The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins

  
'The Hunger Games', Catching Fire' and 'Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games: When 16-year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers for her little sister, she must face battle in the arena. Set in the future, in a place where every year one boy and one girl is chosen to represent their district in the annual Hunger Games, the story follows the 24 tributes who must fight till death leaving just one standing. Once in the arena there is one rule: kill or be killed.
Catching Fire: After the victory tour through the twelve districts, Katniss and Peeta have to enter the games yet again. But times have changed - all through the land there are uprisings against the Capitol and with it President Snow. Katniss, who after threatening to kill herself and Peeta with the poisonous berries in the first games, is in serious danger from President Snow, because by not playing by the Capitol's rules she has become the Mockingjay - the symbol of rebellion.
Mockingjay: Katniss founds herself as the Mockingjay, the symbol of the people's rebellion against the Capitol and cruel President Snow - something at first she does not want. She is broken and wants to be free from the rebellion but Katniss knows she is the peoples only hope, so she becomes the heroine fighting for the right of all.

The only reason I read all three books, was once again due to my impatient on needing to know the end. I watched the movie The Hunger Game and really hated that I was left not knowing what was going to happen next so I picked up the books and read them! I have friends who have read them before me and liked the books but I thought they were more aimed at teenagers so before the movie I had no interest in reading them.

I found the first chapter of the first book a bit slow so was a little unsure on how I was going to feel, but after the first chapter I was hooked and I could not put it down! Through the book you could feel Katniss's pain, happiness and anger. I cant believe how reading this book made me feel - I felt pain and anger for what the capital was putting these children through and I found I cried in a few places! But I also laughed too. I really enjoyed reading the parts with Katniss and Rue - who I loved as a character. The book gave a better understanding to Katniss and Peeta relationship than just watching the movie. When I got nearer the end of the book I just couldn't put in down, I needed to find out if Katniss would escape. It took all my will power to not pick the second book up to carry on reading the story as it was well passed midnight when I finished the first book.
The second book did not catch me a much as the first, but I still enjoyed it. I would have enjoyed to have had more information about the districts - for Suzanne to have taken us more into the make up of the country and how all the districts fitted into this make up. (If you know what I mean!)
The part of the book which covered the Hunger Games arena once again had me hooked. I couldn't put this part of the book down - the clock system that Suzanne used was amazing, it was action packed and got me hooked as I wasn't sure/didn't know what was going to happen - who was going to live and who was going to die! The ending was great too and I could wait to start reading book three, Mockingjay.
Well not sure about this the last in the series. I founds the first part of the book slightly boring and wishing it would hurry up to the good stuff. Which did come, the middle section was fast paced, thrilling and had the perfect balance of emotion and action. BUT THEN.... the ending came! Oh how disappointed I was. There was such a good build up that I thought the ending was going to be fantastic but it wasn't. Yes we finally see Katniss and Peeta together but at what price. What happened to happy ever after (I know all books don't end like that but after such pain surely Katniss and Peeta deserved it). If the ending was slightly different I think for me it would have been a better ending to what I feel overall is good books.

I would recommend - Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be forever in your favour!