Book ninety-eight: Once Upon a Stiletto

Once Upon a Stiletto* (2006)
Shanna Swendson

Rating: 2.5/5

Not as good as the first. Mostly, because of the 150 pages in the middle where her parents were visiting. It just wasn’t that interesting. Also, I got a bit tired of the “Oh, I really like Owen, but he can’t like me because{INSERT VARIOUS REASONS}, so I’ll just go out with this boring guy instead.”

The last quarter was semi-redeeming, but I was told** I wouldn’t like the ending of the next one, so I think I’ll hold off reading it for a while.

Katie Chandler’s life is pure magic -- literally. As an executive assistant at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., she’s seen more than her share of fantastical occurrences. A mere Manhattan mortal, Katie is no wizard, but she’s a wiz at exposing “hokum” pocus, cloaked lies, and deceptive enchantments. And she’s fallen under the all-too-human spell of attraction to Owen, a hunky wizard and coworker. Owen, however, is preoccupied. Someone has broken into his office and disrupted top-secret files, and it reeks of an inside job. CEO Merlin (yes, the Merlin) and taps Katie and her special ability to uncover the magical mole.

Keeping her feelings in check while sleuthing alongside Owen, Katie is shocked to discover that her immunity to magic is waning, putting her in grave danger. Soon she’s surrendering to the charms and enchantments of everyone and everything around her, including a killer pair of red stilettos. Katie must now conjure up her natural instincts to get to the bottom of the break-in, regain her power, and win the wizard of her dreams.

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* Finished: Saturday 7/7

** Actually, my sister was reading the next in the series, Damsel Under Stress and got to the last page and actually threw it on the floor and said (okay, maybe shouted) “That’s so stupid!” amongst other complaints. So maybe its better if I just pretend that book doesn’t exist, and live in the happy little world that is the end of book two.