Book Review~Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games #2

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pub Date: September 1st 2009

Format: ebook

Pages: 391

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Romance, Adventure, Post Apocalyptic, Action, Fantasy

Links: Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Book/Author Site

Synopsis: Sparks are igniting.

Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.

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

Trailer:

Rating: 9/10

Source: Bought

My Thoughts: Well that was fast... I mean it felt like the book went by too fast. Maybe it was because I read it quick. Or that the Games only happened over a couple of days. Though the pages weren't les in number, it was a quick read.

I really liked this one. Better than the first book. I'm still not a big fan of the writing, I think it's OK. Not that amazing but not that bad either. One thing I really liked was the way the author had told little details of the first book. Just enough to refresh your memory. Not too much that the reader would be irritated, nor too little that the reader would be confused.

I love the story! The world the author has created, the characters in it. Even the heartlessness and brutality. It's all so believable! The suspense keeps you guessing what's next. The twists and turns are very interesting  I can say one thing about this book, it will not bore you. You will feel emotions like surprise, anger, happiness and sadness along with the characters. 

The characters, too, are amazing! Katniss is such a strong character. She's smart and independent and even though she has her flaws she has a lot of strengths too which make her a character that you can look up to. Peeta is so sweet! After the first book I was Team Gale but I think after this one I switched to Team Peeta. He's really nice and in the book Haymitch says to Katniss

“You know, you could live a thousand lifetimes and not deserve him.”

That just shows how awesome Peeta is! I liked the others characters too. Finnick was funny and reminded me somewhat of Damon. Though the other characters were not discussed in depth, it was very right for this book. And even though President Snow is the villain, somehow I did not feel hatred towards him. I did feel sorry for the people of the districts and I was sad, reading their conditions and how they lived, which are also very true for current world. But I don't think the author did much to make the reader hate the villain... Or maybe that's just me?

All in all, I really liked the book. It was very interesting and the characters and story were amazing! The little romance there was in the book was really sweet, both with Gale & Peeta and I'd highly recommend it if you're in the mood for an adventure book that, in a way, depicts the reality of life and humanity.

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.  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.