competition

Win a double pass to Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, the movie directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon based on the young adult book by Jesse Andrews is out in cinemas now.  I think it looks great and I can’t wait to see it.

This is the funniest book you’ll ever read about death.

It is a universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. But on the first day of his senior year, Greg Gaines thinks he’s figured it out. The answer to the basic existential question: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad? His strategy: remain at the periphery at all times. Keep an insanely low profile. Make mediocre films with the one person who is even sort of his friend, Earl.

This plan works for exactly eight hours. Then Greg’s mom forces him to become friends with a girl who has cancer. This brings about the destruction of Greg’s entire life.

To celebrate the release of the movie Allen and Unwin have kindly given me 2 double passes to give away.

Thanks to everyone who entered. The winners are Megan and Eibhlin and Saoirse.

If you haven’t seen the trailer for the movie check it out here:

Win a signed copy of Stray by Rachael Craw

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Rachael Craw’s addictive sequel to Spark, Stray, was released yesterday and I had the pleasure of helping Rachael to launch it in Christchurch last night.  It was a great launch with heaps of Spark fans! You can read my review of Stray here on the blog.

Thanks to Walker Books Australia I have 5 copies of Stray to give away, and thanks to Rachael they are all signed.  To get in the draw to win a signed copy of Stray just email bestfriendsrbooks@gmail.com with the subject line ‘Stray’, along with your name and address.

Competition closes Wednesday 9 September (NZ only).

Win Demon Road Goodies!

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Derek Landy’s new book, Demon Road, is released in NZ on 1 September.  I can’t wait and I know there are heaps of Skulduggery Pleasant fans like me who are keen to see what story Derek Landy tells next.

The wonderful people at HarperCollins NZ have created some goodies to promote Demon Road.  They have sent me some Demon Road Maps and button badges to give away to you lucky readers of My Best Friends Are Books.  Check them out!

Demon Road 1 Demon Road 2

To get in the draw for a road map and some badges just email bestfriendsrbooks@gmail.com with the subject ‘Demon Road’ and your name and address.  If you are a school librarian or teacher and would like a set of 10 badges to give away to Derek Landy fans at your school please email me to and let me know.  Open to New Zealand only.

Win a copy of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is the debut young adult novel by Stephanie Oakes.  It is an amazing book and I absolutely loved it!  It’s a powerful, harrowing and haunting story that had me gripped from beginning to end. You can read my review here on the blog.

Thanks to HarperCollins NZ I have 3 copies of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly to give away.

Thanks to everyone who entered.  The winners are Chris K. and Melinda.

Win a signed copy of Lifespan of Starlight by Thalia Kalkipsakis

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Lifespan of Starlight is one of my recent favourite YA books and last week I had the chance to interview the author, Thalia Kalkipsakis.  You can read my review of Lifespan of Starlight and my interview with Thalia here on the blog.

Thalia very kindly offered a signed copy of her fantastic book, Lifespan of Starlight, as a prize.  To get in the draw all you have to do is email bestfriendsrbooks@gmail.com with ‘Lifespan of Starlight Competition’ in the subject line and your name and address.

Thanks to everyone who entered.  The winner is Annie.

Win Canterbury Quake by Desna Wallace

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Today I’m hosting an interview with the lovely Desna Wallace, author of My New Zealand Story: Canterbury Quake.  Desna is a good friend of mine and I was super excited for her when her book was published, and even more so when it was chosen by kids around New Zealand as a 2015 Children’s Choice Award finalist!  Canterbury Quake is a fantastic book that perfectly illustrates what it was like for the children who had to cope with the many earthquakes we had here in Canterbury.

MNZS_CanterburyQuake_CVR_FINAL

Thanks to Booksellers New Zealand I have a copy of Canterbury Quake to give away.  To get in the draw all you have to do is leave a comment telling me ‘What is your favourite book that immerses you in a time or place?’ It could be a fantasy story that takes you to another world or a historical story that transports you to another period of history.

Competition closes Monday 20 July (New Zealand only).

Win Dragon Knight: Fire by Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley

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BLOG_TOUR

Today I’m hosting an interview with Kyle Mewburn to celebrate Dragon Knight: Fire, Kyle and Donovan’s finalist book in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.  You can read Kyle’s interview here and Donovan’s interview from last week about Little Red Riding Hood: Not Quite and Dragon Knight: Fire.

FA (Page 1)

Thanks to Booksellers New Zealand I have a copy of Dragon Knight Fire to give away.  The main character in the Dragon Knight series is Merek, who is half boy and half dragon.  To get in the draw just leave a comment on this post telling me ‘What is your favourite mythical creature?’

Competition closes Thursday 16 July (New Zealand only).

Win Little Red Riding Hood (Not Quite) by Yvonne Morrison and Donovan Bixley

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My Best Friends Are Books is part of the blog tour to celebrate the Children’s Choice Award in the 2015 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.  Tomorrow I’m hosting interviews with Yvonne Morrison and Donovan Bixley here on the blog and you can read my review of their wonderful book, Little Red Riding Hood (Not Quite).

Thanks to everyone who entered the competition.  The winner is Chris.

Win a signed copy of Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman

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To celebrate Chris Riddell being named the new Children’s Laureate I have a very special giveaway.  I have a limited edition copy of Fortunately the Milk signed by both Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell to give away to one lucky reader.  I absolutely love this book, both for Neil’s story and Chris’ illustrations!

Fortunately the Milk

Thanks to everyone who entered the competition!  The winner of the signed book is Laraine.

Timmy Failure: Now Look What You’ve Done by Stephan Pastis

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Clueless detective Timmy Failure is back on the case in his latest book, Now Look What You’ve Done.

He doesn t like to pull rank. To reveal that he s this guy: Timmy Failure, founder, president, and CEO of the greatest detective agency in town, perhaps the nation. But he is. And he s about to crack the biggest case of his generation: a school competition to find a stolen globe. It s his ticket to bringing home a $500 prize, which is guaranteed to set him up for life. But someone is clearly trying to game the system. Hoodwink. Con. Defraud. So it s up to Timmy Failure, with the dubious help of Total, his lazy polar-bear partner, and his unlikely new ally, eccentric Great Aunt Colander, to find a way to avenge these shenanigans. Defeat this injustice. If he can only get his entry form in on time.

If you’re looking for a book full of ‘greatness,’ ‘shenanigans,’ quirky characters and antics that will make you laugh out loud, then Now Look What You’ve Done is the book for you.  Timmy’s latest shenanigans have everything I loved about the first book, but even sillier.  There’s more Molly Moskins, more Total (Timmy’s 1500 pound polar bear partner), more Corrina Corrina (aka The Wedgie or The Weevil Bun), but there are also hilarious new characters, like Timmy’s Great-Aunt Colander (inventor of the Boom-Boom Shoe Wheel).  Stephan’s cartoons are hilarious and add extra humour to the text.  I love the way that they capture Timmy’s somewhat strange outlook on the world.

The thing I love the most about the Timmy Failure books is the language that Timmy uses.  He sounds like a hard-boiled detective, even when he’s talking to his mum.  Kids who read these books will certainly increase their vocabulary.

Timmy Failure: Now Look What You’ve Done is perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Big Nate.  It has been kid-tested and passed with flying colours.  I read both of the Timmy Failure books to my 10 year old boys and they absolutely love them.  I often hear them quoting things from the books.

Grab a copy from your library or bookshop now.