Mockingjay is the conclusion to the story of Katniss, of her survival and hope.

**Listen to our podcast here for a deeper discussion**

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I laughed, I cried, I threw the book across the room, I cursed Suzanne Collins (yes, I really did) …yea,  and I LOVED every minute of it!

Collins did a remarkable job wrapping up Katnisses’ story. She packed it with plenty of action, unexpected twists and lots of heart-felt moments that had my emotions on a constant high, like stomach in knots and feeling everything down to my marrow. I will admit I read the ending about fifty times. I needed to find peace and closure, that feeling that all is right in the world. I believe Collins delivered just that…she gave us hope.

I just have to say this…PRIM!! FINNACK! PEETA!!!! If you have read the book you will know what I mean, and if you haven’t then this means nothing! Really, it tells you nothing. Though if you haven’t then you are missing out on something epic.

I give this book 5 STACKS
Stacy

How did she do it?  How was Suzanne Collins able to capture my heart and interest for all three books? Even though I have questions and grievances about Mockingjay, I can’t deny that I loved it and that it still has me thinking about it weeks later.  Isn’t that a sign of a well written, thought provoking book?  So many life changing things happen!  I really think I should send Collins my Kleenex bill.  That being said, I don’t know any other way it could have ended so that Collins could maintain her beliefs about these characters. 

It is a brilliant book!  A brilliant, gut wrenching, horribly deadly, real disturbing view of death and what happens when we lose freedom and don’t value all lives.

I give this book 5 STACKS
Shannan

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with this book because it is SUCH a heartbreaker.  Collins writes a powerful story that is dark and deeply disturbing, yet entertaining.  I think she gets teen readers to ask questions and draw conclusions about war that would not have happened if it was a Katniss-saves-the-day type story.  Even so, it was full of action and had several twists that I did not see coming.  There were moments I held my breath, and moments I got so mad I wanted to toss the book in the trash, and moments I wanted to cry.

I had a hard time reconciling my expectations to the actual story because I really wanted that Happily-Ever-After ending, but that’s not what this book is about.  It’s about the cost of war and its effects on people.  It challenges you to look past that need for happily-ever-after and look at the bigger picture.  And at the end it may be a melancholy-ever-after, but there is hope.

I give this book 5 STACKS
Nancy

After our chat, we wondered WHAT we could possibly read next that could compare to the emotionally draining, epic finale that is Mockingjay.  Well … here’s what I am going to read next, and I cannot wait!  Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Angel!  *ta da!*  It will be released on Tuesday, August 31, and in preparation I am doing a no-reading-books cleansing purge to give me some distance from MJ and get back into the Mortal Instruments world.

So tell us – what are you going to read next?
See you in the STACKS – Nancy

**SPOILERS abound and as always you can find us on iTunes, just search girlsinthestacks.com**

Shannan, Nancy and I are anxiously awaiting Mockingjay tomorrow. I am having a hard time concentrating, and Shannan and Nancy were jumping up and down today after we dropped off the kids at school. Yea, people were looking at as funny, but who cares. We will finally have Mockingjay in our hands…YAY!!!!

For us tomorrow is almost like the anticipation of Christmas. All excited, and jumpy and eager to please. You know it’s that feeling you get right before you go to bed, knowing what the next day brings. Things like joyfulness, delightfulness, happiness and fun (hopefully no tears though) and you have to WILL yourself to sleep. Well, it’s like that. For us anyway.

So, tell us. Are you excited?

In keeping this discussion short we only discussed the important things, like love and Peeta (swoon) and Katniss…

Actually, we could have talked forever about this book. I mean a lot forever. So, while we never got around to talking about how food and hunger plays a prevalent role, or how the Capital is oppressive and only provides the citizens with enough sustenance to survive, doesn’t mean that we didn’t think that they were important. We just didn’t get around to it

Love, STACKGirl Shannan – who will put EVERYTHING on hold to read this book!!

See the countdown clock, I keep staring at it. Gah! Can’t it be August 24th already??

Until then, here is some Suzanne Collins/Mockingjay book news…

Book Trailer: Here is the offical book trailer for Mockingjay…I like the music, at least.

Kick off Party: Want to go to the official kick off party? It will be at Books of Wonder in NYC and Suzanne Collins will be there hand-stamping copies…

Mockingjay Book Tour: Here is the latest tour information I could gather…Examiner.

HG Movie News: Here is the latest movie news (of which I could find anyway), says that Billy Ray is polishing Suzanne Collins screenplay and a search for a director is underway…LA Times.

Suzanne Collins Video: This is a video I found over at Scholastic that I thought was interesting…

…and last (and really least) when I heard (should that be read?) on Twitter that Hot Topic had Hunger Games shirts, I knew I had to get one.

See you in the STACKS!
Stacy – who is proudly wearing her District 12 shirt, even though the guy in the store asked how she knew they had those shirts…what? I’m not your normal (as in age) customer who is just stopping in for my weekly browse and see the shirt and buy it?? LOL, the guy was nice.

Since this is one of the most highly anticipated books of the year Scholastic has decided not to distribute any advance copies, to prevent spoilers. I know sad and great news all at the same time. We really wanted an ARC.

Just so everyone knows, this trilogy is one of STACKGirls favorites. I would go so far as to say our most favorites. We *heart* Katsa.

Also, did you know that the film rights to The Hunger Games has been optioned and Suzanne Colline is currently writing the screenplay? I mean could book life get any better??

Hmmm, who should play Katsa? My vote is for Emma Roberts!

Excited in the STACKS with you, Stacy and Shannan