What An Appropriate Title...Catching Fire

Source:  Goodreads

Goodreads Summary...

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in The Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph.  Instead, they have become the poster children for a rebellion that they never planned to lead.  The new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by the Capitol...

Suzanne Collins
Author of The Hunger Games Series
Source:  Goodreads

___________________________________________

I just finished Catching Fire, and when I say just finished, I mean I read the last word of the book ten minutes ago.  I just couldn't wait to blog about it.  I know I should probably wait a few hours and think about it a little, but I won't because I loved it!  For me, Catching Fire was even better than The Hunger Games.

After reading the first book I said I loved Katniss's character, but now after reading  Catching Fire I know that was a huge understatement.  What Collins was able to do with her character is amazing.  I don't like her  because she's perfect and always knows the right answer.  It's quite the contrary actually.  She is an extremely flawed, scared young woman who at her core is very good.  She has all the great qualities of a heroine...bravery, toughness, skill, honor, undying love, and spunk, but she also has the qualities that make her very real...fear, jealousy, pain, mental break downs, indecision, moodiness, anger, and at times weakness.  These real qualities are what make her bravery and unconditional love for Peeta (fellow tribute), Gale (best friend), and her family all the more believable and inspiring.

Katniss isn't the only good thing about this book.  I really like all the characters especially Peeta.   The story itself was riveting to me.  The book is full danger, sadness, humor, happiness, anger and yes sappy love stuff, and I felt it all.

I love to read, and I find that I enjoy most books I read.  But I really love when I come across books that make me remember why I'm so passionate about reading--the books and characters that stay with you long after you've finished the book.  Yes I know this is YA fiction, and I am no longer a young adult.  I am a 35 year old mother, but a great story is a great story no matter how old you are.

Now I'm off to the rest of my day, eagerly anticipating later this evening when I can dive into Mockingjay which at this moment is on my kitchen counter.

Stop SOPA And PIPA

Source:  Wikipedia

If you care about your freedom, then you should care about SOPA and PIPA.

SOPA and PIPA are two bills before congress right now that would basically make it legal for our government to censor what we view on the internet.  When our government starts controlling what information we can and cannot see, we are in big trouble.

To learn more about this issue please visit my friend, Susie's, blog.  She explains it much better than I can.  You can visit her blog by clicking HERE.

You can also visit Google to learn more about it and sign a petition by clicking HERE.

_______________________________________

Source:  Wikipedia

"The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well informed enough to maintain its sovereign control over the government."

Franklin D. Roosevelt

(Quote Source:  Goodreads)

My Thoughts On "The Hunger Games"

Source:  Goodreads

Suzanne Collins
Source:  www.suzannecollinsbooks.com

_______________________________________________

I knew nothing about The Hunger Games until I started blogging last year.  Then it was every where.  It seemed like every blog I visited had reviewed this book, and it was on all the must read lists.  My sister and I both love to read and we trade book recommendations back and forth, and I love to buy her books for any occasion...birthdays, Mother's Day, Christmas, just because.  I bought her The Hunger Games, and she liked it.  So over the next few months I bought her the the other two books in the series.  But I still hadn't read it.

Then I read a post on one of my favorite blogs, Susie's Blog.  She had recently read The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and was in the middle of Mockingjay.  She had good things to say, so I decided it was time to read them.  Plus I had just signed up for this awesome reading challenge I'm doing for 2012, and the genre for January is Juvenile/YA fiction.  It just seemed like the time to read it.

Let me just say that I did not expect to love this book as much as I do.  From the very first page I was hooked and couldn't put it down.  I love character driven books, and man oh man is Katniss a character.  I just love her.  Suzanne Collins gives her such an authentic voice.  It feels like someone is telling you their story.  I totally forgot I was reading a book.  Nothing felt forced to me.

___________________________________________

I cannot wait until the movie comes out in March, and just for fun I thought I'd add the preview to my post.

My Thoughts On "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Source:  Goodreads

From the dust jacket...

"Percy is confused.  When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name.  His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket.  Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way.  But the camp doesn't ring any bells with him.  The only thing he can recall from his past is another name:  Annabeth.
Hazel is supposed to be dead.  When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it.  Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed.  But that was the problem--when the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no.  Now, because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk.  Hazel wishes she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.
Frank is a klutz.  His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it.  He doesn't even know who his father is.  He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery--although not good enough to win camp war games.  His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially in front of Hazel, his closest friend at camp.  He trusts her completely--enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.
Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment in the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophecy of Seven."

Rick Riordan
Source:  Goodreads

This is not a stand alone book!  If you want to get the most out of this book, there are other books you must read first...

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series

Source:  Goodreads

The Lightening Thief

The Sea of Monsters

The Titan's Curse

The Battle of the Labyrinth

The Last Olympian

The Heroes of Olympus Series 

Book 1
Source:  www.rickriordan.com

Book 2
Just finished this one!
Source:  www.rickriordan.com

And the next book in the series is due out Fall 2012...

The Mark of Athena

Book 3

__________________________________________________

I loved this book!  Rick Riordan has a way of making you really care about these kids in his books.  The Son of Neptune is full of the humor, action/adventure, history, love and loyalty I loved in all the previous books.  I have to admit that I was a little worried at first.  Maybe it was because it was all new.  Percy didn't remember anything and he was at a Roman demigod camp (Percy is a Greek demigod).  Everything was different...even the name of the gods...same gods-different names.  About 80 pages in though, everything changed, and I was swept away to the world I had so enjoyed from the previous books--the world of centaurs, cyclops, giants, harpies, gods, demigods, Greeks, and Romans.  I think what I love most about these books is the puzzle of it all...trying to figure it out, and then being amazed when it all comes together.

____________________________________________________

I just thought I'd share a picture of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea and earthquakes.  Poseidon is the father of Percy in Rick Riordan's books.

Source:  wikipedia

What I Cooked Tonight...

I used my Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible again this weekend.  I'm still loving this great Christmas gift from my daughter.

Source:  Goodreads

I chose to try the recipe from page 162.

SUNDAY BAKED CHICKEN

4 T (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry

2 tsp salt

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1.  Preheat the oven to 375.

2.  In a bowl, mash together the butter, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, the thyme, and the paprika.  Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.  Rub the chicken all over with the butter mixture, spreading it as evenly as possible so the chicken will brown evenly.

3.  Scatter the potatoes, carrots, and garlic in the bottom of a large roasting pan.  Top the vegetables with a roasting rack.  Place the chicken on the rack, breast side up.  Roast, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until the chicken is golden, the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife, or the temperature registers 180 degrees F in the thigh, about 1 1/2 hours.

4.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before carving.  Serve with the vegetables and pan juices.

(Recipe Source:  Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible)

Here's the results...

Right out of the oven
Source:  My Photo

Source:  My Photo

This recipe was a big hit!  My husband and my daughter both loved this meal.  It was really easy to do.  There's just a little prep work with the chicken.  My husband especially liked the veggies.  I will absolutely make this again, and maybe try it with different vegetables.

My daughter and I also made a cake today...Devil's Food cake with chocolate icing.

Source:  My Photo

It's not perfect, but my daughter and I made it together.  It was delicious, and my daughter was so excited to serve it to her Daddy with a big glass of cold milk.

So needless to say I'm very proud of it :)

The Son of Neptune...180 Pages In

I'm on page 180 of The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan.  I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as first, but I am quickly being drawn into the story, and as I get to know the new characters I'm liking them more and more.  It just took me a while to get back in the groove.

So far this book has taken place in a Roman demigod (one parent mortal/one parent god) camp.  That in itself threw me for a loop because in all the previous books we've been reading about Greek gods.  Since demigods are often warriors there is lots of talk about Roman weapons, and I grew curious about what each one looks like.  I decided to look them up and share them with you...just in case you're interested.

Gladius

Source:  http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-Attack.html#Pompeianus

Spatha

Source:  http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-Attack.html

Pilum

Source:  http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-Attack.html

Pugio

Source:  http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-Attack.html

Greaves

Armor that protects the legs

These are Greek greaves but Romans wore something similar
Source:  Wikipedia.org

If you are interested in learning more about Rick Riordan or any of his books you can visit his website by clicking HERE.

What I'm Reading Next...

As you probably know I'm reading The Son of Neptune right now, and I'm hoping to finish it by this weekend.  I all ready have an idea of what I'd like to read next and I'm very excited about it.  

I've been hearing lots of great things about The Hunger Games Series...everyone is blogging about it, my sister is on the last book in the series now, and everyone seems to be excited about the upcoming movie.  I figure what better time to read it than now since the reading challenge I'm participating in this year focuses on juvenile/YA fiction for the month of January.  Plus my sister owns all three books in the series, so I'll just borrow them from her.

What I'm Reading Next...

Source:  Goodreads

Source:  Goodreads

Source:  Goodreads

Here's the preview for the movie.