The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

After a long time, I read a book that had a drastic effect on me.  Have you ever read a book, which makes you keep on thinking about it for the next few days?  Whenever you think of it, have you always felt exciting, glad and sad at the same time?  Have you felt your heart racing at every incident that take place in a book?  Did you find the need to realize that a book is not a real life and keep saying its a fiction, so that you won't be knocked out cold?  Well, THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins, is such a book.

The Hunger Games is set in a time in future (I hope fervently that its centuries later), where humanity is at its worst.  Our world, then, is ruled by a set of rich people, who live in comfort, in a place called Capitol.  We, the remaining population, occupy the 12 districts and work for the Capitol.  Life in the district is so bad, that people have to strive hard, to remain alive.

As if this is not bad enough, every year, two members of each district (irrespective of their age, is chosen and thrown into the Hunger Games.  The Hunger Games is a huge place, where there is various traps, vicious animals and life-sucking troubles, that the members have to survive.  The last member, who is alive, will be the winner and can live the rest of his life in his district in luxury.  In addition to the traps and stuff from the Capitol, the members kill each other like animals, to survive in that arena.  This entire action is cast live to all the world.

Katniss, our protogonist, a 16-year old from District 12, volunteers for this event in order to protect her 10-year old sister, who is selected for the Hunger Games.  After her father died, Katniss protects and feeds her mother and sister.  Katniss detests the Capitol and she is a girl, who is good in hunting.  Katniss is excellent with a bow and arrow.

Along with Katniss, Peeta Mellark, the boy who had a secret crush on Katniss since childhood, also is selected for the Hunger Games, from District 12.  Although the two try to be seen as a couple to get support from the audience, when the real action begins, Katniss is blind to Peeta's love and continues her "act".  Although romance is a very small part in the grand scheme of things in the book, it still feel unfair towards Peeta.  Unlike Katniss, Peeta is not much of a survivor.  He is a baker's son and the skills to survive towards hunger and other brutalities are not good for him.

When finally the Hunger Games begins, the violence and the stress of the kids to survive just moves you to bits.  In spite of all the violence and so much blood-shed and death, I don't feel repulsive, but felt hypnotized.  The plot seems challenging and not in one place can I guess or think about what will happen next.  The writing and descriptions are beyond awesome. 

This book is going to be a movie soon and I CAN'T WAIT..  The trailer below for you..

The soon-to-be movie, The Hunger Games, is a must-read for all and I promise, it would never disappoint you.

Series:

1.  The Hunger Games
2.  Catching Fire
3.  Mockingjay

The Hunger Games received a number of awards and honors. It was named one of Publishers Weekly's "Best Books of the Year" in 2008 and a The New York Times "Notable Children's Book of 2008".  It was the 2009 winner of the Golden Duck Award in the Young Adult Fiction Category. The Hunger Games was also a "2008 Cybil Winner" for fantasy and science-fiction books.  It also one of School Library Journal's "Best Books 2008" and a "Booklist Editors' Choice" in 2008.  In 2011, the book won the California Young Reader Medal.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #2)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is the second book in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series.  This book follows where the first book ends and says about how Greg gets along with his brother, Rodrick.  This book is as funny and descriptive as its first.

Greg Heffley is in middle school and the story starts with how bad Greg's summer was.  Greg deals with his swimming classes (on his father's insistence) in summer.  Greg's friend, Rowley, has gone on vacation, which he is not interested to listen to.

"I don't know if this makes me a bad person or whatever, but it's hard for me to get interested in other people's vacations."

And of course, he has to deal with his little brother, Manny and his parents.  The biggest trouble of all, is to deal with his big brother, Rodrick.  This is because he "is the only one who knows about this REALLY embarassing thing that happened to me over the summer, and he's been holding it over my head ever since."

So, now that Greg's secret is with Rodrick, Greg has one more thing to worry about.

RODRICK RULES - the sequel to the New York Times bestseller DIARY OF A WIMPY KID - is another enjoyable read.  It shows how a self-centered and funny middle-schooler deals with his own problems, most of which are his own makings.  Greg here, do not take any responsibility or understand other's problems other than his own.  The kid is not a perfect kid, as everyone of us, but his ways and approach to a problem are..what to say..kid-like.  :-)  Most of the us have our own Greg moments.  I will say this book will be appealing, even to many of the reluctant readers.

Series:

The New York Times, which rates children's serials collectively on a "Series Books" bestseller list, has included the Wimpy Kid series for 64 weeks as of April 10, 2010.

USA Today, which ranks best sellers based on sales alone regardless of genre or intended audience, has listed Diary of a Wimpy Kid in its top 150, peaking at number 8, for 141 weeks as of April 4, 2010. As of the same date, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules has been on the list for 117 weeks (peaking at number 4).

Series order:

1.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Read review here
2.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
3.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw - Read review here
4.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days - Read review here
5.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth
6.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Touch Of Power (Healer #1)

First, thanks to the Harlequin publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of the "Touch of Power", written by Maria V. Snyder.

Touch of Power is the first book in the Healer series.  The magic, plot and characters are absolutely fantastic.  There are 15 realms, ruled by kings and there is 11 kinds of magic (air, water, rock, earth, moon, sun, forest, life, death, etc.).  Healing is one such type of magic and is very rare.

The story starts with Avry of Kazan realm, running and hiding to save her own life from the public.  Avry is a healer, who takes other's diseases and wounds into herself.  The only advantage of this is she can heal 10 times faster than the regular person.  Well, then why is she chased?  Because there is a plague that's started around the people and spreads and kills everyone and people started to think that healers and their research are the reason for this.  So, there is a heavy price placed on the healers and people hunt them down.  Avry is the last of the healers, left alive.  When she cures a sick child from initial stages of plague, she is found and given to the soldiers.

When Avry waits in prison, for her death, she is rescued by Kerrick of Alga realm and his men (Belen, Vinn, Quain and Flea).  Kerrick needs Avry to save his friend, Prince Ryne, from the plague.  Then the real adventure of their travel starts.  Avry would not consent to heal Ryne, for he is the one who started this healer hunting.  But soon, she becomes friendly with Kerrick's men, which has not happened to her in a long time.  They start to trust each other.  Though Kerrick is always closed and neutral to all reactions, Avry has a way to get into his skin and make him angry.

Kerrick and his men try to convince Avry to heal Ryne on their journey. Avry thinks that Kerrick doesn't care about her, because if she heals Prince Ryne, she will die.  She has to decide whose life is more important.  Is Ryne's life worth saving, by losing her own life, in the process?  She also learns more about the competitors to the throne as King, their plots to kill Ryne, Kerrick's past, his magic and his loyalty to Ryne.  Tohon, who is the other competitor to the throne, along with Prince Ryne and others, has some "dead"ly thoughts and he thinks Avry is the bait to hurt Kerrick.

The action and adventures continue, all through their journey.  The characters in the book are so endearing, you don't want the book to end, at all..ever.  Belen (named as the Poppa Bear by Avry), is so protective of this men and Avry, and is such a lovable character.  The other characters are also so good and easy, that its easy to correlate with someone you know.

The writing is simple and sometimes weak, but the plot strengthens the book.  The romance is less, but well growing relationship.  The fantasy is thick in the air and the adventures in the quest keeps readers in place.  Its easy to love this book.  There is not one place that I found boring in the book.

Overall, an engaging and engrossing tale.

About this author:

Maria V. Snyder earned an MA in Popular Fiction Writing from Seton Hill University.  Her freelance articles appear in magazines and newspapers, and she enjoys teaching fiction writing classes at the local college. 

Some favourite quotes:

"...things happen that are out of your control.
Kerrick gave him a tight smile.  'You mean I'm not omnipotent?'
'You're not even semi-potent.'
'Is that even a word?' Kerrick asked.
'He probably means you're impotent,' I offered."

SERIES ORDER

1.  Touch of Power - Review | Amazon | Goodreads

2.  Scent of Magic - Review | Amazon | Goodreads

3.  Taste of Death - Review | Amazon | Goodreads

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