Watch out guys! We've got two up and coming stars here...

CassieQ's series "Not the Sun" is well received by her fans, of course she's always looking for new fans.

"Ground Rules" is in progress and is getting pretty lengthy as well as pretty interesting. One warning though -- there is a little violence so consider yourself warned.

The reviewers, as well as myself, would highly recommend that you read each of these.

by Renee

I had read most of Cassie’s short stories and decided that I would read her Trilogy that starts with “Not the Sun”. I had only planned on reading a few chapters before going to bed, but once I got started on this story, I just couldn’t stop. I ended up staying up all night and working my way through each of the three stories.

“Not The Sun” is the first story in the series and it introduces the majority of the characters you will find throughout the series. The story follows Brandon and Jordan, two very different boys that are tied together in ways that the reader quickly becomes engrossed in. There are many different aspects in the story that are unique and Cassie does an excellent job at explaining them so that the reader can understand what is happening, but even with the explanations, the flow of the story is not disrupted in the least.

I became thoroughly entrenched in this story as it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next, and the story is anything but predictable. One thing I quickly learned with this story is that in “Not The Sun”, things are not always as they appear.

Cassie shows her skill in pulling the reader into her story and really making me care about her characters. I wanted to know what was going to happen to them and there were many spots in this story that were full of suspense. Luckily, this story is complete, so those moments that would have made me want to scream in agony at a chapter ending never happened, since I was able to quickly move onto the next chapter.

There were very few grammar and spelling mistakes in “Not The Sun” and even the few that I did notice did not detract from the story in any way and were easily glosses over with the skill with which Cassie weaves this story.

I strongly recommend this story to anyone, my only bit of advice is to ensure that you have a large slot of uninterrupted time. Once you get started, you probably won’t want to stop!

Review by Intune

To take a chapter title from the series, “Oh.My.Gosh.” Ground Rules is without a doubt one of my favorite new stories. The in-progress piece follows a set of boys as they face the reality of what it means to come out in a not-so-accepting high school setting.

While the story takes a couple chapters to really find it’s groove, I assure you once there it is absolutely addictive. It is written from two first-person accounts, which really serve to draw the reader in. First there is Oliver, a sensitive artistic teenager, who has a giant crush on Atticus, a boy who he’s never even spoken to. Between a tenuous relationship with Oliver and his friends, and a struggle for him to get to know Atticus, you’ll find yourself rooting for Oliver as he deals in awkward and trying situations. Many of which are caused amusingly by himself because of a tendency to verbalize his thoughts.

The other main character is none other than Atticus, who has quite a story of his own. His fears of being outed create a tense internal battle on how he can live up to his family’s expectations while still maintaining his relationship with his two male lovers and friends, Kody and Easton. He has to deal with the scrutiny of family and classmates, a problem that only gets more complex after Oliver is thrown into the mix.

Through bullies, horrible family revelations, and friendship surprises, you will find yourself reading desperately to see how this tale unravels. It is brilliantly written so just as you feel you’ve got a handle on the situation, the circumstance shift, making the story all the more compelling. There is always a question of who knows what- and how the characters will deal with the uncomfortable circumstances they get thrown into.

Although the subject matter could be depressing, InTheMindOfSunshine manages to inject light and humor into this complex story. The writing manages to engage me emotionally in a way much of what I’ve read has not; when reading Ground rules it is not uncommon for me to get angry on behalf of a character, sad for their difficulties, or to burst out laughing from their funny internal observations.

The story is an easy read, the chapters literally fly by to the point I often wish they were about ten times longer. Fortunately, though, there are seventeen chapters already posted to go through and the updating is frequent. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’d do! Definitely give this story a read; it will be worth your time.

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And happy writing!