As my August reading wrap-up wraps up, I’m happy to say I’ve read over fifty books this year. It’s been a long time since I was able to read this much in a year, so I can’t be happier.
Coming into the summer, I promised myself I would read a few books I’ve wanted to for a while. With one month before heading back to work, I made sure to focus on that. Luckily, I still had time for other books, too!
The Hunger Games movies are an excellent adaptation of the books, and since I started with the movies first, I’ll always love them. For the books, I love them for their smaller details and characterization. For the movies, I love them for seeing perspectives outside of Katniss and the prominence of Effie over Katniss’s stylists.
For once, there’s too much to discuss in these five Hunger Games books for me to remain spoiler-free (plus, to be fair, the trilogy has been out for like fifteen years). While I try my best with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Sunrise on the Reaping, since they were the most recent, expect minor spoilers for both the books and movies.
For the rest of my reviews, though, they’ll be spoiler-free.
8. The B-Rank Adventurer with a Scary Face Becomes a Father for the Hero and His Friends Volume 1 by Cogeme, Enji (original story), and Kazuhiro Hara (artist)
Publishing September 9, 2025
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Isekai, Adventure, Drama, Comedy, Manga
Summary: Gray, the B-rank adventurer, was a background character (or suspected villain?) in the RPG known as Bright Fantasy, or at least that’s what he thought. After saving orphans from being attacked by goons, he resolves to provide for them as a father. But one of the orphans is Iska, the other world’s future hero, and his choice will greatly change its destiny.
Even though this manga is rated higher than some of the books below it, I always find myself loving books more than manga or graphic novels. Still, I adored this story. Gray is an endearing character with a violent streak and warm heart. The story felt well-paced, especially for someone that often finds manga stories go too fast. It also left little sprinkles of mystery throughout the story. What happened in Gary’s old life? Who are the kids? Check out my full review of this manga here.
7. Warriors: Super Edition #18: StormClan’s Folly by Erin Hunter
Published August 26, 2025
Rating: 3.5-3.75 stars
Genres: Fantasy, Cats, Children’s
Summary: Stripestar, leader of ThunderClan, and Galestar, leader of WindClan experience a tragic accident between their Clans. When Galestar comes to Stripestar with an offer of allyship, they remember their early friendship as apprentices. As their connection grows, they bring their Clans to form StormClan together and a journey out of the territory rolls forward. As Galestar and Stripestar struggle to lead together, their Clan faces hardship and tragedy. Is their love strong enough to keep everything together?
This one was complicated to rate and rank. As a Warriors super fan, it’s difficult for me to rate one of the series books so low. Yet, even though I originally had high hopes for this Super Edition due to the preview chapters, it was a big disappointment. It lacks the careful storytelling of early Super Editions, jumping around important scenes instead of spending time with the characters. It merely reaffirmed my distaste for the StormClan plotline, too, with how disastrous everything ended up. Plus, the main characters weren’t even particularly likable or enjoyable to read about. I only enjoyed this book at the very end, with the wildcats and the conclusion of Galestar and Stripestar’s arcs. Check out my full, in-depth, spoiler filled review of StormClan’s Folly here.
6. I’m Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin
Published September 24, 2024
Rating: 4 stars
Genres: Science Fiction, Humor, Mystery
Summary: Outside of Los Angeles, a driver comes across a woman sitting on a large black box. She offers up $200,000 in cash to have him transport her and the box secretly across the country to her client in Washington, D.C. What follows is an explosive of internet anxiety and conspiracy, the two of them hunted as the box is theorized to be part of a large terrorist attack. The truth is stranger and simpler than it seems, but they won’t know until their paths cross many others and they finally make it to D.C.
This was my first Jason Pargin book, borrowed from my wife who loves his John Dies series. Originally, all the character chapter swaps were confusing, but the way they flowed in the story later made perfect sense. Black Box of Doom is breadcrumbs trailed to an ending, so readers have to be patient. All of the characters are flawed to hell and back. I disagreed with their lives and viewpoints and so much about them. Frankly, I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish it because they’re so hard to swallow. But I stayed on for the humor and sheer ridiculousness. I just had to know what was in that box. The social media outbursts and the easily spread rumors (when the truth is actually simple) were so realistic to our time. I left it at 4 stars mainly because of the slow beginning and my dislike of the (in my mind) irredeemable characters, but it was very human at its core.
5. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Published May 19, 2020
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary: This prequel of The Hunger Games follows eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow, future President of Panem, during the tenth Hunger Games. For the first time, mentors are introduced, picked from Academy students. Snow’s family has fallen on hard times, looking to him to excel in this new program and buy his way into the University. The odds, of course, are not in his favor, as he is given the biggest long shot of the games, Lucy Gray Baird of District 12. Yet, from the moment they meet their fates are interlocked. How Lucy Gray operates in the Games matters almost as much as Coriolanus operates outside of them. As his heart opens to her, he must decide what he’s willing to do for both of them to survive.
This book might’ve been better if I didn’t know everything that was going to happen. Like the original trilogy, I saw the movie first, which means nothing was a surprise. While I think this addition to the series was needed and made insane connections, it was also the longest and felt like it had the most lulls. It was enlightening to see the inner thoughts of Snow at that young an age, to understand how he continued to be corrupted by his ambitions and viewpoints. Those moments were certainly stronger than the movie version, to know what Coriolanus was thinking. The least interesting part was honestly the Games itself, since readers don’t really see what happens. I can understand why the movie altered it so much. So, at the end of the day, I think this was a necessary read, but not necessarily something I’d pick up again.
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Published September 14, 2008
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary: North America fell into ruin and disarray, rising as Panem, with its shining Capitol and twelve districts. After a failed rebellion years and years ago, the cruel Capitol forces one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve to eighteen from each district to the yearly Hunger Games. Only one can win in this televised fight to the death. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen takes her sister’s place in the games, knowing she’s as good as dead. Yet, somehow, she’s found herself as a possible victor. Survival, desperation, and love mingle in this horribly corrupt game.
The book that started it all: The obsession with dystopian fiction, girls wanting to practice archery, Gale v.s. Peeta, you name it. While I still wish I was in the thick of it at the time, I have an appreciation for reading it now as a twenty-six year old who absorbed the movies multiple times over. I frankly think the movie for The Hunger Games was the most accurate adaptation, other than the general mood. I found the book more somber and devastating, and frankly, I didn’t like Katniss as much in the first book. She was portrayed realistically as a teenage girl trying to survive and save others at the same time, but I did find it dragging a bit. This is where I first realized how much more advanced the technology of Panem is in comparison to the movies, too. It gave it a further-from-real-world feeling that I liked. Some little details were cut from the movie of course, like the past game arenas being preserved for tourism. Even though I tend to put the first book of a series as my favorite, so much more happens in book two and three that I shifted book one down.
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Published August 24, 2010
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary: The rebellion is real and Katniss Everdeen is still alive. Gale and her family are safe, even with District 12 destroyed. District 13 lives and breathes, having planned her Mockingjay birth for a while now. Except, Peeta is a Capitol captive and Katniss is shattered. She’s been a pawn for a long time without her knowledge, of the Capitol and the rebellion. Everything rests on her being the symbol the rebellion needs to overthrow the Capitol, while she continues to get beaten down physically and mentally.
The Hungers Games very likely would’ve beat Mockingjay out for this position (realistically, they’re tied) if not for the tragedy of reading this book’s deaths on page. The quickness of the deaths made them so much stronger to me, drilling in the fast-pace of war. The deterioration of Katniss, coupled with Peeta’s damage, was heart-wrenching. Although I knew the the plot-twist with Prim, President Coin, and the rebellion itself, it was refreshing to read it. I was admittedly still a bit lost when it got to the different battles Katniss partook in, especially the Capitol’s, but that was no different from how I experienced it with the movies. My favorite portions of this book were the smaller moments Katniss had with Finnick and Johanna, mirroring those that were in the other two books with Peeta. The continuation factor of Collins’ writing, how she connects everything, will never cease to amaze me.
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Published September 1, 2009
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary: Katniss Everdeen won the 74th Hunger Games alongside her fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark. She should be relieved, with her winnings and safety, yet unrest settles around her and continues to grow. Her best friend Gale is at an icy distance while Peeta has shut her out. The Victory Tour is here, however, and Katniss must convince all of Panem and the leader President Snow that she is irrevocably in love with Peeta. As the tension and possible rebellion rises in the districts, Katniss has to continue to play the game she thought she escaped.
My favorite of the original trilogy, I was drawn into Catching Fire more than I expected. The tension of Katniss trying to make everything right, followed by the devastation that was the Quarter Quell made this book the most action and character packed for me. It included a lot of my favorite background characters, however brief their appearances, with all the previous victors. I found the 75th Hunger Games themselves more interesting over Katniss’s original one, simply because of how clever and challenging they were in comparison. Seeing Katniss interact with more people was also a huge plus, considering how closed off she was in the first book (and the third, mostly). Reading about Katniss and Peeta rekindling their relationship, before his capture in Mockingjay, was nice as well. Weirdly enough, I felt like the most was cut or changed in the movie adaptation of Catching Fire. Small details like how Katniss first got an inkling of District 13 make sense to have removed from the movie, but I liked them being included in the book.
1. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Published March 18, 2025
Rating: 5 stars
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary: The second Quarter Quell, the fiftieth Hunger Games, begins with a terrible twist: twice as many tributes. With four children from twelve districts, the suffering is elevated. Haymitch Abernathy is doing his best to get through the day and back to his girl. When his name is called, he’s torn from everyone he love and shuttled to the Capitol alongside three others from District 12. Haymitch has been set up to fail, but he wants to make it count beyond the Games.
I had no idea I’d find myself so drawn to Haymitch’s story, at least not enough that I would love it more than Catching Fire. Partially, my love for it might come from the fact that it was all new information to me, since Sunrise on the Reaping isn’t a movie yet. It wasn’t only that, though. The book is paced excellently, with no lulls and action packed in every chapter. The desperation for survival and the brutality of the deaths had my heart in my stomach the whole time. Dare I say this book had both the most brutal death and the most dehumanizing one in the entire series. I already knew I loved Haymitch, but this gives me a wider appreciation and understanding of him as a character. It also filled in gaps for some of my favorite background characters from Catching Fire. Again, Collins pulls in details from all of the books, weaving the story together like Maysilee made necklaces. The epilogue pulling from Mockingjay’s epilogue included some of my favorite details.
Check out my other monthly wrap-ups: January, February, March, April, May, June, July
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