A Karma Girl Christmas

Bigtime #3.5

by Jennifer Estep

It's Christmas time in Bigtime, New York, but society reporter Carmen Cole isn't in the mood to celebrate since her husband, Sam, has to go on a business trip and might not make it home for the holiday. But Carmen has plenty to keep her busy, since she moonlights as Karma Girl, a member of the Fearless Five superhero team.

On Christmas Eve, Carmen, as Karma Girl, is assigned to guard toys, clothes, food, and more that are intended for needy children and their families. But an ubervillain also has his eye on the toys and plans to steal and then sell them to the highest bidder. Carmen will have to use all her empathic powers just to stay alive, not to mention make sure Christmas is a happy one for all the kids who are counting on her. It's all in a night's work for a superhero ...

Note: This is a 14,000-word story that takes place after the events of Jinx, the third book in the Bigtime series. It can also be read as a stand-alone holiday story.

Genres: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Superheroes, Fantasy, Novella, Paranormal Romance

91 pages, Nook

First published September 24, 2011

About the author

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at www.JenniferEstep.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-....

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Happy reading, everyone! 😎

Reviews

[sairs_readsandreviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a freebie via the 2023 FaRo Advent, I’d like to say thanks to the organisers and the author for the book!

I went in without reading the blurb or anything but assumed it was a romance - this isn’t really a romance as we get to the story after Karma Girl already has an established relationship.

This story is about a superhero called Karma Girl who by day is a reporter and by night is Karma Girl whose powers include squinting at ‘ubervillians’ to see their aura and manifest their powers so she can use them herself!

She is part of the Fearless Five who previously vanquished the Terrible Triad and this was a novella after those events..

She was tasked with guarding a Christmas tree that had been covered in expensive gifts for children across the City (Bigtime) when all hell breaks loose.

I was honestly laughing out loud at this and reading it to my partner, I couldn’t work out if it was meant to be serious or not or was taking the mickey out of superhero / villain stories!

There are some funny bits of dialogue, the characters are ridiculous and it’s just a fun little read.

I won’t be picking up the rest of the series that this joins onto because it’s not my general read but I’m not mad I read it, just wasn’t sure if it was great humour or a super cheesy superhero story. Either way, it got me laughing so if you want a quick laugh definitely check it out!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Received from Author
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.3.5

*Thoughts*

A Karma Girl Christmas, by Jennifer Estep, is a novella set in the world of the authors Bigtime series. The story apparently takes place right after Jinx, the third book in the series. It's Christmas time in Bigtime, New York, but society reporter Carmen Cole isn't in the mood to celebrate since her husband, Sam Sloane aka Striker, has to go on a business trip and might not make it home for the holiday. But Carmen has plenty to keep her busy, since she moonlights as Karma Girl, the rookie member of the Fearless Five superhero team.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Jackie Uhrmacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Karma Girl Christmas” is a novella in the Bigtime series featuring superheroes, ubervillains, and humor a-plenty. Carmen Cole, the newest superhero member of the Fearless Five (yes, this series began life BEFORE Kung Fu Panda), must guard the toys and donations for needy families being held at Oodles o’ Stuff, a shopping center and neutral ground for supers on both sides of the coin. Carmen’s defeated the evilest of the evil, the baddest of the bad, so she’s ready for anything—except, maybe the Mintilator.

That’s right, I said Mintilator. He’s a D-grade ubervillain whose arch-nemesis is aptly-named Halitosis Hal. Basically, good ole Minty doesn’t garner a lot of respect—who could respect a man who threatens people to brush their teeth or else?!?—and he’s decided to make a name for himself before retirement. His status as a less-than-feared ubervillain actually works in his favor, too. He’s able to steal some pretty nifty gadgets from the truly bad bad guys and he plans on using them to steal the toys from the needy and dispose of Karma Girl once and for all.
First of all, I’d like to give a big cyber-hug to Jennifer Estep for returning to Bigtime, even if only for a short period of time. I’m a huge fan and can never get enough of Carmen and her fellow superheroes. “A Karma Girl Christmas” is everything I’d expect from this light-hearted series: there’s romance, action, witty banter, and the bad guys get it in the end. Every time I pick up one of these books, I feel a little happier. They’re romantic crack, for sure, and I hope we get to see more of these characters in the future!

[Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a really long time since I visited Bigtime, New York. I loved that Jennifer Estep gave us more and I’m finally getting a chance to read them. This was a really fun, novella that has gotten me excited to read the rest of the series. Definitely a must read if you like the Bigtime series and superheroes.

[Books'N'Tracks · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

[Liliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book

So it’s Christmastime and Carmen, aka Karma Girl, is assigned the task of guarding a toy store, because not even the children can have nice things in this world. Not without villains messing things up 😒 The villains in question are Caveman Stan, who is a disgusting misogynist, and The Mintilator. He’s a germaphobe and he makes people wash their hands and floss... WHAT?!



Oh man, that’s ridiculous 😂

And these guys know how ridiculous they are. This whole stunt they pulled? It was all so they would be taken more seriously because they’re not seen as a ‘big threat.’ All they wanted was recognition. Sigh. I mean, I get it. But this motive is so dumb 😂 These poor idiots. Lol.

Anyway, these two guys cause some trouble, but luckily Karma Girl is there to save the day! So I have to admit, ever since book one, I was not the biggest fan of Carmen and those feelings have just stuck with me this whole time. I mean, objectively, she is a good person, a superhero! But I don’t know... the things she did in book one to unmask superheroes was very unsavory. Although I do have to admit Karma Girl’s power is pretty cool.

Oh! We got some Easter Eggs in this novella! First, the Pork Pit was mentioned!! Apparently Sam and Carmen really like Gin’s barbeque. Honestly, I don’t blame them. It sounds SO good! I’m jealous. Lol. Cypress Mountain was also mentioned! One or both of the villains want to retire there... but nope. Not on Gwen’s watch, you’re not 😂

Overall, this was a fine read. It was action-y, which I liked. I also liked that the romance was kept to the bare minimum. The instalove in this series is one of my least favorite things about it. Fiona made a little cameo, which I enjoyed. I love sassy Fiona! Cocky Swifte also appeared at one point, who I enjoy. I would not mind if we got a bit more of him in future books 😉 Anyway. Yeah, this was fine. I do recommend it if you're a fan of the series.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carmen Cole, aka Karma Girl, is getting ready for her first Christmas with her husband Sam. Unfortunately, he has to go out of town to finish a business deal and Karma Girl gets regulated to guarding some Christmas presents.

This was a really fun and action packed novella. Carmen is probably my favorite of the series so to see her finally in action as Karma Girl was great. I really liked the villains in this one too. Mintilator and Caveman Stan have been mentioned in previous books but we finally get to see their abilities and their terrible evil schemes.

Overall, this was a really fun holiday novella and I hope we see more of Karma Girl in future books.

This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Joe Pranaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Jennifer Estep brings us Karma Girl's Christmas adventure. As the Novella opens Carmen Cole Aka Karma Girl is being told by the other superheros in Bigtime New York that she's been put in charge of taking care of the Christmas tree and gifts for needy families this Christmas. The other hero's had done it from year to year and as she's a rookie it's her turn. She knows her husband and leader of their group has to go away on a business trip so Carmen is lonely but not alone. Just as the night winds down and she and her friend are in the store watching the tree she is knocked out. She awakens in a warehouse where two lower tear villeins have her and the tree. She then uses her power to break free but the question that she has will she get the tree and the gifts back to the store on time. This is a great novella and I highly recommenced it for all not just superhero fans.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first foray into the world of Bigtime. I’ve read a few Jennifer Estep books before and enjoyed them. But now that I’m on my Christmas run, I thought that this one would be a good read. And I was incredibly correct. A Karma Girl Christmas is all about Karma Girl and her protecting a Christmas present. From super villains. It was gorgeous, cute and seriously funny. All while being all about the feeling of Christmas and the joy of giving.

As my first foray into Bigtime, the world building in this was phenomenal. Considering it’s actually a novella that takes place after the third book, that’s a fairly impressive feat. Now I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the Bigtime series and all of the joys that seem to come along with being in a world filled with superheroes and supervillains.

Honestly, the superheroes and villains stick to this story was absolutely hilarious. I mean, they literally all follow a script that they have to stick to. And then, the motivations of the villains in this story is also kind of hilarious. Not exactly the most evil of doers, but yet, they try and do something that is truly heinous – taking from children at Christmas time.

What I loved most about this story was that all of the superheroes pull together at the end. Carmen might be finding her own way as a member of the Fearless Five. But it’s all of the superheroes of Bigtime that choose to draw together to save the day. Kind of what Christmas is really all about, right?

[Lé · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up reading this because it was part of the Karma girl edition that I got from the library even though it is set after the events of the third book of the series. I have to say there are quite a few more characters since the first one, amazing to me how much characters change in a series. I didn't love the book mostly due to it's corniness and elaborate "save christmas" plot.

[Jessica Lower · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the 2023 FaRoFeb Advent calender.

I didn't read the blurb before diving into this one other than knowing it was a Christmas story of some kind. Well was I surprised to find a silly super hero story! It was a quick read, along the lines a Christmas special in a superhero town. Fun but nothing to write home about

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was too short with too much time spent introducing characters to new readers. Karma Girl has to guard the presents for the needy children on Christmas Eve. It was nice to see the old gang again, but the villain was a bit lame.

[AureumAquila · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little holiday novella from the Bigtime Superhero series. I may have enjoyed it more had I read other books in the series, but it is a novella that can be read as a stand alone.
Super heroes aren’t really my thing, but I’ll definitely be checking out some of Estep’s other work!

[MELISSA · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read from a series I had not started. And I will not be starting the series. I appreciate Ms. Estep ‘s ability to write in a similar vein of earlier years of superheroes such as Batman. However, I enjoyed this when I was 10. Bravo for Ms. Estep just not for me.

[Sara ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

January 26-27, 2019

That was cute! It was fun to see more of Carmen and her powers, especially since she didn't get those till the very end of Karma Girl. It's also nice to see how Lulu is progressing with her physical therapy! :) I also liked seeing so many of Bigtime's superheroes working together at the end to save Christmas!

[Robert Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5
I enjoyed this. A lot less cringe than the last entry. The story was short and fun. The issue was that it was so short. This is the main reason I did not give it a higher score.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made the error of not reading the books first..
It was meh for me.
My fault I didn't read in order so give it 3 istead of 2.

[Laura_c_loves2read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

A very cute Christmas story. I liked the take on super heros and over villians. It was a very enjoyable story.

[theresa simington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute Story

This is a very cute and fast read Christmas story. I definitely recommend reading it. The super villains are hilarious.

[Stella · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might recall my exuberant enthusiasm when I recently discovered Jennifer Estep's Bigtime series, so being the Christmas-fan that I am I was very much looking forward to this holiday novella of the series.

A Karma Girl Christmas is a bite size fun story. It is short, it is cute, and is very entertaining! All the characters from the previous books are back, and as the ubervillains never rest, the Fearless Five superheroes have taken it upon themselves to guard the Christmas toy donations for the orphans so they don't get stolen before Christmas. This year it is Carmen's aka Karma Girl's responsibility, and as a brand new rookie superhero she absolutely wants to be up to the task and prove she can be trusted with such a simple assignment. But of course nothing is as simple as it sounds...

At night when Carmen is guarding the toys, someone breaks into the store: it is the Mintilator, one of the city's C list ubervillains:

"The Mintilator was a germophobe more than anything else. Usually, he lurked outside of public restrooms and either berated or physically dragged folks back inside to make them wash their hands if they hadn’t already. Occasionally, he’d make them floss too."

This had me laughing out loud! :-D

"We get never get any press. No calendars, no photo shoots, no video games, no action figures, nothing. And we’re out there every single day, pounding the pavement and doing bad things. But do we get any recognition? Hell, no."
He is fed up that all his bad deeds aren't recognized and feared so he decided to do something truly evil for the holidays: steal the toys and clothes donated for Christmas to poor children.

As with Karma Girl I had a blast with Jennifer Estep's chuckle out loud funny and playful writing, the story is amusing, full of pop culture winks (and even Jennifer Estep's other series, the Elemental Assassin and Mythos Academy series get mentioned: "barbecue flown in from this restaurant called the Pork Pit down in Ashland" ;-p) and witty quips.

A Karma Girl Christmas is book #3.5 in the Bigtime series, of course you will enjoy it more if you have read the previous novels, but as Jennifer Estep does a great recap of who the different characters are and their superhero roles you won't feel lost if this is your introduction to the series.

Verdict: A Karma Girl Christmas is a perfect holiday themed story: it has adventure, it has humour and the way the story is set around the holiday is not forced. If you are looking for a light and fun holiday read I encourage you to pick up A Karma Girl Christmas, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! :-) (just be warned that this is a quite short story)

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 8/10 - festive and atmospheric

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading and enjoying 'Karma Girl' I was really looking forward to meeting Carmen (aka Karma Girl) again and her gorgeous superhero boyfriend Striker. Unfortunately, considering this is meant to be a paranormal romance, there really isn't much romance. Striker hardly features at all, which was very disappointing, he's such a hotty.

Karma Girl, who is now one of Bigtime's Fearless Five superheroes, has been asked to look after a bunch of presents that are intended for children in need. Karma Girl is there to make sure nothing happens to the gifts and Bigtime's ubervillains don't get their hands on them.

But of course things don't go to plan, and what should have been any easy job turns out to be a lot more problematic. Karma Girl finds herself fighting two ubervillians who want to steal the Christmas gifts, and, to make things nice and easy, they have a nifty gadget that shrinks everything to a manageable carrying size!

I have to say the plot is rather thin and a little on the silly side. And as I did with 'Karma Girl' I tried to suspend my disbelief and remember that this is a superhero story. Sadly in this instance it was just all a bit too silly.

However, Estep has the ability to draw me in and keep me engaged, and although I didn't find this short story as enjoyable or as entertaining as 'Karma Girl' it did have some nice moments, especially the ending - ah Striker...

VERDICT:

Despite the fact that "A Karma Girl Christmas" doesn't really deliver on the romance front, I did enjoy being back in Bigtime, and although part of a series, this short festive novella can easily be read as a stand alone. So, if you're looking for a quick, fun and light-hearted Christmas read then "A Karma Girl Christmas" could be just what you're looking for.

[Jenevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews on My Blog

As the newest superhero member of the Fearless Five, Karma Girl has been selected to guard the Christmas toys and gifts that will be given out on Christmas morning to the needy children of Bigtime. Although an ubervillain has never before messed with these gifts, this year the Mintalator and Caveman Stan have decided they are tired of a being a D-list villains and are going to nab them and sell them on eBay to fund their retirement. Can Karma Girl possibly defeat both of them by herself with only her psychic superpower to help her?

It was nice seeing how Karma Girl is actually fitting in as a superhero and member of the Fearless Five as she hasn't been a big character since the first book in the series. I also liked how with it being a short story, there wasn't the repetitive inner-monologue which irritates me so. Just a nice sweet story.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karma Girl is one of the Fearless Five superheroes in Bigtime, New York and is tasked on Christmas Eve with looking after presents that have been collected and to be handed out on Christmas Day to children who are in need. What should be a simple job turns out to be a bit tricky and needs the help of her comrades and other heroes to make sure the children are not left disappointed.

I haven't read the rest of the Bigtime series but as I'm reading Christmas themed stories this month I thought I would give this novella ago. This is a quick easy read and it gave me an insight into what the superheroes can do and the ubervillains they have to come up against. I am intrigued to see where the Fearless Five began and will be reading the other books to find out more about each superhero and see how they develop and protect Bigtime, New York.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this series somewhere on Mt Git'r'Read and will definitely be on the lookout for it ASAP. This is a fun addition, or introduction for me, to the series.


There are superheroes and ubervillains and it's a campy tale. I liked the names of all of the characters and how they got the names, when Jennifer shared it.


Having a superhero guard the presents for the deserving kids who have little was looked at by Carmen/Karma Girl as a good cause, but wanted to know when she was going to be considered not the new-girl-on-the-superhero-block. This was a job for a rookie, not a bonafide, proven superhero like herself.


That all changed when the bad guys showed. Excellent kick butt action, kicky dialogue, fun story. I look forward to reading more in the series, especially once I find the books on Mt Git'r'Read.



Four kicky superhero beans.....

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute short novella within the Bigtime hero series. It takes place after Jinx but can be read as a stand-alone. I must say though I enjoyed it more after reading the series since I was already acquainted with the superhero/ubervillan people.

Karma girl takes center stage in this book. It's her job to protect the presents from any ubervillan looking to make a name for themselves as the most evil of all. I mean stealing from underprivileged kids is pretty evil. Hijinks ensue, ubervillians expound on their evil plan, and situations arise for our heroine. Does she get out? Does she win the day... er... night? Well, it is a feel good Christmas story, so of course! No surprise there (and no evil laugh... don't faint) but it is just another fun ride within this campy group of stories. I give this book 5 stars. It delivers within a short story exactly what it promises.... fun.

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually a pretty cute short story set in the Bigtime universe. It showcased two of the lesser known "ubervillains" in the series and a plot to ruin Christmas. I liked the "shout out" to the Gin Blanco series that can be found as an Easter Egg in this book. My only disappointment was that this story only took up about 43% of the Kindle book, the rest of it was excerpts from the other books in the Bigtime series, leading up to the release of Nightingale. A feel good superhero Christmas read!

[Edie Ramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was good to be back in Bigtime, a city teeming with superheroes and ubervillains. Karma Girl was the first book in the Bigtime series, and reading this short story, I felt as if I'd reconnected with an old friend. It was fun and fast, but with depth and a great ending.

This is a must-read for fans of Estep's Bigtime books. For those who haven't read them, this story is a stand-alone and you won't have any trouble keeping up with the characters. I finished the story twenty minutes ago, and I'm still smiling.

[Erik Dewey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the Bigtime universe and Estep does a great job of playing with the conventions of comic books without being too jokey. She keeps just the right amount of seriousness and light-heartedness.

This is a short story and pretty straightforward but still a lot of fun. I was able to slip back into the character of Karma Girl easily, even though it had been years since I read her previous exploits.

A good read and a must read if you liked any of Jennifer Estep's previous books.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first taste of the Bigtime series, and I'm not inclined to sample any more of them. I just thought the story was lame, and there wasn't anything about the characters that grabbed me to read any further in the series. I did enjoy the shout out to the Pork Pit from the Elemental Assassin series, which is a favorite of mine.

[Kay_Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

More 4 than 3 stars, 3.5 stars

Fun little novella. After finishing Karma Girl I wasn't quite ready to leave Carmen yet so this was a nice extension from her POV. There is a decent story line and action sequences. There is enough there you could maybe pick it up as a standalone but reading Karma Girl's full book first would definitely make this a more enjoyable read.