Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins Book Review

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.


It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.


The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost. (from goodreads)



Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am in shock.  I have finally reached the end of a series that I never thought I would read.  This third and final book in the saga is easily the most violent, the most emotional, and the most fast-paced of the bunch.  There were twists and turns that I never saw coming, and I can say as others have that the book ended the way it needed to.  I know some have complained about the ending, but I felt as though I had closure after finishing the epilogue.

This entire series is something that everyone is talking about, and I do not want to give away anything.  I would say that the author has given each character their proper voice and told a tale that will give one pause to think about the future.  Could it happen?  I do not know, but I can hope and pray this book is not prophetic.  All I can say is it is not improbable.

One of the sweetest points in the whole series was that of Buttercup, the cat.  I was quite touched with this part of the story though it was a small s,ene.

If you have not read this series, I can recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone over the age of 12.


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Yes, I have finished the Hunger Games series.  What took me so long?  I had so many other books I had to review, and I was glad to finally finish this today.  It was interesting.  I finished the series while subbing at a middle school, and it prompted some interesting discussion.  One read the series, and one had not.  Oh, and my mom read the series.  She finished it before I did, and she really liked them!

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins Book Review

Summary (from goodreads): Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and 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 even 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.


In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before... and surprising readers at every turn.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading the first in the series and being completely mesmerized by it, I could hardly wait to read the second.  And I did read it in a matter of days.  And all I can say is that if you have read the first book, you absolutely must read the second book!

I felt like the book did an excellent job of picking up right where the first book left off.  The characters that we have grown to love were there--Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and more.  I found the plot of this book even more engaging than the last.  I don't want to put any spoilers in this review, so I won't say much.  But I truly think that Suzanne Collins's readers will find this book as engaging or more engaging than the first.

It is nice to report that there is absolutely NO profanity in the book.  A sexual encounter is implied (but we all know it did not really happen).  The violence depicted in the book is the most difficult part of the book to read.  But I will say this--it is necessary to get the point across.

As I read the book, I realized that if we don't start speaking up and telling the government to stay out of our business, we are honestly in danger of having something like this book happen.  It seems that as time goes on, we become less and less concerned about government involvement in our personal lives.  I am grateful for U.S. checks and balances in our government, and may we fight to keep those.



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About the Author:
Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear andOswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/​Bass Christmas special,Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days,and a freelancer on Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!

While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.

Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part fantasy/​war series,The Underland Chronicles.

Her next series, The Hunger Games Trilogy, is an international bestseller.

At present, Suzanne is at work on a picture book with James Proimos.

She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.

Check out her website here.

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