The Hunger Games

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008.

Annotation: Peeta and Katniss are tributes of the Capitol of Panem’s yearly Hunger Games. They fight each other and 22 others to the death as it plays out on TV as entertainment.

Book Talk:

Katniss has been taking care of her family since her dad died, sneaking out of District 12 with her friend Gale to hunt for food. At 16 she’s managed to stay out of the Hunger Games set by the Capitol of Panem, but when her sister Primrose is picked as the tribute Katniss volunteers in her place. She joins Peeta as the tribute to District 12 to fight to death against 22 others, all while the Capitol and other districts watch for sport. With greater survival skills than others can Katniss avoid being killed and can she find it in herself to kill others? Can she be a pawn in this twisted game? Read this first book of an increasingly popular trilogy to find out if Katniss’ rebellious spirit helps her win the Hunger Games or if it leads to her demise.

Awards:

Amelia Bloomer List, 2009

ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2009

ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2009

Cybils Award (Fantasy and Science Fiction - Young Adult), 2008

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 2008

Locus Recommended Reading - Young Adult, 2008

A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 2008

Image credit: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

Trilogy Order: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay

This book’s popularity led to the making of a movie. The book is ALWAYS better than the movie, but take a look at the movie trailer to see what all the hype is about!

Delirium

Oliver, Lauren. Delirium. New York: Harper, 2011.

Annotation: Magdalena finds herself counting down the days for her procedure to cure her from contracting the disease, love, until she meets Alex who opens her eyes an entirely different life she never knew existed.

Book Talk:

Lena is nearing her 18^th birthday and is waiting to receive the cure that will prevent her from contracting amor deliria nervosa, love. Soon she’ll be paired with a husband the scientists see fit for her and assigned a life to live free of pain. Until she meets Alex and discovers what amor deliria nervosa really is.

“It’s not until I’ve been lying in bed for a long time, shivering, aching, missing him already, that I realize my aunt and teachers and the scientists are right about the deliria. As I lie there with the hurt driving through my chest and the sick, anxious feeling churning through me and the desire for Alex is so strong inside of me it’s like a razor blade edging its way through my organs, shredding me, all I can think is: It will me, it will kill me, it will kill me, And I don’t care.”

Now Lena must face the choice of living her assigned life or trying to escape her world, something punishable by death, but is living a life free of love or pain really living at all?

Awards:

Amazon’s Best YA Novel, 2011

Amazon’s Best Teen Book of the Month, February 2011

YAReads.com Book of the Month, March 2011

New Atlantic Independent

Image credit: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com

Delirium is the 1^st book in the trilogy. Keep an eye out for Pandemonium (out in 2012) and Requiem (out in 2013). 

Take a look at this book trailer for Delirium.

Brave New World

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Row, 1989.

Annotation: In the brave new world people are controlled through the World State in an attempt to keep them content.

Book Talk:

People often say that you’ll find your lives path. Well in the World State people’s paths get determined from the time they are embryos. Your life depends on what caste the World State chooses to put your embryo in, forget choosing a career you were bred to fit into a certain type of work by making each caste slightly less intelligent. After traveling to the Savage Reservation Lenina and Bernard bring back John who doesn’t understand this world without emotions or relationships. Life is easier when someone else controls it and taking a dose of soma makes it possible to not feel. Would you pop a soma pill to avoid feeling or throw out the Soma and rebel? Find out what happens in this Brave New World.

Awards:

American Academy of Arts and Letters Award of Merit, 1959

ALA Notable Books

Image credit: http://nytimesbooks.blogspot.com