Catching Fire
Today is the day that so many of you have been waiting for! Time to head out to the stores and grab yourself a copy of Catching Fire, the second book in The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. You can read my review of The Hunger Games here.
I had snagged an ARC copy of Catching Fire while at Book Expo America in May and was waiting for the perfect time to read it. That time came while on a cruise ship to Bermuda this summer (see the picture below). When I wasn’t busy watching my daughter swim in the pool or touring around Bermuda, I spent every free minute with my nose in this book. I was really eager to continue reading the story of Katniss, Peeta and Gale.
Catching Fire begins a few months after where The Hunger Games left off. Katniss Everdeen is back in District 12, but not everything is the same. She has moved with her family to Victors Village and now resides next to Haymitch and Peeta. She has barely spoken to Peeta after their return and since Gale now works in the mines she doesn’t see him all that much either. The only constant in her life is her hunting. It’s no longer a necessity for her family, but she hunts to help feel Gale’s family while he is off at work.
It’s now time for the Victory Tour, which takes place between Hunger Games to remind the people of Panem that uprisings are not tolerated. During the last Hunger Games, Katniss unintentionally became a symbol of resistance and now there is some unrest in many of the districts. With a threat directly from the Capital that she do exactly as they request, Katniss is put in an uncomfortable position. Then when President Snow targets Katniss and her family, the Victory tour and what lies ahead become even more dangerous. Katniss now has to try and keep her loved ones safe and needs to make a decision whether to run and hide or stand up for the suffering people of Panem.
Catching Fire is another winner for author Suzanne Collins. With emotionally charged writing, Collins weaves an intriguing storyline of political upheavel and suspence that is fast paced in a grab you by the seat of your pants way. Ending with a cliff-hanger that will leave you wanting more, I think Catching Fire is even better than The Hunger Games.
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How long will we have to wait for book three?
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When will the movie be out?
Stephanie's Written Word 
Team Katniss all the way! It should never be about a boy (although it often, often is) and she is such a wonderfully strong female character. IF I had to choose though, I’d want her to be with Peeta.
I read Catching Fire on Sunday and loved every second of it. I loved it more than The Hunger Games and I didn’t think that was possible. I reviewed it yesterday but strove to review it without spoiling the first in the trilogy as there are still a few people out there you haven’t read it!
I am desperately try to get my Scholastic rep and friend to get me the audio, so the kids and I can all listen to it! I’m very excited to find out what happens next, but until I do, I will refrain from picking a team. I don’t have enough info yet!
I’m reading the book right now and I’m loving it. I’m just about halfway through. Right now, I have no idea whether I’m Team Gale or Team Peeta. LOL Looking forward to the movie, but who knows how long that will take?
–Anna
I haven’t read either of these books, Stephanie, but they sound terrific!
Need to read the book before I make any important decisions, but Gale has a special spot in my heart…
So I’ll admit I didn’t really read this post because I’m so afraid of spoilers — but desperately want to talk about the book! 🙂 I know you wouldn’t weave any spoilers in there, but I’m being overly cautious 🙂 hehe. I grabbed my copy of the book this morning and can’t wait to get home to read more of it! I took it with me to lunch and had to pry my eyes off the page to get back to work.
Love the photo from the cruise! How awesome!
I haven’t read these books yet, but if I could cruise to Bermuda, I’m sure I would. Carl will be very excited to hear that The Hunger Games is going to be a movie.
I haven’t yet read The Hunger Games, though I do have a copy waiting for me on the shelf. My kids read it and loved it, so I will probably be grabbing up a copy very soon. I liked your review, it sounds like a great book!
I have an award for you on my blog.
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I love the picture!
I’m a Gale fan. Even after Catching Fire. Still a Gale fan. I was also a Jacob fan, so I’m whacky that way. A part of me is excited that there will be a movie coming out, but another part of me is extremely worried that the adaptations will not live up to the books. Suzanne Collins’ writing the screenplay should be key. Time will tell…speaking of time…how long do we have to wait for Book #3??
Funny. I’m a Peeta fan for the same reason I was a Jacob fan. Gale and Edward both share that intensity that, while admittedly is exciting or attractive, is also the top layer over something that is potentially not healthy/functional. I found Jacob to be more of a healthy partnership for Bella, and while Peeta is certainly not as tough as Katniss physically, I think he has a deep emotional strength that she would need in her life. Edward and Gale are both tortured souls, and maybe it’s just intimate experience with tortured-soul relationships talking, but that never ends well. However, between Jacob and Edward, it is really no contest, for me (something about Edward just rubs me wrong), with Peeta and Gale, the competition is so close that Peeta’s lead is almost undiscernable, and may only exist because the author gave me more time with him and Katniss than with Gale and Katniss.
I think it’s safe to assume that most know I’m on Team Peeta!
I absolutely adored everything about this book. I worried that it wouldn’t meet my expectations as sometime follow-ups don’t but this one did nothing but exceed them. It had action and drama and angst and love and yea….the list could go on. it was a fabulous read all the way around.
The only problem I see is having to wait another year for the next book to come out.
ACK! I haven’t yet read The Hunger Games… I finally borrowed it from a friend but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.
Definitely Team Katniss!
I loved Hunger Games and have been waiting as patiently as I can for Catching Fire. My wait is almost over. The library called me this afternoon (not thirty minutes after I got home from picking a few things up from there) to tell me that they’ve gotten Catching Fire in and are holding it for me. There goes tomorrow’s lunch break.
I’m also excited to here that they will be doing a film version of Hunger Games. I’m a little apprehensive about how they will manage to do it without losing a lot the things that made the book what it was, but given what you can get away with with a PG-13 rating nowadays, I imagine that a lot of things will make the cut. I’d also like to know when we can expect the next book and the film.
I’m still waiting for my copy to arrive! *sniff sniff*
Glad to hear this is better than the first installment! Oh, the wait is killing me already! 😛
Can’t pick a team yet!! And I’m not surprised in the slightest about it being optioned for a movie!!
i’m on my way to get the book…just as soon as i tweet about it. lol.
i love your pic–hope the cruise was fun! you deserve some R&R!
I got a passed on copy of an ARC a few weeks ago. I loved it!! I was totally shocked by what happened. I can not wait for the final book!
Oh…and it’s Team Peeta, all the way!
I can’t wait to read this one! I’m on Team Peeta.
I thought The Hunger Games was okay. But I do want to read the sequel, hoping it’ll be better than the first. The plot sounds intriguing. I’m fourth in the queue at the library, so maybe I’ll get it by the end of the year.
I did read about the first book getting picked up for a possible film. I think it would make a really action-packed movie, albeit a bit graphic. Because if there’s no violence in the film, then it’s not the Hunger Games!
Hope you had a great time on the cruise, Stephanie. It sure looks like you did!
Kat
I really like your blog’s new look! The book sounds great. Might have to go out and find the first one!
I’ve heard so much about the book and am waiting for my library to hurry up and get a copy.
okay so i just finnished the book and i am a Gale fan all the way. I just dont really like Peeta. so for all of you who have finnished Catching Fire i bet you can guess where i got really upset at the book
🙂
yep same here i dont like peeta either…too bad 2 many ppl r in team peeta in this world…but anyways i still havent read catching fire but i think i will always be team gale since ive read heaps of spoilers bout catching fire anyway
I’m Team Gale all the way. Love the bound he and Katniss share. But Katniss doesn’t really need a man, she’s a strong female character!
team peeta all the way
I enjoyed both books !!! In the first book I was a die heart Gale fan but during the 2nd I fell in love with Peeta!! The only thing that gets me is the very last page in Catching Fire. What happened to districk 12? Was there really no districk 12 to begin with? Was she psychotic? Or was the districk blown to sreds?
blown to shreds
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