challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

absolutely devastating thank you suzanne can't wait for the movie

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dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book gave me many actual stomach aches. No book has ever done that before. But wow, it’s all just genius and incredible and to all the people who say this was fan service— you hate fun.

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adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Is this an absolutely perfect book and I have no problems with it whatsoever (aka a 5 star book), no maybe not but this book means so much to me and to the world of hunger games. This book really shows you that Katniss was not this perfect person and no one could have done it without her, this shows that she really was just a girl that had an army, luck and great timing. I love that this book tells us that Katniss is not the chosen one and everything happening in the other books is not just to punish Katniss cause she is one of a kind, it's to punish everyone and anyone who dares to speak up. 

I love all the lore drops in this and the complex characters. My fav moment is with the candy and the tree that show you that these are just kids who have grown up thinking everyone but the government is the enemy, the rich folks, the other districts, the careers when really only one person can stop all of this and we made thirst traps for him (sorry Suzanne). 

If you can't tell, all hunger books and media have a special place in my heart and I will be ofc biased for that but this is not only fan service and if you want to criticize the book it has other things you could be criticizing... but also... don't because I love it!  


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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Outstanding origin story that explains as to how Haymitch became the jaded character we know from the original trilogy. 
It is medium-paced at first, then becomes more fast-paced towards the middle of the book. I needed several days to emotionally recover from this book.
P.s. you get to briefly meet some more characters you already know from the original trilogy
Outstanding epilogue set post-Second Rebellion.

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is probably the best Hunger Games book to date. Discovering Haymitch's games from his point of view offer the reader an opportunity to reconsider events of the original trilogy in a new light.

 As always, Collins chose to write a new installment in this series for a specific reason. Therefore, this prequel does not feel like the author is milking her successful series but like an important addition to a previously existing story. Few authors would have the ability to discuss subjects as complex as implicit submission and propaganda in a dystopian YA novel as easily as Collins.

However, it seems important to mention how exponentially more violent Sunrise on the Reaping is in comparison to previous installments in the series. You thought the death scenes in the original trilogy were bad? Just you wait... This book destroyed me in the best way possible.

Although not being an inherently completely inappropriate read for a teenager (though I would argue that it is a book for children aged at least 13 and up), the nature of the themes and contents of this novel might mean that this book won't be fully understood by younger readers.

Like Mockingjay and Ballad, while the book can be perfectly enjoyable for younger readers, parts of this story might resonate more with an older audience. 

In all cases, this book is a fantastic read and a great extension to this universe, but should be read with caution and after a quick read of potential trigger warnings. Protect your peace and read it only if you are in the right mindset for it!

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adventurous dark emotional fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I never really like it when a story seems to have too many coincidences that feel like fan service. What a coincidence that Katniss's father was Haymitch's best friend, that Snow talked to Haymitch personally about covey girls after his prequel, that three well liked and important victors Katniss wanted to ally with were involved with Haymitch's game, etc... It makes thing feel a little too perfectly placed and the world feel small even if it's plausible. But I enjoyed this. I really liked the whole story about Haymitch's game and how it connected to a statement about propaganda. I think there's also a lot to be said about how despite what the Capitol may want you to believe, there was never peace under their rule. There was always someone trying to rebel and make change. But they crafted the perfect, yet fake, image of peace and submission. I also really loved the new characters introduced. Maysilee is a new favorite of mine. I know I just criticized Katniss's dad conveniently being Haymitch's best friend, but I really liked the sense of community that District 12 has in this book. Everyone knows each other. It shows how much damage the games did because not just one or two families were harmed. It was everyone. Overall, I think this added onto the world of Hunger Games in a meaningful way. But it still felt a tad fam service-y in some parts to me, even if I did really like getting to know the history of the characters from the og trilogy. 

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