Review of CATCHING FIRE: Movie Tie-In Edition by Suzanne Collins

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

For seventy-three years the Capitol of the nation of Panem held The Hunger Games, a violent fight to the death between the teenaged tributes from each of Panem’s twelve districts, as a reminder to never attempt to rise up against the merciless Capitol again. For each of the seventy-three Hunger Games, there has been only one victor. Until Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, in act of defiance against the Capitol, forced the Gamemakers to choose both of them as the victors. Now Katniss must convince the world that her act of defiance in the Games was driven by love for Peeta, or risk being the catalyst of rebellion against the Capitol. Everyone she loves is in danger. And with the punishment of participating in another Hunger Games with Peeta where only one can walk out alive looming over her, she must decide what is more important: surviving to fight the Capitol or keeping Peeta alive.

Suzanne Collins painted a world that revealed the darkest aspects of the hearts of humanity in THE HUNGER GAMES. In CATCHING FIRE, Collins continues Katniss’ story with the aftermath of Katniss’ decisions in the previous book, taking us deeper into a government system built on power, oppression and senseless killing, as well as deeper into the mind of a girl pushed beyond her limits with the fate of a nation and those she loves most resting on her shoulders.

I loved the first book. Not because of the senseless bloodbath that it depicts, but because it reflected a world desperately in need of redemption, and Katniss struggles, in a sense, to be a light in the darkness. I loved the second book even more. As the story progresses, it begins to feel like Peeta is the real hero of this story as he pours all of his energy into protecting Katniss even though she doesn’t know how she feels about him. It’s an incredible picture of unconditional love.

Collins does an incredible job of raising the stakes for the players involved. With the end of THE HUNGER GAMES, I wondered in what direction this story could go next and if it would be as captivating. CATCHING FIRE feels like you’ve been strapped in for a relentless gut-wrenching thrill ride where you’re desperately hoping the horror of it all can somehow be undone.

The villain becomes more present within the story in CATCHING FIRE as we’re given a closer look at the mysterious President Snow. The man is powerful, knows it, and will mercilessly destroy anyone who threatens that power. Collins gives a chilling description of a man who wears an aroma that is a mixture of roses and blood on his breath.

Nearly every chapter ends with somewhat of a cliffhanger, making it really hard to stop reading once you get to the end of a chapter. Once again, I loved the first-person narrative from Katniss’ perspective. Collins gives us some great descriptions of the world of Panem throughout so that imagining what it’s like is really easy. The end of the book will definitely leave wanting to get the next book and start reading immediately.

I love post-apocalyptic stories and I love trilogies. THE HUNGER GAMES Trilogy is quickly one of my favorites.

Review copy provided by Scholastic

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Review of CUT TO THE CHASE edited by Linda Venis

CUT TO THE CHASE, edited by Linda Venis, is a valuable resource that takes readers through the process of writing a screenplay for a movie. It's full of helpful information, and the best part about the book is that it's written by writers who teach at UCLA's Extension Writers' Program.

Each chapter is an essay by one of these writers that focuses on one aspect of the screenwriting process. This lends credibility because you're learning from the people who have taught some of the best film writers out there. Learn how to go from concept tp rough draft. Then learn the value of rewriting and making your story truly unforgettable. Learn about the actual mechanics of writing a screenplay and how the film business works.

I've read a lot of books on screenwriting. This one is unique in its approach.

Review copy provided by Gotham Books

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Review of INSIDE THE ROOM edited by Linda Venis

I've always loved the way some television shows have been able to tell a really great story. Shows like Lost, Smallville, Once Upon a Time, and Supernatural have been some of my favorite storytelling experiences. I've always admired the writers of these shows for their ability to build on a story week after week.

INSIDE THE ROOM, edited by Linda Venis, is a virtual film school in book form for those interested in the process of television writing. The book is broken up into chapters written by writing instructors at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. The book looks at how the process of television writing works and the specifics behind different types of television shows. It gives aspiring writers the steps to pursue to get their foot in the door as a television writer.

I really enjoy this book for its focus on television writing. I also appreciate the credibility provided by the authors who dedicated their wisdom to it.

Review copy provided by Gotham Books

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Review of PREACHING: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY by Jason Meyer

PREACHING: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY by Jason Meyer is a unique book on preaching in that it focuses on an overall biblical theology of preaching, looking at the delivery of God's Word through human authors throughout history.

I love the extended metaphor Meyer uses throughout the book of stewards and stewardship of God's Word. He expounds the different paradigm shifts of the stewardship of God's Word in the Bible. He's also concerned with showing that the Bible always ultimately points to Jesus. The Bible records the establishment and fall of many stewards. Jesus is the only one without a fall narrative. He's the hope we're depending on.

Meyer makes a great case for expository preaching, but also shows how topical preaching can be used well and faithfully. This is a great book for those who feel called to be stewards of God's Word.

Review copy provided by Crossway Books

Blog Tour Review of SINGULARITY by Steven James

In SINGULARITY, the follow-up to Steven James' thriller PLACEBO, Jevin Banks is on the hunt for someone who killed a gooe friend in the middle of a stunt. While most believe it was an accident, Jevin is convinced there is much more to it. He's soon drawn into a plot of incredible evil with a familiar foe.

Steven James is an outstanding storyteller, and I've been impressed by his ability to weave an intricate plot around concepts that had to have been thoroughly researched. This book takes a look at brain science and technology meant to help quadriplegics. The technology has been hijacked by a ruthless villain, and Jevin and his team must uncover the mystery behind what is going and stop it before it's too late.

James has a tendency to write stories that are quite gritty. This book is no exception. He paints evil in the blackest of colors.

SINGULARITY is yet another great story from Steven James, and if you enjoy it, you'll wait eagerly for whatever James comes up with next.

“Available November 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Review copy provided by Revell Books

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Review of INNOVATION'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET by Larry Osborne

INNOVATION'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET by Larry Osborne is all about uncovering the reality that innovations usually fail. This is important to know because innovators need to be ready to abandon an innovation if it's a failure to move on to another innovation. 

Osborne seeks to show leaders and innovators what to do in the midst of and after an innovation fails. The book also seeks to show some characteristics of people who are serial innovators. These are the people that are strategic and flexible, and who know where to apply themselves when it comes to innovation. The book is about how to grow as an innovator, embrace the dirty little secret of innovation, and get on the path toward your next innovation. 

The book is relatively short, which is good if you don't have a lot of time to focus on reading about innovation when you want to be doing the work of innovation.

Review copy provided by the publisher through Cross Focused Reviews

Review of CONTENT RULES by Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman

Title: Content Rules

Author: Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman

Publisher: Wiley

What It's About: Content Rules is about developing content that will engage readers, listeners, and viewers through blogs, podcasts, videos, ebooks, and more. 

What I Liked About It: The authors share why quality content development is vital to the way people engage with information in today's world. They help content developers to think through their audience and write in a way that speaks the language of those you're trying to reach. Their content rules are helpful and they're communicated in a fun way through visuals. They provide some strategic questions to work through in order to define who you are as a content developer and who it is you want to reach. After laying out the foundational elements of developing content, the authors then focus on the specific mediums you'll write for, such as blogs, ebooks, and videos. The book closes with some real-life success stories of content that has worked. This is a great book for online writers who want to write better content.

Review copy provided by Wiley