Moxie Girls Fight Back! • Moxie

It's been a while since I've finished a book that left me entertained and empowered, so Moxie was a pleasant surprise. Moxie is a novel with a compelling story and a strong message that completely blew me away! It's about Vivian Carter, a girl who is fed up with the mentalities and behavior of her peers and school administration, whether it's the sexist dress codes or the harassment her fellow girls suffer at the hands of many of the guys at school. Inspired by her mom's Riot Grrrl past, she creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously at her school. Her zine starts a conversation, which turns into a movement as her fellow young women start to stand up for better treatment and the things they know are right - a girl revolution that will change things forever.

PLOT? It's a simple story that centers around a girl who is frustrated by her current circumstances, and decides to do something about it when her feelings can't be contained. Mathieu masterfully weaves in relationships - Vivian's family in the form of her mom and grandparents, her friendships old and new and a budding romance - against the backdrop of a revolutionary change that starts with one person deciding to stand up for what they believe is right, and it was so compelling. It was really cool to see how Mathieu wove in experiences that many women are going to be able to relate to, no matter their age, as well as the corresponding attitudes that condone these issues, the attitudes that challenge them and the doubts and fears that might weigh heavy on the people who have to deal with these things on a regular basis.

CHARACTER? I really liked Vivian! Her willingness to go out of her comfort zone in order to stand up against the ill treatment of the girls in her school, as well as her choice to express herself anonymously but boldly were all things I thought admirable. I liked that, even with all of the ups and downs of her experiences, she also had her own doubts, and her own truths to confront. I also really enjoyed watching the way her relationships shifted in response to all of the things she was going through! She felt so real, and was a girl after my own heart. I think we would be besties if we ever met in real life!

WRITING? It was really easy to read, and the story flowed quite nicely from start to finish. I also thought that the characters were well-developed (secondary ones included), the themes were well-constructed (but not preachy), and the pacing was totally spot on.

OVERALL? In case it wasn't obvious, I really liked Moxie! It's one of the best books I've read in 2017. The story was really great, the characters were so real and the themes made me want to stand up and do things by the time I'd turned the very last page. I'd definitely recommend this one for young women - teens and adults alike - to read! Heck, I recommend this one for all readers, really, because it's just so well done.

FAVORITE FEMALE EMPOWERMENT SONG? I had a hard time narrowing down my choice for this particular question because I do love a lot of songs that feel very empowering to listen to. But I finally went with Fight Song by Rachel Platten, because the words are excellent encouragement and I feel like I can do anything after I hear that song. (Runners-up would be Brave by Sara Bareilles and Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson, which I really love too).

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press | Publication Date: September 19, 2017

Source: ARC received from publisher (Thanks!)