GIVEAWAY: Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler (AU+INTL) - *closed*

Danielle has kindly allowed me to hold a giveaway for her debut YA novel Friendship on Fire! Yay!
For more info on the book, check it out on Danielle Weiler's website or on Goodreads. 

Giveaway is open worldwide! 
Two winners: Australian + international. 
HOW TO WIN: 
Just leave a comment below! (Remember to include your name, email and country)
For extra entries (totally optional!!): 
Be a follower of Chimneys and Magic!
Tweet/blog about the giveaway (please provide direct links). 
The winners will be chosen randomly on Monday 30th January 2012. 
Winners will be notified by email/twitter.

Check out my review of Friendship on Fire and my interview with the author. 

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR!

Danielle Weiler interview! (author of Friendship on Fire)

Today I have the pleasure of sharing with you my interview with Aussie author (from Perth!), Danielle Weiler. Her debut YA novel Friendship on Fire came out in March last year, and I was given the wonderful opportunity to ask her some questions! 

I hope you like. 

Click here to read my review of Friendship on Fire.

Remember to come back next week for a giveaway (Aussie AND worldwide) of Friendship on Fire, courtesy of Danielle!

How did the idea for Friendship on Fire come about? 

I was very bored when I lived in Melbourne. We didn’t have a lot of money so I couldn’t shop at fun places like Chadstone. I woke up one Sunday morning with Daisy in my head and I knew I just had to write it down. It came in such a hurry I had to plot point straight away and I could have sworn I’d be able to write the story in a week.

Were you like Daisy when you were in highschool, or was her character inspired by your students?

My students have never really inspired my writing which is strange because you’d think they would to a certain extent. I was very much like Daisy – perpetual nice girl, I did hit a letterbox when I was on my L plates, had a huge heart but a weakness for boys who charmingly said the right thing. I never understood the whole bitchy-girl thing (Skye) and it baffled me to think girls could threaten other girls just by being. I have a very supportive family and five older brothers. So even though Daisy isn’t me, there are similarities that I could bring to the table.

New on my bookshelf

I ordered a tonne of books the other month, to prepare myself for some of my English units for next semester, one of which is on American Literature. 

I was going to make this 'New on my bookshelf' post an American Lit edition, but not all of these are American classics as you will see. I've also been doing way too many NOMB's recently, but this one is warranted coz it's my hugest book haul since the beginning of this blog. 

Review: Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler

Title: "Friendship on Fire"
Author: Danielle Weiler
CLICK HERE FOR SYNOPSIS
Genre: YA Contemporary
First Published: March 1, 2011
Format: Paperback, 471pg
Publisher: Sid Harta
Source: Author
Other details: Author Interview and Giveaway (AUS+INTL)
My Rating: 3.5 stars







Danielle Weiler did a pretty great job in her debut YA novel, Friendship on Fire. The writing was clever, the characters were refreshingly real and I loved the pop culture references to movies and music alike. (I absolutely ADORE Brooke Fraser's music! For a slightly more obscure artist, I was pleasantly surprised to read that Daisy listened to Brooke Fraser too :D.) The local references about our Aussie culture were spot on and so relatable, I was constantly thinking back to my time in highschool, comparing my memories to Daisy's story. 


I actually disliked Daisy in the beginning. She was a hot-headed mess, incapable of colouring her hair properly and she had a volatile temper to boot. By the end of the novel though... I loved her! For me, Daisy turned out to be a great role model for teenage girls today. (Apart from her intense weakness for the physically blessed, mysterious guys like Nate). Despite her slight anger management issues, Daisy has a huge heart. Huge. 


It might sound bad, but I'm jealous of Daisy's family and friends - they were incredibly supportive and loving, it's a rare and irreplaceable blessing that isn't seen too often in society today. Daisy is so lucky to have such amazing parents, loving brothers, as well as her best friends Roman, Shana and Sarah. 


Friendship on Fire is a story of life and love. Friendship, family, romance, relationships, heartbreak, and self identity. It was a pleasure to witness Daisy's growth through her last year of highschool (and kinda live vicariously through her too) - getting her driver's licence, weekend house parties, school events, and all that. This 400 and something page novel is quite a long one for contemporary YA. It took me a little time to get into the story, but I was rewarded once I got to the end because there is something special that everyone can find in Friendship on Fire.

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COMING UP

Stay tuned in for my first author interview with Perth author Danielle Weiler!!! 

And keep your eyes peeled shortly after the interview, for TWO GIVEAWAYS of Friendship on Fire! That's right, TWO! One for Aussie residents only and one worldwide/international. :D

Review: Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day

Title: "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day"
Author: Winifred Watson
Genre: Historical Chick Lit, Modern Classic
First Published: 1938
Format: Paperback, 234pg
Publisher: Persephone
Source: Bought (The Book Depository)
Other details: featured in 'New on my Bookshelf'
My Rating: 5 STARS!






I thought I would do something different with this review... I'm gonna present it through dot points! FUN FUN FUN. (It's really weird, that I subconsciously say that stupid phrase, only on Fridays - technically today was Friday - darn you, Rebecca Black!)


Anyway, these are my favourite things/what I love about Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day: 

• the illustrations
• the settings
• the characters
• the writing
• the dialogue

These are not just things I like about the book, but things I PASSIONATELY LOVE about it. 

Day 23: *A DESIRED BUT DUSTY 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

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

Day 14 – Favourite 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*

This is pretty much exactly the same objective of the feature "The Time Will Come", where I pick a book that's been sitting on my shelf for some time, one that I still haven't gotten around to reading yet. 

One book that I have wanted to read for a long time but still haven't is.... 

Mini Reviews - YA style! (Finding Cassie Crazy, LA Candy, ITYILY, Wicked Lovely)

This is a little mini review series I'm starting, just to recap on books I've read in the past, and give you guys a very brief little review of them, with pictures of course. ;)

Tonight is in with the theme of YOUNG ADULT! Hurray!
-Finding Cassie Crazy by Jaclyn Moriarty
-L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
-I'd Tell You I Love You, but then I'd have to Kill You by Ally Carter
-Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Finding Cassie Crazy (2003)
One of the best books a girl could read in highschool. One of my friends in Year 9 rec-ed this to me - I read it in ONE DAY. This is pretty much a 400 page novel, and it is probably the most reading I've ever done in a day. 
Moriarty's writing is utterly and hysterically brilliant, fabulous and funny - the characters are charming, I could ask for nothing more in a contemp YA.

L.A. Candy (2009)
I love Lauren Conrad. As a reality TV star alum, she has an organic beauty about her that is so refreshing. I think she had a fair amount of help with writing this debut novel, but the idea was new, even though the characters, writing technique and storyline were not very gripping or outstanding. The second instalment (Sweet Little Lies) in the trilogy was a little better I thought. 

I'd Tell you I Love you, but then I'd have to Kill you (2008)
This is a book I read later in highschool that really got me hooked into YA, reading, stories and all that magical stuff that goes along with books. I love the teen spy world Ally Carter created, and I not-so-secretly wish I was genius enough to attend the Gallagher academy and train to be a kick-ass spy. I SO can't wait for the 5th book to come out already!

Wicked Lovely (2007)
The tagline on this book is 'Enter a world of faerie romance' - sounds SO lame. It is true though, but I wouldn't call this story lame at all. The writing is brilliantly descriptive, the world that Marr created is beautifully seductive and alluring, the character relationships are very well developed, so I don't know why I haven't yet read the rest of the series! 

New on my bookshelf

Happy New Year! 

I thought I would, for the first time, actually put up a New on My Bookshelf post on IMM (In My Mailbox) day.

Hope you all have a fantastic Two Thousand & Twelve. 

Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

by Winifred Watson

1938

The chapters proceed with corresponding time increments, which is fabulous (and also informative). I love the illustrations, it gives you an extra little push into the story and into the realm of pre-war London in the 30's. I have already started the book because I couldn't resist - it's delightful and funny and lovely, just like the film.