Tune in Tuesday (1)

Tune in Tuesday is hosted each Tuesday by Ginger at GReads. The idea is to share a song that you love, whether it's new or old, in order to spread some music around the blogosphere.

My choice is...

 The Hanging Tree (Hunger Games Arrangment) by adrisaurus

So normally, I wouldn't choose a fan arranged song/cover, but come on. I may barely remember anything about The Hanging Tree in Mockingjay (page 123), but this rendition is so eerie and amazing.
Gotta love bookish music ;)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Book: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Release: August 24th, 2010

Source: Bought

My Summary (skip if you haven't read previous books): 

Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice, and she's still haunted by the experiences from both Games. Her home has been destroyed, most of the people of her district too, except for whoever managed to escape to District 13.

At least she has her family, and her friend. Yet there are still people that need to be recovered, and death is on every corner.

Katniss goes from being used by the Capital to being used by the rebels. They need their Mockingjay, and Katniss is what everyone expects. But she isn't so sure that she is who they want her to be, or if she can be. In the end, she has to decide who to trust, who to fight for and who to fight with. 

Review: I think I'm still in shock, and it's been more than a month since I read Mockingjay.

I remember thinking that Catching Fire was an "emotional" book, but this one takes that description very easily. Katniss is far more raw, broken and different than the fierce, protective girl she was in The Hunger Games. All of this war has taken its toll on her. I've got to admit, I really was annoyed with Katniss on virtually every page. She didn't make decisions, she just followed and let everyone make her decisions for her.

The relationships in this novel were more strained. The friendships, romance, and some of the outcomes really broke my heart. This isn't a happy story, its very raw and depressing. I had to put it down a couple times because it just got to be a bit much. At the end, you just might need a pick-me-up of some sort, so whatever perks you up (candy, cheesy movies, whatever), make sure you have it on hand because you'll need it.

In Mockingjay, the fire that began in Catching Fire has truly burned sky high, and not everyone will walk away alive.

Highlights: Plenty of epic, jaw-dropping moments. And honestly, this book really got to me. There were surprises, and characters I was sad to see go. I was up, I was down, I was thrilled, and I was pissed off. It got me to spiral through a series of emotions, and I have to hand it to Collins for making me care about these characters, this story, this trilogy. I'm sorry to see it end. 

Lowlights: There were some decisions, particularly one scene in the end where a vote takes place that I disliked. I felt it went against everything the characters were working towards. There were a few other things too, like how Katniss never actually chooses her own path, future, even a guy. It's all done for her, and that kind of bothers me.

Rating:  

Reviews of other books in this trilogy:

The Hunger Games 

Catching Fire 

In My Mailbox 34

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. 

For review:

When I Was Joe by Keren David

Pre-ordered back in March:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 

(I think I'm still in shock about how it ended)

Borrowed from a friend:

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Received:

Swag from Denise Jaden

Thanks to Jessica (and Keren for contacting me), Theresa, and Denise! =)

What did you guys get this week? 

Waiting On Wednesday (time two!)

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Book: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Release date: August 24th, 2010

Summary: 

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Book: The Replacement

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Release date: September 21st, 2010

Summary: 

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Edward Scissorhands meets The Catcher in the Rye in this wildly imaginative and frighteningly beautiful horror novel about an unusual boy and his search for a place to belong.

I'm so excited for Mockingjay, I'd had my copy pre-ordered for months before I even read my copy of Catching Fire (which yes, I finally read back in April). Can't wait to see what happens next!

The Replacement sounds so different, I'm definitely curious about it!