Do you ever have a book that you suddenly decide is more important than sleep? It's been a long time for me. As a teenager, I would do this all the time. Now, sleep is my favorite activity, so choosing a book over it just doesn't happen much any more. Actually, I can't remember the last time it did. Until last night. What book kept me up until 4:15 am, you ask?
"Ummm, aren't you a little late to the "Hunger Games" game?" I can hear you asking.
Ummm, yeeesssss!
Why? Well, to begin with, I haven't been reading much in the last few years. It's sad really because I used to read books like they were life-sustaining water. Then kids happened. And more kids happened, until all I was reading was picture books & parenting how-tos. There was an occasional adult fiction book thrown in here and there. I read every Harry Potter book several times. But there has been a definite drought.
At the beginning of the summer I participated in making a "Summer Bucket List" with my fellow Tone It Up members. On it, I listed reading 3 books (one for each month) as one of my goals. I am happy to say that not only have I met that goal, but I have exceeded it! :)
I started with where I had left off in Sue Grafton's Alphabet Mysteries, reading N is for Noose, O is for Outlaw, and P is for Peril. Then I read the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy. Yes, yes I did. No, I will not be reviewing those! LOL At some point in there, I decided I needed to read The Hunger Games. Not sure why exactly, but probably because it's so popular.
*SPOILER ALERT*
(Just a small one)
(For those of you who have also managed to not read this book yet!)
I've been waiting for it to appear back on my library shelves. Last Wednesday I finally got to check it out. Last night (Tuesday...6 days later), I decide to pick it up & start reading while playing my favorite on-line game (Chefville, in case you want to join me!!) during the slow loading times that my computer puts me through. It needs a thorough cleaning, but I digress.
This was approximately 6:30 at night. I know better. Although I figured that I would only stay up an hour or two later than usual, I could not bring myself to put the book down! I seriously NEEDED to know what would happen. There was just so many intriguing aspects to this book that I could not sleep without knowing how it ended. I honestly didn't know if Katniss would survive. Yes, I know it is part of a trilogy, but that does not guarantee the main character's survival.
My husband was seriously dismayed to find me still wide awake and reading when his alarm went off at 230 am. He reset it to the correct wake-up time of 330am (like THAT'S any better!), and goes back to sleep only to find me still cranking away an hour later.
At 415 I finally finished. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamed about it for the approximate four hours of sleep I managed to achieve. Now I NEED to read the next two books. They are currently unavailable at my library. Grrr. I've put them on hold, but....
In conclusion I would HIGHLY recommend this book! Just not to the middle-school-aged children whose section this book is found in. I'm just not sure that my 13yo can handle the fact that children are thrown together in a battle to the death for the enjoyment of others. I'm not sure he should have to. It's like The Truman Show (stupid movie, imo) meets the Roman Colosseum. With a little Mad Max thrown in for good measure. When he's ready, I'll let him read it. It's very thought-provoking.
I'm really looking forward to how this story ends. I sincerely hope the next books give more background and/or peripheral information to how and why this society came to be. I have so many questions. So by all means, please read this book for your enjoyment & use discernment when handing it to your kid.
...and may the odds be ever in your favor!
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