Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel depicting a futuristic society where children from throughout the nation are randomly chosen to fight to the death on live television every year. Katniss Everdeen, our sixteen year old protagonist, is forced to combat the evils within both the fatal games and the society that was birthed from the remnants of war.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed this ambitious work. Even though Collins' writes accessibly, the simple vernacular used in her writing does not take away from the truly complex topics she discusses. While The Hunger Games can be enjoyed for it's suspenseful action and unique atmosphere, I enjoyed this book most because of its subtle critiques on reality television, government, class, and American society as a whole. It explains such nuanced yet familiar ideas in a way that allows even the youngest of readers to properly grasp what the author is trying to convey. Putting complexity aside, The Hunger Games is also an engaging, fast-paced, and exciting novel that will keep you immersed until the very last page. With relatable characters, realistic worlds, and excellent prose, I swear I could not put this book down.

As a staple to the YA dystopian genre, I can not recommend The Hunger Games highly enough. For readers who are looking for a fresh and engaging read, this book is most certainly for you. It has all the elements that dystopian readers' crave without feeling repetitive or over done. With action, complex societies, well-developed characters, and suspense, The Hunger Games will be sure to not disappoint.

Morgan, 14

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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a fantasy novel and the first book in the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series. The book follows the story of Percy Jackson, obviously, a 12-year-old with dyslexia and ADHD who discovers that he is a demigod, the son of a mortal and a Greek god.

I loved that the author uses descriptive language to show us the world he created, especially me as a person who hadn't a clue what the Greek gods were but by the end of the novel, I could say I can name about 5 off the top of my head. I also love that in the book, it blends Greek Mythology with modern-day elements.

I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a thrilling and action-packed story that blends Greek mythology into it and to anyone who wants to learn about Greek Mythology.

Victoria, 17

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