Monday, July 23, 2012

AHHH! It's my 30th birthday!






I can hardly believe it myself  - but today, I am 30 years old.  It's absolute madness how quickly it feels like that milestone has come around.  I have had an amazing few weeks, with a surprise birthday dinner with friends and a weekend away.  I will be spending today a the Harry Potter studio tour, and honestly, I couldn't be any more excited! I'm sure to have a great time and tell you all about it soon enough. 

But it isn't really a birthday without presents!  And because you, my lovely blog followers bring me such happiness, I thought I'd give something back to you and hold my semi-regular book giveaway. 

Below is a list of books that are available, one winner will win 4-5 books (whatever will fit into a large jiffy bag!). 
International entries are welcome. 
One entry per household please.
You don't have to be a follower of the blog to enter, though that is always appreciated. 
Please leave some way of contacting you (email address/Twitter ID) if you win and also an indication of which books you'd like. 
Winner will be chosen and contacted on Sunday, 29th July.

Good luck!

(Books on my Top Ten Reads of 2012 so far)

Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Real Live Boyfriends by E Lockhart
 Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

(Other excellent reads)

Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton
What's Up With Jody Barton? by Hayley Long
Unrest by Michelle Harrison
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet by Diane Messidoro
Scarlet by AC Gaughen
A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
A Swift Pure Cry by  Siobhan Dowd
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Also, I would love to know how you spent/planned to spend your 30th birthday!

50 comments:

  1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! That's a lovely cake;) I am so jealous of the Harry Potter studio tour, but you've just given me an idea for my birthday! Thank you for the giveaway :)
    zoecrook30(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thanks Zoe :) The studio tour was amazing, well worth a visit!

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  2. Happy birthday, Michelle! Ahhh, Harry Potter studio tour! It seems like everybody is going but me! I hope you have lots and lots of fun, you totally deserve it ;)

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  3. Happy Birthday! Have a brilliant time at the HP studios, can't wait to hear all about it. xx

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  4. Happy 30th birthday! I hope you have a great time at the HP studio! I hope I spend my 30th somewhere somewhere tropical! I'm dying to read Pushing The Limits and Throne of Glass! Thanks for the giveaway!
    aflowerblooms1{at}gmail.com

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  5. Happy Birthday Michelle! I hope you have a wonderful day & enjoy yourself at the HP Studio! I'm hoping to go there over the summer so will look forward to hearing your thoughts about it :o)

    The actual day of my 30th birthday was fairly quiet and involved a nice meal at my favourite curry place with my family. I celebrated a few weeks early with my friends though. My 2 best friends and I all have big birthdays in the same years - the year I turned 30 they hit 35 and 40 - so we ended up going on a girlie weekend to Disneyland Paris as a joint celebration. We had a fantastic time & I think we need to do it again when we hit 35, 40 & 45 LOL.

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    1. That sounds wonderful Sarah! I would be pushing to do that EVERY big birthday as well :)

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  6. Happy, happy birthday!!!!

    I spent my 30th birthday at WisCon, a fantasy & science fiction convention in Wisconsin. I'd been feeling incredibly disheartened in the lead-up to my 30th birthday, because I was turning 30, I'd lost my dayjob due to chronic illness, I'd left my first agent and hadn't found a second one yet, I didn't think I'd EVER be published, and although I'd always longed for kids, it looked like I'd probably never have any after all. I felt like such a failure in every possible way.

    Then I went to WisCon, spent the weekend surrounded by writer- and reader-friends I love, felt so much better about everything - and on the evening of my birthday, two whole tables full of people I love sang me happy birthday together, and I felt so nourished and buoyed up and like maybe things really were going to be okay after all.

    And by the time I turned 31, I had an agent, a publishing deal for a trilogy (the Kat books!), and I was pregnant with my son! So, wow, did things turn around. :)

    Have a wonderful day! ( @stephanieburgis )

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    1. Oh Stephanie! What a great, uplifting story! I'm so, SO glad things turned around for you so much! :)

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  7. Happy birthday Michelle! Hope you have a fab day ahead! :)

    I hope I spend my 30th birthday with my family and friends. As long as they're there, everything's good. ;)

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  8. Happy birthday, Michelle! I'm so jealous you spent your day at the Harry Potter studios!!!

    Thank you for this amazing giveaway, you're the best! I hope you had a lovely day filled with hugs and plenty of presents!

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    1. Thanks Beverley, I did have an amazing day :) And there were plenty of hugs!

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  9. Happy Birthday!!!
    That looks like a very tasty cake!
    I turn 30 next year and I don't fear it. Bring it on is my motto. Remind me that I said this next year when I'm crying about achieving nothing in my life. lol.
    Hopefully you know how to reach me on twitter. I would love to win one of you giveaways. X

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    1. Bring it on is an excellent motto! Hope you feel the same way next year :) I'll admit, I was feeling a bit like crying on the lead-up to my birthday, but on the actual day I was fine. I'm sure it'll be the same for you! :)

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  10. Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne

    Please x My Twitter is Pheebs22_ :) Hope your birthday was fun. x

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  11. Happy Birthday Michelle - I hope your tour of the Harry Potter studio was / is fab :D *envy radiates from this comment* hehe :D

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  12. Happy birthday! What a lovely cake :)

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    1. Thank you! It was a surprise from a friend. And it tasted delicious :)

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  13. Happy birthday! I hope you've had a wonderful day!

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  14. P.S. That wasn't a competition entry - I just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday! I loved reading your posts and all the comments. :)

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  15. Happy 30th Birthday, Michelle!
    Thanks for hosting this giveaway :)

    Wow, lots of choices! Insurgent, Throne of Glass, Pushing the Limits and Second Chance Summer are the ones I'd pick :D

    I follow via GFC under Aline Tobing

    @imsavedbymercy
    savedbymercy[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. Hi Aline, thank you for following and enterting! I had a wonderful birthday, thank you! And good luck :)

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  16. Happy Happy Happy Happy Birthday
    Hope you had a awesome time at the studio, post a pic or two if you get time. Be curious to see what you thought.

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    1. Thanks :) I will definitely post pics, it was a great day!

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  17. Happy Birthday, I'll like to spent my birthday book shopping and Harry Potter studio tour of course! (I envy you) Thanks for having the giveaway :)

    @acciomalfoyz
    darkenf(at)rocketmail(dot)com

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  18. Happy Birthday!!! :) Oh gosh, I wish I would spent my birthday like that!!!

    Thank you for the giveaway, awesome books you're giving away!!

    my mail - tanychy@gmail.com
    twitter - @tanychy_rhcp
    GFC - Tanychy

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  19. Hope you had an amazing time on the Harry Potter tour, it sounds like the perfect thing to do on your 30th! I spent my 30th with friends - shopping, movie, dinner and cocktails, the ultimate girls day out!

    I'd be happy with any of the following books - Immortal Rules
    Pushing the Limits
    Unravelling
    Before I Wake
    Unrest
    Scarlet
    A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend
    Throne of Glass

    Enjoy the rest of your day :)

    bookishoutsider at gmail dot com
    @BookishOutsider

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  20. I turned thirty this year too, but it sounds like yours was significantly more fun. Spent mine sick and my husband took the kids out so I could have a quiet house! Happy birthday! And a fantastic book list I must say. I think the ones that stand out to mere Insurgent, Pushing the Limits, Seraphina, Unraveling, and Throne of Glass.

    steph(dot)osborn5802(at)gmail(dot)com

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  21. Happy Belated Birthday Michelle!

    Struggling to remember what I did for my 30th, I think I probably went out for a meal and a couple of drinks.

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  22. Happy Birthday! (although a little late, sorry!)
    Ah, a few of my friends have been on the Harry Potter tour and say it's amazing - it looks so good.
    At the age of 17, 30 seems quite far away, although with only 13 years to go - not much at all...

    These choices are great - I would choose any of these: Second Chance Summer, Real Live Boyfriends, Insurgent and Scarlet.
    Thanks - hope you had a great day :)

    rebecca-books@hotmail.com

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    1. Thanks Rebecca, I really did. And the HP studio tour IS amazing!

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  23. Happy belated birthday! I hope you had a wonderful time :)

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  24. No need to enter me, I just wanted to say happy birthday!!! I'm 28, so no 30th bday memories yet, but the Huz and I are talking about a trip to New Zeland around that time. Have a great birthday!

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    1. A trip to New Zealand would be amazing! THank you so much :)

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  25. Happy Birthday Michelle! I'm such a slacker in the blog world as of late, sorry for the late birthday wishes.. I hope you had an excellent birthday!
    For my 30th I plan on throwing a '90's themed party! It will be awesome! :)

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