Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

**Warning - spoilers ahead**

My thoughts:  I don't even know where to begin or how to describe this book.  I picked it up because everyone said how good it was but I was hestitant because I did not want to be let down by my high expectations.  Well, I shouldn't have even been worried about that!  It met my expectations and then still went higher!  It was, in one word, AMAZING! 

I have never read a book that brought out so many different emotions in me.  I was just telling a couple friends about it yesterday, when I was only 50 pages in, that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish it as it was so incredibly disturbing and I wasn't sure I could handle it.  However, at the same time, I absolutely could not put it down.  I stayed up until 1:30 this morning reading it and then had violent nightmares where I was the tribute or one of my kids was. 

I loved Katniss and Peeta!  I don't know how you people out there choose teams because I love them both.  I also loved Rue.  I almost cried when she died and I don't cry at books.  It was so heart-wrenching and I actually felt the despair that Katniss felt as she was once again left alone to fight for her life.  At the same time, you are glad someone else took Rue out because how would Katniss have done it? 

I was surprised but happy that it wasn't too violent.  The implication is there but there isn't a ton of gory details and I'm very glad about that.  There is also no sex and very little, if any, swearing.  This was nice as it is a YA book.  However, that being said, I would not let my kids read this book until high school age.  Only because of the content and implied violence and how deeply it disturbed me.  This will be one of those books that stays with me for a long time.

I will be recommending this book to all my family and friends.  It was so intense that you cannot put the thing down.  I walked around with my Nook in front of my face all day (I have the piled up laundry and dishes to prove it).  It is on the top of my favorites list and I can't wait to dive into the second in the series! 

I know that I cannot give this book the review that it deserves.  It would be so long if I talked about everything I loved about this book so you will just have to pick it up and read it for yourself.  You won't be sorry!