When I heard this popular trilogy of young adult books was being labeled as the next Twilight, I just assumed it was going to be something that just wasn't for me. I knew they were planning a movie series because the books were so popular but the hype put me off a bit. 
 What changed my mind? Well, the premise of the book always intrigued me. It also helped that some people who I actually respect were recommending the book. It seemed the Twilight comparison had more to do with the popularity level than the quality of the material. 
 I'm glad I dove in to this one. Only $5 on my Kindle, which was nice. The Hunger Games is definitely riveting and a page turner. However, this also featured some sharp writing and really good characters. Collins takes a great premise and molds it well into a great story. It's kind of embarassing how much I liked this book. 
 What really set it apart was what it left me thinking about afterwards: the sad, reality TV culture we live in today as well as our obsession with violence.