Title: Nine-Tenths of the Law

Author: L.A. Witt

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (250pgs)

ISBN: B06XNTJZ28

Publisher: L.A. Witt (15^th March 2017)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: “I believe you have something of mine, Zach.” The stranger’s accusation throws Zach Owens for a loop. He’s never seen this man in his life, and he’s not prepared when he finds out what they have in common—their boyfriend, Jake.  Make that ex-boyfriend. With the jerk out of the picture, Zach hurries after the stranger to apologize… which quickly leads to some sizzling hot revenge sex. Despite starting on the wrong foot, Nathan Forrester can’t get enough of the sexy movie theater owner. Still, he’s jaded and distrustful—especially when Jake keeps materializing in Zach’s presence despite Zach insisting that relationship is over. With a devious ex-boyfriend trying to sabotage their fledgling relationship, Zach and Nathan need to learn to trust each other, or they’ll both wind up with nothing. This 61,000 word novel was previously published, and has been revised to include an extended ending.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nine-tenths-Law-L-Witt-ebook/dp/B06XNTJZ28

Review: Zach’s night looks to be a disaster when he is confronted by his boyfriends other boyfriend, leaving his now ex-boyfriend behind he hurries after the stranger and Zach’s night suddenly looks up with a hot bout of revenge sex. Nathan is bitter about his ex’s betrayal but he can’t get Zach out of his mind, and they embark on a rebound fling… but it soon gets more serious between them.

This is a great story of finding love in an emotional turbulent time, where love is developing but lack of trust is rearing its ugly head.

Nathan and Zach in a fleeting moment are rivals, they both are seeing the same man, Jake, Nathan for four years and Zach for six months before they both discover the truth and they both walk away from the man who betrayed them. Nathan has a hard time letting go of the broken trust and as he begins a relationship with Zach he finds it difficult to believe Zach when he says he’s working late… especially when Jake is feeding his fears.

I liked this story and enjoyed watching as Nathan and Jake both embarked on a relationship together, they were a hot couple and meshed well together when they are together. When they are apart though Nathan’s fears of betrayal claw at him and it leads him to some stupid arguments with Zach. Zach is pretty easy going for the most part, he’s bounced back from Jake’s betrayal and now just wishes the pain in the arse would stop bothering him and that Nathan would trust him 100%.

Whilst I enjoyed the story I do think Zach could be a little bit more understanding of Nathan’s feelings, it’s really not easy to trust when it’s been shattered and unfortunately it usually does carry over into the next relationship, especially when your ex is feeding that paranoia. I also got a little annoyed at Zach for continuing to play to Jake’s tune by answering the man’s phone calls and agreeing to see him… he should have just cut off all contact.

So there’s a relationship developing, some angst and drama, and lots and lots of hot sex, the storyline is good and the characters are great, so really what more could you ask for?

As promised, I've sat down, dedicate my reading to the last batch of titles in theGreat Self-Published Fantasy Blog-off, and collected my thoughts.

Once again, I committed to reading the first 50 pages (at a minimum) of each title, with the hope that one or more books in the batch would be strong enough to keep me reading right through the end. This time around there were 3 titles that kept me engaged to the end, which is a nice way to end this round.


Annie Bellet – Avarice
An interesting concept, but the execution just didn't do it for me. What we have here is a typical police procedural transplanted to a 'light' fantasy setting. It feels as if it could have worked better as a more typical urban fantasy tale. Overall, it just felt too thin for the material, without the depth of world building and imagination I look for in fantasy, or the depth of mystery I look for in a good police procedural.


Kelly Russo – Dreamweavers
This one turned me off from the start, forcing me to go back to the source file, change the atrocious font (stylized, all caps, like a teenage girl's diary), reconvert it, and then reload it for a read. Unfortunately, the text that was revealed did nothing to draw me in. First person narration is tricky, and while it can be done well, it quickly wears thin when it seems like every sentence begins with "I [something]."

JD Hallowell – Dragon Fate
An all-round solid read, this was paced well, with great characters, an intriguing world, and a plot that flowed naturally from the opening scenes. I did put it down a few times, before coming back to enjoy the read, so I feel compelled to caution new readers that it's not the classic sword-and-sorcery adventure you're expecting. It's far deeper, more philosophical, and more focused on character interactions than grand quests or epic battles.

Fortunately, our pair of mismatched heroes are a novel twist, including a retired soldier and his dragon. Before you cringe and start wondering how long before the novelty wears off, Hallowell establishes the characters, builds a bond, and makes them just as compelling as any warrior/sorcerer or barbarian/thief duo. Delno is a fantastic character, a hero who is more than capable of carrying a story, while Geneva is a character with far more personality than you'd expect in a dragon.

If I were to have any complaints, it's that the dialogue is a bit stilted and awkward at times, and that the actual plot development is more subtle than significant. It's a story that needs to be read closely, at a leisurely pace, in order to be properly appreciated. I don't always have that kind of patience, but in this instance it worked.

James Gawley – Legionnaire
More historical than epic, this is a heroic Roman fantasy, updated and re-imagined with a few more fantastical details than even the classic myths have to offer. It's a violently sophisticated sort of story, full more of political backstabbing and familial responsibilities than heroic deeds. Primus Seneca is a fitting protagonist, giving us a glimpse into the very unglamorous world of ancient Rome. He's not very heroic - in fact, he's rather dull and boring - but he does take responsibility for his place in a tedious, yet challenging, situation.

As introductions go, I certainly enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I'd be inclined to continue with the series. There's a spark or a sense of flair that's missing here, that little bit of stylistic oomph that catches your attention and compels you to keep reading. It's a serviceable enough narrative, but it often feels flat and matter-of-fact, without any real sense of excitement. I do wonder where it's going, but not so much that I'm eager for a sequel.


Siana Wineland – Emergence
There's nothing really wrong with this, and it would probably work very well for a different reader, but it's far too much contemporary science fiction when I was looking for something more . . . well, fantastic. The idea of a mutation bringing about such drastic changes as wings sprouting from your back and telekinetic abilities leaping into your head is interesting, but I found myself turned off by the bland, contemporary settings. What might have worked as a post-apocalyptic fantasy or cleverly satirized dystopia just falls flat here. What's more, there didn't seem to be any serious discussion as to how or why our race began mutating in such a drastic way, which is a philosophical aspect I need to make such a story compelling.

Greg Dragon – Re-wired
This turned out to be a very different novel than I expected, and I liked that. After all, the whole idea of using androids to explore issues of identity, emotions, slavery, and more has been done to death by this point. Whether you take the Star Trek approach or the Twilight Zone approach, readers come into such stories with an expectation as to where they're going to be led. Dragon does explore those themes, but it's the twists and additional layers to his story that make it compelling.

While I wish he'd been developed differently, there's no question that the story works so well because Brad is such an unlikable, unsympathetic character. He's not a pervert, a scene-chewing villain, or a selfish monster, just a lonely man who doesn't always make the best choices. By contrast, Tricia looks and feels far more human, and it's her role in the story - alongside that of Priscilla, the 'real' woman - that carries us along despite Brad's weaknesses.

What ultimately makes the story work, however, is the twist around the halfway mark when both women disappear from his life. How and why is a mystery central to the tale, with the resolution a genuinely rewarding surprise, ultimately making this more than 'just' a novel about robots, feelings, and humanity. It could have benefited from more tech-speak, to explain and ground the sci-fi aspect, but that's a personal curiosity, and not a commentary on the plot.

CONCLUSION: Another tough choice this time around, but I have to stick with the kind of fantasy that appeals to me the most, that resonates most deeply in my imagination, and entertains me at the highest level - and that would be Dragon Fate.

 

I want to let J.D. have the spotlight for the morning, but check back this afternoon for my first round champion.

Can we give five hot cowboys a lick-er-I mean like? Thanks everybody!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sons-of-Johnny-Hastings/141078116062379?notif_t=page_new_likes

Just a few quick observations and first impressions regarding the 26 titles I've been assigned as part of Mark Lawrence's self-published blogger-challenge. You can check out the challenge and the complete list of titles over on Mark's page.

Favorite covers
I know you're never supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but here are the 3 that, were I to come across them in a bookstore, I'd feel compelled to pick up and check them out. Cover art/design can be a complicated endeavor, especially for self-published authors, so I feel these deserve some serious kudos.

In case you've been sleeping under a rock (or, as the weather dictates, hibernating in your bear cave), then you need to know that Mark Lawrence has launched a very cool opportunity for self-published authors.

It all started with a call for blogger volunteers who will serve as literary agents (of a sort), combing through 25 different submissions each, before selecting the 1 title they feel is most deserving of continuing through to the second round. Each blogger will then read all 10 finalists, and the winner will get reviewed on all 10 blogs, providing the author and the book with both bragging rights and a wealth of free publicity.

I am pleased to say that, of the 19 blogger volunteers, Beauty in Ruins was selected as part of the "team of 10 highly respected and well-established bloggers" who will put on our pseudo-literary agent hats and read through our assigned slush piles.

1./ Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues
2./ Steve Diamond &co at the Hugo winning Elitist Book Reviews
3./ Mark Aplin &co of the award winning Fantasy-Faction
4./ Mihir Wanchoo of Fantasy Book Critic
5./ Lynn Williams of Lynn's Books
6./ Milo of The Fictional Hangout
7./ Bob Milne of Beauty in Ruins
8./ Ria of Bibliotropic
9./ Tyson Mauermann of The Speculative Book Review
10./ The guys at Fantasy Book Review

There's no money involved, and no big publisher's contract guaranteed, but who knows where a competition might take you. First of all, you have Mark Lawrence's name and clout behind the whole idea, and then you have 10 bloggers selected for their high traffic and popularity who (and this is important) are open to self-published titles. The opportunity here for publicity is huge, and you have to wonder where the winner might go, armed with such bragging rights and such high-profile reviews.

If you're a self-published fantasy author, then I urge you to head on over to the call to self-published fantasy authors and submit your book. Currently, 134 books have been received (out of a maximum 250), so you still have time to get involved.