The day has finally arrived... The Hunger Games have begun

Provided you haven't been living under a rock for the last few months (or even the last week) you know that today is opening day for The Hunger Games movie. I have been a fan of the books since early 2009, before I even started this blog. My thoughts on the first book are minimal because it was one of the first reviews I wrote. I have watched this phenomenon explode from the very beginning & I am very happy to say that I am pleased with the way things have gone.

I think this movie will be one of the better book-to-film adaptations we've seen in a long while. Everything we've seen so far has kept the heart of the story intact & on the right track. Personally, my favorite part of the film is the fact that it was filmed in my home state. North Carolina isn't the first place people often think of in terms of lush forests & breath-taking scenery, but she's a hidden beauty & I think the film showcases that.

So here's to the beginning of a great series! May the odds be ever in your favor.

Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash: How KatnissEverdeen would celebrate Halloween & GIVEAWAY!

I'm proud to say that I am fortunate enough to participate in Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash. She'll be hosting giveaways & guest posts throughout the month of October. Be sure to check out the schedule of spooktacular fun!

I chose to explore how our favorite Hunger Games tribute would celebrate Halloween in her world. I'll be describing how I think she would participate in the Halloween festivities before we meet her in The Hunger Games.

Katniss Everdeen, our 16 year old heroine, will think that she has outgrown the kiddie faux-holiday that is Halloween, but will be obligated to take her little sister Prim around the neighborhood to collect their meager gifts. Over the years, more and more houses have stopped leaving their lights on to let the kids know that there are treats available. Even more kids have stopped going out because their families simply can't afford the luxury of a costume. Luckily Katniss & Prim's mother is a miracle worker & pulls together a simple, yet cute owl costume for Prim to wear made from old clothing scraps.

As they get ready to head out, Prim decides that Katniss needs to dress up too. Sure to please the young one, Katniss grabs a few bags of herbs from her mom's storage area to tie around her belt. When she returns announcing she's read to go, Prim exclaims that Katniss still isn't dressed. Katniss is sure to inform her that she is dressed as an apothecary, complete with medicinal herbs.

Gale shows up then to escort them around the neighborhood. There's really not much to see in The Seam since all the families here are coal miners, but there are a few houses where people are generous enough to spare an apple or slice of bread. The real score is in town at the merchant families' houses. While no one really has an easy life in District 12 (one of the farthest districts from The Capitol) the merchants seem to be doing better than everyone else because they have an actual product to sell. The miners just get what they can based on the hours in their shifts.

Prim starts to get quote excited to see all the other kids running around giddy & hyper because it's one of the few times she gets to interact in such a jovial manner. Things are quite regimented in the districts with lots of runs that must be followed. Prim enjoys just getting to be a kid. While everyone thinks she is oblivious to what's really going on around her, she knows that Katniss is doing a lot more than she should have to in order to provide for the family. Prim just wishes she could be more like her big sister.

As they wander the streets, moving from house to house, they come upon the Mellark family bakery. Despite having beat her son when he gave away their bread to a starving family, Mrs. Mellark is handing out warm sweet rolls to all the children stopping by. They smell divine & Katniss can't help but think back to the night that Mrs. Mellark's son Peeta saved Katniss's family by giving her some bread. Even now she looks around for him & finds him hard at work inside the bakery making the next batch of sweet rolls. Each of them takes a roll & thanks Mrs. Mellark right before the announcement is made that the curfew has not been extended & all citizens should return to their homes.

Gale walks the girls back to their mother thinking about how this wasn't the "huge waste of time" that Katniss had predicted. Actually, he rather enjoyed the respite from the daily grind of hunting, foraging & trading at the Hob. It was nice to think about what it will be like when he & Katniss get to walk their own children around the district.

So how about it folks? Do you think I hit the nail on the head with that dream? I sure hope so. It was a lot of fun to imagine myself as Katniss & to think about her emotions in such a serious way. I don't do much fiction writing, but after this I may start to think about taking it up as a hobby. There are a few stories I have started over the years (from English & Creative Writing classes), but nothing that I've thought about it years.

Now on to the real reason you might have stopped by. :D There will be 4 winners in this contest.

Grand Prize:
A Hunger Games wordle t-shirt from ParamountPacific on etsy.com
It comes in sizes Small to XL

Three runners up win:
Hunger Games bookmarks from sotheysay on etsy.com

To enter, go to Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash page. There are several giveaways going on, so be sure to enter as many as you'd like!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Mockingjay (Hunger Games, #3)

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This book really needs no introduction from me, but I am ECSTATIC for the August 24th release of Mockingjay (the third and FINAL installment) by Suzanne Collins. Obviously MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for those who haven't read the other two books yet. If you want to read my thoughts, they can be found here: The Hunger Games & Catching Fire.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

From Goodreads

I mean WOW. Honestly, I'm kind of speechless after that kind of a set-up. The first two novels in the series were incredibly powerful and wrought with emotion & action. This one promises to follow in its predecessors' footsteps. Unfortunately for all us book reviewers, Scholastic has decided to forgo making any ARCs for general distribution. We will all have to wait patiently until the release date. While I am not a huge promoter of fansites in general, I must say that mockingjay.net does seem to be on the right track with their content, information, and layout. Check them out in order to satiate your Hunger Games needs until the release.

What are you waiting on this week?

Cover Alert ~ Hunger Games 3!!

Isn't it gorgeous?!!? It's official folks, I am now absolutely in love with this series's covers! Hope you enjoy it!

P.S. I had been skeptical of the worthiness of Twitter, until I found this on there just now. It really is a great instant network. Please follow me to find out up-to-date info as I find it!!

You can win the 1st, 2nd or 3rd book of the Hunger Games trilogy!

You read that right. VVB32 is having an amazing contest where you can win any of the 3. Head on over and see what to do!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

So I know I am a little farther behind then everyone else, but I decided to be patient like a good girl and wait for my copy to come into the library. Let me tell you, it was well worth the wait.

Winning the Hunger Games was nothing like Katniss thought it would be. Instead of being relieved to be home, she is tormented not only by the nightmares about the games, but by the way her life is progressing.

Her berry trick caused such a raucous around the country of Panem, that President Snow is worried about rebellions and uprisings as her actions were seen as a direct threat to the control exerted by the Capitol.

Her relationship with Gale seems irreparably damaged and her "relationship" with Peeta is strained when the cameras are gone. Her mother and Prim are safe at home with her, but she can't seem to shake this feeling that something still isn't right.

When the 75th Hunger Games theme, the 3rd Quarter Quell, is announced everyone is shocked to find that the surviving victors are going back into the arena. Who will come out on top? What will happen with Katniss and Peeta's relationship? It has saved them once, but there are no guarantees now.

A phenomenal sequel to the highly acclaimed Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins has quickly returned and immersed us in the world of Panem with her compelling storyline and incredible characters. The scenes are described in such a way that I feel I can actually see what's going on in the book. Check out my review for the Hunger Games and keep your eyes posted for the third installment in the trilogy that's due out sometime in 2010!

Bringing in the Loot

This week I hit the book jackpot between winning a book, receiving my first ARC, my holds came in at the library, and I bought myself some birthday books. Hooray for birthdays!

The top row is loot from the library and when it rains, it pours.

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange, The Immortals: Evermore by Alyson Noel, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Ring of Fire by Pierdomenico Baccalario is an ARC I received.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier I won in a contest over on Book Divas.

So it looks like I will be a busy little blogger for at least the next few weeks. Also, Adriana Trigiani will be in town next Friday to promote her new book Viola in Reel Life so stay tuned for that update!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I picked this book up on the suggestion of a friend and I cannot thank her enough! This book was absolutely stellar! There's suspense, drama, and a creatively designed dystopic world! The characters have depth and are very engaging as they race around an arena trying to kill each other!

Before getting ahead of ourselves, some back ground information is necessary. When global warming destroys the United States, the remaining land is divided up between 13 districts. When District 13 decides to fight back at the inordinate amount of control the central government is exerting, they are put down and destroyed. As a reminder of this ill-advised uprising, every year there is a nationally televised gladiator-esque game show pitting two contestants from each district against everyone else in a battle to the death.

Katniss, our 16 year-old volunteer, is a strong, determined heroine. If she can be called that. Her drive to return home forces her to be brutal and harsh, while she is still likable as a character. Her alter-ego Peeta, also from her district, is generous to a fault. The story follows them as they try to escape the other 22 players and learn of the evil that lurks in the government. Do they make it out? Read it and discover the truth!

Note: The sequel to this book is coming out September 1, 2009. Get them both!!

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