Well, shucks.

Rarely, and I mean rarely, do I start reading books and give up on them. I believe you cant truly judge a book until you finish it. (I mean, who knows....maybe there is something ABSOLUTELY amazing at the end that compensates for page after page of worthless material?) This being said, imagine my shame in knowing that in the last week I have decided to stop reading not one, but two, books that were just "not my type." First is The Magicians, by Lev Grossman. Yeah, this is totally not the next Harry Potter for adults. I cannot honestly give it a review because I didn't finish it, so I will keep my mouth shut.

Secondly was Level 26 by Anthony E. Zuiker, the creator of CSI. This one, which is the first "Digi-novel," but by no means the first Digital Novel, wasn't terrible...I just don't think I am quite ready for Mr.Zuiker's unique style in book form. I will continue my appreciation for CSI, however.

After these two failed attempts I decided to try a Juvenile title. I have given in to the 39 Clues. I am currently on the first but I am totally digging this series right now. I think it is a fresh, new idea to re-engage childrens interest in books. I will review once I've read a few more!

Catching Fire By Suzanne Collins

This is a new hunger. An insatiable hunger....clawing at the lining of your gut. Suzanne Collins sequel to the Hunger Games fills you to the brim only to leave you salivating for more! I must admit that being a devout and unyielding fan of the "Underland Chronicles" by Collins, I was not as impressed with the first book of the Hunger Games as maybe some of my fellow colleagues were. I thought maybe some of the ideas were tired and put to rest in much earlier, and overlooked, novels such as The Running Man and The Long Walk by Steven King. However, my faith has been restored with this second installment in the series. Collins does a superb job of engaging the reader with her fast moving plots and ever-changing direction of the novel. While these sudden jumps in plot would usually aggravate me, Collins seems to have perfected which scenes to move quickly through and which to drag out keeping the reader poised at every period.

Katniss Everdeen, "the girl on fire,"has returned to District 12 after a triumphant and successful run in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games. A "battle royal" of sorts, The Hunger Games is a televised battle to the death of 24 teenagers as an attempt to suppress rebellion against their reign by instilling fear throughout the districts. In the games she outsmarted the Capitol through threats of love-scorned suicide in a last-ditch effort to save both her and her district opponent, Peeta's, lives. Successful as she was, the Capitol isn't as pleased as fans of the games'. Her defiance against the Capitol has left those in power fearful of an uprising, and the members of the twelve districts questioning the power that they may truly have over their freedom. With her life as well as the lives of all those she cares about in danger, Katniss must discover just how far she must go to win the games.