The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

From Goodreads, 

"WINNING MEANS FAME AND FORTUNE.
LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH.
THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE BEGUN. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and once girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love."

Goodreads - The Hunger Games

Awards and Nominations:

• Cybils Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2008)
• The Inky Awards Shortlist for Silver Inky (2009)
• Premio El Templo de las Mil Puertas for Mejor novela extranjera perteneciente a saga (2009)
• LovelyBooks Leserpreis for Fantasy (2009)
• LovelyBooks Leserpreis for Bestes Cover/Umschlag (2009)
• Locus Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Book (2009)
• Georgia Peach Book Award (2009)
• Buxtehuder Bulle (2009)
• Golden Duck Award for Young Adult (Hal Clement Award) (2009)
• Teen Buckeye Book Award (2009)
• Soaring Eagle Book Award (2009)
• Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award (2009)
• Florida Teens Read (2009)
• The Inky Awards for Silver Inky (2009)
• Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis for Preis der Jugendiury (2010)
• Grand Prix de I'Imaginaire Nominee for Roman jeunesse etranger (2010)
• West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA) for Older Readers (2010)
• Charlotte Award (2010)
• Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award (2010)
• Red House Children's Book Award for Older Readers & Overall (2010)
• Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award for Young Adults (2010)
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2010)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2010)
• Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2010)
• Sakura Medal for Middle School Book (2010)
• Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (2010)
• Kinderboekwinkelprijs (2010)
• Literaturpreis der Jury der jungen Leser for Jugendbuch (2010)
• Premi Protagonista Jove for Categoria 13-14 anys (2010)
• Evergreen Teen Book Award (2011)
• South Carolina Book Award for Junior and Young Adult Book (2011)
• Iowa High School Book Award (2011)
• New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Young Adult (2011)
• California Young Readers Medal for Young Adult (2011)
• Lincoln Award (2011)
• Prix Et-lisez-moi (2011)
• Missouri Gateway Readers Award (2011)
• Missouri Truman Readers Award (2011)
• Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for High School and Intermediate (2011)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (2011)
• Books I Loved Best Yearly (BILBY) Awards for Older Readers (2012)

Typing that award list was tedious!!  I didn't realize that The Hunger Games had won so many awards.  I was so excited when Suzanne Collins's new book The Balland of Songbirds and Snakes.  I was in the middle of another series when my copy arrived.  As people read it they said that it would be good to reread the original series if you didn't remember it well.  I decided to do a complete reread before starting on the prequel. 

Katniss Everdeen is just a 16-year-old girl trying to keep her family alive.  She hunts for food in the woods with her friend Gale.  The book starts on the day of the reaping.  The reaping takes place every year, and one boy and one girl must be given up as tributes.  They will then compete in a televised event called The Hunger Games where 24 tributes must fight until there is a lone victor.  Katniss ends up volunteering for her sister Prim, and must go fight to the death with Peeta, the boy from her district.

I remember being in high school when this book first came out.  I was a member of the library club.  We paid a set amount at the beginning of the year and got a book a month for the school year.  As I set down to start this book I noticed writing in the front of the book.  I had written my name on the inside cover when I got the book.  It was just interesting to think back to the first time I got this book and read it.  I remember absolutely loving this book in high school.  It was no different during this reread.  For this review though I'm going to share my thoughts on the book versus the movie.  I watched the movie shortly after finishing the book and noticed a ton of things that were different.  First off, I hate that Madge and Katniss's prep team were omitted from the movie.  While Madge didn't play a large role in the book, she did give Katniss her Mockingjay pin.  I really wish that Madge would have been in the movie.  It was a minor detail that was changed to show more of a loving side to Katniss as she originally gave the pin to her sister.  Her prep team was also a huge part of getting her ready and they really helped guide her and Peeta.  The movie kept Cinna, but the rest were never mentioned in name and their role with Katniss was left out. 

There were also a lot of moments that were quite cringy in the movie, but they weren't in the book.  For example, all the times that Katniss kissed and snuggled up to Peeta in the movie were very forced and awkward.  Peeta was genuinely in love with Katniss, but Katniss was focused on surviving.  She had to force herself to put on a show for everyone to get the help they needed.  The book made it seem forced at first, but it slowly relaxed into normalcy between them.  The movie was forced, but it never relaxed.  Katniss was a very flat emotionless character throughout the movie.  I just cringed every time she had to fake kiss him.  

My last minor thing was how everything ended for Peeta.  In the book, we find out that Peeta lost his leg due to the injury from the fight at the end of the games.  He has a prosthetic and walks with a limp.  In the movie, this never happened.  I feel like this is going to play a role in the books moving forward, but that it will continue to be omitted from the movies.  It has been a while since I read or watched this series, so I don't remember if this plays a role.  Either way, this was a detail that should not have been omitted. 

I forgot how much I enjoyed this book.  I'm always a "the book is better than the movie" person.  I feel like when I first read and then watched the movie I was really impressed with the movie.  But upon a reread and rewatch, I find the book ten times better than the movie.  I considered reading all the books and then watching the movies, but I like doing it piece by piece so I can compare everything while it is fresh on my mind.  I give this book 5 stars.  It is a great adventure and survival book with a strong female main character.