My first thought about this book is WOW! The Hunger Games pushed me to the edge of my seat then knocked me off. I can not tell you how good it is. I enjoyed this book so much I was obessed with finishing it and reading the next book. I became so involved with the characters, I had to tell myself to step back and take a breath.

The Hunger Games is set in the ruins of North America, in the country of Panem. There are 12 districts and two teenagers from each district, a boy and a girl, are sent to the capital each year to compete in the Hunger Games. In the games everyone must fight to the death, only the winner survives. Join Katniss, Peeta and the others in the Hunger Games and see who survives and who does not. Will the Hunger Games bring Katniss and Peeta together or tear them apart?

This book was intense! I read it for the 24-Hour Read-A-Thon, and it made it pretty easy to stay up all night. It was not quite what I expected. I knew there was some element of romance (I've been seeing the Team Peeta/Team Gale buttons around quite a bit), but it took me by surprise when I was actually reading it, particularly because of the uncertainty of it from everyone.

I really was intrigued by the main story. I was a little worried it would be a little over the top in some ways, like too gory or too unrealistic. And while there were in fact some thing I was a bit skeptical about, it wasn't outright unbelievable. The Games played out in a way I could see happening. Even though Katniss was the main character, they didn't revolve around her too much.

Overall, I'm glad I finally read it, and that I waited until I had Catching Fire to follow. Of course, I will save my thoughts on that for its own review. Oh, and the words "tracker jacker" keep getting stuck in my head. Anyway, 5 stars!

This was my 1st Suzanne Collins read. I started the book thinking, "Oh, another 'Lottery'," figuring I'd put it down when it got too predictable. And ended up finishing the book! As an old sci-fi/fantasy buff from way back it takes a lot to impress me. Although the story pulls in some predictable elements - Boy meets girl, apocolyptic world, Thunderdome/Running Man competitions, Collins went in such interesting directions, foiling my anticipated turnings. I was amazed by this story. Cursing that the 3rd book doesn't come out till August.

this is a cannot put down book. should be put right up there with the twighlight series. cannot wait for the next one

I finished this book in 2 days. I just couldn't put the thing down! It was a very different story line than anything I have read before. It is so hard to find decent books these days, but this was clean enough that I could let me daughter read it. She also loved it and we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 3rd book.

This book has many good qualities. An imaginative plot, engaging writing, hard to put down. Then suddenly, toward the end, it's as if the author runs out of steam and creativity. The end of the Hunger Games themselves is an interesting combination of totally predictable and utterly ridiculous. The last 20 or so pages of the book, when the author should be leaving you with a great impression and desire to read more, are silly, shallow and manipulative - written to try to force the reader to buy a second book rather than to give a satisfying ending. Possibly Suzanne Collins wants her readers to be able to relate to how her characters feel. The heroine, Katniss, is a thoroughly unlikeable, flat, one-dimensional character who uses the hero of the book, Peeta, quite coldly. It's a poor choice of literary devices for Ms. Collins, as the reader feels just as used and manipulated when finishing this book. I won't fall for those cheap tricks by buying the second book in this trilogy.

Take the best parts of "Theseus and he Minotaur", "The Running Man", "Uglies," "Brave New World," and a few other dystopian novels, mash 'em up, and you've got The Hunger Games. Few writers can hurtle though a story this intense without overworking certain scenes, giving away the climax, or confusing the reader, but Suzanne Collins balances brutality, social commentary, and the coming of age angle as precisely as her reluctant protagonist. I am halfway through the sequel and it is every bit as good, if not better, so this is a storyline worth your time, and I highly recommend it for readers of all ages.

This is the first book in a young adult series (and I think it shows!) about a dystopic world where the United States is now known as Panem. Divided into twelve distinct districts that each have their own industrial focus, Panem is ruled from the Capitol with an iron fist. To help keep the people in line--which is very necessary considering everyone is kept on the brink of starvation--the Capitol requires each district to send two tributes (a boy and girl) to The Hunger Games each year. A country-wide televised event, The Hunger Games changes each year, with a special arena being constructed for each game. What doesn't change is the basic rule: all tributes must either kill or be killed, and only one tribute can be left standing at the end.

The concept of having young people being thrown together in an arena and being forced to fight to the death sounds horrible--and it is, but it also makes for exciting reading. The story is told from the point-of-view of Katniss--a 16-year-old girl from District 12 (the coal mining district in what used to be Appalachia). Katniss is not your average girl by today's standards. She's a rule-breaker (leaving the fenced district to hunt for food in the woods) and a skilled hunter, especially with bows and arrows. When her beloved younger sister Prim is selected as a tribute for the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. As she enters the flamboyant, anything goes world of the Capitol, we learn more about the Games and her fellow tribute--Peeta, a good-looking son of a baker who showed kindness to Katniss years ago. When they are thrust into the arena, all bets are off as Katniss struggles to survive and be the last tribute standing. But Peeta throws a wrench into the mix and changes Katniss's game plan, leading to an ending that is sure to cause problems for everyone involved.

In the second book, Catching Fire, (and I doubt if you read the first book you won't continue on with the series), we get to find out what happens after the Hunger Games described in the first book. Once again, Collins sets up a cliffhanger ending that will probably ensure that the third installment will shoot straight to the top of the best-seller lists.

I'm not going to talk too much about these books as they've probably been discussed to death already. My guess is if the concept of the books appeals to you, you're going to read this series and will be pretty satisfied with them. I didn't think the writing was stellar and I had some issues with Katniss being unaware of what is going on around her (especially in the second book), but these books are meant to be fast exciting reads and they don't disappoint. Frankly, I felt Collins could have dropped the whole "love triangle" subplot and had a better book, but perhaps that is just me.

The Bottom Line: 4 stars for concept and 3.5 stars for execution. Perfect for young adults and anyone seeking a fast-moving dystopian tale that doesn't make you think too much. I read both books in a day. These books are the equivalent of eating a candy bar--a candy bar with spikes in it--but a candy bar nonetheless.

When you're reading The Hunger Games, you are preoccupied with the immediate terror of: will Katniss survive? Will Peeta survive? What's going to happen next??? The raw suspense is by far the predominant reading experience of The Hunger Games. But it is in the days and weeks after you finish the book -- after you've already gone onto other books -- when you realize that you're still thinking about Katniss, Peeta, and Rue. You realize that these characters and the world Suzanne Collins has created for them have stayed with you long after you closed the book. Their world continues to haunt you in the back of your mind; their bravery continues to humble and inspire you. In my experience as a reader, this is the mark of truly great writing. It is a rare thing, and it is what I'm always hoping to find when I open a new book, and what I'm hoping to revive when I open an old one.

this has to be the best book for teens out there right now. im 14 and personally i think its way better than twilight. i have read it now 5 times! and each time it keeps getting better and i keep learning little details i didnt notice before. i recommend this book to anybody boy or girl. i would give it a hundred stars if i could

I read this book and marveled at the simplicity of the language but, at the same time, how evocative it could be. Captures the despair and the hope of a teenage girl in an impossible situation. The writing and plot are so lean it reminded me of, well, Hemingway. Is that sacrilege?

I really loved this book. It's definitely a must read! When I got to the end, I was begging for more!

Katniss is one of those beautiful characters that doesn't realize how great they are! She lives in a brutal post-apocalyptic world where the government uses brutal hunger games to keep the population in line. It reminds me a lot of the Running Man type reality. It's brutal and horrible. I feel it's kind of a social commentary on where our world could be heading...It's the first book in a trilogy and it doesn't disappoint!

Downloaded this book on my kindle by mistake. Started reading and could not put it down. A different kind of read for me, but well worth it. The writing was superb, the descriptions(characters and scenes) actually let your see them, the plot very credible and most importantly unpredictable. With too many books I have read lately, it has been easy to ascertain what is next and most of the time be correct; not so with this one. I found myself rooting for the final team almost out loud. I recommend it for fiction readers who want a new/different spin.

This book is amazing! It jumped to one of my favorite books immediately, following only The Host by Stephenie Meyer.From the moment I started I couldn't put it down. It is suspenseful, action-packed, adventurous, and romantic all at the same time. It is a must read and a must have. 100% recommended!What an amazing writer and an amazing book.

The action begins on page one. This book has it all, action, adventure,and romance. Personally, the best book ever written. I couldn't put it down even if I tried. Even my favorite authors, including Stephen King the greatest horror book writer ever, loved it

Read this book! It is awesome and I'm so addicted to it!



(There are a lot of good reviews, so not wasting my time)

Well at first I got a little bit bored but when they actually got into the killing arena then with a mix of bloodthirst from all the district players it turned out to be one of the greatest books that I have ever read!

It all begins when Katniss Everdeen Volenteers for her sister to virtualy die. The story takes a strange twist when Katniss finds herself in love with a componet. Somone destin to die. This is the best book ever!

I really enjoyed this book.This is book 1 in a series just so you know. Different then any other book i've read and I thought it was such a great concept for Fiction. Of course you could never imagine it really happening and that's a good thing. I didnt like all the animal stuff but you can get past it and it's worth it. I'm shocked that these people were so heartless and the end really didnt go the way I had hoped but otherwise I have given it 5 stars...Excellent.

This is a really far fetched story but very well done. My sister wanted me to read it because she has students in middle school who have read it. I would be interested in hearing reviews from that age group. I really like "the reader." She has a good voice that easy to listen to.

I love this book. It is action packed, and it has great character development. I am on the edge of my seat for the final installment. I try to get every single one of my students who asks for a reading recommendation to read this book.

This was a great book- I couldn't stop reading it! When will the second book come out for Kindle?

I was given this book to read and I quite liked it!
I had no idea what it was about or at what level it was written but I quite enjoyed it!

This book is about a future society where the residents participate in an annual mandatory lottery to battle each other in the "Hunger Games".

As I was reading along, I thought this book was written in the 70s. The way it describes future technology and the way society is set up - it really reminded me of the book "Ender's Game". If you like this book, you'll like that one for sure. But come to find out - this is a "new" book. I had no idea.

I also did not realize that this book was part of a series. I just read it for what it was - a story about a young girl forced to participate in these "Hunger Games". I didn't feel that there was anything deeper going on here other than what was taking place during the book. And I think because of that I didn't feel frustrated at any unresolved societal issues. I just wanted to see what happened to the girl. And it's really well told. The story plays out like a light-hearted futuristic movie. I liked it a lot! An easy read, too. Certainly a kid would like this one. Although, when I was a kid, I never read. But look at me now!

Loved this book! Exciting, fast paced, romance and a story and plot you can really melt into. Did I forget to mention original? A society based off of the US but with districts. A lottery win for the lucky girl and boy then you get to fight for your life and this is an honor.? Winning means more than your life, it means a better life but at the expense of others. Not all agree with the Capital and rebel against the taking of life for the pure pleasure of the Capital and there lessons. You won't be able to put this book down.

You don't need me to tell you- this series is fabulous. If edge-of-your-seat story telling, interesting believable characters, thought-provoking yet terrifying scenarios, and hard-to-ignore modern culture parallels interest you at all.
The first book kept me up reading all night in the bathroom, but the second was even better if that is possible. I am so worried that Suzanne won't be able to satisfy all her fans with the wrap-up coming out soon. Can't wait!

I am an 8th grade English teacher and I could NOT put down this book!! I read it in two days, sent for Catching Fire, the sequel, and read it in two days!! I plan to share this book with my class at the end of the year in a read-aloud format. What a great story -- appealing to both girls and boys. Suzanne Collins really knows the formula for catching a young adolescent reader's attention, as well as this 51-year-old reader!

The first comment I'm going to make about this book is that if you're intrigued by the synopsis you should definitely read the book. It took me only 2 days to read because from the opening chapter I didn't want to put the book down. It was well written, the characters were well developed and the story just grabbed my imagination.

I'm not going to waste time with an elaborate description of the story because I'm guessing you've already read it somewhere else. But I will say that the hopelessness of the situation the main character, Katniss, is in really grabbed me. Here's a 16 year old girl who gets thrust into these games where there is virtually no chance of her getting out alive. She's going to a place where there are 23 other competitors who viscously want to kill her because its the only chance at survival. The quality of the writing actually made me anxious myself because I could just imagine being in her shoes. And when the author stuck to the story of Katniss trying to survive the book continued to be intriguing.

The one area of this book that fell short was the subplot between Katniss and the supporting character Peeta. Suzanne Collins tried to add too much of a romantic storyline to a survivalist story and she didn't balance it very well. The result was that it took the anxiety of the situation away, I stopped worrying about the fact that the main character was being hunted by desperate teenagers, many of whom were enjoying themselves. This led to the ending of the book being a bit of a disappointment mainly because the feeling of desperation left me a number of chapters before.

The majority of the book in my opinion was excellent and I have eagerly started reading Book 2 in the trilogy. I'm hoping Collins can bring back the powerful emotions that the first book created but failed to sustain. But like I said at the beginning, if you read the synopsis and were intrigued, definitely read this book.

like a cross between 1984 and the Lord of the Flies. Good story. Strong main character (this is no Bella). I know lots of schools are teaching this book now. It's everywhere in my local middle school.

This is a very good book, and very inspirational for young women. It is written for young adults and teenagers. The main character Katniss is a strong feminine heroin.

The story is told from Katniss's point of view and the reader is really able to imagine the world through her eyes. Katniss is a 17 year old girl living with her mother and a fragile twelve-year-old sister in District 12. Her father was killed in a coal mining accident several years ago, and now Katniss must be the sole provider for her family. She feeds her family by risking her life on a daily basis, hunting illegally in the woods beyond the wire fence that keeps residents from escaping from the District.

Katniss must choose between life, love, and loyalty in a story that makes you question our views of modern entertainment and society. Katniss is the warrior that every young woman should strive to be. She is very strong spirit who through circumstances beyond her control must rise to the challenges of a harsh life. Not falling back into a state of weakness, but reaching deep within her self to find the will to survive, and by doing so, she shows the reader the true strength and beauty of the feminine human spirit.

I read this book November 2008 but I had to do a review on it here because it was AWESOME. My definition of awesome may be different than other people's, but this book was just ... great.

It is based on a post-apocalyptic North America that has already endured wars over remaining resources and then a government arose called "The Capitol" and organized 13 districts across the continent. Needless to say the districts did not like the capitol so they formed a rebellion. Well, the capitol won by a landslide because they have all the money and technology and they completely annihilated district 13 - leaving nothing alive. Anyway, to make sure that the districts never form any such rebellion again The Capitol holds the annual Hunger Games to remind everyone that they are in charge.

The Hunger games begin by having a lottery and they pick 1 girl and 1 boy from each district between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in these hunger games (so a total of 24 contestants). So you wonder, "How does holding a competition make people stay in line?" The answer is simple, it's a fight to the death.

They hold the competition in a huge arena that varies in landscape from year to year. The desert, mountains, etc. It's a huge arena that use tiny cameras to catch all the excitement and the game makers can control all the variables. If things aren't interesting enough for those watching they can start a massive forest fire, or unleash some rabid beast. The last remaining contestant is the victor and they are granted fame and glory.

The book starts on the day of the 79th annual Hunger Games lottery.

The rest of the book is completely unpredictable which is why I liked it so much. When I put it down Sunday night to go to bed my brain kept trying to figure out ways that the book could possibly end up and out of all the ways it came up with ... it never did figure out the actual story line.

Anyway, the only bad part about the book was when I found out it's the first book in a trilogy so there will be 2 more books to come. The next one - Catching Fire - came out in Sept 2009 and the last book comes out August 24, 2010.

The first book does stand alone ... there is a definite "ending", but then you read the last page and you wish you would have stopped reading just 1 page earlier because now you have to wait another year to figure out how the story "really ends" and then another year after that to find out how THAT story ends.

I really hate waiting.

Alot of people have already described what this book is about. So I'll skip a breakdown of what it's actually about.

Here's what I really enjoyed about the book.

The writing. The characters.

While reading this book, I wasn't bored once. It had the wonderful balance to keep you involved in what was happening. It described living in District 12 as something that reminded me of what I think would feel like if I lived during the Great Depression. Just that kind of environment where there's not alot of food to go around.

I enjoyed the intro to the last page and was captivated by the story. I did feel a little like it was mature content and what kind of society would allow something like that to happen to children -- but then again, in the olden days, young kids were sent to Mills to work for cheap money until child labor laws came into play so....feasible, but terrible.

I could sympathize why Haymitch was drunk all the time. Not only did Katniss nail it on the head in the book-- having to sponsor children who in all liklihood would be killed -- but .... living through that would be terrible on your conscience. In the game, you would do what you had to do to survive-- but when it was all over, living with yourself, would be very hard I would think.

I felt that the characters were very descriptive and they made the plot of the book work, even as terrible of an idea as children killing each other to survive sounds.

The ending was so abrupt. I sat there, blinking at the last page and wanted to know sooo badly what Katniss' reunion would be like. But I will not break down and buy the next book in hard cover. I still want it for my Kindle. I'm stubborn enough to wait...or to go to the library if I positively can't stand the wait.

Wonderful book and yes, perhaps I should just break down and buy it to show my support for the book in hardcover, but I love my Kindle and that's where I'd like to read the next book. The adjustable font, portability, my carry case, everything about my Kindle...I love. So that's where I'd like to hold a book that I'd enjoy reading :)

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It was a fast read and I couldn't put it down from start to finish! The story is set in the future and is about a young girl who is forced to "play" in these horrible games that were created by the government to remind all of society what will happen if they should rebel. It is a gripping, and at times, heart wrenching tale and a must read in my opinion.

I read this book a few months ago, and I keep coming back to Amazon to try and find other books like it. I was sooooo intrigued by this adventourous story. I read it in about 2 days! The 2nd one wasn't AS good, but it was still fantastic too! I don't know a single person who hasn't loved this book and I HIGHLY reccommend you read it. It's pretty brutal and gorey, but totally worth it the whole way through!
Great job by Suzanne Collins...she really captures the story in a great way, and there isn't too much detail or too little detail! READ IT

My Thoughts: (Please stand back for an inarticulate gush-fest.)

Um, wow. First of all, why did I wait so long to read this?! And second, WHY DID NO ONE FORCE ME TO READ IT SOONER?!

I was absolutely stunned by this novel. What's weird is that this story was exactly what I was expecting, yet not what I was expecting at all. Does that make sense? I knew it was dystopian, so I was prepared for the post-apocalyptic state of the world, or Panem to be exact. I knew there was a love triangle, but what a nice twist! And I knew there would be action. That's where I was a bit wary. I'm not huge on books that center around this one piece of action for the whole story. I am raising my white flag and surrendering. If this is the type of action I have been missing, my heart just broke.

Suzanne has created the world, or the districts, of Panem so that they crawl off the page with this desolate, clawing motion that just grabs a hold of your heart and doesn't let go. At least, that's what it felt like. I had this huge bout of sympathy for the citizens of District 12, namely Katniss, Prim, and Gale. However, as paragraphs passed, my sympathy turned to fierce encouragement. I was reminded how strong they were, how resourceful. Few books have caused me to have this strong of an emotion, let alone an emotion spurred by a setting.

Once in the Arena, my heart turned wholly to the characters. Katniss is a strong, stubborn, sometimes stupid girl, and by far one of favorite female characters in the YA world. I'm seeing an upswing in strong girls as main characters and it absolutely makes my heart sing. Peeta. Oh Peeta. I love him, I hated him, I loved him again. He balanced Katniss perfectly. The other players in the Games were perfect as well. They had just enough back story for me to know whether I should hate them or love them. There was no unnecessary information, and nothing lacking either.

The Verdict: On my shelf of favorites, that's for sure. No book has tugged at my heart strings, made me scream, made me cry, or made me laugh as The Hunger Games did.

The Hunger Games is set in futuristic North America in a country called Panem. Life in North America is over as we know it. Panem has a center of operations called The Capitol and twelve outlying districts that are titled merely by number. Each year the Capitol requires two tributes, or sacrifices, from each district to participate in the Hunger Games. Every name of every boy and girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen are put into a lottery, and one boy and one girl is chosen at random to participate in the annual televised fight to the death.

The story is told from the perspective of Katniss, a sixteen year old girl living with her mother and twelve-year-old sister in District 12. Her father was killed in a coal mining accident several years ago, and Katniss is now the sole provider for her family. She feeds her family by hunting illegally in the woods beyond the wire fence that keeps residents from escaping from the District. When her sister's name is drawn in the lottery, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place.

I first heard about this book from a friend who clipped a review about The Hunger Games and the sequel book, Catching Fire, from Time Magazine. The idea that struck me most in that review was the last three lines: "Kids are physical creatures, and they're not stupid. They know all about violence and power and raw emotions. What's really scary is when adults pretend that such things don't exist."

In this incredible novel, violence and power are central in the lives of all citizens. The Capitol holds all the power and the citizens of each District live within the prisons of their cities. People are left to starve to death or are routinely killed for such actions as killing a deer for food or trying to run away. Medicine is scarce and even the baker's family eats the stale food that doesn't sell. Children in District 12 live in fear of losing a parent in the coal mines, because without a provider they are doomed to starvation.

When Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games, she is joined by Peeta, a boy who she barely knows. Within a few days of the lottery drawing, Peeta declares to the world that he has always loved Katniss, and suddenly the fight to survive the Killing Arena becomes a game of cunning, violence, love, power, and skill.

Ms. Collins takes us into a world where things are exactly as they seem; corrupt, unfair, destitute and violent. Nothing is sugar-coated and at least everyone knows where they stand. Through Katniss, the reader discovers that there is a piece of personal power that can be wielded in a world that seems bent on the destruction of dignity, friendship, compassion, justice, and love.

I wasn't sure if this story would be difficult to stomach and hesitated to begin reading once I bought it from the bookstore. After several weeks of psyching myself up, I quickly discovered that I couldn't put this book down, and read it even during meal times. The on-screen romance that Peeta and Katniss purport is strangely non-erotic and entirely believable. They realized that romance was what the viewers in the Capitol wanted, and they conspired to deliver, realizing that their performance bought them good-will and gifts from sponsors.

I hesitate to categorize this book. Is it Adventure? Romance? Suspense? Young-Adult? Truthfully, it is all those things, which is what makes this such a good read. Young adults will love this, but adults will enjoy this as much as they enjoyed the Harry Potter and Twilight series. Suzanne Collins joins the ranks of J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer in understanding what kids innately know; the world is a scary, violent place, and no amount of reassurance from parents will change that fact. She dives head-long into this post-Apocalyptic world, and invites the reader to experience the raw human emotions of greed, violence, power and will to survive. The world is just as it seems; bent on destruction. The question is; who will be the winner?

Lost an entire day to this book.... totally worth it! Recommended by my
6th grade students too!

Talk about keeping the reader attached to a story! This is the best book I have read! I bought it on CD so I could listen to it in my car whenever I wanted! There is a true good vs. evil in this story and it's WONDERFUL! I always think of the Muse song "Uprising" when I think of this story. Katnis is a beautiful, strong and leading WOMAN in this book! She definitely is a character to watch and I am absolutely looking forward to the movie make of this book (let's hope the movie does not ruin it!). Each chapter I read kept me holding my breath for what was about to happen! You will NOT be disappointed with this story!!

I have seen this book on so many lists for so long, but never made the purchase before, because frankly the storyline sounds too depressing and gruesome to be something we want to read. But it wasn't. I finally bought the book, and am so glad I did! I devoured it, then my daughter did, and we are regretting not ordering Catching Fire (book 2) at the same time. It's on its' way now, but we really, really don't want to wait.
This subject of the book could be described as a futuristic gladiator kind of thing, but don't let that stop you. It is so much more. It will haunt you when you have finished, but not in a gruesome way. This is not a book that I might typically think my daughter would love, but oh, my, it was. I don't know how the author pulls you in and makes you care about the characters as much as she does, and it is heart-wrenching, and breath-taking and full of ups and downs like you wouldn't believe. We have an extensive YA collection, and I have to say that this book has surged to the top.
I'll need to make sure all of my daughter's friends (both boys and girls) have copies as well. Looking for a smart, capable female character? Heroic kids? Adventure? Suspense? Philosophy? Romance? Look no further. This book has got it all, and is one you'll want your sons and daughters both to read -- and one that they won't be able to stop reading once they pick it up. Enjoy.

without going into grat detail, this book is a page turner. Once i picked it up i didnt want to put it down. It is a great book and i recommend it to everyone. I really hope the second book in the trilogy comes to the kindle store soon sice it has already been released!

I was really impressed with how thoroughly I was pulled into this book. I loved it. I thought Suzanne Collins did such a nice job with the writing. The story is so compelling. And although the author's unusual, (I can't think of another way to phrase it,) 'wholly present' voice is a little hard to get used to at first - she is a really impressive author. Given the content, it's not overly graphic, b/c it's Young Adult, I'd guess. But it's got great pacing, well-developed characters, a fantastic story-line, excitement, heart, etc.

The Hunger Games was a gripping, adrenaline pumping ride of a book. I couldn't put it down!

My sister, mother and I have all enjoyed the first of this series. Personally, I felt that though the story line is very dark and troubled, the characters acted with appropriate outrage and empathy. There were moments of true sadness, surprise and horror which I have not felt from a book in a long time. I would recommend it easily to younger adults and adults. I don't know if I would recommend it for 13 and under, it would depend on the child's maturity.

So I knew the book was going to be good, but I had no idea it was going to be this good. A piece of advice: try and have the second book ready whilst you're reading this, because even if you think you'd be able to wait or spread your reading, you won't be able to.

Set in what used to be North America, a new world order is created. The Capitol Panem rules its 12 districts ruthlessly. Each district is famous for something: fish, crops, electronic devices, etc. District 12, where the protagonist Katniss is from, produces coal.

Katniss hunts illegally in the woods behind District 12 to earn money and find food for her family. At 16, she takes care of her mother and younger sister and has been doing so ever since her father died a couple of years ago. She learned almost everything she knows about hunting from her father and her friend Gale, whom she met in the woods one day.

Panem devised a plan, or punishment for the districts when they rebelled 70+ years ago. The Hunger Games were put into motion and in these games, 2 tributes (a male and a female) from each district were chosen randomly and made to participate in the event at Panem. In the games, the tributes were ordered to kill each other until a lone survivor remains. The age group for the tributes had to be between 12 and 18.

Not only could the people of the districts not complain about the unfairness of the games, and the killings of children, but they had to celebrate the games and be jolly about it. On the 74th year, Katniss is the female tribute from District 12 and is sent to Panem along with the male tribute, Peeta, a fellow classmate that she barely knows but is indebted to because of his help when they were kids.
"

Super good series, I've read Hunger Games and Catching Fire and can't wait for the 3rd one I heard it's going to be called "The Victors"
Also loved the Twilight series and the 1st so far of the FALLEN series.

This book was gripping - I couldn't put it down! The drama was perfectly stored and unleashed at the perfect time. The plot was understandable and I absolutely adored not only the characters, but the conflict, too. I hope you'll enjoy this book when you read it!

This is not the type of book that I usually read. It's considered dystopian fiction, science fiction, futuristic. I was on the fence about reading this book, even after reading many rave reviews. I have to say that I did like The Hunger Games..a lot! I found the story very entertaining and at the same time disturbing and brutal but gripping. It's a book that is hard to put down. The story is told sometime in the future, you don't know the time period as a reader. The world as we know it has ended and there is only a Capital and twelve districts. There was an uprising and a thirteenth district was destroyed. As a reminder to the tributes (the citizens) that the Capital has the power, they hold the Hunger games each year. A girl and boy aged 12 and up are chosen randomly from each district to fight for survival in a televised event called the Hunger Games. It's like a futuristic reality TV show of our time. There are 24 girls and boys and only one is allowed to be the winner. That means you must try to survive and win which means killing your opponents and honor your district or lose and be killed.

The book is told from the perspective of 16 year old Katniss who has volunteered to go into the games in place of her younger sister. She knows that she must use her skills and survival techniques that she has learned to survive in her own district. Things become complicated when she realizes the connection she has to Peeta, the boy chosen from her district. Their connection brings up mixed feelings and emotions that she never realized until the process to the games begins. What she doesn't count on is the brutality and emotions that accompany this game. It is a fight until the end and the story holds you as a reader immersed in the world of the Hunger Games until the conclusion. Then, you realize that it is not over yet as there is more...a second book Catching Fire.

This is a unique book, one that I really enjoyed even with the darkness and brutality. The sheer wit and determination of Katniss and the tributes makes you want to keep reading. Now, I have to find a copy of Catching Fire and there is a third book in the series that is to be published later this year. Exciting stuff, I have more to look forward to. Personally, I wouldn't recommend The Hunger Games for anyone under twelve unless you think that your child has the maturity to handle violence.

Suzanne Collins is really on her game! Hunger Games is truly a satisfying book that engages the reader from the onset. The heroine, Katniss, is thrown into a life or death battle of twenty-four competitors from which only one can emerge victorious. Both girls and boys alike will enjoy this gruesome thriller story line.

I have been looking for something that equals Twilight in readability, style, voice, and addictability (is that a word?)and The Hunger Games was all that and more. I have read a ton of young adult/ teen fiction and nothing out there, with the exception of Twilight, even holds a candle. AMAZING READ. I can't wait until the third books comes out.

We have all become very familiar with this type of story ³ this could be anything from 1984 to Mad Max; and it sounds exactly like the Running Man with the Governator.

Two tools in Suzanne Collins tool box make this remarkably different. First she developed the main and secondary characters to a much greater degree than these other stories. Much of the first half of this book is spent in this characterization. As a result when good, bad, or surprising events occur you can empathize with the emotions of the characters.

The second key component is the first person narrative of the main character: Katniss Everdeen. About half way through the book, the children are placed in the Arena where they are to battle to the death. When you get to this point in the book, make sure you have plenty of time ¡V from then on you will not be able to put it down! The first person narrative amplifies Katniss¡¦ feelings of isolation. No Richard Dawson to annoyingly interfere with the horrible events; just Katniss facing the horrors that the Capital (and Suzanne Collins) can dream up with strength, courage, and sheer force of will.

Simply put, this book is incredible! For days after you put it down, you can¡¦t help but reflect on her sorrows and struggles. That is the measure of a great story.