No longer a skeptic....

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

So, I've read all the posts from other bloggers, and I've heard all the hype from my friends, but no matter how many times I've looked at the books, I didn't think they even looked interesting, let alone like something that I wanted to waste my precious reading time on. 

As oft quoted from Pretty Woman, "Big mistake. Big. HUGE!"

These books are frickin phenomenal.  I kept saying to B in the car, "Seriously, these are some of the best books I have ever read."

I ordered them from the library and finished the first two in 4 days. I literally could not put them down and stayed up way past my bedtime with the first book because my heart was racing, my mind wouldn't shut off, and I knew I had to get to a safe stopping point before I would be able to fall asleep. 

I have the third one, MockingJay, on order and am going to be miserable waiting for it to come in.  I have a visceral need to know how this trilogy ends.  Plus the second book ends with a HUGE cliffhanger, and one of my favorite, favorite, favorite characters is in a wee bit of trouble.  Ugggg.....

I wouldn't say that these are beach reads.  To me, beach reading is "I can still chit chat with those sitting next to me and then hop back into the book and then drink my diet coke and then give snacks to my babe and so forth".  These books are not that way.  They're so engrossing you won't be able to talk to those around you, you won't care about eating or drinking, and you'll pretty much ignore your children (bad, bad, bad mommy!!)  These are the kind of books where you put the kids to bed early, hunker down in bed, and read for 3 hours straight. 

I promise, you will NOT be disappointed by them.  Yes, they are a science fiction type book but please don't let that stop you.  The characters are well written, and I can't see people not falling completely in love with so many of them.  Prim, Rue, Peeta, Cinna, and, of course, Katniss.  Just writing the names makes my heart happy.  Did you all fall in love with the characters from Time Travelers Wife?  If so, you'll feel the same way all over again. 

So, have you read them?  Did you love them?  Who is your favorite character?  Am I going to love book 3 as much as I've loved the other two?  Discuss!!