BOOK REVIEW: The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, as well as the entire series. I thought it was a good, if somewhat predictable in some ways, ending to the series.  Please watch out below - SPOILERS APPEAR!! If you have not finished the series, then please proceed with caution.


Thank you.... remember, you have been warned....



Just one more SPOILER ALERT in case you have not finished the series and don't want it spoiled.....





Okay... keep scrolling, and it will be right here.....





I knew on some level that Katniss would see Coin for who she really was, as her character had already developed enough to catch onto that. I think she could have caught on more without so much input from Snow, but I give her character the benefit of the doubt in grieving her younger sister. That was an unexpected twist, although it made sense in the storyline. Since children had always been used as pawns by both sides, it should have been no surprise either one would have used the ultimate weapon - Prim.

The love triangle left me a bit conflicted. I personally love the fact that she ended up with Peeta. However, I am not as comfortable with his "rapid recovery" as it appeared in the book. It makes it sound like he was slowly recovering, then her kiss jump started the remainder which was then finalized by his fire experience. This left me with several questions. One, if Coin was using him to assassinate Katniss, then it would stand reason that she was not helping him recover but was instead reinforcing the idea Katniss was evil and needed to be destroyed. This would make it harder, and not easier, for Katniss to overcome the damage done. Unless we are to believe his love for her ran true and deep, to the point he was never thoroughly corrupted. Two, if Coin didn't feel she could actively do that (reinforce his attitudes towards Katniss), then I still find it difficult that he could overcome them that easily. The reader is led to believe the damage is deep and almost impossible to overcome. So how can they almost completely cure him in the short time span allowed in the book from when he joined the team? Three, what about her Commander? He left instructions for her to kill Peeta, abandon and not trust anyone on the team, and then kill Snow. So, what was that about? It appeared as they moved through the Capitol that she actually could trust the team. Again, I can understand if some of her actions led them to be more supportive of her role - it still isn't enough to completely turn them into an avid supporter and have them sacrifice their own lives for her agenda if they have been routinely trained for one mission and led to believe certain things about Katniss. Some of that just doesn't ring true.

I did find the development of Gale's character completely believable. Throughout the book he appeared to love Katniss more out of jealousy than an original love. It appears he was always spurred by some external event to realize his love. While that can happen to some people and be valid, many times it is not a true and lasting love. It is a reaction to an event, and once that event has passed they are left with at least some confusion. I do believe he loved her, but the romantic aspect was what was spurred by the external events. This is what made his character somewhat tragic, because it seemed he was not capable of fully giving himself to another person. You kind of realized he was not going to go on to another District and find love. It was Katniss or nothing, and quite honestly his love for her was not deep nor true enough (in my opinion) for her to settle just so he was not alone. He was a hunter, and hunters are often loners. While hunters can go together and certainly they can help one another as Katniss and Gale did, it is often much more lonely. Think of how silent you must be, or of the lone hunter sitting in a tree stand for hours on end. When they tracked, it was sometimes more like fellow soldiers than fellow hunters. I think this translated over time as they moved through missions, and it made perfect sense. Also, at crucial decision points in the story, Katniss chose Peeta even when she knew it would hurt Gale. While she obsessed over this like many teen girls do, and sometimes judged herself a bit too harshly, it was evident she was typically "picking" Peeta. It would have felt hollow and untrue had she chosen Gale as a life mate at the end of the series.

All in all, I liked the series and the book. I liked reading it from a literature standpoint, seeing the allegory and motifs. It was written far better than Twilight which was enjoyable as long as you channeled your inner 14-year-old. This book had more depth, which I enjoyed as a an adult reader. However, it was accessible when looked at through the eyes of my inner teenage girl.

I give this one four stars out of five, as I would have handled some of the last few chapters a bit differently. The entire series is a 4.5 out of 5, for keeping the tension, character development, and providing talking points with teenagers.

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BOOK REVIEW: Shadow of Power by Steve Martini

I enjoy a good legal thriller or suspense novel, and I am always looking for a new one to read. I had never, surprisingly enough, read any Steve Martini novels. The novel was okay but it did not make an overwhelming impression. If I had not read other reviews, I am not sure I would jump up to buy another novel by Mr. Martini.

The book started with some interesting scenes, just vague enough to leave you wondering what would happen. At the introduction of the "Jefferson Letter", I still held some hope this could be crafted in a credible way while also gaining momentum with the suspense. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I was disappointed in the premise that the language already existing in the Constitution would incite so many riots and public unrest. I just don't find this very plausible. I would have agreed that it might create much discussion as well as some interesting debates - just not to the level that the author created in the novel. As the book progressed, I realized that the "Jefferson Letter" bit would also stretch the limits of credibility. The book made a good point on this, since the characters spoke of it not being necessary for the letter to be authentic to be able to create the furor it seemed capable of generating. In this way, the letter (whether found to be fraud or not) would at least have to fit within my limits of credibility as a reader - and it failed.

I did like many of the characters in the book - even if I didn't like what they represented, I thought the author did a good job of fleshing them out and making them interesting. This is with one exception: Trisha Scott. I found her flat and uninteresting. Her character, along with the unreal plot twists at the end, made me sigh and want to throw up my hands in frustration a couple of times in the last chapter. Her character just was not believable to me. On the other hand, I loved Herman. I laughed out loud several times at his courtroom scenes, and I found myself mentally casting him with some Hollywood favorites. If a character "works" for me, that's something I end up doing.

I also liked the courtroom scenes in general. The descriptions were complete without being boring. The inner complexities of criminal litigation were explored without unduly boring the reader as well. The entire courtroom section of the book was extremely well crafted. Since that took up a large part of the book, it made the difference for me in a rating of "okay" versus "I didn't like it."

All in all, I enjoyed the book. For a reader wanting a light read, this could be an enjoyable diversion. For someone looking for an intense legal thriller, your better bet would be a different novel. For me - I am going to at least try another novel by Steve Martini and give the writer a second chance to impress.

My conclusion:  A solid "okay" in my book; grab it at the used bookstore or borrow a copy (library or a friend).

It's 4:00 am, I'm up, and good books rock

Today (well, technically yesterday at this point) was rather exciting. Our mailbox was demolished for about the fourth (fifth?) time in the last five years. I have pics and will be posting about all that tomorrow.

Most of tonight has been spent working on my two blogs - yes two. There's this one, which is all about my domestic life. I figured out that it would be best to let this blog concentrate on my love of books, cooking, and general parenting and family life. So, all the little parts of my home will still appear on these pages. However, the part of my life that seems separated - the part of my with a fractured family - is relegated to my other blog: Fearless Stepmom. I started that one back several years ago, when I decided to blog about my experiences as a custodial stepmother. Later, it was those experiences that completely sidetracked that venture into near oblivion. Fortunately, it's still there, and I am now organizing content between the two sites.

The best part has been all the fun I have been having. I have been searching out lovely templates, backgrounds, stock photos and other goodies. There will be changes to both, but hopefully things will be settled soon and then I can really concentrate on awesome material - such as fabulous book reviews.
I have been an avid reader as long as I can remember - which is one reason I chose to major in English Literature in college. I guess I still dream on some level of being a writer - more glamorous to me than being discovered for Hollywood. Most women would dream of being an Angelina Jolie - personally I think Diablo Cody is much more cool as far as Hollywood goes. As far as writers, I think being Kathy Reichs would be about the ultimate. Can you imagine hanging with Booth and Bones for a season?

Right now, I am reading a good book on my Kindle. It was a promotional one, offered for free recently. Let's just say I am now a fan of Steve Martini thanks to the free promotional copy of Shadow of Power. What an excellent suspense story- the only bad part about working on my blog is that it is taking me away from finishing the book. Which would be why I am up at 4:00 am with relatively little complaint. The sun will be coming up soon, but there's still time for me to squeeze in a few chapters after finishing this piece.

That's the beauty and magic of a good book. Sometimes it can lull you into sleep, other times it can keep you awake with no complaints at all.

Magic.

BOOK REVIEW: The Killing Room by John Manning

This review is for The Killing Room by John Manning. I bought the Kindle version, as the title and premise sounded very interesting and it was on sale at the time. **Please note: This book is not the basis for the 2009 movie named The Killing Room, starring Nick Cannon and Timothy Hutton.**


I enjoyed this book, up until about 3/4 of the way through. The last quarter of the book really frustrated me. I felt the author took cheap and easy plot turns, bringing in paranormal elements that were not necessary although recently popular (i.e., zombies).

The characters were fairly well-developed, and I appreciated the way their backstory was woven into the plotline. There was not too much information dump, but when it was given in large chunks it worked as part of the storyline.

I believe the author's greatest gift is in building suspense and giving an edge of psychological suspense - at times I wondered, is this real or is it the character's imagination?  There were a couple of times near the start of the book that I looked over my shoulder when reading it at night. That, to me, is significant in the telling of a good ghost story. When overdone, you are laughing at the attempt and when underdone you are just not scared. This author managed to find the perfect balance, without going into scaring you so much you stop reading! Excellent storytelling.

If this had continued, I would have rated this book higher than three stars. However, the main characters took too long to realize the impact of the Young family on the ghost. There was also some inconsistencies in characterization. For example, the old uncle consistently withheld information - but although the main characters realized this, they never questioned (until the end) why he would do this. Also, with a background from the FBI, it seems our heroine would have cast an early suspicion on the Young family also being involved - and this should have grown with the increasing realization the family was keeping secrets. I was frustrated, and it seemed this was only serving as a plot device - I don't mind plot devices, but they must stay consistent with characterization already established.

Finally - the turning of David into a zombie at the end. There was no reason for him to return, and again I felt frustrated this was only a plot device. Once they realized he was a zombie, I felt it was almost a satire. However, there was no satire up to this point - so again I was left frustrated.

The strong beginning of this book, and the ability of the author to tell a good ghost story, kept this book at a solid three stars. It would have been five stars, if the above issues were resolved to this reader's satisfaction.

My review: Save your money for the paperback, and minus the zombie, hope for a movie version.

Books: The good, the bad, and the so awful you can’t finish it

I've loved reading for as long as I can remember. In fact, the first gift I ever remember getting was the number three in the Nancy Drew series. After that, I was hooked. On reading, on mysteries, on detectives (which would arise again in my infatuation with all things Law and Order, especially one Benjamin Bratt over whom I became hopelessly hooked but I digress), and on stories told well and beautifully.

I have always kept a list of favorite books, for they are the ones I generally keep and go back to read several times over. These are the ones that I will ultimately have on both my Kindle (oh, what a beautiful device) and in paper copy, to make the joy of reading them easy and instant. I have also started to keep a list of least favorite books. These are the ones that started out as just a mild case of avoiding, and then gradually evolved into "read at your own risk" warnings to friends. I avoided all things where death was a predominant theme, especially if an animal central to the story died. I always recall the Friends episode where Phoebe talks about the "happy endings" to all these tragic movies she saw as a child – Ole Yeller never died, etc. etc. This was true until the Harry Potter series and I still have not forgiven J. K. Rowling for sucking me in and then killing off Sirius. The series as a whole still makes my favorites list, but I always have a twinge of regret when I think about that one installment.

I have also always loved movies, and I found it amusing to compare the written story to the scripted one. It was always interesting to see what was removed or found unnecessary, as well as what was embellished or added. This reached a whole new level once I saw The Bridges of Madison County. What a beautiful love story, and it was one I resonated with at the time in a very deep and emotionally raw way. I could not wait to get my hands on the book, to see the whole story. The big red flag should have been the novel was the size of a short story. Short stories make fabulous full length movies with little change or editing – their length is ideal as witnessed by Stephen King's "The Body" which became the movie Stand by Me (beyond description good).

So, let's get back to Bridges. I ended up getting the book anyway, despite the fact that a quick peek at the first chapter didn't start out at all like the movie (red flag again!). By the time I slogged through the entire book, I had a whole new respect for Clint Eastwood who had managed to turn this trash into one of the best movies I had seen in a long time. He pretty much re-wrote the whole book into something much better, and I had a new top entry into my least favorite books list. At that point, I had not started The English Patient which made me nod off into naptime every time I started the first chapter. I finally gave up and just watched the movie. It wasn't the best (despite a gracious plenty of Colin Firth), but at least I stayed awake through it til the end.

So, here are my lists, good and bad, and including those that are so awful you just can't finish it. I've included a couple of links to my favorite books that you might not recognize. Oh, and the lists are in no particular order except the way they popped into my head for one reason or another. And if you disagree? In the words of Rhett Butler, "My dear, I don't give a damn." (That is the quote from the book, not the movie, which added "Frankly" to the beginning of the sentence.)

Favorite Books:

• Little Women
  
• Anything and everything by Mark Twain, but especially The Prince and the Pauper
  
• Gone With the Wind (read it as a child, and I have such fond memories surrounding the book itself)
• The entire Harry Potter series
• Stephen King's book of novellas Different Seasons (if you've seen Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me, you'll love this book)
• Pride and Prejudice (I just had to include the photo from the movie version) 
• The Shack (excellent telling of a new concept)
  
• The Right Stuff (fantastic movie based on a spectacular book – it doesn't get better)
  
• Sister Carrie (by Theodore Dreiser in the 1800s. No, you probably have never heard of it.)
• The Outsiders ("Stay golden Pony-Boy." Cry-ing)
• The entire Little House on the Prairie series
• The entire Nancy Drew series (I grew up on these at an early age. Number three in the series was the first gift I ever remember getting.)
• The Little Prince (I love the original French version, since I like my own translation the best.)
• Rebecca (the first real mystery I ever read)
• Watership Down
  
• Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (I love, love, love Fannie Flagg!)
• The Princess Bride (as well as the movie, one of my all-time favorites)
• Saints at the River (by Ron Rash, and if you haven't read him yet, he's awesome and you are totally missing out) 

Least Favorite Books:

• Ole Yeller (the dog dies, the kid cries, it was horrible)
• Where The Red Fern Grows (see Ole Yeller)
• Marley and Me (the dog dies… but this is based on a true story so….)
• The Bridges of Madison County (LOVED the movie – Eastwood did an awesome job)
• The English Patient (I couldn't even finish it – B.O.R.I.N.G.)
• The Giving Tree (Hello – co-dependent nightmare anyone? Gives until it dies? No thank you.)
• The Catcher in the Rye (I loathed this book – it makes my eye twitchy)
• The DaVinci Code (I've actually read better versions on the same theme.)
• Under the Tuscan Sun (actually a decent book, but another example of movie way better than book)
• The Second Lives of Second Wives (not bad as a read, but terribly off the mark as far as "second wife life")
• Bridget Jones' Diary (I discovered here that I don't like the diary entry type of reading experience)