Read More: Catching Fire

Update:

Book two is done! Catching Fire wasn't as good as The Hunger Games. There's a bit of repetitiveness, which isn't terrible exactly, just not as exciting anymore. Although Kristin saw a certain twist in this book coming, I was taken by surprise! I thought this book was going in a different direction. I Kindle bought the third book this morning! Another late night awaits.

- Megan Leigh

I put in my request at the library for Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, what seems like ages ago. Finally, last Friday Megan brought it home. By that point, I'd forgotten I was even waiting for it, so it was a special treat! Saturday morning, the kids woke me up at 7, as usual. I knew I was in for a Backyardigans marathon. So I yawned and cracked open the book, while Poppy got down to the theme song.

Now I'd heard that this book wasn't as good as the first in the series. Or the third. I think Cate told me that nothing much happens in this one. So my expectations were pretty low. I got engrossed right away, though, and I ended up finishing the entire book in one day! I could see where parts of this book were a letdown for fans. I don't want to spill any secrets, but there was a lot that was predictable. Even so, I thought it was a fun read. And it took me away from the Backyardigans for a while!

As with the Hunger Games, and any dystopian future-type book, it made you look at our society in a more jaded than usual way. An elite urban population, living off the misery of most of the world... Said elites sending children off to kill each other for no reason... It's all sadly familiar. And very timely! Although I guess those themes are always timely.

At this point, you may be wondering who these urban elites I am speaking about are. Are they the same as those subway-riding elites who have been in the news of late? No, but speaking of, it you want to see more of them, here is a great video montage of the subway-riding elites of New York City.

-Kristin