Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins

Published 2009

391 Pages

Rating: A

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games. She and fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol — a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

(taken from inside flap)

This is the 2nd book of The Hunger Games, and it doesn’t disappoint. As with every book that has a sequel to it I am always skeptical, especially since The Hunger Games was such an amazing read, I was afraid my expectations for Catching Fire were beyond what it could ever be, but I was wrong. This book will have you up late at night, ignoring friends or family, even giving up food it is that good. The entire time reading I was in a trance, Collins writes so well, I find it hard to concentrate on anything else but the characters. I don’t want to give anything away for those who haven’t had the chance of reading this book yet, thus I wont describe the book too much, just know that you need to read it!

Life after the Hunger Games is not exactly what Katniss thought it would be, and no where near as private. Once her and Peeta stepped of the train returning to District 12, her life changed drastically. Her family and her moved into the Victors Village house, with Haymitch and Peeta as neighbors. The Capitol reporters came and went, but now that it is time for the Victory Tour, they are back. Peeta and her once again play the 'love' card, but now that President Snow has seen through Katniss' lie, he will make things a bit more difficult for her. There is talk about rebellion, about finally relieving themselves from the Capitol's firm grip on their lives, but with so much at stake Katniss doesn’t know whether to go along with it, or run away to safety. With the 75th Annual Hunger Games just around the corner, things get worse. Fighting for your life is one thing in the Hunger Games, but now out of the Hunger Games, Katniss finds herself fighting for so much more than that, and the Capitol doesn’t want that.

Such a great read, I recommend all of you to read it. I am still trying to figure out if I like it more than The Hunger Games. I initially didnt know what to expect, and I got so much more than I was ready for. Collins has done it again and captivated me with her story.

READ! READ! READ! :)

(Briana and Marisa will probably add their thoughts about the book once they have read it! So stay posted for their thoughts!)