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Mockingjay

MockingjayTitle: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: Hunger Games #3
Genre: Dystopian, Romance, Young Adult
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 392
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

Also in this series: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Sunrise on the Reaping
My Thoughts

I can’t believe I know the outcome of this series. I feel like I’ve been waiting for so long and to have it over feels kind of surreal. I’m glad I was able to savor my first read of this story, even though I was aware of a few spoilers.

Reading MOCKINGJAY was bittersweet and I had a lot of mixed feelings. I was happy, sad, and a little disappointed. Yet, I was actually quite satisfied with how the series ended. There were a few things I wish would’ve happened differently, mostly because I didn’t want them to happen because it was too sad. I think Collins did a phenomenal job of showing how war, torture, death, grief, PTSD, etc. can affect us and change us.

I think Katniss was right and justified in killing Coin. Coin would’ve turned into another Snow if she had been allowed to live. I also think Peeta was the right one for Katniss. Between him and Gale, he was the only one who could empathize with her regarding being in the Games and witnessing the dichotomy of the Capitol firsthand. I was devastated that Prim died and I think it was necessary because it illustrated that no matter how people try, they don’t have control over what happens in war.

I was glad I got to enjoy more time with some of the minor characters in the first two books. But, I also missed the interaction between a couple of the major characters, even though it was pertinent to the story. The ending felt a bit rushed because I wanted to experience the aftermath in more than just a few pages or paragraphs. I wish Collins had slowed it down, even knowing she needed to cram a lot of information regarding Katniss, District 12, Panem, and the other characters into those pages. I really liked the epilogue. I thought it was a great way to show Katniss’ growth and trust in the new system.

I thought MOCKINGJAY felt different from its predecessors. It wasn’t necessarily a bad different. It was just different and it took some getting used to. The story was still an emotional roller coaster like the previous two, and it was very intense.  I savored the beauty and sweetness when it was there because of the brutality of the subject matter. I expected to cry more than I did, but I only cried at one point during the story. Overall, I’m very happy and I look forward to reading more books written by Suzanne Collins.

Update: When I read this for a second and third time, I listened to one of the audiobooks. The first audiobook was narrated by Carolyn McCormick and the second was narrated by Tatiana Maslany. Both do a great job, but I prefer the second audiobook the best.

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Matched

MatchedTitle: Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Series: Matched #1
Genre: Dystopian, Romance, Young Adult
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: ARC
Pages: 366
Reason Read: Received for Review, Utah Book Month
Rating:

Also in this series: Crossed, Reached
My Thoughts

Reading this book after I reread THE HUNGER GAMES and CATCHING FIRE so I can read MOCKINGJAY next was a bit serendipitous on my part. The citizens’ lack of freedom in this book is so different from the blatant oppression in the Hunger Games universe. That juxtaposition of violent oppression vs. institutional oppression shows that both are still oppression. They just look different. I still felt bad for the characters, but I felt bad that they couldn’t see that they were being controlled.

I thought the story was compelling and thought-provoking. I loved the characters, especially the main three. The idea that the citizens believed the Society was doing everything in their best interest and that they didn’t realize they were being controlled until a small mistake happened was such a fun premise.

I was blown away by the story and Ally’s crafting of what seemed like a utopian society that wasn’t. Her writing is so poetic, lyrical, and immersive. It was a joy to read each word on the page. I’m excited to find out what happens in the next book and where it will take us.

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Linger

LingerTitle: Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #2
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 368
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored SHIVER so I was really excited to read LINGER especially with where the first book left off. Just like the previous story, I thought this one was sweet and sensual, exciting and heart-breaking, and happy and sad. I still loved the characters and I loved the addition of Cole and how he changed the dynamic between Grace and her friends.

I still loved the change in POV between Grace and Sam, especially near the end. I liked knowing what both were thinking. I also like the addition POVs from Isabel and Cole.

In the end, I didn’t quite like LINGER as much as I liked SHIVER, but I’m still excited to see what happens. I want to know if the events that happened in this book will be reversed. I wish I didn’t have to wait another year to read the final book in the trilogy.