In A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION by Julie Kenner, Protector Nikko is on the trail of arch villain Rex Ruthless who's stolen Council technology. Nikko's mission is to capture Ruthless and recover the device before Ruthless can unleash the weapon on the unsuspecting mortals of New York City. Lydia Carmichael is everyone's doormat until her best friend decides to give her a powerhouse makeover. Part of the "new" Lydia is ordering a pair of shoes from hiheelia.com. Lydia thinks the whole idea is ridiculous, but when her black leather boots arrive, she falls in love with them. Lydia's life suddenly changes for the better. With her "magic" shoes and the hot new man in her life, things are definitely looking up.

Michaela Becker spends her days trying to interest apathetic teenagers in great literature in KUNG FU SHOES! by Jade Lee. Why hadn't anyone bothered to tell her that teaching high school is more like babysitting than enjoying intelligent discourse among vibrant young people? School cop Joe DeLuce has noticed the shy, attractive English teacher. He doesn't think her nickname "Micki Mouse" fits her at all. There's something elusive about Micki. When she gets into a scrape with a school gang, Joe rushes to the rescue and is stunned when Micki seems more than capable of handling herself in a fight. She has some crazy story about magic shoes, but Joe thinks the magic is in Micki herself. She certainly has bewitched him.

The final story is by Marianne Mancusi. KARMA KITTY GOES TO COMIC CON is set at, where else, Comic Con -- the New York City version not San Diego. Geek heaven indeed. I would kill to go...but back to the story. Hailey Hills is the lucky girl who finds herself in the sci-fi fan bliss that's Comic Con. Hailey and Thomas Cook are the fresh-faced comic book team that produced Karma Kitty, a minor independent sensation in the comic book world. Even though she's at the event to sign her books, Hailey still plans on enjoying herself. She and Thomas don their uberfab Karma Kitty costumes and hit the convention floor ready to have some fun. Fun is everywhere to be found, but her great day comes to a sobering stop when her ex, Collin Robinson, confronts her. She doesn't blame Collin for moving on. She knows she's a load sometimes and has adventures no sane person would understand, but it hurts all the same. When Collin sees Hailey at the convention, he can't help but ask her to have dinner with him. That costume, those boots -- his mind starts working overtime. It seems he may not be quite as ready to move on as he thought.

These three stories are at times so silly. But the comic book aspects of all the stories warmed my heart, and I found myself enjoying them all (even though there is some eye rolling...a shrinking machine?, Ninjas?) Go with it -- you'll have fun, smile, laugh a little. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR STOMPING will give you a couple of enjoyable hours.