The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 3, 2008
Format: Trade Paperback
Genre: YA - Fiction
Source: Purchase
Series: The Hunger Games #1

I will be the first to admit that I am hard on books, especially when they have high ratings and the main topic of conversation amongst my friends is how much I will love it. For the first hundred and fifty pages I was bored senseless and even put the book down a couple of times only to hear my daughter go on and on about how much she loved it.

Ok, except for mushy-gushy girl books, we usually agree so once again I picked up the book and plodded on.

Well heck, this book got good very quickly. Once the Hunger Games themselves started, the storyline and the characters mesmerized me to the point that I finished the last 200 pages in one sitting.

Katniss Everdeen has not had it any harder than the others children from her area, but when her younger sister is called during the reaping, she know that she must step in and take her place. She does not think that she can win the games, but she knows for sure that she does not want her sister to die. With Peeta, a boy from her area, they take on the Hunger Games.

Throughout the book, Katniss has to keep reminding herself that there can only be one winner in these games. Games that take place in an area that was once known as North American and is now split up in districts that send young teens to a battle ground to fight to the death to bring honor back to their people and their district. All the while being broadcast in full gory detail back to the audience that is betting on who will win.

"He is luring you in to make you easy prey. The more likable he is the more deadly he is."

The rules of the game state that there can only be one winner. From the first salvos to the last cannon shot, the combatants must form allies and know that at the end all but one of them will die. That is until there is a game changing moment and you wonder if the rules of the heart and the rules of the game can coincide.

This is only the first in a trilogy and I hope that they next book can keep up the lightning pace and note that this one ended on.