Books 9 & 10: Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I can now say I am no longer out of the Hunger Games loop, and I am not sorry I decided to give it a read.

Being a YA book, it was not a challenging book for me, but I do see how it is a book that will challenge younger readers, maybe not by the writing, although that is not dumbed down, but certainly by the subject matter.

So here is where I play stupid.  I am so out of the current literature scene and even more out of the YA book scene I may be just talking out my tookis, but I can't say I know of a ton of books for teens that deal with a strictly dystopian future, maybe Lord of the Flies? (have to admit I have not read this).  I think it is a good book to introduce such a concept, gives you something to think about.

I can see why this trilogy caught on.  I love the heroine, Katniss and I loved Peeta even more.

Currently reading:

The Real Midnight In Paris: A History of the Expatriate Writers in Paris That Made Up the Lost Generation by Paul Brody and HistoryCaps (Jul 27, 2012)

Book 5- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is a book that many of my friends had been reading and talking about.  In general, I am not a fan of YA fiction, but after seeing the movie I decided to read it.

Yes, I saw the movie first. I watched it with my family and thought there could be a lot of angles taken in a story such as this.  And my daughter really was taken by the story and seems interested in reading it. I took this as an opportunity for us to share these books.

It is a compelling story, and I was able to work through it pretty quickly.  I am interested in seeing where this story goes.

When I told some people I was reading the Hunger games, someone mentioned they would love a book telling the story from Peeta side.  And I agree,  I would love to know how it all came together for him.  Obviously, the author has been working up to Katniss having a love triangle with Gale and Peeta, and this will have to work its way out in the next books.  So far I like Peeta.

I want to see how Katniss processes the games and the society that created it and forced her to participate.  How does her life change, and what does it all mean.  Now that she is away from the stress is she able to forgive Peeta?  Did she develop feelings for him only because of the games or were they genuine? 

I also hope there is more with Haymitch.  I find him super interesting.  He has won the game, and has all the riches he needs, but is a drunk and lonley and maybe realizes that winning the games may not be all it was cracked up to be, but I guess it is better than death.  How does Peeta and Katniss see Haymitch now that they to have won.

Now with this being a YA book, I don't know if it will get as deep and as dark as I would like it to go, but it has a good frame work to be able to dig deeper.  I don't think I will be swayed into reading a lot of YA Fiction, but The Hunger Games does have the emotional questioning that I like in a book.

Currently Reading: Beautiful Fools
Next Up: Beloved Infidel

Kicking it off

Why a reading blog?

Well, why not. I have always been a reader and in the past I had kept a reading journal.  I have sadly not kept it up.  Over the past few years I have been a bit obsessed with a particular author, and have been working through his materials, you can see that project over at Fitzgerald Musings.  But I am getting to the end, and have been picking up other books and don't feel I should include them over there.  So why not start another reading journal, just online.

To give you an idea of my reading tastes, I tend to go for classics.  I would like to read as many classics as I can.  But I do every now and then pick up a more current book.  I also have young kids, and have been known to read through their novels as well, this is usually when I an really mentally tapped out.

Now for a bit of a confession...
I am a slow reader.  I won't be cruising through 3 novels in a week.  I may be lucky to read one novel per month.  And secondly, I tend to remember what I read for only a short time.  I may remember the broad subject matter, but not the details. So re-reading a book can be enjoyable.

Well there it is.  The start of a new adventure.

Currently I am reading:
Beautiful Fools: The Last Affair of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald by R. Clifton Spargo

And The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins