The Stars of the Hunger Games: Inside Out by Mel Williams

Publisher: Piccadilly Press

Format: ARC

Number of Pages: 48

Published: 23^rd February 2012

Book: For Review*

Genre: Non-Fiction, Movie-Tie-In, YA

Recommended Age: 11+

Contains: Nothing Unsuitable
No Alcohol, Drug References

May the odds be ever in your favour.

As The Hunger Games explodes onto our screens, get the low-down on the hot stars of this sensational movie.  Find out what they are like in real life – and how they measure up against their characters!

Could Jennifer Lawrence survive in the wild like Katniss? 

Is Josh Hutcherson as romantic as Peeta?

Does Liam Hemsworth have a rebellious streak like Gale?

Packed full of fantastic photos and fab facts, this is a must for all Hunger Games fans!

                                                                   Review:

I am sure most of the blogging community has read The Hunger Games, and all have heard of it.  And I’m sure most of you have heard of the movie it is becoming.  Maybe, like me, you’re counting down the days!  But with the release date getting ever closer, may I ask you how much you know about the stars who are bringing the amazing characters to life?  Despite my addiction, I didn’t know much…  Until I read this.  With the brilliant pictures and tons of facts, I now boast much movie knowledge!  And I’m EVEN MORE excited about the movie!!

Being a total Hunger Games addict, I was desperate to read this, even though I almost never read non-fiction!  I wanted to know if ‘ordinary’, real people could live up to the super, exceptional, amazing characters in my head.  I just loved reading all the actor facts, the little round ups of each character, why the actor is super and full of “tribute talents” enough to be Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc.  And the layout was just gorgeous – flames and arrows for Katniss, berries and cammo for Peeta, arrows and lightening for Gale, the fields for Thresh, bright pink for Effie… all just were so right for each character.  And, overall, it was all so pretty!!

All the actors, in my opinion, are perfect for their roles.  We all know Jen looks gorgeous in her ‘proper Katniss gear’.  Did you know she can also use guns and skin a squirrel (yuck, by the way), as well as knowing how to rock climb and do archery?  Awesome!  And the gorgeous Josh Hutcherson, who worked out to get the Peeta Build, is so romantic he falls “in love at the drop of a hat” as well as being brill at all things outdoorsy.  Liam Hemsworth (who’s Australian, did ya know?) is a strong supporter of “just causes” and has said “Peeta and Gale are actually best friends in real life”.  Now, when I first finished this review, this paragraph was about three times this length.  As I actually don’t want to give the whole book in my review, I should probably limit myself to just gushing about the three main actors.  But before I stop, I’d just like to say that the only actor I’m not sure about is the one who will play Cinna, whose name is Lenny Kravitz.  He just isn’t how I pictured Cinna…  Here’s a picture of him: tell me what you think!

I loved all the facts, the gorgeous layout and picture.  It was addictive, poring over all the facts, answering the “Quick Quiz” questions…  And there was me thinking I wasn’t a big celeb nut!  Turns out Hunger Games + actors = actors I absorb loads of knowledge of.  Strange… But cool.  And I loved absorbing all of these!  Even what Josh’s cats are called (Jell-O and Paws, just so you know!).

If you love The Hunger Games, you simply have to read this one!  These facts are ones you have to have before you go to see the movie!

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Twilight Boys: Inside Out by Mel Williams
Girl Who Was On Fire by Leah Wilson

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2012 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Happy Reading
Megan

* This book was received from Piccadilly Press in exchange for an honest review

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book Three

Publisher: Scholastic

Format: Paperback

Published: 25th August 2010

Number of Pages: 448

Book: Bought

Genre: Dystopia, Science-Fiction, Action, Fantasy, YA

Recommended Age: Young Adult, 12+

Contains Violence, Death, Suspense

WARNING: Contains Spoilers From Previous Books

“If We Burn

You Burn With Us”

Katniss Everdeen’s Final Battle Has Begun

Review:

Once again I had to pick the next book up as soon as I finished the one before.  And I have never wanted to peek at the end more than I did for this book.  So badly did I want to know that I was this close from breaking one of my most important rules: NEVER Peek.    In fact, the only way to keep the part that screamed “PEEK!” under control was to read, read, read, which, of course, was such a hardship.

And after I finished I can honestly say I am so glad I didn’t look ahead.  It would have ruined everything.  Absolutely everything. 

Ok, babbling over now, I will go on with what I actually thought of the book, rather than what I thought before.  All I can say: wow.  I didn’t know what Suzanne Collins would do in the last book, because of course she couldn’t have another Hunger Games.  What she did was create such an emotionally-charged, powerful story that it left me shocked, and uncertain of what to do after I’d finished.  It was amazing: I can’t get it out of my head.

To sum Mockingjay up: Katniss has survived yet another Hunger Games and has made the Capitol look like fools once again.  Now she has to take up her role as the face of the revolution: she has to become the Mockingjay.  However, Peeta’s in the clutches of President Snow, who’s doing God-only-knows what to her fellow victor.  And in this war, you can never be sure who to trust, but you have no choice but to finish it.  Us or them.  Them or us.  After all, “If We Burn, You Burn With Us”...

The beginning was a little slow, just like it was in Catching Fire, but once the action started... well, the speed of the plot was so fast it was literally break-neck.  And it had me completely hooked, addicted, unable to put it down.  I like to pride myself in guessing twists, but I honestly couldn’t predict any of the ones in this book.  I was just dragged in, tossed around and pulled along.  I loved it: best rollercoaster ever.

Katniss was different: we got to see her flaws – and let me just say she has a fair few.  But instead of making me hate her or like her any less, it just made me love her even more.  She’s the strongest person I know (well, read about), yet even she just wants to run and hide at some points in the book, which was almost reassuring to see.  After all, it’s these little things that make characters feel real.  And Katniss was so real to me that it felt like she was my best friend, or like I was actually her.  She’s been damaged by the horrors she had to face in the Hunger Games, haunted by the people she either killed or died because of her act with the berries.  Who wouldn’t be?  She was only a sixteen-year-old girl when she was first sent into the Games.  Sure, she's mature for her age, but she’s still legally a child.  I often forget that, but she is.  Just a girl who has been used, controlled and damaged over and over...

But she isn’t the only one who’s damaged and different, because after everything that has happened to them, Haymitch, Peeta and Gale have all been affected as well.  So has the majority of the supporting cast, actually, all because of the Capitol... 

Is it wrong that I want to kill imaginary people?  Or person: namely, Snow?

Well, I won’t go into any more detail about the plot, but I have to put down a few of the emotions... 

Feelings are so hard to describe: I’ve taken a day trying to come up with something to say, how to explain everything.  I laughed, cried, gasped with fear, honestly almost screamed or shouted out loud, and more; basically another emotional rollercoaster from a phenomenal author.  With the world it’s set it, of course I didn’t expect this to be a cheerful read.  But I didn’t expect quite so much emotion, quite so much pain.  And all the while I was thinking: Poor Katniss.  She doesn’t deserve all of this.  That’s how involved it had me: feeling sorry for her, hurting for her.  How many books can you honestly say do that?  (I’d really like to know, if you have any suggestions!)

Everything was a shock, nothing was taken for granted, and Collins constantly had me guessing.  The ending left me shocked, mourning, almost lost. 

So, yet another absolutely extraordinary series to grieve the loss of. 

The Hunger Games left me Hungry for more, and even though I probably won’t get to meet Katniss again, I can’t wait to see what the genius Ms Suzanne Collins will come up with next.

I loved this series – one of my favourites ever, actually – and I really got to know and love all the characters.  I’m a little numb at the minute, now that it’s over, and I can’t find the words that do it justice... 

And I know lots of people didn't like this one...  but I loved it.  Absolutely loved it. 

Real or not real?

Most certainly real.

Just one thing left to say:

Still am, always was, and always will be...

Which are you?

 or

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

The Rest of the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (Last Sacrifice, in particuar)

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

A-Z Reading Challenge (Hosted by Book Junky)

Off the Shelf Challenge (Hosted by BA Reading Challenges)

Teaser Tuesday (#7)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser this week is from Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book Three) by Suzanne Collins.  I am loving it so much so far, and have barely been able to put it down to do this post!  Anyway, here's the Teaser:

From Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, Chapter Six, Page 92

"Did you see?  How weird he acted?  What are they - doing to him?"  I'm gasping for air between sobs, but I manage one last phrase.  "It's my fault!"

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book Three) by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis From Blurb:

The Hunger Games

"If We Burn

You Burn With Us"

Katniss Everdeen's Final Battle Has Begun

An amazing, amazing book so far that I can't put down.  With the rate I'm going, the review will be up soon!

Do you have any teasers to share?

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book Two

Publisher: Scholastic

Format: Paperback

Published: USA: 2009

UK Edition: 2009

Number of Pages: 455

Book: Bought

Genre: Dystopia, Science-Fiction, Action, Fantasy, YA

Recommended Age: Young Adult, 12+

Contains Violence, Death, Suspense

 WARNING: Contains Spoilers From Previous Books

Katniss Everdeen survived the Hunher Games.

Now the Capitol wants revenge.

Review:

I started reading Catching Fire the moment I finished The Hunger Games.  And I only put it down for the bare necessities until I finished.  I sat and read half the book in a matter of hours.  Less, even.

It picks up a little while after the first ended; Katniss and Peeta living in Victors Village.  Rumours of uprisings.  And they’re to blame.  So the Capitol and President Snow is out to get them.  They want revenge, and will not stop until they’ve got it...

It was amazing.  I’m honestly not sure how to put all the emotions I felt during it into words.  Suzanne Collins has this unnerving knack for creating these incredible, unforeseeable twists that left me shocked, hooked and often terrified.  An amazing, amazing gift that she uses unbelievably well.

I had no idea where she was going after the first book – after all, what book could possibly come after The Hunger Games, one of the most terrifying and powerful reads I’ve ever gone through?  Well, it was completely unpredictable, and completely genius, zooming straight past my expectations and beyond.  The perfect sequel, in my opinion.

The feel of the book was unbelievably real and intense.  I literally felt every emotion.  Everything dripped with it: words, actions, threats.  Over and over again, I was thrown off balance by some gesture or exchange, and I had no clue what was going on.  And I loved it.  And, once again, Collins has created an emotional roller coaster that has left my head reeling, my heart pounding and my entire body craving more.  It’s so addictive it’s untrue.

And I have to say that her cliff-hanger is honestly inhumane.  Literally.  It left me breathless and shaky.  And my draw honestly dropped open.  The one good thing about reading a series late is that you don’t have to wait.  I have Mockingjay already (yes!), something I am eternally grateful for.

It’s hard to say any more without actually giving anything away.  Besides, how do you describe a book so incredible you can barely put it into words inside your own head? So, it started off slow – nothing much happened in Part 1 – but from then on took off at that breakneck speed I adored from the first book.  Once again everything was completely realistic and believable.  Katniss is such a genuine character, it felt like I knew her.  I felt all of her emotions; all the confusion and love and pain.  Sometimes it was so real it actually hurt.  And the supporting cast were perfect and lifelike too.  Especially Peeta – the sweet, rational baker who loves Katniss more than anything – and Haymitch – the drunk Victor from the 50^th Hunger Games, and coach to Peeta and Katniss.  I couldn’t even find anything to pick about in the rather shallow but endearing stylists of Katniss, who come from the Capitol.  Everything was... well... perfect. 

That’s how to describe it.  Perfect.

With enough emotions to have you petrified, crying, laughing, and hooked, The Hunger Games Trilogy is absolutely amazing so far.  It makes me think, feel and believe.  I even yelled at it at one point (luckily I was alone, so no one could stare at me like I had completely lost the plot).  I love it.  Perfect.

If you haven’t read this series, what are you waiting for?  Go now!  This second!  The minute this is posted I’m running off to grab my copy of Mockingjay from one of the wobbly piles in my bedroom. 

Do the same!

You will not be disappointed.

Oh, and Team Peeta Forever!

 Can I just add that I love, love, love this cover, and wish I had a higher rating than 5.

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Gone by Michael Grant

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

A-Z Reading Challenge (Hosted by Book Junky)

Off the Shelf Challenge (Hosted by BA Reading Challenges)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book One

Publisher: Scholastic

Format: Paperback

Published: USA: 2008

UK Edition: 2009

Number of Pages: 464

Book: Bought

Genre: Dystopia, Science-Fiction, Action, Fantasy, YA

Recommended Age: Young Adult, 12+

Contains Violence, Death, Suspense

 

Winning will make you famous.

Losing means certain death.

In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place.  Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games.  There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister’s place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence.  But Katniss has been close to death before.  For here, survival is second nature.

Review:

The Hunger Games is set it a world where the Capitol watches over the twelve districts, and they are controlling, dangerous, everywhere.  It’s a world where every year, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced into taking part in a horrifying live event known as the Hunger Games, which is seen as a form of entertainment.  The citizens are forced to watch as children from their District are brutally murdered, all because the Capitol wants to keep them completely under control.  Why?  Seventy-five or so years before our story’s set, there was a rebellion that led to the Capitol destroying the thirteenth District.  And to show their control and just how easily they could destroy every single district if they so pleased, the Capitol introduced the Hunger Games.

So when Katniss’s twelve-year-old sister Primrose gets chosen, she knows she can’t let her go through that.  So she steps forwards to take Prim’s place.  Even though it very likely means her own death...

 I loved The Hunger Games.  I sped through the book, completely and utterly hooked, unable to put it down.  It was terrifying: a real psychological thriller, and the scariest thing about it all is, with the way society’s going at the moment, the Hunger Games – or something like them – may become reality.  I couldn’t get that out of my head as I read: it was all just so thought-provoking, and at the same time petrifying.

Katniss was a brilliant protagonist: she was so strong and brave.  She was just a good ol’ kick-butt heroine, which was so refreshing after all the wimpy, useless damsel-in-distress leads that are in YA fiction so much at the moment.  Actually, in that respect and with her smart-mouth attitude, Katniss reminded me quite a bit of Rose, out of Vampire Academy.  I admired how level headed, and defiant she was.  It felt like I was there with her, feeling all of her emotions, stuck in all the situation with her.  As a lead, she was amazing, and I loved the softer side of her, when it briefly shows.  It made her feel more real.

Peeta was an amazing male lead, and the complete opposite of Katniss’ attitude.  As a brief flashback of Katniss’ reveals that Peeta gave her two loaves of bread when she was younger and starving, and getting punished for doing so, I instantly fell in love.  I saw his goodness and his heart, but I wondered why he would risk it.  It didn’t matter: I was Team Peeta!  And the chemistry between him and Katniss was so believable, and real. 

The supporting characters are brilliant too, with little Rue, a twelve year old from District 11, Prim, Gale – Katniss friend from home – and Haymitch.  Unlike a lot of books, the characters was fleshed out as well, not just empty vessels, used for a certain conversation.  The relationships were perfect and real too; it was all just amazing!

The Hunger Games is non-stop suspense, the plot goes at breakneck speed, and is unbelievably addictive.  And although it’s very dark, scary, and atrocious, it was funny at times, as well as having me choke up with tears.  Literally an emotional roller coaster that was so vivid it left me dizzy, overwhelmed with all I had felt.  I wondered briefly about the bizarre names (Katniss, Rue, Cato, Peeta), before deciding that didn’t matter because I was hooked.  I had to finish the book, so I could know what happened. 

Suzanne Collins is an absolute genius: she created a world so utterly believable my heart pounded as I read.  I can’t get enough, and the ending left me breathless and desperate for more.  And her writing was amazing: somehow raw and beautiful at the same time – a combonation I didn’t even think was possible.  You seriously have to read this one, because it is absolutely incredible.  I’ve already started gushing about it to a friend, telling her she has to read it!

If I had to describe it in one word: epic.

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Gone by Michael Grant

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Off the Shelf Challenge (Hosted by BA Reading Challenges)