Category Archives: News and Fun

Monthly Wrap-Up Double Feature: May and June 2017

News and Fun, , , ,

May and June 2017 Wrap-UpWith all the craziness of the last couple of months, I wasn’t able to post my usual wrap-up at the end of May, so I’m posting now for both May and June. I’m a bit behind on reviews still, but slowly catching up. I had some unexpected health issues that made it impossible for me to read or be on the computer, so you can imagine that brought this whole book review thing to a screaming halt. I did manage to sneak in a couple of audiobooks, but even that was tricky. I’m doing much better these days, and have some fun news to share!

Meet Gabrielle, Our New Contributing Reviewer

For a long time I’ve hoped to share blogging here with a partner or possibly a team of collaborators, but either the people I’ve approached haven’t been interested or the people who have approached me didn’t seem like a good fit. You need a special kind of trust and common purpose to work together on something like a personal review blog, I think.

At any rate, I pretty much decided if it was going to happen it was going to have to be one of those things where God just brings the right person across my path at the right time. And, surprise! He did.

Beginning in July, The Story Sanctuary will have a new contributing reviewer– Gabrielle! Yay!! I’ll let her introduce herself…

Soli Deo Gloria!

I’m Gabrielle Nadig, an author, homeschool graduate, and voracious reader. I love just about everything creative, and desire to use my gifts and talents to glorify God.

Fun Facts:
1. If I could have a superpower, it would either be breathing underwater, or absorbing stories by touch.
2. I am a redhead. And proud of it.
3. My personality flip-flops between ENTP and ENFP.
4. I adore fairytales.
5. I read nearly constantly. I’ve been known to read the phone book when nothing else was available. No joke.

My favorite books:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Check out my blog for reviews and more!

I’m super excited to have Gabrielle on board. Her first review here at The Story Sanctuary, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber will post next week, so check back to see what she thought of the book!

What You Missed in May 2017

Time Stoppers: Quest for the Golden Arrow by Carrie Jones

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This was a silly book– in a good way– about kids with magical abilities who save the day.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Talk about a book that kept me on the edge of my seat! Gah! I actually have the second one in the series now and cannot wait to read it. The story is sort of Jane Austen plus super scary faeries?

Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality by Alison Marie Behnke

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

With everything happening in our culture at present, I wanted a better baseline for understanding this topic. I felt like this was a great resource– really informative, not preachy about any particular position. Definitely recommended.

Shadow and Thorn by Kenley Davidson

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I. Loved. This. Book. I’ve been a huge Kenley Davidson fan since I first read her debut, Traitor’s Masque, but she seriously outdid herself here. Shadow and Thorn is both a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and an origin story. I loved the way she pulled everything together.

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I met Kami Garcia at ApollyCon in Orlando in March, and it made me even more eager to read this book. I liked the way she blended some different ideas– how Frankie’s perfect pitch became an asset in an unexpected way, the way her friends’ struggles dovetailed with her own issues.

The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I’d had this book on my To Read list for such a long time, and thanks to an ARC reading challenge, I finally finished it. Yay! It took me back to reading The Face on the Milk Carton in some ways, but it’s a completely different story. I liked the unexpected twists.

Spark by J. M. Hackman

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Once in a while I get a review request in my inbox that totally surprises me. I’d never heard of this publisher before, but Spark sounded pretty intriguing, so I gave it a try– and I’m so glad I did. It reminded me a teeny bit of Unblemished, but the story was a little more straightforward.

Prom by Jill S. Zimmerman Rutledge

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This book kind of made me feel like a cheap mom. Haha! It’s hard to imagine spending the kind of money that some people spend on events like this. At the same time, it was really cool to read about the history of Prom and some of the struggles different groups have faced.

It Started with Goodbye by Christina June

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Lately I’m a sucker for a teen with an unusual (for YA literature) interest. This one had me at “graphic designer”. I liked the story, but found some of the family issues a little tough. Read more about it in my review.

The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Trish Doller is another author I met at ApollyCon in March. Y’all, she is amazing. We ended up talking for a super long time. I have e-book copies of a couple of her books– and a new hardcover of her most recent release, In a Perfect World, which I’m super excited about reading. The Devil You Know intrigued me most because of its unusual setting for Florida. It’s mostly set in the woods.

What You Missed In June 2017

Beyond Clueless by Linas Alsenas

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I loved the theater elements of this book, but struggled with some of the content.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I’d been looking forward to this book since last year when I first heard about it. I LOVE the movie The Breakfast Club, and the similar elements in this book totally hooked me from page one. Add in an unsolved murder, and seriously, just try to put it down.

Jess, Chunk and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Every summer reading list needs a good road trip story, and this summer, this book is mine. I loved the quirky friendship between Jess and Chunk (and I want to adopt their “Black hole!” rule into my own life) and the way Jess grows to understand others through the course of the story.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Yeah, this book pretty much had me at “chocolate”. Add in a spunky dragon girl and a wild cast of characters, and you’ve got a sure win. Don’t miss this one, y’all. So much fun!

The Wonder of Us by Kim Culbertson

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

There are summer road trips and there are summer trips to Europe (still on my bucket list.) This European vacation tests the friendship between two girls against some awesome settings. Grab this novel and a beach towel and head to the pool for a fabulous afternoon.

Shadow Magic (Shadow Magic #1) by Joshua Khan

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

After reading the second book in this series, I had to go back and read this first one. I loved the spunky Thorn and the independent Lily. I’ll be watching for book three.

Breaking by Danielle Rollins

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

The writing in this book blew me away. I struggled with the amount of violence in the story, but loved the emotional depth and suspense elements.

The Baker’s Daughter by D. P. Cornelius

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

If you know me at all, you know I’m a sucker for World War II stories. I liked that this book features a common German family and their relationship with a Nazi soldier.

What’s Coming Next

Though I’m not accepting new review requests right now, I’ve got a stack of books waiting for me. Gabrielle is accepting review requests for her blog and for the reviews she posts here. You can find more information on how to send her a request on her blog.

Other than that, the summer is flying past. Next on my reading list is The Disappearances by Emily Bain, and I’m SUPER EXCITED to share my review of the third book in the Great Library series, Ash and Quill by Rachel Cain– who will be joining me for an author interview as well! Up next for Gabrielle is Murder, Magic and What We Wore by Kelly Jones.

What are you reading this summer?

Leave a comment below and tell us about a book you’re excited to read or say hey to Gabrielle.

 

Review: The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Stephanie Burgis
Bloomsbury
Published May 30, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw.

But she’s still the fiercest creature in the mountains — and now she’s found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to do is get herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she’ll be conquering new territory in no time…won’t she?

My Review
The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart is one of the most fun books I’ve read in a long time. I loved Aventurine’s spunky nature and her passion for chocolate. The story consistently shows her struggle with baffling human customs contrasted with her more familiar dragon ways. I loved the characters from Aventurine’s wily friend Silke to the strict chocolatier Marina.

On her journey, Aventurine discovers a love for chocolate which will certainly appeal to chocolate-loving readers, but she also learns to value humans despite how strange and different they are from dragons. When her new human friends become threatened by her dragon family, Aventurine must use all her wits and newfound understanding to bring the two sides together peacefully in the same way she’s had to make peace with her dragon and human self.

Readers who enjoyed Tuesdays at the Castle or Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George definitely need to give this book a read! Keep some chocolate handy to snack on, because you’re surely going to crave it.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Brief reference to Aventurine’s friend having brown hands. Not much in the way of race or description details given other than that.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The story contains dragons and some magic elements, mostly in that some humans use magic to fight dragons or affect certain tasks, like food preparation.

Violent Content
Humans and dragons are enemies. Dragons eat humans (not shown in the story, but briefly discussed) and humans tried to kill dragons they encountered in the past.

Drug Content
Enchanted hot chocolate turns Aventurine into a human.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Top Ten Reasons to Take That Crazy Perfect Someday by Michael Mazza to the Beach

Contemporary, Guest Post, New Adult 18up, News and Fun, , , , ,

For today’s stop on the Irish Banana Blog Tour, author Michael Mazza shares with us his top ten reasons to take his novel That Crazy Perfect Someday to the beach. Before I get too carried away, let me give you a little more information about the book.

That Crazy Perfect Someday
Michael Mazza
Turtle Point Press
Published June 13, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About That Crazy Perfect Someday
The year is 2024. Climate change has altered the world’s wave patterns. Drones crisscross the sky, cars drive themselves, and surfing is a new Olympic sport. Mafuri Long, UCSD marine biology grad, champion surfer, and only female to dominate a record eighty-foot wave, still has something to prove. Having achieved Internet fame, along with sponsorship from Google and Nike, she’s intent on winning Olympic gold. But when her father, a clinically depressed former Navy captain and widower, learns that his beloved supercarrier, the USS Hillary Rodham Clinton, is to be sunk, he draws Mafuri into a powerful undertow. Conflicts compound as Mafuri’s personal life comes undone via social media, and a vicious Aussie competitor levels bogus doping charges against her.

Mafuri forms an unlikely friendship with an awkward teen, a Ferrari-driving professional gamer who will prove to be her support and ballast. Authentic, brutal, and at times funny, Mafuri lays it all out in a sprightly, hot-wired voice. From San Diego to Sydney, Key West, and Manila, That Crazy Perfect Someday goes beyond the sports/surf cliché to explore the depths of sorrow and hope, yearning and family bonds, and the bootstrap power of a bold young woman climbing back into the light.

Top Ten Reasons to Take That Crazy Perfect Someday to the Beach
by Michael Mazza

  1. Booklist calls it a “[A] beach-bag must-have.”
  2. Many of the scenes take place on a beach!
  3. Read it on a beach. With the sand fleas, stinky kelp odor, and sea spray, you’ll have a truly interactive experience.
  4. It’s a conversation starter for that hunky, tropical resort bartender fixin’ up your fourth Mai Tai.
  5. It’s a story with drones, sharks, Aussie surf thugs, monster waves, bonobo apes, a Louis the XIV wedding, and celebrity wipe-outs. Who doesn’t like celebrity wipe-outs?
  6. Your mom would approve of it—wait, scratch that.
  7. It makes a great sunshade when not in use.
  8. Word is that fish love it! Sea mollusks too!
  9. It goes great with a refreshing umbrella drink.
  10. The sun gods will shine their heavenly goodness upon you for reading it. And isn’t that reason enough?

Finally, always wear sunscreen, never drop in on another surfer, and support your local indie bookstore.

About Michael Mazza

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Michael Mazza is a San Francisco Bay Area fiction writer whose stories have appeared in Other Voices, WORDS, Blue Mesa Review, TINGE, and ZYZZYVA. He is also an internationally acclaimed art and creative director working in the advertising industry. That Crazy Perfect Someday is his first novel.

Visit the Other Stops on the Tour!

6/19: Never Too Many To Read: Photo Collage

6/20: The Story Sanctuary: Guest Post (you are here!)

6/21: Here’s to Happy Endings: Q&A 

6/22: Reading Is Better With Cupcakes: Review

6/23: Quarzfeather: Review

 

Save

Save

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Frog Princess Returns

Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , , ,

I’m today’s stop on the Bloomsbury Blog Tour celebrating the release of two fantastic middle grade books: The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis and The Frog Princess Returns by E. D. Baker. I’m so excited to share both of these books, and I’ve got excerpts to share and a chance to win both books, so read on and enjoy!

The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Stephanie Burgis
Bloomsbury
Published May 30, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw.

But she’s still the fiercest creature in the mountains — and now she’s found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to do is get herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she’ll be conquering new territory in no time…won’t she?

Excerpt from The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart

He hesitated a moment. Then he leaned down and scooped up a wooden spoon from the ground, his hand trembling. “Trust me,” he said. “You should have the full experience.”

As his face squeezed tight with concentration, he began to whisper to himself, almost chanting the words. Was he singing that stupid song again? The rhythms didn’t sound quite the same, but who needed to hear more human nonsense? Not me. I didn’t even try to make it out.

The moment he reached into his pocket, though, I grabbed his shoulder with one claw. “No swords!”

“I—I…” He stuttered to a halt. “It’s not a sword,” he finally managed. “Look.” He pulled out a bag from his pocket. “It’s just cinnamon.”

Cinnamon? I leaned down toward the bag suspiciously. If he was trying to poison me…

“I’ll eat some myself,” he said. “Look.” He reached one shaking finger into the bag and scooped out a few orangey-brown specks. Then he swallowed them. “See?”

I smelled, which was even better. The open bag smelled amazing.

“Put it in,” I ordered. I wanted to smell that combination. I could already tell that the mixture of cinnamon and chocolate would be wonderful.

He shook in a few pinches, still breathing hard.

Ohhhh, I had been right. These new smells were even better.

I was almost starting to wish that I didn’t’ have to take him home afterward for my family to eat. It would be much more satisfying to keep this human as a pet, to make hot chocolate for me any time I wanted.

He would be a hardworking pet, too, I could tell. As he stirred the hot chocolate, he kept on whispering to himself the whole time in that funny rhythmic chant, his whole body taut with concentration. I suppose I could have listened harder, to try to pick out his words, but really, when had I ever cared about anything humans said? Besides, I was far too busy enjoying the smells from his pot. If I could have, I would have wrapped myself up in those steamy tendrils of scent and rolled around in them for hours. Hot chocolate. Talk about a treasure fit for a dragon!

I’d have to look for more chocolate in his luggage when I finished here. I already knew I would have to have hot chocolate again. Lots of it.

Finally, he looked up and gave me a nervous, wavering smile. “It’s ready,” he said. “Shall I pour it into a cup, or…”

I snorted, sending a ball of smoke flying past his face. “Do you really think I could drink from one of your tiny human cups?”

“I suppose not,” he said. “You’d better drink it from the pot then.” He wrapped one soft, human hand in his outer covering for protection, and then lifted the pot by its long handle. “Look out, it’s hot.”

I gave him a contemptuous look as I reached out with one forefoot. “I’m a dragon.”

My claws curved around the little pot, cradling it like the most precious of gems. Carefully, I lifted it to my mouth. Closing my eyes, I tipped the luxuriant, hot liquid into my mouth.

Ohhhhh!

Bliss exploded through my sense. I reeled with pleasure.

Chocolate chocolate chocolate—

“Ahhh!”

And then everything exploded inside me, and the world went black.

The Frog Princess Returns
E. D. Baker
Bloomsbury
Published June 6, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Frog Princess Returns
Fans of E. D. Baker’s The Frog Princess, rejoice! Fifteen years after the original, Princess Emma, Prince Eadric, and all the beloved characters are back for another magical adventure from popular author E. D. Baker.

Two weeks after Emma’s birthday, Prince Eadric — having been turned from a frog into a human again — is still in Greater Greensward. One day, a beautiful princess named Adara arrives at the castle in Greater Greensward for a visit, claiming to be Emma’s distant cousin. But Adara has other motives that threaten Emma and Eadric’s blossoming romance.

Meanwhile, something is very wrong in Greater Greensward. Crops are dying, streams are drying up, and large sections of trees in the enchanted forest are withering — all because the Fairy Queen has disappeared. Without her, there is no peace in the magical kingdom, and dangerous foes threaten to take advantage of her absence. Only brave, tenacious Emma with her knowledge of the land can restore order . . . but first she must set out on a journey unlike any before.

Brimming with lovable characters and page-turning magic, The Frog Princess Returns will bring a whole new batch of readers to E. D. Baker’s highly acclaimed, wonderfully popular world of Frog Princess series.

Excerpt from The Frog Princess Returns

We had reached the top of the stairs when Adara announced that she wasn’t feeling well and was on her way to bed. She was walking away when a guard approached. He told me that someone was waiting to talk to me in the Great Hall. Eadric and I looked at each other, wondering who it could be at that hour. Following the guard, we entered the Hall and found a middle-aged man wearing the clothes of a farmer sitting on a bench by the door.

“I’m sorry to disturb you so late in the day, Your Highness, but I came right after I saw what had happened and it took me a while to get here,” said the farmer. “I’m Johnson. My fields are next to the enchanted forest. I planted my crops there because of the fairies. They take good care of the forest, and the dust they use runs off into the fields around it, making them healthy, too. I’ve had some of my best harvests ever since I started planting those fields. I would have had a great harvest this year if this hadn’t happened. It’s my wheat, you see. Someone gave it the blight.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I don’t know what I can do about it,” I told the man. “Haven’t you ever dealt with the blight before?”

Johnson nodded. “Back before I planted near the forest, it happened every few years, but it was never like this. It’s not the blight itself, you see. It’s the way it hit my wheat. Some wheat has it and some doesn’t. It’s made a pattern like a big circle. Darndest thing I ever saw.”

“Really?” I said. “You think someone might have infected your crop with the blight deliberately?

“I can’t think of any other reason it would look like that. Who would do such a thing to a man’s wheat?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out,” I replied. “I’ll come look at it tomorrow.”

First Maple and Water Lily, now Farmer Johnson. Something must be really wrong.

Visit the Other Stops on the Blog Tour

Check out some of the other great blogs participating in this tour. There are guest posts and interviews with the authors as well as some other fun tidbits– not to mention you might want to add a few of these blogs to your own reading list.

May 30: Ms. Yingling Reads
May 31: The Hiding Spot (Interview with authors!)
June 1: Word Spelunking
June 2: Swoony Boys Podcast
June 4: Nerdy Book Club (Really cool guest post from Stephanie Burgis)
June 5: Writing My Own Fairytale (Author interview – I love those!)
June 6: Nerdy Book Club
June 7: Cracking the Cover
June 8: A Backwards Story
June 9: The Story Sanctuary – you are here!

Enter for a Chance to Win a Copy of Both Books (US/Canada Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

One of Us Is Lying
Karen McManus
Delacorte Press
Published May 30, 2017

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About One of Us Is Lying

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

My Review for One of Us is Lying

This is definitely the kind of story that keeps you turning pages late into the night. Every chapter hints at and slowly reveals new secrets that change what you know about each character in the room with Simon when he dies.

I liked that each character had a lot more going on than it originally appeared, and each is a lot deeper than her classmates initially perceive her to be. I liked each of the characters a lot, especially as I got to know them.

Throughout the story, important clues come from surprising places, which again kept me guessing. There was a point at which I thought I had the plot figured out and was pretty close. Honestly, by then, I was so invested in the story and so curious as to what would happen to the truly innocent parties, that I didn’t care if I turned out to be right.

If you’re a fan of the cult classic The Breakfast Club or murder mysteries in general, you need to add this one to your summer reading list. If you’re like me, once you read the first chapter, you won’t be able to put it down.

The series continues with One of Us Is Next, out in early 2022.

Content Notes for One of Us is Lying

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Bronwyn and her sister are half-Latino. One character comes out as gay midway through the story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
Addy’s mother teaches her that the only way to keep a man is to keep him sexually satisfied. She and her boyfriend make out on her bed, and it’s clear she means to have sex with him. Through the course of the story, she begins to question her mom’s advice and eventually decides to take a break from dating and be herself.

Some kisses are exchanged between boy and girl or between two boys.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A boy goes into anaphylactic shock and dies.

Drug Content
Nate sells drugs to pay the bills his father ignores. After Simon’s death, he stops, knowing the police investigation puts him at too great a risk of getting caught. Eventually he finds other reasons not to pick the habit up again.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of ONE OF US IS LYING in exchange for my honest review.

Read the Next Book in the Series

One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

The highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller everyone is talking about, One of Us Is Lying! There’s a new mystery to solve at Bayview High, and there’s a whole new set of rules.

Bronwyn’s younger sister, Maeve, and her best friend/ex-boyfriend, Knox, and their friend Phoebe become targets of the next gossip attack. Appearances from the original Bayview Four.

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Published September 14, 2008

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Hunger Games
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The ‘tributes’ are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.

When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. She sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

My Review
My favorite thing about The Hunger Games is the balance between Katniss and Peeta. Katniss is a survivor. She’s strong and clever with traps and snares but emotions totally mystify her. Peeta’s work at the bakery affords him physical strength, but his real asset in the Games is his intuition, his understanding of others, and his strength of heart. Those two need each other if they have any hope of surviving in the arena.

While the plot moves quickly and the threat of death keeps readers on the edge of their seats, the story’s real victory is its unforgettable characters. Rue, the clever, young tribute Katniss watches in training, and Cinna, her compassionate costume designer and unexpected ally, remain my favorites.

While it’s very clean in other ways, The Hunger Games, as you might imagine from the description, has some strong violence which may make it the wrong pick for younger or more sensitive readers. My daughter has been asking to read Divergent, which has more violence and some sexual content, which I’m not sure she’s ready for, so reading The Hunger Games was an alternative I felt more comfortable with, and which still let her into the young adult spectrum. We read the book together and sometimes stopped to talk about what was happening.

The Hunger Games Movie
After reading the book, my daughter and I watched the movie together. It does have some brief, mild profanity, and of course, gives visual to the violence depicted in the scenes of the book. The movie stays pretty true to the spirit of the book, though it does streamline and minimize some things. For instance, instead of Katniss listening to hours of a tribute being tortured, she quickly ends his life in an act of mercy. You can read a full content breakdown of the movie here.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white and straight, except Rue and Thresh, who are black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. They spend nights together, but usually one or other is gravely injured, and at any rate, no mention of anything sexual happening.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Strong violence. Tributes actively try to kill one another with weapons and traps. An older teen kills a younger one with a spear. A girl kills opponents with knives. Mutant wasps kill and wound others. A boy bashes another tribute’s skull in with a rock. Genetically mutated monsters which appear to be some kind of human/dog hybrid chase tributes, torturing one they catch. (Katniss describes hearing the pained sounds of the victim for hours, but can’t see what’s happening.)

Drug Content
Katniss samples wine with her dinner. Her mentor, Haymitch, abuses alcohol. He stumbles about drunk and at one point collapses into his own vomit.

 

Save

Save