Not as funny as usual
355920
I have always loved the characters in these books.  Maybe I am just getting too used to the characters that I don't find their exploits as laugh out loud funny as I used to.  I didn't like Gramma Mazur being even remotely in danger.  Also,  Stephanie needs to make up her mind about the men in her life.  This last book left me with the feeling that she is just a sleazy cheat.  Fish or cut bait, Stephanie.  Ranger or Morelli, make up your mind.
3724453
Christopher Moore used to write really twisted, fall-off-the-chair-laughing funny books.  However, since he has discovered "Big Themes" (with "Fluke" and now "A Dirty Job"), he seems to have lost his touch.  "A Dirty Job" has a moderate level of weirdness (I loved the hell hounds blowing soap bubbles!) but the humor is weak compared to his earlier books.  If you want good Christopher Moore, go back to the early days:  If "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove" doesn't make you laugh until tears run down your face, you need to check your pulse.
720563
I thought it would be funnier. Reed Mockery has done better with other books.
3445070
I await the publication of a Stephanie Plum novel with great anticipation!  Eleven dollars?  No problem.  The value of some good laughter is priceless.  Unfortunately, this novel just didn't have me laughing like I usually do.  There was too much of Ranger and Sephanie spying on Russians and not enough "crazy."  Stephanie continues her attraction to two men (which I was over a long time ago), and so she has sex with Joe one night and is drooling over Ranger the next day.  It's the one aspect of this series that I find pretty disgusting.  Still, the rest of the looney characters keep me coming back for more because they really tickle my funny bone!  However,in this novel, the laughs was few and far between.  So, while I found Top Secret Twenty-One to be mildly entertaining, it certainly wasn't what I was hoping for.  Next time Janet, forget the Mission Impossible stuff.  Keep the crime "home grown" and greasy, just like the food at Cluck-in-a-Bucket.  Don't skimp on the Lula, and please let Stephanie fall in love instead of just lust!
1173246
It has a couple of funny spots, although not as entertaining as previous books. Also as noted by the kids, does not cover a very large time span.  They have been fans for the whole series and were somewhat disappointed with this book. Maybe should have checked it out at the library instead of purchasing.
4897285
His previous books were laugh-out-loud funny; I once had to stop my car because I was laughing too hard when listening to one of his books on tape. But this one was sad and disturbing. I struggled to keep reading after the woman killed her grandbaby in a clothes dryer, in an attempt to frame her husband's newly discovered adult illegitimate Vietnamese daughter (yes, that classic Xmas story). There were funny moments in the department store elf piece, although even that just sounded angry by the end.

Gifted humorists make us laugh at our own shortcomings, but they do this from our side of the line. It feels like Sedaris has crossed the line, really rather hates most people, and believes he can only top previous writing by developing more outrageous and darker plots -- ones that I can't relate to at all. It's a shame because there's a wealth of information to be mined from day to day 'normal' human interactions around the holiday season.
2070324
Not so funny as expected.
Although Cleese is an extremely talented comedian, the storyline is sometimes boring.
Seldomly I laugh reading the book, something that, in a way, disappointed me...
2631918
Not as funny as Tyler Perry's other plays. It seemed thrown together. Aunt Bamm was funnier than Madea. It was okay but still some funny parts.
4631988
First off, I am a HUGE MST3K fan. I get most of the inside stuff and I generally have a great appreciation for "stupid" humor. Having said that, this episode just didn't do it for me. I and a friend (every bit  the MST3K fan I am) just finished watching this episode and counted maybe  10 chuckles between us. A mighty low count compared to other shows. We had  the highest of hopes based on the reviews on Amazon. Maybe we set our hopes  too high and couldn't help but be disappointed. Bottom line, we just didn't  laugh that much where other episodes have had us in tears. IMHO, this one  deserves 2 stars at best.
495359
Mostly funny but disappointed for some reason. Guess because most of the "stories" were from previous books. Not much new in this one.
4790984
I have enjoyed most of the books in this series, but this one was just not very good. At their best, Evanovich's books have humor, suspense, colorful characters and excellent comic timing. This one just seemed to recycle the basic elements, as if the author only went through the motions because she had get another book done. Fans of the series will read this one anyway, for the same reason you eat the last doughnut in the bag-because it's there. But if you haven't read any the books in this series yet, I don't recommend starting with this one.
2577837
Shock humor- a few funny moments but not a great comedy. They just don't make them like they once did.
3056770
In the past three weeks I have read all the Stephanie Plum books. At the end of each one I eagerly grabbed the next. Not so with the sixth (which is a good thing, I guess, since the seventh won't be out for quite a while).  It is funny and the characters and some of the scenes are memorable, but it  just doesn't have the fire that the previous books did. One problem is that  the three main characters seem so watered down. Morelli and Ranger have  lost the element of sexy surprise they had in the previous books.  Stephanie's reactions to the crazy and dangerous things that happen through  the story are oddly subdued. However, you will probably get a big kick out  of the book. I read it in an evening and will certainly read the next when  it comes out. It just isn't as good as the others, which I thought were  great fun.
3068227
I have been a fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum for years now and love the characters and Janet's ability to make me "laugh out loud".  Unfortunately, I was not as pleased with Sizzling Sixteen as I hoped I would be.  The cast of characters that usually provide the most laughs just weren't there - we saw very little of Stephanie's parents and the phenomenal Grandma Mazur - who provide constant hilarity to the most mundane situations.  Lula, Tank, and Ranger - who often provide not only great laughs but a lot of the "sizzle" we've found in past books - have been reduced to boring secondary characters.  And, the plot, well, I guess I could care less about her cousin...  The ending left some promise for new adventures in the next book - let's just hope that Janet comes through and gives us back both the laughter and the sizzle that book sixteen is missing.
2246019
I enjoy her TV show, but this book just wasn't that funny.  Amusing but not really funny.  I got bored with the material about halfway through it.
588407
Bsaically this book is a composition of her live shows, which if you have seen, are way funnier live than in print.  If you haven't seen her live, or heard one of her CD's then you might be interested, but much of "Leaville" is lost in the translation from live to print.  Without the screaming and the faces and the body language it just isn't as funny.
2564386
In my opinion, this book isn't nearly as good as the others.  I heard it was funny; I can certainly relate to the time and setting of the book, but I found it a little dull.