eggnog?

Miss Kane’s Christmas

Caroline Mickelson

This novella is basically the kind of premise that would you find in a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Santa Claus’ daughter is tasked to bring back the Christmas spirit to a widower by posing as his kid’s new nanny.
Short, super fluffy and free from all major e-book retailers.
Since I’m a Hallmark christmas movie junkie this suited me as a momentary diversion.

Rating: C

raptor?

How To Save The World

Lexie Dunne

The latest in Dunne’s superhero series finds our protagonist estranged from the Davenport corporation and attempting to go back to her normal life. Of course a crazed supervillain puts a spanner in the works…
This one is clearly designed to take the premise of the series into a direction that can continue for more volumes. It’s still entertaining and well worth your time but just that little bit less satisfying than the previous volume.

Rating: B

luxury?

Supervillains Anonymous

Lexie Dunne

In super-max supervillain prison after the events of the previous novel our heroine finds herself caught up in plot masterminded by one of the greatest supervillains of them all.
This one is just as much fun as the first book in the series with the added bonus of an actual ending with a resolution and everything.

Rating: B+

mobium?

Superheroes Anonymous

Lexie Dunne

This is a highly enjoyable contemporary superhero tale about Hostage Girl (that is – the girl always kidnapped by the supervillains) when she’s kidnapped and ends up with superpowers of her own.
Great characters, moves a great pace and it draws you right in. The only problem is the cliffhanger ending. I’m docking a half point for that one.

Rating: B

glitter?

Must Love Mistletoe

Christie Ridgway

51b-wizjd5lA freebie from iBooks, this is a competent if formulaic contemporary Christmas romance.
High powered attorney Bailey comes home to bail out the family Christmas store at the busiest time of the year.
Who does she find next door? Her high school sweetheart of course. Former bad boy Finn is home looking after his terminally ill Grandmother while recovering from injuries acquired in the line of duty as a Secret Service agent.
Will sparks fly? What do you think?
Worth reading if you like a serviceable contemporary romance and like the price of free!

Rating: C

gribeau?

Maskerade

Terry Pratchett

maskerade-1This book from the Witches sequence is a parody of The Phantom of the Opera – both the original novel and Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster musical. As you may know the original West End Phantom was played by Michael Crawford. His big breakthrough in the UK was playing the hapless boy-man Frank Spencer. One of the characters in this book is basically Frank Spencer but from Ankh-Morpork.
This is middling Discworld. It’s still very entertaining but doesn’t hit the astonishing heights of the best of the series.
Obviously I’d still highly recommend that – if you haven’t already – get started reading the complete Discworld as soon as you can. As I’ve said before on this blog and elsewhere – no writer has informed my thinking in the same way as Pratchett has and I laughed my head off at the same time.

Rating: B

sidekick?

Heroine Complex

Sarah Kuhn

heroine complexEvie Tanaka is the sidekick of San Francisco’s beloved superhero Aveda Jupiter (formerly Annie Chang and Evie’s best friend from school).
When Aveda is injured and has to rest up for a couple of weeks Evie is persuaded to take Aveda Jupiter’s place in public.
Of course Evie has superpowers of her own that she’s suppressed for years and when danger strikes during at an event she’s forced to use them to save lives.
A very enjoyable story of self-discovery, healing sibling and friend bonds featuring several very kick-ass Asian-American ladies.
What’s not to like?
I’m definitely looking forward to whatever Kuhn releases next.

Rating: B+

banned?

One Con Glory

Sarah Kuhn

one con gloryGeek culture journalist Julie attends a comic-con with two purposes in mind.
The first to interview one of the stars of comicbook based TV show without insulting him…
The second is to win at auction the rare action figure of her all-time favourite superhero Glory Gilmore.
Needless to say this plan doesn’t run as smoothly as she’d like.
This is a thoroughly entertaining novella even if everything that happens is entirely predictable.

Rating: B

seesaw?

The Boss’s Fake Fiancee

Inara Scott

the boss's fake fianceeAnother bad fake married book.
Our heroine has started a new life at a very successful tech firm after being dumped by her older boyfriend for her best friend.
Coming across her ex at an event she implies that she’s with her boss.
When this is leaked to the press his deathly ill Gran believes that they’re really engaged.
So our heroine agrees to pretend to be engaged until his Gran is recovered from illness.
Of course things don’t quite run smoothly.

Rating: C-

allergic?

Wife By Wednesday

Catherine Bybee

wife by wednesdayUtterly forgettable fake married novel.
Our heroine runs an ultra discreet matchmaking service for the super wealthy.
Titled and super rich the lead male needs a wife to collect his full inheritance.
Turning down the offered matches he instead asks our heroine to be his fake wife for a year.
Of course things don’t quite run smoothly.

Rating: C