Book #1, The Hunger Games
For the new year my church schedule was changed from 1pm to 9:30am. I remembered this right around 10:30 when I woke up. WHOOPS. But hey, it was kind of nice lying in bed reading all day. I think maybe I needed a good veg out day before this weekend and this Goofy madness. So! I finished The Hunger Games, which I had started but put down for three days so that it could be finished in 2012. :P
I really liked it, which I'm sure surprises zero people. I am actually a little surprised so many people found it before me, since it's precisely my favorite sort of thing (but I guess I can't always be the one to find all the cool stuff, har har). As far as being a "survival" book goes, I really liked the added twist of having to act for the cameras - the fact that playing the audience was part of the game, and that playing it right could get you advantages right in the middle of everything. That really set it apart for me, from all the other sci fi dystopian books that involve people fighting to the death like this. I was surprised at how acceptable the author made it; something like this is hard to swallow, especially the fact that it's done with children, but she sets it up just right so that in the middle of the book when something awful happens, you find yourself accepting that "it's just the way it is," which lesser books always fail to do. There's no disbelieving, "oh, come on" moments here.
I also really like Peeta, he is adorable, though since he's a nice kid but not the main character, I'm worried he's that pushover character who never gets anything he wants in the end. And probably dies at some point. :( No spoilers though you guys! (Though I'm sure you wouldn't give me any even if I begged for them.)
Total book count: 1/75 - 1.3%
Total page count: 374/22500 - 1.7%
Up next: Oh, those tiny percentages again. :( I'm halfway through Homecoming, and it's short so I may even finish it today. Heading home for Sunday dinner where I will pick up Catching Fire, but I will probably wait a few days before starting it, so we'll see. I don't like starting the next book immediately, even if I have it on hand. Not sure why but I've never liked doing it. I guess it just seems like there's supposed to be a break between them, since they're separate books.
I really liked it, which I'm sure surprises zero people. I am actually a little surprised so many people found it before me, since it's precisely my favorite sort of thing (but I guess I can't always be the one to find all the cool stuff, har har). As far as being a "survival" book goes, I really liked the added twist of having to act for the cameras - the fact that playing the audience was part of the game, and that playing it right could get you advantages right in the middle of everything. That really set it apart for me, from all the other sci fi dystopian books that involve people fighting to the death like this. I was surprised at how acceptable the author made it; something like this is hard to swallow, especially the fact that it's done with children, but she sets it up just right so that in the middle of the book when something awful happens, you find yourself accepting that "it's just the way it is," which lesser books always fail to do. There's no disbelieving, "oh, come on" moments here.
I also really like Peeta, he is adorable, though since he's a nice kid but not the main character, I'm worried he's that pushover character who never gets anything he wants in the end. And probably dies at some point. :( No spoilers though you guys! (Though I'm sure you wouldn't give me any even if I begged for them.)
Total book count: 1/75 - 1.3%
Total page count: 374/22500 - 1.7%
Up next: Oh, those tiny percentages again. :( I'm halfway through Homecoming, and it's short so I may even finish it today. Heading home for Sunday dinner where I will pick up Catching Fire, but I will probably wait a few days before starting it, so we'll see. I don't like starting the next book immediately, even if I have it on hand. Not sure why but I've never liked doing it. I guess it just seems like there's supposed to be a break between them, since they're separate books.