With The Hunger Games movie looming on the horizon, we have gathered our forces, our intelligence and created a list.  A list to help us, the housewives of America,  find our inner-strength. Our inner- Katniss, so to speak. Something to help us pass the time while we’re  waiting *twiddles thumbs*  for this movie to finally be released – like attempting to sleep in the tree while evil kids, er, we mean tributes, wait underneath.

Tips on how to spend the day before watching The Hunger Games movie, for housewives:

**Prepare a mid-day meal of bread smeared with goat cheese and water. Throw some berries on for a garnish, just make sure they are not the poisonous kind from your backyard. (And by goat cheese we mean Feta and by water we mean wine.)

**Nothing says Katniss better than a single braid. So, pull back the hair and let your fingers create a simple plait that is sure to turn heads. It’s easier than copying Effie Trinket’s hairstyle.

**Put Kid Cudi, “The Ruler & The Killer”s on while you scrub the toilets and pick Cheeto crumbs off the floor while wearing a dish towel around your head like a hungry fighter.  You may or may not eat one of the Cheetos off the floor.

**Grab your son’s toy bow and arrow set and climb the tallest tree in the yard and try your hand at a little squirrel hunting. Hey, you never know you may catch one. If so, here’s a recipe to knock-your family’s socks off at dinner.

**For a confidence boost repeat this line from the book over and over while looking in the mirror, “I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.”  Stuart Smalley would be proud.

**Bond with your daughter over a Team Peeta or Team Gale discussion and if she doesn’t submit to your team, then threaten her with a reaping and no texting.

**Assign parts and role play with your family. We suggest your mother-in-law as President Snow.

**While in the carpool line pine over Entertainment Weekly’s THG issue. Drool over Josh, Liam and Lenny.  I think we can safely leave Woody & Donald off that list. *shudder*

**For those with a wayward child, tell them that if they don’t unload the dishwasher, you’ll send him to District 12 to be a tribute.

**Listen to “Eyes Wide Open” by Taylor Swift on loop as you struggle to keep your eyes open until the midnight premier.  Hey, midnight is waaaay past our bedtime.

**Prepare thy purse well. Load it up with candy, gum but most importantly kleenex. We recommend two boxes. You know, for that scene…*sniff sniff*

**Oh, and make sure to pack plenty of those little silver parachutes.  You can toss Milk Duds to your friends in the front of the theater or a kleenex…for that scene.

**For those with small children, hug them tightly before heading out for a night of fun with friends.

**For those with older children, cackle at them cheerfully as you abandon them for a night of fun with friends.

We also talk casting for Beautiful Creatures, the Mortal Instruments saga and our 2013 must-see, The Host.

*as always, you can find us on itunes*

featured songs include: Hunger Bells, Carol of the Wolves, Damon the Hottie Vampire, Girl with Dragon Tattoo and Oh, Sookie Dear

*We’re sorry, but we couldn’t hold this in any longer … What’s up with Peeta’s hair?? Is it just us, or does it look forced and unnatural? Are we experiencing another “bad wig” moment a la Jacob? (yes, we do realize Josh Hutcherson is not wearing a wig, that makes it even more disturbing.)

Songs include: Carol of the Wolves, Hunger Bells, Damon the Hottie Vampire, Cassia was Matched, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Oh Sookie Dear, Oh Sookie Dear

We hope y’all have a very Merry Christmas!!!

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

Well, guess what was confessed in the Sunday New York Times ?  We are not alone! We have been shouting our YA love for years now and we find out, in addition to the hundreds of other beloved blogs out there, that several in the entertainment business agree with us.  It’s kinda funny.  I feel like we are friends now.  We have a ”little” club for those who are not still in high school who can scream about Katniss, yearn for the love of Grace and Sam, be friends with Simon, wonder what is to happen to Patch, and experience difficult times that maybe we wouldn’t have taken so much to heart if we were still in high school – Speak and Compromised anyone?

I feel that kids these days are just so bright!  Maybe if I had these books to love when I was younger, I would think I had been smart too!  I love Nancy Drew and
Babysitters Club but they don’t compare to The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments Series, The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy where we learn a bit of German poetry. 
Or even Compromised where we learn about homeless kids.  Doesn’t that hit home now that we have kids of our own?  And who doesn’t enjoy a little love from a sexy vampire (or werewolf) to innocently dream about?

Now I am not saying that there isn’t a place for adult books anymore.  Some of my favorite books this summer have been adult books.  Stay by Allie Larkin and The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen struck my heart and made me yearn for more. How long has The Help been on the best sellers list?  I’m saying that YA fiction makes me happy.  It makes all of us happy.  So, yeah, we’ll stick with it and besides, some women share clothes with their high school kids, we will just share books – and have something to talk about.

See you in the STACKS!
Shannan - who is darn stinkin excited about MOCKINGJAY!

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.