Captivated by "Catching Fire"

"Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
Suzanne Collins


6

Synopsis: 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.


Review: Suzanne Collins has done it again! "The Hunger Games" was one of my favorite books and "Catching Fire" did not disappoint. This book shows the true power and fury that The Capitol has over the districts. This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat because I just could not wait to here what was going to happen next! I was shouting out in excitement (yes I got that into the book) at 1 am while reading this book. The end of the book was so awesome that I cannot believe I am going to have to wait to get the 3rd book! I am having a lot of trouble writing this review because I really do not want to give anything away! The twists of this book are fantastic and I really do not want to detract from any of them. My love for the characters has grown so much in this book that some of the scenes were heartbreaking. Even the fates of newly introduced characters were heartbreaking to read as the story developed.

Suzanne Collins is a wonderful writer who combines all of the elements of writing to create captivating stories. If you loved the first "Hunger Games" then I am positive you will love "Catching Fire". If you have not read "Hunger Games" then I urge you to read it. I hardly ever purchase books after I read them, but these books will be a part of my permanent library. "Catching Fire" comes out today (Tuesday the 1st of September) and I hope it becomes a bestseller!

NPR posted an excerpt of "Catching Fire" on their website, you can read or listen to chapter 2 of the book by clicking here.

ALA Literary Award Winners are in!

Congrats to all the winners of the 2009 ALA literary award winners and honorees!

Winner of John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature:
"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean.






Honorees:
"The Underneath," by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by David Small
"The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom," by Margarita Engle
"Savvy," by Ingrid Law
"After Tupac & D Foster," by Jacqueline Woodson

Winner of Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for YAs:

"Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta

Honorees:
"The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II, The Kingdom on the Waves," by M.T. Anderson
"The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks," by E. Lockhart
"Nation," by Terry Pratchett
"Tender Morsels," by Margo Lanagan

I haven't read most of the books on these lists, actually I've only read "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks"; however, I'm pretty disappointed that "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins was not even an honoree for the Printz Award. I really enjoyed Lockhart's "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks", but I didn't feel like it quite had the depth of "The Hunger Games". Lockhart's character Frankie had such a unique voice that sucked me into the book in the first chapter. I confess that I read the book in one sitting, but to me "The Hunger Games" quickly became one of my favorite books. Maybe this just has to do with personal preference, but I'm still disappointed.

With that said, I'm totally dying to read, "Catching Fire (The Hunger Games Series #2)." It doesn't come out until September of this year and it is going to be really hard to wait. Hopefully there will be a midnight release for the book. It would be even better if I could go to the BEA in New York and get one of the Advanced Reader Copies that Scholastic is supposedly giving out there, but that is probably just a pipe dream. Here's to dreaming : )



For information about more award winners just click here.