Starving for Katniss

Right before I left for Florida I remembered to purchase my marketing textbook on amazon. Since I was going to spend over $100 on a book for school, I figured why not up that bill up a smidge for some fun books to read before classes started.

The Hunger Games Trilogy has been everywhere lately. Many magazines and blogs have given these books rave reviews stating that Katniss was the character Stephanie Meyers wished Bella could be. The girl is strong, level-headed, and self-sufficient.

When I was surfing through Amazon, I noticed that I could buy each book in hardcover separately for less than the box set. I figured this was a safer way to handle things. If the first didn't grab me, I would have the option to send the other two back. But if I was hooked, there would be no delay in finding out what happened next.

Flash-forward six days after opening book one.

OMG those books are like crack for your imagination.

I don't want to ruin any of the adventure or images for you. Just simply trust me and start reading. The initial focus of the trilogy is the Hunger Games - which is an annual event where district children are randomly chosen to compete in an arena to the death. This mayhem is considered entertainment for the Capitol citizens (the upper echelon) to see children ages 9 - 14 kill one another. These people are unaffected by the deaths, as their children will never be selected to fight, and thus have no connection to the contestants beyond the one they bet on. Although I would estimate the first novel focuses on the "sporting event" for about 75% of the pages, I was still able to feel emotionally connected to the characters.

Don't worry, the book isn't solely focused on the killing, there is a love story intertwined in which involves Katniss and two boys, but it isn't a traditional triangle. Katniss isn't daydreaming about boys, she stays focused on family and her own abilities for the most part. She was a breath of fresh air as a female character - who is to appeal to tweens - who was determined, powerful, and not forgetting how to breath because a hottie sent her a loving gaze. I love her.

Now don't delay, go read these books so we can discuss them :)