Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: August 24, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Series: The Hunger Games

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Katniss has survived the Quarter Quell but herself in the middle of a war for which she wasn't truly prepared to fight. In the mythical District 13, she learns many of her loved ones are safe while a handful remain in the clutches of the Capitol. She knows they will be soon used to get her attention, to make her slip up somehow or to be break down completely.

To finish off the Capitol and exact revenge upon the man responsible, Katniss must come to terms with what she wants in her heart and what is being expected of her by the government of District 13 and the rebels themselves. Can she truly be the mockingjay, a sign of change for the masses? Will she keep all those she holds dear safe in the process?

Review:
Ignoring the repeated warnings of fellow word addicts, I continued with the trilogy. When I finished book two, I knew that I would have to simply deal with whatever I found in the last book because I'm one of the weird people who need to know the full story. Leaving the story alone after how it ended in book two was never an option for me. I was comforted by their warnings but in reality, they did nothing to prepare me for the events that came to pass within the pages of this book. 

The story began not long after the events of the Quarter Quell within the arena and the punishment for those actions had been doled out accordingly. Katniss and few others were rescued from the area and taken to safety within the underground facilities of District 13. Previously thought to be lifeless, it comes at a complete shock to many when a whole system of government and military capabilities are revealed to the refugees of District 12 and the others rescued. To Katniss' (and the readers') dismay, not all the allied tributes in the arena made it out together.

Of course, the events of the books are told through Katniss' eyes which allowed me to almost feel as though I was in those places myself. Having come to know the characters in the previous books made them feel like family so when things begin to happen, the feelings of hurt, loss and pain were easily invoked. In all honesty, it seemed like every single time life began to settle down for the people, something would happen and chaos would erupt all around them again. The pace was constant and unrelenting, even to the end when nearly all the questions were answered.

In truth, I couldn't put the book down once I began reading it. I tried to read for a specific amount of time only to go over my limit because I wanted to know what happened next. This book reads so quickly that I actually devoured the entire book one Sunday afternoon. Between long-awaited answers and new, disturbing dilemmas, there was always something to discover on the next page or in the next paragraph. If you are wanting to invest in an engaging, heart-wrenching trilogy, then I'd say pick up this book (and the previous two as well)!

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins is currently available at many retailers, including those online. You can purchase the book in various forms such as paperback, hardback, Kindle and audio-book formats. Clicking the link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins