Devon Ashley's Blog, page 19

WOWSERS. There's a crazy number of winners this month, so let's just get to it!



DUST (OF DUST AND DARKNESS #1) Blog Tour Giveaways



GRAND PRIZE: Theresa N.
RUNNER-UP PRIZES: Kitty, Andrea H, Emily W, Krystal L
EBOOKS: Marla, Jennifer R, Angela Z, Kelly F, Stephanie W
SIGNED BOOKMARKS: Heather HA, Doodlebug, bn100, Holly L, Lindy TG, Megan V, Amy K, Camila P, Amber G, Leah LP





SEPTEMBER MADNESS GIVEAWAYThanks to all the authors that participated in this fantastic giveaway!



AIRBORNE by Constance Sharper: Ann-Marie W.
BEAUTIFUL BEAST by Cindy C. Bennett: Lacey LL
DARKNESS FALLS by Jessica Sorrensen: Pam R, Samantha A, Kimberly L
DEFY THE STARS by Stephanie Parent: Kassandra F, Ryver M, Wendy HH
DESTINED by Jessie Harrell: Ashley M
DUST by Devon Ashley: Lori DF
EMBER by Jessica Sorrensen: Lisa Z, Becky P, Lori W
FALLING IN BETWEEN by Devon Ashley: Kristin A, Helen B,
THE GUARDIANS by Lily Raye: Katie H, Donna S
HACIENDA MOON by KaSonndra Leigh: Jennifer B, Sherry F, Sandra R
HEALER'S DESTINY by Julee F. Page: Brooke B
HEART ON A CHAIN by Cindy C. Bennett: Rose P
IMMORTAL MINE by Cindy C. Bennett: Molly F
THE IMMORTALS by KaSonndra Leigh: Helaine L, Pam R, Eric T
IT'S A LOVE THING by Cindy C. Bennett, et al.: Karina V
JERICHO SOLUS by Jeffery Moore: Stefana A
KINDRED by J.A. Redmerski: Nicole H
LAST SUMMER by Rebecca A. Rogers: Shadow K, Dee Dee BG
THE LOST SOUL by Jessica Sorrensen: Lauren K, Darlene, Sarah E
THE MAYFAIR MOON by J.A. Redmerski: Michelle LL
MY HEART BE DAMNED by Chanelle Gray: Aprille
ORDAINED by Devon Ashley: Ann S, Amber N
POISON by Dejana Vuletić: Janiera E, Natalie C, Wendy R, Katy A, Temara
RED AND THE WOLF by Cindy C. Bennett: Michelle A
REDEMPTION by Veronique Launier: Monica G
A ROYAL ELF OF ABALON by Anna del C. Dye: Miss Lucinda F
SCREAMS IN THE NIGHT by Cindy C. Bennett, et al.: Shadow K
TAKEN by Kelli Maine: Liz G
TAKING CHANCES by Molly McAdams: Wanda F, Tiffany P
THUNDERSTRUCK by Kelly Libsack: Holly MB, Ann S, Abby M, Danael M, Mandy J



STUCK IN A GOOD BOOK GIVEAWAY HOPChoice of a September ReleaseTeresa T.: she chose FATHOMLESS by Jackson Pearce     September's Giveaway for The Luxe by Anna Godbersenwinner: Whitney M!
OCTOBER'S PLBG is...an ARC of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
 Click on the pic to enter giveaway!      Click to win a signed paperback, ebooks and a $25 Gift Card to LUSH. Ends October 14th.   

 I've started this giveaway a day early, so you can now click on pic to enter. I'll be giving away three books. One for the fangs, one for the fur and one for the fey!

***posting early cause I have a lot going on the first of the month***

I don't do too many giveaway hops in a year, but when I saw these adorable chicks, I just couldn't resist!
Normally I'd give away a physical book, but this time I'd like to have three winners, so I'm going the EBOOK route. I'll have one winner for each of the three categories. The winner can choose the book shown or any other in the same series, including pre-release ebooks, if they're available for me to purchase on the platform you buy from.       
  Love LUSH? Check out the prize packages for the Metamorphosis tour! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for Metamorphosis, the second book in the Immortal Archives series. If you haven't read Ordained yet, you can check out both the descriptions and book trailer at the official page for The Immortal Archives. And now on to the fun... For the length of this tour, I'll be offering Ordained for $0.99 and Metamorphosis for just $1.99! For buy links, just click that nifty link I just gave you. Or if you want, you can try your luck at winning an ebook of Metamorphosis down below! I've come up with lots of ways for you guys to gain some entry points!
Monday, October 1stStep Into FictionAmber's Supernatural and YADisincentive Reviews
Tuesday, October 2ndMind Reading?Close Encounters with the Night Kind
Wednesday, October 3rdCesya CuonoPrincess of PagesWaiting on Sunday to Drown
Thursday, October 4thBooks Complete MeWhatever You Can Still BetrayAvid Readers
Friday, October 5thRaiding BookshelvesNovelly Nice

 GRAND PRIZE (1)Signed copy of Metamorphosis
$25 Gift Card for LUSH
 RUNNER-UP PRIZE (4)
ebook of Metamorphosis

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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So I'm working on Falling Away, the follow-up to Falling In Between, and I'm trying to decide on Sophie's dress. Which do you think the fabulous Sophie should wear? Dress A or Dress B?

Pushing the Limits
Katie McGarry
Pub: July 31, 2012

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.I've been sitting on this review for a couple of days now, trying to determine my feelings for it. I'm still not quite sure. I liked the story, but the characters seem to come off as overly damaged. Like too many bad things were thrown at them in an effort to draw sympathy from the reader.
This was a pretty intense story at times, with Echo going through therapy to get lost memories of her incident back and Noah fighting hard to keep what family dynamic he had left together.
Echo really pissed me off at times. Before the incident, she was strong-minded and popular, but afterwards, she let her friends push her around too much. She let them bully her into everything, even going so far as to tell her who to date, and anything else that would get her back on the popular train. Cause let's face it...if Echo wasn't popular, some of her best friends were gonna have to dump her, cause Echo dampened their style. Super fantastic friends you've got there Echo. <rolls eyes>. Noah's friends are the stoner loners, but at least they stick with him as he slowly changes into a straight arrow, and eventually accept Echo (whose own friends couldn't seem to do so). Loved the romance that blooms between them cause it feels real and not rushed, and they certainly end up complementing one another.

I don't wanna say too much about the plot cause their problems aren't really listed in the description, and I believe the author would like for you to discover them for yourselves. But I will say that reading this novel will probably overwhelm you, and weigh you down with all the emotions the characters are going through. Which is a good thing. I like when writers are able to convey that. But for me, there just wasn't enough bounce back in the end to make me cheery, so I ended this novel still feeling a little depressed.

 ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley for honest review.

Shadows (Ashes #2)
Ilsa J. Bick
Exp. Pub: September 25, 2012 TODAY!!!

The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive.

Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she’d come to love.
But she was wrong.

Now Alex is in the fight of her life against the adults, who would use her, the survivors, who don’t trust her, and the Changed, who would eat her alive.
Grundgy and Gritty. If a zombie book hasn't gotten you to cringe in disgust and splatter your skin with goosebumps yet, this one will.
If you haven't checked out the Ashes Trilogy yet, I recommend you do. I guess the one thing I'm on the fence about is the change in POV. Ashes was straight up Alex all the way through. Shadows, on the other hand, gave the whole freakin' world a POV. I don't mind multiple POVs...hell, each of my Immortal Archives novels have an average of five per book. It's just weird because these characters were all in Ashes, so it's a little jarring that their POV didn't begin when they were introduced. And truth be told, I still prefer Alex over everyone else, and I want more of her! Although Tom's been a good POV too. The others...I could live without.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Covet (The Clann #2)
Melissa Darnell
Exp. Pub: September 25, 2012 TOMORROW!!!

Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.

Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming...and not everyone will survive.




I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Romeo and Juliet had it easy compared to these two. If you can't find it in your heart to root for Savannah and Tristen, me thinks it's made of stone.
Savannah and Tristen have been in love with each other since they were little kids, even going so far as to magically share dreams just to spend time together. Now that everyone knows about their secret rendezvous, their two opposing societies are on the verge of war. Tristen grew up a member of the Clann, a descendant in a long line of witches, and is expected to be their leader when his father steps down. Savannah was once part of that Clann too, but was cast out because her father added a few traits of his own to the genetic pool - vampire and succubus - making it easy for Savannah to lure men and drain them of either blood or energy. Since the witches and vamps are sworn enemies, the union of these two love-birds is absolutely forbidden.
Though devastated, Savannah's determined to save Tristen's life from her coven by letting go, but Tristen's ready to battle to the death with his Clann for their right to stay together. In the end, not only are they forced apart, but it's doubly cruel making them attend the same school under the constant scrutiny of watchful eyes, baiting them to defy their order of separation. But their battle to stay together only gets worse when Clann members suddenly start dying - their necks pierced and their bodies drained of blood. And since the Clann has always been wary of the peace treaty they have with the vamps, most are itching for a reason to go to war. Lies and deceit seem to hit them on both fronts. Will Savannah and Tristen begin to turn on one another to save their own kind, or will they find the strength to rise above them all and stand alone, knowing full well it'll probably be the death of them?
I've been dying to see how Covet would play out, knowing full well I'd be in for tears and heartache after the devastating blow Crave left Savannah and Tristen with. But it was so worth the wait - and the mind-numbing agony! The second installment of The Clann is more intense, and filled with so much action and suspense you'll be sucked in until the bitter, heart-wrenching end. Grab the tissues!

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley for honest review. 

Auracle
Gina Rosati
Pub: August 7, 2012

16 year old Anna Rogan has a secret she's only shared with her best friend, Rei; she can astrally project out of her body, allowing her spirit to explore the world and the far reaches of the universe.

When there's a fatal accident and her classmate Taylor takes over Anna's body, what was an exhilarating distraction from her repressive home life threatens to become a permanent state. Faced with a future trapped in another dimension, Anna turns to Rei for help. Now the two of them must find a way to get Anna back into her body and stop Taylor from accusing an innocent friend of murder. Together Anna and Rei form a plan but it doesn't take into account the deeper feelings that are beginning to grow between them.
Talk about a bad case of the body snatchers!
Taylor can be quite the slut, and she doesn't understand that no means no. So when she steals Seth's phone and leaves him a message that he can meet her at the falls to retrieve it, he gets pretty ticked off. When he refuses to let Anna or Rei tag along, Anna decides to astral project, just to keep an eye on the situation. But Taylor in her stupid high heels trips and falls off the edge. And though Seth tries to save her, he couldn't get a firm grip on her. The poor guy freaks out and runs for it, cause his DNA is under her fingernails and her shirt was ripped wide open during the struggle. Anna stays behind to check up on Taylor, and when she makes it back to her body, it isn't there! Not only has a snobby, privilaged skank taken over Anna's body, she's incredibly ticked off that Seth rejected her, and claims to be an eye witness that he murdered Taylor.
 Taylor knows Anna is circling, but she's got the upper hand being the one in the body. And since she's determined to make the new husk permanent, she's taken the liberty to pierce it nine times, get a horrible tattoo of Taylor's face on her arm, transition Anna's natural hair and makeup to over-the-top awful, fill her body with tons of liquor, and give her a whole new flashy wardrobe. And if that wasn't bad enough, the skank has no scruples over stealing Anna's first kiss and attempting to throw away her virginity. The only one that knows about Anna's astral projection is her best friend Rei, who by some miracle, is able to see Anna outside her corporeal form; first in dreams, then reality as Anna learns to adapt to her new dimension. Together they try to keep Taylor's behavior in check and prove her accusations false, all while desperately searching for a way to exorcise the skank out of Anna's body. Auracle was actually a really intriguing read. Something different, you know? And I trully hated Taylor with a capitol H-A-T-E. I feel no remorse that this girl died. Sometimes karma just gets it right, cause she is a true terror to others. You really feel for Anna in this novel. And because she's usually invisible, she's a little more privied to private conversations, so she learns a few things about others she didn't know. And when Taylor begins moving in on Rei, a hint of jealosy makes her realize he's become more than just a friend through the years.
Great read peeps. Pick it up.


ARC provided by P A R A F A N T A S Y tours for honest review.

Quick and simple! Whoever wins this gets their choice of a NEW SEPTEMBER RELEASE!  Here are my suggestions:    Check out my other giveaways by clicking the pics!

19 AUTHORS, 30 TITLES, 55 GIVEAWAYS! [image error]   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Howdy peeps. I'm super-uber (oh, yeah...I just went there) excited over how well my blog has taken off since it began a little over a year ago. I love reading, I love writing, and I love discovering new books. And I love reviewing for you guys. But lately my inbox has become swamped with requests and I feel myself bobbing up and down just trying to stay afloat. And the water has been murky my friends. I have a few, let's call them suggestions , about how to ask me to review your book. Better yet, how NOT to ask me to review your book, cause those that misbehave get nada, kiss the concrete, nothing but a quickie with the delete button. Ya get my drift? Cool. First and foremost, ADDRESS YOUR REVIEWER. Hello. <waves> My name is Devon, and just so we're clear, I'm a girl. Please don't address your request to Madam (I'm not sixty), Miss Dreamy (I'm not a stripper), Crazy Dream Lady (I have crazy dreams. I am by no means crazy), and certainly not Sir or Mister (did you not notice the blog is all pink and girly?). A simple Devon or Miss Ashley would be wonderful and will increase the odds of me continuing to read your email by 100%. READ MY REVIEW POLICY. If you can't take the time to read a few paragraphs on my review policy page, why should I be bothered to read your novel, which is far more time consuming. It's got all sorts of nifty information on there...maybe even a steamy pic or two. ;) I realize a lot of bloggers put notes up there when they're not currently taking on submissions and forget to take them down. If I ever do so, I'll give you dates so you'll know when I'm truly closed to submissions.  PROPER GRAMMAR. I know, this is a toughy, especially since you're supposed to be a writer. I by no means expect perfection, but I expect an author to be able to put a few sentences together. Obviously, I don't mind if you use words like wanna or gonna (like I do), or abbreviations like OMFG. In fact, as a courtesy, I prefer that you do veil your expletives (ie. freakin' or effing). While I by no means curse like a sailor, even I throw out a few subtle innuendos here and there, and won't be offended if you do too. And HELLo! thiS is notfun too reed. If you can't even shoot me a paragraph that's readable, then HELL to the NO I'm gonna read what crap you've managed to slap together in ten days. I like my Kindle Fire. I don't want to hurt it. Please don't make me hurt my precious.  KNOW WHAT I LIKE TO READ. There's a reason I list favorite genres, highlight a review page and have my favorites located in the sidebars for your viewing pleasure. If you're not comparable with those books, I'm probably not gonna like it that much, which in turn would probably get you a less than stellar review and rating. Seriously, offer the book to reviewers that like to read YOUR type of book. I promise that what I have listed as favorites are actually favorites. I don't get brownie points for making it up (if I did I'd be super fat by now). KEEP YOUR AWARDS TO YOURSELF. You won a writing competition? Super. Me too. Putting that in there isn't gonna make me wanna read it anymore, so just omit the competion I've never heard of. But be proud of that award; highlight it on your website and slap that puppy on the cover of your book. Whether or not I read your novel all comes down to whether or not your synopsis wets my whistle (although a pretty cover may disillusion me in your favor as well)(and chocolate).  Your book is your baby. You've eudured endless hand cramps, mind farts and painful ergonomic issues to get that book where it is today. Don't just throw it at anyone that'll take two seconds to look at it. Pick and choose wisely people.  LENGTH. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE(don't beg) and don't send me a proposal that never ends! OMG! If you can drag out your pitch that long, I can only imagine the agony of trying to read your book. Further more, while I appreciate short and to the point, I'm never gonna follow up on this kind of proposal:        1. (book name and link deleted)     2. PDF or probably a paperback copy     3. No hurry.     4. Yeah  Yeah. That's an actual cut and paste of a proposal I received once. Eye catching, isn't it? Can't say I'm surprised that only one person has put that book in their to-read queue. I imagine everyone that got that proposal flushed it down the toilet as fast as my two year old can spot and snatch an electronic device.  And finally, A LITTLE PERSONALIZATION GOES A LONG WAY. If you're gonna solicit me here at the Crazy Dream blog and my sister blog Dark Horse Indie (and trust me, a lot of people do), I don't wanna see that email twice. Yeah, I'm the one that picks up on both ends, and when I see the same email filter through that's an exact carbon copy, I get a little turned off cause I'm thinking you're desperate to get it into the hands of anyone that'll answer.  Yeah, some of that may have come off as a bit bitchy, but hell, where's proper etiquette gone these days? I can honestly say that I feel for the literary agents out there. I receive only a smidgen of the requests they do and I'm honestly appalled at how I've been approached at times. Sometimes I'm left thinking...Seriously?  If you're thinking of submitting, I hope I didn't scare you off. (at least not too bad). In the future, just follow these simple guidelines: 1. Address me as the super awesome woman that I am2. Tell me your name, genre, book title and throw in that description that took you longer to write than your entire novel. 3. Tempt me with pie. (kidding...)4. Link your book to GoodReads. If it's not on there, get it on there already.5. Tempt me with delectable truffles from See's Candies (kidding...maybe...probably not)6. Give me a time frame if one is needed, or tell me if you want me to take part in a blog tour7. Got a blog or website? Link it so I can be snoopy and check you out behind your back. :D8. And relax. I can't bite you through the computer.  And if your proposal is gonna make me laugh, make me laugh with you, not at you. Peace out!