seen from Japan
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seen from Kazakhstan
seen from Australia
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from United States
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seen from United States
books read in 2026: hamlet by william shakespeare
What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable; in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god: the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals—and yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?
Check out my top 100 books read since my childhood that shaped me and have been standing favorites. These books are more or less in...
How many have you read?
0 (I bet you've been too busy reading other amazing things!)
1-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
91-100 (Are we the same person??)
June Reads:
New:
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson (saw on B&N banned books table; poignant and powerful) How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States - Daniel Immerwahr (the more I learn about history - specifically American history - the more I want to facepalm. but also: if Bad Bunny made you interested in Puerto Rican history ... pick this up) Wolf Girl - Leia Stone (... first of four. not sure if I'll continue.) Everyone in this Bank Is a Thief - Benjamin Stevenson (... fourth in a series and probably my least favorite so far, tbh) The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party - Daniel James Brown (Donner Party as told via the perspective of a 21yo female survivor. Ooof.) Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice - Virginia Roberts Giuffre (... a reminder that we still haven't had any more arrests from the Epstein files. Second tough read in a row)
Rereads:
Banished - Shana Granderson, A Lady Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon - Maria Grace Longbourn: Dragon Entail - Maria Grace Netherfield: Rogue Dragon - Maria Grace The Reality of Everything - Rebecca Yarros
divine rivals | rebecca ross
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
Rating: 5/5⭐
This book hardly needs an introduction as it's easily one of the most recognisable pieces of fiction to exist within the dystopian genre or books space in general. I am so annoyed with myself for having not picked this up sooner! This book surpassed all expectations and was easily my favourite read of 2025.
Quick Summary:
In the dystopian country of Panem, Katniss Everdeen is just a regular girl trying to survive in one of its poorest districts. In this harsh world, the wealthy and corrupt citizens of its Capitol, gather every year to watch the Hunger Games. This brutal televised event sees 12 children, or 'tributes' as they're referred to, compete in a fight to the death where there can be only one victor. When her younger sister is chosen to compete, Katniss, eager to take her place, is thrown into a deadly competition. She must rely on her skills and instincts in order to survive whilst the entire nation watches.
Thoughts:
Although this book (and whole trilogy) is primarily aimed at young adults, I believe readers of any age would be able to pick it up and become just as immersed. The prose is easy to read and flows so easily, making it highly engaging.
Katniss as a protagonist feels so real, authentic and complex. This made it easy for me as a reader to relate to her and as a whole, I feel, deepens the readers empathy for her struggles as well as other situations she finds herself in. I related to her as an eldest sibling myself, I felt her frustration when she described the weight of responsibility placed upon her and when she had to act and think well beyond her years. So many book protagonists rely more on telling than showing, however, Katniss Everdeen was described as smart, resourceful and resilient and was shown to embody each of these qualities. You see this in the way she singlehandedly takes care of her family before the games and in the way she carries herself during the games as well as after.
The book deals with topics such as oppression, survival, inequality and the abuse of power within a dystopian society. Through the brutal Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins explores how fear and violence are used to maintain control over the districts, while also highlighting the stark divide between the wealthy citizens of the Capitol and those living in poverty in other districts. I liked how throughout the book, Collins never lets the reader forget that it is those in power, specifically Snow, that is responsible for the suffering of these kids. The tributes themselves are never villainised, merely presented as what they are, children forced into positions far out of their control.
The characters and their relationships are complex and fleshed out. This is seen in Katniss' dynamics with her own mother and with all the so called 'authoritative figures' placed in her life such as Haymitch. Then you have the complicated relationships seen between Katiniss and Peeta or Katniss and Gale. And of course the protective and almost central dynamics Katniss has with those she feels such a need to protect and care for such as Prim and later on Rue.
Speaking of relationship dynamics, don't even get me started on the dynamic between Katniss and Peeta. If there is anything the book has convinced me as someone who watched the movies first, it's that it was ALWAYS going to be Peeta. I was never a fan of love triangles in general so I really disliked that aspect of the movies. I really enjoyed getting to see how interconnected these two have been since the start, the whole 'dandelion in the spring' scene still stays playing in my mind and I still wish they had depicted the scene with the burnt bread better in the movies. It's not just that, Peeta Mellark has got to be one of my favourite characters ever and I would've loved to see more of his flirty/charming moments incorporated into the movies (this has nothing to do with casting but with the script). I still think about that scene where Katniss finds him near the stream and the first thing he says is "You here to finish me off, sweetheart?" !!
Overall, I can't believe it has taken me years to read this book and trilogy but nonetheless I am so glad I finally did and I could not recommend it enough! For years I had often wondered about the hype of the fandom, more specifically regarding the books and now I can honestly say I GET IT.
I can't believe it's over
