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Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books

Feb 7, 2019 (Updated Feb 7, 2019)  
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.5 (277 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strong female lead (0 more)
Unexpected inspiring read
I really didn't know what to expect of this novel. It seemed very much like a teen/young adult novel but I actually found myself gripped in the twists and turns of the story and unable to put the book down as a thirty-something-year-old!
I felt an instant connection to Katniss and could almost picture myself as her.
She may be young and not the biggest or strongest character but she made up for that in guts and brains.
She is a selfless young woman who put the needs of her family in front of everything else. She listened and learned and that gave her survival skills. She was smart and figured out the game and what would keep her alive.
It's refreshing to find a novel where the lead female character wasn't just a stupid and vacant girly girl but actually strong and intelligent. This is the type of role that should be featured more to inspire and motivate more women. To show you don't have to just like the material things in life and you don't need a man to get you out of a tricky situation. In fact, you end up saving the guy and are the heroine of the tale.
I can't wait to read the other two books in the series! I'm just waiting on the postman to deliver them!
  
A Darker Shade of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic
V.E. Schwab, Victoria Schwab | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.2 (19 Ratings)
Book Rating
Lila Bard (2 more)
Great Story telling
Everything Else
I want to Fight like Lila
I was introduced to V E Schwabs work in January by a friend and i pretty much read all her series in the space of a week an a half. However out of all of her books the darker shade series is my Favorite, Victoria creates an amazing world within world. Her characters are lovable and flawed than will make you love them more. Lila Bard is a fantastic Female protagonist and whilst Kell may be the lead there chemistry together is undeniable.
If you love fantasy good story telling magic mystery suspense then these books are for you!
  
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Amber Tamblyn recommended Smilla's Sense of Snow in Books (curated)

 
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Peter Hoeg | 2021
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I read this every winter. It has one of the best female protagonists I've ever read in a book. There are very few books I can think of that start out so small and unassuming and end so big and heroic. The lead character goes from being an inquisitive, quiet girl to a violent, powerful force by the end of the book, all while solving a murder that keeps unfolding new twists and turns. This book makes me feel strong. Like I could fight a bad guy on a burning barge then jump into to arctic freezing water to swim to my safety as it explodes. Which she does, in the book."

Source
  
The Vampire Affair
The Vampire Affair
Livia Reasoner | 2010 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Buffy meets Mills & Boon
Another nocturne short read from Mills & Boon (Silhouette). Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer style vampire hunters, combating some nasty vampires set on taking over the world, one business at a time.
The characters are well developed, and the plot is well written. Again I very much enjoyed reading this as a break between heavier novels.
With some naughty scenes, a sassy female and a strong male lead. Michael comes from a line of vampire hunters, with some additional strength as a buy product of a relative turned vampire, overcoming his vampiric affliction. Having lost a past love to the vampires, he was reluctant to fall for Jessie... but love overcomes all.
  
Bumblebee (2018)
Bumblebee (2018)
2018 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
It's not Michael Bay! (0 more)
Still has alot of human drama. (0 more)
Finally another view on the Transformers Universe that isnt Michael Bay.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I will give you a big heads up, I was not crazy about the idea of this movie due to Hollywood casting another female lead that is horrible unrealistic that this female that is a 10 in looks department. Michael Bay at least cast a realistic man named Shia that lets face it is no Brad Pitt. It was something normal people can relate to. Now being a gay male I found that the costar a male looked realistic and was relatable in having the crush on the 'hot' girl. No saying that they managed to sexualize it abit by showing male eye candy in boxers and the costar ripping his shirt off so I gave thaat a big thumbs up for me being the pig I am. Now moving on from the human bullshit part. The opening sequence takes place on the cybertron we all grew up to love and know. No crazy shit like the Cube is mentioned, you get an epic war scene with the majority of the original decepticons that actually look like decepticons, including soundwave and the purple guy that has one eye. I dont recall seeing megatron however, but its been awhile since I last saw it.

Anywho the movie goes on for character development for the unreal female lead which of course didnt really interest me. However there is a fierce battle between bumblebee and another decepticon and the idea of Bumblebee having a damaged voice modulator is carried over from the Michael Bay Transformers universe. Skipping forward to the introduction of the hero lead human finding bumblebee she is working on the vw beetle and she lays under the car to work on it and it looks just like when look at an transformer toy, you can see bumblebees head in the undercarriage, again freaking awesome!. So this movie made money which I am glad because I gave up on the Michael Bay transformer universe after he started slaughtering the autobots just like the Transformers Cartoon movie. So it is said we will see more from this group of writers and directors as they sort of reboot the universe and start making money again. Go see it, buy it. Snore factor of 2/10 for the stupid human parts.
  
C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone #3)
C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone #3)
Sue Grafton | 2005 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
8
8.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strong female lead (0 more)
Entertaining mystery
This is the third book in the Kinsey Millhone "Alphabet" series by Sue Grafton, and so far it's been my favourite.

This time round private investigator Kinsey Millhone's services are employed by rich kid Bobby Callahan who thinks someone is out to kill him. Bobby’s struggling to get anyone to believe him, which isn’t surprising given the accident that he believes was a murder attempt, left him with memory loss and generally not a well boy. When Bobby dies not long after hiring Kinsey, (not a spoiler honest,) she becomes more determined than ever to get to the bottom of what Bobby was involved in.

The main story was a solid mystery but it really benefited from a fun side story where we get to see the people around Kinsey’s day to day life more. Henry the sexy octogenarian landlord and Rosie the overbearing Hungarian bar owner are enjoyable recurring characters. Having a bit more going on seemed to reduce the tedious description levels that I found bogged the previous books in places helping to move this book along at a better pace.

Kinsey keeps growing on me as a character, great to have a strong female lead without large amounts of time dedicated to romantic relationships. She’s a strong independent woman, I just struggle with a character who doesn't like dogs (this is usually the sign of a psyco imho)

I will be carrying on with this series and see what Kinsey gets involved in next.
  
RM
Red Moon (Red Moon, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I don’t know what I was expecting going into this book, but it definitely wasn’t to be so impressed. I downloaded this novel on a whim but it was worth it. The reason I don’t give it 5 stars is because I wish the author had told us more about the world. Over the course of the novel, she gives us bits and pieces and it’s our job to put them together. However, I felt there was still much more she could elaborated on. For once, I actually wanted the author to write a couple paragraphs/pages discussing the history.

I can’t say I loved the characters, but, despite their faults, I still cared about them. I felt for the female lead even when I thought that the author may be pushing it with all the trails she put her through. I also appreciate the male lead. He seemed a bit slow on the uptake but we can’t expect the characters to just do what we know is best for them. Then there wouldn’t be a story. The side characters were also interesting. I found myself waiting for any progress on the female lead's sister and her love interest.

Overall, I thought it was a lovely story. I loved the world the author created and cared enough about the characters that I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it. I am very excited to read the continuation which features their son.
  
This book introduces the world to DC Fiona (Fi) Griffiths. She is by no means a normal "copper" from Wales. From the start of the book the reader is given the impression that something is just off with Fi. It's not easy to put a finger on at first. She does her job well, with the occasional jaunt outside of police procedure but yet she somehow still manages to get results. Fi is an interesting female lead without being typecast. The ending of the book is in a good place & without a doubt left me wanting to know more...see what happens to her next. I look forward to the next installment. It was a bit predictable at times but not too much so.