The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
September 3, 2021
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 439
ISBN: 9781338635171
Publication Date: May 19th, 2020
About the Book:
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
My Thoughts:
I've enjoyed the Hunger Games since they came out years ago. I have read and re-read the series multiple times. However, they have sat on my shelves for the last couple of years as I've been reading other books as they have been delivered to the door. That changed when my daughter wanted to read them after we had finished Harry Potter. We made it through The Hunger Games Trilogy, she loved it! She wanted to read the prequel next, so we dove on in.
I think if we had read the prequel first, it would have definitly changed up the views on the series some, but since we were traveling back in time, it was interesting to see how Suzanne Collins was able to morph this well known story into something new.
I will admit, I read quite a few reviews on this story before reading it, I had to see what people were saying. I didn't agree with a lot of them. I actually enjoyed looking back on Snow's life. I like seeing what decisions led him to where he went. Granted I like villians too. Snow from the beginning is a guy who knows what he wants, and feel entitled to it. He is smart, he is cunning, and he knows he's good looking and willing to use that and whatever conections, real or fake he has created to get what he wants.
I actually enjoyed reading through him. It wasn't the action packed books that The Hunger Games were, but it was a tactical book. It was a thoughtful book. How can one person do as much as they did? When you have the mindset and fortitude, and desire, it can be done.
On the other side, we had Lucy Gray. She was an interesting character for sure, but I didn't like her as much as Snow. She wasn't an innocent girl. She was just as sneaky and underhanded as Snow, just in another way. She knew how to play to people and gain sympothy and attention.
When you brought the two together, they played well off of each other. Both had weakness and strengths. They each used them to their advantages. And the two of them made the Games into what we know of them.
Next, we have Sejanus, a classmate of Snow. Overly sympatheitc. He moved to the Capitol when was young, but never became Capitol. It was through his actions, that showed, changes that needed to happen with the tributes, but it was also the changes that he definitly wasn't thinking. He was thought of as district sympathizer. At the beginning I got what he was saying and thinking, however, as the story progressed, he leaned heavily to the extreme, and in all honesty, I agreed with Snow on how Sejanus was acting and where it would lead to. Sejanus focuesed too much on feelings and didn't use his brains to bring around the change he wanted.
I enjoyed this book. I kind of hope that there is another, I liked seeing how the ideas were built off of each other. The new characters that were introduced. There is so much more to this world that can be explored. I also get the ending was a play on the song, but I still want solid answers as well! Give me another book please!
4 out of 5
Take Over Tour: Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDanial (JustRead Tour & Giveaway)
September 1, 2021
Welcome to the Takeover Tour for Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Undercurrent of Secrets
Series: Doors to the Past
Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Release Date: September 1, 2021
Genre: Dual Timeline / Romance
Series: Doors to the Past
Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Release Date: September 1, 2021
Genre: Dual Timeline / Romance
Two women, a century apart, are bound by a haunting secret aboard a legendary steamboat.As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin.Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub
CONNECT WITH RACHEL: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a print copy of Undercurrent of Secrets and a $15 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 1, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on September 8, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
Top Ten Tuesday: Fictional Crushes
August 31, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Artsy Read Girl.
Each week features a book related topic to spotlight your Top Ten.
Topic:
Fictional Crushes
Ok, this topic could get me in trouble! Or it could go on a while.
Holy cow, so many book boyfriend dreamy guys to share about....don't tell my husband! Ha! So many authors have written so many swoon worth characters. The character development, the story arc, the personality...the description. So many thing have come together to make this a novel book crush.
Many props to the authors for creating these fictional men!
So, without further ado, and in no partuclar order, because come on, they are all great, my Top Ten Fictional Crushes, well more then ten...I tried to reign myself in.
1. Against the Tide by Elzabeth Camden -
Alexander Banebridge "Bane": Charming, dedicated, determined, officer.
2. The Pursuit of Tamsen Little John by Lori Benton -
Jesse Bird, a knight in buckskins. Caring, protective, shilvery is strong in him.
3. Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz -
Red Shirt: Protective, strong, determined, fighter.
4. Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay -
Alex Powell: Smart, caring, compassionate, mutifacitated, best selling author.
5. The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden -
Gray Delacroix: A Dedicated businessman, building a spice empire. Head of his family.
6. The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer -
Dan Moretti: Fatherly, caring, compasionate, Firefighter, faithful.
7. A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander -
Nathanial Tate Whitcomb: Music Composer, stubborn, promise keeper.
8. Falling for You by Becky Wade -
Corbin Stewart: NFL Quaterback, caring for his neice, wanting to right past mistakes.
9. Price of Privilege - by Jessica Dotta -
Issac:....I don't know what to say about Issac. Everything you want in a book boyfriend, you will find in him.
10. Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot -
Lord Dominick: Family oriented, brooding, protective, musically inclinded.
11. Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund -
Williams Durham: A Valliant Knight who comes to the heriones rescue.
12. A Noble Groom by Jody Helund -
Carl von Riechert: two words: fairytale prince.
Who are your curshes?
What put them on your list?
JustRead Tour: Then Came You by Rachel D. Russel, presented by Susan May Warren (Blog Tour & Giveaway)
August 7, 2021
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Then Came You by Rachel D. Russell presented by Susan May Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Then Came You
Series: Deep Haven Collection #4
Author: Rachel D. Russell presented by Susan May Warren
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
He doesn’t need any trouble. She can’t seem to escape it.
Detective Daniel “Boone” Buckam is more than burned out. After fourteen stellar years on the job, one bad judgment call—and, fine, a whole lot of cynicism—has forced him into a mandatory vacation in Deep Haven. If he can get his head on straight, there’s a job as Police Chief waiting for him back in his Minneapolis suburb. And then, he meets Vivien.Actress Vivien Calhoun isn’t really a drama queen. Sure, she gets swept up in the emotions of life—but please, she’s an actress. Or, um, was until a stalker made her flee the bright lights of Broadway. Now, she’s passionate about directing her local theater production. But when she accidentally ropes an uptight police detective on vacation into her cast, she can’t help but wonder if he might be the leading man she’s always longed for.Boone can’t help but like Vivien. He might even have a type—vivacious and bubbly, with a penchant for attracting danger. He can smell trouble even if she can’t, and is pretty sure her stalker has hunted her all the way to Deep Haven. He’ll have to stay by her side—even if it means being in her silly play—to keep her safe. But Vivien is more than he expected as she helps him discover a part of him he’s locked away…the part that said he could never love again.It’s summertime in Deep Haven, and the fun is heating up in this laugh-out-loud, charming story.
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