Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Okay, so I'm definitely late to the party on this one--pretty much every book blogger (and a whole bunch of other people) I read has exclaimed over The Hunger Games. Well, at least I got to the party, and now I finally know what everyone was raving about.

Simply put, The Hunger Games is about a girl named Katniss who ends up playing the game of her life, a match to the death between 24 12-to-18 year olds who are chosen each year at a dreaded event called the reaping. Aside from the other contestants, each person must face "natural" obstacles engineered by the Gamemakers: forest fire, yellow jacket-like tracker jackers, ends-of-the-spectrum temperatures, and days-long thunderstorms.

As for whether or not I liked the book, well. This. Book. Is. Brilliant. And don't forget captivating, smart, at times sweet, and utterly unforgettable. I can't compare The Hunger Games to any other book I've read, but if you're an Uglies fan, this recommendation goes doubly for you. So, go. Read The Hunger Games now. What's that I hear? You've already read it? Well, read it again. It'll help you make it 'till the sequel. Oh yeah. There's a sequel. And even better? It comes out September 1st.

Monday, August 17, 2009

This Blog and Books Recently Read

So. Hello, Blogger. This blog has been established for the purposes of 1) allowing me to catalog not only the books I am reading, but what I think about them, and 2) helping me get better at writing about books. Often, I find that when I sit down to write a book review (for whatever reason), I can't accurately put into words why I liked the book or what I thought about it. This is odd for me, as I'm usually quite good at expressing myself. Anyhow, I am talking far too much about myself. On to books.

I recently finished one of many re-reads of So You Want to Be a Wizard and Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane, both part of the Young Wizards series. I have loved these books not as long as they came out, but for several years, and I anxiously await the next sequel in April of 2010. (Good grief, I can't believe 2010 is only a few months away!) I must admit that I love the last few books slightly less than the first four--I'm not sure why. For those who haven't read the books, here's the premise of the first:

Nita and Kit have always been social outcasts. Both are bullied, though Nita, for one, can bring it on herself--she can't seem to keep her mouth shut. One day when running from Joanne and her fellow bullies, Nita rushes into the library and ultimately finds a book called titled So You Want to Be a Wizard. She takes it home, and after taking the Oath to become a wizard, discovers that it was not all an elaborate joke. She then stumbles upon Kit while he is preparing a spell, and the two young wizards become friends. However, they still have their Ordeal to get through--an aptly named event that is different for every wizard, and must be completed in order for one to become a fully-fledged wizard. For Nita and Kit, the task involves an alternate universe, a friendly white hole called "Fred", and facing the Lone Power, the malevolent being who created death and entropy.

Anyhow, I would definitely recommend the series to whomever enjoys science fiction, fantasy, or just a good book. Happy reading!