3 AWESOME ARCs GIVEAWAY!

Ask yourself-Do I feel lucky?

Well, do ya?

Because I'm giving away 3 AWESOME ARCs to one lucky follower!

With the help of Candlewick Press who provided The Lying Game and My Worst Best Friend for this giveaway. Thanks guys!!

To enter is simple.

Leave your name and contact information in the comment section.

You must be 13 years old to enter.

This contest is open to all followers of Mug of Moxie.

I will draw winner on August 15th.

Good luck!

Human Hamster Wheel

Genius!

Exercise and Reading in a Controlled Environment. No more falling off the tread mill at a really intense part! AND if the book sucks-just reach down and grab a different one without ever breaking your stride.

Wow!

That's not all! Call now and you also get.......

Just kidding-I got caught up in the moment.

Things that make me giggle.....

This this I say-why not?

Book Review-Darkly Dreaming Dexter

DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER
By Jeff Lindsay
2004
288 Pages
From Back Cover:
Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep's clothing. He's handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He's a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood spatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened-of himself or some other fiend.
My thoughts:
Let me first say that I'm a HUGE fan of the televised Dexter on Showtime. Michael C. Hall is pure genius as Dexter. If you haven't seen the show go immediately to the nearest video store and rent the first season. It will blow your socks off. Be warned it's a bit bloody-he's a serial killer people! Which brings us to the reason why I picked up the book in the first place. I was curious to know if the show is following the books or has gone in a different direction with the character of Dexter. After reading the first book I discovered that the show has made a few changes which has made me even more anxious to read the second book-Dearly Devoted Dexter! So I predict that it will be a summer filled Dexter. That's fine with me because I'm still waiting for the 5th season to come out on DVD. You see I can't watch it on TV like normal people-I have to watch episode after episode all at one time because I'm impatient by nature. I can't stand the suspense of waiting week to week to see what Dexter is going to do next.
Back to the book.
Dexter was adopted by a police detective named Harry who knew the details of how Dexter came to be orphaned. Harry recognizes at an early age that Dexter is "different" thus introduces him to the Code of Harry. Dexter is a sociopath who is incapable of feeling human emotions but has the urge to kill. Harry makes sure that Dexter channels these feelings and rid the world of criminals-people who kill people. Dexter's job as a blood spatter expert helps him find the killers and take care of them. Dexter is mostly just trying to fit in with society by mostly winging it. Whether it comes to his foster sister Deborah who also works at the police station or a blind date that he knows he should have to seem normal. His observations of human behavior are hilarious. Dexter narrates the story so it gives the reader a great perspective into his crazy world. Although you are completely aware that Dexter kills people as a hobby the author Jeff Lindsay makes it impossible not to like the guy. It's incredibly twisted awesomeness!
Would I recommend this book to a friend:
Damn right! But only the ones that don't mind blood and the occasional f-bomb thrown around. Not to mention a lot of violence.
Where did I get this book:
I bought this book on Amazon.com

Book Review-Carpe Demon

CARPE DEMON
Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom
By Julie Kenner
2005
360 pages
From Back Cover:
Lots of women put their careers aside once the kids come along. Kate Connor for instance, hasn't hunted a demon in ages. That must be why she missed the one wandering through the pet food aisle of the San Diablo Walmart. Unfortunately, he managed to catch her attention an hour later-when he crashed into the Connor house, intent on killing her. Now Kate has to clean up the mess in her kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party that will get her husband elected to County Attorney-all without rousing her family's suspicion. Worse yet, it seems the dead demon didn't come alone.....
It's time for Kate to get back to work.
My Thoughts:
Lately I don't veer very far from Young Adult but sometimes a book catches my attention and I have to check it out. I won this little jewel in a contest some time ago and finally plucked it from my towering TBR pile. The clever title had me cracking up right away-looking for a few light hearted laughs I read the first few pages.
HOOKED!
This is how I picture Buffy the vampire slayer in her later years. A busy mom with too many irons in the fire. Reluctantly fighting a few pesky demons who show up on her doorstep all while keeping the husband happy, feeding her children well balanced meals and making sure that her house is clean.
Of course there's way more to the story. Demons just don't show up without a reason. Poor Kate doesn't have the help of Nyles, the crusty British librarian but she does have a awesome best friend named Laura who is ready and willing.
This book is the first in a series by Julie Kenner. I will be reading the second installment-California Demon. I can hardly wait to see what happens to Kate and side kick Laura next.
If you were ever a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer you will love this book. Even if you weren't and your looking for a quick easy read with a few giggles give it a shot.
It's a great summer read.

AWESOME ARCs Giveaway

Ask yourself-Do I feel lucky?
Well, do ya?
Because I'm giving away 3 AWESOME ARCs to one lucky follower! With the help of Candlewick Press who provided The Lying Game and My Worst Best Friend for this giveaway. Thanks guys!!
To enter is simple.
Leave your name and contact information in the comment section.
You must be 13 years old to enter.
This contest is open to all followers of Mug of Moxie.
I will draw winner on August 15th.
Good luck!

Book Review-Tomorrow, When the War Began

TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN

By John Marsden
1993
284 Pages
Inside Cover:
When Ellie and her six friends return from a camping trip deep in the bush, they find things hideously wrong. Their families are gone, houses empty and abandoned, pets and stock dead. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in their town has been taken prisoner. As the horrible reality of the situation hits them, they have to make a life and death decision: run back into the bush and hide, give themselves up to be with their families, or stay and try to fight.
My thoughts:
This is the first book in a series written by the award winning Australian author John Marsden. A apocalyptic adventure filled with suspense page after page. This book brought back many memories of a movie I saw as a teenager called Red Dawn starring the swoon worthy Patrick Swayze back in the day.
This story is told from Ellie's viewpoint who at the beginning explains that she's been chosen by the group to keep a journal of what has happened to them since their country was invaded. Unexpected war forces this group of rag tag teenagers to grow up real fast and make decisions that will not only affect their futures but also the adults being held hostages by their invaders.
A female narrator brings great emotion to a story that could have easily just been an action one.
What I didn't like about this book:
I don't care for this version of the cover. You honestly can't tell by looking at it what the story is even about. I like the paperback version that shows helicopters in the twilight. It's more fitting for the title and story.
Would I recommend this book to a friend:
YES! I think boys and girls alike age 12 and up would love this story. My son actually read this book first for an English project. He's not a big reader and couldn't stop talking about it. That's when I knew I had to pick it up and check it out for myself. No regrets. In fact, I can't wait to jump into the next book called The Dead of Night.

Book Review-The Comet's Curse

THE COMET'S CURSE

A Galahad Book
By Dom Testa
2005
Pages 224
From Back Cover:
When the tail of the comet Bhaktul flicks through Earth's atmosphere, deadly particles are left in its wake. Suddenly mankind is confronted with a virus that devastates the adult population. Only those under the age of eighteen seem to be immune. Desperate to save humanity, a renowned scientist proposes a bold plan: to create a ship that will carry a crew of 251 teenagers to a home in a distant solar system. Two years later, the Galahad and its crew-none over the age of sixteen-is launched.
Two years of training have prepared the crew for the challenges of space travel. But soon after departing from Earth, they discover that a saboteur is hiding on the Galahad! Faced with escalating acts of vandalism and terrorized by threatening messages, sixteen-year-old Triana Martell and her council soon realize that the stowaway will do anything to ensure that the Galahad never reaches its destination. The teens must find a way to neutralize their enemy. For if their mission fails, it will mean the end of the human race.
My thoughts:
This science fiction thriller is set 200 years into the future. A comet has swept by Earth leaving deadly particles behind that are killing adults. Mankind's future lays in the hands of 251 teenagers that have agreed to man a space shuttle and travel to the great unknown. What a premise!
The Comet's Curse is the first book in a planned six part series. The story wastes no time introducing us to a cast of characters we are sure to hear more about in books to follow. The constant shifts of viewpoints from the crew as well as the scientists in charge of the project keep the story interesting and fresh.
My favorite character in this story was actually the computer on board of the Galahad named Roc. His sense of humor and opinions added some lightness to the suspense. I believe his character will continue to develop in upcoming stories and it will be interesting to see what role he plays in the lives of the 251 teenage crew members.
Would I recommend this story to a friend:
Absolutely! I think this book would be very popular to both boys and girls in a middle school library as well as older kids. A good clean read.
Where did I get this book:
I bought it used on Amazon.com I will definitly be looking for the book next in the series called The Web of Titan. I will be giving this book away along with other ARCs I've been sent. Look for that giveaway coming up.

Book Review-By Time Time You Read This I'll Be Dead

BY TIME TIME YOU READ THIS I'LL BE DEAD
By Julie Anne Peters
2010
200 Pages

From Inside Cover:
Daelyn Rice is broken beyond repair, and after a string of botched suicide attempts, she's determined to get her death right. She starts visiting a Web site for "completer"-www.through-the-light.com.
On the site, Daelyn blogs about her life, revealing a history of bullying that goes back to kindergarten. When she's not on the Web, Daelyn's at her private girls' school, where she's known as the freak who doesn't talk.
Then, a boy named Santana begins to sit with her after school while she's waiting for her parents to pick her up. Even though she made it clear that she wants to be left alone, Santana won't give up. It's too late for Daelyn to be letting people in her life....isn't it?
My Thoughts:
The cover and the title are what grabbed my attention and made me want to read Daelyn's story.
This book made me want to scream out loud in anger and frustration. This is what bullying does! It tears someone down piece by piece and destroys who they are on the inside and out. My heart ached as Daelyn recounts tale after tale the acts of bullying that start when she first starts school and continues to present day. Daelyn is a girl who is desperately trying to disconnect from everyone and everything so her feelings and emotions can no longer hurt her.
By the Time You Read This I'll be Dead is an honest book that pulls no punches as Daelyn searches for ways to end her life and tells of previous failed attempts. There were times I felt sick to my stomach-the facts are brutal.
I loved the character of Santana. He brings a ray of hope into the story as he reaches out to Daelyn. He has his own troubled history but longs to connect to another person.
As I read Daelyn's story I found myself hoping and praying that she wouldn't give up and find just one reason to not give up and keep on living.
Would I recommend this book to a friend?
Yes. But I would caution them of the graphic details of suicide. Libraries should have this book. The bullying situations that happen to Daelyn are not unique or unusual. They happen and we need to talk about it with our youth. Their actions good or bad can affect the life of someone in a positive or negative way.
Where did I get this book?
I bought it used on Amazon.com and plan to donate it as a prize for the Freedom Hop Giveaway.

CONTEST WINNER

Announcing the winner of the Freedom Giveaway Hop.....

SiNn

She choose- By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead

By Julie Anne Peters

Congratulations and enjoy your book!

Thank you to all who entered. A huge thanks goes out to I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Simply Stacie who hosted this super fun event!

Book Review: LOCKDOWN

LOCKDOWN
Escape From Furnace
By Alexander Gordon Smith
2009
273 Pages

Summary from Goodreads.com
Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.
Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world.
My thoughts:
CREEPY! There are parts of this book that literally made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. YIKES!
Main character Alex has been thrown into something beyond his wildest nightmares-a juvenile center called The Furnace. Somehow, he must survive and escape the furnace before the giants in black suits make a visit to his cell. He's not sure where they take the kids after the visits but he does know that something beyond horrible happens to them and they are changed, it's possible that those kids may not even be human anymore. His only chance at survival is escape-but no one as ever done that before. Is it even possible?
This book leads right into the sequel- Solitary. Which of course I have to purchase because I HAVE to find out what happen to Alex and crew.
Would I recommend this book to a friend?
Yes, with the warning to not read late at night, make sure you are not alone in the house, and keep a few lights on for heaven's sake.
Where did I get this book?

I bought it at Barnes and Noble bookstore in Missoula. I'm pretty sure I will use it for a Halloween giveaway in October.

Contest Winner!

ANNOUNCING:
The winner of the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway is:

Thao Huynh
Two awesome books by Courtney Summers have been mailed to you. Happy reading and have an wonderful summer.

Thanks to all those who participated and entered. A huge thank you to I'm a Reader, not a Writer who hosts these awesome hops.

Book Review-Clockwork Angel

CLOCKWORK ANGEL
Book One
The Infernal Devices
By Cassandra Clare
2010
476 Pages
From Inside Cover:
When Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other super natural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform,at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. Soon she finds herself fascinated by-and torn between-two best friends: James, who fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, who caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length....everyone that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
My thoughts:
Let me say first that I have not read the Mortal Instrument Series. I was a little concerned that this story would be connected to the series and I wouldn't understand the parts of the plot-but thankfully that wasn't the case. I was hooked from the first page. The characters were engaging and interesting from the start. This magical fantasy contains vampires, demons and warlocks. Boredom is not a problem with the twists and turns that take place throughout this tale of suspense. The setting is London during the Victorian Age, I was fascinated by the descriptions of places and people. It was so easy to get lost in the story. Clockwork Angel is my first experience with writer Cassandra Clare and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in The Infernal Devices Series-Clockwork Prince which will be released in December.
Would I recommend this book to a friend:
Without a doubt! I Loved it!
Where I got the book:
My local library. Yeah!! But look for it in the adult fiction section.

FREEDOM GIVEAWAY!!!

WELCOME!
This giveaway is about freedom-
So lets celebrate!! Lets here it for the freedom to choose!! Which book will you choose??
Here they are:
1. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
2. By the Time you Read this I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
3. Wither by lauren DeStefano
4. Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
Which one whould you like to win?
To enter this contest leave the following info in comment section-
*Leave the book of your choice
*The name you follow Mug of Moxie with (old followers will be entered twice) so let me know if you are a new or old follower.
*Your contact info
This contest starts July 1 and ends July 7. A winner will be chosen on July 8th. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond. Failure to do so will result in another name being drawn. You must be 13 years old to enter contest. Good Luck!

FREEDOM GIVEAWAY!

WELCOME!
This giveaway is about freedom-
So lets celebrate!! Lets here it for the freedom to choose!! Which book will you choose??
Here they are:
1. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
2. By the Time you Read this I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
3. Wither by lauren DeStefano
4. Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
Which one whould you like to win?
To enter this contest leave the following info in comment section-
*Leave the book of your choice
*The name you follow Mug of Moxie with (old followers will be entered twice) so let me know if you are a new or old follower.
*Your contact info
This contest starts July 1 and ends July 7. A winner will be chosen on July 8th. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond. Failure to do so will result in another name being drawn. You must be 13 years old to enter contest. Good Luck!