Super Zero by Rhonda Stapleton

Title: Super Zero
Author: Rhonda Stapleton
Genre: Superhero/Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Rhonda Stapleton
Available: $3.12 at Amazon.com
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rater: Pippa








PLOT SUMMARY:

Working for superheroes isn't all it's cracked up to be...

When Jenna’s superhero boss The Machine gives her the opportunity to safeguard the changing crystal (a jewel that grants, changes or removes superpowers) she jumps at the chance, eager to do this so-called "cake" job and earn street cred with the Midwest League of Superheroes. To help her mission, the League assigns her a partner, the mysterious and super-sexy Vigilante. Too bad he's also super-grouchy--what a tragic waste of hotness.

Soon, Jenna learns the threat to the changing crystal is all too real, and her list of trustworthy people grows shorter by the minute. But when she discovers something even more sinister afoot, involving Vigilante's sexy arch nemesis Dementrix, it'll take all her skills to keep the mad villainess from executing her plan to unmask and decommission the world's superheroes...especially when Jenna accidentally becomes one herself.

Super Zero is a 64,000-word novel.

THE GOOD:
This is a humorous and romantic read that throws you straight into the story without any info dumping, with believeable and consistent characters, no sections that drag and some great snarky one-liners. My favourite had to be the reference to the posturing of a couple of supervillains as having gone through 'Captain Kirk's Superhero School for Overactors'. It was so compelling and entertaining that I had to read it from start to finish in one sitting - luckily at 64K words it's a fairly quick read, but it still felt a complete and complex story. It's written in first person which I normally dislike, but that didn't stop me enjoying it thoroughly.

THE BAD:
There were one too many references to the main character's belief that she was a strong, independant woman - usually just before she melted in a puddle. I felt it was a little tell-y in places too.

IN SUM:
This is a sweet and warmingly romantic superhero story with no explicit bedroom scenes, some nice twists, some great humour, and all wound up nicely in just 64, 000 words. I f you've enjoyed films like Mystery Men and The Specials, then this is definitely a book for you.

Out of the Ashes by Lori Dillon

Title: Out of the Ashes
Author: Lori Dillon
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Amari Press
Available: $3.99 at Barnes and Noble
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Dihanna

Theirs was a love destined to be -- torn apart by the wrath of Vesuvius.

Warning: spoilers!


After many tries to get male 2028 and female 5923 together, Marsha and Hershel – Guardian Angels – are called into the office of Mr. Smithers – the King of Heaven – to explain why they have not succeeded to get them together before they died – killed in the eruption of Vesuvius.  Smithers decides to send these two to Earth to help them personally, but without their Heavenly powers. 


It’s now June 1943 in Pompeii, Italy. Here Serafina and David meet again, and although attracted, do not pursue each other. Serafina is an archaeologist and David has been thrust on her to help her with her digs. She has found other artifacts but the glory was stolen from her and now has found another site. Things happen, and little by little they get to know each other.  


As an aside, many things go wrong, and have to think that if I had Marsha and Hershel as My guardian angels I would have thought perhaps they could have done a better job.  They do eventually fall in love but of course something is always standing in the way, so Mr. Smithers finally as to come down and set things straight.  Serafina does make a great discovery not knowing that in the last previous life with David that they both died together and were forever entombed together.  They do end up together and having 2 children together and living a long happy life. 


I can honestly tell you that I cried while I read this book!  I highly recommend it, and give it the highest score possible. 

A Word From Julie Anne Lindsey

Thank you so much Lauri for allowing me to be a part of your blog today. It’s fun being here. I’ve been looking forward to it. Meeting other voracious readers has been the best part of writing for me so far. I fancy myself a reader – who happens to like writing. You’ll find me with my nose in a book more often than typing up a story. Reading fuels my brain and often gets me feeling creative, but let’s face it, there are so many incredible books and amazing authors to read…it’s hard to find the time to cook or clean let alone write novels LOL. One thing I make time for every day is laughter. That’s how Death by Chocolate came to be. 


I’m a dedicated member of our local Baptist church. A shocker to most, but true none-the-less. I don’t fit into the mold with the same accuracy as some, but I’m happy there, and can thank a fund raiser for starting the tired little hamster I call a brain back on the wheel. I sat watching my kids dive and crawl under tables while a ginormous line of people came by for chicken noodle soup. The church ladies were raising money for a missionary, I think, or it was a celebration dinner? That part is fuzzy. What I remember with clarity is watching them smile and ladle soup into white Styrofoam bowls. All I could think of was how much damage those sweet ladies could do before anyone ever suspected them. They could cause a great upheaval and be long gone before we knew what hit us. I found this thought exciting. What if they dosed the chicken soup? Roofied us? YouTubed us and ruined the whole church as payback for a perceived wrong? Or what if they were the kid of nuts that think “The end is near so let’s take out all our loved ones with this cyanide and chicken soup.” What if? What if? What if? 


Soon the poor little hamster was going rocket speed. I started making notes on my napkin. The rest they say is history – for me it’s the present – potato – potato. Because I love irony, like talking babies on commercials, the idea made me smile. It still does. If you get the chance to read Death by Chocolate, I hope it makes you smile too ; )


Death by Chocolate
Ruby Russell has reached her limit. When she discovers her hipster husband has a dirty little secret, she whips him up a Viagra-infused-chocolate mousse punishment, but in the morning, her husband's a stiff. Armed with a lifetime of crime show reruns and Arsenic and Old Lace on DVD, Ruby and her best friend Charlotte try to lay low until after Ruby's son's wedding, but a nosy therapist, meddling minister and local news reporter are making it very difficult to get away with murder.
Video trailer here


About Julie:
I am a mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus. Most days you'll find me online, amped up on caffeine & wielding a book.


You can find my blogging about the writer life at Musings from the Slush Pile


Tweeting my crazy at @JulieALindsey


Reading to soothe my obsession on GoodReads


And other books by me on Amazon