Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407109-37-4
Pages: 453
Series: Hunger Games #3
Type: Young Adult Dystopian
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Katniss Everdeen has managed to survive two rounds in the Hunger Games but she still isn't safe. A rebellion is unfolding and it seems everyone contributed to the plans apart from Katniss herself. District 13 is alive and they need Katniss's help in their rebellion against the Capitol. Katniss must become their Mockingjay no matter what the cost.

This is the third book in the Hunger Games series (after The Hunger Games and Catching Fire) and one I was really looking forward to after the dramatic end to the previous book. Unfortunately this failed to live up to my expectations and I was left feeling very disappointed. Parts of the storyline didn't work for me and while the tension did build towards the end, I was beyond disappointed in that.

The rebellion has been something that has interested me for a while so to see that in action was brilliant. The idea of dressing Katniss up was a clever way of playing on the Capitol's concepts and reclaiming the spectacle usually reserved for the Hunger Games. That said Katniss struggles to be more than a pawn in their plots and it was disappointing to see her exchange one manipulative group for another.

The love triangle was a problem for me again, even when Peeta isn't there. There were moments where I genuinelyy felt for Katniss but again she seems incapable of deciding what she wants. Gale is caught up with the rebellion and Peeta is caught with the Capitol so it is almost like the triangle is a way of showing the larger rebellion on a small scale. This is never really shown well which is even more disappointing to me as a reader.

The ending is the part of the book that I was most disappointed in. It is hard to discuss without spoilers but suffice to say I was horrified by the deaths of certain characters and even more so by the conclusion of the love triangle. Katniss entirely fails to make a decision at all and instead just goes along with what everyone else decides. Never before have I seen a love triangle concluded by what is geographically convenient and I truly hope never to see it again.

All in all this was an okay read and I'd recommend it if you are a fan of the series.

Plot: 7/10
Characters: 7/10
Ending: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 33/50

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Title: Generation Dead
Author: Daniel Waters
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-1-84738-327-3
Pages: 392
Series: Generation Dead #1
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

All over America teenagers who die aren't staying dead, they're coming back. Goth girl outcast Phoebe finds herself drawn to hunky funny jock Tommy Williams, but Tommy is already dead. Not everyone is as accepting of the 'living impaired' as Phoebe, and some are trying to rid the community of these individuals and will stop at nothing to reach their goals.

I got this book in a 5 book set for just under £10 in WHSmiths, and I have to say I'm glad I didn't pay more for it. I hadn't heard much about these books although I had seen them in stores, and as I'm not a massive fan of zombies I doubt I would have read this were it not in the set.

A large portion of the plot of the book is given over to exploring the prejudice between the living and the living impaired. While it draws interesting parallels to racial and disability discrimination, it's covered to the point of being overdone here and I ended up becoming very bored with it. It also overpowers the rest of the plot which means that the reason why American teenagers are coming back from the dead is never fully explained and the romance is poorly developed.

I wasn't thrilled with Phoebe as a main character as she seemed to be quite stereotypical. I don't know much about Goth culture, but I doubt it involves continually pointing out what bands you're into or slipping off to write overly emotional poetry. A love triangle is quickly set up involving Phoebe's lifelong friend and boy-next-door Adam and the newly dead Tommy. However Phoebe never really figures out what she feels for Tommy and is completely oblivious to Adam so the love triangle is more like boring dates and dull conversations.

The plot doesn't really flow, and it seems more like the author is setting up the series than writing a good book. The book flounders about until the inevitable cliffhanger ending. From the blurb this book seems like it has a lot of potential, but it has been sacrificed in order to create a world where a series of books can be set. Some incredible series have grown out of books that suffer from first-in-a-series-itis, but after reading this I'm reluctant to give any other books in the series a chance.

All in all this was an okay read, and while I may eventually read The Kiss of Life I doubt it'll be any time soon.

Plot: 7/10
Characters: 7/10
Ending: 7/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 34/50

My Favorite Witch by Lisa Plumley

Title: My Favorite Witch
Author: Lisa Plumley
Publisher: Kensington
ISBN: 978-1420105681
Pages: 384
Series: Stand Alone
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Dayna Sterling ran away from her hometown as soon as she could and has been carving out a normal human life for herself as a research assistant in Phoenix, Arizona. But Dayna isn't human...she's a witch and half-warlock tracer T.J. McAllister has been dispatched to bring her home to Covenhaven. Dayna is about to cusp and come into her full powers which makes her a danger to those around her so T.J. is supposed to bring her in for manditory training. Dayna has other plans, and she's going to turn T.J.'s world upside down.

This is one of those books that has been sitting around waiting to be read for quite a while so I can't really remember what stood out to me to make me buy it. It is set in the three weeks before Halloween so it is a very seasonal read at the moment. I did enjoy the book, but I felt like there was something missing and the storyline was disappointingly predictable.

The book's strength and weakness lies in the world and storylines developed within. The author has done a great job in creating a world where witches, warlocks and patayans live alongside unknowing humans and I loved how there is an InterAllied Bureau who run the magical world. That said the races aren't developed beyond the absolute basics which means the book never fully lives up to its potential which is a shame as I would have loved to see the patayan angle explained more, especially given the secondary storyline where T.J. is looking for a special witch called the juweel who will prevent a fast-approaching species based war.

Dayna is a great spunky lead which works well against T.J.'s more brooding nature. Their romance is the standard romance novel type but there is an undercurrent of self-acceptance which adds an unusual dimension to the story while strengthening the narrative. I loved T.J.'s anti-witch human partner Deuce as he helps ground the story, and Garmin quickly fills the role of annoying paper-pushing jerk.

All in all, this was a fun read and I'll probably read more by this author.

Plot: 6/10
Characters: 6/10
Ending: 8/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 34/50