Sunrise on the Reaping: A Hunger Games Novel | 
pickFor me, this wasn't as amazing as the 'Hunger Games' trilogy or 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes'. However, I did really enjoy it - it was heartbreaking to read Haymitch's story and discover everything he suffered. This is definitely one of my all time fave series.
pickFollows the formula of the first 2 books: reaping, training, the games, the aftermath. It was excellent
💔😭💔😭💔
pickMy husband's out of town, so I decided to spend my Friday evening reading this book for 7 hours straight and making myself miserable 😂😭 It was like being transported back to Christmas 2008, when I was 14 and had just received The Hunger Games as a gift from my dad, and I stayed up all night devouring it. Much more so than the other prequel, this one enthralled me and broke my heart.
My #readingbracket2025 as of April 2025. Sunrise on the Reaping told Haymitch's story the way I knew it had to go for him to cope the way he does as an adult victor. But then Collins took it up 10 notches and absolutely decimated my heart with the other tributes' stories/deaths, the spotlight on the insidious nature of propaganda, a small glimpse of what it takes to start a revolution, and the reality of how long it can take to effect change.
pickThis is a gut punch of a read. If you read the original trilogy or saw the movies, you know this is going to be tragic. However, the author still gives us hope@and keeps us reading and then crushes you to itty bitty pieces. Still an excellent read, but now I need to go rewatch/reread the original so I know it is not all for nothing. 4.5⭐️
pickI really liked this one. The set up to get us to the events of the original series were some of my favorite things to see.
I used this one for another Orilium prompt. This time was Inscription.
My best April book knocked out some really good books in the battle for my best book of the year. 🤩
May hopefuls.
This doesn‘t include my ebooks or audiobooks.
I had two five star reads in April so I decided to use one of my wild cards #BookBracket2025 @CSeydel
What were the best books you read in April?
This was a hard choice for April!
Finally got my hands on this one! Can‘t wait to cry hysterically!
pickGood but I didn't love it like the original trilogy. Which I now want to reread!
Time flies, it has been forever since I read the original books.
pickAs a prequel, there are certain things that won‘t come as a surprise in this book, but that doesn‘t mean they don‘t pack a punch!
Haymitch‘s hunger games was an excellent choice for its own book, and really shows how he became the man we meet in the hunger games trilogy. It was great to see some other familiar people in there too, along with Snow being as despicable as ever.
pick3.5/5 🌟
I liked it better than the last book, but it still didn‘t measure up to the original trilogy. Just okay.
pick5✨ Loving the Hunger Games Series so much that my husband had to remind me to eat. I knew I needed to pick this up. I was not disappointed. While we know the outcome of the games if you‘ve read the series it doesn‘t stop the excitement. With obvious dread as we near the end, and then it also has information of after the games that leads up to the hunger game series.
1. I‘m still thinking about the tagged book on a regular basis…
2. I‘m sad to say that I tried two Leigh Bardugo books and bailed on both. Maybe at another time…
#wondrouswednesday
pickFinished this and I really enjoyed it. I liked the small details this added as well.
pickHaymitch‘s backstory gripped me just as hard as when I read Katniss exclaim, “I volunteer as Tribute.” Loved stepping into Panem again. Seeing characters in earlier years and knowing where they end up was bittersweet. Quite a satisfying emotional rollercoaster. If Collins has more of these kinds of backstories in her pocket, I‘m here for them!
pickThis is incredibly dark for a YA book, and it is really difficult to read a dystopian at this point in history, but Haymitch's story is well told. The book is not uplifting, but it is gripping. I appreciated the Poe quotes.
pickUnlikeable though Haymitch initially was when he was first introduced in The Hunger Games, there was always an indication that there was more to him; a reason why he had become a miserable alcoholic. SOTR does a brilliant job of capturing the feel of the original books, making the reader feel for the characters, and keeping us smack dab in the thick of the battle both inside and outside of the arena.
pickBetter than the last one, but the first two are still my faves. I did like how this connected some of the dots. And it was just fun, in a sort of sick & twisted way, to return to the Gamemaker‘s world.
pickSuzanne Collins knocks it out of the park once again! It's the second quarter quell and Haymitch's infamous Hunger Games with twice the number of children reaped. It was fascinating to see how the experiences in his teens made Haymitch the man he was when Katniss met him. I also loved the focus on propoganda and questioning why people don't fight back against oppression. Timely.
pickSo good. I love Haymitch. All the characters were so fleshed out and I love the connections between this book and the original trilogy. You find out so much. And it‘s so tragic. Love this book.
pickThis. This is what I expect from a Hunger Games book. It‘s fantastic.
pickOh hamitch any of this would be enough to turn anyone to drink ! I personally loved this book I loved the slow paced start the reaping the run up to the games the friendships and comradey. Yes it is shocking and violent in places but I think a great story , loved the old characters appearing mags as mentor and the nod to Katniss at the end , a wonderful wonderful edition to brilliant series. Now don‘t mess the film up !gardens at Blenheim palace
pickA second prequel to the main trilogy, this is the story of Haymitch. And it was a good one…not just his story, but answered a lot of other questions too. I may have to re-read the main Hunger Games trilogy again now that I have this info. A lot of familiar characters show up in this one.
pick5⭐
•Now this is the character backstory I wanted, not Coriolanus Snow. This was so freaking good, even knowing, for the most part, how it ends. The journey it took to get there, the characters from past Hunger Games books, and the easter eggs of info, all made this a standout prequel.
•Jefferson White (Jimmy from Yellowstone) was super fantastic.
Can you guess what I did this cold and rainy day
Mostly been listening to the new Hunger Games prequel this weekend but I might start The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet #WeekendReads
pickSuzanne Collins gives us another revelatory, thought-provoking, tragic, and hopeful piece of Hunger Games history in this prequel starring our favorite, inebriated mentor from District 12, in his own lethal Quarter Quell, when he was 16 and in love with a daring Covey girl of his own. The insights and character origins we get are more than worth the read on their own, but young Haymitch‘s powerful examination of propaganda is even more valuable.
pickLike so many others I was worried about this one- I didn‘t like Ballad so much. So I was relieved at how good it was. Brought back the same feels as the original even though you kind of already know how this story ends. I loved being back in Panem and getting Haymitch‘s story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another very mixed week IRL of joys and otherwise but that‘s life right? This week‘s joys:
1. SOTR discussion at my favorite indie bookstore, complete with gifts and a cool tote.
2. Cory Booker and Susan Crawford.
3. Reconnecting with former coworkers at a rooftop reception.
4. Penguin resistance!
5. Shopping at the Amish market, but first breakfast! Including a big bowl of grits swimming in 🧈
#5joysfriday
Finally it's outdoor reading time. And outdoor napping for 🐕
pickSo, so depressing. It‘s weird that even though I know Haymitch survives, I still got stressed out when he was in danger. His character definitely makes more sense as not caring about anything or anyone when he lost every person he cared about. Not just friends he made at the Games, but his family was set on fire and died. And then Snow indirectly poisoned and killed his love, Lenore Dove. And such gruesome deaths for the Newcomers in the arena.
pickWrapping my head around this one, so I don't have many words. This might be the most well-written of all of them.
Continuing to break hearts, Ms. Collins. I am unwell.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There are still good people in this world. Let me tell you what happened today. I'm at CinemaCon2025 working. I am not mobile. Mainly using a wheelchair to get around. I couldn't make it to one of the studio presentations, and they just happened to give out copies of Sunrise On the Reaping to all those who attended. I was so bummed when I found out. Well, one of our long-time customers said not to worry he would hook me up. A few hours later, he⬇️
pickNot a ton of reading for a month that included spring break, but I got to marathon read the tagged book, which almost never happens anymore.
Tackle the TBR 🤓📚
What are you reading?
#boleybooks #sunriseonthereaping #suzannecollins #hungergames #bookbeast #bookbuds #letsread
pickI knew this was going to be about Haymitch, and I didn't quite know how to anticipate actually liking this story. But I appreciated that his story, until the Reaping was pretty pleasant. He wasn't tortured. He was just poor, and he had love. It made the rest so much more heartbreaking. This might actually be my favourite Hunger Games story now. #15-2025
so-so
