A couple months ago, I started hearing rumblings about these books called, "The Hunger Games". I had heard about the movie that was coming out in March, but knew nothing of it. It wasn't on my radar at all. Then I went to my monthly meeting for the board I'm on at the school I take Lana and Georgia to. Someone mentioned the movie and the books, and one of the moms started telling us how great they were and briefly described the premise. It intrigued me, but I was in the middle of a book at the time, so I just filed it away in my memory bank for a later date. Except things tend to get lost in there these day, so I kinda forgot about it. Then about a month ago, I started hearing more and more about the books everywhere, due to the movie soon to be released. Anyone who had read the books loved them, so I decided to give 'em a go.
I ordered the first one from Amazon and by the time I got it, I was ready to start a new book. I was immediately sucked in and found myself trying to find any time to read even a page. I stayed up way later than I should have, spent extra time in the bathroom, and let the kids play a bit longer in the bathtub, just so I could read more. It was SO DAMN GOOD! I hadn't been into a book like that since "Harry Potter". Most of the time it takes me a few weeks to get through a book, because I rarely have time to read. But when you're staying up until 1am, turns out you can get through a book in a week. Which is what I did.
When I ordered that book, I thought about ordering all three, but decided against it. What if I didn't like the first one and didn't care about reading the others. This is kind of how I felt about "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". Not that it wasn't good, I just don't really care all that much about reading the others. It never hooked me like this one did. Well, once I read the last page of "The Hunger Games", I was cursing myself that I didn't get the other two.
I thought about going on line and ordering them on Amazon, but that would take a few days for them to arrive. I didn't think I could wait even an hour to see what sort of fate waited for Katniss and Peeta. I had to go to Target anyway that week, so why not just pick up the books while I was there? Okay, perhaps I went to Target to get the books and got other things I needed while I was there, but whatever. I didn't go just to get the books. You can't go to Target to just get one thing anyway. Ever. I swear there are subliminal messages hiding in that store to make you buy more stuff.
When I got there, I immediately went to the book section. It's not big, but they always have the latest best selling books. I stood in front of the best selling fiction section searching for the final two books in the series. Nothing. Didn't see them anywhere. Could the be sold out? No, there wasn't even a tag for them anywhere. I scanned each row of books, convinced I was just overlooking them. How could they NOT be there? This was the most popular book series of the moment. How could Target not sell them? It seemed impossible to me. Then I realized there were books on the next aisle behind the ones I was looking at. But I was looking at the best sellers, which I was certain they were, so what on earth was on the other side? I turned the corner and found my books in the section marked:
Young Adult
Yup. I like the books for kids! Okay, but young adult means at least 18-24ish right? So that's not THAT bad. I mean I'm going to be 38 in two weeks, but whatever. Then I reminded myself, that wait, I don't care. That first book was awesome and I can't wait to read the second and third one. Besides, I was and am a huge fan of the "Harry Potter" series and those weren't exactly meant for middle age adults either. Yet just about everyone I know has read them. And really the way Sonya reads, she just might ask to read "The Hunger Games" in the next couple of years. I have to make sure it's appropriate for her age, so let's just call it research.
I grabbed the books and threw them in my cart, then went and found the other $80 worth of things I didn't really need to buy. It took me less than a week to read the second and I'm currently on the last book. I'm trying to take my time with this one though, because I know it's the last one. Plus I REALLY needed to start going to bed earlier. I was starting to feel like I did when the girls were newborns. Oh and I needed to stop neglecting them for the books because one day, when I was trying to sneak a read in, Sonya said to me,
"Boy! You really do like those Hunger Games books!"
Yes, yes I do. But hey, I will try to cut you a little slack in a couple years when you are hiding under your covers with these books and a flashlight until 11pm trying to get, "just one more chapter" in.
I ordered the first one from Amazon and by the time I got it, I was ready to start a new book. I was immediately sucked in and found myself trying to find any time to read even a page. I stayed up way later than I should have, spent extra time in the bathroom, and let the kids play a bit longer in the bathtub, just so I could read more. It was SO DAMN GOOD! I hadn't been into a book like that since "Harry Potter". Most of the time it takes me a few weeks to get through a book, because I rarely have time to read. But when you're staying up until 1am, turns out you can get through a book in a week. Which is what I did.
When I ordered that book, I thought about ordering all three, but decided against it. What if I didn't like the first one and didn't care about reading the others. This is kind of how I felt about "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". Not that it wasn't good, I just don't really care all that much about reading the others. It never hooked me like this one did. Well, once I read the last page of "The Hunger Games", I was cursing myself that I didn't get the other two.
I thought about going on line and ordering them on Amazon, but that would take a few days for them to arrive. I didn't think I could wait even an hour to see what sort of fate waited for Katniss and Peeta. I had to go to Target anyway that week, so why not just pick up the books while I was there? Okay, perhaps I went to Target to get the books and got other things I needed while I was there, but whatever. I didn't go just to get the books. You can't go to Target to just get one thing anyway. Ever. I swear there are subliminal messages hiding in that store to make you buy more stuff.
When I got there, I immediately went to the book section. It's not big, but they always have the latest best selling books. I stood in front of the best selling fiction section searching for the final two books in the series. Nothing. Didn't see them anywhere. Could the be sold out? No, there wasn't even a tag for them anywhere. I scanned each row of books, convinced I was just overlooking them. How could they NOT be there? This was the most popular book series of the moment. How could Target not sell them? It seemed impossible to me. Then I realized there were books on the next aisle behind the ones I was looking at. But I was looking at the best sellers, which I was certain they were, so what on earth was on the other side? I turned the corner and found my books in the section marked:
Young Adult
Yup. I like the books for kids! Okay, but young adult means at least 18-24ish right? So that's not THAT bad. I mean I'm going to be 38 in two weeks, but whatever. Then I reminded myself, that wait, I don't care. That first book was awesome and I can't wait to read the second and third one. Besides, I was and am a huge fan of the "Harry Potter" series and those weren't exactly meant for middle age adults either. Yet just about everyone I know has read them. And really the way Sonya reads, she just might ask to read "The Hunger Games" in the next couple of years. I have to make sure it's appropriate for her age, so let's just call it research.
I grabbed the books and threw them in my cart, then went and found the other $80 worth of things I didn't really need to buy. It took me less than a week to read the second and I'm currently on the last book. I'm trying to take my time with this one though, because I know it's the last one. Plus I REALLY needed to start going to bed earlier. I was starting to feel like I did when the girls were newborns. Oh and I needed to stop neglecting them for the books because one day, when I was trying to sneak a read in, Sonya said to me,
"Boy! You really do like those Hunger Games books!"
Yes, yes I do. But hey, I will try to cut you a little slack in a couple years when you are hiding under your covers with these books and a flashlight until 11pm trying to get, "just one more chapter" in.
2 comments:
Kris, now you know how I felt when I was about your age and Tom Clancy started writing - especially "Red Storm Rising.". I read that book, all 500 pages, in three days! By the way, relative to your penchant for always wanting to do it all yourself and not ask for help, where do you think you inherited that from? Have you ever seen me ask for help? Hmmmm?
Love you - Dad
My son was 14 when he told me the premise of The Hunger Games. I don't often look at young adult books, having plenty of my own to read but the fact that he was so enthused over it made me check it out. I gobbled up the trilogy. Since then I have read a few other YA books. They are usually straightforward with simple vocabulary but can be just as enjoyable as the "grown up" stuff. Never worry about crossing genres or age groups!!
Try indiebound.org for monthly lists of quality books for all ages. And read to your girls---get them hooked. They are never too young!
Thanks for listening to my unsolicited advice.
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