The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: YA Dystopian
Year:2008
Pages: 374
Acquired: Borrowed from a friend
Rating: 5/5


Overview of the Book: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. 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," 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 is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

 Review: I know that I am a little late for the party, but it is better late than never...RIGHT. :) I was in the breakroom at work and saw a Magazine Entertainment Weekly(or something to that effect),the cover story was for the movie for Hunger Games was coming out in 2012. I wonder what the heck is the Hunger Games. I asked one my friends and work if she had the book, because her and I have similar book tastes. She in fact did and now the second book in the series is waiting in the wing.

This book is interesting to say the very least. The Capitol pitting 24 kids again one another til all that is remaining is 1, the victor. During the Hunger Games, people from the outside are watching every more and "The Arena" is controlled by the Gamekeepers, if the action is going to slow the Keepers make it so that thier is more action for the viewing audience.

I was barely able to put this book down I completely hooked. Suzanne Collins narrative here has an immediacy to it that, when combined with the very dramatic life-or-death plot, is incredibly compelling. It was entertaining, and incredibly disturbing all at once never thought that could be possible. If this was merely a good read, I would have given it 4 stars, but they say great art leaves you changed after you experience it.

I thought that it was funny at the end how Peeta(other tribute in Katniss's district) and Katniss stick it to the Capitol with a sudden rule change(if 2 tributes of the same district are remaining then there would be co-victors) and then the Capitol trying to double back. 

I have never read a book quite like this one, but I will be exploring more reads such as this one. Well after I read The Hunger Games Series of course. If you have not read this book yet, I HIGHLY recommend this one.

The Hobbit Group Read-a-Long Discussion Part 3

I just cannot believe that The Hobbit part of the Read-a-long has now come to a close. We’ll be picking up The Lord of the Rings trilogy next month, so there’s more excitement to come! It sure was something  how Bilbo and the band of misfits survived as far as they have in the book. just the way that the team did get past some of the blocks in the travel is also something to be said, but mostly because of little helpless Bilbo Baggins.

Here are the Discussion questions below for the final section of the book:

What were your thoughts of how Smaug was killed? If you did not like it what do you think Tolkien could have done differently?
Were you satisfied with the ending of The Hobbit?
What or who was your favorite part of the book?
What were your thoughts when Bilbo gave Bard the Arkenstone of Thrain?
After reading the book will you be going to see The Hobbit in theaters?

Other responses:

Little Red Reviewer
The Blue Fairy's Bookshelf


What were your thoughts of how Smaug was killed? If you did not like it what do you think Tolkien could have done differently?

I did not mind how Bard took the dragon down with a Hail Mary shot. It was a Doug Flutie caliber shot all for nothing. With Bard being to his last arrow and he came through when his people needed him most. I would have liked it a little more if the dysfunctional party would have had more to so with taking down Smaug. I did like the way that Bilbo delivered the message to the Lake people.

Were you satisfied with the ending of The Hobbit? 

I was satisfied how the book ended, but I did not like the lull that was in the middle of the book. I did like the way that action did pick up quite a bit in the end. Tolkien is a good story tell at times and other times he is okay at best. In the third section, I did like some of the twist and turns that he brought us though to the journey. I did like that Thorin did reconciles with Bilbo before he dies.
I just cannot believe that Bilbo during battle hide during the whole affair of the 5 race war with the slip of the ring on his finger.

What or who was your favorite part of the book?

After meeting Smaug the "badass" I was wondering how the party was going to take down the dragon.The suspense was keeping my reading and did not let me put the book down.  In the end, it was not them at all. It was bard that did their dirty work and killed Smaug. I would have rather had the party do something more than nothing.

It sure is hard to choose what party is my favorite, but I choose this one. It was either this or how Bilbo escaped from the riddle game of Gollum.

What were your thoughts when Bilbo gave Bard the Arkenstone of Thrain?

At first I was wondering what in the world was Bilbo trying to do giving away the Arkenstone, something that means so much to Thorin. Then you read on and see that Bilbo knows that a war between the dwarves vs the lake people and elves is about to commence. The tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Bilbo gace to them in hopes a bargaining piece so that the dwarves would not attack the other two race. i think that this shows that little Bilbo does have in his small frame.

Bilbo is trying so hard to keep peace between the two side. That thoughts was lost when the goblins showed by all 3 races joined together and defeated the goblins in the end.



After reading the book will you be going to see The Hobbit in theaters?

Who came up with this question anyways...oh yeah it was me. Yes of course I will be seeing the movies in theaters. I saw all Lord of the Rings at the BIG SCREEN. So I will be their with chain mail(not quite) and all. Here are the details of the movies, if anyone is wondering.  What kind of a geek would I be if i did not see this feature at the movie theatre...hmmm:)

I would like to thank everyone for joining  Little Red Review and I  in the journey throughout the book. Do not forget to join us in the reading of the Fellowship of the Ring(first book of Lord of the Rings). We will starting reading it Labor Day weekend.We will have a schedule posted up soon.