Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins | book review

 

The newest hunger games book about Haymitch Abernathy + book review 

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins  

| writing through life one step at a time | 

Hello lovelies! The Hunger Games series has been a favorite of mine since I first started to read the books at 8. Would I recommend an 8 year old to read these books? Never! Lol! I didn’t actually finish reading the first book until I was like 10 but even then I think I was very young to read these books. As I read them so young, (I started reading this series when the movie Catching Fire came out), it is a childhood read and comfort book. I know how odd that sounds for The Hunger Games to be a comfort series but it is. I’ve read at least one of the books every year since first reading. Katniss Everdeen was the first fictional character I ever related to and that will always hold a special place in my heart. 

I’ve LOVED the prequels Suzanne Collins wrote. I appreciate her writing and the themes, depth, questions, and layers she has in her books that continue to amaze me and pull me in time and time again. Young 10 year old me would be shocked to hear that Sunrise on the Reaping is my favorite from the series! 

So, let’s get to the review! If you want to know how I rate books, it is at the bottom of the review! 

What Is The Book About?   

When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena. 

READ ALL SPOILERS ON GOODREADS : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6587525414

The Review 

Rating: ★★★★★

Cleanness: ★★

Age: young adult 

Have you ever read a book and loved it so much you instantly want to reread it? 

That is what Sunrise on the Reaping felt like to me. If I could give a book six stars, this would be one of mine. It was such a tragic and thoughtful book. It had so many surprises and plot twists that I never saw coming. Honestly, surprisingly, I think this is my favorite from the series. Shocker, I know. 

THIS BOOK! This book had me at the edge of my seat. There were SO many plot twists. I thought I knew how Haymitch’s games would go but it was so much bigger, shocking and tragic than I ever could have imagined. 

I love Haymitch’s character. His story really is a tragedy. It’s absolutely heartbreaking and had me gasping and tearing up. I don’t want to spoil anything big but he is not a drinker in this book as he is in the Hunger Games as you see why he becomes one. It’s so tragic and heartbreaking. He has a lot of similarities to Katniss and who she is. You even get to see why Haymitch calls Katniss “sweetheart.” [SPOILER: The epilogue was the best! After all the pain and heartbreak reading the books, that was like a hopeful balm. Katniss and Peeta are my favorite and it was so sweet getting to see them again and how they brought Haymitch goose eggs to hatch for Lenore Dove! My heart! END SPOILER] 

Maysilee Donners was a surprising favorite. I loved her class and how she fought back and was stubborn. I loved that she didn’t let the Capitol treat her like an animal. 

Lenore Dove was such a wonderful character and perfect for Haymitch. I love that she is a Covey and taught Haymitch songs. Their relationship was precious. I love how she was both sweet and brave, kind and rebellious. It’s sweet she is a goose girl. 

I love how all the characters felt so real. You really cared about all of them. I think this had the most heartbreaking deaths from the actual hunger games. You really get to know all of the tributes and it’s heartbreaking (spoiler) seeing them all die. 

I also think that this book had the most gruesome deaths that I’ve read in a book. It’s on par to the movie The King (2019) which is very brutal if you’ve ever watched that. It is a bit much for me but I still think the story is well done. It is just a bit older in tone than the previous books. 

One of my favorite parts was getting to meet different characters from the other books. You get to meet Katniss’ parents and so many others! There are so many connections and questions that are answered and fan theories that are becoming canon. It was so fun to read! 

Something I really loved was how Suzanne Collins wove in “The Raven” poem by Edgar Allen Poe. The last chapter was the saddest and most beautiful chapter with the weaving of this poem with the loss and grief of all that took place. Having gone through loss and grief, there was something lovely and hard about reading it. 

“For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Nameless here for evermore.” 

TO READ THE SPOILERS GO TO GOODREADS =

Though this is not technically in the book content (it’s in the acknowledgments) I wanted to share this quote because it was the hopeful message of the book. Even through the tragedy and heartbreak there is hope. 

“The snow may fall, but the sun also rises.”

Content: 

Romance & nudity - some long kisses between lovebirds. the teens & kids are stripped naked and washed down (one of the boys shows his privates to the other boys). a man is said to like a fella and “love differently” and nothing more. 

Language - hang it, jacka** 

Violence/frightening and intense scenes (some spoilers ahead) - it is the hunger games where children (12-18) fight each other to the death. a boy is shot in the head and others are injured. a kid is changed to be someone else through surgery and brainwashing.  a girl gets a head injury and dies instantly with a boy holding her and running with her. another girl dies and is carried by a boy. Lots of fighting and brutal kills (slit throats, bloody beheadings, intestines spilling out). A boy is eaten alive by mutts. This isn’t every death but an overview of what you will read in the book. It’s very bloody and intense to show you this is wrong and evil. 

Rating System & Age Groups   

Something new I want to start sharing on my book reviews are age ratings (meaning: who I think the book is targeted for and is appropriate for) and how I rate my books. Here is my system along with age ratings. 

Star Rating 

★★★★★

LOVE FOREVER! Clean & will forever recommend it!

★★★★ 

Amazing but I had issues (not as clean, something didn’t click, etc) 

★★★

It’s okay. I don’t hate it. I don’t love it. (Multiple clean warnings, somethings just didn’t click, etc) 

★★

Just no. Will never recommend it (many clean warnings, could barely get through the book, etc)

★

dead to me / a completely waste of time that I will never get back

Age Rating 

• Children’s Books (0-12 years old) | perfect for read aloud time and are easier for younger readers to read themselves. 

• Example: The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. The Green Ember by S.D. Smith. 

• Middle Grade (8-12 years old) | chapter books for kids who are growing up and probably love adventures but aren’t yet ready for “teen” books. 

• Example: Wonder by R.J. Palacio. The Different World by B.W. Luby. 

• Teen (12-16 years old) | novels usually about teenagers that begin to deal with more mature content but are still “kid friendly”. If a middle grader was to pick this up it would be fine. 

• Example: Dust by Kara Swanson. The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson. 

• YA “young adult” (16-18 years old) | a young adult who is not fully ready for adult books and still reads books about teenage characters. I use this and teen pretty interchangeably the only distinction being teen for more sensitive readers and YA for those who can take on a bit more mature/tough themes. 

• Example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Romanov by Nadine Brandes. 

• NA “new adult” (18-29 years old) | basically YA but with characters in their twenties. Can be read by a young adult audience with no problems. 

• Example: The Redwyn Chronicles by Madisyn Carlin.

• Adult (18+ more mature) | these are books that have more adult content and I probably wouldn’t recommend them to children or young teens. These could have a bit more content in them or they talk on subjects more abstract or for the adult mind to understand and sometimes debate with. 

• Example: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Perelandra by C.S. Lewis. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Thank You For Reading   

  
  

  Thank you for being here and for being a part of my life! I hope you are all having a wonderful rest of your day! I’ll see you in the next one!

  
  

  Love, Moriyah