Review #4: Mockingjay (Book 3 of the Hunger Games Series)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

WARNING: There are a few spoilers...

Synopsis: Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

 My Review: First off, let me just say that I finished Mockingjay a few days ago and I am still trying to process what went on. My mind is still turning and I can't stop thinking about The Hunger Games series!! To me, that is what makes a great story- any book that makes a person reflect on the ideas and event that just took place and they can't let go of it or sometimes can't even make complete sense of it- the rest is up to us to think about and imagine.

Mockingjay took place in an entirely different setting, and I believe that the mood changed quite a bit from Catching Fire to Mockingjay. In a way it calmed down (just a little... and not for long though). Katniss is safe and in District 13, but there is still this immense fear. When "The Games" were taken place, the fear was right there in front of us, the reader was just waiting to read that someone else has died... but in Mockingjay a reader is just waiting for something, anything, to go wrong. I guess it is the "unknown" that is the scariest. The Capitol is a major threat but it is hard to tell when they will decide anything. 

We also get to see a twist in character: Peeta being controlled by The Capitol (even when he wasn't under their reign)... it was hard for me perceive Peeta at this point because I couldn't get the "sweet, innocent" Peeta out of my head (yes, he has that affect on people). I felt truly sorry for him, and so it made me hate the Capitol even more. 

We finally get to see more interaction between Gale and Katniss and ever Gale and Peeta. In the other two books Gale is there, but he is in the background since Peeta and Katniss are in the games most of the time. So seeing those relationships come out, transform and grow throughout the series was wonderful!

And my love for Katniss also grew. She has always been strong and courageous, but we get to see the "troubled" sides of her as well; having The Capitol against her and people who she loves being taken away... take a huge toll. I love seeing how she handles the unknown events in Mockingjay. Yes, I still want to be just like Katniss Everdeen!!


Another reason that I love this book is that the "love triangle" is not at the surface of the plot. It is there, but it doesn't take over the story. 

This book will have a person gasping for breath because they forgot to breathe, clinching teeth and turning up noses, laughing, and crying; not just sad tears but happy ones as well. There are so many emotions drawn into the series and I never once saw a decline in emotion- it was always present. There are events that happen when you least expect them... some good, some bad. In fact, I had to take a break and reread the last chapter before the Epilogue because I couldn't read through my tears any more...


The ending (or rather the last 5 chapters of Mockingjay) is the part that threw me for a loop big time!! Great ending, I loved it... but I wouldn't mind knowing a little more. Especially a little more about Gale and how his life turned out; I feel like he just "vanished" at the end there.

So once again... Suzanne Collins, You did it!! Thank you Thank you Thank you for this wonderful creation of Panem and such strong vivid writing!


The Hunger Games Trilogy was phenomenal!! I can't wait to reread the series and pay attention to some of the little things that I may have missed. And of course I can NOT wait until March 2012 to watch The Hunger Games come to life : LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!

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 :-) 

Review #2: The Hunger Games (Book #1)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis: 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.

I TRIED MY HARDEST TO LEAVE OUT SPOILERS... This was a very difficult task!  

My Review: Wow, wow, wow! Suzanne Collins sure knows how to draw in her readers. I was captivated right away by the complexity between the Districts and the Capitol. The idea of a dystopian society is hard to imagine because it is unlike anything we have ever had to experience, but Suzanne makes her readers feel like they are living in District 12 under the rule of the Capitol. The fear and the challenge of staying alive, is all there and it is emotionally exhausting. When The Games begin, which two people a boy and a girl from each district must participate and fight to the death for the entertainment of the Capitol, the reader can actually feel like they are also inside the arena. It was intense! I kept flipping through the pages one after another because I needed to know the outcome of the games. There were times where the book would get a little violent for my taste, but I kept reminding myself that that was the reality of  life under the Capitol's rule. 


I would recommend this book to ANYONE! It was absolutely amazing and had me yearning to read more.  Actually, this is probably the best book I've read since Twilight (and I've read tons of books since then!) 



The Hunger Games left me thinking two things... 1) Why did it take me this long to read this series? and 2). I want to be just like Katniss Everdeen!

'The Hunger Games' gets a release date -- EXCLUSIVE

This Just came in today via EW!! Super Excited!

Game on! Lionsgate has announced to EW that The Hunger Games, the highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ futuristic YA thriller about scrapper Katniss Everdeen and her fight to survive a brutal reality TV contest, will be released on March 23, 2012. Director Gary Ross recently revealed to EW that he aims to go into production of the first installment of Collins’ trilogy later this spring.

Another Twilight Themed Background!

This is what I do when I'm at work ;-) LOL

Review #1 : Water For Elephants

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

Synopsis: Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death.

My Review: I went in to reading this book blinded. I knew nothing about this author, Sara Gruen; how or what she writes, the genre, etc. I only knew that the book was about a circus thanks to the title and the cover art. And I'm not going to lie, I wanted to read this book because the movie staring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon will be out in April of this year.

Water for Elephants takes a person back in time, a reader can really get the sense of how life may have been during the Depression era. The way that Sara Gruen writes, with so much insight and detail, I could easily picture every scene. The image of a train, box car, animals and the tents for the circus were so clear to me because of the perfectly vivid descriptions. The only downfall, sometimes there were details that could have been left out ;-) Any reader would still have understood.

The research that was put into the making of this book was clearly evident. I admire authors who take the time to get every information and detail out of a certain topic correct.

I loved how Sara also goes back and forth between Jacob, the circus vet, to Jacob, the 93 year old in a nursing home. A reader is able to feel the emotions that are being portrayed of this older man, due to everything that Jacob went through in his earlier years.

I wouldn't have minded reading more about Jacob; what he does after the circus, his relations with Marlena, etc. We get a gist of all these events, but the story was so good and Jacob is such an interesting character that I couldn't help but want to find out more about him.

Overall, Water for Elephants was a very well written, captivating book! I am looking forward to seeing the book come to life.






This was my first review EVER... so I would love to hear some feedback :-)
Andrea

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So I am still trying to figure out this whole blogging thing. I am definitely not the best when it comes to technology and computers, so bare with me as I continue to learn new things!