We returned yesterday from our final family vacation of the summer, in Sun River, Oregon. My husband’s mom and a couple of his siblings were there, too. Much fun was had, and the time went incredibly quickly. We already have a cabin reserved for next year, and I’m already looking forward to it. 🙂

With so much family around to play with my kiddos, I got to read a lot! I picked up the Hunger Games Friday night, and read six pages that night before the kids needed me (awesome start) and another six pages in the bath the next morning before my one-year-old cried and subsequently joined me (luckily I wasn’t totally absorbed yet). But as Saturday wore on folks mostly left me to myself to read — baby girl also took a two and a half hour nap — which I am very thankful for! I read about 270 pages that day. I haven’t read like that since my last maternity leave.

What can I say about the Hunger Games? I know it has all been said. I refused to pick this one up during the fervor over the movie. I kind of detest hype, especially after Twilight, which sucked me in when I read it, let me tell you, but also kind of ruined me for hyped YA. Still, my good friend Brooke told me I HAD to read at least the first book, and promised I would really enjoy it, so I picked it up when we were at Powell’s in downtown Portland a couple of weeks ago.

Tangent: If you’re ever in Portland, Powell’s bookstore is a must see. We also call Powell’s the City of Books; it is the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. You can — and will — get lost among the sky high stacks and color-coded rooms. Their staff is also amazing, and the “staff pick” signs lead you from one book or author you love to new authors to check out. I’ve found some of my favorites this way…gosh, maybe I should do a whole post on Powell’s. And I could go on a field trip first. Food for thought. 🙂

End tangent.

Back to Hunger Games. This is an amazing book. AMAZING. From the very beginning you want to know more about Katniss, to understand her world and why everything is so hard for these people. Katniss is a bad ass, but she also has a strong moral compass, and I think that’s why I was on her side from the beginning. She’s been raised in this dark world, and has seen the worst of it in some ways, but she sacrifices herself in an instant to save her sister.

As to the Games themselves…sick. This stuff was pretty disturbing, and it didn’t seem there was great logic as to why the Games were needed. They exemplified the control of the Capitol, but they also exemplified what was wrong with the entire society. For me there were some things that just didn’t stand to reason about the level of control the Capitol held over Panem. It’s kind of chalked up to technology and the Capitol’s super weapons (talk about creepy)…but I had trouble buying the complacency of an entire nation, or twelve disparate districts, to witness their people starving to death and to sacrifice their young. What did the districts get out of this deal?

Despite those questions, the book was incredible, and I’m glad Brooke talked me into it. Thanks lady! 🙂