Showing posts with label mockingjay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mockingjay. Show all posts

Books like 'Hunger Games'


The wildly-anticipated Hunger Games movie was released in theaters today, sparking a resurgence of interest in the dystopian trilogy: Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay.  For those of you who are addicted to these books, in which teens are forced to battle to the death on live TV, try checking out a few of these books like Hunger Games from your Community Library:
  • Matched by Ally Condie - Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her, so when Xander appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate--until Ky Markham's face appears for an instant before the screen fades to black.  The newly-released sequel is Crossed; the series is on-going.
  • Divergent by Veronica Roth - In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.  The sequel, Insurgent, is coming soon; the series is ongoing.
  • Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - Just before their sixteenth birthdays, when they will will be transformed into beauties whose only job is to have a great time, Tally's best friend runs away and Tally must find her and turn her in, or never become pretty at all.  This is the first in a completed 4-book series, followed by Pretties, Specials, and Extras.
  • Unwind by Neal Shusterman -  In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to survive until they turn eighteen.  An as-yet unnamed sequel is forthcoming.
  • Maze Runner by James Dashner - Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.  This is the first in a completed trilogy, followed by The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure.
There are plenty of other great dystopias out there for Hunger Games fans hungry for more; share your suggestions by commenting!

Spoiler Alert!

Are you one of those people who actively avoids reading spoilers?  Well, according to a new study from UC San Diego, spoilers actually add to the enjoyment of the reading experience, rather than detracting from it.  This article in Wired reports in greater detail about the experiment, in which two groups of college students were asked to read the same 12 short stories, one group with spoilers and the other without.  Those who read the stories with spoilers generally reported enjoying them more.  So go ahead, savor the journey and not just the destination; read a few spoilers and enjoy the ride.  Here are some to get you started: Edgar Sawtelle's father was killed by his uncle (who is now romancing Edgar's mother); Harry Potter's teacher Dumbledore dies in book 6; Katniss's gets together with Peeta in book 3 (sorry, Gale); Edward and Bella marry while Jacob falls in love with their half-vampire daughter in book 4; and Moby Dick eats the revenge-obsessed Captain Ahab.

Hunger Games Trilogy: Reader Review

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Written for young adults, the three books in the Hunger Games Trilogy are also bestsellers in the adult market, with many people eagerly anticipating forthcoming the movie adaptation. Here is one reader's review of all three books:

Title: Book 1, The Hunger Games

Rating: 5/5 (excellent)
Review: A futuristic North America where the rulers of Panem are in control. There are 12 districts, each having two - girl and boy - participate in the Hunger Games - only one will survive. Although quite violent, it was a great book.
Title: Book 2, Catching Fire

Rating: 5/5 (excellent)
Review: The second in the Hunger Games trilogy - those that have secured safety in the first book "The Hunger Games" (I don't want to give anything away)by outsmarting Panem - now become the faces of a rebellion. Great Science Fiction at work. Loved it.

Title: Book 3, Mockingjay

Rating: 4/5 (good)
Review: The last book in the Hunger Games trilogy. The survivors have gone through hell and back. Now they are part of the rebellion. Will they live long enough to enjoy their freedoms? I have to say that I loved all three books. However, I was disappointed with the way the story ended.

Reviewed by: el lugo