Hunger Games

 

For Christmas, I received The Hunger Games trilogy books by Suzanne Collins. I finished reading the first book two days later. The book was very interesting, I couldn't put it down! I skipped sleeping one night because I wanted to finish the book. I cannot wait for the movie to come out! Only 86 more days until the movie!!
Click Here for the movie trailer.

Katniss is the main character and she lives in the post-apocalyptic world called Panem, where North America used to stand. The Capitol is the region with the government of Panem and it is in control of 12 ditricts. There used to be a District 13, but the Capitol destroyed it during a war. This keeps the 12 districts from rebelling. The Hunger Games also keep rebellions from forming. Another control strategy is to limit the food available in the districts. One way to earn food for the district is to win the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the Capitol chooses one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of 12 districts for a massive televised battle in which only one person can survive.The Hunger Games is a form of punishment for a previous rebellion.

Katniss Everdeen, volunteers for the 74th Games in place of her younger sister, Primrose. The other tribute from District 12 is Peeta Mellark, a baker's son whom Katniss knows from school and who once gave her bread when her family was starving.

Read the books to find out more! But be prepared to read all day!

Tweak

 

Today I finished reading Tweak by Nic Sheff. This book took me a week to read (my average if it's a good book.) This book is a memoir about Nic Sheff's experience with drugs and love. It is inspiring to read because it goes in depth to the human soul and almost analyses how a person can fall so far and so close to death. 

Nic is 22 years old and battles through rehab and several relapses, with each relapse getting him closer and closer to death. Not only does he battle addiction, but he also battles some co-dependency problems. This book is written like a diary where he honestly expresses his thoughts and feelings. Its very raw, very human, and very inspirational. 

"The book takes you through the wild twists and turns in the life of a recovering addict. Through relapses and hardships you can always see through Nic’s writing that he is a kind soul. He is ever aware of the the pain and destruction he is causing those around him, but his addiction to meth is too strong to “just quit” as the sober people around him would have liked him to." -Some Chicks Blog 

As the story progresses, Nic tells about his family, friends, and past. One can almost see how his childhood affected him so greatly. His parents are divorced and live many miles apart; he's torn between them because he loves them both. Each time he gets a new girlfriend, he relapses with them. He hates being alone because when he is alone, his thoughts become very dark and then he feels the need to use (drugs.) There's also a minor twist: not only is he a druggie, but he is also manically depressed. 

This book is difficult to put down! I spent several nights, lying in bed reading instead of sleeping. 

Quotes: 

1. “As long as you look for someone else to validate who you are by seeking their approval, you are setting yourself up for disaster. You have to be whole and complete in yourself. No one can give you that. You have to know who you are - what others say is irrelevant.”

2. "Now is now. That’s what he always tells me. There is nothing but now and I try to hold on to that. The past is gone, the future hasn’t happened yet. This, right here, is all there is." 

3. “It's like if the music is loud enough I won't be able to listen to my own thoughts.”