1 Day Left - Enter the Withering Tights Giveaway!

There's only one day and one hour left to enter the first ever Chimneys and Magic giveaway! 

If you have an Aussie address, you can enter to win a copy of Withering Tights by Louise Rennison!

From the creator of the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series, the fabbity fab teen tales continue on, with Georgia's cousin Tallulah Casey. I finished reading my other copy of Withering Tights a few days ago, and I can tell you that the hilariosity of Louise Rennison's characters lives on!

It was such a fun read, I hope whoever wins enjoys it as much as I did! 

:)

CLICK HERE for the original giveaway post for all the details! 


Or if you like, simply CLICK HERE to enter!


May the odds ever be in your favour.

Day 13 of the 30 Day Book Meme: MY FAVOURITE WRITER

Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series 

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy 

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad 

Day 07 – Most underrated book An unexpected good read
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favourite classic book 

Day 11 – A book you hated

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore

Day 13 – Your favourite writer

I honestly cannot choose just one!

You guys will have to just deal with a list. Hope that's OK. :)

This is in no particular order: 

Sophie Kinsella

Jaclyn Moriarty

Liane Moriarty

Suzanne Collins

Markus Zusak

C.S. Lewis

Colin Thompson

JK Rowling

Melissa Marr

Morris Gleitzman

Ally Carter

In my eyes, what makes my favourite author are these few things. They need to have written a novel that has all of these in spades.  

• A unique storyline that grabs me from the beginning to the end! 
• Awesome characters (e.g. Becky Bloomwood, Harry Potter, Cameron Morgan, Katniss Everdeen)
• Brilliant writing that makes me feel. If you make me cry, even more kudos! But that's not the hugest achievement because I easily shed tears when it comes to books, films and other pop culture. Anyway, this normally only happens when the first two points occur in tandem with this one.

That's about all I think. Front covers hold no significance, because in the long run, we readers don't spend hours upon hours staring at a pretty (or otherwise) cover, we spend that time reading what's inside! 

I do like to admire covers though but honestly, I normally only look at a cover for a few seconds and most of them don't really cross my mind. 

Day 14 – Favuorite book of your favourite writer
Day 15 – Favourite male character
Day 16 – Favourite female character
Day 17 – Favourite quote(s) from your favourite book(s)
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favourite romance book
Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favourite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favourite title(s)
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time

Visual Inspiration (6)

Just a quick reminder that there's only a few more days 'til the Withering Tights Giveaway closes! Spread the word and you'll be my hero. 

<-- Click the stripy pink and white bookcover for more details.

<3

IRELAND! Totally want to visit that lovely place.

(Image Sources: stylescrapbook.com, misspandora.fr, garypeppervintage.blogspot.com, weheartit.com, tumblr.com)

Day 12 of the 30 Day Book Meme: A Book I Used To Love But Don't Anymore

Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series 

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy 

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad 

Day 07 – Most underrated book An unexpected good read
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favourite classic book 

Day 11 – A book you hated

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore

You may have noticed (with your highly sharp observational skills) that I skipped Day 11! 

GASP.

The reason is that I couldn't think of a book that I hated!

There are two possible sub-reasons for this: 

1. I haven't read enough books in my life time and only pick up good ones

2. I forget what books I disliked (I have read a lot of books as a child yet I only started to keep a reading log in Year 9/10)

3. I give up before I get very far into the book

That was three sub-reasons. Woops. I thought of an extra one as I typed out the first one. Anyway, I had to skip that day, and I'm sorry I couldn't do it, I feel like I failed a question in a test. 

So onto today's topic!

A book I used to love but don't anymore.

Review: Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult

Title: Perfect Match
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3 stars
Format: Paperback, 368 pages
Release Date: February 4, 2002
Publisher: Washington Square Press
ISBN: 987-1-74175-803-0
Source: Bought (from the post office)
Other Details: Currently on my Swap-List!!






Synopsis: 
In the course of her everyday work, career-driven assistant district attorney Nina Frost prosecutes child molesters and works determinedly to ensure that a legal system with too many loopholes keeps these criminals behind bars. 
But when her own five-year-old son, Nathaniel, is traumatized by a sexual assault, Nina and her husband, Caleb, a quiet and methodical stone mason, are shattered, ripped apart by an enraging sense of helplessness in the face of a futile justice system that Nina knows all too well. 
In a heartbeat, Nina's absolute truths and convictions are turned upside down, and she hurtles toward a plan to exact her own justice for her son -- no matter the consequence, whatever the sacrifice. 

My Thoughts..

Perfect Match was my first Jodi Picoult read and I thought it had excellent writing, character construction and plot development. 

However, the storyline/theme/genre was not exactly my favourite - the novel had lots of elements that I don't normally read e.g. murder and revenge, child sexual abuse/molestation, infidelity, and really intense struggles with inter-familial relationships (mother and child, father and son, husband and wife).

Nina's career with the DA along with Nathaniel's rape case provided the massive legal/court system aspect in the book. It was really interesting to see how a person, if they have the know-how, can commit first degree murder and walk away free. 

Note: Perfect Match is not a light read! It contains some very intense, heavy stuff.

I think it's a very good book, but just not exactly my cup of tea. If you like to read about some of the issues I mentioned above and you're a big fan of Jodi Picoult, then you'll probably love this to bits! 

Day 10 of the 30 Day Book Meme: FAVOURITE CLASSIC

Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series 

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy 

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad 

Day 07 – Most underrated book An unexpected good read
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favourite classic book 

I've already told you guys that Frankenstein is my favourite classic, so I'll just go ahead and list a different one for today's theme. :)


I read this a long time ago - probably in year 9 for English. We were asked to read several books from a list of classics and this book was my favourite of the classics I read back then. I also read The Silver Sword (which was really good) and I tried reading Catch-22 but gave up because I couldn't understand what was going on. :P

The Time Will Come #4

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The Time Will Come is a meme that started at Books For Company.

I've had the entire Hunger Games trilogy in my possession for a long, long time. I bought The Hunger Games first - it took me several months before I bothered to read it (I wish I had sooner!), and I think shortly after that my sister bought Catching Fire and Mockingjay. So I probably could have read all three books back to back. It's not that the books weren't good enough that I didn't want to read the next one after the next one! It was the opposite. They were too good. I didn't know it at the time, but I think I would have felt like it was all over too soon, if I had read all three at once. I maybe would have enjoyed the trilogy better that way, but I would be SO SAD after I finished Mockingjay because it was over too quickly. Anyway, I can always re-read them back to back the second time. :)

I'll probably wait 'til the mid-semester study break or even 'til after end of sem exams to read Mockingjay so that I'll have time to read it at whatever pace I want - devour it up or savour every bite. 

OK, so I just went to fetch the picture to stick into this post from Goodreads and got sucked in and read Kristi (The Story Siren)'s spoiler-free review! Now I am really excited, but still sort of anxious because it's the last book. :(

If you've read Mockingjay, did you like how the series ended?

Day 9 of the 30 Day Book Meme: A BOOK I ENDED UP LOVING

Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series 

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy 

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad 

Day 07 – Most underrated book An unexpected good read
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

I was always dubious about the Harry Potter series because as a kid, I was never really introduced by it - not by my friends, teachers and definitely not my family. My primary school friends or other kids in my class didn't seem to be raving about it all that much (or so I recall). 

Visual Inspiration (5)

(All images are sourced from tumblr.com, stylescrapbook.com, fashionsquad.com, theblondesalad.com)

Day 8 of the 30 Day Book Meme: MOST OVERRATED BOOK

Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series 

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy 

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad 

Day 07 – Most underrated book An unexpected good read
Day 08 – Most overrated book

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer 

Yes, I did love it in the beginning; and of course I was pining for an Edward of my own (or maybe just a vamp BF in general), but there's no escaping the fact that this novel could have been written better. 

Review: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes

Author: Maureen Johnson

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 5 stars

Format: Kindle edition,  235 pages

Release Date: April 12, 2011 (first published September 1, 2005)

Publisher: Harper Collins

ISBN: 006210280X 

Synopsis:

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

My Thoughts..

I loved pretty much everything about this novel. It was a really fun read - just when I thought it would end, it got a lot more interesting!! (I was reading this on Kindle and I couldn't figure out what page I'd be on or how many pages were left so that's why I wasn't sure where the ending was).

Fairest of them all #3 & The Time Will Come #3

This Thursday I thought I'd mesh these two memes together again. I thought of a really good book I've yet to read, and a new version (including cover!!) came out recently so I wanna know your thoughts!

So I guess you have probably heard of this one....

Day 7 of the 30 Day Book Meme: AN UNEXPECTED GOOD READ

Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

Day 03 – Your favourite series

Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy 

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad

Day 07 – Most underrated book An unexpected good read

I decided to change Day 7's theme a bit - mainly due to the fact that I couldn't think of a book that is underrated. So today I'm talking about a book that was unexpectedly good! 

Frankenstein (The Modern Prometheus)

by Mary Shelley

I had to read this in highschool for my English Literature class, and unlike most of the other texts we had to read over the years for that class, Frankenstein was probably the easiest and most interesting to read of all them. (Other texts we had to read for Eng Lit included ones by Jane Austen, Sophocles, Shakespeare and Thomas Hardy.)

Visual Inspiration (4)

Merry Friday, everybody! 

Stay inspired ;)

(All images sourced from tumblr.com or weheartit.com)

Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Title: Forgotten

Author: Cat Patrick

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4.5 stars

Format: Paperback,  280 pages

Release Date: June 1, 2011

Publisher: Hardie Grant Books

ISBN: 1921690623 

Source: Bought (Target)

Synopsis:

I remember forwards. I remember forwards, and forget backwards. My memories, bad, boring, or good, haven't happened yet. So I will remember standing in the fresh-cut grass with the black-clad figures surrounded by stone until I do it for real. I will remember the funeral until it happens - until someone dies. And after that, it will be forgotten. Here's the thing about me: I can see my future, but my past is blank. I see the future in flashes, like memories. I remember what I'll wear tomorrow, and a car crash that won't happen till this afternoon. But yesterday has evaporated from my mind - just like the boy I love. I can't see him in my future. I can't remember him from my past. But today, I love him. And I never want to forget how much.

My Thoughts...

I thought Forgotten was a really easily flowing read. The storyline drew me in and I couldn't stop reading from the very beginning 'til the end. It helps that the cover is gorgeous and dreamy, with such a romantic cover line. 

"My heart keeps time even when my head doesn't"

Sounds a bit cheesy though, on second thought...

It's not called a cover line though, is it? I don't know what those lines are called - the ones on the cover that lure you in. Anyone? 

Fairest of them all #2 & The Time Will Come #2

Happy Thursday, blessed blogosphere buddies. 

It's Thursday, as I mentioned, and that means it's time for The Time Will Come (started at Books For Company). 

I thought of a great book to share this week, but it also fits in with my cover vs cover meme, Fairest of Them All. So I decided to join them together. :)

Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Title: Wicked Lovely

Author: Melissa Marr

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars

Format: Paperback, 328 pages

Release Date: June 12, 2007

Publisher: Harper Collins

ISBN: 978-0-00-726307-3

Source: Bought 

Synopsis:

All teenagers have problems, but few of them can match those of Aislinn, who has the power to see faeries. Quite understandably, she wishes that she could share her friends' obliviousness and tries hard to avoid these invisible intruders. 

But one faery in particular refuses to leave her alone. Keenan the Summer King is convinced beyond all reasoning that Aislinn is the queen he has been seeking for nine centuries. What's a 21st-century girl to do when she's stalked by a suitor nobody else can see?

My Thoughts..

This intricate, captivating world of faeries is so well designed, and the novel so well-written, I have nothing but praise for Melissa Marr. Because of the Wicked Lovely series, she's become one of my favourite authors, creating stories so enthralling with a timeless style.