Feature: Aftershock Blog Tour - Aftershock by SA Archer & S Ravynheart

Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend... 

This week I'm hosting the Aftershock Blog Tour with some of my favorite guys, S.A. Archer and S. Ravynheart.  This time, Ravynheart is in the spotlight, and he'll be dropping by tomorrow for a little interview.  He was also our guest last week on JournalJabber, so be sure to go back and have a listen at that as well!


Today, I'm sharing my review of Aftershock. This time we get to meet Donovan... yum!  (Check out this "casting call" to put a face with the sexy name: Jhaer/Donovan Casting Call)

Aftershock (The Rise of the Unseelie #1)

S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

ASIN:  B0060X6FZU

Published October 28, 2011 by Ravynheart Publishing

Available Format:  ebook

My Rating: ★★★★ 1/2

Aftershock takes us back to End of the World, but this time the story is told from the perspective of Jaher, leader of the Unseelie Elite.  When the fey mounds collapse suddenly, Jaher uses his earth power to survive, only to find himself (along with so many others) without a home.  Changing his name to Donovan, he tries to establish a place for himself and a haven for the fey, including the earthborn.

I think Donovan has some really endearing qualities that show in this story.  He wants to help his brethren. At the same time, he has that bad boy vibe that I find irresistible, naturally. :-) I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on him…

Archer and Ravynheart have a laidback and riveting writing style and are expert world builders.  There is a level of authenticity that they give to the fantasy, probably attributed to years of roleplaying, something that no doubt requires amazing creativity and imagination.  The action is fast-paced and the characters are all very well fleshed out, especially considering how short each book is, which I love! 

We get a pretty good setup for the future of the fey, wizards, vampires, etc.  I’m very excited to continue all these series and see how they all tie together and what becomes of all the characters I love so much.

I still find Cursed my favorite so far, and ONLY due to my personal preferences did I knock a half star off the rating.  I do like Aftershock better than End of the World, and I think it has something to do with the move from the mounds to the urban side of things, which had me hooked in Cursed. 

Lugh or Donovan?  I can’t decide.  But, do I really have to choose???

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow, February 21, 2012, for Ravynheart's Q&A session!  

The World Among Us Blog Tour: Character Chat with Beth Ann Masarik plus GIVEAWAY!

Happy Friday Everyone!!!  Guess what we're doing this weekend???  MORE work on the house (wah, wah, wah...).  But, when it's all done, it'll be worth it!


Today I have a super special gal with us for her blog tour.  Beth Ann Masarik is pimping out her novel, The World Among Us, this month.  Beth Ann has previously hung out with us here at Gathering Leaves.  You can find my review and her interview HERE.  I'll also have a review for "Moon Spirit" very soon!

Beth Ann has a special treat for us today, so I'll shut up and give her the floor!  Enjoy!

Thank you for having me on the blog today, Cassie!  Today, I am here with one of the main gods, Gaia.  She and I will be chatting a little bit about why I haven’t written much lately and about me and cosplaying and role playing.

Now, on to the chat!

Helios had just finished his trail across the sky and was now set in the East.  Ironically, that was where my bedroom happens to be, and so the light from his sun shining in my window woke me up.  It was so bright that I didn’t even see the light that appeared before me.  Instead, Gaia appeared in my room, and as I was just coming to, I jumped at the sight of her.  She RARELY ever visits me and immediately, I became scared.

“Do not be afraid, my child,” she said in a voice that sounded like a heavenly melody.  “I’ve come to wish you safe travels.”

Well, that was nice, I thought.  As my vision became clearer, I found her sitting on my bed.  She was about my height, give or take an inch, with long, sunshine colored hair and beautiful hazel eyes.  Her skin was flawless, and she wore a gorgeous, floor length toga that was decorated with gold and silver.  She looked much better than I did.  My hair was messy from bedhead, and I had sleep in my eyes.  What was worse, I probably had bags under my eyes from lack of sleep.  Oh, and did I mention that I was also in my night shirt?  Yeah, attractive huh?  I immediately blushed from embarrassment.

“I hear that Helios is going to keep Maryland warm for you,” Gaia said as she looked at the sun.  “He was afraid that you would freeze in that Sailor Jupiter costume you are going to wear.”

I smiled and looked in the same direction.  “I’ll have to remember to thank him some day.  I was beginning to worry if I’d be warm enough. It is, after all, the middle of winter.”

“I know,” she said softly.  “Is your costume finished yet?  I’ve seen you’ve been staying up very late again with your friend Robin.”

“I think it is done, but I haven’t tried on the finished product yet.”

“Do you like how it came out?” she asked.

“I absolutely LOVE how it’s come out!  It was all completely hand sewn (no machine involved), which makes it extra special,” I beamed.  “Robin is the best.”

“I have to agree with you on that.  Are you excited to be cosplaying as a girl?”

“YES!” I exclaimed.  “I’ve been wanting to cosplay as Sailor Jupiter for years, and now I’ve finally got the chance to.  Plus, it’s my first costume where I DON’T have to wear a wig.  I HATE wigs.  They are so itchy,” I complained.

“I wouldn’t know, but I could imagine that they are,” Gaia said with a warm smile.

There were a few moments of awkward silence, when Gaia stood up.  “Well, I will let you get back to your chores.  It looks as if you still have quite a few before you go in an hour.  I am looking forward to seeing your pictures and videos after the convention.”

“Thank you, Gaia.  I promise that when this convention is over, I will try to get back to fiction writing and writing about you guys.”

“I know,” she said with another smile.  “Good-bye for now, Beth.  I will see you again soon.  Be safe.”  With that, Gaia teleported back to Mount Olympus.

Well, there you have it folks!  That was a short & sweet chat with Gaia.  She couldn’t stay long because I really do have chores to do before I go to Katsucon.  Is anyone going to be there?  It’s in Baltimore, MD and one of the best conventions I’ve ever been to.

Here is a picture of the almost complete costume.  It’s missing a couple of things, but you get the picture of what it looks like.  It was made by Robin Sussman J.

And now, folks, I am offering up a personalized mug, a keychain, and an ebook of The World Among Us.  All you have to do is follow the instructions in the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveawaySo cool, Beth!  Thanks so much for this great post and your awesome giveaway!  Have a blast at Katsucon & take lots of pictures!! :-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know I'm late!  For some of you, V-day is long over...  But I still wanted to wish everyone a super Happy Valentine's Day!  Hope your sweetie was good to you and if you don't have a sweetie, at least you had a great day and found lots of reasons to smile :-)!

http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=tree+love#/dt4b68

I've been super busy at home this past week, so things have been slow here, I know.  I'll have a couple blog tours coming up later this week and early next week, so be on the lookout for some fun stuff!

Finding My Escape by Fran Veal

Finding My Escape

By:  Fran Veal

ISBN: 2940011464119

Published August 13, 2011

Available Format: ebook

My Rating:  ★★★★★

Seventeen-year-old Hannah Jordan stumbles upon something no person should ever have to face—the murder of her parents. When Hannah awakes after having tripped and hit her head, she cannot remember exactly what happened that fateful evening, other than walking into her dark home and hearing her mother's pleas for her to run away. She knows the murder was much more than a simple home invasion, and with the help of her best friend, Matt, she sets out to discover exactly why anyone would want to take her mother and father away from her.

As she dreams, Hannah suddenly begins visiting a strange new world, a world her new friend, Josh, explains is very real and very dangerous for Hannah. Josh isn't completely forthcoming about the details, but Hannah begins to suspect there is something very important she is missing about the land of Valeria. 

I was actually really impressed with this book. The writing style is easy and captivating. The plot flowed nicely. I was immediately drawn into Hannah's life and was able to relate to her (despite the awful things that have happened in her life). I LOVED the idea that she visits this other realm in her dreams, and I liked the little element of mystery, brought full circle by the twists at the end of the book.

I think this is a fantastic YA novel, with a little bit of paranormal, a little bit of romance, and a little bit of mystery mixed in. I think the author does a great job mixing all the elements and leading the reader on the search for answers.  The paranormal aspect wasn't so far-fetched as to be completely unbelievable, so it gave the story a much more authentic feel.

There could have been a bit more explanation about what her parents did that made them a target. Is what Hannah dreams about really the motive for the killer? I think some of the loose ends will probably be tied up in the next book of the series, My Way Out—which I am very much looking forward to!

Pretty much all of you know, I'm an Alabama gal, so having this story set in the south, in places that I am very familiar with, was just an extra bonus for me! Where can I get a house like Aunt Laura's? J

Feature: Guest Post by Alyssa Reyans , author of Letters from a Bipolar Mother

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  Today, Alyssa Reyans, the author of Letters from a Bipolar Mother, is taking over Gathering Leaves...  Alyssa has a great guest post for us, so everyone kick back and enjoy!  Stay tuned after the post for details about the book...


My schedule has been so packed, I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but be on the lookout for my review VERY soon!


Welcome Alyssa!!!

I’d like to thank Cassie for allowing me to take over her blog today. I’m new to the whole blogsphere and guest posting so getting to take over another person’s blog makes me feel like I’m way cooler than I really am. At first, I wasn’t sure what to write about so I tried to think of all the advice I’d been given when I first decided to write my memoir. I thought of all the sites I read and debates on whether it’s one space or two after the period, but then I realized there is so much about writing a memoir, or being a writer in general, that you don’t read about on those sites. So I thought I’d share that with you instead. Things like:

1. How you have to figure out which table to sit at during lunch time.

I know you’re thinking I’ve lost my mind, but you remember the feeling. Walking into high school, seeing all the cool kids paired up, looking around hoping someone makes eye contact. Feeling awkward, thinking “will anyone like me?” Well that’s exactly how you’re going to feel the second you click publish on your book.  You’re instantly sucked back in time to a 16 year old with zits going “please god let me someone let me sit with them”.

2. You’ll change your clothes a million times, but you’ll still have nothing to wear.

You remember the big dance? The cute boy finally asked you out, and you run home to try on every single piece of clothing you have only to declare, “I have NOTHING to wear!” When you’re writing you go through that exact same thing, except instead of dresses, you try on every word in the dictionary. You’ll sit thumbing through your thesaurus, trying out different words and phrases. Trying to make sure you pick something that’s up to date and current, but not too over the top. Just the perfect outfit (word). Then after trying on everything you own, you finally find the perfect dress (word). Only to head out to the big dance (publisher) and realize…

3. Someone else’s looks better/costs more/is flashier

So after you pick out the perfect dress (words), you’re ready to go to the dance (publish). But when you get there, you look around at all of the other girls (writers) and realize they are way prettier than you. So you slink back in a corner and watch them twirl around the dance floor (climb the best seller’s list) while you sit on the bleachers with all the other wannabes.

I figure by the time I get finished publishing my series, Chronicles of a Fractured Life, I’ll have regressed back to being a toddler, but I promise if Cassie lets me come back I’ll use a bib and won’t drool on you too much. As a thank you to Cassie for letting me visit, I’ve made my book, “Letters From A Bipolar Mother” free on Amazon.  So if you’d like a free copy, then head on over and download yours. It’ll be free to download from Feb. 8th-9th.

Thanks so much, Alyssa!  You are certainly welcome anytime :-).

Head over to Amazon now and get your FREE copy of Letters from a Bipolar Mother while it lasts!!!

In Letters from a Bipolar Mother, Reyans tells the story she's never been able to tell her children: of how she lost them in a battle with her own mental illness. she shares with them - and the world - what the mind of a woman suffering bipolar depression looks like, how the darkness she battled on a daily basis almost won, and how, years later, she found the courage to claw her way out of the abyss.

Covering a span of five years, Alyssa Reyans shares both her pain and strength in a struggle against an incurable illness that many women today also share.

You can find Alyssa on her website also.  Head over now and learn more about her and her work.

The Spaces Between by Martin Gibbs

The Spaces Between

By: Martin Gibbs

ISBN: 9781465915672

Published June 17, 2011

Available Format:  ebook

My Rating:  ★★★★★

Amazon Synopsis:  Three strangers find themselves together on a strange adventure—though not to find a magic ring or save the world. One is desperate to learn magic from an exiled and dangerous warlock in the far north. Unknown to them, an idiot man-child is close behind them, guided by the spirits of the dead. All fight desperately to survive the wilderness, demonic bats, elite assassins, and their own bumbling in this dark yet offbeat fantasy adventure.

The Spaces Between is truly a 'classic' fantasy—with an interesting array of characters, action, adventure, humor—everything you expect to find in a brilliantly written, fast-paced tale by a truly talented author. I love a story that can have me sitting on the edge of my seat from page one, weaves the lives of so many different characters together seamlessly, and even has me laughing from time to time.

The use of the different 'knots' in the story was very interesting and just added another dimension to the already amazing book.  If you are a fantasy lover, you are sure to find this novel entertaining and charming.

End of the World by SA Archer

Hey there, folks!  It is Monday, isn't it???  So sorry I'm late on this--we'll just say I had some technical difficulties today ;-).  Last week, Mr. Archer stopped by with a fun sneak peak at his Champion of the Sidhe series.  You can go back and check out the blog hop HERE.  Be sure to leave a comment on EACH piece of the prequel to enter to win the ENTIRE series!  Today, I am sharing my review of End of the World, the first installment of the Champion of the Sidhe series.  We'll be hearing from Archer and Ravynheart again in a couple weeks, so be on the lookout for that!

End of the World (Champion of the Sidhe #1)

By:  SA Archer

AISN:  B0060ZNSMG

Published October 28, 2011 by Ravynheart Publishing

Available Format:  ebook

My Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads' Synopsis:  The day Lugh, Champion of the Sidhe, has long fought for finally manifests—all Sidhe unified under one Court. No more Light versus Dark. No more wars. Brothers, one and all. But on the day that should be celebrated as their greatest triumph, treachery brings his world crashing down, literally. Now, if he can’t find a way to stop it, no fey will survive.

Well, hello, Lugh… very nice to meet you! J I am super excited to be starting this new series by Archer. I can't wait to see how all the series intertwine with each other. This first installment of the Champion of the Sidhe series takes us more into the real world of the fey/Sidhe, rather than the urban darkness of the Touched series.  I will admit that, so far, I am actually preferring the Touched series, but it is nice to kind of go back and get a little more information about all the creatures that exist in our world in Cursed.

I love where Archer is taking us, and I love how these series are broken up into shorter installments and they are all related to each other. This was definitely another quick, entertaining read, and I was certainly left wanting to continue the series!