24. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Oh my gosh I couldn't get my hands on this book fast enough! After reading Hunger Games last month it was excruciatingly painful to have to wait for a month for the second installment. In this book, Katniss and Peetra have returned from the Hunger Games as joint victors. This was a first in the history of the games and due to an underlying "star-crossed lovers" ideology. Once they are home Katniss is so happy to see Gale and her family and get back into her normal routine, aside from the upgraded home in Victor's Village and the money! All is going well until President Snow pays a visit to Katniss at her home, after she has been hunting beyond the fence again, which is highly illegal by the way. She is informed that there is the threat of uprising in the districts and if she doesn't make the fairytale and very fake romance seem real to everyone that there will be stringent consequences in store for her. To throw another wrench into the situation this year's games is one of the "special" ones that only happens every 25 years. The twist this year is that the tributes will be selected from the previous victors from each district. Being that district 12 only has three victors, 2 male and 1 female, this means that Katniss will be entering the arena again with either Peetra or Haymitch!

Once she reenters the arena this time around, Katniss is an entirely different person. Her attitude is one of acceptance of her certain death and she seems to be indifferent to the possibility of never again seeing her family or Gale. I will not spoil the ending for those that haven't read it yet but I will say that the twists and turns continue and I can't believe I have to wait an entire year for the next book!