Movie News: The Hunger Games

Have you been wondering the latest on The Hunger Games movie?  Of course you have!  Well, I've been enjoying all of the updates Jenni Elyse has been posting on her wonderful blog.  Click here to see all of her Hunger Games updates.

I'm really excited about this cast which includes some surprises like Lenny Kravitz and Woody Harrelson.

Go check out some of the news.

Are you excited about the movie and the cast?  Did you check out Jennifer Lawrence on the cover of Entertainment Weekly?  I was so happy to pull that issue out of my mailbox.  I had no doubt they could Katniss-ize her.

P.S. I stole this picture of Lenny Kravitz from Jenni Elyse's blog.  I hope she doesn't mind, but it makes my blog more attractive like that.  You're welcome.

Book Review | Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins

These are my final thoughts on the Hunger Games trilogy.  (Until some movie news gets me excited again.  It will happen.)

Mockingjay is the last book in the Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games trilogy. 

Book Description (SPOILER Alert)

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

I have been mulling over my review of Mockingjay for a while.

On one hand, I want to do the appropriate thing and write my review based on what the book is.  It is well written, captivating, and a good end to a great series.

On the other hand, I want to say I'm disappointed.  I'm disappointed in what I thought the book should be. 

Mockingjay tells of the uprising in the districts and the war against the capitol.  Unfortunately our fierce heroine Katniss has less time in the spotlight, and poor Peeta loses the keen senses he possessed in the previous books.

While the events of Mockingjay didn't play out in the epic manner I envisioned, I was satisfied by the resolution between Katniss and the capitol.  The resolution between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, however, was very passive, unsatisfying, and unbelievable for me.

⭐⭐⭐★★
3/5 Stars

I give Mockingjay 3 out of 5 stars, but the entire series gets a solid 4 stars and a high recommendation to any reader.

What did you think of Mockingjay? Were you satisfied by the trilogy conclusion?

Book Review | Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the highly praised sequel to Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games.

Book Description (spoiler warning for Hunger Games!):

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.

This book was a complete surprise to me. I did not see the events coming, and Collins hit it out of the park. Again.

I said it in my review of The Hunger Games, but I'll say it again - this book (series) was a major page turner for me. At this point in the series I started buying extra copies for gifts.

If you haven't started the series yet, make it so.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 Stars

Additional topics of interest:
Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Movie News: The Hunger Games
Dystopian Book Reviews

Book Review | The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The movie excitement surrounding The Hunger Games has put the series back on the brain. I thought I would share my thoughts on this trilogy starting with the first book.

The plot of the book is a pretty twisted idea:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlaying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV...

I'll admit to liking my books a little on the sick side, but the sheer volume of people who have read and loved this book is a testament to Suzanne Collins's talent. She puts kids in an arena, has them fight to the death, and people can't get enough.

I can't get enough.

The story follows Katniss Everdean, a courageous teen who will represent the twelfth district in the annual games. Katniss has to out wit, out last, and out play... OK, I was trying to see if you were paying attention. The games really are a perverse reality show, but it's not your typical Wednesday night entertainment. Suzanne Collins has created a captivating dystopian world lead by a capitol who uses these games to keep the districts in fear and in line. It also keeps the readers reading!

This book truly defines "page turner". I believe Entertainment Weekly said it takes the average person 17 minutes to read this book. It's a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point.

I'm not the type of reader who can easily read an entire series back to back. I like to take breaks between books to read other things. It helps prevent reader burn out for me. This series was a big exception to that rule. Thankfully the entire trilogy was out before I read The Hunger Games.

If you haven't checked out this series yet, I highly recommend it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 Stars

If you have checked it out, let me know your thoughts!

Additional topics of interest:
Movie News: The Hunger Games
Dystopian Book Reviews

Movie News: The Hunger Games

Great news Hunger Games fans!  Entertainment Weekly has reported a release date for the highly anticipated film adaptation of The Hunger Games.

The movie release date is set for March 23, 2012.

Are you excited to see this book (series) brought to film?  I am.  Not only am I excited about seeing the story,  I'm excited the production company is Lionsgate.  When I first heard about the adaptation, I got really nervous about all the things Hollywood would do to it.  Would it they turn it into a dystopian love story?  All of my fears were put to rest the moment I heard: Lionsgate.  The Hunger Games will be brought to you by the same folks who made The Descent, House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects...  This is the type of studio you would expect to find a plot like this:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlaying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one girl and one boy 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 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. But Katniss has also resolved to outwit the creators of the games. To do that she will have to be the last person standing at the end of the deadly ordeal, and that will take every ounce of strength and cunning she has. 

Now we just have to wait about 14 more months...