Review: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire in The Hunger Games is now sparking revolutions throughout the 12 Districts in Suzanne Collins’s second installment of The Hunger Games series, Catching Fire.

Having emerged from the Hunger Games victorious, Katniss and her now ‘made for TV boyfriend’ Peeta Mellark return to District 12. Their final act of desperation in the Games makes them both symbols of rebellion and hope to the people of the 12 Districts….but targets for the Capitol.

President Snow smells deception….he knows their love was just an act and feels that they rebellion in the Games will only incite more uprisings in other Districts….while on their victory tour of the other Districts, Snow will be watching Peeta and Katniss closely.

When they fail to perform up to Snow’s standard, Snow and the Capitol threaten to destroy all that Katniss and Peeta hold dear–their family, friends, and themselves. But if he destroys them outright, Snow will lose the favor of the public and perhaps bring about more uprisings and rebellion–he can’t risk it. But and opportunity soon presents itself…the Quarter Quell Hunger Games….the rules have changed and the odds are not in Katniss and Peeta’s favor. Continue reading “Review: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins”

Review: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

Like the gladiators of ancient Rome, the youth of post apocalyptic North America are put face to face in a ‘fight to the death’ game called The Hunger Games. Blood, complicated strategies, alliances, betrayal, and death are expected to play out, all with the nation watching on live television–twenty four children between the ages of 12-18 go into the games but only one will emerge victorious.

The Hunger Games is the first in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. In this post apocalyptic/dystopian society, there are 12 Districts. The 12 Districts are ruled by the The Capitol. The tyrannical Capitol keeps the Districts in check by forcing them to send one boy and one girl to participate in the annual Games. In the upper-class Districts, families pray for the honor of having their child selected for the Games….but in the ghettos of District 12, families know if their child is picked from the lottery, they are sending a lamb to slaughter.

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen lives in the slums of District 12. Her father is dead, killed by a mine blast, and her mother is rendered utterly useless after her father dies. Katniss and her sister Primrose (Prim) are forced to fend for themselves. Prim is too young so Katniss takes up the responsibility of putting food on the table. But in District 12, there is little to no food–people are starving and dying in the streets. Katniss must become a ruthless hunter, forager, and survivor if her family is to last… Continue reading “Review: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins”

Review: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R.R. Martin

Winter is coming.

The Stark family motto rings in the ears of all the people of Winterfell….but it is ringing loudest in the ears Lord Stark himself…..winter is coming.

A Game of Thrones is the first in George R. R. Martin’s epic high fantasy series , A Song of Ice and Fire. Let me just say, epic doesn’t begin to describe this series…..each book is roughly 800+ pages.

The story itself is intricate and tedious….you really need to pay attention to what is going on but once you get use to the prose, flow, and points of view….you are rewarded with a richly designed and beautifully written story.

Personally, I found the different ‘houses’ and genealogy hard to keep straight and I was extremely grateful for the last 25+ pages of the book which are devoted to the house genealogies, colors, sigil, and mottos….and thankfully a map of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms which also helped my picture things more clearly in my mind….and yes I did reference both of these things often so I could keep up with all that was going on. I also highly recommend browsing the Ice and Fire Wiki page…it was extremely helpful to have a guide!! Continue reading “Review: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R.R. Martin”

Review: Ivy and Intrigue (A Very Selwick Christmas) by Lauren Willig

After finishing the latest installment of Lauren Willig’s flowery spy series (The Pink Carnation series), I couldn’t resist eking out a little more frivolous adventure by reading this short story/novella: Ivy and Intrigue (A Very Selwick Christmas).

Since this is more of a short story, my review will not be as lengthy. I found the novella available for free online through Willig’s website, however I found that reading 100 or so pages on my computer was not ideal so I splurged and spent $0.99 to get it on my iPad through Amazon :).

Amy Balcourt has just married the dashing, Lord Richard Selwick (AKA, the flowery spy better known as the Purple Gentian) and they are celebrating their first Christmas together at Selwick Hall with the entire Selwick family–including one very unwelcome house guest–Lord Richard’s first love Deidre.

While Amy despises Deidre on principal, she is surprised to find that Deidre is not all together as upsetting as her cousin Jane….Amy is feeling the growing pains of her marriage. While Jane is off playing caped crusader all over France, Amy is left in stuffy old Sussex with her new husband–not exactly the glamorous life that Amy imagined. Continue reading “Review: Ivy and Intrigue (A Very Selwick Christmas) by Lauren Willig”

Review: The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (Pink Carnation #4) by Lauren Willig

Dapper, dark, mysterious, and mature: Lauren Willig’s latest flowery spy novel, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose  was the ‘changeling’ in the series.

Each book follows the usual pattern of ‘romance’ between a dashing international man of mystery (typically of peerage) and a virginal debutant.

The Crimson Rose is principally the same as the other books, but the love story between Lord Vaughn and Mary Alsworthy is more of an intimate, mature, intellectual love not like the previous books that are more of a fairytale romance….Vaughn and Mary for me were more like Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara.

I was actually surprised that the love story was more intellectual in nature….based on the previous books with Vaughn and Mary I suspected their romance would be all passion and elicit romance, so I was surprised that the story lacked ‘compromising’ encounters between the two lovebirds.

Though the story lacked the same dashing, flowery affection that the other books had the lack of overt attraction was one of the reasons I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED Lord Vaughn as a hero. Continue reading “Review: The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (Pink Carnation #4) by Lauren Willig”