Tag Archives: Katniss

Jul

Top Ten Tuesday – July 17, 2012: Top Ten Books For People Who Liked The Hunger Games

So it’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the wonderful blog at The Broke and the Bookish!

This week’s theme is: Top Ten Books For People Who Like X Book

And my choice is Ten Books for people who liked THE HUNGER GAMES.

I’m choosing this because it’s a well-known book that a lot of people have read, and I’ve picked up a lot of new books that I’ve loved all based on dystopian-type or post-apocalyptic worlds. That and it may be one book on which I can actually base 10 (or close to it) recommendations!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore – “Graceling?” you say all skeptical. “But that’s a fantasy book, not dystopia.” Ah yes, you are correct sir, but I stand by it as my first recommendation! I found myself comparing Katsa in Graceling to Katniss many many times throughout my read – in strength, in ignorance of love, in kick-ass fighting bow & arrow skills (okay, so Katsa wins with kicking-ass-in-anything skills). It may be a stretch on other things, but I made comparisons throughout the book, however mild and I’m not normally a fantasy person in any way, shape, or form so if I loved (yes, loved) Graceling, then I’m recommending it first!
The Maze Runner by James Dashner – Kids (well, all boys. And one girl). They’re in a closed in environment. Created just for them. They have to figure out how to live. How to survive each other. They try to escape. And well, there’s a maze. But I’m going with the Glade/Hunger Games arena comparison here! There’s a lot more to the story, but I really ended up liking this series a lot more than I thought I would!
Delirium/Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver – So this is a bit more on the romantic side, a little less on the action side, but when I finished reading The Hunger Games (okay, when I finished devouring the whole series), I immediately began researching what other dystopian books I could get my hands on, and then this glorious book found its way into my house. I liked how this was more of an evolved utopia that slowly turns into a complete dystopia for Lena once she “sees the other side”. Like I said, much more mush than THG but I loved it!
The Giver by Lois Lowry – This was dystopia before it was cool. A little younger age range, but I fell in love with it during English in 7th/8th grade. It was like I was destined to read dystopia all along!
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi – I think what I loved so much about this one was how much of the technologically advanced utopian world and the savage, primitive outside world clashed and blended so beautifully. The characters didn’t just grow from an experience, they helped each other grow through learning about each other.
Monument 14by Emmy Laybourne – This is not too far into the future and a lot more on the realistic side, like if it happened tomorrow. Toxic chemicals released into the air, raging monster storms, and 14 kids trapped in a superstore (dream come true if it was not the semi-apocalypse…) – I like how we get to see the kids figure out how to be adults, how to handle responsibilities, and I thought it seemed very realistic to how kids would handle a real crisis like that. Very interesting take on it!
Wither by Lauren DeStefano – Again, the love story is more the main focus here, but I like to compare Housemaster Vaughn as a President Snow from time to time. And Wither is more a place where disease now controls the world, but it’s still one of my favorite dystopian books!
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor – Even though this is essentially a retelling of Alice in Wonderland, it’s almost a dystopia in reverse in the sense that Alyss is really a part of Wonderland (yes, Wonderland is real!) and she gets trapped in the normal, boring human world where no magic exists. It’s almost a dystopia world for her. Plus there’s tons of action, fighting, and actually kind of violent at times. I really enjoyed it though!
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – Although I would rate this more along the lines of a HP read-alike, I think fans of The Hunger Games would still love it (hey, I did). It’s got elements of a brand new world that hides behind ordinary that only the supernaturals and shadowhunters can see. It’s a lot of adventure, a little bit of romance all rolling around in a very creative world.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead – Okay, so this last one’s a little off but I was running out of dystopian books and I feel like this series is so underrated! I’m only two books in and I love it – And this was after I was already like, “I am sooo over vampire stories”. I think it’s definitely worth a shot, and I can say the second book is even better (and I’ve heard it gets even BETTER from there)!

Jun

Top Ten Tuesday – June 5, 2012: Top Ten Most Unfortunate Character Names

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the wonderful blog at The Broke and the Bookish, is a TTT rewind. Yessss!! Since I’m a newcomer to TTT I am very excited about being able to pick any category from the past to revisit (or in my case, free for all for a new list – What is it about making lists that is so cathartic?) sooo…

This one is back from Tuesday November 9, 2010:
Top Ten Most Unfortunate Character Names

1. The Cast of Town in a Blueberry Jam by B.B. Haywood: I think cozy mysteries are the worst offenders (maybe neck and neck with dystopia/sci-fi) of abusing silly names. I mean, come on. Candy Holliday (she was born on Halloween *eye roll*), her father “Doc” Holliday, Sapphire Vine, and “Jock” Larson. Really? Really guys?

2. Renesme Cullen from the Twilight Saga: Okay, so we were all on board with the whole vampire pregnancy up until a certain pointand Bella’s stubbornness about it, but then she wants to name her kid Renesme? I think she’s lost it. Vampire babies make you crazy. It was a nice tribute to the moms by combining Renee and Esme, but Renesme just does not work. Even the characters in the book made fun of it! That’s gotta count for something.

3. Various characters from the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke: So Hannah’s first love interest in this book is the dentist Norman Rhodes. Norman Rhodes? Granted he’s supposed to be on the “uncool” side, but for some reason I keep thinking “Norman Bates” or just a pudgy middle-aged man with a bad come over. Then there’s other randomly odd names like Rhonda Scharf, Shawna Lee Quinn, Lynne Larchmont, and Willa Sunquist. Not terrible, but I think overdoing it a little.

4. Various characters from series by V.C. Andrews: Yes, I definitely read V.C. Andrews as a kid/teen. As as kid? Aren’t these romance novels for the most part? Yep, and my mom didn’t like that one bit, but everyone in my class was reading them and so did I. But what’s up with these names? Butterfly? Cinnamon? Rain? Ice? Honey? I don’t get it.

5. The cast of The Hunger Games series: I guess this is set in a dystopian future world where real names are out of style. It’s creative, and I actually do like a lot of the names, but they’re just off the wall: Katniss, Peeta (why not just Peter or something?), Primrose, Gale (Gail/Gayle is a girl’s name?), Cinna, Venia, Cato, Thresh, Rue, Clove, Finnick, Marvel, Glimmer… Glimmer!? Even Katniss makes fun of that one… So why use it?

6. Characters from Murder of a Small Town Honey by Denise Swanson: Three of the main characters are Skye Denison (my cousin’s dog’s name is Skye so that didn’t help), Honey Adair (why do people like the name Honey so much? It bothers me), and Mrs. Gumtree. I think I found the book less favorable because I didn’t like the names. In all honesty, it does matter!

7. Bubbles Yablonsky: There was a series featuring main character Bubbles Yablonsky (the first of which is Bubbles Unbound). I actually heard it was rather enjoyable, but I didn’t like her name so I didn’t even try to read it.

8. Zaphod Beebleprox from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Okay, I know this one is supposed to be silly, but still!

9. Dickie Orr from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich: He’s a weasel and his name sounds like it too!

10. Jack Daniels from the Jack Daniels series by J.A. Konrath: Cute, but kind of annoying. Lots of liquor jokes and always confusion that Jack is a lady – short for Jacqueline.

May

Freaky Friday #1: May 25, 2012

Happy Friday all my reading friends! It’s almost time for a long holiday weekend 🙂

As some of you may have read, I’ve been trying to jazz up the blog a bit to get out of a routine of strictly reviews. I started up with Top Ten Tuesday this past week, which I look forward to participating in each Tuesday, but I also wanted to establish something new – my own weekly feature. So I did some thinking and I came up with… Ta-da!

So Freaky Friday is going to be my new weekly feature. To my knowledge, no one is currently running this on their blog, so I’m excited to be starting something completely new. Okay, so here’s the deal on how it’s going to work: Like the movie (and remake), I’m going to “Freaky Friday” myself and put myself in the shoes of a character from one of my favorite books (and put them in my world, which is probably much less exciting). I’ll go through the basic plot of the story as well as relationships and critical moments our hero/heroine has to deal with. So without further ado…

In this week’s Freaky Friday, I will be switching places with KATNISS EVERDEEN from THE HUNGER GAMES

In Case You Forgot… Katniss and her family live in a dystopia North America now called Panem, a nation dominated and strictly ruled by the Big Brother – the Capitol. Each year, 24 children/teens (a boy and girl from each district) are required to participate in the Hunger Games – a fight to the death where only one survives, and a reminder that the Capitol is in full control, a warning against rebellion. When Katniss’s younger sister Prim is selected against the odds, Katniss volunteers to take her place in the fight to survive the Hunger Games.

So I Wake Up In… District 12 in Panem. I’m assuming this is somewhere in the eastern part of the US (maybe West Virginia-ish) with all the coal mines. I’d probably be terrible at providing for the whole family like Katniss does. I love being the woods and I have actually had some experience with a bow and arrow… But it’s just recreational and well, I’m still not very good. I can hit a target, but shooting at cans isn’t as easy as it seems! I’ve also never hunted before, so I don’t think I’d want to kill animals (this doesn’t look good for me in the Hunger Games…), and that’s also really tricky to do.

Map of Panem – I like this version

Family Life… I’d have a soft spot for Prim, just like Katniss. I know she wouldn’t be my real sister, but I do have an older sister that I’d do anything for, so I’d do my best to do right by Prim. I think I’d have a hard time with her mom since I go to my mom for everything. She’d be the one I look to for comfort, and I don’t think I’d find it there.

So Then it Gets Complicated… Now I have to go into the Hunger Games. What!? I’m sure everyone would be like, “What the hell is wrong with Katniss?” because I’d just be crying non-stop. Maybe Cinna could calm me down and Haymitch could get something going with some kind of training (what in the world would I use as an advantage?), but I’d probably just end up getting sloshed with Haymitch instead. As for being in the actual games, let’s just say I wouldn’t be the winner…… Maybe I’d still have Katniss’s speed/agility/physical abilities, but I don’t think I’d be able to beat out 23 other kids, especially against the tributes. I could fare well in the wooded-type area that made up the arena, but camping skills only takes you so far in a situation like that!

Just a Crush… Sorry, Peeta-lovers, I think I’m on Team Gale on this one! I know after being selected for the games, Katniss didn’t get much time with Gale, but that would be the person I would choose above all others for support for the games. He’s her best friend and you know there’s a little more than friendship there. He would have been the one to learn all the skills from and you know he’s always got your back. Plus, Katniss’s family would then have to rely on him. I know our hearts go out to Peeta because we find out about his real affections for Katniss, but I just never saw the two of them together. She starts by faking her love for Peeta, and I just don’t see a real relationship starting like that (even though they did build a real trust in the end). If I came back from the games, I’d go right back to Gale! He’s Katniss’s real support system and I really wanted that to develop into a full-on relationship!

Welcome to My Life…Welcome to Illinois, part of future District 10 (probably) which is the Livestock district. Let’s see… Katniss in my life. I guess she’d have it easy! An apartment stocked with food, a car to use, places to go thataren’tfalling apart, and freedom from the Capitol – Probably a dream come true! I’d probably get fired if she went to work in my place because it’s a lot of customer service, not to mention she probably wouldn’t know how to do a lot of stuff in my world which in her life would be time traveling into the past! I’d probably recommend just laying low in my apartment and watching TV or reading some of the tons of books I have there!

Well, that’ll wrap it up for Freaky Friday! I hope it’ll be an enjoyable segment each week, and I’ll try to mix it up a lot with the types of books I choose, and maybe not always main characters so I can put myself in a variety of situations. I hope it was fun for you to read, and I had fun doing it. As of right now, that’s all that counts. Happy weekend, everyone!