The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a young-adult science-fiction novel that takes place in post-apocalyptic North America, now a nation called Panem, and revolves around the experience of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen while participating in the Hunger Games.

Panem is made up of 12 different Districts surrounding the Capitol, the central city holding the government and power.  Every year one boy and one girl from each district goes to The Hunger Games as a tribute, where 24 people fight each other to the death to be the victor and live rich for the rest of their lives.  When Primrose, Katniss' little sister, "wins" the lottery drawing for the girls of District 12, Katniss volunteers in her place.  Her journey through the Hunger Games is fraught with difficulty, sadness, and confusion.

I really enjoyed The Hunger Games.  I will definitely pick up the next book in this trilogy to see what happens next.  Katniss' background is sufficiently explained and described so that by the time the games start and all of the characters are well developed.  Throughout, Katniss explores what it means to have independence and freedom, and experiences a "big brother" type of environment.  Because it is based in a post-apocalyptic time the world also has a slight there-could-be-a-zombie vibe about it.  Darker, moody, like there is something hiding in the trees.  I read this entire novel in less than eight hours and was totally immersed in the environment of Panem.

5 out of 5 stars.

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris is a collection of five short Sookie Stackhouse stories.  I've blogged about The Southern Vampire Mysteries before; this book is, as the title says, a touch more of the dead world Sookie lives in.

In "Fairy Dust" Sookie meets Claude (Claudine's brother) for the first time and works on solving Claudette's mysterious death.

"Dracula Night" is a story never mentioned in the Southern Vampire Mysteries and has no affect on the plot, it's just fun.  Did you know Eric Northman's hero is Vlad Tempe? Neither did Sookie, but when she is invited to his annual birthday party she quickly learns a bit more about her vampire friends.

"One Word Answer" is the story of how Sookie meets Mr.Cataliades, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, and learns of her cousin Hadley's death.

In "Lucky" Amelia Broadway and Sookie are asked to investigate disturbances in a local insurance company owned by a witch.

In "Gift Wrap" Sookie finds a naked and injured supe on her property on Christmas Eve.  She brings him in, cleans him up, and he gives her a very pleasant Christmas.

I really enjoyed A Touch of Dead.  Season 4 of True Blood is premiering June 26th so this compilation was a nice lead up, something to sate my thirst you could say.  The short stories meant that I didn't lose interest, and I'm one of those readers who always wondered "what happens next?" when the novel ends, so this was fulfilling for me.  I recommend this to all you fellow Truebies who want to get back in the mood for Blood!

5 out of 5 stars.