The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

() It's been a long time since a book has entrapped me. But this one did just that. I couldn't escape the suspenseful, blood thirsty story if I tried. I spent a little over a day doing almost nothing but reading. Yeah, it was that good.

The plot takes place in the future, after the destruction of North America. There's 12 districts all under the Capitol's control, in a nation known as Panem. After a past rebellion, the Capitol created the Hunger Games so as to annually remind the population of their power. The Games take one boy and one girl from each district in a lottery known as 'the reaping.' All chosen must battle to the death in a televised, nature-based setting, with only one victor surviving. Katniss is the main character, and when her little sister gets called, she volunteers to take her place.

From there, the thrill of a brutal survival story ensues. And the finale is one that has never been seen by Panem. Also, gender stereotypes are shattered in dramatic ways, and the skillful character development is astounding.

Yeah, I know I'm a bit old for these young adult books. But that doesn't make the great ones any less appealing.