Question: How is the relationship?

Oh god, this book. This book gave me all the FEELS. I knew this book would be dealing with some serious stuff but I didn’t expect to feel such a wide range of emotions. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, and even got angry. So many feelings that I wasn’t expecting.Pushing the Limits was so much more than a romance story. While the romance was smoking hot, I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance. Both Echo and Noah are very trouble characters and have dark secrets they have kept buried inside. Katie McGarry was not afraid of tackling the nitty gritty and serious issues, which I really liked. She was able to capture the emotional struggles Echo and Noah were facing so well that I was in tears for these poor, poor characters.Normally I am not a fan of alternating points of view, one of the characters always seem to come off as weaker or it just does nothing for the plot, but in the case of Pushing the Limits the alternating point of view worked perfectly. I loved getting into both Echo and Noah’s head. The writing helped create these characters who you come to care about and get emotionally attached to. Katie McGarry wrote these fabulous characters and as a reader you were truly was able to get into each of their heads. When a chapter ended and switched characters it didn’t feel awkward, the story flowed and it didn’t feel like head jumping (thankfully!).Now Noah and Echo, man, I just wanted to give them a hug. And boy, do they need one. Noah is the boy everyone warns their daughters against, but he’s so much more. While he has the tough, bad boy exterior, Noah is one of the most caring, motivated, strong teenagers I’ve seen. Despite all the struggles he’s had to face, like losing his parents and growing up in foster care, he’s extremely dedicated to his two brothers who have been separated from him. Noah’s devotion to his younger brothers, oh god. It was the sweetest thing. The scenes with Noah and his brothers made me tear up so much, I’m not afraid to say it. He loves them so much and will do anything for them. Noah gives everything to those he loves and will do anything to protect those he loves, such an admirable trait. I loved that aspect of his personality so much. I loved how he grew as a character over book.And then there is Echo. That poor poor girl. She definitely has it rough. Her father is overprotective and overbearing, she is not allowed to see her mother because of an event Echo cannot remember but left her with horrible scars over her arms. Despite everything, Echo still wants to remember the horrible event that almost killed her and still cares for her mother. Her struggle to learn the truth about that night was hard to read. All she wanted was to know. When she finally learns the truth, I was in tears with her. Like Noah, she grew so much over the story. She was willing to come to terms with what happen and open up to those around her, thanks to Noah. While they might be the two messed up character ever, they were so adorable and perfect together.The romance in this book was electric. Noah and Echo’s chemistry jumped off the page and you couldn’t help but want them to be together. They needed to be together for each other. But the romance did not define this book. Yes, it might be how they market it, what with the cover and all but it was so much more. The emotional struggles in the book are what really made me love it. The romance was a nice bonus.If you read one book this year, it definitely should be Pushing the Limits. Its such a great read that captivates you with its amazing characters and draws you in with their struggles. I’m super excited to see what Katie McGarry writes next because she has me next. A companion book staring a secondary character for this book is being published so I’m super excited for that! Hands down, Pushing the Limit is a must read.P.S. I think these lines from the Broadway show Next to Normal define what Noah and Echo both are ultimately working toward in their struggles: “I don't need a life that's normal—/ That's way too far away, / But something...next to normal / Would be okay. / Yeah, something next to normal— /That's the thing I'd like to try. /Close enough to normal / To get by...”

Answer: romance was smoking hot

Oh god, this book. This book gave me all the FEELS. I knew this book would be dealing with some serious stuff but I didn’t expect to feel such a wide range of emotions. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, and even got angry. So many feelings that I wasn’t expecting. Pushing the Limits was so much more than a romance story. <hl> While the romance was smoking hot , I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance. <hl> Both Echo and Noah are very trouble characters and have dark secrets they have kept buried inside. Katie McGarry was not afraid of tackling the nitty gritty and serious issues, which I really liked. She was able to capture the emotional struggles Echo and Noah were facing so well that I was in tears for these poor, poor characters. Normally I am not a fan of alternating points of view, one of the characters always seem to come off as weaker or it just does nothing for the plot, but in the case of Pushing the Limits the alternating point of view worked perfectly. I loved getting into both Echo and Noah’s head. The writing helped create these characters who you come to care about and get emotionally attached to. Katie McGarry wrote these fabulous characters and as a reader you were truly was able to get into each of their heads. When a chapter ended and switched characters it didn’t feel awkward, the story flowed and it didn’t feel like head jumping (thankfully!).Now Noah and Echo, man, I just wanted to give them a hug. And boy, do they need one. Noah is the boy everyone warns their daughters against, but he’s so much more. While he has the tough, bad boy exterior, Noah is one of the most caring, motivated, strong teenagers I’ve seen. Despite all the struggles he’s had to face, like losing his parents and growing up in foster care, he’s extremely dedicated to his two brothers who have been separated from him. Noah’s devotion to his younger brothers, oh god. It was the sweetest thing. The scenes with Noah and his brothers made me tear up so much, I’m not afraid to say it. He loves them so much and will do anything for them. Noah gives everything to those he loves and will do anything to protect those he loves, such an admirable trait. I loved that aspect of his personality so much. I loved how he grew as a character over book. And then there is Echo. That poor poor girl. She definitely has it rough. Her father is overprotective and overbearing, she is not allowed to see her mother because of an event Echo cannot remember but left her with horrible scars over her arms. Despite everything, Echo still wants to remember the horrible event that almost killed her and still cares for her mother. Her struggle to learn the truth about that night was hard to read. All she wanted was to know. When she finally learns the truth, I was in tears with her. Like Noah, she grew so much over the story. She was willing to come to terms with what happen and open up to those around her, thanks to Noah. While they might be the two messed up character ever, they were so adorable and perfect together. The romance in this book was electric. Noah and Echo’s chemistry jumped off the page and you couldn’t help but want them to be together. They needed to be together for each other. But the romance did not define this book. Yes, it might be how they market it, what with the cover and all but it was so much more. The emotional struggles in the book are what really made me love it. The romance was a nice bonus. If you read one book this year, it definitely should be Pushing the Limits. Its such a great read that captivates you with its amazing characters and draws you in with their struggles. I’m super excited to see what Katie McGarry writes next because she has me next. A companion book staring a secondary character for this book is being published so I’m super excited for that! Hands down, Pushing the Limit is a must read. P.S. I think these lines from the Broadway show Next to Normal define what Noah and Echo both are ultimately working toward in their struggles: “I don't need a life that's normal—/ That's way too far away, / But something...next to normal / Would be okay. / Yeah, something next to normal— /That's the thing I'd like to try. /Close enough to normal / To get by...”

Oh god, this book. This book gave me all the FEELS. I knew this book would be dealing with some serious stuff but I didn’t expect to feel such a wide range of emotions. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, and even got angry. So many feelings that I wasn’t expecting.Pushing the Limits was so much more than a romance story. While the <hl> romance was smoking hot <hl>, I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance. Both Echo and Noah are very trouble characters and have dark secrets they have kept buried inside. Katie McGarry was not afraid of tackling the nitty gritty and serious issues, which I really liked. She was able to capture the emotional struggles Echo and Noah were facing so well that I was in tears for these poor, poor characters.Normally I am not a fan of alternating points of view, one of the characters always seem to come off as weaker or it just does nothing for the plot, but in the case of Pushing the Limits the alternating point of view worked perfectly. I loved getting into both Echo and Noah’s head. The writing helped create these characters who you come to care about and get emotionally attached to. Katie McGarry wrote these fabulous characters and as a reader you were truly was able to get into each of their heads. When a chapter ended and switched characters it didn’t feel awkward, the story flowed and it didn’t feel like head jumping (thankfully!).Now Noah and Echo, man, I just wanted to give them a hug. And boy, do they need one. Noah is the boy everyone warns their daughters against, but he’s so much more. While he has the tough, bad boy exterior, Noah is one of the most caring, motivated, strong teenagers I’ve seen. Despite all the struggles he’s had to face, like losing his parents and growing up in foster care, he’s extremely dedicated to his two brothers who have been separated from him. Noah’s devotion to his younger brothers, oh god. It was the sweetest thing. The scenes with Noah and his brothers made me tear up so much, I’m not afraid to say it. He loves them so much and will do anything for them. Noah gives everything to those he loves and will do anything to protect those he loves, such an admirable trait. I loved that aspect of his personality so much. I loved how he grew as a character over book.And then there is Echo. That poor poor girl. She definitely has it rough. Her father is overprotective and overbearing, she is not allowed to see her mother because of an event Echo cannot remember but left her with horrible scars over her arms. Despite everything, Echo still wants to remember the horrible event that almost killed her and still cares for her mother. Her struggle to learn the truth about that night was hard to read. All she wanted was to know. When she finally learns the truth, I was in tears with her. Like Noah, she grew so much over the story. She was willing to come to terms with what happen and open up to those around her, thanks to Noah. While they might be the two messed up character ever, they were so adorable and perfect together.The romance in this book was electric. Noah and Echo’s chemistry jumped off the page and you couldn’t help but want them to be together. They needed to be together for each other. But the romance did not define this book. Yes, it might be how they market it, what with the cover and all but it was so much more. The emotional struggles in the book are what really made me love it. The romance was a nice bonus.If you read one book this year, it definitely should be Pushing the Limits. Its such a great read that captivates you with its amazing characters and draws you in with their struggles. I’m super excited to see what Katie McGarry writes next because she has me next. A companion book staring a secondary character for this book is being published so I’m super excited for that! Hands down, Pushing the Limit is a must read.P.S. I think these lines from the Broadway show Next to Normal define what Noah and Echo both are ultimately working toward in their struggles: “I don't need a life that's normal—/ That's way too far away, / But something...next to normal / Would be okay. / Yeah, something next to normal— /That's the thing I'd like to try. /Close enough to normal / To get by...”

While the <hl> romance was smoking hot <hl> , I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance.


Question: How is the story like?

Amazing. This story was so intriguing, so emotionally intense. Strange that I grew to like the narrator so much, knowing who he is and all. Everything from the point of view to the characters and the way the story was told made this novel unique. The characters felt so real to me. Their story is deep, tender and painful. I laughed, I cried. Stories with some historical truth like this one--especially those set in the Holocaust era and the like--always make me cry. So unjust. So sad. This is a story I will remember.

Answer: This story was so intriguing

Amazing. <hl> This story was so intriguing , so emotionally intense. <hl> Strange that I grew to like the narrator so much, knowing who he is and all. Everything from the point of view to the characters and the way the story was told made this novel unique. The characters felt so real to me. Their story is deep, tender and painful. I laughed, I cried. Stories with some historical truth like this one--especially those set in the Holocaust era and the like--always make me cry. So unjust. So sad. This is a story I will remember.

Amazing. <hl> This story was so intriguing <hl>, so emotionally intense. Strange that I grew to like the narrator so much, knowing who he is and all. Everything from the point of view to the characters and the way the story was told made this novel unique. The characters felt so real to me. Their story is deep, tender and painful. I laughed, I cried. Stories with some historical truth like this one--especially those set in the Holocaust era and the like--always make me cry. So unjust. So sad. This is a story I will remember.

<hl> This story was so intriguing <hl> , so emotionally intense.


Question: How is the series?

I would recommend this book to anyone, this series is great.  My daughter in law recommended this book to me because she new that I read and liked 50 shades.

Answer: series is great

<hl> I would recommend this book to anyone, this series is great . <hl> My daughter in law recommended this book to me because she new that I read and liked 50 shades.

I would recommend this book to anyone, this <hl> series is great <hl>. My daughter in law recommended this book to me because she new that I read and liked 50 shades.

I would recommend this book to anyone, this <hl> series is great <hl> .


Question: What do you think about odd thomas book one?

This story was AWESOME!!!!!! I couldn't put it down. I knew from the beginning the pretend wouldn't last. I just love the way they adore each other. PERFECT in every way.

Answer: This story was AWESOME

This story was AWESOME !!!!!!

<hl> This story was AWESOME !!!!!! <hl> I couldn't put it down. I knew from the beginning the pretend wouldn't last. I just love the way they adore each other. PERFECT in every way.

<hl> This story was AWESOME <hl>!!!!!! I couldn't put it down. I knew from the beginning the pretend wouldn't last. I just love the way they adore each other. PERFECT in every way.


Question: How many pages does the book have?

Humanity is almost obsolete on earth.  The human body now serves as a "host" to unseen invaders from another life form.  These invaders plan to take over and make the earth a more civilized place, and it won't be tainted by things like war, sexual perversity, hatred and other human complexities.  "Wanderer" invades the body of Melanie Stryder.  It should be simple enough.  At first, the Wanderer will experience some withdrawal, where the former soul refuses to succumb and the invader experiences thoughts and memories that are not her own.  But as Wanderer goes on with her life and career, she realizes that Melanie lives within her, tormenting her thoughts.  The reason to the host's refusal to move on dawns on Wanderer: Melanie is looking out for two humans, one of whom is the love of her life.  Things reach a head, and Wanderer can no longer distinguish between her thoughts and Melanie's, and soon their feelings for Jared are in synch as well.  How will it all unfold?Stephenie Meyer once said that she was a better storyteller than she was a writer.  I think I get what she means after reading this book.  I bought this a year ago, began to read it, then put it down after about one hundred pages.  Now I dust it off, open it to the dog-eared page, and carry on reading it.  I didn't have to reread the first hundred pages, for it was not difficult to pick it up where I'd left it off.  The first two hundred or so pages are extremely dull.  It is nothing more than a series of flashbacks and Wanderer having an internal dialogue with Melanie.  Things pick up after this rather tedious beginning.  However, things drag on and on to a point where I almost throw the book to the nearest wall in more than one occasion.  This book should have been at least two hundred pages shorter.  The redundancy is extremely exhausting.  Science fiction has never been my favorite genre.  I cannot imagine green-colored men and aliens with six or seven eyes that are found in those books.  (I do like paranormal fantasy though, which is why I enjoyed Meyer's Twilight series better.)  However, this one is entertaining and at times compelling.  If only it had been better written and edited.  But oh well.  I needed to know why this book was so popular (still in hardback and an NYT bestseller after over one year), and so that's out of the way.  Read it if you must.

Answer: one hundred pages

Humanity is almost obsolete on earth. The human body now serves as a "host" to unseen invaders from another life form. These invaders plan to take over and make the earth a more civilized place, and it won't be tainted by things like war, sexual perversity, hatred and other human complexities. "Wanderer" invades the body of Melanie Stryder. It should be simple enough. At first, the Wanderer will experience some withdrawal, where the former soul refuses to succumb and the invader experiences thoughts and memories that are not her own. But as Wanderer goes on with her life and career, she realizes that Melanie lives within her, tormenting her thoughts. The reason to the host's refusal to move on dawns on Wanderer: Melanie is looking out for two humans, one of whom is the love of her life. Things reach a head, and Wanderer can no longer distinguish between her thoughts and Melanie's, and soon their feelings for Jared are in synch as well. How will it all unfold?Stephenie Meyer once said that she was a better storyteller than she was a writer. I think I get what she means after reading this book. <hl> I bought this a year ago, began to read it, then put it down after about one hundred pages . <hl> Now I dust it off, open it to the dog-eared page, and carry on reading it. I didn't have to reread the first hundred pages, for it was not difficult to pick it up where I'd left it off. The first two hundred or so pages are extremely dull. It is nothing more than a series of flashbacks and Wanderer having an internal dialogue with Melanie. Things pick up after this rather tedious beginning. However, things drag on and on to a point where I almost throw the book to the nearest wall in more than one occasion. This book should have been at least two hundred pages shorter. The redundancy is extremely exhausting. Science fiction has never been my favorite genre. I cannot imagine green-colored men and aliens with six or seven eyes that are found in those books. (I do like paranormal fantasy though, which is why I enjoyed Meyer's Twilight series better.) However, this one is entertaining and at times compelling. If only it had been better written and edited. But oh well. I needed to know why this book was so popular (still in hardback and an NYT bestseller after over one year), and so that's out of the way. Read it if you must.

Humanity is almost obsolete on earth. The human body now serves as a "host" to unseen invaders from another life form. These invaders plan to take over and make the earth a more civilized place, and it won't be tainted by things like war, sexual perversity, hatred and other human complexities. "Wanderer" invades the body of Melanie Stryder. It should be simple enough. At first, the Wanderer will experience some withdrawal, where the former soul refuses to succumb and the invader experiences thoughts and memories that are not her own. But as Wanderer goes on with her life and career, she realizes that Melanie lives within her, tormenting her thoughts. The reason to the host's refusal to move on dawns on Wanderer: Melanie is looking out for two humans, one of whom is the love of her life. Things reach a head, and Wanderer can no longer distinguish between her thoughts and Melanie's, and soon their feelings for Jared are in synch as well. How will it all unfold?Stephenie Meyer once said that she was a better storyteller than she was a writer. I think I get what she means after reading this book. I bought this a year ago, began to read it, then put it down after about <hl> one hundred pages <hl>. Now I dust it off, open it to the dog-eared page, and carry on reading it. I didn't have to reread the first hundred pages, for it was not difficult to pick it up where I'd left it off. The first two hundred or so pages are extremely dull. It is nothing more than a series of flashbacks and Wanderer having an internal dialogue with Melanie. Things pick up after this rather tedious beginning. However, things drag on and on to a point where I almost throw the book to the nearest wall in more than one occasion. This book should have been at least two hundred pages shorter. The redundancy is extremely exhausting. Science fiction has never been my favorite genre. I cannot imagine green-colored men and aliens with six or seven eyes that are found in those books. (I do like paranormal fantasy though, which is why I enjoyed Meyer's Twilight series better.) However, this one is entertaining and at times compelling. If only it had been better written and edited. But oh well. I needed to know why this book was so popular (still in hardback and an NYT bestseller after over one year), and so that's out of the way. Read it if you must.

I bought this a year ago, began to read it, then put it down after about <hl> one hundred pages <hl> .


Question: How is the opinion?

After reading this book, I had a flashback to a conversation I once had with an old German woman at a bus stop. We were both tourists in Sweden and after some small talk she mentioned that she had been living in Dresden during the firebombing of WWII. I tried to press her for details, but it was clear that the mere mention of that event was opening up horrible memories for her and she couldn't bear to talk about it anymore. This was in 1995 -- 50 years after the event.Mockingjay is a remarkable novel, because it brings the reader deep inside the psyche of a person like that woman on the bench. Through Katniss, we are able to see a person transform from a little girl learning about the forest from her father into a woman whose nightmares are almost unbearable, and which will never go away. Most admirable is that this important lesson about the long term cost of warfare, is being directed at a Young Adult readership.The transformation of Katniss felt real, and it felt natural, and it felt like something that was in the plans from the very first pages of this book. I remember that when I first met Haymitch, I found his negative attitude irritating.  By the end of this book, I was left feeling like I could totally understand where he was coming from. In fact, by understanding Katniss, I even found myself finally having a better understanding of what might have driven Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain to suicide in 1994.I am very grateful to Suzanne Collins that she did not make this a story of a little girl transforming into a superhero. War heros are real, but even in the most justified war situation, war heroes leave the battlefield scarred for life. Collins knew this, because her own father was a Vietnam vet who had a lifetime of nightmares to contend with. The best way of honoring these people, like her father, is to depict this depressing reality of the unavoidable cost of war.Reading Katniss's story was so compelling that I found myself able to overlook many of the unsatisfying aspects of this book. My chief problem with these books is that as Katniss ventured further and further from her beautifully depicted home in District 12, the environment she found herself in felt less and less fully realized and more and more contrived. These gripes began in earnest with the second book, and contined with this third book. The biggest offender here is The Capitol, which is described in much more detail than before. I am sure the author has good reasons for why the city planners of The Capitol needed to fill it with booby traps. For me, the place just felt like a silly videogame, which detracted a bit from the very serious drama taking place on the streets of that city. Still, these are minor issues that I found myself able to overlook. It is only because the psychological storylines are so strong that I wish this book's description of environment was as detailed and satisfying as it was in Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, but I realize that this is an unrealistic expectation.I am surprised by the many negative reviews written about this book. So many detractors of this book seem to be let down by the negative tone of this book. It is interesting how these negative reviews contrast so sharply with the near universal praise the book has received from adult book critics. I do think that older readers probably have more personal life experiences to help them appreciate the negative tone of this book. Us older people understand that there are some sad memories that never go away, and that life can be worth living anyways. So, to those young readers depressed by this book, I only implore you not to despair over the fact that Katniss's life didn't turn out as nice as you hoped, but instead take heart in the fact that so many adults have embraced these books. I would venture to say that almost all of us adults who are parents have some dark corners buried in our psyche that can keep us awake at night, but like Katniss we have all found our own ways to cope with the inevitable disappointments that life has thrown us, and for the most part we all eventually find a way to enjoy life despite all the lousy stuff that we have to step through along the way.

Answer: story was so compelling

After reading this book, I had a flashback to a conversation I once had with an old German woman at a bus stop. We were both tourists in Sweden and after some small talk she mentioned that she had been living in Dresden during the firebombing of WWII. I tried to press her for details, but it was clear that the mere mention of that event was opening up horrible memories for her and she couldn't bear to talk about it anymore. This was in 1995 -- 50 years after the event. Mockingjay is a remarkable novel, because it brings the reader deep inside the psyche of a person like that woman on the bench. Through Katniss, we are able to see a person transform from a little girl learning about the forest from her father into a woman whose nightmares are almost unbearable, and which will never go away. Most admirable is that this important lesson about the long term cost of warfare, is being directed at a Young Adult readership. The transformation of Katniss felt real, and it felt natural, and it felt like something that was in the plans from the very first pages of this book. I remember that when I first met Haymitch, I found his negative attitude irritating. By the end of this book, I was left feeling like I could totally understand where he was coming from. In fact, by understanding Katniss, I even found myself finally having a better understanding of what might have driven Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain to suicide in 1994.I am very grateful to Suzanne Collins that she did not make this a story of a little girl transforming into a superhero. War heros are real, but even in the most justified war situation, war heroes leave the battlefield scarred for life. Collins knew this, because her own father was a Vietnam vet who had a lifetime of nightmares to contend with. The best way of honoring these people, like her father, is to depict this depressing reality of the unavoidable cost of war. <hl> Reading Katniss's story was so compelling that I found myself able to overlook many of the unsatisfying aspects of this book. <hl> My chief problem with these books is that as Katniss ventured further and further from her beautifully depicted home in District 12, the environment she found herself in felt less and less fully realized and more and more contrived. These gripes began in earnest with the second book, and contined with this third book. The biggest offender here is The Capitol, which is described in much more detail than before. I am sure the author has good reasons for why the city planners of The Capitol needed to fill it with booby traps. For me, the place just felt like a silly videogame, which detracted a bit from the very serious drama taking place on the streets of that city. Still, these are minor issues that I found myself able to overlook. It is only because the psychological storylines are so strong that I wish this book's description of environment was as detailed and satisfying as it was in Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, but I realize that this is an unrealistic expectation. I am surprised by the many negative reviews written about this book. So many detractors of this book seem to be let down by the negative tone of this book. It is interesting how these negative reviews contrast so sharply with the near universal praise the book has received from adult book critics. I do think that older readers probably have more personal life experiences to help them appreciate the negative tone of this book. Us older people understand that there are some sad memories that never go away, and that life can be worth living anyways. So, to those young readers depressed by this book, I only implore you not to despair over the fact that Katniss's life didn't turn out as nice as you hoped, but instead take heart in the fact that so many adults have embraced these books. I would venture to say that almost all of us adults who are parents have some dark corners buried in our psyche that can keep us awake at night, but like Katniss we have all found our own ways to cope with the inevitable disappointments that life has thrown us, and for the most part we all eventually find a way to enjoy life despite all the lousy stuff that we have to step through along the way.

After reading this book, I had a flashback to a conversation I once had with an old German woman at a bus stop. We were both tourists in Sweden and after some small talk she mentioned that she had been living in Dresden during the firebombing of WWII. I tried to press her for details, but it was clear that the mere mention of that event was opening up horrible memories for her and she couldn't bear to talk about it anymore. This was in 1995 -- 50 years after the event.Mockingjay is a remarkable novel, because it brings the reader deep inside the psyche of a person like that woman on the bench. Through Katniss, we are able to see a person transform from a little girl learning about the forest from her father into a woman whose nightmares are almost unbearable, and which will never go away. Most admirable is that this important lesson about the long term cost of warfare, is being directed at a Young Adult readership.The transformation of Katniss felt real, and it felt natural, and it felt like something that was in the plans from the very first pages of this book. I remember that when I first met Haymitch, I found his negative attitude irritating. By the end of this book, I was left feeling like I could totally understand where he was coming from. In fact, by understanding Katniss, I even found myself finally having a better understanding of what might have driven Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain to suicide in 1994.I am very grateful to Suzanne Collins that she did not make this a story of a little girl transforming into a superhero. War heros are real, but even in the most justified war situation, war heroes leave the battlefield scarred for life. Collins knew this, because her own father was a Vietnam vet who had a lifetime of nightmares to contend with. The best way of honoring these people, like her father, is to depict this depressing reality of the unavoidable cost of war.Reading Katniss's <hl> story was so compelling <hl> that I found myself able to overlook many of the unsatisfying aspects of this book. My chief problem with these books is that as Katniss ventured further and further from her beautifully depicted home in District 12, the environment she found herself in felt less and less fully realized and more and more contrived. These gripes began in earnest with the second book, and contined with this third book. The biggest offender here is The Capitol, which is described in much more detail than before. I am sure the author has good reasons for why the city planners of The Capitol needed to fill it with booby traps. For me, the place just felt like a silly videogame, which detracted a bit from the very serious drama taking place on the streets of that city. Still, these are minor issues that I found myself able to overlook. It is only because the psychological storylines are so strong that I wish this book's description of environment was as detailed and satisfying as it was in Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, but I realize that this is an unrealistic expectation.I am surprised by the many negative reviews written about this book. So many detractors of this book seem to be let down by the negative tone of this book. It is interesting how these negative reviews contrast so sharply with the near universal praise the book has received from adult book critics. I do think that older readers probably have more personal life experiences to help them appreciate the negative tone of this book. Us older people understand that there are some sad memories that never go away, and that life can be worth living anyways. So, to those young readers depressed by this book, I only implore you not to despair over the fact that Katniss's life didn't turn out as nice as you hoped, but instead take heart in the fact that so many adults have embraced these books. I would venture to say that almost all of us adults who are parents have some dark corners buried in our psyche that can keep us awake at night, but like Katniss we have all found our own ways to cope with the inevitable disappointments that life has thrown us, and for the most part we all eventually find a way to enjoy life despite all the lousy stuff that we have to step through along the way.


Question: What is your favorite heroine?

I totally disagree with those who do not like this book. I found Christian to be a very sweet, sensitive (SEXY HOT) man who while having a dark past, struggles daily with his issues while truly putting Ana's feelings first.  Ana, as innocent and young as she is, accepts the fact she is totally in love with a complicated man.  Their romance is sexy and fun.Yes, at times the author is a little repetitious but I take into consideration the fact that this is her FIRST book and quite honestly, I think she did a great job.  I've read all 3 books and will read them again and again.

Answer: SEXY HOT

I totally disagree with those who do not like this book. <hl> I found Christian to be a very sweet, sensitive ( SEXY HOT ) man who while having a dark past, struggles daily with his issues while truly putting Ana's feelings first. <hl> Ana, as innocent and young as she is, accepts the fact she is totally in love with a complicated man. Their romance is sexy and fun. Yes, at times the author is a little repetitious but I take into consideration the fact that this is her FIRST book and quite honestly, I think she did a great job. I've read all 3 books and will read them again and again.

I totally disagree with those who do not like this book. I found Christian to be a very sweet, sensitive (<hl> SEXY HOT <hl>) man who while having a dark past, struggles daily with his issues while truly putting Ana's feelings first. Ana, as innocent and young as she is, accepts the fact she is totally in love with a complicated man. Their romance is sexy and fun.Yes, at times the author is a little repetitious but I take into consideration the fact that this is her FIRST book and quite honestly, I think she did a great job. I've read all 3 books and will read them again and again.

I found Christian to be a very sweet, sensitive ( <hl> SEXY HOT <hl> ) man who while having a dark past, struggles daily with his issues while truly putting Ana's feelings first.


Question: How did you like the story line?

I would love to read more from this author, if only she would use a more traditional means of writing and pay attention to editing and correct word usage.  I really had to struggle through this book and almost deleted it more than once.  If the story line had not been good, I would not have finished.  I hope to see a better presentation from this author, as I believe she has great stories to tell.

Answer: I really had to struggle through this book and almost deleted it more than once

I would love to read more from this author, if only she would use a more traditional means of writing and pay attention to editing and correct word usage. <hl> I really had to struggle through this book and almost deleted it more than once . <hl> If the story line had not been good, I would not have finished. I hope to see a better presentation from this author, as I believe she has great stories to tell.

I would love to read more from this author, if only she would use a more traditional means of writing and pay attention to editing and correct word usage. <hl> I really had to struggle through this book and almost deleted it more than once <hl>. If the story line had not been good, I would not have finished. I hope to see a better presentation from this author, as I believe she has great stories to tell.

<hl> I really had to struggle through this book and almost deleted it more than once <hl> .