17. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins...

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Catching Fire was on loan from my local library, and has gone to another rabid fan. I am an IndieBound and Amazon affiliate, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

About the book:

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 that 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.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before... and surprising readers at every turn.

drey's thoughts:
Well. I finally got Catching Fire, after what seemed like an interminable wait... And was the wait worth it? Oh yes. Because now that you've heaved a sigh of relief at the end of The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins quickly takes a jab at your mid-section, resulting in the whoosh of lost breath. Again.

How bad can it be? Well... Let's see. The President shows up at Katniss' (new) house and threatens the lives of her loved ones, then announces that for this 25th anniversary of the Hunger Games, the only eligible tributes are former victors. Which means that everyone who's ever survived the horror of their Hunger Games now gets to go back. And try to survive it again. Talk about nightmares!

So, Katniss and Peeta team up again, this time to assist the other in staying alive. They find unexpected allies, and unexpected chances. Catching Fire will have you at the edge of your seat until you read the very last word. And then some. I can't wait for the third (and last?) book to come out. August won't get here soon enough for me!

drey's rating: 4/5 Excellent

Title: Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2)
Author: Suzanne
ISBN-13: 9780439023498
Hardcover: 391 pages
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

Challenges: 100+, Support Your Local Library

233. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins...

About the book:

Could you survive on your own in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

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 weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

drey's thoughts:
Y'know, in the beginning of the year, I never would've thought that I'd be reading YA novels, and actually enjoy them. Well, The Hunger Games is definitely one of the YA books that I really liked this year, and you should pick it up and read it. Especially if you're a fan of science fiction stories with spunky characters who fight like heck against conforming to what's expected.

Katniss is a pretty cool character. She's strong, smart, and tries to do her best even when she doesn't feel like it. When her twelve-year-old sister is picked to be tribute for the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place instead. Because she cannot imagine losing Primrose, and she cannot imagine that Prim would even have a chance.

Her mentor is a drunk, her handler is chirpy, and the boy chosen from her district has a humongous crush on her. But together, they come up with a plan to try to stay alive against the other 22 tributes, even while knowing that only one can win.

The Hunger Games is gripping until the very last page, and it's a journey I don't think you will regret taking. I loved it, and cannot wait to read Catching Fire.

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
ISBN-10: 0439023483
ISBN-13: 9780439023481
Hardcover: 374 pages
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2008
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

Challenges: 100+, 1st in Series, Support Your Local Library

Disclosure: My copy of The Hunger Games paid a visit from my local library, for which I'm very grateful.