The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

Reader reviewed by a.tieu

When life's conspiring against you, and there's only ever one option: Death.
What do you do when there's no hope? How will life ever become better. Unless you born into riches there's only one option in keeping a steady meal on your plate everyday. And that's to win The Hunger Games. 22 people place in one arena only one comes out alive. Peeta and Katniss find themselves in that situation. Will Peeta risk it all for his love-Katniss? Or will Katniss slay Peeta, so she could go home to Gale and Prim?
This book keeps you reading, until you find yourself on the last page, gripping for more. A definite read!

Reader reviewed by Sarima89

Reader reviewed by Dede

First, I didn't think I would like this book, but I am so glad I read it because it just blew me away.  It's a story about the future of the United States after a war (that's not really explained but hinted at) where the capital owns the people of the world and once a year makes 2 people (1 boy and one girl) from each district (there are 12 disticts) perform in the Hunger Games.  The capital sets up an area, which could be anything from frozen wasteland to jungle habitat, and all of the people chosen for the Hunger Games have to fight eachother to the death.  The game is only over when only one person is left alive.  This person then goes on to live in luxury for the rest of their life.  Katniss is 16 and her younger sister Prim is 12.  Their father died in a mine explosion years ago and since then Katniss has had to provide for herself, her sister and her mother by illegally hunting with her best friend Gale in the woods outside their district.  There is never enough food and life is hard for almost everyone in the districts.  Since your name starts getting put in for the draw when you turn 12 and accumulates every year thereafter, Katniss is worried.  However, her anxiousness turns to fear when it's her little sisters name that is drawn.  Katniss volunteers to go in her sisters place.  The boy from her district Peeta, she knows, but only slightly.  Her life is thrown into disarray as she is shuffled to the capital to prepare for the Hunger Games.  The Games are televised and the capital makes it a requirement for everyone to watch to show off how much control they have over the people. 
This book was creepy in a way that really had me thinking - could this really happen?  Every character was well thought out, well described and provided for a wealth of emotions for the reader.  Katniss was the tough girl with a soft spot for those she loves, and when she loves - she loves fiercely.  Peeta is a bit of a wild card for me, I just can't quite get into him but I do understand his character.  Gale has been Katniss's friend forever and his bond with Katniss goes well beyond words.  Prim is the perfect model of a loving child who takes pleasure in the small things - which is great because there is not a whole lot to take pleasure in in her life.  Even the smaller players of the games, especially little Rue, had me interested and intrigued. 
As Katniss enters the game and fights for her life, she also tries to deal with the connection she forms with some of the players.  Who should she trust and how can you trust anyone when there can only be one winner?  She does not agree with the Hunger Games, but must do what she has to to survive.  There are a lot of twists and turns in this book and no matter what I say, I won't be able to do the book justice.  READ THIS!

Reader reviewed by Vicki

WOW! The Hunger Games is an extraordinary book about survival, friendship and love. I think Katniss has to be one of my favorite female heroines ever. This is one book that will stay with you for a long time after you read it. The premise may creep some people out, because it does focus on an idea, which many may see as violent and barbaric. However, I read it for what it was, a work of fiction. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy young adult literature and everyone else! Like many other Hunger Games fans out there I eagerly await Book 2 Catching Fire which comes out in September. I also hear that movie ideas are in the works. I might not run to see it, so that it does not distort what I have already imagined about the characters and setting.

Reader reviewed by moonymaster

I am surprisingly ecstatic at the fact that I have found another great book. And when I say great, I don't mean quick-read great that I am gonna forget about in a few days, I mean great in the sense that everything in The Hunger Games completely and totally exceeded my expectations. I haven't read a book that I have really fell in love with in a long time. I found myself completely attached to the characters and their emotions, the heart-wrenching conflicts they had to deal with, and the dystopian society that clouded over everything else. 

If you wanna skip the process of having to read bad, boring, or okay books in search of a great and satisfying one, I suggest you pick up The Hunger Games and give it a read.

Reader reviewed by BooksObsession

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Period.

I
have heard a lot of great talk about this book around the blogosphere,
so I didn't hesitate to go out and buy my own copy of the novel. Just
the summary alone had me hooked. I liked how this book had parts of
many genres - action, suspense, romance, science fiction, etc. It
covered just about everything.

For me, the story started out a
little slow and I was kind of disappointed by the first few chapters
since nothing big was happening yet. But now that I look back on it, I
realize that the author was just setting up the characters, time
period, and background information since it is set in a futuristic
world.

It took me a week or two to get really sucked into the
book, so I began to get in the habit of carrying it around with me
wherever I went in case I had a few minutes of reading time. Because of
the interesting cover, I was asked many times what the book was about.
However, once I started explaining the summary - I just couldn't stop!
So I'll try my best to give a short and to-the-point one. ;]

The
novel is set in a futuristic world in a place called Panem - what's
left of North America, which is run by the government called The
Capital. Each year, The Capital randomly chooses a boy and girl from
each of the 12 districts to compete in the deadly Hunger Games. It is a
televised gory fight to the death, where only one winner, or "victor"
survives in the end. After her younger sister's name was chosen to
fight in the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen volunteers herself instead.

Now
I'll tell you - this book was unlike anything else I had ever read. The
creativity practically jumped off of each page, screaming in my face.
It's not until a couple of chapters in, once Katniss actually enters
the arena to start the Hunger Games, that it became addicting. I read
the book for the entire five hour drive home from the beach - refused
to put it down even during bathroom breaks and turned down dinner, too!
Even if this doesn't sound like your type of book, it'll be a mistake
if you turn it down. You are missing out on one heck of an amazing book.

I
fell in love with particular characters and cried along with Katniss
when they were brutally murdered by other competitors in the games. I
blushed during awkward moments with Peeta, the baker's son who was also
chosen from the same district to compete. My heart felt like it would
burst out of my chest during intense fighting scenes and I had no idea
what would happen next. Overall, I was completely absorbed in this book
and felt like I literally was in the arena with Katniss during the
Hunger Games. The sudden cliff-hanger ending was a shocker to me, and I
didn't see it coming at all. I am on the verge of outbreak since I have
to wait another month for the sequel to come out! This is by far one of
the most creative, addicting, well-written action and survival books
out there. This would make an AMAZING movie! 

Reader reviewed by Sab H. (Crystal Reviews)

This was way different than anything I have ever read. It is so
life-like it scared me sometimes. Thrilling and breathtaking. I
absolutely adore Katniss. It was so great to see a pants-on girl with
so much personality. She's my hero now. Probably what I liked the most
was her character.

The story was so original, it was hard for me
to imagine. But she really made it work. Collins creates a future world
that is way worse that our present, and maybe most of the past. But
nothing that could not happen. And what a wonderful way to create a
story. In my mind its like a reality show pasted on a book. What an
amazing book.

The cover is maybe my favorite one to date. I love
the fact that it doesn't tell you anything. That's what I love about
books with simple-no-picture covers. Nothing more to say than this one
goes down as one of my new favorite books of al time. Aiming for
Catching Fire!

Reader reviewed by Amy Ward

UNBELIEVABLE!!!  In a good way!!  I just couldn't put it down, read it in two days!  The action is so terrifying yet I couldn't stop reading!  I had to know what happens to Katniss and Peeta.  And the twists are truly amazing!  I can't gush enough about this book, the first in a trilogy!  It is very disturbing, sad, and violent, yet it can be very humorous and romantic.  I had this feeling of dread and terror the whole way through.  I didn't breathe until the final page.  I will not give anything away in this review, just read it for yourself.  I absolutely cannot wait until the next book!

Reader reviewed by Katie

Katniss Everdeen, a spunky and rebellious teenager has taken her sister's place in the annual, and deadly, Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is an annual event where two tributes are sent from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capital to fight to the death in an arena of terror constructed by the Gamemakers. Only one will survive.

This is very bad news for Peeta, who has been in love with Katniss since she was five, because he is the other tribute from district twelve. After confessing his love in an interview before the tributes are thrust into the arena, the whole country falls in love with the star-crossed lovers.

In this epic adventure, the young pair must face death, gore and grief all while falling in love.

I absolutely love this book and reread it ALL THE TIME! I first heard of it on Stephenie Meyer's website and was a little nervous about reading it, the summary doesn't do it justice. If you read this book, you'll be glad you did!

So go get your own copy and start reading!

Reader reviewed by Mariah

So many people have been talking about how excited they are about the
second book in the Hunger Games series called Catching Fire that comes
out in September that I decided to see what all the fuss was about and
read Hunger Games. I loved it!

It is a great story about the
nation of Panem which consists of a Capitol surrounded by 12 districts,
each year one girl and one boy are chosen from each district to
participate in the Hunger Games where they fight to the death for the
amusement of the people, as well as to show the dominance that the
capitol has over the people.

This book consists of three things
I personally love to see in a book. Edge of your seat adventure,
compelling characters, and a strong female main character.

In
this action filled novel there are hints of romance, feelings of
allegance and caring about another person almost as much as you care
for yourself. Suzanne Collins has created a winning story with the
characters of Katniss, Gale, and Peeta.

Reprinted with author's permission