The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

I was really excited to read this, and I even pre-ordered it…and then it sat on my shelf like oh so many books do! I finally picked it up and read it, and I’m glad I did. I appreciated reading about Snow and how he became the monster he was in the first three books. I actually really enjoyed his story…for 2/3 of the book. I lost a lot of interest in the final 1/3, and I know it was necessary, but I think it could have been significantly shorter.

The first two sections of the book focus on how Snow ends up being a mentor of someone in the games, and how they become attached to each other. I really became invested in that entire storyline. However, the final section of the story follows Snow in the aftermath of the Games, and it just dragged for me. I wasn’t really interested, and it took forever to get through it.

I would still recommend this for readers who enjoyed The Hunger Games. You’ll get some great new insights into Snow, and you’ll get to experience another game.

Where to Find This Book:

Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Goodreads
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It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute… and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

Just the Facts:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Genre: Dystopian
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pub Date: May 19, 2020