The Trajectory of Today’s Topics

• Hot off the press, revisiting the Districts of Panem.

• Is the Inmate worth all the hype?

• Playlist for Plight of the Familiar

• Best books of 2024 and other names for “Bookworm”

Hot Off The Press

Suzanne Collins Give Us the Story of Haymitch!

May the odds be ever in your favor. Last week, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins was released. Fans of The Hunger Games franchise lined up in droves, ready to head back into the Districts and experience the Reaping once again. I haven’t read it yet, but it was added to my TBR, and I honestly can’t wait to get into it. 

Facing the Quarter Quell. It’s the 50th annual Hunger Games. In honor of the Quarter Quell, double the tributes are ripped from their homes and thrown into the brutal fight to the death. This is the story of Haymitch Abernathy, the smart mouthed, abrasive, alcoholic mentor from The Hunger Games. When Haymitch is called, he feels his world crumble around him. Why him? What did he do to deserve such a fate? Will he give up, or will he find the will to live, and the strength to battle his fellow tributes? We know he comes out victorious, but we don’t know the soul-crushing toll it takes as evidenced by his quote. “Nobody ever wins the games. There are survivors. There’s no winners.

Early reviews are promising. So far, on Goodreads, Sunrise on the Reaping reviews have settled at a commendable 4.72 out of 5 stars. Reviewers generally hit on the devastating emotional toll Sunrise has in store for you. From what’s being said, if you need a good, old fashioned ugly cry, mixed with political intrigue, and a rich, driven story, dive into this book. But you’ve been warned. One reviewer said, “Reading Sunrise on the Reaping felt like willingly walking into a chainsaw.” EMOTIONAL DAMAGE! 

You take the good with the bad. I loved the first book in this franchise. It was new, raw, emotional, and held tight with iron manacles until the very last page. The second was good, and still held my attention, but the third felt like a propaganda laden slog. It was so political that I lost interest and had to get Audible to read it to me. Reviewers hitting that one star review are saying the same thing about the latest entry in the series. “It’s a fanfic,” a “money grab,” “it’s ghostwritten,” or a “rehash of The Hunger Games.” Being a fan of the series, I don’t see the last as a negative. *shrugs. I’m ready to be transported back to the Districts. So, are you going to jump back into the Reaping?   

The TBR Files

A Decent Thriller, But More Junk Food for the Mind

The quick rundown. Brooke Sullivan, a single mother returns to her hometown after leaving it behind ten years ago. The only job that’s available for the nurse practitioner is a position at the max-security prison. The same prison where her ex-boyfriend is currently held. The one she put there. She soon finds out she’s still not safe, she can’t trust anyone, and events from the past have not died down. 

Is it worth reading? The Inmate by Freida McFadden is a relatively short, fast-paced thriller book with a lot of twists and turns. It draws you in with the premise and good story telling. Unfortunately, Brooke seems a little naive with many of her questionable decisions, and that has a way of detracting from the story. The author attempts to throw you off with Brooke’s constant second guessing, but I figured out “who dunnit” about halfway through. McFadden had me questioning a few times, but I held fast. The final reveal did surprise me a little, but it seemed contrite and a little cliche *small eye-roll. 

Overall, The Inmate was a thrilling ride, but it wasn’t the best I’ve read. I feel like the characters could have been fleshed out a little more, and the final reveal didn’t have the gut punch impact I feel the author was going for. The Inmate was a decent read that I would recommend to casual thriller readers or those just getting into the genre, but if you're an overly critical thinker, pass on this one. Three stars, because it was a thrill, but a little magic was lost in the telling. ⭐⭐⭐

…And Then This Happened

The Next Big Thing? Musical Scores for Books

Oscar Wilde once said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…” There’s more to the quote but that’s not important right now. 😆 Checking out fellow authors’ books, one such genius intrigued me. They created a music playlist QR code that related to the story and printed it on the title page. That was such a fun idea, that this author simply had to imitate it. I can’t remember the book, else I’d give it the praise it deserves.

Plight of the Familiar has 52 chapters. They’re short so you can easily put the book down and return to the real world after a few pages. But let’s be honest, when you start, you won’t want to put it down (wink, wink). Anywho, Plight has a Spotify playlist with a song attached to each chapter. While writing it, I was thrilled to share this with the world. Right before publication, something told me to rethink that idea. 

Not all music is appropriate for all audiences. Being a kid who grew up in the 80s and 90s—and liking a lot of dark, controversial music—I realized that many of the songs might not be appropriate for a young adult audience. I have a good mix though, from Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, and David Bowie, to Godsmack, Metallica, and Volbeat. Each song was personally picked for the chapter because it fit. Some are song titles that were apt, the song had a feeling that I got while writing the chapter, or the message of the song went perfectly with what was happening. I like to think that the music helps to set the mood, like the soundtrack of a movie. If you’d like to check out the playlist, click here: Plight of the Familiar Playlist. 

What was the rest of the quote? The entire quote goes “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” One would assume that’s why most people don’t finish it. Who wants to be associated with mediocrity? Just so you know, Plight of the Familiar is anything but mediocre. I’d even say it’s totally and unequivocally middling. 😉