Legally Brunette (Ace Attorney style GameLit)

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

"I've got a hot date with justice...and it's courtin' time!"

Mina Hawkins is just your average, bubbly eighteen year old girl, obsessed with fashion, cartoons and cappuccino, but when her surfer dude boyfriend, Chad Hangten is murdered, she turns to the law as the answer.

A fresh graduate from Lawson Legal School, Mina finds herself crusading against an army of bizarre and unruly crooks in a hot pink pants suit, hoping one day she will put Chad's murderer behind bars.

As Mina digs deeper into the criminal justice system, she starts to uncover a sinister organization called the Aura that not only has its hooks in Business Park, but maybe the whole country itself.

The Aura's criminals have justice on their side too, namely William "Blind" Justice, a rival prosecutor who is as dashing and handsome as he is ruthless. Facing off against him, Mina deals with tensions that are both legal and possibly, romantic. But will she ever love again after Chad's unfortunate demise?

Join Mina as she fights for love, truth and justice all charged up on cafe lattes in this Ace Attorney inspired novel.

Game 2:

A new prosecutor has replaced Blind Justice in a most embarrassing fashion!

An ex-colleague and ex-fiance of Blind's, the lion-maned Ashley Ryan is a proud, book-smart yet extremely catty prosecutor who harbors a grudge against him (and Mina by extension) for something that happened between them in the past.

Even with Blind tamed, this honors graduate lioness is even more ferocious. Will Mina outsmart the top-cat?

Note: This lighthearted GameLit follows AA style soft law and love of outrageous puns and is not based in actual court of law!

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: Pianos In The Evening Sun

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.8/ 5.0
Followers: 325
Views: 214,074

Chapters(316 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

longwindedone1Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The review is based on the first seven chapters. There will likely be spoilers ahead.
Story:
This story is gamelit set in the world of Phoenix Wright (video game, anime, and movie). Where I was not familiar with the world before my reading, I found myself intrigued by the authors depiction of the courtroom drama. I liked the creative names and how they related to the personalities of the characters, and I liked how much dialogue there was (I do the same in my work).
Style:
As for the style, let me start by saying that I love, love, love how the author was both writing a story and putting in little puns and pop culture references that made the story even more enjoyable. For example, each chapter is something pithy like a play on Leisure Suit Larry or the Wicked Witch (in Oz) or even a play on a "courtroom" type word. The story is told in third person and is perfect to present the personalities and build the tension.
Grammar:
I had no issue with the grammar. The author did something that is tough when you are heavily focused on putting out a professional and near perfect manuscript- they took on colloquialisms and accents in the dialogue- not an easy task. But it was done well.
Characters:
Mina is the MC, and then there is the mentor Raven Lockwood. There is the obviously guilty (but you will never prove it copper) Dupree, and a mysterious (and handsome) figure known as Blind Justice. He will play a bigger role later, I would imagine.
Overall, I loved this world. It is original, and something that I can tell the author has put their heart into. It is creative and witty. And for that, I give this a 5/5.
BeezeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is one I dived into and I instantly got sucked into. I read this thinking it was interesting already, but then it got me hooked and I kept reading it more. This is one of those stories that has a perfect blend of everything.
Characters? On point and well done and very entertaining, as if you are really playing a case. I can see the visual of certain characters and how they move as they go. This is a clear sign that you have made something wonderful here. Also the story has many funny moments as well You have the art of comedy under your belt and it does make the story enjoyable with what you came up with. I am sure anyone would enjoy this story if they were to give it a chance.
Overall, I enjoyed what I have read.
Drab W.Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is highly readable, addictive material. There is plenty of charm, humor, and wit! As the cover art would lead you to believe, the story does a convincing job of recreating the spirit of the Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney style of storytelling. While the material can get serious, the overall attitude is one of optimism, and it's very refreshing to read.
FiddlesoupRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I absolutely love humor. It's my favorite genre of entertainment. I can't tell you how many times I've rewatched my favorite sitcoms because they make me laugh. I can't tell you how many times I've reread the He Who Fights with Monsters, Dungeon Crawler Carl, or Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy because of how much they made me laugh.
This story is definitely going on that reread list. It is so zany, weird, and silly. Its essentially a parody of the ace attorney games. Which I never played, but this story made me want to.
Characters: This is the absolute best part of this story. There are loads and loads and loads of characters. We have Mina the MC who is an absolute gem. She is such a sweetheart, and so earnest, and her quirky personality makes the story.
We also have her boss and mentor: Raven Lockwood, a flamboyant lawyer who has her best interest at heart and that, for some reason, people call old even tho he's like 28. Each arc introduces 3-5 new characters that, for the most part, are just there for the arc, like Mina's five billion best friends, who also seem to be in legal trouble a lot, and the victims and perpetrators of each case. Its a brilliant formula that kept me reading again and again. The highlights to me were:
A bodybuilder lesbian actress that kept hitting on Mina, and a Charles Martinet Expy.
Story: Each arc is a self contained case that Mina has to solve which all tie into the greater storyline of the Aura. Its a solid, if formulaic story; however, do not think it is lesser for it. The stories are all amazingly fun.
Style: I'm not joking when I say this is funny. It oozes charm and does not let up at all. I laughed on every single chapter, something that doesn't always happen even with the greats.
Grammar: There were probably a few mistakes here and there, but I was so enthralled I didn't notice a single one.
Read this, you will not regret it.
HA-GreeneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Story and stylistically, this was fantastic. From the very first chapter, the author captures the whimsy and canonical drama of an Ace Attorney setting with aplomb. The puns, the rapier wit, the gooey cheesy jokes, the name scheminig, and the plotting all worked together for an excellent delve into homage done right. I simply adored this story and case by case the cast grew on me. Like a real AA storyline, I wondered at the mysteries and while I guessed right on a couple of them, the fourth and final case of "game 1" in Mina's tale had me grasping for the culprit and coming up so short. Yet the payoff for another long held suspicion was indeed worth the wait when we finally arrived there.
Grammar had a few errors recurring here and there, but nothing that dragged me out of the moment or impeded my satisfaction.
The characters are the true heart and soul of this story. They all sing to the tunes of their often pun-fully accurate names, meaning that you can usually get what you expect for the side characters. Mina herself experiences growth along the journey, as does her rival, Blind. And the final case is just full of an outrageously well put together cast.
This one really captured what it meant to write in the style of an AA-like setting. Easily among my top three favorite stories I have read in my time here on RR.
MonoDrakenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
How does one capture the spirit of a game? Do you desire the wackiness of the Ace Attorney games and that comedic yet dramatic spirit that reigns within those games, with murder cases that have murder mysteries leading you down a string of trials wondering 'how and why?'
This story scratches that itch quite well. A light hearted story that tackles on these murder cases with such charm and comedy that I genuinely couldn't stop cracking a smile at some of the puns made (don't quit your day job though...). There is a lot of charm and spirit that is absolutely put in to each case, where all of them contain numerous references to different series that it becomes a bit of a bit of a fun game to spot.
I do enjoy the writing grammatically wise, I haven't found anything too egregious that it makes me feel unable to continue onwards. The characters are all entertaining and help feed this absolutely hilarious setting. I will say that it is quite fun to go through each of their reactions and emotions as the cases unravel between them and how they break down before confessing. Those are the fun parts and I will give a thumbs up for this story!
AspiringMakerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall this fiction is a fun-riddled, pun-heavy, addictive, and page-turning masterpiece. I lost count of how many times I laughed at the characters' quips when the story hit its stride.
The characters are distinct and interesting. I mean there is a French not so-French character that was my favorite. And of course, Justice Divine Justice was another favorite, with the best interactions in my opinion.
The authors prose is top notch, and fits so well with the story's tone. I particularly liked Mina's references to pop culture. The author also took inspiration from real people and made it fun, exaggerating their personas. Where is my LAMB SAUCE? If you know, you know.
The grammar is spotless, with only a few Ts to be crossed and Is dotted. Keep up the work author.
As for the story, it is clear the author has considerable experience weaving together this kind of plots. It isn’t an accurate telling of how the law works but who cares? In the real world, half the things these characters say won't fly. That's why it works.
To conclude, I implore anyone sitting on the metaphorical fence to get up and dive into this story with Mina Hawkins, the Legally Brunette.
SkarabraeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: I like this story's style a lot. It has literary devices, in particular a lot of imagery that helps with the story's tone and set various scenes within the story. The author has incredibly good word choice and is able to set the tone very well with it. The author's way of writing is also unique. The tone is very light-hearted despite the serious subject matter, which is very fitting for the sort of satire it's going for.
Story: The story is great. It is paced at just the right pace too. The story itself is a comedy based on the Ace Attorney games. It fits the games' aesthetic and formula pretty well while also carving its own path and doing its own thing. And it does this very well. So, I have no complaints about the story.
Grammar: I couldn't find any grammatical errors. That does not mean they don't exist, but if they do, they are most likely not distracting enough for most people to notice them.
Character: The characters are great. They are generally well-depicted, realistic, and three-dimensional. However, a few of them are fairly flat. Still, they are flat in ways that fit the genre. So, I have no complaints with the characters.
Overall, this is a very good story and I recommend it.
(review swap)
ThrillianRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This might be the most accessible, enjoyable and downright fun web fiction the site right now.
Mina Hawkins is a theatrical yet forthright attorney whose eager to make sure that justice is served her clients. But in order to do that, she'll have to earn her reputation amid a sea of crazy characters in the courtroom.
The chapters are perfectly paced, with each one showing Mina confronted with a new challenge. The web fiction also perfectly uses the try-fail cycle to its most perfect angle, giving Mina even more challenges if she succeeds.
It's the zany humor where the fiction definitely succeeds, with every character have their own unique personality and plenty of zingers to back up said personality. And did I mention the puns...well....there will be puns.
Lots of them.
I didn't see any grammar issues, and the brief style of each chapter makes it fresh and fun throughout.
I especially like that the story slowly builds more tension and drama into Mina's world without ever losing sight of the humor and courtroom antics which make it work so well.
Overall, I thought it was a really fun story perfect for anyone who likes Ace Attorney, or failing that, just needed a hilarious way to start off the day.
William FlattenerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This might be my favorite thing on this website. It's genuinely funny--I quite literally lol'd many times. You do not have to have experience with the Ace Attorney games to enjoy the courtroom humor here. (I've never played them but this really made me want to.)
Story
I'm through Ch. 24, and the story follows a rhythm with about 10 chapters per "episode" or court case. I'm not really sure how long the chapters are, because they fly by.
Style
The author's style is fast-moving and light-hearted, luring you in with tropes and then turning them sideways to great effect. It's dialogue-heavy as you might expect from a courtroom drama, and the characters tend to be over-the-top in the most endearing way.
Comedy
I just invented this category because I think this fiction is the product of a comedically attuned galaxy brain. The author is hitting us from all angles--there are entire characters built around their pun names. There are one-liners and clever zingers. There is also some humorous self-deprecation. There is fantastic parody here, whether it's the "change one letter of the real thing for legal purposes" or more conceptual Weird Al Yankovicisms. This author follows the joke through to the bitter end and squeeze every last bit of comedy juice from every idea.
Besides the Ace Attorney framework, there are shades of The Tick and Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law, whether intentional or not. The comedic variety is astounding, and the author tries a bit of everything, like some kind of velociraptor of humor.
Grammar
The grammar is fine! Who cares about grammar when there are jokes that need to be covered?
Character Score
Mina Hawkins is a very likable main character with (as you might imagine) a little bit of Elle Woods. I know I should write more about the characters who drive each episode, but now I'm just thinking about how far this writer went to make bird-slash-legal-firm puns, and I'm laughing in my cubicle to the dismay of coworkers.