The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Review

Movie poster featuring Katniss
in the centre with the Mockingjay
symbol on top.

Book title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Format: Paperback
First Published: September 14th 2008
Genre: YA, sci-fi, dystopian
Goodreads rating: 4.43 stars
Movie: 2012
Sequels: Catching fire, Mockingjay
read count: 2
First time I read: January 2012

Hey guys!
I haven't done a review for this blog yet as I have not
read a whole book since I started this. So what I did, was get a review I have already done, and post it on this blog.
When I finish City of Bones, I will definitely do a review for 
that. So here is a review for 'The Hunger Games' 


The Hunger Games is a Young- adult novel written by Suzanne Collins. It has become majorly successful and is the first part of a bestseller series. A film adaptation was made and was released in 2012; Future adaptations of the other two novels are to be released in future years.
The plot of The Hunger Games takes place in the future where North America has become a country named Panem and is split into 12 districts and one capitol, there, in punishment from rebelling against the capitol where a 13th district was destroyed, one young man and women ages 12 to 18 from each district must take part in the Hunger Games. In the Hunger Games they fight for their lives, killing one another until only one survives and wins the annual Hunger Games. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen lives in the poorest district of them all (district 12) and is living with her Mother and younger sister Primrose. She with her best friend Gale hunt
In the forbidden woods for food to keep them and their family alive. The day comes where the two young competitors get chosen. Katniss Everdeen takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games and must win to keep her family living.
This Novel can be simply said as one of the greatest books of all time. This book might seem scary or frightening to some but this book just shows what could happen in the future and how we could prevent it. The story is just so compelling and I was glued to the book until I finished it. This book was a page turner and as soon as this book finished I was out to WHsmith and instantly brought Catching Fire, The sequel to The Hunger Games. This book left me so shocked because of its amazing details and a great end. 
The characters in this story were so amazing and I loved how much detail Suzanne Collins put in her characters. For example, Katniss can be to some annoying because she is shown not to be sympathetic and quite as some say ‘mean’ to her mother. I just think that everyone is not perfect and Katniss’ flaw is that she is not very sympathetic but Katniss has a reason. I loved that Suzanne Collins told the readers all this and I think that Katniss’ is one of the greatest female character I have ever read in any book. There were so many other amazing characters including Peeta, Gale, Effie, Rue and of course Haymitch. 
Overall this book should be read by everyone and is just so absorbing and really makes you think about life. The other two novels in this series are also as great. Please if you have not, pick up this book right now.

Divergent V.S The Hunger Games part 2

 Welcome to Part 2 of 'Divergent' V.S 'The Hunger Games'.
If you have not read the first part, here is the link to it. 

http://thedauntlesscommunity.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/divergent-vs-hunger-games-part-1.html

This section is: Plot


The Hunger Games:

Good Points:

• Very different
• Keeps you hooked until the end
• Makes you want to read more and more
• Interesting themes

Bad Points:

• Doesn't appeal to everyone
• Quite boring at times
• Some scenes were too long (The cave scene, When Katniss is dehydrated).

Divergent:

Good points: 

• Factions were really cool to learn about
• Interesting world
• Lots of action

Bad points:

• Wanted to know a bit more about the past 
• Too long at times
• repetitive 

Overall I think 'The Hunger Games' has a better plot.

So now it's 1-1 , who will win the next one? Comment down below which one you think is better.

if you really want to read Divergent but not sure if you will like it, here is the audio version for chapter 1. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG4W4DyvcQg&list=PLQpbFK-dCPrWvml2To0y4EqMGNubPQ6r8&index=1

August TBR

Hello,
Today is July 28th, So I thought I should get my August TBR ready.
I have chosen four books to read this month

• one Sci-fi/dystopian
• one fantasy
• one classic
• one re-read

I will post reviews for atleast 2 of these books, Hope you enjoy! 
Comment down below what books you are going to read this month :)
My twitter: https://twitter.com/RainingKnight18
My Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9990480-haroon

My sci-fi/dystopian pick of the month is....

Legend by Marie Lu

Format: Kindle
Pages: 304
First Published: November 29th 2011
Publisher: Puffin
Goodreads rating: 4.12 stars

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.



My fantasy pick of the month is...


City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare


Format: Paperback
Pages: 435
First Published: March 27th 2007
Publisher: Walker Books
Goodreads rating: 4.14 stars

To celebrate the release of the movie 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' coming out 21st August 2013, We are going to read City of Bones (the book the movie is based on).

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

My classic of the month is...


Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Format: Paperback
Pages: 227
First Published: 1953
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Goodreads rating: 3.93 stars


Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.The classic novel of a post-literate future, ‘Fahrenheit 451’ stands alongside Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.
Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.


My reread of the month is...


The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Format: Paperback
Pages: 279
First published: April 1st 2006
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Goodreads Rating: 4.17 stars

Due to the release of 'Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters'  in cinemas August 7th, I am going to reread the second book in the 'Percy Jackson' series by Rick Riordan. 
The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment. In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book's drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.

The Similarities Between 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' & 'City of Bones'

 Geia sas! (hello in greek) 
I have recently started to read 'City of Bones' by Cassandra Clare because the movie is coming out on 21st August 2013. The movie looked really interesting and great so I thought I would give the book a chance.
So far I have read 80 pages and I am loving it, Clary and Simon are really witty, and Isabelle and Jace seem really cool. However I have noticed lots of similarities between this novel and the first novel of one of my favourite series, 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief'. Here are the similarities I have noticed so far.
By the way, I am not saying this is a bad thing, I think it's incredible that City of Bones so far is reminding me of Percy Jackson. (Percy Jackson is one of my favourite series, anything that even remotely is like it, I will guarantee love it) 

* Clary's dad is dead, so Luke is there
  Percy's dad is not known, he has a stepdad-Gabe
* Clary kills a Ravener demon
  Percy kills a Minotaur
* Clary's mom disappears
 Percy's mom disappears   
* Shadowhunters are the children of Humans and angels
  Demigods are the children of gods and humans
* Clary sees a demon in Pandemonium 
  Percy sees a teacher become a vulture bird on a school trip

 So these are the ones I have noticed so far, are there anymore you have noticed? comment down below or tweet me. Obviously I haven't read all of City of Bones so maybe it will be nothing like Percy Jackson or It might be exactly like it. Either way I know I will like the book. 

Thank you for spending time reading this article! 
Remember I have a new blog up every Monday and Friday!
(I know this article has been published on Sunday, this is because tomorrow I am going somewhere that has no wifi *sadface* ) 

P.S If you haven't seen the new trailer for 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Here it is!

                             

August: Book of the month!

Hi again!
Lots of websites do a thing called 'Book of the month', in which a group/club read 1 book together, and discuss about it. I think this is a great opportunity for anyone who likes to read and would like to chat to a group about what they thought on [any novel] eg. I thought 'Legend' by Marie Lu was an outstanding novel, I loved the themes and aspects and the writing was beautiful. 

I have chosen 2 novels which you, the readers, can select which one you would prefer to read in August. You can read one of the two novels, or if you are really in the spirit you can read both! 

The first novel is.....

The Maze Runner by James Dashner  

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they've closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


The second novel is....


City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

To celebrate the release of the movie 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' coming out 21st August 2013, We are going to read City of Bones (the book the movie is based on).

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.



If you want to take part, you can comment down below, can talk to me on twitter, or message me on goodreads. :) 

Twitter name: https://twitter.com/RainingKnight18
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9990480-haroon


If you haven't seen the 'City of Bones' trailer, here it is for you to see. :)

Divergent V.S The Hunger Games part 1

Hi!
So this has been bugging me recently, Which is better, The Hunger games franchise or The Divergent series?
I have three sections, Main character, plot, and writing style. In each section I'm going to vote which novel I think did a better job of, eg. enjoyment- I think divergent did a better job because...
Okay so lets get started!
In this article, I'm doing Main character.











Main Character 

Lets start with Katniss:

Good points:
-Interesting to read about
-Very strong
-Does not let people push her around

Bad points:
-very whiny
-stubborn
-unnecessarily mean at times
- Can be boring

Tris:

Good points:
- Strong
- Funny
- Very likable (unless you are Peter)
- Doesn't play by the rules

bad points:
- Sometimes doesn't listen to other characters
- Quite Uptight

Overall I think 'Tris Prior' is a much better character than Katniss Everdeen.

Thank you for reading this article,
Remember every Monday and Friday I have a new blog up.
Cheerio!

ps. Here is a little book trailer I made for Divergent and it's sequel Insurgent. Please watch! thank you.

If you liked Divergent......

Hello again!
How are you doing?
Only another 493938290 minutes to go! (for the divergent movie!) okay, yeah I made that number up, But I'm still eagerly waiting for March to come!!!

 Anyway on to the subject, If you are desperately waiting for Allegiant, the third book in the Divergent series to come out in October, then I got a few books to recommend to you to read now to October. Many books that are gripping, have good characters and take you into another world.
Lets get started!
Also add me as a friend on good reads!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9990480-haroon





Legend By Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.


The Maze Runner By James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.


The Host by Stephanie Meyer 

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.
Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.


I haven't read City of Bones or The host, But I have heard many good things about them. I hope these books will keep you interested between now and October! Have fun reading and I will have a new post next week!

The Dauntless Community Introduction.

Are you a fan of divergent and came here to see what this blog was about?

Or did you just accidentally land on this page?

Well either way, welcome to 'The Divergent Community'.

In the future, the citizens of Chicago live in a society that is divided into five factions, each one meant to uphold a particular virtue of humanity: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent). On a given day each year, all sixteen-year-olds take an aptitude test that will tell them which faction they are best suited for, after which they must decide whether to remain with their family and their home or transfer to a new faction. 
Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior was born into an Abnegation family, but selflessness has never come naturally to her like it does her older brother, Caleb. She feels lonely and constricted by her environment and feels like she doesn't belong. When the time comes for Beatrice to take her aptitude test, the results are surprising: she doesn't fit neatly into any one faction; rather, she shows equal aptitude for three—Abnegation, Erudite and Dauntless. This makes her "divergent" and she is warned never to share this information with anyone. With stunning sequences, heartbreaking betrayals and plenty of electrifying decisions, Divergent is a must for readers or anyone who enjoys intense action.
'Divergent is a worldwide Best-seller and definitely worth the read' Roger Sandes, Vintage Shelves.
When I finished 'The Hunger Games', I was hungry for more dystopian novels. After trying many which failed to live up to Suzanne Collins' masterpiece (well the first one at least), I turned to Divergent. I heard many great things about this novel so I picked it up, and wow! I was completely blown away at how this book was well written, had great characters, and kept you up literally all night. Tris/Beatrice Prior was such a great character and does not moan all the time like Katniss Everdeen. I recommend this book to all of you right now, I loved this book and I hope the movie which comes out March 2014, is as good as the novel. You can buy this book on Amazon or any book shops.
There will be a new post every week, informing you news about the movie, fun polls, and give ways.

www.Veronicarothbooks.com