Borrowed Book By: Earlier this Spring, I participated in an event uniting book bloggers and Indie Authors called #ReviewPit. One of the authors I discovered during this event was Isabelle Adler – her s/o about the novel on Twitter was most enticing (see also tweet) because ever since I co-hosted a RAL with Lisa (deargeekplace.com) for #smallangryplanet I’ve noticed I am enjoying Soft Sci Fi, found family narratives set in Space and the interworkings of a crew who are sent on a mission which is both secreted from them as far as the fuller scope of why they were sent and the curious ways a long-term mission can either make/break the crew itself. I love Hard Sci Fi and Space Operas but I also like the rebels & rogues of Space, too! (ie. Rimrider!)

I was seeking stories during #ReviewPit which caught my eye for their uniqueness but also what was quite lovely is how most of the stories which intrigued me to read were actually within the realms of Fantasy! I found this wicked interesting and it is why I was thankful during #WyrdAndWonder Year 2 I could continue to celebrate my love of Indie Authors & Indie Publishers and Press!

I submitted a purchase request to my local library for “Adrift” which is published by NineStar Press an independent publisher of LGBTQ+ Fiction. I was thankful to find out my library accepted my purchase request and I decided to share my review on behalf of “Adrift” for my own edification as much as continuing to share my readerly life with my readers. I was not obligated to post a review for this novel but I choose to write one as I love celebrating the stories I am finding as a social reader. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

I happily found an LGBTQ+ Space Opera during #ReviewPit:

When I first learnt of the #bookishTwitter event #ReviewPit, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect – I keep a watchful eye on twitterverse events where writers are seeking betareaders or where authors are seeking publication (ie. #PitchWars, etc) as I generally find #newtomeauthors this way and I do like to champion the writers who are on their path towards becoming published as this is something I can personally relate to as I’m a writer whose currently moonlighting as a book blogger and joyful tweeter! It is lovely to reach out into the Indie community on Twitter and continue to seek out the stories I desire to be reading. Ever since I first started blogging here at Jorie Loves A Story, I’ve had an eye out for Indie Press, Publishers and the writers who are seeking alternative publication – either through the Indie side of publishing directly through established publishers and press; or through Small Trade publishers or taking the full-Indie route into Self-Publishing or Hybrid publishing options.

This is what made #ReviewPit such a keen event for me – I decided to just jump into it and see what I would find. It is run similar to other events where you get a pitch about a story and you are given a clue of a nod towards its genre of interest. I quite literally had such a wicked joy just scrolling through all the lovelies being offered, I wasn’t entirely sure how many would be available to receive as print editions for review but I decided to give myself the chance to just seek out the authors first and request which ones were available lateron.

My second choice is to highlight the novel I had my library purchase for me by an author I crossed paths with during #ReviewPit – the twitterverse event where Indie Authors are matched with book bloggers and/or reviewers who are seeking Indie Fiction to read and review. It is a spontaneous event in that you do not know which genres are up for grabs and you do not know which stories are avail in the format you are able to read – for me, being a migraineur, this means I needed to find authors willing to send me their stories in print. The joy of the event was finding a lot of Speculative Fiction authors who had written Indie Fantasy novels and those are the stories you’ll see start to alight on Jorie Loves A Story between the 3rd and 5th week of MAY for Wyrd And Wonder – ahead of that, I wanted to read the first 25 pages of ADRIFT as this is a Science Fiction novel which drew my eye for its premise and the approach the author took in navigating us through this world.

To say I was overjoyed my library accepted my purchase request is putting it mildly – as it is a lovely feeling to know you have a local library whose striving to bridge the gap between Major Trade, Indie Publishers and Press and Self Published authors for today’s library patron who is seeking to expand their literary horizons.

Adrift
Subtitle: Staying Afloat : Book One
by Isabelle Adler
Source: #ReviewPit Author, Borrowed from local library, Purchase REQ | local library

Some jobs are just too good to be true.

Captain Matt Spears learns this the hard way after a mysterious employer hires his ship to hunt down an ancient alien artifact but insists on providing his own pilot. Ryce Faine is handsome and smart, but Matt has rarely met anyone more obnoxious. With tensions running high, it isn’t until they are attacked by the hostile Alraki that Matt grudgingly begins to respect Ryce’s superior skills, respect that transforms into a tentative attraction.

Little did he know that their biggest challenge would be reaching their destination, an abandoned alien base located on a distant moon amid a dense asteroid field. But when Matt learns that Ryce isn’t completely who he says he is and the artifact is more than he bargained for, he is faced with a difficult choice. One that might change the balance of forces in the known galaxy.

Matt doesn’t take well to moral dilemmas; he prefers the easy way out. But that might not be possible anymore, when his past comes back to haunt him at the worst possible moment. When faced with a notorious pirate carrying a personal grudge, the fragile connection Matt has formed with Ryce might be the only thing that he can count on to save them both.

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781945952555

Genres: LGBTQIA Fiction, Men's Fiction, Military Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera

Published by NineStar Press

on 26th January, 2017

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 192

Published by: NineStar Press (@ninestarpress)

The stories of the Staying Afloat series:

Adrift (book one)

Ashore (book two

Formats Available: Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• #2019NewReleaseChallenge
• #WyrdAndWonder