Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games movie poster

The Summary:
In the ruins of a place once know as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen year old Katniss Everedeen regards it as a dearth sentence when she steps forward to to take her sisters place in the games. But Katniss as been close to death before-and survival, for her, it's second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender.But if she is too win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Review:
Man I'm  an idiot! I've been putting off the Hunger Games for the longest time. I've seen it in the book stores and the library but never thought it would be this good! Katniss, she is a likable gal. Like if I were to meet her I wouldn't want to immediately duct tape her mouth out of sheer annoyance. She is a strong dependable  girl and is very smart (which is the type of person you would want as an ally- especially in the hunger games!). She is not you're typical fall-in-love-head-over-heels-protect-me kind of character that YA tends to constantly portray. And for a new kind of heroine there has to be a new kind of hero right! If you did not say yes you should go read historical fiction ( I don't know why, but you should). Enter Peeta! The dashing everyday baker's son who is just a scrumptious as his name implies! You gotta love him. I've been getting sick lately of the constant themes of girls falling in love with a different humaiod species and finally we have a wonderful human boy to gush over! Collins inter twines the romance with the excitement and terror of the Hunger Games. Honestly I couldn't put it down. If  I did it was for the things esssential for life, like breathing! Just literally reading the book sent my heart pounding! I can't wait to get my greedy little hands on Catching Fire the next book in the trilogy!

My predictions for the next book: [SPOILER ALERT!!!]
So games are over and done wit Peeta and Katniss have made it out alive. I must say, the last few paragraphs of the book are making me think that Peeta and Gale (Katniss's hunting partner/ could be love interest if she wasn't so...confused by her own feelings) are going to start fighting over her which most males do in front of a sexy female ( no matter what species). Also, and I'm just guessing here, there might be an uprising of sorts. You can't have an oppressive government without resistance now can you?

AND GUESS WHAT!!! If you don't already know the hunger games is being made into a move (as well it should be). Check it out here! Good choice of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta!

Book Review: the Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Summary:

Aibleen Clark is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child. She's always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back. Her friend Minny Jackson has certainly never held her tongue, or held a job for very long, but now she's working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless. And white socialite Skeeter Phelan has jut returned from college with ambition and a degree but, to her mother's lament, no husband. Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her , but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared

Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town-to write, in secret, a tell-all book about what it's really like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South. Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and the sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women untie with one intention: hope for a better day.




The Review:
The Help was an amazing book. I couldn't put it down for the life of me. The characters are so complex and interesting  and although I wasn't born in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi I could feel how it was to live in that time. The southern social life sure does top and snotty European high class society. The drama and secrets are astounding and hilarious! Once you get to Minny's "Terrible Awful" you may never eat pie again. Abileen and Minny are soul mates. They know how the other one feels and how to help. And despite all their world telling them the not to befriend white person they create a wonderful and beautiful friendship that definitely sure to last a life time. I can say now that Kathryn Stockett is now in my favorite authurs list. And I hope after you read this she will on yours too!

By the way The Help is now a movie! so I am going to hit that up and report back! :)

Book Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Summary:
   In Mary's world, there are simple truths.
   The Sisterhood always knows best.
   The Guardians will protect and serve.
   The Unconsecrated will never relent.
   And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
   But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
   Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?



The Review:
The Forest of Hands and Teeth is many things. Bone chilling would be one of them. As I was reading a certain suspenseful passage, I was so consumed by the book that I nearly jumped out of my skin when my sister came into my room. Carrie Ryan creates an amazing post apocalyptic world, I couldn't help but ask myself, as I saw the characters pushed to their limits, what I would do in their situation. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a good read. Anyone looking for a dark novel with loads of adventure and romance should pick up this book and prepare to be thrilled.