Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

 Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, 390 pages

Mockingjay is probably my least favorite of the series, which is strange to me because I thought the ending was spectacular.  Gale's likeability, a low crest at the best of the series, plummets into the Mariana Trench. But the parallels between Coin and Snow, 13 and the Capitol, are written heartbreakingly well.  The ending, while not particularly happy, is satisfying, and something you can see Collins was building towards since the very first chapter. 

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, 391 pages

Rereading this series gave me a new appreciation of Catching Fire.  Everything I love about Hunger Games is here but sharper and deeper. The stakes are high and always feel so real. You know people will die, but it's still a shock when they actually do, especially when Collins doesn't give us time to sit with the death. My favorite part is the end, because even though it's horrific and devastating, it rings true. 

This is also my first time reading the series after reading Sunrise on the Reaping, which brings series gravitas to the events. 

 

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, 374 pages

A teenage girl ruins her sister's chance at being on a top-rated reality TV show.

 

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, 382 pages

Sunrise on the Reaping might be my favorite book in the Hunger Games series. From the beginning, we know how the story ends. We know that all of the tributes sans Haymitch will die. But the way the story unfolds feels unpredictable, like anything might happen. Revolution can come and spare the children. I ran through this title at a breakneck speed. It's a book that my subconscious will be chewing on for a while. 

 

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins

 The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins-374 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Katniss Everdeen is 16 and doing her best to feed herself and her family in District 12 of Panem. District 12 is the poorest of the districts and putting food on the table is not easy. However, Katniss can hunt and often brings back squirrels and other meat to trade in the Hob. On Reaping Day, Katniss hopes that neither she nor Gale nor her sister Prim is chosen. In a nightmare scenario, her sister Prim (who is 12 and has only 1 slip in the drawing) is drawn as the girl tribute. Katniss volunteers as tribute and now must compete in the 74th Hunger Games. Peeta Mellark is the boy tribute for District 12. This is the story of Katniss and Peeta's harrowing experience in the 74th Hunger Games. 

I previously read this and have watched the movie several times, but this is our next selection for the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book to Movie Club and it fits right in with this month's blog challenge. I liked it the first time and nothing changed in that regard on this second reading. It feels like a very timely book (along with the rest of the series) considering current events. 

Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games Prequel) by Suzanne Collins

 Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games Prequel) by Suzanne Collins-382 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Haymitch Abernathy lives in District 12 of Panem with his mom and younger brother, Sid. It's his 16th Birthday and it's also Reaping day. He has 40 "tickets" in the drawing, but is hopeful his name (nor his girlfriend, Lenore Dove's name) is not drawn. All hell breaks loose at the District 12 Reaping after a boy whose name is called tries to run. Haymitch ends up as one of the two boy tributes from 12 and is separated from his family and girlfriend and must compete in the second Quarter Quell (50th Hunger Games). What awaits is absolutely heartbreaking and horrifying. 

Having read and watched the original trilogy of books/movies, I knew Haymitch would survive, but I didn't realize just how much he would endure during his own Reaping and Hunger Games. I can completely understand why he took to heavily drinking after reading his story in this book. That being said, this is a good book and on par with the original trilogy. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0) by Suzanne Collins

 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0) by Suzanne Collins-517 pages

This is a prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy set some 60 years before those books. Coriolanus Snow (President of Panem in the events of the Hunger Games trilogy) is the main protagonist. The story mostly follows the 10th Hunger Games and Snow's assignment as a mentor to Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 girl tribute, while he attends the Capitol Academy. It also covers events that take place after the 10th Hunger Games. It's basically how Snow became President Snow by the time of The Hunger Games. It's a why behind the who. I found Snow's character arc in this book a bit lacking, however. It seems that because he was raised in the Capitol he believes he's better that the Districts and the Capitol is the only way to keep everyone safe and peaceful. He sort of pushes back against the Capitol a little during the Games, but then reverts to just going along with the Capitol afterwards. I will say it was boring at times and I wondered at times if this story was really necessary. I did find parts of the story interesting, especially during the 10th Hunger Games. A few things from the Hunger Games trilogy get some backstory, such as the origins of the "Hanging Tree" song. I don't really care too much about President Snow's origin story, though. I read this because the movie is set to release in theaters in November and I'm interested in watching it even so and I enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy. I liked this book (but didn't reaaalllly like it) and would give it 3 out of 5 stars. 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-374 pages

I previously read Catching Fire and Mockingjay after watching the film based on this novel (I have seen all the films). I had yet to read this, though, so I decided to read it for the monthly challenge. The Hunger Games (and the sequels) has been challenged/banned because it is sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and contains violence according to the ALA Top 10 Most Challenged Books List from 2010. It has been challenged for other reasons, additionally. I don't agree with the reasons for it being challenged. The movie follows the book fairly accurately with only minor details tweaked or altered. For instance, in the book Thresh is killed by Cato before the Muttations are released. However, in the movie Thresh is killed after the Muttations are released. This is one example of a few. Per usual, there is greater and more in depth detail in the book, additionally. Personally, I hope we as a society never reach this sort of appalling government and normalized violence/killing. Forcing teenagers (and pre-teens) to kill each other on TV in an arena is horrifying, but yet within the context of the story it is customary/normal/not unusual. The Hunger Games is an annual event that has now happened 74 years running in the book. I hope we never get to the point that killing each other is normalized. I find this series thought-provoking and engrossing. It is a page-turner. I am glad that I finally read the first book after all this time!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
(Hunger Games #0)
528 pages / 16 hrs, 16 mins

"It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

"The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute...and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes."  --from the publisher

Excellent book and so much to think about--government, freedom, temptation, honor, friendship, survival, inner demons, and personal values.  I gave it four out of five stars.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins- 391 pgs.

After winning The Hunger Games by outsmarting the Capitol, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are living the life of victors in District 12.  Everything is not so simple.  After playing star-crossed lovers in the arena, Katniss is not sure how to act around Peeta or her long-time friend, Gale.  Plus, the Capitol is not happy with Katniss and her stunt to win the Games.  Katniss will do whatever it takes to protect her family and friends, especially after President Snow throws a major curve to the victors of past Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- 374 pgs.

By this time, everyone should know the story of The Hunger Games, but here is a recap:  America has been divided into 12 districts and a Capitol after going through a war.  To keep the districts in check, the Capitol holds The Hunger Games where each district sends one boy and one girl to fight to the death on national TV.  Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take the place of her sister when her sister's name is called.  With her fellow tribute, Peeta Mellark, Katniss prepares to fight for her life, while keeping her humanity.

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - 398 pages

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.
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.

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - 391 pages

Against all odds Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the capitol - a rebellion the Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I made the mistake of watching the film adaptation of The Hunger Games before reading the novel. Throughout the film I felt as if chunks of the story were missing, so I of course rushed out to read the book immediately. Sadly even though it filled in several of the gaps I still felt as if something were missing from the story. The premiss of the tale is that each one of twelve districts must provide a male and female tribute to essentially be sacrificed in the annual Hunger Games as punishment for the Rebellion. I was not as impressed by the book as I had hoped I would be, but none-the-less am excited to read the next installment of the series.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, 391 pages.                                                     Catching Fire follows Katniss and Peeta after they have won the Hunger Games and are living a privileged life with their families, including Gale, her"cousin".  Tensions and suspicions flare of uprisings throughout the districts.  President Snow has not been very happy with Katniss and the manner in which she has carried on since the games.  There is more then one surprising twist in this book.  I really don't want to spoil the book for the few who still have left to read it, but found the twists are shocking enough to let out loud gasps.  The ending is enough to make me rush to finish book three which I am sure I will complete in the next month. Great read for ages teen to adult.



The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, 374 pages

I put off reading this book, and I am not sure I would have read it if I hadn't heard it was coming out as a movie. Also, not to mention, it was a book everyone was talking about. Like most parents, when I heard it was about kids killing each other until there was one survivor, I did not want to read this book.  It was nothing I was interested in, but I have a young son whose classmates were reading it and thought if he was going to read it, I should read it first.  For the price of $6.79 this book was well worth the money.  Although the book was not as graphically violent as I thought it would be, it had violence in it that could give a preteen nightmares.  Katniss is a strong role model who takes care of her family and who since her father's death, is a survivor and a fighter.  The friendship between Peeta and Katniss that starts to look like young love makes me want to read the next two books to see if it is about the Hunger Games or the relationship between the survivors of District 12.  Suzanne Collins has cleverly written a book to appeal to both adults, young and old, and preteens and teens.  I am glad I read this book as it also reminded me of an adult trilogy I recently read the first book of, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Hats off to the strong female heroine.  We have someone to cheer for.  My money is on Katniss all the way.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-  374 pages

This book is a futuristic dystopia that takes place in Panem (future North America). Panem is divided into 12 districts. Once a year, two teens from each district are selected to compete in the Hunger Games, a televised event in which they are pitted against one another in a dangerous arena. The story follows Katniss, a resourceful 16-year-old who volunteers for the games in place of her little sister. I had initially read this book a few years ago and wanted to refresh my memory since the film version is coming out soon. It was even better this time around. Though at times it can be brutal and depressing, that does not overshadow the overarching themes of bravery, love, and perseverance.