Review: Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games (#2)

Publication Date: September 1st, 2009

Pages: 400 (why was my ebook was only 230 pages long? it still had 27 chapters and everything...)

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Won in a giveaway

Synopsis

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

I have to say that this book was quite unexpected (mainly because I have been avoiding movie trailers like the plague)!

I think that the first half of this book moves a bit slowly but then it's action packed until the end. I like how we get to read about some districts rebelling against the Capitol and the impact it has on the main characters' lives.

I also loved that we get to see a little bit more of Katniss and Gale's reltionship, as well as Katniss and Peeta's. It's easy to understand how conflicted and confused she is and it's nice to see Peeta always trying to help her with her nightmares and supporting her. (Seriously, I wish I had Josh Hutcherson climbing in bed with me...)

Katniss's mother is also more present in this book and we can finally see the woman she was before her husband's death.

The new characters are also really original and really well-rounded and as usual, everyone is important to the story.

In conclusion, I think that this is a great sequel to the first book and it didn't disappoint me at all. On to the third book!