Sister Justicia Marie is not the average nun, and from the first line of James Scott Bell’s Force of Habit, the reader is aware of that fact. A former child star called out of a life of self-indulgence and hard-partying, Sister J is devoted to God and the administration of justice, and sometimes that means using her Krav Maga skills to kick butt.

Which is bad news for criminals in Los Angeles.

Sister J attempts to find the person who is attacking fellow nuns.  This causes a conflict with her superior, Sister Sarah, who doesn’t like, understand, or agree with Sister J’s methods. Also, Sister J tries to reconcile her faith with her technique of administering justice, and this internal conflict adds depth to the story.

Force of Habit 2: And Then There Were Nuns picks up where the first story leaves off, which is great because one story about Sister isn’t enough. While at a Franciscan retreat center, Sister J discovers two young men stealing a crucifix. This sends her on another quest for justice, and she continues to clash with Sister Sarah.

If you’re looking for light-hearted, entertaining reads, I highly recommend Force of Habit and Force of Habit 2. Marketed as novelettes, both stories are fun and full of memorable characters and dialogue. They are perfect for reading aloud, which I did to entertain family members on a recent road trip, and all of us laughed out loud more than once. Both novelettes are ebooks available on Kindle and Nook.