Books I've Read This Year (with reviews)

1) The Hunger Games

My Rating: 4.5/5

I was sort of unsure about picking this one up. WHen books are really hyped, I tend to get annoyed and enjoy them less (enter Twilight (enter millions of Twilight fans wanting to throw things at me)). It arrived in a box of books that I had ordered online from chapters (taking advantage of the free shipping over $25, score!) I couldn't decide what to read first and decided to read two pages of each. I immediately got hooked on Suzanne Collins smash hit. I love that it's told through first person narration by a character who has some serious backbone. Her instincts to survive in her familiar dystopian world are put to the test when she's thrown into an arena to fight to the death. Even though Katniss knows she cannot escape the people who put her there, she's going to put up one serious fight. And a rebellios one at that. Packed with action, suspense, humor, growth of a forced heroine, and a little romance, The Hunger Games definitely delivers. I couldn't put it down.

For more information on The Hunger Games and to read more reviews, please visit: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/9780439023528-item.html



2) Catching Fire

My Rating 4.5/5

The epic story of Katniss and the world she lives in continues with full force in Catching Fire. With the intesity ignited and the world falling apart from the outside in, this is one book you wont want to miss.

For more information on this book visit http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Catching-Fire-Second-Book-Hunger-Suzanne-Collins/9780439023498-item.html?ikwid=hunger+games&ikwsec 


3) Mockingjay

My Rating 4/5

The exciting conclusion to the Hunger Games trilogy, this is a must for those who have read the first two (it would be impossible not to at this point). Again, I wont say much about plot, if you haven't read the first two then I dont want to give anything away. If you have, well then you won't need to much convincing to pick up the finale!
For more information on this book visit http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Mockingjay-Final-Book-Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/9780439023511-item.html?ikwid=hunger+games&ikwsec=Home



4) Life As We Knew It

My Rating 4/5

I'm actually surprised I liked this book as much as I did. It was very simple, a lot of it having to do with life necessities such as food, shelter and warmth. The main premise is that the moon gets knocked too close to the earth resulting in catastrophic affects. Miranda keeps a journal of her families struggle to survive the changing world around them. I devoured it. It is the first of 3 in the series.

For more information on this book visit http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Life-As-We-Knew-It-Susan-Beth-Pfeffer/9780152061548-item.html?ikwid=life+as+we+knew+it&ikwsec=Home 


5) The Happiness Project

My Rating 4.5/5

I've never read a book like this, and I absolutely loved it. It was full of fun little ideas that the author tried out during the year to boost her happiness. What I loved was that she stated she was happy already, she just wanted to be more conscious of it and appreciate and experience her life a bit more. It was great for picking up for short intervals (such as train trips or waiting for things to cook) and great for long reads as well. It was so inspiring and really made me look at things a bit closer and make some resolutions for my own (this blog was actually inspired partially by this book!)

For more information on this book visit http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Happiness-Project-Gretchen-Rubin/9781554682805-item.html?ikwid=the+happiness+project&ikwsec=Books