Afterglow Trilogy Blog Tour: Beckoning Light and Perilous Light with Author Interview

Welcome to The Afterglow Trilogy Blog Tour for Beckoning Light and Perilous Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Thank you to AToMR Blog Tours for allowing me to participate!

To see the full tour schedule and visit all the other wonderful blog on the tour, click the banner above for the full schedule. 

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Title: Beckoning Light

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Series: Afterglow Trilogy #1

Publication Date: July 25, 2011

As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has a strong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again.
Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she's going to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, but she's completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.
Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where she meets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte is pulled deeper into this hidden world, it's up to her older brother Kevin to rescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlotte fighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilities that she has only just discovered she possesses.

Title: Perilous Light

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Series: Afterglow Trilogy #2 

Publication Date: March 29, 2012

Would you sacrifice everything for a world you barely knew? 

A year has passed since Charlotte and Kevin first stepped 

through the gate into Energo and neither has been able to settle back into their normal lives. Charlotte tries to distract herself from thoughts of Calvin with the antics of James and her growing friendship with Liam. Kevin can’t seem to shake his feelings for Samantha as he adjusts to his new identity as a college basketball player. 

When they unexpectedly return to Energo, both Charlotte and Kevin must face their fears and become the leaders they were always meant to be.

REVIEWS

My Review of Beckoning Light 

MY REVIEW OF PERILOUS LIGHT

*WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR BECKONING LIGHT*

Perilous Light is the second book in the Afterglow series, and it is even more addicting than the first one. The biggest mistake I made was picking this book up when I had plans within a couple hours. It was hard trying to put it down to get ready. Just like in the first book, Beckoning Light, the viewpoints alternate among Charlotte, Kevin, and sometimes Calvin. With the different events and travels during this book, the multiple viewpoints allow readers to follow them all.  Each chapter is titled with the speaker so it is not confusing to the reader.

In Perilous Light, the story finds us one year later after the events of the first book. Charlotte is trying function in her life, without Calvin, just waiting for the day to go back to Energo. When the Resistance requires their help, Charlotte, Kevin and the others have no choice, but to go back. Once in Energo, Kevin and Charlotte separate to complete individual tasks with the aid of their friends. Both must succeed or they stand no chance to defeat Blake, who has taken control of Energo.

Through the viewpoints of Charlotte, Kevin, and Calvin, the reader gets to see both the journeys of Charlotte and Kevin, and the evil plans of Blake. I like this because it creates a well-rounded story, but it is not confusing. Once I read the first few pages, I was hooked right back into the world that Alyssa Rose Ivy has created. I loved Beckoning Light, but I loved Perilous Light even more. Do not start this book if you have other things to do that day, because this book will consume your attention.

The action is defiantly more prevalent in this book, but that is a very good thing. I still love the sibling relationship between Kevin and Charlotte, even if I did not get to see a lot of it in this book. This is because Kevin and Charlotte spend a lot of the book away from each other. This series is worth your time, and if Perilous Light is any example, the third book in the Afterglow Trilogy is going to blow my mind.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book as part of the book tour, in exchange for an honest review**

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR: ALYSSA ROSE IVY

Q: Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

A: I get my character ideas from a variety of different places.  I first got the idea for Charlotte and Calvin from a dream, and they developed more firmly as I began writing their story. A lot of my characters are loosely based on people I know. There is a lot of my own older brother and my brother-in-law in Kevin.

 

Q: Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

A: It’s all about finding the right music for me. Once I have the music down, I usually reach for a cup of coffee before beginning. Other than that, I can really write anytime.

Q: How do you decide what you want to write about?
A: I know it sounds funny, but I write whatever story in my head is screaming louder to be heard. I constantly have new ideas floating around, and it’s always fun to decide what to work on next.

Q: What are you reading right now?

A: I just finished The Haunted (MacKinnon Curse, #2) by J.A. Templeton.  I’m loving this YA paranormal series.

 

Q: What books/authors have most influenced your life?

A: I grew up loving both J.R.R. Tolkien and Jane Austen. I always searched for books that combined the genres of fantasy and romance in fun new ways.

Q: What do you think makes a good story?

A: For me, a good story is all about the characters. I can forgive a few weak plot points or a less than stellar setting, but if I can’t connect with the characters I tune out.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

A: I love to spend time with my husband and kids (I have a 3 year old and seven month old) and I love reading, snorkeling, and otherwise enjoying the outdoors.

Make sure to visit the other stops on the tour for all sorts of fun stuff about the Afterglow Trilogy. 

 Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!