Review #3: Catching Fire (Book #2 of The Hunger Games)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

WARNING: This does have minor SPOILERS ... If you haven't read Hunger Games and plan on it... TURN BACK NOW :-)

Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol. Catching Fire maintains the adrenaline rush of Suzanne Collins's series launch.

My Review: If someone told me that the second book after The Hunger Games was better than the first I would have had a hard time believing them. Suzanne Collins 1st book was just amazing, how could book #2 top that? 

Catching Fire starts off with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark back in District 12. I was relieved to know that they were finally back home and safe (or at least safe for a while). The beginning of Catching Fire was slow, but I think that worked to Suzanne's advantage because it evened out the pace of the book series. Most of The Hunger Games (book 1) was so intense it was nice to finally relax. But that was shortly taken away with more twists and turns. But that is what I love most about Suzanne's writing... you just never know what is going to happen. I am always taken by surprise. 

In this book we finally get to see how "scary" and "controlling" The Capitol really is. A reader gets a sense of that in the previous book obviously since The Capitol ran The Games, but in Catching Fire we see how violent  and manipulating The Capitol can be to the Districts or individuals when they rebel.

Like The Hunger Games; the reader once again feels like they are in The Games fighting for their life. I have NEVER read a book where I had to take a break towards the end because I was mentally exhausted! There was so much going on. I caught myself holding my breath throughout most of the book. I couldn't turn the page fast enough, I had to know what the outcome for Katniss and Peeta would be: life or death.

The question that kept entering my mind during Catching Fire: If I was Katniss or Peeta would I have joined teams with other kids in the games? or would I try to fight alone? Hmm...

I think what really made this book "amazing" was the cliffhanger... the very last line. It was the perfect ending to Catching Fire, but make sure that you have Mockingjay right next to you ready to be read... Believe me! You will want to :-)