and/or Grandma. Ranger swoops in and does something awesome. There's great sex with Morelli. The end. To be fair, there's a bit of expectation, true, and every once in a while, we get thrown for a loop and get some interesting plot points. They're never boring, however.
All in all, I strongly recommend these books for anyone in search of an amusing, quick read that doesn't require a lot of emotional investment on the part of the reader.
BONUS: Awesome Things at the Drugstore!
NOW.
I like dying my hair, mmkay? Like a lot. As such, my hair is a little, well, it's well on its merry way to being fried. I've recently switched to using Manic Panic for my ink-black-hair needs, and that's helped a bit. However, my hair just still needs some love. Enter Palmer's Coconut Oil Protein Pack! Normally found in the ethnic hair care aisle, this little baby will set you back just upwards of a dollar. Squeeze it onto hair that's been shampooed and rinsed (always wring out the water before conditioning, your hair will absorb more!), then hang out in the shower for a good 5 minutes. The steam and heat will help it to infuse more with your hair, less waste.
I can tell a difference in my hair while I'm still in the shower--it curls a little bit more, there's defined locks, it feels weighted better. Rinsing it out is a little disappointing, mostly because I was expecting instantly glass-smooth hair. Follow up with regular amount of conditioner on the ends, and a slightly lighter amount, if any, on the roots.
The real moment of truth comes once it's drying. If I let my hair air-dry, it normally curls and waves a little. After using this stuff, the 'bottom' layer of hair closest to my scalp and neck curls into ringlets. My bangs, the newly-grown-in hair, the shorter layers...it's all curly! Not only that, it is SO fucking soft! Miraculous.