The Hunger Games~ Suzanne Collins

" I take his hand, holding it tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go." Although used as the last sentence in The Hunger Games, I guess I might as well use it as a start to my book review. If you couldn't tell, I read The Hunger Games; and one word... AMAZING! At the start, I only read it to stop the amazed looks I'd get when I said I hadn't read it, but in the end I totally LOVED it. It is hard to explain it, but I would say if I had to describe it I would probably say it is exciting, romantic, and epic. It's exciting because it moves at a fast pace and is definitely a page turner. Also, it is romantic because, well all adventures are. In this case, it is all the mush with Katniss and Peeta. And lastly it is epic because... it just is okay!? Katniss is amazing and just the whole idea is crazy. And the adventure these kids are forced to go on is one word.. epic. So, there you go. Now, that pretty much sums up my opinion. So, unto the story behind it.

Katniss Everdeen is a 16 year old girl who grew up and country called Panem, in district 12. She was just like any other girl in the Seam, hungry and helpless, only one thing set her apart- she hunted. Once her father died, she found food was hard to get on the table and that hunting was the only way, although it was totally illegal. This did not matter it Katniss. She and Gale would go almost everyday to get food on their tables and make a few extra dimes.

It was that time of year again; that time every child between the ages of 12 and 18 dreads and families fear. It was time for the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is more or less the Capitol's way of saying they are still the boss and just to show their power- or at least that is what Katniss says. In my opinion, these 'games' should not be games at all! I think the Hunger Massacre would be a more appropriate title. This is how the games works: 1. A male and female 'tribute' are picked from each district to represent their district in the games. 2. They get sent to the fancy Capitol to be feed and given training (They need to know at least kinda what they are doing or the games would be no fun to watch.) 3. Place all 24 tributes in an arena and watch them slay each other until there is only one tribute left. Simple as that. Three easy steps. This is the Hunger Games. The time for choosing the tributes is now and shock spreads over the citizens of district 12 as Prim Everdeen is chosen. Prim. She had one slip. She is 12. She is too young to die. Again the audience is dumbfounded as Katniss gladly steps in for her younger sister. Then Peeta Mullek is chosen as the male tribute and simple as that- the games begin.

As you go through the book you watch the games as they are 'played' and witness as the tributes one by one die off. This is why the book got an A instead of an A+, at some parts it got a little gory, which does not tickle my fancy. Anyway, there are lots of twist and turns you would never see coming and that is what makes it interesting.

In this book, there could be hundreds of themes. I think one may be that when you work together you both get farther; as displayed with both Katniss and Reu and Katniss and Peeta. It also may be trying to say that kindness always pays off; like with Katniss's run-in with Thresh. Another theme may be that people shouldn't be treated like raved dogs and made to do things most would never want to do. Peeta says that he wants to go and be more then just a piece in their game. I think by this the author is saying that people should be valued and cherished and life should be lived to the fullest, not to be lived in fear and used for others entertainment. I have to agree. Life is so amazing and no one should take away someone else's just for the entrainment of those watching. Each person is an individual and is special and we are not just merely pieces moving through the game board of life but we are real live people that need to be treated that way. On a different note, another one may be that winning is not always as good a deal as it seems and may sometimes include giving up something you love. These are only a few, but these may be what the book is trying to get at.

In a nutshell, this book was the simple definition of extraordinary. It had a little bit of everything to thrill every kind of audience. I would tell anyone to read it and if I had to say one bad thing about this book, it would be that I took so flippen' long to read it. Don't make the same mistake I did.

*Fun Fact! They are coming out with a movie of this ever so amazing book and in only a few short week it is coming to theatures!!! Here is to get you excited. But yet again I still am yet to figure out how to post a trailer... So click on this big long thing

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s ) to get in on the action.