Fear not for I have returned....

Hello Bloggie friends. I realize its been almost three months without a book review post. Do not dismay, I have been reading in the past three months. Quite a lot actually. I'll start posting reviews of those books today and throughout this week! First up:

The Hunger Games (by Suzanne Collins)

Let me preface this by saying - one books that are "series" I don't think I'll post reviews about the following books in the series. I don't want to ruin anyones journey through the first books in the series by posting what happens in the later books...

I read all three books in the Hunger Games series in one week, on my Kindle, which gives you immediate satisfaction for buying books (a good and a bad thing). I could not stop reading these books. Seriously. I was intrigued and the suspense was killing me.

The Hunger Games is a three book series, which begins with the book entitled "The Hunger Games" (go figure). The second book is called "Catching Fire" and the third book is called "The Mocking Jay." The last two names make sense after you read the first book.

These books are set in a Country called "Panem" which is basically North America, but is a post apocalyptic North America. So, now the country is called Panem. It has a central government called "The Capital" which I think is based in Colorado..and the rest of the country is broken into "Districts," there are twelve districts, with a thirteenth that was allegedly wiped out. In any case, there is a rebellion some 75 years ago - because well The Capitol basically sucks (this is not a democratic society). The Capitol uses the Districts to provide sustenance for itself, so each District has its own Industry. The one that is at the heart of these books is District 12 and the mine for coal. As a result of the Rebellion, to punish the Districts, each year one boy and one girl (between the ages of 12 - 18) are picked from each District to compete in a Hunger Game. The downside is, only one child can survive the Hunger Games. So, basically 23 kids are killed each year to punish the Districts for their rebellion and to ward off any future rebellions (which it doesn't seem like that actually wards off anything). In any case, the Hunger Games is in a big arena and basically you have to fight to the death. Not entirely sure how this constitutes a Young Adults book..pretty scary. In any case, that's the premise, and then the book follows this chick named Katniss, who is 16 years old, and all her antics and relationships. See, the Hunger Games is like the Olympics for the residents who live in the Capitol. A big skeptical, televised, with parties and dances and then the actual Hunger Games is shown live on TV and each contestant has "sponsors" who can send things to them during the Games - like food and medicine.

I really liked this series. I thought that the characters were really well developed, and it caused you to root for them throughout the book and in the Games themselves. There is also some romantical parts to the book too for those romantic lovers out there. Kept it interesting. I thought that the themes throughout the book of struggle, perserverence, and courage were really well played out. I recommend this book if you like adventure, suspense, and romance.

Review up next: The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance: A Memoir (by Elna Baker)

Sidenote - In the past three months, I also read 2.25 more books in the "Outlander" series. Those books are really long - like 900 - 1,000 pages long, so maybe I won't have as many reviews as I thought... and in keeping with my no reviews of series books past the first one rule, let's just say - they are as good, if not better, than the first Outlander books.