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KICK BUTT CHARACTERS Blog Hop!!!

How do I just choose ONE book with ONE kick butt character to give away? Impossible!
There are so many great stories out there that feature amazingly strong female! I love it!
So without further ado The book I'm giving away is a recent read from earlier this year-for my review look in the month of January.
                                                      Blood Red Road by Moira Young

The story and the character blew me away. She is tough stuff. A KICK BUTT CHARACTER! I'm so excited that this book is actually the first book of a planned trilogy.
AND because I really love my followers I would like to give away ONE more book of YOUR choice from the following list featuring more kick butt characters:
                                                           Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

                                                  Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

                                           The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

                                                      Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

I have loved each and every one of these books because the female characters made a huge impression on me. She left me with a feeling of empowerment and a  kick butt attitude.
This are hardback books(with the exception of Bitten) that come off of my personal bookshelf. They have only been read and loved by me.
A GIANT thank you to I'm A Reader, Not A Writer and Good Choice Reading for hosting this SUPER COOL event!
And now for the rules of this giveaway.
*You must be a follower of Mug of Moxie
*You must be over 13 years old to enter this giveaway
*You must live in the U.S.to enter this giveaway
In the comment section please leave GFC name, contact information and the book you would like along with Blood Red Road by Moira Young
A winner will be chosen by Random.org on March 29th-If chosen winner does not confirm in 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.
Good luck and have fun! Below is a list of other blogs participating in the awesome KICK BUTT CHARACTER Blog Hop.

Book Review-KEVIN'S POINT OF VIEW

KEVIN'S POINT OF VIEW
By Del Shannon
October 2010
395 Pages
Summary Taken From Goodreads:
Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary 12-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado. To escape from his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonizes his sister through his superhero antics on an average Wednesday morning, his ability to escape inside a character's head become critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father's death. A mysterious package arrives in the mail, Kevin and his best friend are hunted down by a ruthless villain set upon world domination, and after enlisting Kevin's teenage sister and her pizza-delivery boyfriend in a battle for control over time itself, the secret of Kevin's whole existence is revealed to him by a source we never expected.
My Thoughts:
Kevin's imagination has a life of it's own and has been his coping mechanism for the past year. He is a twelve year trying to deal with the sudden death of his dad. His mom is worried as she sees him jump from reality to fantasy-never knowing which one she will be dealing with or cleaning up after.
One day Kevin receives a package in the mail meant for someone else. This package contains a machine that can change the course of history by making time travel possible. Unknowingly, Kevin possesses something that an evil madman will kill for.
Kevin is suddenly thrust into the adventure of a lifetime that includes car chases, helicopters, guns and bad guys. Luckily, Kevin has the help of his best friend Tony and a zen-like pizza boy named Scratch.
In the midst of bullets, an avalanche and time travel Kevin discovers strength, determination and the power of family. 
This book is the perfect pick for middle school age boys looking for a book that will hook them from start to finish. It's fast paced with a few twists and turns that leave the reader on the edge of their seat.
This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review. I will be donating this book to my local Middle School Library.

Book Review-MOCKINGJAY

MOCKINGJAY
By Suzanne Collins
300 Pages

Taken from Goodreads:
Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.
My Thoughts:
I have put off reading the final book of this much loved series for a reason-I didn't want it to end. Katniss is truly one of the most memorable characters in young adult fiction that has appealed to teenagers and adults alike.
A painting/organizing project helped me decide to "listen" to this story rather that "read" it. The only regret I have is that I waited so long because it took me a while to try to remember various characters and their history from the previous books. I wish I would have just started at the beginning and reread Hungar Games and Catching Fire and refreshed my brain from the start.
Regardless, the story is fast paced and emotionally charged from page one. I love that Suzanne Collins doesn't waste time with back stories and jumps right into where Catching Fire left off. 
Katniss wakes up in District 13 and finds that her world has been turned upside down. She is physically and mentally weak. She is unsure of who she can trust-friends are dead, allies have betrayed her and Peeta is now in the hands of the Capitol.
Katniss now has to decide if she will continue to play the role as the leader of the rebellion for District 13.  Although she knows that the rebellion is the only chance Peeta has of rescue she doesn't quite trust District 13's intentions.
The "love triangle" between Katniss, Gale and Peeta takes a backseat and more focus is put on the politics and government corruption of the Capitol and District 13.
I was happy with how the author wrapped this trilogy up. I know that it had alot of mixed reviews along with mixed emotions on who Katniss ends up with at the end. For me I will say that the ending felt right.
Katniss and her story will long live in my mind. It's a trilogy that will sit on my book shelf and hopefully be read by my kids in the future.
I'm giddy with excitement to see Hungar Games next week. Stay tuned for my review of the movie in the next two weeks.

MOVIE REVIEW-One For The Money

ONE FOR THE MONEY
SYNOPSIS:
A proud, born-and-bred Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum's got plenty of attitude, even if she's been out of work for the last six months and just lost her car to a debt collector. Desperate for some fast cash, Stephanie turns to her last resort: convincing her sleazy cousin to give her a job at his bail bonding company...as a recovery agent. True, she doesn't even own a pair of handcuffs and her weapon of choice is pepper spray, but that doesn't stop Stephanie from taking on Vinny's biggest bail-jumper: former vice cop and murder suspect Joe Morelli - yup, the same sexy, irresistible Joe Morelli who seduced and dumped her back in high school. Nabbing Morelli would be satisfying payback - and a hefty payday - but as Stephanie learns the ins and outs of becoming a recovery agent from Ranger, a hunky colleague who's the best in the business, she also realizes the case against Morelli isn't airtight. Add to the mix her meddling family, a potentially homicidal boxer, witnesses who keep dying and the problem of all those flying sparks when she finds Morelli himself...well, suddenly Stephanie's new job isn't nearly as easy as she thought.
1 hr. 31 min.- PG-13- Violence, sexual references and language, some drug material and partial nudity.
Director:Julie Ann Robinson
Cast: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, John Leguizamo, Sherri Shepherd
MY THOUGHTS:
The series by Janet Evanovich is one of my favorites. Especially when I'm in the mood for some laughs. The movie One For The Money is the first book that begins the story of Stephanie Plum and how she becomes a bounty hunter. Sadly, the movie doesn't catch the flavor of the book or the full personalities of the characters. It seemed like it couldn't decide weather it wanted to be a drama or a comedy and tried to settle half way between. It still had it's good parts. Grandma Maser is still a crack up and Ranger and Morelli are yummy without a doubt.
I don't think One For The Money made millions at the box office so I seriously doubt that there will be a Two For The Dough. And I really wish that made me sad. I say save your money and rent this one...... better yet just read the book.

Winner Winner

Okay- there is no chicken dinner but I do have a winner to announce.
Random.org has spoken and the winner of two fabulous books is.....
KALI SKITTLES
As soon as she contacts me I will be putting her books in the mail.
Kali Skittles has won a brand new hard back- Illusions by Aprilynne Pike and a fantastic ARC-The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa and don't forget the chocolate- a bag of Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares. Yum!!
A BIG thank you to I'm a Reader, Not a Writer and Bookworm Lisa for hosting this fabulous giveaway.
Up next is the Kick Butt Caracters Giveaway Hop which runs from March 23th to March 28th.
I'll be giving away a copy of Blood Red Road by Moira Young.
Stay Tuned!

GET READY TO HOP!!

BOOKS AND CHOCOLATE!

Is there anything better?
Mug of Moxie thinks not!
Welcome to the LUNAR LOVE GIVEAWAY HOP!
This hop is hosted by I'm a Reader, Not a Writer and Bookworm Lisa-
Lunar Love Giveaway Hop runs from March 8th to March 13th
More than 160 blogs will be participating-which mean more than 160 giveaways!
Mug of Moxie is sharing the love by giving away a brand new hard back- Illusions by Aprilynne Pike and a fantastic ARC-The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa and don't forget the chocolate- a bag of Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares. Yum!!
Here are the books:

Those pesky RULES:
1. Must follow Mug of Moxie on GFC
2. Must be over the age of 13 to enter
3. Contest is open to US residents only
4. A winner will be drawn on March 14th. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize after I email them.
HOW TO Enter:
1. In comment box please answer this question-If you could be any paranormal thing what would you be?
2. In addition to answer please leave GFC name and contact information.
Good luck and have fun!

MOVIE REVIEW-This Means War

Mug of Moxie Plays Movie Reviewer!
This last weekend ended up being a movie marathon and I saw three movies.
So just for kicks and giggles I thought I would post my reviews.

THIS MEANS WAR

SYNOPSIS:
Two of the world's deadliest CIA operatives are inseparable partners and best friends - until they discover that they've fallen in love with the same woman. Deciding to keep their friendship a secret from her, they pull out their full arsenal of fighting skills and high-tech gadgetry to defeat their greatest enemy - each other.

‎2hr 0min‎‎ - Rated PG-13‎‎ - Action/Adventure/Comedy/Romance‎
Director: McG -
Cast: Tom Hardy, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Laura Vandervoort, Til Schweiger
MY THOUGHTS:
My favorite of the three was This Means War. I went in having only seen a short preview of a paint ball game which was a funny clip but I had no idea what the plot was even about. I think that when you're with a group of fun friends even the crappiest movie can be good. Luckily the movie was as great as the company.

Reese Witherspoon is the sweetest, cutest, person in the whole wide world. We all want her as a friend-even if that friendship produces cavities. Love her! The guys were goodlooking, as in YUMMY with a side of yummy. Ahhhh to be the one they are fighting over....Then Chelsea Handler(one of my favorite comedians) plays her best friend, so of course everything that comes out of her mouth is hilarious.

But I have to say that the two guys stole the show with their bad behavior, naughty antics, and easy banter. I will see this again just so I can catch one liners I know I missed while laughing. I think that my husband would even enjoy this one.
I give this film two thumbs up for laughs and HOT CIA guys!

The Count Down Begins!!!

March is finally here and I'm counting the days until the release of Hunger Games. I will be getting in my car and driving to the nearest city(3 Hours) to see this one in a surround sound, up-to-date theater. Our town has a theater but this movie has to be scene in something special.
My heart beats just a little harder every time the preview comes on and I think this one won't disappoint(actually I'm crossing both fingers, hoping and wishing).
Here's the preview if you haven't had the chance to see it.
http://youtu.be/0iHopH4PD5Q