Devon Ashley's Blog, page 35

And the Winner of the Airborne Giveaway is...

Breanne!!

Thanks to all that entered. If you didn't win, don't let that discourage you from reading Airborne by Constance Sharper. This harpy series is unique and not to be missed!

Who Would I Cast for The Immortal Archives?

Okay, so I get asked this question ALOT!! I'm so focused on writing that I hardly think about the possiblity of it gracing the silver screen one day. But just for grins and giggles, I'm gonna indulge the readers and show exactly who would be my #1-gotta-have-or-the-author-won't-sell-the-rights-hissy-fit (okay, not really) to fill these roles.
             Abby        Noel          Emily       Valerie       Gaius
Abby : Rachel McAdams : I don't think I've seen a film yet that I didn't like her in. She's a well-rounded actress and could pull off the bipolar eccentricities of Abby's emotional state with ease. Not to mention, who here wouldn't like to see Rachel McAdams in a physical battle with herself at the end of Ordained?
Noel : Skeet Ulrich : He's a dead-ringer for Noel with mad acting chops. Noel has the biggest secret to reveal amongst the immortals and he always knows more than he lets on verbally. He would need to be represented by someone that could convey that knowledge through eye and facial expressions - and Skeet Ulrich rocks that skill. If you've been living under a rock (or really young) and don't know who he is - go watch Scream right now. Go!!!
Emily : Emma Stone : Emily's a sassy rebel who's gonna be a pistol throughout the series, so who's better than Emma Stone? Seriously, who? (give me names people! - I challenge you but I doubt you'll succeed). Emily will play a huge role in how this series will end but she's gonna have to suffer from one emotional stab after another to get there - and I'd love to see how much depth someone like Emma Stone could bring to this character.
Valerie : Evan Rachel Wood : She's given some incredible performances in the past and she could do wonders for Valerie. I particularly enjoyed her in The Life Before Her Eyes and Thirteen.
Gaius : Derek Hough : Don't worry. If you've read the novel, Gaius isn't there. He debuts in Metamorphosis but I thought I'd go ahead and add some more eye candy for the ladies. I'm not sure if he's done anything outside Dancing With The Stars but he's a physical match for Gaius, who is the leader of Abby and Noel's organization - and a future love interest for Emily.
Alright, I've had my fun. Now I've gotta get back to work on Metamorphosis. :)

Blogaversary Giveaway!!!

A HUGE Giveaway is going on over at Reading, Writing and Waiting for their 2 year Blogaversary!!! You have until the May 31st to enter. Enter to win all the books (US) and an eBook of Lure (INT'L):




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eBook Sale!!!

For the next 48 hours, ORDAINED eBooks at Amazon and Barnes and Noble are only 99 cents!!

Silver Moon Winner!

Congrats to Jessica Sutton!

You're the winner of the SIGNED copy of Silver Moon and a piece of swag.

Still want to win a copy of Silver Moon? There's still 5 days left to enter the giveaway at Rebecca Rogers blog. Enter here!

More giveaways listed at the top of this blog!

Airborne by Constance Sharper - Character Post and Giveaway

                                 
Synopsis: Avery knew she had a knack for attracting trouble, but even she is shocked when a six-foot-something harpie shows up on her doorstep. Coping with the existence of a mythological race? Okay. Unwittingly finding herself in the middle of a vicious harpie conflict? A little less okay. Having to rely on an arrogant harpie boy who gets under her skin? Now that is something Avery isn't sure she can handle.
Character Post
Meet Avery Zane of the Airborne Saga.

My brother Chase always told me that living sixty miles north of Nowhere, Alaska, would take a toll on my sanity. I always figured that was just him gloating because he lived in sunny California. After all, he recently reminded me of that fact when I visited him during my summer break. At the time, I didn't think my boarding school, Mayweather Academy, was actually that bad.

Well, except for the fact that the campus pretty boy (my kinda ex) won't quit harassing me and that my best friend actually wants to date him. But I didn't think Mayweather alone would drive me insane. It turns out Chase was right and I was wrong again.

Why the sudden doubt in my sanity? Well, not even one day in to fall semester and I had a stranger show up on my door step. That's not the weird part. This stranger is apparently a harpie. Not like the tiny bird harpie but like a big man harpie. He is crazy tall and looks pretty human except for the huge wings. He was cute but his bipolar temperament was mind boggling. I barely got out the door before he started in on me.

So get this: Mason, the mythological harpie creature, cornered me at Mayweather. He said that the last time I was visiting Chase in California, I accidently picked up something that belonged to him. Mason said I picked up a harpie amulet.

You think that I would know if I picked up one of those, right? I didn't. I went to the beach for the Fourth of July. I started looking for souvenir shells or stones. Out of one hundred rocks on the beach, I picked up one that looked shiny and BAM—harpie amulet.

I haven't even hit the strangest part. Yes, it gets stranger than crazy birds and magical amulets. Mason came to the conclusion that I didn't just pick up the amulet. I picked it up and broke it. Then when it broke, the magic inside of the amulet suddenly ended up inside of me. So now, he claims, I have magic in my body.

Mason claims that I need his help to get the magic out.

He claims that other harpies will be coming to kill me if we don't get the magic out.

He claims that my time is running out.

How would you take news like that? I just doubt my own sanity. And even though I don't want to believe it, some part of me wonders, what if he is right?
Add Airborne to your GoodReads shelf.

My Take on Airborne
This is the first book I've ever read with harpies and I was pleasantly surprised where Constance Sharper took the story. The characters were engaging, the romantic attraction between characters wasn't love at first sight but built slowly through the story and the harpy civilization was believable.

Avery was just your average girl hanging out on the beach when the simple act of picking up a stone threw her into the world of the harpies. When she broke the stone, the magic within seeped into the nearest organic life it could find - Avery - and unfortunately, the magic within her shines bright and attracts all sorts of harpies who want the magic for themselves.

Mason is the first to arrive and discover the magic has left its' protective stone. He's willing to help her get it out but isn't optimistic it can be done without her death. Of course, Avery's instinct is to run from the winged man but when a separate group of harpies crash in and are willing to cut it out of her immediately, she has no option but to trust him.

Constantly on the run and in and out of the enemy's grasp, desperate acts to save her life cause Avery to use the power inside her. But it comes with a price. With each use, the magic grows stronger and spreads further across her body. The magic was not meant to bind to a human - one use too many will end her life.

About a third into the book, the story just took off and didn't stop till the end. The story felt resolved but left a cliffhanger that'll make your mouth water until Grounded is released.

Giveaway

The winner of this giveaway will be gifted an eBook through Amazon US. You must have a valid email address to receive the gift. *Airborne is available on Amazon UK and DE, so international entries with access to those accounts are welcome. (You don't need a Kindle - Read it with a Free App. on your computer or other device)

*Please note (via Amazon): If the giver and the recipient do not live in the same country, the book may not available to the recipient due to copyright restrictions. In these cases the recipient will be given the option to request an exchange for gift credit on their Amazon.com account during the redemption process, or they may contact Customer Service for assistance in exchanging the book.

Giveaway ends May 25, 2011.
1. Follow this blog (general entry)
2. Follow CS's blog (+2)
3. Become a CS fan on GoodReads (+1)
4. Tweet it, Blog it or Share it on Facebook (+1)
5. You MUST fill out the FORM so I know who you are.

Good luck to all that enter. As always, the winner will be chosen by random.org.

Cinder and Ella Review by Melissa Lemon (ARC)

Cinder and Ella by Melissa LemonExpected Publication November 8, 2011

Synopsis
After their father's disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn't long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget.

As refreshing as it is beautiful - our beloved fairytale gets a supernatural twist.
Forget what you know about Cinderella. There's no glass slipper, no fairy godmother and the Prince isn't coming to sweep you off your feet and carry you off into the sunset - in fact, he may just drop you off a cliff. And there is no Cinderella - well, not really.
Cinder and Ella are the middle sisters in what was once a happy family of six. When the Prince came to visit late one night, he bewitched their father with an invisible spell and ruined their family dynamic forever. They watched in horror as their father deteriorated with time, eventually disappearing on them altogether. Cinder and Ella's siblings no longer understood respectable behavior and their mother went mad. In fact, their mother was so out of it the two daughters became one - Cinderella. Cinder became Cinderella and poor Ella became nonexistent to her mother.
When Cinder leaves to work at the castle, Ella can no longer stand the homestead without her and leaves to find herself a new life. When it comes to the attention of the Prince that Ella has gone missing, he sends out the knights to find and collect her, for the Prince has always feared Ella would be the one to hunt him down and kill him one day. In doing so, the Prince sets Ella into motion. Ripping her from her newfound happiness and flaunting the condition of her damaged family pushes Ella over the edge and sends her on a quest to the rid the kingdom of the evil the Prince has spread.

Cinder and Ella had a little bit of everything - romance, adventure and danger. Melissa Lemon has twisted the popular fairytale and weaved us an enjoyable new world that was both fresh and enchanting. We can only hope she'll put her creative spin on a few more popular fairytales.
Favorite Quote :Tanner: "I think that I might kiss you to keep your lips busy from something other than insulting me."Ella: "If you think you can do it without getting lost."
Add it to your GoodReads shelf.

Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Cinder and Ella Review (ARC)

Cinder and Ella by Melissa LemonExpected Publication November 8, 2011
As refreshing as it is beautiful - our beloved fairytale gets a supernatural twist.
Forget what you know about Cinderella. There's no glass slipper, no fairy godmother and the Prince isn't coming to sweep you off your feet and carry you off into the sunset - in fact, he may just drop you off a cliff. And there is no Cinderella - well, not really.
Cinder and Ella are the middle sisters in what was once a happy family of six. When the Prince came to visit late one night, he bewitched their father with an invisible spell and ruined their family dynamic forever. They watched in horror as their father deteriorated with time, eventually disappearing on them altogether. Cinder and Ella's siblings no longer understood respectable behavior and their mother went mad. In fact, their mother was so out of it the two daughters became one - Cinderella. Cinder became Cinderella and poor Ella became nonexistent to her mother.
When Cinder leaves to work at the castle, Ella can no longer stand the homestead without her and leaves to find herself a new life. When it comes to the attention of the Prince that Ella has gone missing, he sends out the knights to find and collect her, for the Prince has always feared Ella would be the one to hunt him down and kill him one day. In doing so, the Prince sets Ella into motion. Ripping her from her newfound happiness and flaunting the condition of her damaged family pushes Ella over the edge and sends her on a quest to the rid the kingdom of the evil the Prince has spread.

Cinder and Ella had a little bit of everything - romance, adventure and danger. Melissa Lemon has twisted the popular fairytale and weaved us an enjoyable new world that was both fresh and enchanting. We can only hope she'll put her creative spin on a few more popular fairytales.
Favorite Quote :Tanner: "I think that I might kiss you to keep your lips busy from something other than insulting me."Ella: "If you think you can do it without getting lost."
Add it to your GoodReads shelf.

Silver Moon by Rebecca A. Rogers - Author Interview and Giveaway

I know, I know - I've FINALLY moved to Blogger. For those of you who weren't with me up to this point, my website was on Webs.com. But their website was inhibiting my creativity and driving me nuts. So I decided to move and give my blog the facelift it deserved. I've imported a few of my favorite dream blogs for the hell of it so you'll see a little back-dating. The contest currently running on my old blog will continue through Saturday May 7th, so go enter if you haven't already!
But now for the real reason you're here today...with the new launch comes an awesome interview/giveaway. What's up for grabs? A SIGNED paperback copy of SILVER MOON by Rebecca A. Rogers and a piece of swag.
For seventeen-year-old Candra Lowell, senior year is supposed to be the time of her life. It's not supposed to include being shipped off to her aunt and uncle's house for 'her own good'. Whatever that means. There's only bad news from this experience—when she learns she'll go from human to werewolf in a few months. Complete with an inherited unique power. At her aunt and uncle's house, Candra is plagued with nightmares of a whispering forest and glowing eyes, and a shadowy figure, who issues a warning—she needs to leave town. Candra tries to dismiss the haunting images, but when the shadowy figure appears outside of her home, Candra realizes she should've obeyed. Candra learns the meaning of the stalker's warnings when she discovers she's the new favorite target of a rival pack. She isn't just a werewolf—she's a werewolf in the middle of a feud that makes the Montagues and Capulets look like best friends. She's also made a mess of things by falling for her sworn enemy. Worse, the rival pack wants the power Candra will receive on her eighteenth birthday. To protect her family and friends, Candra can't run or hide; she must face her foes, even if it means death.
My take on Silver Moon (without giving anything away!): This was a great debut novel by Rebecca A. Rogers. Really loved the MC's voice on this one - sarcastic and sassy and kept my attention. Really enjoyed watching the forbidden romance bloom between Candra and Ben from the enemy pack and I'm anxious to see if these two can get together in the future without following the tragic footsteps of Romeo and Juliet. And in my mind I'm trying to figure out what Candra's secret power will be when she turns eighteen, and what it will have to do with the clocks standing still in her presence! Silver Moon has set the stage for what I'm anticipating will be a really awesome trilogy. Can't wait for Black Moon!!!
Interview with Rebecca A Rogers
1. What is it about the paranormal genre that lured you into writing about it? I think it's the mythology and interesting creatures. Whenever I want to escape, I look for books that are otherworldly, so I thought it'd be fun to actually write one. :)
2.  Which are you? Outline or make it up as you go? A little bit of both. My outline consists of one-line sentences - nothing that even remotely resembles a usual outline.
3.  Which character in Silver Moon would you most like to have dinner with and why? Ben. He's a cutie pie and I wouldn't mind a werewolf taking me out for dinner, as long as I'm not the meal. ;)
4.  Which character is closest to you in personality? Candra. She's a pretty tough chick. Stubborn, too. Too bad I'm not a werewolf, though, right?
5.  What do you think readers will enjoy most about Silver Moon? I'm hoping the action/adventure portion. I had fun writing those scenes. Some may enjoy the Romeo & Juliet aspect of it.
6.  So tell me...will Candra become a bad@ss werewolf in Black Moon? She will definitely be a bad@ss werewolf, but with that new lifestyle also comes challenges - heightened senses, learning how to control the urge to transform, eating small bunny rabbits. You know, the usual stuff werewolfs deal with. xD
7. Atomic Fireball, Lemon Head or Starburst? Definitely Starburst. I eat entire bags of Starburst at a time. ^.^
Giveaway for Silver Moon
Now...on to the giveaway. It is open internationally. You have to be a follower on Google Friend Connect to enter. If you're not on it, it's simple and free. Sign up here. You can also earn a few extra entries if you're interested.
1. Follow this blog +12. Follow RAR's blog +23. Become a RAR fan on GoodReads +14. Tweet it, Blog it or Share on Facebook +15. You MUST fill out the FORM so I know who you are

Good luck to all that enter. As always, the winner will be chosen by random.org.

Spring Blog Hop Giveaway!!!

 

Brought to you by

Reading Angel

Candace's Book Blog

Pure Imagination

The Book Swarm

Howdy!!!

 

The Spring Blog Hop is officially underway and here at the Crazy Dream Blog I'm giving away a signed copy of ORDAINED to two winners.  Here's a quick blurb from a recent review from Ella Bella Reviews: ...ORDAINED offers everything a good paranormal story should have. When reading this book you can detect slight hints of HARRY POTTER and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, but this is not a rerun. ORDAINED breaks new ground in its genre while respecting and embracing what has always made that genre great...ORDAINED is mostly an action/adventure story - with vampires and demons - but it still manages to invoke some pretty intense emotions. Don't be surprised if this one makes you cry...

 

ORDAINED, Book One of The Immortal Archives

 

Normally, the school creates the hunters - not the monsters.

 

Abby Sorrensten likes to play rough. Ripping the horns off the foreheads of demons, manipulating lightning and setting things on fire with the flick of your wrist can give you a serious rush. So she probably wasn't the best choice for the Order's experimental training program. Thirteen years of isolation, lack of affection and a bruised and broken body from horrendous training sessions creates more than just an exceptional fighter, it creates an evil within - an evil responsible for several deaths the night of her escape.

 

Abby disappears only to return two hundred years later part vampire. A mythical demon has set his sights on the school and Abby is the only one strong enough to face him. As much as Abby would love to leave the Order hanging, she's not willing to risk the life of Emily, a fellow friend and hunter who is also fed up with the organization.

 

But for Abby, locking herself away in a fortress with angry descendents of those she killed causes suspicions and tensions to run high. Abby must learn the demon's weaknesses for battle before the Order learns hers.

 

Want to win a signed copy? All you have to do is make a comment under this blog post telling me two things: 1) your name and email address, and 2) if you could have your choice of any supernatural power out there, what would it be and why?

 

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: If you'd like more than one entry, you may do any of the following, but you must make each a separate comment if you want your entry to count. This contest allows up to 14 possible entries!!!

1) Become a member of this website (tell me your member name)(your info will not be shared or sold)

2) Become a fan on GoodReads (tell me your GoodReads name)

3) Tweet about it (leave me the link)

4) Follow me on facebook (tell me your facebook name)

5) Follow my blog for The Stray Duck. This is a design blog that I will occasionally add to (tell me your member name)

 

6) Post a comment for any of the following Dream blogs - one entry per blog, up to 8 entries (do not comment here to tell me you did this as I will count your entry under the Dream blog itself): Alone and Dead on Valentine's Day...Figures; One, Two, Creepy Comin' For You;  Water Polo and Zombies...Hmm; Pod People; Video Game; Holograms; Choose Your Own Adventure; Foreshadowing

 

Entries are open from May 1st to May 8th only!!!  Come one, come all, this is an international giveaway. If you've got an address, I'll find a way to get it to ya! The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced May 9th. Thanks for taking a peek at the Crazy Dream Blog.

Devon

 

Your next stop in the Blog Hop is A Blog About Nothing. For the complete listing, visit any of the four blogs listed at the top of this post.