midnight books

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3) [Hardcover]

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:08:10 +0000

Product Description
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

A Q&A with Suzanne Collins, Author of Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)

Q: You have said from the start that The Hunger Games story was intended as a trilogy. Did it actually end the way you planned it from the beginning?

A: Very much so. While I didn’t know every detail, of course, the arc of the story from gladiator game, to revolution, to war, to the eventual outcome remained constant throughout the writing process.

Q: We understand you worked on the initial screenplay for a film to be based on The Hunger Games. What is the biggest difference between writing a novel and writing a screenplay?

A: There were several significant differences. Time, for starters. When you’re adapting a novel into a two-hour movie you can’t take everything with you. The story has to be condensed to fit the new form. Then there’s the question of how best to take a book told in the first person and present tense and transform it into a satisfying dramatic experience. In the novel, you never leave Katniss for a second and are privy to all of her thoughts so you need a way to dramatize her inner world and to make it possible for other characters to exist outside of her company. Finally, there’s the challenge of how to present the violence while still maintaining a PG-13 rating so that your core audience can view it. A lot of things are acceptable on a page that wouldn’t be on a screen. But how certain moments are depicted will ultimately be in the director’s hands.

Q: Are you able to consider future projects while working on The Hunger Games, or are you immersed in the world you are currently creating so fully that it is too difficult to think about new ideas?

A: I have a few seeds of ideas floating around in my head but–given that much of my focus is still on The Hunger Games–it will probably be awhile before one fully emerges and I can begin to develop it.

Q: The Hunger Games is an annual televised event in which one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts is forced to participate in a fight-to-the-death on live TV. What do you think the appeal of reality television is–to both kids and adults?

A: Well, they’re often set up as games and, like sporting events, there’s an interest in seeing who wins. The contestants are usually unknown, which makes them relatable. Sometimes they have very talented people performing. Then there’s the voyeuristic thrill—watching people being humiliated, or brought to tears, or suffering physically–which I find very disturbing. There’s also the potential for desensitizing the audience, so that when they see real tragedy playing out on, say, the news, it doesn’t have the impact it should.

Q: If you were forced to compete in the Hunger Games, what do you think your special skill would be?

A: Hiding. I’d be scaling those trees like Katniss and Rue. Since I was trained in sword-fighting, I guess my best hope would be to get hold of a rapier if there was one available. But the truth is I’d probably get about a four in Training.

Q: What do you hope readers will come away with when they read The Hunger Games trilogy?

A: Questions about how elements of the books might be relevant in their own lives. And, if they’re disturbing, what they might do about them.

Q: What were some of your favorite novels when you were a teen?

A: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Boris by Jaapter Haar
Germinal by Emile Zola
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

(Photo © Cap Pryor)

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up Following her subversive second victory in the Games, this one composed of winners from past years, Katniss has been adopted by rebel factions as their symbol for freedom and becomes the rallying point for the districts in a desperate bid to take down the Capitol and remove President Snow from power. But being the Mockingjay comes with a price as Katniss must come to terms with how much of her own humanity and sanity she can willingly sacrifice for the cause, her friends, and her family. Collins is absolutely ruthless in her depictions of war in all its cruelty, violence, and loss, leaving readers, in turn, repulsed, shocked, grieving and, finally, hopeful for the characters they’ve grown to empathize with and love. Mockingjay is a fitting end of the series that began with The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) and will have the same lasting resonance as William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Stephen King’s The Stand. However, the book is not a stand-alone; readers do need to be familiar with the first two titles in order to appreciate the events and characters in this one. Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) [Hardcover]

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:08:09 +0000

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Gr 7 Up–Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen “tributes” from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Reviewers were happy to report that the Hunger Games trilogy is alive and well, and all looked forward to the third book in the series after this one’s stunning conclusion. But they disagreed over whether Catching Fire was as good as the original book Hunger Games or should be viewed as somewhat of a “sophomore slump.” Several critics who remained unconvinced by Katniss’s romantic dilemma made unfavorable comparisons to the human-vampire-werewolf love triangle in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. But most reviewers felt that Catching Fire was still a thrill because Collins replicated her initial success at balancing action, violence, and heroism in a way that will enthrall young readers without giving them (too many) nightmares.

Snake Skin [Paperback]

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:07:08 +0000

Review

I flew through this novel, trying to connect the dots and find the killer along with Lucy. This is another great read from CJ Lyons. Women will enjoy the kick ass hero portrayed by Lucy. ~Chicklit Plus –chicklitplus.com/snake-skin-cj-lyons/

Not for the faint-hearted! Fast-paced, with characters you can feel for and like, Snakeskin is part crime fiction, part thriller with a strong female protagonist. ~Joanna Penn –mysterythriller.tv/snakeskin-by-cj-lyons/

4 1/2 Stars: Combine Dirty Harry with a loving wife and mother and you might end up with Lucy Guardino. Fans of Lyons’ hospital-set series will love the change of setting and thrilling pace. One note: readers with a fear of snakes should pick up this story carefully. Regardless, you won’t be able to put this one down. ~RT Book Reviews

From the Author

Okay, I’m going to warn you all up front. SNAKE SKIN is NOT your typical FBI thriller.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s got all the edgy, “breathtakingly fast-paced,” “adrenalin rush,” twists and turns that my medical thrillers have. But SNAKE SKIN is different…

How? Because SNAKE SKIN features a very traditional woman, a mom with a happy, loving marriage who loves her job, as the book’s Hero!!!

Shocking, I know! It’s just not done! A thriller hero must be chased by demons, driven by angst, suffering from drug or alcohol or some other kind of addiction/obsession/affliction….

Sorry. You won’t find that in Lucy Guardino, the protagonist of SNAKE SKIN. She’s just your typical soccer mom who happens to also be an FBI agent working a job no one else wants to do–and she’s very good at it.

I based Lucy on several real-life FBI agents facing the same dilemma that many professionals (especially women) face: juggling family and work.

One, a man who headed a crimes against children task force talked about leaving the office after viewing hours upon hours of mind-numbing child porn and driving to his daughter’s soccer game, trying to use the time on the road to lock all those images away….until the next day when he went back to work and faced them again.

Another Supervisory Special Agent, who invited me to stay at her home while I was doing research at the FBI Academy in Quantico, had created a warm and welcoming home, complete with loving and very nice husband (who didn’t mind a writer asking all sorts of crazy questions about their marriage) and two wonderful teen-aged kids.

She filled me in on some of the challenges of climbing the career ladder in the FBI (she’s now a Special Agent in Charge) and the sacrifices she made. As well as some of the downright silliness that came along the way–like being unable to postpone a firearms proficiency test when she was eight months pregnant (wish I had copies of the pictures of her shooting the Remington shotgun and the M4 submachine gun to share with you–priceless!)

So you’ve been warned–SNAKE SKIN is not your typical thriller….and Lucy Guardino is not your typical hero.

But for many of us, she’s more than a hero–she’s a real person trying very hard to protect both her family and do the job she loves.

And that job does take her to some pretty awful places. Working crimes against children means that Lucy pursues the worst of the worst. SNAKE SKIN is definitely NOT for the faint of heart!

Download the sample or buy SNAKE SKIN to see for yourself!

CJ

The Hunger Games [Audiobook, CD] [Audio CD]

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:05:07 +0000

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Reviewed by Megan Whalen Turner
If there really are only seven original plots in the world, it’s odd that boy meets girl is always mentioned, and society goes bad and attacks the good guy never is. Yet we have Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, The House of the Scorpion—and now, following a long tradition of Brave New Worlds, The Hunger Games. Collins hasn’t tied her future to a specific date, or weighted it down with too much finger wagging. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000, hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. It is her teammate, Peeta, who recognizes the importance of holding on to one’s humanity in such inhuman circumstances. It’s a credit to Collins’s skill at characterization that Katniss, like a new Theseus, is cold, calculating and still likable. She has the attributes to be a winner, where Peeta has the grace to be a good loser.It’s no accident that these games are presented as pop culture. Every generation projects its fear: runaway science, communism, overpopulation, nuclear wars and, now, reality TV. The State of Panem—which needs to keep its tributaries subdued and its citizens complacent—may have created the Games, but mindless television is the real danger, the means by which society pacifies its citizens and punishes those who fail to conform. Will its connection to reality TV, ubiquitous today, date the book? It might, but for now, it makes this the right book at the right time. What happens if we choose entertainment over humanity? In Collins’s world, we’ll be obsessed with grooming, we’ll talk funny, and all our sentences will end with the same rise as questions. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. They’re so unlike people that I’m no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet, she thinks. In order not to hate these creatures who are sending her to her death, she imagines them as pets. It isn’t just the contestants who risk the loss of their humanity. It is all who watch. Katniss struggles to win not only the Games but the inherent contest for audience approval. Because this is the first book in a series, not everything is resolved, and what is left unanswered is the central question. Has she sacrificed too much? We know what she has given up to survive, but not whether the price was too high. Readers will wait eagerly to learn more.
Megan Whalen Turner is the author of the Newbery Honor book The Thief and its sequels, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. The next book in the series will be published by Greenwillow in 2010.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the

Hardcover
edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins’s characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘American Gladiator.’ Book one of a planned trilogy.Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the

Hardcover
edition.

The Good Life [Hardcover]

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:12:25 +0000

From Publishers Weekly

Colson—bestselling author, political figure and ministry leader—wrote this book to help readers answer “deep questions… that [determine] how we will live and how we will die and whether our lives will count for something.” It is part memoir, as Colson reflects on his own rights and wrongs. For Colson, how people live comes down to their worldview – how their core beliefs about life shape their actions. He covers key paradoxes (i.e., “Out of suffering and defeat often comes victory”) and spends a large section of the book establishing the existence of “capital-T truth,” a concept Colson argues provides hope and “makes life a breathtaking challenge.” He addresses a number of social and political issues, including evolution, euthanasia and homosexuality. Stories are central to this exploration, and Colson incorporates many different kinds: his own Watergate experience, popular films, stories of war and oppression, and front-page business scandals. While he attempts to conduct his search “without relying on any prior assumptions or sectarian convictions,” his Christian faith is ever present, and some who start from an opposing position may find his arguments weak. However, Colson’s deep humility is striking, and many will welcome this well-researched book, built on his lifetime of learning and extraordinary experience. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

With the aid of the excellent parable-writer/exegete Harold Fickett (see Conversations with Jesus, 1999), Colson reconfirms that he is a premier popular practitioner of Christian persuasion, especially for the un- and spottily churched. Instead of reflexively citing and quoting the Bible, he alludes to it, sparingly and pointedly, and his exempla come from broadly familiar sources, such as the movie Saving Private Ryan, and the lives of figures ranging from Olivier Messiaen to Madalyn Murray O’Hair, from death-row convicts to business tycoons. He considers good living and its grounds, which is to say, living for others while seeking and acting upon the truth. The book’s long first part contrasts careers of self-motivation and hedonism with others of service and suffering to demonstrate that the former eventuate in disillusion and emptiness, the latter in fulfillment and satisfaction, independent of material success; the short second part discusses the rewards of giving. In the third part, Colson argues against relativism and for absolute truth, considerably more substantially than the ruck of “conservative Christian” commentators do; the exempla in this part are particularly engrossing and frequently high toned (e.g., the spiritual journey of Wallace Stevens). The concluding part considers ultimate things–providence, death, infinite love–and overtly proselytizes, very considerately, for the first time in the book. Colson’s temperateness and reasonableness in all that comes before the call to faith increases its appeal, especially to those repelled by ranting and tears. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

The Hunger Games [Paperback]

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:06:26 +0000

From Publishers Weekly

Hardcover
edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins’s characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘American Gladiator.’ Book one of a planned trilogy.Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the

Hardcover
edition.

Finders Keepers (Finders Keepers Series #1) [Paperback]

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:02:24 +0000

From Library Journal

Antiques dealer Elizabeth Hayes hopes to expand her shop by purchasing and refurbishing the Chalmers House next door. Zachary Chalmers, an architect who recently inherited the house, wants to tear it down and build an office. The resulting feud drags the town into a battle of historic value vs. personal property. The only one who doesn’t care is Nikolai Hayes, Elizabeth’s adopted Romanian son. He’s interested in persuading Zachary to be his father and in listening to Boompah’s stories of the “nachos” who tyrannized Europe during World War II. Nikolai’s endearing attempts to master English provide levity in a romance that tackles deeper issues than land rights. For Palmer fans.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“Inspirational and highly engaging.”
– Lori Copeland
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The Hunger Games [Paperback]

admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:10:57 +0000

From Publishers Weekly

Hardcover
edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins’s characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘American Gladiator.’ Book one of a planned trilogy.Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the

Hardcover
edition.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [Paperback]

admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:09:08 +0000

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Four short stories of mystery and intrigue by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are performed radio theater style by the St. Charles Players: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” “The Adventure of the Dancing Men,” “A Scandal in Bohemia,” and “The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot.” The narration is acceptable, although some characters sound flat and their British accent is too obviously forced. However, this detracts little from the overall entertainment value of the stories. The overall aural quality could be improved; a slight hissing can be heard throughout the narration. Though at times Holmes comes across as haughty, listeners become caught up in learning how he ingeniously solves the cases using clues that Watson, the other investigators, and most listeners miss. Fine for individual or group listening, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes could be used for entertainment or for a unit on the mystery genre in English classes. The lack of strong female characters in these stories may warrant including alternate classic mysteries with strong women, such as Simon Brett’s Mrs. Pargeter, Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Heron Carvic’s Miss Seeton, or Dorothy Gilman’s Mrs. Pollifax. A nice feature of this package is that each short story is completed with one cassette. Unless you have a great demand for classic mysteries, this audiobook is an additional purchase.
Sarah Smith, Harrison Community Library, MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
–This text refers to the

Audio Cassette
edition.

Review

Perfect bite-size treats … you’ll be hooked inside two pages Independent
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3) [Hardcover]

admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:08:05 +0000

A Q&A with Suzanne Collins, Author of Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)

Q: You have said from the start that The Hunger Games story was intended as a trilogy. Did it actually end the way you planned it from the beginning?

Q: We understand you worked on the initial screenplay for a film to be based on The Hunger Games. What is the biggest difference between writing a novel and writing a screenplay?

Q: If you were forced to compete in the Hunger Games, what do you think your special skill would be?

Q: What do you hope readers will come away with when they read The Hunger Games trilogy?

A: Questions about how elements of the books might be relevant in their own lives. And, if they’re disturbing, what they might do about them.

Q: What were some of your favorite novels when you were a teen?

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up Following her subversive second victory in the Games, this one composed of winners from past years, Katniss has been adopted by rebel factions as their symbol for freedom and becomes the rallying point for the districts in a desperate bid to take down the Capitol and remove President Snow from power. But being the Mockingjay comes with a price as Katniss must come to terms with how much of her own humanity and sanity she can willingly sacrifice for the cause, her friends, and her family. Collins is absolutely ruthless in her depictions of war in all its cruelty, violence, and loss, leaving readers, in turn, repulsed, shocked, grieving and, finally, hopeful for the characters they’ve grown to empathize with and love. Mockingjay is a fitting end of the series that began with The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) and will have the same lasting resonance as William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Stephen King’s The Stand. However, the book is not a stand-alone; readers do need to be familiar with the first two titles in order to appreciate the events and characters in this one. Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

midnight books

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3) [Hardcover]

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) [Hardcover]

Snake Skin [Paperback]

The Hunger Games [Audiobook, CD] [Audio CD]

The Good Life [Hardcover]

The Hunger Games [Paperback]

Finders Keepers (Finders Keepers Series #1) [Paperback]

Review “Inspirational and highly engaging.” – Lori Copeland –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The Hunger Games [Paperback]

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [Paperback]

Review Perfect bite-size treats … you’ll be hooked inside two pages Independent –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3) [Hardcover]

Review

“Inspirational and highly engaging.”
– Lori Copeland
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Perfect bite-size treats … you’ll be hooked inside two pages Independent
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.