Esther's Ever After

PRAYING by Kesha I have long been a Kesha fan. I loved her fun, funky stuff at the beginning of her career-Tik Tok and Timber are still on my workout play list. It's been four years since we have heard Kesha sing and this song-"Praying" will give you the feels. Not only are the lyrics deep and heartfelt but the video is disturbingly beautiful. AND when she hits that note-WOW! Just wow! Goosebumps. There is very personal meaning behind this song-it's telling Kesha's journey of the past four years. I won't go into details here and now-but if your interested you can look it up and find the history on the web. But right now, just sit back and enjoy.

IF YOU KNEW MY SISTER By Michelle Adams Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 375 Pages 2017 Goodreads Synopsis: If You Knew My Sister  tells the story of Irini, who was given away by her parents at the age of three, whilst her volatile, destructive sister was kept within the family. Twenty years later Irini receives a phone call from her estranged sister to say that their mother has died, compelling her to return for the first time to the family home, and to uncover the shocking truth that has defined both their lives. My Thoughts: I have some really mixed fillings about this book.  The Good- Creepy is the word I would use to describe this book. There are definitely parts that are suspenseful. My favorite character actually turned out to be the sister, Elle. She was an excellent "villian". She had me guessing what her next move would be throughout the book. I think the author did a great job of describing the complicated relationship of the two sisters. Irini is...

REIGN The CW 4 Seasons (Netflix Binge) Summary: Queen of Scotland Mary Stuart travels to France with four ladies-in-waiting to secure her politically strategic engagement to the king's son, Prince Francis. Mary and Francis share a mutual attraction, even though he has reservations about the wisdom of an alliance with Scotland. Complicating issues  is Bash, Francis' illegitimate half-brother whom Mary finds herself drawn to in spite of herself. The French Court is also full of less romantic challenges for Mary, who finds her engagement -- and life -- threatened until she finds an ally in a mysterious shrouded guide. With all that she faces, Mary rallies, readying herself to rule and trying to find a balance between the demands of her country and those of her heart. My Thoughts: A friend of mine recommended this series to me knowing that I am a history buff. I was easily sucked in from the first episode. First and foremost you have to go into this series knowing that there are a...

Hello again!  I am pursuing again my idea to pair up YA fiction books with fun crafts and yummy recipes.  I'm thinking of a mashup of craft ideas that go with the awesome YA books I read. I will pick a book and then give a description and then list all of the crafts and/or recipes that apply.  I think it will be fun to see how many of these I can come up with.  Let me know if there is a YA book that you would like me to pair up with a craft or recipe!   I just finished the sweetest book called P.S. I Like You by Kasie West and have so many ideas for mashup crafts.  In this book, our main character Lily Abbot is writing in her notebook in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her intrigue!     Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters, sharing secrets, recommending bands, and o...

Wow!  It's been a long time since I posted here.  I feel bad, but I still have lots of fun ideas for teen programs and crafts.  One thing I just implemented at my library is something called the Teen Make n' Take Station.  This is really cool because each month I come up with ideas and buy the supplies, make a few samples and then put out everything at the station.  It has been wildly popular and I am excited to keep this going for our teens that come into the library.  Here is are a few of the crafts I have had at the Make n' Take Station so far. September:  Paint Chip Bookmarks -  These were so fun and easy to make!  Visit your local home service store that has paint samples and you'll find all kinds of colors there.  Find different shaped hole punches or decorate with metallic sharpies and stickers.  Anything you do with these bookmarks is awesome! October:  Decorated Animal Masks - The cutest masks ever :) Just print out th...

Welcome to the GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY HOP! This hop starts on November 15th and ends on November 30th This hop is hosted by  BookHounds My Giveaway: I love this giveaway so much because it gives me the opportunity to thank you! I appreciate you for following my blog and reading my reviews. I'm only asking you to do two things to enter this giveaway: 1. Follow "Mug of Moxie" on Facebook 2. Follow "Mug of Moxie" on Twitter Both buttons are located to the right on my blog page. This is giveaway is International. Please Include contact information(email address) in comment section. Giveaway will run from November 15th to Novernber 30th Winner will be chosen on December 1st Good Luck AND a GIANT thank you from Mug of Moxie! -->

THE MURDERS OF MOLLY SOUTHBORNE 128 Pages Publisher: Tor  October 3, 2017  Goodreads Synopsis: The rule is simple: don't bleed. For as long as Molly Southbourne can remember, she's been watching herself die. Whenever she bleeds, another molly is born, identical to her in every way and intent on her destruction. Molly knows every way to kill herself, but she also knows that as long as she survives she'll be hunted. No matter how well she follows the rules, eventually the mollys will find her. Can Molly find a way to stop the tide of blood, or will she meet her end at the hand of a girl who looks just like her? My Thoughts: This small book packs a hell of a punch! WOW!  The timing of reading this was perfect for the Halloween season.  The reader will take a ride that's brutal, bizarre, and terrifying. The genre is a unique combination of  horror and science fiction that I found thrilling. The author pulls the reader in from the very first page and doesn't let...

Title: Beautiful Disaster  By: Jamie McGuire Genre: Contemporary Romance  Kindle e-Book (5 STARS) The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.  Travis Maddox , lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jamie McGui...

THE SCENT OF RAIN BY ANNE MONTGOMERY March 2017 386 Pages Treehouse Publishing Amazon Synopsis: Rose Madsen will do anything to keep from being married off to one of the men in her Fundamentalist Mormon (FLDS) community, even endure the continued beatings and abuse of her mother. But when her mentally handicapped baby sister is forced to strangle the bird she loves at the behest of the Prophet, Rose frees the bird and runs away. Adan Reyes will do anything to escape the abusive foster care system in Phoenix, even leaving his good friends and successful high school athletic career behind him. Ill-prepared for surviving the desert, Adan hits the road only to suffer heat stroke. Found by a local handyman, he catches a glimpse of a mysterious girl--Rose--running through town, and follows her into the mountains where they are both tracked and discovered by the men of the FLDS community.  With their fates now intertwined, can Rose and Adan escape the systems locking them i...

A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN! Emily has won a copy of "There's Someone In Your House" by Stephanie Perkins Thanks to everyone who participated and to BookHounds for hosting. I've already signed up for a "Gratitude Giveaway" Hop also hosted by BookHounds. I can't wait!