Book Review: Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The blurb: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’ worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

My review: So much I could say here but I’ll keep this brief as so many people may come to this without having read books one and two. Mockingjay lives up to it’s previous sisters and the scenes in the Capitol are brilliant, pulse-pounding pages that I couldn’t walk away from.

But. I’m so sad there’s a but. For me the end of this trilogy needed to be epic, the whole series has been an epic battle against repression and I feel we were cut off in our prime, I didn’t even realise the end tragedy until a few pages later as Collins seemed to leave off her usual straight-talking style to go for language a bit more flowery and in the middle of a very pacey battle scene. The Hunger Games was a brilliantly simple idea with set parameters that worked flawlessly. Mockingjay is the culmination of a three book battle between the people of the Districts and the Capitol – in the same way as Star Wars, the last book/film needed to be dramatic, it needed to justify the pain and suffering, the struggle that had taken place throughout the previous books. I was let down, I felt like it ended with a sigh when it should have ended with a thunder clap.

SPOILER ALERT

Katniss disappointed me. I dont think her actions were true to her character and as for the Peeta/Gale/Katniss love triangle this wasn’t settled effectively either, a strong woman such as Katniss would have chosen, she wouldn’t have shyed away from sparing the feelings of the one she didnt chose as it would be better for them in the long run. In the end she didn’t chose at all, just went with whoever happened to live the closest at the end! Which was ridiculous.

The pods and the Capitol games saved this book, I should’ve stopped reading before the end however and made up my own ending. Sadly average ending.

7 out of 10 stars *******!

BUY ME! Mockingjay Classic (Hunger Games Trilogy)

Book Review: Catching Fire

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The blurb: The second book in the ground-breaking HUNGER GAMES trilogy. After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to their district, hoping for a peaceful future. But their victory has caused rebellion to break out … and the Capitol has decided tat someone must pay. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol’s Victory Tour, the stakes are higherhan ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Then comes the cruellest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more.

My review: Rarely do sequels live up to the first book in a trilogy, they don’t have as much power to enthrall and it’s easier to disappoint as the characters and locations, customs and codes of a novel are well loved by it’s readership. I’m happy to say Catching Fire breaks this tradition and is an absolutely amazing addition to The Hunger Games trilogy. The ending in particular took my breath away, I had become so engrossed in the landscape of Panem and it’s twelve surrounding districts that I felt the onset of conflict as a personal blow.

This takes real skill. Suzanne Collins has been gradually introducing the reader to all the elements of a melting pot that’s ready to explode and she’s happily about to light the match. There is nothing slow about this book. It’s a fast paced, adrenalin fuelled ride that will leave you pulling out your hair and biting your nails to get to the end of a truly spectacular piece of fiction. I can’t praise these books highly enough. Mockingjay is calling to me from my bookshelf!

An easy 10 out of 10 stars! **********

BUY ME!  Catching Fire Classic (Hunger Games Trilogy)

Book Review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The blurb: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When her sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.

My review: This is sad to say as it’s only March but I dont think any other book this year could come close to just how amazing The Hunger Games is. What also saddens me is that this book was first published in 2008 and due to a terrible cover and the general impression that it was about war, I didnt want to read it.

The Hunger Games in my head, is a cross between The Lord of the Flies and The Running Man but with it’s own unique and very clever universe and set of characters. I have not been able to get this book out of my head since I read it at the weekend, plus I did something I rarely do and read the entire thing, start to finish, in one day. I refused invitations to go out, I demanded I was left alone, I wandered to the loo, to get food, to grunt at my partner always with the book in my eyeline or in my hand.

The Hunger Games is a startlingly simple and very clever concept. The earth as we know it has changed, North America is now the Capitol, surrounded by twelve Districts that each has a specialist industry. The districts have challenged the Capitol before but the rebellion was swiftly squashed resulting in District 13′s annihilation. The remaining Districts are powerless, some go hungry, some are overworked. The Capitol in a very George Orwell 1984-esque way keeps an eye on all with peacekeepers in each District. Every year there is a reaping where two tributes, a boy and a girl, from each District are entered into the hunger games, a tournament where only one can survive, there can only be one victor.

Katniss Everdeen is a hugely likeable character, strong, silent, defiant and humble but resourceful and spirited when roused. This book made me weep as the unjustness of the Capitol, the struggle of humans when pitted against one another. It’s a brilliant, brilliant book, poignant, thought-provoking and I am recommending it to everyone I see. As soon as I closed it for the last time I ordered Catching Fire.

I know it’s not allowed but it’s my blog and I can do what I like!

15 out of 10 stars! ***************

One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four… and Five! (2)

In November last year I posted an article here that was a meme from  Stuck in a Book, I loved thinking about the books I wanted to read and having a mix of titles in a blog post so thought I would do it again! So here it is!

1.) The Book I’m Currently Reading:

The Summer of Living Dangeously by Julie Cohen. I’m about 150 pages in and am loving it, all those years of reading Jane Austen makes the heroine completely relatable to me!

2.) The Last Book I Finished:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. If I could give this book a fifteen out of ten I would, or a twenty it was just so fantastically well thought out. As soon as I finished the last page I went straight online and bought the next one – Catching Fire.

3.) The Next Book I Want To Read:

I could say Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins as there’s no way I’m waiting to read this, but to mix it up a bit I’m also looking forward to reading 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce, has an interesting synopsis!

 

4.) The Last Book I Bought:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Arrived this morning, looks brilliant, can’t get enough of Katniss Everdeen.

5.) The Last Book I Was Given:

The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall sent over from the lovely publicists at Headline. Is top of my TBR pile!

Book Review: Shiver

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The blurb: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods. Especially the yellow-eyed beast whose chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Every winter she watches him, but every summer, he disappears…

Sam leads two lives. In winter, he stays in the frozen woods, with the protection of the pack. In summer, he has a few precious months to be human, until the cold makes him shift back again. When Grace and Sam finally meet, they realize they can’t bear to be apart. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human – or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. Perfect for fans of Twilight, this hypnotic and unsettling love story was voted “Best Book to Curl Up With” by Glamour magazine.

Mr review: Shiver is brilliant, I’m a little ashamed it’s taken me so long to get round to reading it. The cover is so iconic, I think I’ve seen it everywhere and knew of it even before I picked it up. That is always a good sign.

Its basically a love story between Grace and Sam, a girl who was bitten by werewolves and never changed and a boy who’s been a werewolf for the past 11 years. The chapter style is told from their viewpoints, each chapter marked by a Grace or Sam title which I really loved, it worked well and kept you fully in the picture.

The characters are brilliant, it’s taken a well-known fantasy creature and made a very simple love story a thing of beauty. Wonderfully crafted, Shiver is one of the books this year Ive been surprised by the most.

You really feel the threat of the winter and the struggle Sam is under. The love story isnt corny, its not sickly, it comes across as honest and sweet. Every character is flawed in a realistic way. Brilliant read, I highly recommend it and I’ve already ordered Linger!

8.5 out of 10 stars ********

BUY ME! Shiver