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dark
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
Suzanne Collins really came back swinging with this one. Sunrise on the Reaping is dark, brutal, and layered in a way that cuts deep, especially when you realize how much it parallels the world we live in right now. This isn’t just a return to the Hunger Games universe, it’s a sharp and chilling look at how propaganda shapes public opinion and who gets to hold power. Every scene, every speech, every image feels like it’s ripped from real-life headlines, reminding you just how easily stories can be spun to manipulate trust and loyalty.
This book leans more into the psychological than straight-up action, and honestly that works in its favor. It’s tense and unsettling, full of moments that force you to sit with the discomfort. The way Collins uses propaganda in this book is terrifyingly smart. You can see how calculated it all is, how truth and fiction blur into something weaponized. It feels like watching a modern media machine unravel in real time.
And just when I thought I was emotionally prepared, this book had the nerve to make me cry. The heartbreak is not cheap. It’s raw, it’s earned, and it lingers. Collins does not hold back on emotional gut punches, and the weight of those moments sticks with you long after you're done.
The new protagonist is complicated. You’re not always going to agree with them or even like them, but that’s the point. This book isn’t here to make you feel good. It’s here to challenge you and make you squirm a bit, and it does that well.
If I had to nitpick anything, it would be a few slower sections in the middle, but even those serve a purpose in building tension and setting up that final emotional payoff.
All in all, Sunrise on the Reaping is bold, unsettling, and devastating in the best way. Suzanne Collins still knows exactly what she’s doing. This isn’t just dystopia for the sake of drama, it’s a mirror held up to our own reality, and it dares you to look.
This book leans more into the psychological than straight-up action, and honestly that works in its favor. It’s tense and unsettling, full of moments that force you to sit with the discomfort. The way Collins uses propaganda in this book is terrifyingly smart. You can see how calculated it all is, how truth and fiction blur into something weaponized. It feels like watching a modern media machine unravel in real time.
And just when I thought I was emotionally prepared, this book had the nerve to make me cry. The heartbreak is not cheap. It’s raw, it’s earned, and it lingers. Collins does not hold back on emotional gut punches, and the weight of those moments sticks with you long after you're done.
The new protagonist is complicated. You’re not always going to agree with them or even like them, but that’s the point. This book isn’t here to make you feel good. It’s here to challenge you and make you squirm a bit, and it does that well.
If I had to nitpick anything, it would be a few slower sections in the middle, but even those serve a purpose in building tension and setting up that final emotional payoff.
All in all, Sunrise on the Reaping is bold, unsettling, and devastating in the best way. Suzanne Collins still knows exactly what she’s doing. This isn’t just dystopia for the sake of drama, it’s a mirror held up to our own reality, and it dares you to look.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
This book was amazing-I couldn't put it down. I love how seemingly effortlessly Collins can connect Haymitch's story to the rest. Everything from large plot points to tiny details puts this book high on the THG pedestal. Collins is such a talented writer, and it shows. This book was gritty, and constantly left you worrying about the characters that were so easy to fall in love with. This book also made me cry the most in the whole series, because it was so powerful in making me feel for the characters. The underlying theme of propaganda in this book is so well written and holds a fiery torch up to what our society may become if we continue down this dark path.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-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:
Yes
This book is a quick, fun, fast-paced read with dark undertones. Even knowing the ending going in, the scene-by-scene tension keeps you going. It’s incredibly reminiscent of my first time reading the original HG (which I read as an angsty teenager who was here for the *edge*). Reading this as an adult (*in this society*) though, the sheer brutality and sadism of the capital just…hits different? Sadder? I would classify THG as a relatively fun read everything considered, but this feels like a warning.
Only reason for giving 4⭐️ is that I reserve 5⭐️ for those rare books that rock my world. I don’t have any specific issues with SOTR
Only reason for giving 4⭐️ is that I reserve 5⭐️ for those rare books that rock my world. I don’t have any specific issues with SOTR
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
One this I have to get out there before I start is, YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES IN ORDER OF PUBLISHING!!!
That means
1) Hunger Games
2)Catching Fire
3)Mockingjay
4)A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Then and only then
5)Sunrise on the reaping
Any ways…
I loved this book!!! Backstory was crazy! Loved seeing Haymitch’s story. Reading this book definitely made me realize that him and Katniss think about things very similarly. Even during my first read I picked up on SOO MANY CALLBACKS!!! I loved absolutely all the details Suzanne put into this book!!!
(Kinda spoilers)
Snow had an interesting character development. I would describe it as Suzanne Collins gave us A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as a way to try and show us readers that Snow has redeeming qualities and whatever but her fan base did not take that very well. Sooooo she was like “Oh you still don’t like him…Here I will make him worse than you ever thought he could be! Mwahahaha!” So in all honesty by the time Katniss got to know Snow he DEFINITELY mellowed out in his old age!
I will just leave that there ;)
(I HAVE read all the books in the series including Ballad, but I personally think that ballad was the prequel no one asked for but we got any way)
And by the way THE EPILOGUE WAS TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It had me in almost tears!!!
Fair warning though this book will rip your heart out and stomp all over it so be ready for some emotional damage reading this!
That means
1) Hunger Games
2)Catching Fire
3)Mockingjay
4)A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Then and only then
5)Sunrise on the reaping
Any ways…
I loved this book!!! Backstory was crazy! Loved seeing Haymitch’s story. Reading this book definitely made me realize that him and Katniss think about things very similarly. Even during my first read I picked up on SOO MANY CALLBACKS!!! I loved absolutely all the details Suzanne put into this book!!!
(Kinda spoilers)
Snow had an interesting character development. I would describe it as Suzanne Collins gave us A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as a way to try and show us readers that Snow has redeeming qualities and whatever but her fan base did not take that very well. Sooooo she was like “Oh you still don’t like him…Here I will make him worse than you ever thought he could be! Mwahahaha!” So in all honesty by the time Katniss got to know Snow he DEFINITELY mellowed out in his old age!
I will just leave that there ;)
(I HAVE read all the books in the series including Ballad, but I personally think that ballad was the prequel no one asked for but we got any way)
And by the way THE EPILOGUE WAS TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It had me in almost tears!!!
Fair warning though this book will rip your heart out and stomp all over it so be ready for some emotional damage reading this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
oh my god. insane. brutal. tense. gripping. thrilling. evil. shocking. jesus christ. i was locked the hell in from page one and it did not let up. just enough references to remind you of the rest of the series, but is still incredible fresh and some of the connections were still surprising like THE MOCKINGJAY PIN. it didnt clock in my mind until the end when they mention it again
incredibly written, amazing characters. just such a treat but also i am emotionally wrecked. THE HOUSE. HIS FAMILY. THE FUCKING GUM DROPS. the epilogue…..
suzanne collins has done it again folks. i liked this SO much more than songbirds and snakes.
THE ALLUSIONS …. RAAAHHH
incredibly written, amazing characters. just such a treat but also i am emotionally wrecked.
suzanne collins has done it again folks. i liked this SO much more than songbirds and snakes.
THE ALLUSIONS …. RAAAHHH
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Suicide attempt
Minor: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book really was fantastic. I don’t really enjoy many prequels in a series but I really loved this one, it added more depth to the storyline as a whole and I got to learn so much more about characters that I’ve been wondering about for a long time. It’s really cool to learn about characters in their younger years and how everyone came to know each other. Very emotional and sad, I have so much more of a soft spot for Haymitch after reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, Classism