Ethan Justice: Origins Review & Interview ~ Simon Jenner

I would like to start this blog off by saying I'm sorry I have been MIA. The weather is improving, things are busy and finding time to myself to read and write is almost impossible lately!
I have been working on this blog for several weeks and trust me this book is WELL worth the wait. 
4.5 STARS worth!

So what are we waiting for! Let's get on with it......

It's time to Switch Gears!
I've had lots of romantical sexy-esq posts as of late (and more to come) so much so that we need to head off in another direction before my "non-romantical" readers start jumping ship!

What a great thriller to ignore the housework with!!

Here is the book description from Amazon.com:

In the morning, he’s struggling to remember. By the evening, he’s struggling to survive. John Smith’s risk avoidance policy just expired!

Waking up beside the gorgeous Savannah Jones, John is shocked to learn she was for hire, and he can’t pay the price - a thousand pounds or broken legs. In desperation, he turns to best friend, Mark, for the money. Only one problem - Mark has a dagger in his back.

John and Savannah are plunged into a dangerous world where wits and adrenaline are their only weapons and trust in each other their only certainty. As the body count mounts, they discover Mark wasn’t the person John thought, and his terrifying invention may well end up killing thousands, John and Savannah included.

A race to recover the missing invention pits the unlikely pairing against ex-SAS psychopath, Gregory Fisher, a man who will stop at nothing and kill anyone in his way to wreak revenge against the Government who stole his livelihood.

When Smith and Jones team up, the result is explosive.

Ethan Justice: Origins is a fast-paced, action-packed, character-driven thriller, guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, cringe, cry and cheer.


My Take:

Where to begin?

Simon Jenner is an author who is full of potential and is has the makings of a hit on his hands!

I love a book with a first chapter or prologue that hooks you and this novel had it!!
I winced at how creepy and sadistic the mysterious killer was off the bat. He clearly has no morals and the question's I had are as follows: What the *bleep* crawled up his ass and died to make him that way? What is he up to.....? WHO is he?

The main protagonist is none other than "John Smith"
Haha! First I have to address the irony that his real name is John Smith and he is on his way to a new identity and name. It is an amusing part of the story line to say the least.
(The name thing made me chuckle on several occasions!)
Smith is quite the character. Literally.
Born to a wealthy family, John is seemingly the dead beat son who really needs to get his ass in gear and find employment.
Little does he know one drink with a friend changes his life and sends him on a wild adventure to becoming the 32 year old 'man' he is! (And he starts saying 'goodbye' to his inner 18 year old)

John meets Savannah Jones (and when I say meets, I mean 'wakes up in bed' with) ...She's a prostitute...I mean... *ahem* ESCORT.... that isn't so good at her new career. A nice girl who got sucked into a rotten job by an idiot friend. (People, let me just take a moment to say.... if your 'friend' encourages you to turn tricks for easy cash, consider college instead...and ditch the friend.... just sayin!) She's got problems of her own and getting involved with John has just made it worse (or better??)

Both Savannah and John are very insecure and lost individuals. For a man in his thirties, John comes off a lot younger, but events teach him to grow. We learn he is quite resourceful and talented. Savannah while young, due to her hard knock life, is a bit older for her age. They make a great team and fit each other perfectly. He is the Yin to her Yang. The Bread to her Butter... The Orange Juice to her Vodka.....The....(oh okay... I'll stop now)
The question is, will this relationship take a romantic turn or be an epic fail?

There are several story lines that end up culminating into one very large adventure for both John and Savannah.
Can they trust Earthguard Agents Wilson and Johnson?
Who the hell is the creepy evil guy looking for the weapon?
What about Savannah's disgusting boss and his horrid plans for her future?

This book is jammed packed with that will keep you turning the pages.
While I was reading, this book could not be pried from my hands!!
The best part.... Author Simon Jenner has tricked us! JUST when you think 'Okay, this is getting a bit predictable....' and figure the book is reaching the end....BOOM..... Major twist you don't see coming!

A few things to note:

The chapters change perspective (love) so we get into the minds of several of the characters.
I love how this book introduces you to exactly how an ordinary guy get's sucked into a world of intrigue.
This book is not only suspenseful but fun. I really enjoy the authors sense of humor!
If you loved my recommendation of Andrew McAllister's "Unauthorized Access" you will NOT want to miss getting a hands on a copy of this novel!! Very much comparable!
I look forward to the rest of the series!

The Bottom Line: I want you to read it! Simon Jenner wants you to read it! Make sure at the end of the Author Interview you catch the Contest and GIVEAWAY!!

                                 ** Author Interview**

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm 50 which really stinks but it’s probably not as bad as 51.  I have a great wife and son who do nothing but support me – my son is always keen to impart his crazy story ideas and my wife helps with beta reading, keeping my butt at the computer and printing out good reviews and sticking them all around the house.  I keep telling them perhaps they should get on with their own work but they are the stubborn, lazy sort.  Just kidding - they're the best.  We live in the UK with our German Shepherd, Spencer, who is perhaps the least ferocious dog his breed has to offer.  The young me was very outgoing and adventurous, getting into many a scrape along the way to adulthood which hit me at around 48.  The older me still enjoys an occasional drink but keeps most of his adventures on the written/digital page.

Who are your inspirations?

I love to read and watch films – these really ignite my already over-active imagination.  I don't have particular authors that I follow or specific genres of film that I watch, so other than the general desire to lose myself in a good story, my inspiration comes mostly from within and the support of a great family.  If I had to sum it up in one word it would be "madness".

What is the most challenging thing you face as an author?

My greatest challenges are marketing and self-doubt.  Marketing takes an age and you're never sure where to best allocate your time.  It interrupts your writing and distracts you at every turn.  Self-doubt rears its ugly head when you read through yesterday's work and find it has turned from literary genius to unfathomable dog crap.  It can takes weeks to turn back and sometimes it stays as dog crap so you just have to start again.

What inspired Ethan Justice: Origins?

I knew I wanted to write a thriller (as that is the genre I prefer to read) and it grew from there.  I used to have a love /hate relationship with writing – one week I would be really keen and the next I would go off the boil but my wife really got Ethan Justice moving when she said: "Write it or go and get a proper job."  What more inspiration does a man need?

Without spoiling the story, what is YOUR favorite part of Ethan Justice: Origins?

I actually have a few favourites but one is at the Ritz, where Savannah and Ethan are trapped in their bathroom, with gunfire all around them, a psycho and a pimp trying to break the door down and death by toothbrush about to play out.  I'll say no more!

There is one shocking turn of events in the novel, which has me wondering….When you wrote this novel, did you have the plot set in your mind or did you go where the story took you?

I tend to plot a few chapters at a time after coming up with a clear view of the antagonist’s plans and motivations and an idea for how the story might end.  If I plot too much in advance I struggle with what the characters will do in each situation – I find writing in the moment works best for me. Sometimes it's great to be at a point in the book, following the general plan,  and then throw an unexpected spanner into the works.  I love it. If I'm not sure what will happen next, then it’s doubtful the reader can guess! So to answer your question: the story was a mixture of plotting and gut feel for where the characters wanted to go as I wrote.

I’m always big on books to TV/film ….If your book was cast as a television series, who would you cast in the lead roles??

I don't really see the book as a TV series as I think the plot and pace would better suit film but then I would choose Ryan Gosling to play Ethan and Mila Kunis to play Savannah.  I'd need to listen to their English accents first, mind you!

Can you give us a teaser about what to look forward to in the next book? How many books do you have planned for the series?

The second Ethan Justice book, “Relentless”, is being edited. This time around Ethan and Savannah end up in a dangerous cat and mouse game of pursuit and survival when they cross paths with Richard Windal, a cool, confident and highly influential yet psychotic entrepreneur.

I’m currently planning on having three Ethan Justice books but while “Relentless” is being prepared for publication, I have started writing the first book in a new series. It is another action thriller about a man who has fallen on hard times in the current financial crisis. He gets recruited as an assassin to pay the bills, but all is not as it seems!

                                                            

                                 **GIVEAWAY TIME!**

 

This Giveaway Is Closed! Congrats to the Winners who were posted on the Facebook Page!! 

You've read the review. You've read the Interview....Now it's time to own a copy!
Simon Jenner has kindly offered some copies up for grabs!
ONE hard copy novel and 3 E-book's (Winners choice PDF, E-PUB, Kindle) ... so pay CLOSE attention... here's how it's going to work......

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING:

The Hard Copy Prize is for only Canada or U.S. participants.
Those entering the Hard Copy Draw are also eligible to enter to win one of the three E-books.
HOWEVER should you win the Hard Copy, you are automatically disqualified from the e-book draw.
It's nice to give others a chance!

E-Book Prize: There are no country limitations on the E-book prize. Please note the novel is in English. 

HOW TO ENTER:

ONE E-MAIL ENTRY per person!

All you have to do to enter either draw is email me your name, age, province/state/country and let me know one of the following:
a) ONLY Hard Copy - Canada-U.S Only
b) ONLY E-book
c) BOTH draws-Canada-U.S Only

That's it! You're name will be entered to win!

The drawing will take place on Tuesday June 4th at 7pm and winners will be announced via my Facebook Page as well as contacted by email.

Good Luck and Happy Reading!!

Being Me ~ Lisa Renee Jones

Let me tell you of a trilogy,
Full of sexcapades and mystery,
A naughty tale with BDSM,
Journals, Missing Woman and Sexy Men,
A cliffhanger that will make you scream,
Rebecca's whereabouts unknown,
Want a great story to read?
The Inside Out Trilogy by Lisa Renee Jones......

Hey look... I'm a Poet, didn't know it! ;)



I was absolutely ecstatic when Best Selling Author Lisa Renee Jones read my blog review on 'If I Were You' and gifted me an advanced copy of Book Two of The Inside Out Trilogy (along with some of the novellas that inspired the series) to review.
(Again... a big Thank You!!!)

That book is titled "Being Me"

It took me a bit longer to get to the books than I wanted, my Kobo has been giving me grief for the past few weeks. My husband actually had to intervene before my lap top and Kobo met with a baseball bat (or the tires of my car...maybe both...) I swear I have never had this much trouble with technology before! I think it may be time for an upgrade.
I digress....

I breathed a huge sigh of relief when the files finally made it to the Kobo and I wasted no time diving in! The cliffhanger from the first book was killing me. (KILLING ME I say!!!!)

Now, before I continue any further, there is a teeny tiny detail you need to know when you read the Inside Out Trilogy.

YOU REALLY SHOULD READ THE NOVELLA'S BEFORE YOU READ "BEING ME"!!!!!
(sorry for the caps...I need to get that point across)

 Just keep reading! I will provide a complete list of 'order to read' at the end of this blog!

So why are these novella's so important?
They are Rebecca's Journals. The ones that Sara find in the storage unit in the first book.
Reading them gives us more clues and insight as to who Rebecca is and what her relationship with the Master is like. They also have other tid bits and details included within the pages that will help you understand things that take place in 'Being Me'.
Should you not read the journals, you may be left scratching your head at a certain point.

They are very quick novella's to read, won't take you long at all to get through them.
 
Now....Onto the novel "Being Me"

Let me start by saying, I WILL NOT spoil what happens for you.
Not at all.
There are lots of reasons for that.
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd.....
You will just have to trust me.
**enter my cute and innocent face here**

If you missed the gist of what these novels are about, I will share an excerpt from my previous blog on this series. (You can also click the link to read that blog yourself! It's a good one!)

 "Sara McMillian is a high school English teacher, intelligent, caring and compassionate, (she describes herself as a 'hugger') but seems to be damaged goods.... When she comes across the explicit sex journals, she tries to find the owner Rebecca, to return them. Her search quickly leads to an Art Gallery from which Rebecca is on a leave of absence. Sara meets Mark Compton, Manager of the Gallery, who ends up spontaneously giving her a summer job. He's like the serpent offering Eve a big juicy apple.... tempting her with a taste of the life she used to long for. His motives are questionable and his need for her to learn about wine almost makes me not want to drink it. (I kid... I need my nightly glass of Merlot!)"

The entire trilogy is a truly addictive story that will keep the pages turning!
Warning: If you read while cooking than dinner may burn! (I saved it in time!)...Dishes will go ignored...You've read my blogs....you know the drill.....

 I will tell you that if you have read the first book (and you really should!!) plus Rebecca's Lost Journals (the novellas) than 'Being Me' will answer all the questions you want to know in regards to the Rebecca disappearance.
(FYI: It's an Eyebrow Raising-Jaw Dropping- 'Didn't See That Coming' Kinda Mystery!)
We learn more about Chris (the sexy, brooding, bad boy, live outside-the-box Artist) and the secrets he is keeping from Sara. Heck we even learn more about Sara and her past! (You think you figure it out in the first one.....ha!)

I love how many story lines there are within the pages and what we discover about the lives of the characters.
Lisa Renee Jones truly does keep us on our toes. I am not kidding when I say, I could not for the life of me figure out the plot or where she was going! She completely lured me in and has me completely mesmerized with Sara (and Rebecca's!) tale! Every time I 'thought' I knew what was up and where the story was going, she tricked me!! (Not an easy feat, I raise my wine glass to her!)
Any author who can keep the readers second guessing in such a way get's an A++ in my book!
It is Ah-mazing.

One of the biggest things I really enjoy about the writing, is something I have touched on before. Unlike some BDSM novels, the sex and BDSM isn't 'gratuitous' and it's not just there to spice up the book! It's actually a very large part of the story and not just in a 'romantic' way. (You will be shocked at what you discover about one of the characters in particular......) That is always a big sell to me when it comes to the sexier novels. I like to point this out to people who are squeamish about any book with a bit of BDSM or Erotica. If I am going to read the sexy novels and recommend it... One of the things on the list I need is a substantial story line and THIS my friends has it in spades!

Words To Describe This Series: Provocative and Thrilling. 

TidBit: The Inside Out Trilogy has been optioned for a Cable Show!! UMMM Yes Please!!!

I so look forward to the story continuing in the next book "Being Us" (<---write down="" i="" the="" title="">)

I CAN'T WAIT to see what happens next!! I'm not kidding, If I was at the book store and there was one copy left of 'Being Us' and someone grabbed it out of my hands, let's just say there would be a showdown and I would win!

(Book Nerds Gone Wild!)


"Being Me" is released as of June 11th 2013, so mark that date on your calendar!

Now that I have read 'Being Me' I am going to have to grab a copy of the novella that follows called 'The Master Undone'. Hopefully that will help take the edge off until the next book releases!

If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know when it comes to novels I love that if I have them on a reading device, I also purchase the physical copy for my library. So it will come as no surprise that I fully intend to do that with any Lisa Renee Jones book I come across!
THAT is how much I love this author!

Your mission should you choose to accept it:
Grab a copy of "If I Were You" ...Run get those novellas in your hands and finish them before "Being Me" releases!!

You'll Thank Me.....

I promise!!!

Happy Reading!!

Inside Out Trilogy Reading Order:

** If I Were You

** Rebecca's Lost Journals (4 Novellas)
-The Seduction
-The Contract
-My Master
-His Submissive

** Being Me

** Master Undone (Do NOT read until you have read Being Me)

**Revealing Us

Visit http://www.lisareneejones.com for more information!