The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Book Review

         IN HONOR OF THE MOVIE!!!




The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
US Release Date: October 31st 2008
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Author Info: Suzanne Collins' Website
Source: Borders  (This was... :'( before they went out of business)
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Series: #1 of The Hunger Games
Rating: 5 out of 5
Buy It: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


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In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
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Plot: Suzanne Collins creates a whole other reality flawlessly. The plot for The Hunger Games seems basic enough; a girl trying to win in a competition where kids kill each other, but there is so much more to that. If you have read the second books you know how well this sets up everything that happens with the Capitol and Katniss. You see how obviously corrupt this government is and how all Katniss is doing is trying to survive without completely losing herself. All the twists and turns while she's in the arcade just take your breath away and keep your eyes glued to the page and your mind intertwined with Katniss. It's amazing!


Pacing: Perfect, that's all I gotta say. Even reading it a second time I never got bored.


Characters: Katniss is one tough chick. She has been living in a life of poverty and is the only thing between her family and starvation. She knows what she has to do survive. She is strong and smart but she also has a soft side that she reserves for only a select few. Overall she is a fantastically dynamic and strong character. Peeta is so good! He is a nice guy despite all the horrors and near-death experiences he faces within the arena. He doesn't want the Capitol to change who he is and they don't. No matter what Peeta is caring and not to mention pretty clever. Haymitch and Effie are both fantastic characters that display both ends of what the Capitol can do to you. 
Suzanne Collins creates her characters so well that you even get a good feel for all the other tributes Katniss notices, even if you don't know their names. 


Writing: Suzanne Collins' writing is perfect for being inside Katniss' mind. It is not super flowery or romantic because that just isn't how Katniss thinks. However, it still allows you to feel everything that Katniss is feeling and truly become attached to her.
Also, through Katniss' eyes she manages to create a world that is almost real. Her writing allows the reader to feel the suspense of the arena to the over-flowing luxury of the Capitol to the harsh reality of District 12 as if you were there.


Overall:  5 out of 5, easy. Maybe it's just because Im super excited about the movie or maybe it's because I finally realize the awesomeness of this book but, I think I like the Hunger Games even more now than I did the first time I read it. Thanks to Suzanne's skill and attention to detail I understand things within the novel in a whole new light. In many ways it felt as if I was reading the novel for the first time in the way the twists and turns surprised me and every conflict Katniss encountered made me super tense. Suzanne Collins is a phenomenal storyteller and this epic trilogy about self-discovery, good, evil, and love is truely remarkable, even from the very beginning.

5 out of 5 stars

Should you read it?

YES! Especially before you see the movie!

Should you buy it?

YES! I would definitely say this is a must-have.

Waiting On Wednesday #4

Im participating in "Waiting On Wednesday." A weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine where I tell you about an upcoming book that I'm excited about. 

This week the book I'm waiting on is...

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier 

Publication Date: September 11th, 2012

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Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill--a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk--Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec.

During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death--but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban's release from Keldec's rule. Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

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HELP A FELLOW BOOK BLOGGER!

    BREAKING NEWS!!! Lindsay Mead, an awesome book reviewer/vlogger wants to become a published author! She's written two novella's entitled The Vengence of Verona and Slipped and she's been working on a full blown novel named Exaulta. She's been working on these for a long time and is nearing the finish line. But she needs our help! As many of you may know, one needs financial aid to be able to finish and publish a book and that is what Lindsay is asking for.
     She is starting her project on this awesome website called Kickstarter. Kickstarter is this great site that allows artists to get funding from the world wide web for their projects. But there's a ketch. The only way for the artist to get that money is if they reach the goal they set within a certain number of days. If they do not reach that goal then the artist will not receive any funding what so ever and it'll be as if the campaign never existed. So! Lindsay Mead has set a goal of $5,000 dollars and she must reach that goal by May 5th. That is in 45 days people!
     How can you help? Well you can pledge any amount you want from $1 dollar to $2,000 or more. It's all up to you! And not only that, there are certain rewards that you can receive per the amount you choose to donate (but only if she reaches her goal). The rewards range from email update's on Exaulta's progress to a signed manuscript and so much more. I personally pledged and really hope Lindsay reaches her goal because Exaulta sounds like an amazing novel. I mean, who wouldn't want another fantastic book to read?
       Speaking of reading. On Lindsay Mead's campaign page you could read the first chapter of Exaulta for yourself. Read it! I know you'll love it!
       So come on people. Let's help Lindsay publish her book!

Link to Kickstarter campaign:
Exaulta, A Guardian Novel: Book One by Lindsay Mead

Link to Lindsay's blog:
Lindsay Mead blog

Link to Lindsay's Youtube Channel:
The Book Vlogger

Top Ten Tuesday #5

This weekly event is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks theme is...

Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read list

Although I will be doing some traveling over spring break I do hope I find time to read these. Luckily, I will have my handy dandy Kindle with me so I wont have to bring an entire suitcase dedicated to books.

1) Delirium by Lauren Oliver

    I'm mad at myself that I haven't read this yet. It's on my kindle and I am determined to read and review it soon...hopefully.

2) What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

    I love Sarah Dessen's novels and they are just the perfect spring/summer reads, at least for me. So I hope to find the time to get to this.

3) The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

    I recently got this and it keeps calling out "Read Me! Read Me!" every time I look at it. Im going to have to read it soon or I might start to go insane.

4) The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima

    Once again, this is another book I am mad at myself for not having read yet. Though this is not exactly what you would call "travel ideal" with it being over 500 pages and hard cover. I will definitely find a way to stuff this in my bag and read it whenever possible.

5) Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

    This book looks like a sweet, light read that is perfect for the spring time. Plus, I will have it on my kindle = hassel free!

6) In The Window Room by Steven J. Carroll

    This book looks light, fun, and adventurous. It's a children's novel so it shouldn't be too hard to get through not to mention it is super short and light. I could probably finish it on the trip and still have time to read something else.

7)The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

  Another book that isn't exactly "travel ideal" but it has begun to harmonize with The Catastrophic History of You and Me in it's cries to be read and I can't ignore it for much longer.

8) Divergent by Veronica Roth

    A paperback, action-packed adventure! What more can a girl want out of a spring break read?

9) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

    All the adds and reviews I've been seeing for this book continue to taunt me and make me ask "why haven't I read this yet?" So I've made up my mind to stop those questions and read this awesome-looking book.

10) Everneath by Brodi Ashton

      This is another novel that I hope to purchase on my Kindle plus it looks just plain awesome and everything I've heard about it is so good.

Geez...so many books, so little time.

Birthday Book Haul / In My Mailbox #2

So my birthday was this past week and I got some awesome books that I'd love to show you! 

The books I received were...

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Im participating "Waiting on Wednesday." A weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine where I tell you about an upcoming book that I'm excited about.

This week the book I'm waiting on is...

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: June 5th 2012

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Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

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Top Ten Tuesday #4

This is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week's theme is...

Top Ten Fantasy Books

1) Graceling by Kristen Cashore

    I've put this book in my Top Ten several times....I just love it so much!

2) Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

    This was a favorite of mine in elementary school and I continue to adore the world and the characters that Cornelia Funke has created.

3) The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

    This is just self explanatory

4) The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

    All the political intrigue and magic and characters really make this book something special. I feel like it hasn't received nearly as much acknowledgement as it deserves.

5)The Game of Throne by George R. R. Martin

    I love the show and the book! The characters are so deliciously evil and twisted and this book is just dripping with intrigue and mystery. Plus the whole world the Martin creates is so rich and full of life and history.

6) The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

    I'm usually not one for fairy books but this one changed my mind. I love the world and the characters that Julie creates and the conflict between nature and expansions in technology is just really interesting.

7) Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

    This is an absolutely stunning conclusion to this marvelous trilogy.

8) Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

    I never thought fairies could be so badass until this book. Seriously, the characters may be small but they seem so real and they really pack a punch.

9) The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Toni DiTerlizzi

    I LOVED these books growing up. They made me wanted roam the woods searching for brownies and fairies.

10) Fire by Kristen Cashore

      With this companion novel Kristen Cashore adds another fantastic layer to the seven kingdoms and shows you characters you can't help but grow attached to.