en-US Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:05:05 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review6949320560 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:05:05 -0700 /review/show/6949320560 AshReads gave 4 stars to Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5) by Suzanne Collins
bookshelves: dystopian, fiction, sci-fi, ya
I'm sticking with the original 4 stars I gave this.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book in all its solemn, and at times depressing, glory. The messages are very meaningful, as propaganda is everywhere in today's world, and it's important to think critically about the information that is constantly thrown at us. But for some reason, I feel there is something missing from this book. At first, I thought it was because of how much I absolutely LOVED Oathbound... I thought maybe I just wasn't ready to fully commit to another book so soon afterward. But the reread only confirmed my original thoughts. As much as I love Haymitch, I'm not entirely sure I loved this book. I definitely enjoyed it, but I just wanted more. More of his life before the reaping, time spent with his Ma and Sid and Lenore Dove. I'm not a very emotional person by any means, but I was sure that I'd at least shed a tear or two throughout this book. Nope. It could just be me, but I wanted more depth to the relationships between Haymitch and all those he loves and cares for. We already knew going into the book that Haymitch would come out the victor, so I was wanting more from those around him and felt kind of let down.
As much as I loved how the cameos connected Snow's prequel story with Katniss's story, which we all know and love, I do kinda feel like this book relied a little too much on our former knowledge and care for those characters instead of putting in the work to make us care. Does that make sense? Like we already know Plutarch, we like Plutarch, and so there's already a connection there. [spoilers removed] Still, I would be lying if I said the cameos didn't make my heart happy.
Making this story about the realities and harms of propaganda was genius, though! We thought we knew most of Haymitch's time in the arena from Catching Fire and Mockingjay, but we were wrong. I think what makes this book so good is that even though we know the outcome, we are only just learning the entire truth. Despite the lack of tears, I felt for Haymitch the whole way through. His circumstances were just terrible the entire time and Snow is such an evil man. While I may not have cried during the book, I don't doubt I'll tear up throughout the movie.
This review is kind of long and ramble-y, so let me get to the point. While not my favorite book in the series, I definitely enjoyed getting Haymitch's perspective. I think anyone who is a fan of The Hunger Games will appreciate the cameos and the reality of what Haymitch experienced, even knowing how it ends. And I think I speak for most of us when I say I'll be (im)patiently waiting for the movie! ]]> Review7446645846 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:22:34 -0700 /review/show/7446645846 AshReads gave 4 stars to The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1) by Katherine Arden
bookshelves: fantasy, owned, ya, spiritual, fiction
]]> ReadStatus9368394579 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:33:37 -0700 /review/show/7529914079 AshReads wants to read A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria E. Schwab
]]> ReadStatus9368258084 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 17:56:09 -0700 /review/show/6949320560 AshReads finished reading Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
]]> ReadStatus9367560003 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:13:41 -0700 /review/show/7529346614 AshReads wants to read Uprooted by Naomi Novik
]]> ReadStatus9367534035 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:06:03 -0700 /review/show/7529329354 AshReads wants to read Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto
]]> Review7516569686 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:39:14 -0700 /review/show/7516569686 AshReads gave 4 stars to Pet Sematary (Kindle Edition) by Stephen King
bookshelves: emotional, fiction, horror, owned
This was a really good book, but I can see why Stephen King has considered it the scariest of his works. For all the paranormal elements, this book also grapples with really heavy, very real horrors. Once I hit the second part, I kind of didn't want to pick it up anymore because I knew it was going to hurt. I knew it was going to be bad. I'm glad I finished the book, but I do wish the ending wrapped up with more answers. [spoilers removed] If I didn't know better, I would've assumed there was a sequel... I don't know if I would've read it, not wanting to relive the tragedies and gruesome events of this book, but that epilogue left it pretty open. Still, if you're looking for something to haunt you long after closing the last page, this book will definitely do the trick! ]]> ReadStatus9365547486 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 02:17:24 -0700 /review/show/7527938634 AshReads wants to read The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig
]]> ReadStatus9365535993 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 02:09:05 -0700 /review/show/7527930314 AshReads wants to read Small Favors by Erin A. Craig
]]> ReadStatus9365534896 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 02:08:16 -0700 /review/show/7527929545 AshReads wants to read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
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