Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Goodreads
Maria V. Snyder's site
Series: Inside Out #2
Copy obtained: e-ARC from NetGalley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (US) / Mira Ink (UK)
Release date: Feb 15th (US) March 18th (UK)
Rating: 3/5
Spoiler Warning! Spoilers for book 1, Inside Out ahead.

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

Outside In picks up shortly after where Inside Out left off. Chaos seems to reign as Inside attempts to sort itself out after the discovery of all the extra space and the revolt to take control from the Travas'. But that is the least of the problems as things start to blow up. Someone seems intent on destroying Inside, and something Outside, wants in. Trouble and danger is coming from every direction and Trella is less sure than ever about who can be trusted. 

I completely loved Inside Out and so I was very excited to get my hands on Outside In early after that ending. I wish I could say Outside In lived up to expectations, but it just didn't for me. I loved Trella in Inside Out, but here I found her very irritating. She took a very definite step back from the stronger girl she'd become through book one and spent a lot of time running from responsibilities and reality. I can understand some of her fears and why she was like that, but it went on too long and I got very frustrated with her. 

I think my irritation with Trella and her personal issues made the plot feel like it was moving a lot slower than it actually was early on. As the action took over from the personal issues, that's when the story picked up for me. I didn't find the pacing as smooth or constant as Inside Out, because as soon as the focus was back on Trella and more personal issues, I didn't really want to know, until she started growing up again and dealing with things. Through the first half of the book it seemed like it was a constant switch, action/Trella physically hurt, then emotional angst and back again. The second half of the book was much stronger, plot wise and character wise. It was faster, smoother and a lot more intense. 

The ending though let it down for me again. The last two or three chapters felt rushed, and then very neat as everything got tied up. Too neat for my tastes. Overall it's still a decent read. There is some good action and I do love Riley! He is my favourite character from both books. I love his strength and passion, and he's very smart too. I did really enjoy his interaction with Trella, even when I didn't like her, because it was intense and honest. I just found that it was lacking compared with book one. I found this very easy to walk away from and it actually took me a few days to finish it. It does have some great moments, and a reasonably satisfying conclusion, but I thought a lot more of Inside Out. Still, if you read that, you'll want to read this one, you may well get more out of it than I did if you can look past some of Trella's actions.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads
Lauren Oliver's site
Series: Delirium trilogy #1
Copy obtained: e-galley from NetGalley
Publisher: HarperTeen (US) Hodder & Stoughton (UK)
Release date: Feb 1st (US) 3rd (UK)
Rating: 3.5/5

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good things. They didn't understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

I liked Delirium within a couple of chapters. Its flowing narrative grabbed me, but Lena did not. It took me until around the two thirds mark before I really connected with her. It made it an easy book for me to put down and walk away from. But I did like it. I liked the world building, the writing and the pacing, all of which were really good. But Lena’s best friend, Hana, along with Alex and Lena’s younger cousin Grace, were all characters I found much easier to connect with. Getting to know them was a pleasure and where my greatest enjoyment of the book came from.

It was a little odd reading a book where I had such a disconnect from the main character, but like the rest of the book as much as I did this one. Normally, if I don’t connect with the MC, I can’t connect with the story. But in this case I could. It’s very well written with imagery that speaks loudly and description that doesn’t bog the story down. It’s flowing, soft, intense and I liked that. The ending in particular was very strong! I was very unhappy with one decision from Lena towards the that end though, and it’s something I hope gets covered more in book two. But aside from that, I enjoyed the story. I liked the romance, even if Lena was irritating me a little with some of her thinking in it. And there were some very good twists thrown in along the way.

This book actually reads like a standalone, rather than the first of a trilogy, right up until the final chapter. That ending is a real smack in the face, in a good way, mostly. But right up until then, it could have been a standalone. It's a heck of a cliff hanger! Before that, I could have lived with the unanswered questions, but now I'm left needing answers. I'm not desperate for book 2, but I'm certainly looking forward to it.

Mini Reviews - Delirium, Angelfire, Radiance

EDITED. So, Blogger is a bastard (sorry to any offended) Radiance WAS reviewed, but for some reason the review disappeared leaving just the description and the rating *grumbles* Being unable to remember it word for word, it's now shorter and worse, but it is at least reviewed again.

Yep, another of those Mini Reviews posts. Delirium and Angelfire because they were early eARC's from NetGalley and I am waiting til closer to release to post full reviews. Radiance because I don't really have enough to say about it for it to be a considered a full review, so I'm adding it in here instead.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

"Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love"

First in a planned new dystopian trilogy. I really liked this book. It's got some great ideas and it's well played out, but for a long while, despite liking it, I felt a serious disconnect with the main character, Lena. I don't know why, but I just didn't connect with her very well so while the writing and pacing was excellent, I found I could just put it down and walk away easily. I liked Lena, I just didn't connect with her. I did enjoy the story though, and I really didn't have a clue what would happen right until the end. I wasn't too happy about one particular thing near the end, but otherwise thought it was a very good read. I can't quite say I loved it because it wasn't until about 3/4 through the book that I really connected with Lena and it got really intense for me. That's when I struggled to put it down. Still, it's great and I recommend it. Oddly, it reads (or did to me) as a standalone right until the final chapter. With a couple minor tweeks I think it would make a fantastic standalone book. I'm still looking forward to book 2 though and suspect I could enjoy that a lot more, but I'd got no idea where this series is going. Rating: 7/10

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

"When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember."

Angel books appear to be taking over the YA UF genre right now. Not all of them good, but this is one of the great ones. I was hooked within a few pages and struggled to put it down. It's got a lot of action, and unlike most YA books right now it seems, it's got decidedly little romance. There is a romantic plot, but it's a long while before it really comes up. It's very intense when it does, and perfectly played, but it is a sub-plot, at least for the time being. I loved the action in this book, I loved Ellie (the protagonist) and how she learnt and dealt with the things she discovered. I love Will, her bodyguard. He's very hot, mysterious and has just about everything going for him. He kind of broke my heart at one point, but I still love him completely. Some great twists and the ending was really intense. I'm very excited for more in this series!! Rating: 9/10


Radiance by Alyson Noel

"Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she's summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can't quite figure out.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he's never met Riley..."

Copy received for review thanks to Lynsey at UK Book Tours.
This is the first book in the spin off series from the Immortals one (book 1 is Evermore) focusing on Riley. This is amied at younger audience than the Immortals series, which I don't normally read, but as I liked the first couple books in that series I thought I'd give it a try. Sadly it didn't work for me. I liked Riley a lot in Evermore, but no so much as a protagonist. However, it's still a fun, sweet, cute read with a good cast and plot. Younger readers and those who enjoy younger fiction, will likely really enjoy it, it just wasn't for me. Rating: 5/10

Matched by Ally Condie

I won an ARC copy of Matched from Jenny at Wondrous Reads. Thank you! Matched is released November 30th in the US, Dec 2nd in the UK.

"In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.


Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one...until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow - between perfection and passion."

First off, I've been wanting this book badly ever since I first heard about it. It sounded great, has an awesome cover, and early reviews kept popping up saying 'it's awesome!' So I was naturally delighted when I opened my emails to discover that I had won an ARC copy. For one reason and another it took almost 2 weeks before I could start it, despite wanting to dive right in to it, but oh heck. SO worth the wait! Matched is completely fantastic. Of course, now I have a longer wait for the sequel *facepalm* I couldn't put this book down. It's fantastically done, beautifully written with an almost poetic quality.

Cassia is, as the Society inspires, naive and 'perfect'. It's a stark world she lives in, a perfect one, Society decides everything for the best of everyone and they're never wrong. There are 100 songs, 100 poems and so on, never new ones being created. Society says what you do and when, and Cassia has always trusted them, always followed the rules. But at heart, she's a rebel. It barely shows at first, just a hint here and there, but grows as events unfold and things change. And I completely love her character. I felt sorry for her, the way she, and everyone in fact, appears to be puppets rather than human beings with thoughts and feelings. But Cassia's personality grew massively throughout the book and I just loved it.

Ky. Oh Ky! I have a new top level fictional love. He and Cassia have known each other for years, but no one really knows him. He's quite the mystery, not quite like the others. He's smart, and awesome and, well, like I said, I love him.

I love Xander, Cassia's best friend and 'Match' as well, and Cassia's family too. All the characters are really well drawn. I love how they're all far deeper and more complex than first appears. As the story unfolds, there are layers continually being peeled back, revealing more and more as they go. It's true of the world Cassia lives in as well as the characters actually. More and more gradually being revealed and it's spectacularly done. It creates a tension, a mystery, that I couldn't drag myself away from. I had to know what happened next.

Obviously the romance is a pretty strong theme throughout the book, but it's far from the only one. It's also the story of a girl waking up, realising who she is, what the world around her is like, how to survive. It's as much about everything around Cassia as Cassia herself. Perfect blend of internal battle and external one.

The place itself, the world Cassia lives in, scares the hell out of me. Seriously. 100 songs/poems/books/whatever picked years ago and nothing else is allowed to be made/created? Your job/spouse/exercise/food is all dictated by what 'suits you best'. And no one questions it because Society is always right. Everyone is supposed to be equal, everyone is meant to follow the rules, because then everything stays perfect. The Society even decide when you die (it's your 80th birthday in case you're wondering). Scary as hell, maybe because you can see it as real. Censorship taken to the extreme. A dictatorship of evil hidden under the guise of being 'perfect'. It's easy to see the people as puppets, to see their lives as limited and wonder how they don't all go crazy. But it's what they're used to, it's been that way for a couple generations, so no one questions. *shudders*

The ending is spectacular. Gripping, intense, beautiful, heart wrenching and brilliant. It was one of those times where you get to the final page and turn it over expecting more because a) you HAVE to know what happens next and b) Why the Hell was it left there?! So like I said at the start, I'm now desperate for the sequel (no title/date yet, sadly), it's one of the top books on my 'Must Haves' list for sure. This was one of the best dystopian books I've read, if not the best [wonders how much flack she's gonna take for saying that]. Yes really. Easily one of my favourite reads of 2010. If this book isn't on your To-Buy list, put it there, right now. My ARC copy doesn't have the pretty cover, so of course I'm getting one, and I'll be buying at least one more copy for a friend for Christmas. Love, love, love.

Rating: 10/10 [as if it would be anything else!]

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (spoiler free!)

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not ...more

This review (if you can call it that) is spoiler free for Mockingjay, but does contain spoilers from The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I really, really advise you ignore this post because HG is an epic trilogy and you absolutely want no spoilers before starting it.

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year"

From the back of the UK version: "If we burn, you burn with us." Sent shivers down my spine before I even cracked it open. 

I don't know how to even begin writing a review for this book. The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were both epic. They were dark, twisted, very, very real and generally just awesome. Nothing fuzzy, warm or happy about them really, but epic, thought provoking and amazing. I was desperate to know how it was all going to end for Katniss, Gale and Peeta, and the rest of the awesome characters. I knew it wouldn't be an easy ride, I knew it was going to be hell for them all, especially with how Catching Fire ended. But Mockingjay still blew them out of the water. 

It was a very, very painful and tear jerking read. Collins' is brutally honest about the toll of war, on the people involved, on the people who take action, on the innocents caught in the cross fire. I was brought to tears repeatedly and had to take a few breaks reading it because the intensity, the pain was just too much for me. I finished it well over 24 hours ago and I still can't really wrap my head around it all. I found myself trying not to keep sobbing for about an hour after I put the book down, that's the kind of impact it had on me.

Did I love it? Honestly, no, I don't think I did. I don't think I can say that and truly mean it at this point. I hope that with a little time for it to really settle in, I can.

Is is amazing and a worthy conclusion to the trilogy? Yes. Without a doubt it's an epic final book which does the first two justice.

Would I recommend the trilogy? Yes. No question at all this is one of the greatest YA trilogies/books/series that exists and I would recommend it without fail. But, that said, it's not warm romantic or happy. It's war in all it's brutality and loss of innocence. It is not an easy read. Not a fun beach, vacation, rainy day read. It's intense from page one through to the last, it doesn't let up, it tears you apart and asks huge questions.

Was I disappointed about anything? Yes. But detailing that would be spoiling it. I will say that there is a outcome I didn't like, still can't accept. War changes people, I know that, I've got an uncle who's ex-army, been to Iraq and I've heard the stories, seen what it does to him as he speaks of it and can't begin to imagine how I'd cope in Katniss' world. But despite that, despite everything, the changes brought in one character disappointed me and the outcome it meant for them disappointed me. From how that character was shown from books 1 and 2 it didn't quite tally with me. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm asking too much, but it's how I feel about it.

The ending was brutal, and if I'm being honest, that thing that disappointed me? For me, meant a taint on that ending, it didn't give me what I wanted, though with how things went I do understand it. Its the second thing that disappointed me about the book, but I think they're the only things that do. Fairly major disappointments for me, but they can't take away from the greatness of this trilogy, not truly. Because this trilogy has never been about a romantic love triangle (which yes, does get a resolution, but I won't say anything beyond that on the subject), or a girl standing up to a bad guy or two. It's been about war. A different world, a different life, from ours sure, but we've all seen the images, heard the stories. Some know those involved, or have been themselves even. That's what this trilogy is about, war, the darkness that causes it, the darkness that comes with it, and the darkness that follows.

Mockingjay is a fitting end to this epic trilogy, and of course a must read for fans of the first two. But I warn you it is far more brutal than either of the first two, and I while I can honestly say it's amazingly done and one of the very best YA series that exist, I do not love it. It is not something I feel I can love, though I hope that can change with a little time and perspective. I suppose it deserves full marks for what it is, for everything it says, for the trilogy as a whole and this book alone, yes it gets full marks and then some. But on a personal level, it can't. Not with how disappointed I feel about that one character, that one outcome. I feel almost wrong giving it less than it deserves, but that's just my opinion. 8/10

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

"The Process by which a child is both terminater and yet kept alive is called 'unwinding'. Unwinding is now a common, and accepted, practice in society.

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would unwind them. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed - but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, is wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away."

Conner is 16 and constantly getting in to trouble. He finds it really hard to rein in his temper and it makes for a lot of fights. His parents have had enough. He just discovered the Unwind papers they signed. The day before they and his younger brother go on vacation, Conner will be unwound. To avoid it, he's going to run.

Risa is 15, a ward of the State she's grown up in a group home knowing that she has to be the very best or she risks being unwound. Now she's being told she's not quite good enough and because there is a space shortage, she's being unwound. Terrified, Risa doesn't think there is a way she can possibly escape.

Lev is 13 and a tithe. He's been raised his whole life to be unwound and he's actually looking forward to it. He believes he's doing God's will. He doesn't want to escape it, he wants it to happen and the sooner the better.

Conner runs but the juvy cops follow. He attempts to lose them crossing a busy freeway. The Bus carrying Risa and other Unwinds swerves and crashes, as does the car carrying Lev. Risa runs for the surrounding forest, and for some reason Conner decides to take Lev as a hostage. Conner and Risa team up, keeping Lev with them, determined to stay gone until they turn 18 and become free again. But surviving in a world where everyone is watching is easier said than done.

I was lent this by a good friend after she and another told me I had to read it because it was amazing. I can't argue that this book is very well done. It's dark, twisted and the politics that led to Unwinding are all too easy to imagine. It moves at a good pace, building tension throughout the book, taking several twists along the way I didn't see coming. It's written in third person, switching between Conner, Risa and Lev's POV's with the occasional small part from various other characters. The way it's told adds to the unsure atmosphere, no one able to trust anyone else and showing what is really going on for each individual. It means there are times when you can see that wrong assumptions have been made and they're going to cost that person, but again, it just adds to the tension and builds it all up further.

I really, really liked all three main characters. It was easy to feel for them and their different situations. They all change and grow a lot through the book, facing so many huge obstacles and they learn a lot about themselves. The anger, frustration and betrayal the Unwinds feel comes through loud and clear and it's hard not to get worked up by that as well. They're in a world where trust is in dire supply, but they can't survive on their own.

So why, when the book was really hard to put down, I loved the characters, its well written and full of surprises, why didn't I love it? Very simple actually, it creeped me out too much. I'm not easy to creep out, I can handle blood and gore and intense situations in graphic detail fine. But just occasionally there is a book where the detail is just right between gore and the psychological aspect that it completely gets to me. That was the case here. The majority of the book was fine, dark, twisted and full of anger, but fine. There are just a couple things towards the end of the book which crossed that line for me and left too deep an impression.

I can't love the book for those moments because they creeped me out too badly. But, they don't actually manage to take away from the book (which probably makes no sense, bare with me). This book has some dark themes, 'aborting' teens instead of unborn babies, tithing humans, 'storking' (by which mothers with babies they don't want can leave them on anothers' doorstep and they have to take that child wanted or not, so long as they don't get seen doing so). It pulls no punches and explores these themes pretty deeply. It wouldn't have the same impact if those bits that creeped me out enough to take away some enjoyment weren't there.

Overall, it really is a great read and one that well and truly got under my skin, but I can't say I loved it. It's not that kind of book for me. I would recommend it, with warning that it's not for the faint hearted. On a 'technical' level this book is probably near perfect, but I'm not rating it as such so it does lose a few marks with me. Still a great book, if you like the twisted nature. 7/10

Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

"Keep Your Head Down. Don't Get Noticed. Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. One of thousands who work in the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. The Trava family who rules our world from their spacious Upper levels wants us to be docile and obedient, like sheep. To insure we behave, they send the Pop Cops to police us. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous--the only neck at risk is my own.

Until a lower level prophet claims a Gateway to Outside exists. And guess who he wants to steal into the Upper levels to get the proof? You’re right. Me. I alone know every single duct, pipe, corridor, shortcut, hole and ladder of Inside. It’s suicide plain and simple. But guess who can’t let a challenge like that go unanswered? Right again. Me.

I should have just said no..."

This is the first book in new young adult series from Maria V Snyder. I've read her Study series, and loved it, but I was cautious about reading this one. It's science fiction more than anything else, and I predominantly read urban fantasy generally not liking sci-fi. But a couple book buddies mentioned they loved this book and told me I had to read it. I trust their judgement and tried it. And fell in love.

Trella is a scrub, expected to do her job, keep her head down and stay in line, who only wants space to herself. To find it, she's learnt to hide out in the pipes she cleans. Her only friend is Cog, a guy who gets on with everyone. For him, she agrees to speak to Broken Man, a 'Prophet' who claims to have proof of 'Outside'. He wants Trella to retrieve it and because she can't refuse a challenge, she agrees. The consequences of her actions though, are far worse than she could have imagined.

I liked Trella from the start, although I'm certain she's not the kind of character everyone could like. She's distant and doesn't seem to care too much about anything, except finding a space she can get some peace away from people. Something I can relate to, I like my space too. Cog is more or less Trella's opposite, he cares about everyone. Watching them play off each other is sweet and funny. I don't want to say too much about the plot because I don't want to give anything away. It's a strong, fast plot with some great twists and turns. The end left me hanging and I wanted more badly. It's frustrating to know I've got a wait a year for the second book, Outside In. The characters are well rounded and while they all keep their secrets, we see and know enough about them to care about them. I felt Trella's fear of the Pop Cops easily and came to flinch at their mention. Ms. Snyder pulls no punches with this book and the hint of romance threaded in adds to the overall experience.

A fantastic book and one I'll happily reread. When I manage to get my hands on my own copy. Big thanks to xkenaix on Twitter for sending me hers to read :) This book may not be my usual style or preference, but it's got great characters and it's a world that while a little confusing to start with, is one you can understand and imagine easily through the narrative. I would highly recommend this book for those aspects, and because I had a tough job putting it down! 9/10

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

**SPOILER WARNING.** Contains some spoilers from first book, The Hunger Games. Would advise skipping this review if you've yet to read it!





"After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen returns to her district, hoping for a peaceful future. But Katniss starts to hear rumours of a deadly rebellion against the Capitol. A rebellion that she and Peeta have helped to create. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless Katniss and Peeta can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying."

Catching Fire is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy and picks up a few months after book one. Katniss' life has changed a lot since she and Peeta were declared victors of the Hunger Games and arrived back in their home, District 12. She, and her mother and sister, now live in victors village and don't lack for food, clothing or money. But Katniss' problems are far from over. She doesn't like being in the spotlight, she doesn't like seeing her friends suffer still and she has a hard time knowing how to deal with Peeta and her best friend Gale, both of whom love her. But when they discover the unrest breaking out in the Districts, fueled by Katniss' 'trick' at the end of the previous Games, life becomes far, far more dangerous for them all and Katniss is forced to make some tough decisions.

Book one, The Hunger Games, completely blew me away. I wasn't sure if Catching Fire could really live up to the tension and emotion of it, but it did. I was grabbed just as quickly and just as hard by Katniss' continued troubles. All the characters grew on me even more through this book as things heated up and more was discovered about them all. I couldn't help feeling for Katniss as she tries to protect those closest to her, but not really knowing how to.

The tension builds from the start and there are some really good twists that caught me out. I could guess towards the end about something that was going to happen, and I willed Katniss to see it, but my figuring it out first didn't spoil it for me any. I couldn't help tears a couple of times when loved characters were hurt and I felt Katniss' fear and pain clear as day. As well as being a well told story of it's own though, this book is the set up for the final showdown in book 3, Mockingjay, and it does a great job of it. The ending was painful and brilliant leaving me desperate for more!

I can see why this series has become such a hit, and it's very well deserved. Collins does a great job of making the scene very real, and delivering the blows unflinchingly. The tension that begins on page one, doesn't end until the final words and all the while I just keep wishing things weren't quite so hard for Katniss. But I know it wouldn't be nearly the story it is if they weren't. There is a little more romance in this book than the previous one, but while I feel it adds to the story, it would also be just fine without it. I personally am rooting for a specific guy, because I am me and I must, but I find I'm not all that fussed about Katniss' romantic life. I'm far more interested in her survival and the rest of her story there is to be told. I am now desperate to read Mockingjay and it is easily in the top three of books I most want in 2010! 10/10

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

"Winning will make you famous, losing means certain death.

In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature."

Originally I was hesitant to pick this book up, despite it getting good reviews, it didn't sound like something I'd enjoy too much. But my friend pushed me lots to get it, so I of course did. And I'm really, really glad she pushed! This book is fantastic.

It only took a few pages of Katniss' voice to hook me in to her world, one where survival is tough, starvation a real possibility and where she, at 16, is (and has been) taking care of her mom and 12 year old sister for years. She's a hunter, taking out rabbits and other game to either feed her family or trade for other necessities.

The Hunger Games start with the reaping. Everyone must be present in town as the 'tributes' from each of the 12 districts, one girl and one boy between the ages of 12 and 18, are picked. This year, Prim's name is called and Katniss instantly steps up, volunteering herself in her sisters place. The boy called from District 12 this year is Peeta. He's not dirt poor like Katniss, struggling for every mouthful, but that doesn't mean life has been easy for him. They travel by train to the Capitol, the ruling city who keep the Districts in strict order. There they are given all the food they can eat, and more, whist going through interviews and training for the Games.

In the Capitol the games are a big event, one where a lot of money is bet and crowds love to back the tributes. But the arena is far from a game. Once inside it, it's every person for themselves. The last person standing is the victor.

The tension built from page one and never let up. You really feel for Katniss and the position she's in, and then as she fights for her life in the Games. Nothing is easy for her, but she's tough and smart, willing to do everything she can. She's not stupid, she knows how small her chances are but if she's going to go out, she's going to go out fighting.

I think it's the way this book is written that really sucks me in. You get a real sense very early on about how tough life is for Katniss, how bad it is in the games, why her friend Gale is always so angry at the Capitol where no one lacks for anything. I love Katniss' ability to adapt and think on her feet, her stubbornness and how she cares when really she wants to shut everyone out so she can do what she must. The world Katniss lives in is well described making it easy to visualise exactly what's going on and you can't help hoping that she'll just catch a break. Collins doesn't flinch away from the dark sides of Katniss' life or of the death that must be dealt in the Games either, making it all that more real.

A truly fantastic book that had me hanging on every word and desperate for more when I was done. I had a really, really hard time putting it down and I couldn't wait to read book 2, Catching Fire, which is equally as good. A must read that I'd highly recommend to both adults and teens. 10/10