I won’t spend a lot of time reviewing a book that has been reviewed thousands of times already.  But here are a few thoughts:

• I’m sad that this series is done.  Start to finish, I absolutely loved it.  I even held onto this book for a day before I started reading it–how silly is that?  But part of me didn’t want to start it, because I didn’t want it to be done.
• This final book felt more rushed to me than the previous two.  Collins did a lot of filling in the gaps, especially in the first half of the book.  While it was all necessary information, the book had fewer action sequences, less suspense and more history.
• Collins still managed to surprise me at the end.
• I think Katniss ended up with the wrong guy.
• I love Katniss’ character–she’s strong, she’s smart, she thinks through her actions, she accepts the consequences for her actions, she loves her family, she fights for what’s important.
• And overall?  One of my favorite series ever.

A worthy sequel to The Hunger Games.  If you haven’t read this series, you need to.

Katniss lives with and takes care of her mother and young sister in the dystopic nation of Panem.  Life is difficult for all but the elite ruling class.  Each year, the citizens of Panem are forced to send 24 young people to participate in The Hunger Games.  At the end of the Games, there is only one survivor.  When Katniss is selected for the Games, she knows that she will be fighting for her life, and for the survival of her family at home.

This was a FANTASTIC book.  I had trouble putting it down.  Collins has created a unique society, built on the runins of North America.  From the first paragraph, she draws you into the tension of “reaping day,” when the Hunger Games participants are selected.  Little by little, she reveals more about the dreaded Games, and the evil society behind them.  This book is the first in a series and I cannot wait for the second book.  If you enjoy survival, apocalyptic-type stories, you will not be disappointed by this book.