Review // Catching Fire & Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

If you haven't read these books, I urge you not to read the blurbs as they give a lot away!


Catching Fire - Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are still alive. Katniss should be relieved, but now there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped to create. As the nation watches Katniss and Peeta, the stakes are higher than ever. One false move and the consequences will be unimaginable.






Mockingjay - Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But she's still not safe. A revolution is unfolding, and everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - everyone except Katniss. And yet she must play the most vital part in the final battle. Katniss must become their Mockingjay - the symbol of rebellion - no matter what the personal cost.







Books 2 and 3 of The Hunger Games Trilogy were not a disappointment. Admittedly, it took a while for me to get interested in Catching Fire because of the love story that seemed to be the main focus. Whilst I love a good romance just like everybody else, I felt (and still do to a degree) that there was too much focus on the relationships between Katniss/Peeta/Gale. Just a few chapters in though and I was hooked once again! The Capitol and the Districts really interest me and dystopian novels are definitely right up my street just lately.
Mockingjay definitely impressed me more than Catching Fire but for different reasons. The imagery and certain scenes depicted in Mockingjay were truly disturbing and unexpected. It was hard to say goodbye to characters that i'd grown to love and feel protective of but with the release of the movie this weekend, I have a feeling that The Hunger Games are here to stay and are about to become even bigger :)

Goodreads Challenge 15/50
Debut Author Challenge 2/5
Dystopian Challenge 4/5
Paranormal Fantasy Challenge 2/5

Review // The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

In a dark vision of the near future, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live TV show called The Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.
When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

This isn't the cover of my version.

I barely know where to start with this review, hence why it has taken a while to put it up here.
The Hunger Games has changed my way of reading. I've always enjoyed reading YA and Dystopian novels but believe it or not, this is one of the first YA Dystopian books I have read and putting my experience into words is going to be difficult.

As a person who reads a lot of books consecutively, it is difficult for me to really get attached to a book. I move on from one book to the next so fast that the love I hold for a particular character is immediately cast aside. The Hunger Games was different though. After every couple of chapters I had to put the book down to seriously think about what was happening and to keep my emotions in check. I was genuinely terrified for Katniss, Peeta and Rue and also everyone back in District 12. I was holding on to the bed, anxious to know what was going to happen next! It's been a long time since a book made me feel that way.

The only downside I have of The Hunger Games is what happens in the caves. (No spoilers!) The rest of the book was filled with excitement and an uncertainty and then it dulled too much. I realise that for the ending to fully work, there needed to be a respite of sorts but this was too much. I didn't like the way that the book became focused on relationships, love and emotion. It just didn't feel right and was a little uncomfortable. It didn't effect the overall story though so that's all I will say!

I wish that more people had read this book and I can't wait to see the film production next month :)

Goodreads Challenge 10/50

Chick Lit Challenge 0/5
Debut Author Challenge 2/5
Dystopian Challenge 2/5
Paranormal Fantasy Challenge 2/5

Book Haul!

As part of my promise to keep this blog regularly updated, here is the tale of my most recent book haul!

I went shopping last week with a friend and we went into The Works just to have a look around. We went upstairs to the arts & crafts, and book section to see if there were any gems waiting to be had - and I was lucky! At the back of a dusty shelf, hidden by Arthur Conan Doyle, was The Hunger Games Trilogy for £5!
I think the RRP for these books is over £5 each, so to get all three books for that price pleased me a lot!!

I also received another book a few days ago as a late Christmas present, Wizard's First Rule, which takes my total of new books to 4 :) I'm especially happy with this as i've recently started watching 'Legend of the Seeker' which is the TV adaptation of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series

Book Haul:

1. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
2. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
3. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
4. Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind

I have 2 book reviews coming this week, so watch out for them :)

Books Read in 2012 - 3.
Currently Reading - Nothing yet.