Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games #2
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: September 1, 2009
Length: 391 Pages

*Entire Trilogy:  Amazon| Barnes and Noble*

Sparks are igniting, flames are spreading and the Capitol wants revenge.
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 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.
In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn.

MY REVIEW

Oh, Catching Fire why must you do this to me! I really thought I was on Team Gale after The Hunger Games but I really think Peeta stepped up in Catching Fire. I may just be changing my mind, but it is up to Mockingjay to form my final opinion. Catching Fire builds on top of the tiny sparks left by The Hunger Games and turns the story on its head. Katniss feels very alone in the beginning of Catching Fire. She knows that she is facing trouble from the Capitol, and Peeta and her have a very strained relationship as do her and Gale. As a young woman who could not have understood the implications of her actions, Katniss must strive to prove that she and Peeta are deeply in love, or danger may be lurking around the corner for her and her loved ones.

The suspense of Catching Fire, and some specific moments I am not going to spoil for other readers stole my breath away. The tension in Catching Fire can be felt almost right away and it continues throughout the book. The districts are on the verge of rebellion, and the Capitol is looking to place blame, blame that is falling on Katniss. Catching Fire is an emotional read, because there are moments when I actually had to stop reading just to catch my breath and re-center myself before continuing.

I think where sometime in a trilogy or series the second book does not live up to the hype of the first book, but that is not the case with Catching Fire. If anything I think, Catching Fire outshines The Hunger Games, which is not an easy task to accomplish. Katniss has always been a very caring character, but in Catching Fire, readers get a glimpse of what she would be willing to do to save those she cares about the most.

I wanted to read Catching Fire ever since I read the Hunger Games before seeing the movie. I cannot wait to continue with Mockingjay, and I am glad I did not have to a year for it to come out like original Hunger Games fans. I really wish I had read it soon, because it is an original masterpiece of young adult fiction, which will remain popular for years to come.

**Unabridged Bookshelf purchased this item for their own collection**

Are You Team Peeta or Team Gale?

Thank you for stopping by Unabridged Bookshelf!