Catching Fire

I just finished Suzanne Collins's second installment of her best-selling novel The Hunger Games (which I wrote about here), Catching Fire. After I absolutely loved her the first novel in the series, I was thrilled that I could read her new novel so soon - early fans didn't have this luxury. However, now I have to wait impatiently for the third novel.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are back in Catching Fire. As winners of the Hunger Games, they, along with their families, have a plush new life ahead of them, or so they think. President Snow has it out for Katniss after her blatant display of rebellion in the games. He is forcing Katniss and Peeta to get married. She is still torn between the two men who love her, Gale and Peeta.

Meanwhile, there's unrest in the districts. Katniss and her symbolic mockingjay have ignited the spark of rebellion against the Capital. In order to prove to the districts that Peeta and Katniss are really in love and the games weren't just an act, Snow wants them to get married immediately.

In a shocking twist, it's announced that tributes for the 75th annual Hunger Games will be chosen from previous winners of the games from each district. A boy and girl tribute are chosen, so of course Peeta and Katniss are forced back into the arena - it was between Peeta and their drunk middle-aged mentor Haymitch.

There's plenty of adventure and action in this novel, but it's a romance novel at heart. I'm Team Peeta all the way. His undying, unselfish love for Katniss is simply what every girl dreams of.