swampbooks's Updates en-US Mon, 12 May 2025 18:39:39 -0700 60 swampbooks's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9418235429 Mon, 12 May 2025 18:39:39 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks started reading 'The Shadow of the Gods']]> /review/show/4394294774 The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne swampbooks started reading The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
]]> Review7525007297 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:49:20 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks added 'Mockingjay']]> /review/show/7525007297 Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins swampbooks gave 5 stars to Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins
This book is truly just one heartbreak after another. If you aren’t sobbing by the end then idk if you read it right ]]> Review7514499600 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 20:21:23 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks added 'Catching Fire']]> /review/show/7514499600 Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins swampbooks gave 5 stars to Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins
I absolutely love watching Katniss transform from a kid trying to survive to a revolutionary. Her being manipulated into the role of mockingjay was heartbreaking. She didn’t just fall into the role, she was built into without realizing it was happening.

One thing I really admire about Katniss is her ability to recognize her own flaws and do what she can to remedy them. She is not perfect and she doesn’t ever pretend to be, but she is still driven towards self improvement.

The events she has gone through has changed her completely from the person she was in the first book. She started this series as only being interested in saving herself and protecting those immediately around her, but now she is thinking bigger than herself. She wanted a revolution, she just didn’t anticipate being the face of it. ]]> Review7499083287 Wed, 23 Apr 2025 14:54:26 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks added 'The Hunger Games']]> /review/show/7499083287 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins swampbooks gave 5 stars to The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins
It’s been well over 10 years since I last read this book. The possibility of not liking it anymore scared me, but turns out that fear was unnecessary because this shit still slaps! ]]> ReadStatus9327704188 Sat, 19 Apr 2025 12:45:57 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks wants to read 'Paladin's Grace']]> /review/show/7501615483 Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher swampbooks wants to read Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher
]]> ReadStatus9324023289 Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:17:23 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks is currently reading 'The Hunger Games']]> /review/show/7499083287 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins swampbooks is currently reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
]]> Review7444097298 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:11:00 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks added 'Sunrise on the Reaping']]> /review/show/7444097298 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins swampbooks gave 5 stars to Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5) by Suzanne Collins
4.5 Stars

Sunrise on the Reaping genuinely broke my heart and I think it is a great installment of The Hunger Games. It wasn’t quite an inferno like the original book, but it was certainly a spark.

I don’t have any long think pieces about it like I did with A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but I think that’s just because I’m too damn sad now to conjure up anything meaningful to say.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read the trilogy, so I’m excited to pick it up again and see Haymitch (and Snow!) in a new light. ]]> Rating846315779 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:47:46 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks liked a review]]> /
swampbooks liked akacya �'s review of The Fallow Year (Little Thieves, #2.5):
The Fallow Year by Margaret Owen
"2025 reads: 34/300

buddy read with aaku!

this novella takes place in the time between painted devils and holy terrors. as i have not yet read holy terrors, i’m not sure whether this is required to read before that book; however, this made me even more excited for that book, and i think it’s a good warm-up to prepare to read holy terrors!

as i read painted devils almost exactly two years ago, i had forgotten exactly how we ended things in that book. so, i was in for a delightful surprise with the levels of angst in each of these stories! as i went through this novella, i left many, many comments on my storygraph buddy read, and they all pretty much boil down to “i want to rip my hair out� and “margaret owen is trying to kill me.� (and i was well within my rights to say that!) anyway, i am soooo excited to see where holy terrors takes these kids. i need to speed through my other arcs to get to it sooner!"
]]> ReadStatus9292124058 Wed, 09 Apr 2025 22:19:10 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks started reading 'Sunrise on the Reaping']]> /review/show/7444097298 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins swampbooks started reading Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
]]> Review3238222260 Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:04:12 -0700 <![CDATA[swampbooks added 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes']]> /review/show/3238222260 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins swampbooks gave 4 stars to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0) by Suzanne Collins
bookshelves: owned-books
First read (Feb 2021):

4.5 but I’ll give it a 5 because The Hunger Games holds a special place in my heart 😘

Idk why people didn’t like this book bc it was incredibly compelling for me. Maybe it’s because it’s been years since I read the original trilogy and cant compare the writings, but on its own the story of Coryo’s life was fascinating. I loved learning about his painful youth, his maniacal professors, his unusual romance, and how it all shaped him into being... well, evil. So many stories are of people overcoming their obstacles and coming out a better person, but Snow let everything warp him until his rage and confusion at the world was all that was left of him.

The original Hunger Games trilogy first told me of Snow’s narcissism and need for power. A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes showed me the horror of his mind firsthand. Sure, he had a tough childhood. He had to work hard to stave off hunger and figure out a way to afford his future, but WOW. You start to feel bad for the poor kid but then he goes on talking about how he can use someone’s death to his advantage.

He is so overly paranoid about everything, thinking that everyone is out to get him at all times. Perhaps PTSD? Or he’s just literally a psychopath. He does not feel guilt, he only feels the fear of being dishonored or embarrassed. He’s a complete narcissist.

My biggest gripe with the story is how fast his plans changed at the end. His views on, well, everything were flipped in the last couple of chapters. It wasn't a slow and dramatic downfall, it was a car crash that you couldn't look away from.

[spoilers removed]

Second read(April 2025):

“He’d loved the unfamiliar sense of safety that their defeat had brought. The security that could only come with power. The ability to control things. Yes, that was what he’d loved best of all.�

This is not a love story. There are no heroes here. There is a boy with a tragic past who has an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. His thoughts are confused, but the angel is gaining ground. He’s beginning to see the truth of the yearly tragedy put before him. He’s understanding the world a bit differently. But then his life is shattered once again, he clutches to a lifeline that was never really there, and he kills the angel on his shoulder. His grip on reality disappears, along with his temporary lifeline, and the devil welcomes him home with open arms.

Coriolanus struggles with possessive behavior and a desperation for safety. He’s terrified of chaos and the unknown. He highly values a controlled environment where he can easily assess and eliminate threats. All of these emotions are already making life difficult, and then he gets a concussion. He gets it treated. A week he gets another head injury, which he notes at likely another concussion, but doesn’t bother getting it checked out. His existing line of thinking and what is probably untreated brain trauma mix into an unfortunate concoction of deep paranoia and anxiety.

It’s honestly a heartbreaking story. I think people often forget that you can feel bad for the kid and still hate the monster they grew up to be.

Collins does seem to shove a bunch of connections to the main trilogy in at the end, like she forgot she was supposed to be tying them in throughout the story. It’s a bit obvious. Also the book might be a tad bit longer than it needs to be. Other than that I still loved it; this was my second read! ]]>