Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

WARNING: This post contains spoilers for anyone who has not read The Hunger Games. Proceed with caution.

Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games, along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Katniss should be celebrating the wealth she has brought her entire family and district, but she can not. The terror she encountered in the Games still haunts her. The Capital also wants her dead. By pulling out the poisonous berries, Katniss defied the Capital, and no one defies the Capital. Soon, there are rumors of rebellion within several of Panem's districts--a rebellion that Katniss unknowingly created. Even worse, this is the 75th annual Hunger Games. Every 25 years, the Capital creates an even more vicious version of the Games. And this year's game is the unthinkable...

I read The Hunger Games two years ago, when the novel was first released. I loved it, and anxiously waited for Catching Fire. Yet, I did not pre-order the book, and by the time it was released I had started school. I wanted to focus on my schoolwork and the ~60 books I own, yet have not read. When summer rolled around, I knew I had to read Catching Fire. I ordered the book along with pre-ordering Mockingjay. I started reading Catching Fire the afternoon I received it in the mail. I read 340 pages that day, a record for me. The next morning I finished the rest of the book. If the speed at which I read this book does not tell you how much I enjoyed it, I do not know what will.

The characters in this book are top-notch. Readers see more of their favorites from The Hunger Games, along with a few new characters. Collins does not reveal much about the new characters, but I think they will play a larger role in Mockingjay. Also, Collins is a great storyteller. Most of the chapters end with cliffhangers, so readers will continue to flip pages wanting to learn more. I did not necessarily like the direction this novel took about halfway through (if you want to know what exactly I mean by that, look in the comments), but it had no effect on how I felt about the novel overall.

If you have not read Catching Fire yet, READ IT. With the release of Mockingjay in a week, there is no better time than now. Also, if you have read Catching Fire, feel free to discuss your thoughts on it and/or predictions on Mockingjay in the comments.

P.S. I am Team Gale. :-P

Related Links
The Hunger Games Site
Suzanne Collin's Site
Amazon
Powell's

I purchased this book.

WARNING: Comments may contain spoilers for The Hunger Games trilogy.

In My Mailbox Aug. 9-14

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

I read The Hunger Games when it was first released and loved it! For some reason, last year, I did not buy Catching Fire. Instead I waited until last week to order it, along with a pre-order of Mockingjay. Catching Fire came in the mail on Friday afternoon, and I finished it Saturday morning. So good!

Life update

So, in a week, I am going to college! Between reading Catching Fire (as much as I loved The Hunger Games, you would think I would have read it already) and preparing for the week, I've been preparing for college. Or rather, I should be. Mostly, I am just procrastinating.

Recently, I got chosen to be a CSN Preferred Blogger (yay!), and all their bedroom furniture sets reminded me even more how much I'm going to miss my bed. Seriously, I don't think a lofted bed could be quite as nice.

Youtube Connection 12

Youtube Connection is a Thursday feature where I will post a video (or more) that is somehow related to a book.

This week's Youtube Connection is different in that it's the first time that I have not read the featured book. In doing this, I think I can help create buzz for more books, so I hope you enjoy the change. Anyway, this week's video is the book trailer for Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I previously reviewed Becoming Chloe, which I liked. Enjoy!

Questions!

I feel like my readers (you!) don't really have a good idea of who I am, which is mostly my fault. As I prepare for my major comeback (of sorts), I thought I would give you opportunities to get to know me! I plan on having a week where I put up information about me, my blog, and book reviews. Oh and also CONTESTS. :D BUT first, today, I want you to ask me all the questions you have for me. You can use the form below, e-mail me, or comment. I'll answer all of them in a post on "The Week," as long as they are appropriate. I don't know when the actual week will be, but I'm leaning towards Aug. 23-30. I think that will be the soonest I will be able to.

Oh, and asking my questions MAY get you bonus entries on a future giveaway. *hint* *hint*

Ask away!

Holly Schindler Writes...

Holly Schindler is the author of A Blue So Dark.

Sypnosis of A Blue So Dark:

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

Today, I have a guest blog, on a very fitting topic, by Holly.

Getting Out Of A (Reading OR Writing) Slump

It can happen to any of us…our once-insatiable appetite for literature drops, with no explanation. Whether it’s a reading or writing passion, if it disappears, it can leave you feeling…kind of…guilty. Like you’re completely slacking.

I say, get RID of the guilt. In my book, a slump is a sign that you’ve grown.

Yup, that’s right. You’ve grown—because you’re no longer challenged. You’re stagnating. A slump means it’s time to expand those borders.

Do not—I repeat—do NOT decide you need a break. Instead, get yourself to the library. And head STRAIGHT for the genre section you never approached before. Maybe romance. Or sci-fi. Or literary classics. Whatever you once avoided like the plague, ATTACK it. Immerse yourself. You’ll soon find yourself rejuvenated. I promise. Because a new genre means you’ve been thrown into a brand-new world.

And if you’re a writer, the same applies—finding it hard to get motivated? Put aside your current project—not for forever, just for a while. Again, do NOT take a break. Stay in the rhythm of writing…but write something (say, a short story) in a genre you once thought you’d never master. (Even try your hand at poetry!) Once you’ve written a short piece—just for fun—you’ll find yourself ready to head back to tackle your current WIP.

This bit of advice actually helped me find my way to the subject of my sophomore novel, PLAYING HURT, due out in 2011…My debut (A BLUE SO DARK) is a literary problem novel. PLAYING HURT is a romance.

Yep, genre hopping. I’m pretty sure it’s the spice of life…

If you would like to find out more about Holly or her books, you can visit her website or her blog!

In My Mailbox July 25-31

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Outcasts United - Warren St. John
The extraordinary tale of a refugee youth soccer team and the transformation of a small American town

Clarkston, Georgia, was a typical Southern town until it was designated a refugee settlement center in the 1990s, becoming the first American home for scores of families in flight from the world’s war zones—from Liberia and Sudan to Iraq and Afghanistan. Suddenly Clarkston’s streets were filled with women wearing the hijab, the smells of cumin and curry, and kids of all colors playing soccer in any open space they could find. The town also became home to Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman who founded a youth soccer team to unify Clarkston’s refugee children and keep them off the streets. These kids named themselves the Fugees.

Set against the backdrop of an American town that without its consent had become a vast social experiment, Outcasts United follows a pivotal season in the life of the Fugees and their charismatic coach....

Outcasts United is actually my required reading for freshman seminar. I read the introduction, and I look forward to reading the rest. :P