Mockingjay { The Hunger Games #3 }

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Ideal Age Range: Young Adult

Mass Market Hardcover: 390 Pages

Copyright Date: September 2010

Blurb: 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 plans-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 the personal cost.

My Rating:(★★★★★) The rousing conclusion of the The Hunger Games trilogy has been long awaited.  By other fans for longer than I, since I just read these books in the last few months, I did not have to wait too long to be able to read the culmination of a great sci-fi dystopian story that I couldn’t put down until I had finished the very last satisfying sentence.  I went out and picked up my copy of Mockingjay the day after it came out, even though my own Mother had pre-ordered a copy to be delivered to her house that I was allowed to borrow.  It hadn’t arrived yet, so I took matters into my own hands.

I didn’t last long before I cracked it open, and I only put it aside to sleep last night and in the morning I picked it up again until I had finished it.

I have to say that Katniss is strong to go through all that she has endured in these books.  I like the fact that she isn’t entirely a likeable character.  There are points where you realize that she isn’t in these books as a point of perfection; she is almost a clear representation of the human condition.  Enveloping the negatives and the positives that each human incorporates into their own being.  She isn’t a pure individual, she has the faults and the saving merits that we all have warring within ourselves, like her drive to survive, and her striving ability to protect those that she loves.  She uses the others around her, as do most people, whether we realize we do or not, we keep around the people who can do things for us, get us farther in our job or make us laugh.

The beginning of Mockingjay is a little slow, only because there is so little action in comparison to the majority of the rest of the books.  This slow start chugs along like a passenger train and really gets going quickly, jumping into more battles, more manipulations by both Ms. Collins and the Capitol and District 13.

Ms. Collins is not afraid of anything in these books.  She crosses the moral line herself killing off some of her characters in horrible ways with no signs of remorse, perhaps trying to show us as readers what it might be like in a real war where no one is safe, not even the ones you love and created yourself.

This trilogy culminated in an ending that was so much more satisfying to me than other popular stories that have come out recently, namely the Harry Potter books and even the Twilight books.  She doesn’t put things in a pretty box with a safe bow on it, what it is is realistic and wonderful and the last line blew me away and had the page blurring from the tears that fell from my eyes onto my cheeks.

In short?  Stunning.

Quotes: “If we burn you burn with us.”

Similar Titles: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

What I’m Reading Next: Back to trying to read Eldest by Christopher Paolini.

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

Catching Fire { The Hunger Games #2 }

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Ideal Age Range: Young Adult

Mass Market Paperback: 391 Pages

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

Synopsis: Katniss and Peeta, the tributes of District 12 have returned home victorious.  Unfortunately, nothing ends up working out the way that Katniss wished it would, Peeta has pulled away from her (once he heard that most of what she did in the Games was an act).  Her friend Gale has also put his distance between them.

The Capitol has seen there last act in the Hunger Games as an act of rebellion, that might be inciting others into feeling the urge to rebel against their ultimate power over the districts.  In order to subdue the other districts, and to save their own lives, Peeta and Katniss need to prove to everyone that their act wasn’t of rebellion but out of their love for each other, if they fail?  The consequences could be dire for everyone that they love and care for.

My Rating:(★★★★) I really enjoyed Catching Fire, I picked it up the day after finishing The Hunger Games.

I feel for Katniss, for how she could love Gale, who she has been a friend with since her father died in the mining accident that also took Gale’s Father.  And be torn by her loyalty and (maybe) love for Peeta as well, although, if it were I, I wouldn’t have a problem falling for Peeta.

The beginning of the book was smooth, and I felt the anger at the Capitol as it flexed it’s power in the farthest reach of District 12 by sending new Peacekeepers to crack down on the lax rule keepers and rule breakers.  The despair that weighs over the District, while Katniss is forced to plan a wedding after her and Peeta’s Victory Tour where he was forced to propose to her.

The action in the second half of the book had me turning pages upon pages, not wanting to stop until I finished the book and found out what happens at the end.

I read The Hunger Games in two days, actually about 10 hours, broken up over 2 days.  I finished Catching Fire in about 6 or 7 hours.  I haven’t pre-ordered a book in a long time, as I didn’t feel there were really any that I just had to have on the very first day it came out, but I am 100% positive that I will be heading over to my local bookstore and pre-ordering Mockingjaytomorrow, that’s how much I want to read the next book in this great series!

Quotes: "I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever."

Similar Titles: The Long Walk by Richard Bachman, The Running Man by Richard Bachman, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, Battle Royale by Koushun Takami.

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

The Hunger Games { The Hunger Games #1 }

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Ideal Age Range: Young Adult

Mass Market Paperback: 384 Pages

Blurb: Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone 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 weight survival against humanity and life against love.

Synopsis: At the beginning of The Hunger Games we meet Katniss Everdeen, a young woman on the verge of adulthood who has been taking care of her younger sister and her mother since her father was killed in a mining explosion years before.  She no longer trusts her mother’s ability to provide for the family, and therefore does so herself, by breaking the rules of the Peacekeepers and hunting beyond the fence line.

Every year she chooses to up her family’s chances of survival by putting her name more times into the Reapings in exchange for oil and food rations, but it doesn’t stop her sister Prim’s name from being called the first year she is eligible to be a contender in the Hunger Games, a televised death match for kids from 12 to 18 that serves as a reminder to those that live in the Districts that the Capitol is in charge and they don’t take kindly to rebellion of any sort.  Katniss chooses to volunteer to take Prim’s place in the games though she knows it’s most likely a death sentence for her.  At least her family will be safe for at least one more year, she thinks.

Surprisingly, she becomes a possible victor, rather than the victim that she was expecting, with unlikely allies and sponsors.  She treads a fine line between just surviving and putting on the show the people want to see, risking life and love, not sure who to put her trust into.

My Rating:(★★★★) I didn’t pick up the book for a long time, though I have heard great things about it, and I’ll tell you why.

The Cover.

The jacket of The Hunger Games looks like a Mystery book cover, or a war book cover.  Not a Dystopian Young Adult book.  It didn’t appeal to me, until recently, when even my own father had read it (and it’s sequel, Catching Fire)!  I also have recently finished another dystopian sci-fi that is aimed at Young Adults by Scott Westerfeld called Uglies.  The seed of dystopian universes was planted by Uglies but cultivated by The Hunger Games.

I suppose I should really know better than to judge a book by it’s cover, since I had discarded the Sookie Stackhouse novels for years before the show True Blood came out and I found that I absolutely loved the books (better than the show, I might add).  I had thrown out the idea of reading those books for so long before because of their somewhat cartoony covers.

I am glad I looked past the cover and read The Hunger Games because I rather enjoyed it, and honestly, blew through it in two short days. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the fact that it is clearly a series of books, leaving the reader at the end to say, “What’s next?”  It’s not the end of the story, only the beginning, and that sometimes irritates me, because I like a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment when I get done reading a book.  Not to feel like I just started something.

Quotes: "You don't have much competition anywhere."

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

A Kiss At Midnight

Title: A Kiss at Midnight

Author: Eloisa James

Ideal Age Range: Adult

Mass Market Paperback: 370 Pages

Copyright Date: August 2010

Blurb: Miss Kate Daltry doesn’t believe in fairy tales…or happily ever after.

Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince…and decides he’s anything but charming.  A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere.  For Gabriel is promised to another woman-a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfill his ruthless ambitions.

Gabriel likes his fiancée, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn’t love her.  Obviously, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him.

Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after.

Unless a prince throws away everything that makes him noble…

Unless a dowry of an unruly heart trumps a fortune…

Unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.

My Rating:(★★★★) I picked up A Kiss At Midnight because Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale mixed with the fact that the story is a historical romance set in the regency time period, which is also happily my favorite time period that romance novels come in.  Those two things make for almost a magical blend of perfection for me.

There is no real magic in the story, nor any talk of a squash turning into a beautiful carriage to take Cinderella to the ball, but there is a unconventional Godmother and three little yapping Maltese, referred to as “the rats”.  Oh, and a prince.  And the impoverished young lassie that is the main heroine of the story as well, of course!

As far as romance novels go, this is one of those romances that I would probably term as Warm to Hot.  The sex scenes are few, only two, although there are a few other instances where there are stolen kisses.  I am not one to shy away from the more explicitly detailed romance novels, but I have to be honest and say that most of the ones that I read are the sweetly/sensual ones rather than the sexy/erotic ones.  I have read quite a few of all kinds, but I prefer the aforementioned sweet ones better.

More romance than sex, but the sex isn’t smoothed over either.  Eloisa James does a great job mixing humor into her stories as well as detailing the attraction that builds between the characters.  Even better than that?  I love her attention to detail of the angles of the hero’s face, or the inner turmoil the heroine must overcome to live happily ever after.

There is only one thing I didn’t really like about A Kiss At Midnight.  That is the fact that there is no actual action taken upon by Kate, the main character that suddenly turns Gabriel’s un-attraction to her into attraction.  It seemed like on one page he thought she was quite plain and on the verge of ugly, and then suddenly he was smitten with her and thought she was the loveliest girl on the planet.  I don’t remember reading about her saying or doing anything to warrant the sudden change in attitude from him.  But it happens.

I think if you like romances loosely based on fairy tales or if you like romances similar to Julia Quinn’s novels, then this book by Eloisa James may tickle your fancy.  It surely tickled mine!

Quotes: “Potatoes,” he said.  “You compare yourself to a potato?”

Similar Titles: Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James, The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

What I’m Reading Next: I’ve put on hold Eldest by Christopher Paolini and am now readingMockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

The Realms of the Gods { The Immortals #4 }

Title: The Realms of the Gods

Author: Tamora Pierce

Ideal Age Range: 6-12 graders

Mass Market Paperback: 209 Pages

Copyright Date: 1996

Blurb: Am I a bad person, then, for wanting to fight to protect what I believe in?

During a dire battle against the Skinners — fearsome creatures that strip living things bare — Daine and her mage teacher Numair are swept into the Divine Realms. Though Daine and Numair are happy to be alive, they are not where they want to be. The wars continue to rage at home in Tortall, where Daine and Numair are desperately needed to fight a growing number of strange foes led by their old enemy, Ozorne. Trapped in the mystical realms Daine discovers her mysterious parentage and as these secrets of her past unravel, the treacherous way home is also revealed — Daine and Numair must call on the menacing dragons for help. So they embark on an extraordinary journey home, where the fate of all Tortall rests with Daine and her wild magic.

My Rating:(★★★★★) I'm glad that Daine is growing up, and I'm glad that there is a bond that is being more fleshed out in this book. It's my second favorite of the series. Mostly because of the last 100 pages or so where most of the action takes place. Some of the middle is somewhat "travelling filler" in my opinion, necessary for story development and whatnot but not as good as the last part, or the beginning. Actually the "travelling filler" reminds me of the middle of Eragon. Not that I hated Eragonbecause I didn't, I just didn't think it was all that some people said it was.

Ok, so The Realms of the Gods has a fabulous last 100 pages. And It's really too bad that Tammy couldn't go back and write Numair's story or something, that could be cool. 
Of course, I haven’t read all of her short stories, so maybe she has written something about him, or maybe there is something in the works to be written about him.  That would be a turn of events since most of her books are written from a strong female protagonist’s point of view.

It really seems like, since Tamora Pierce is my favorite author and has been since I was in sixth grade (considering I’m almost 29 years old now, that’s quite a while), she can do no wrong in my eyes!

And if you happen to like her too, you can find her blog posts on either Goodreads.com or her Livejournal account:

http://www.goodreads.com/tamorapierce

http://tammypierce.livejournal.com/

Happy Reading!

Quotes: “I hope you will think of a smart way to fight them. If you don't, I will find a stupid way.”-Daine (to Numair)

Similar Titles: Any other Tamora Pierce Tortallan novel.

What I’m Reading Next: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

Emperor Mage { The Immortals #3 }

Title: Emperor Mage

Author: Tamora Pierce

Ideal Age Range: Grades 6-12

Mass Market Paperback: 320 Pages

Copyright Date: 1995

Blurb: Sent to Carthak as part of the Tortallan peace delegation, Daine finds herself in the middle of a sticky political situation.  She doesn’t like the Carthaki practice of keeping slaves, but it’s not her place to say anything- she’s just there to heal the emperor’s birds.  It’s extremely frustrating!  What’s more, her power has grown in a mysterious way.

As the peace talks stall, Daine puzzles over Carthak’s two-faced Emperor Ozorne.  How can he be so caring with his birds and so cruel to his people?  Daine is sure he’s planning something.  Daine must fight the powerful Emperor Mage, knowing that the safety and peace of the realm depend on stopping Ozorne’s power-hungry schemes.

My Rating:(★★★★1/2)  Daine just keeps getting more and more special pets.  I am really quite jealous of her.  By this book she has Cloud, the gray shaggy mountain pony, Kitten (Skysong) the Dragonet and in the first two chapters of Emperor Mageshe gets a marmoset named Zek.  Not to mention the friends she has back home in Tortall, the Basilisk, Tkaa and the squirrel from Wolf-Speaker, Flicker.  I love this book.  I like the political intrigue and the fact that you can see political struggles between the ambassadors, and the change of scenery.  Carthak is so different from Tortall, it's always fun to read about a new country or land in Tammy's books because she fleshes them out so brilliantly that you can smell, taste and see the differences.  Plus, Numair starts showing his feelings, and I like that.  ^_^

Quotes: "Someday I must read this scholar everyone. He seems to have written so much- all of it wrong.” -Daine

Similar Titles: Any other Tortall book by Tamora Pierce.

What I’m Reading Next: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

Wolf-Speaker { The Immortals #2 }

Title: Wolf-Speaker

Author: Tamora Pierce

Ideal Age Range: Young Adult

Mass Market Paperback: 304 Pages

Copyright Date: 1994

Blurb: When humans start cutting down trees and digging holes in peaceful Dunlath Valley, the wolves know that something is wrong. They send a messenger to the only human who will listen -- Daine, a fourteen-year-old girl with the unpredictable power of wild magic. Daine and her closest companions heed the wolves' cry for help. But the challenge they are about to face in the valley is greater than they can possibly imagine...

My Rating:(★★★★) I'll tell you why this is my least favorite of the Immortals series. How much is Numair in this book? Like 3 % of the time. I may be over-exaggerating, since I tend to do that, but seriously? I like his character and he is stuck OUTside of the valley for almost 200 pages. I understand that there must be some conflict, but, but, but! *sigh*

I still enjoy reading about Daine and her mortal and immortal friends and how they save the day. I need to reread Protector of the Small because I don't remember a lot about those books either, but I noticed in this reread that Tamora Pierce's Tortall main characters are pretty much all Gods blessed characters. It would be interesting in my mind, to read a book set in Tortall where the character's life wasn't filled with the Gods meddling in there life. I'm not really complaining because I love these books, but it would be fair interesting.

Quotes: "I think it's fair rude to make him a tree and not know what kind he is.”

Similar Titles: Wild Magic, Emperor Mage, and Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce

What I’m Reading Next: Eldest by Christopher Paolini.

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

Wild Magic { The Immortals #1 }

Title: Wild Magic: The Immortals

Author: Tamora Pierce

Ideal Age Range: Young Adult

Mass Market Paperback: 384 Pages

Blurb: “All the orphaned Daine wants when she comes to Tortall is a job.  What she finds is magic in many forms.  Hired by the Queen’s Riders because of her knack with animals, Daine soon reveals that her knack is truly magical.  Not only do animals obey her, but they understand her words.  Under the tutelage of the great mage Numair, Daine struggles to focus her powers and confront the nightmares of her past.  And so her wild magic grows even stronger.  She now can sense the presence of the immortals, evil creatures who threaten the future of Tortall.  But Daine will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers and her past-and protect the kingdom from immortal invasion.

My Rating:(★★★★★) I've said before that I am partial to Tammy's books. This is the first one I EVER read. I remember picking it up out of the middle school library. It was a new book. I'm pretty darn sure that it was BRAND new and I was the first to borrow it. I used to spend my mornings before school hanging out in the library. I borrowed this book more than once. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite of the Immortals Quartet, followed quickly with The Realms of the Gods, then Emperor Mage and then Wolf- Speaker.

Wild Magic is Tamora Pierce’s fifth Young Adult novel that is based in the realm of Tortall.  Her first series of books were the Song of the Lioness Quartet, featuring the red-headed Knight, Alanna the Lioness.  Wild Magic has cameos from beloved characters from Tamora’s first Tortall series including Alanna, Jonathan, Thayet and others.

It’s nice to see what has happened to those characters farther down the road and to hear from them again even if they are not main characters.  The Immortals quartet seems to be a little bit more detailed and worked out, maybe written for a little bit of a older crowd than the Song of the Lioness quartet seemed to have been written for, which is nice since then it takes a bit more time to really enjoy the prose and you get more information from the words there.  Possibly, this is a result of it being her fifth novel, Tamora has gotten the hang of writing!

Although, I have had no complaints the entire time I’ve known of Tamora Pierce, and that’s been quite a while!

Quotes: “Don't call me 'gentleman'. I work for a livin'”

Similar Titles: Anything by Tamora Pierce that is set in her realm of Tortall, which include, The Song of the Lioness Quartet, The Immortals Quartet, Protector of the Small Quartet, Daughter of the Lioness,  and Beka Cooper.

What I’m Reading Next: Still working on Eldest by Christopher Paolini, and then I will be reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey

Lioness Rampant { Song of the Lioness #4 }

Title: Lioness Rampant

Author: Tamora Pierce

Ideal Age Range: 9-12

Mass Market Paperback: 400 Pages

Blurb: “I’m not sure I want to be a hero anymore.”  Having achieved her dream of becoming the first female knight errant, Alanna of Trebond is not sure what to do next.  Perhaps being a knight errant is not all that Alanna needs…But Alanna must push her uncertainty aside when a new challenge arises.  She must recover the Dominion Jewel, a legendary gem with enormous power for good-but only in the right hands.  And she must work quickly.  Tortall is in great danger, and Alanna’s archenemy, Duke Roger, is back-and more powerful than ever.  In this final book of the Song of the Lioness quartet, Alanna discovers that she indeed has a future worthy of her mythic past-both as a warrior and as a woman.

Synopsis: Alanna returns from the Southern tip of Tortall to an unsure future.  She feels at a loss and decides when she finds out about the Dominion Jewel to go on a journey to fetch it for Prince Jonathan, now King Jonathan.  Along the way the Shang Dragon, Liam Ironarm, her man-at-arms, Coram Smythesson, accompanies her and she also picks up the Princess Thayet of Sarain and her guard Buri.  Together, they journey to the roof of the world to recover the Jewel, when they return they find the capital of Tortall upside-down with a returned to life Duke Roger, and a sickened Thom.

My Rating:(★★★★★) I love this book. It's my favorite of the four books. It's also the most grown up of the books probably. There is action, there is romance (quite a bit) and there is so much heroism and beauty to read in its pages. I adore it. This is the book that I cry at.  My Dad read all of these books when he saw that I had read them through five times because he wanted to know what I was freaking out about.

Quotes: “You want to learn Shang, you keep Shang hours! Up!” Liam IronArm

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

My Rating System:

★ = didn’t like it

★★ = it was ok

★★★ = liked it

★★★★ = really liked it

★★★★★ = it was amazing

© demureconnoisseur/ Stacy Grey