The Hunger Games #2: Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in Catching Fire, the second novel of the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy. Read Chapters one and two to find out what happens next.

Genres: Dystopia, Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Adventure

26 pages, ebook

Published April 1, 2012

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.

While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.

Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part series, The Underland Chronicles. Suzanne also has a rhyming picture book illustrated by Mike Lester entitled When Charlie McButton Lost Power.

She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.

The books she is most successful for in teenage eyes are The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. These books have won several awards, including the GA Peach Award.

Reviews

[F.mbozi · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, it was the best book in the collection

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my reviews on the main versions of each book.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young catniss everdeen is still recovering from her first hunger games with here friend Peta menark. When All of a student they become the center of attention from the capital. She and Peta start going to every district to talk about their victory but when people make the mocking jay symbol and sound the guards start to execute people. Then she finds her self in her second hunger games with her friend and two nerds with an old lady. She is doing her best to survive but will her second games crush her or not.

[Lisa-Marie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy Read

I saw the first movie and was not interested until my friend started telling me about the books. After seeing the second movie, I decided I had to read them. So glad I did. A Great Read.

[sophie dunman · Rating 5 out of 5]

talk about painful. she LOVES mister peeta bread more than she realizes. she’s a lover at heart. a real lover (and a fighter).

district 12 is GONEEEEE. talk about a cliffhanger. katniss loves her family and home… i’m not on team gale either btw before anyone DARES to ask or even WONDER.

i love the people katniss wanted for her allies. that’s so girl on fire of her. she’s just so wonderful and once again the writing in this is spectacular

peeta bread and katniss’s talk by the beach… can we PLEASE talk about that? MY LIL STARCROSSED LOVERS FROM DISTRICT 12!!!!!

i also hate prez snow and how they had to go back into the arena… again. can you imagine the trauma?!

i really liked being able to see how haymitch won the games, too. very fun detail that the movie lacked (imo)

[Shirley Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

The book follows the theme of the first movie... decided to see if this was the case before buying the book. Very satisfied with the sample.

[Anneliese McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are we living in Panem! Oh my this book still hits so hard.

[Julie Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb het over nog al een lange tijd gespreid, ik zou het denk ik leuker gevonden hebben als ik het aan een stuk gelezen had. De laatste 30 paginas gebeurde er plots wel heeeel veel. Het einde ben ik nie helemaal mee mee. Maarrr wel opnieuw weer een heel goed geschreven verhaal, kben al benieuwd naar de film.

[Marlo Welshnuske · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a dystopian young adult fiction taking place 2009 written by Suzanne Collins illustrations by Tim O'brien. The book is about a young female protagonist named Katniss Everdeen and her Teammate Peter Malark who have just won the annual hunger games. The hunger games are a yearly bloodbath with two people from each district (there are twelve districts) one male and one female who have to fight to the death and only one person can come out on top, if you win the game you can never go back in, but in a turn of events for the 75th annual celebration they choose to put back all of the previous champions which creates outrage for the fighters and the fans. But this year the fighters are not having it and hatch a plan to escape during the game. This book is well written and is creative with all the characters well thought out and the map where they have to survive is genius, the ending is suspenseful and is an enjoyable book I would read again, I would recommend for people who enjoy action adventure or thriller. all and all I give this book a solid four stars.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
In the second book of the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, the main character faces another set of troubles. The group of antagonists, the capitol is as strong as ever but Katniss, the protagonist, is stronger. Katniss has a fiery personality in her relationship with a boy named peeta who was her partner from district 12. Katniss has to work as hard as ever to try to stop the capitol which is under the command of the evil tyrant President Snow who is the reason that the hunger games exist and that the districts four-twelve are such a wreck. In my personal opinion, this book is great for those who desire action. The Hunger games series so far has done a great job of keeping me hooked. When I read this book I can always create an amazing picture in my head of what is going on. The characters in this story are clearly credible in everything they do. There is no magic or fake creatures in the book. Suzanne does a great job of making the book look like it took place in the future while keeping the characters credible. I recommend this book to those of us who often get bored of other books they read or anyone that is preteen or above because of mild action and romance.

[Snash4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somebody: Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, President Snow,
wanted: Katniss wants to just ignore the hunger games but a surprise visit from President Snow makes Katniss's nerves stand on end.
But: As Katniss Everdeen and Peeta tour the districts on their winning they have to act as if they are in love.
So: As the reaping happens the special thing is that previous winner will be this years tributes.
Then: As they enter the 12 zones of the arena something happens that makes peeta and katniss split up.

Summary: Katniss just wants to ignore the hunger games but a visit from President Snow makes Katniss's nerves stand on end. But Katniss and Peeta tour the districts on their winning they have to act as if they are in love. So during the reaping comes the announcement that previous winners are to be chosen to be tributes. Then as they enter the 12 zones of the arena they go on until the event happens that separates Peeta and Katniss.

[Madison Housley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catching Fire is the second book of the trilogy of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Catching Fire is a woman's perspective of how the future world may look like. It is a book filled with action and romance. I greatly enjoy the romance between the two protagonist, Peeta and Katniss. I also enjoy reading the action that goes on between the different tributes. Its a great book and very easy to read. Keeps you very interested!

[Jade Zoe. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maravilloso, estupendo, INCREIBLE!!! ES LO MEJOR QUE LEI EN MI VIDA😭😭😭😭😭 te amoooo saga de los juegos del hambre 😿😿😿😿😿😿

Te amooo Finnick!! Y Peeta por favoooor NO TE MERECEN LINDO, SALI DE AHIII SOS DEMASIADO 😭

Tengo tantas cosas para decir de éste libro pero llenaría esta reseña de palabras sin sentido y palabras de lo enamora que estoy de esta historia, así que para ahorrar todo eso. Lean los juegos del hambre, den una oportunidad PORQUE ES LO MEJOOR

[julius dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book by far

I chose this rating because I actually loved this book. it has action in it just like watching the movie. I like the book because it makes it feel real as if you were in the book. I was amazed by this author for making such a good book. I hope to read some more of her work in the future. this is the type of book that makes u want to read over and over again.

[bryana Nicole leonard]

It was a great book

this a very mysterious book even know I seen the movie the book was kinda better you all out there should but this there are 3 reasons why 1.it's mysterious
2.kinda better than movie
3.you watch movie now

[mayte su · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book has everything you need to make a perfect summary

I loved how long and interesting this book is and was. I hope you read all three of these books they are awesome.

[Steve]

Best one of the hunger games series

in my opinion I think catching fire was the best book out of all the of them. don't get me wrong the other two were great too but top me I liked this one the most

[Sosie Binder]

I really liked this book!

Though, I thought it was a little slow to get to the plot. I think it was more of a filler between the 1st and 3rd, as it was used more for the character development and not for the plot.

[Jamie nagle]

Interesting

it was very interesting and I finished very quickly and the best part was that it was completely free and have me something to echo in my spare time

[claire]

Good

its a good book. u u u u u u u u u u u. u juju u u u u u u u u u u u u

[Jerri-Janelle Rayburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

I have the hard back but I wanted it on my kindle so its easier to read in bed at night
I love it!

[Mariah Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great and inspiring

I thought this book was inspiring because it has beaches you that life wasn't all that great back in the day

[Jason Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I know this book is going to impress you
consider reading this book it will be good
I chose this rating cause it's outstanding detail

[Rana Ragab · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved it so much >>>

[Faeeza Iftikhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing with a capitol A! Indeed it is my favorite book out of the three. ^,^

[Katie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun rereading this with my kiddo. He loved it!

[Mariana Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incrível, por enquanto o meu livro preferido da saga😍

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

rereading this book for i believe the third time was so interesting, especially after reading sunrise on the reaping!! srotr gave so much nuance to catching fire. firstly with both of the games being a quarter quell there is that added level of danger that the district children are facing. in this book particular we delve into just how similar katniss and haymitch are, they are very similar in that they are two sides of the same coin. the biggest difference i can see between them is that katniss simply got lucky. haymitch was so close, the resistance was so close to rebelling and ending the games and all it took was time and a luckier person to get it done. haymitch is hands down my favorite character and his arc in this book is increasingly interesting with the more context we get from srotr. his whole role throughout this book is to be behind the scenes orchestrating katniss’ but more broadly the district 12 victors piece in this rebellion planned fkr the quarter quell. haymitch has been in katniss’ position. he’s been the one in the games while the other people are working behind the scenes and now the role has flipped for him. it’s also interesting to think about how much of this is haymitchs motive or if there could be another reason such as his love for katniss that aids him in securing her survival in the games, in order to become the mockingjay. also can we just talk about how clueless katniss is the whole time??? ugh girl same

[Emma Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catching Fire picks up where The Hunger Games left off, and Suzanne Collins delivers a thrilling sequel that deepens the dystopian world of Panem. Katniss Everdeen, now a victor, grapples with the consequences of her defiance in the Games, navigating a tightening web of political intrigue and rebellion. The stakes feel higher, with the Quarter Quell introducing a brutal twist that keeps you on edge. Collins excels at blending action, emotional depth, and social commentary—Katniss’s internal struggle and growing awareness of the Capitol’s cruelty are compelling, and the new characters, like Finnick and Johanna, add vibrant energy.

The pacing is relentless, with vivid arena scenes and escalating tension as the rebellion brews. The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale develops naturally, adding personal stakes without overwhelming the plot. However, some moments feel slightly repetitive, echoing the first book’s structure, and certain plot points, like the Capitol’s surveillance, resolve a bit conveniently.

Overall, Catching Fire is a gripping, emotionally charged follow-up that expands the series’ scope. Four stars for its intense storytelling and character growth, perfect for fans of dystopian fiction.

[Kanan Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games trilogy, plunges readers back into the dystopian world of Panem, following Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark after their defiant victory in the 74th Hunger Games. Their actions, however, have sparked a burgeoning rebellion across the districts, placing them both directly in the Capitol's crosshairs.
The narrative expertly weaves together themes of survival, sacrifice, and the corrupting influence of power, while Katniss and Peeta are forced to face an even more brutal version of the Hunger Games, a special "Quarter Quell" for past victors. Collins' writing is hailed for its gripping plot, fast pace, and deep exploration of character development, leaving readers on the edge of their seats with twists and turns, eagerly anticipating the concluding installment. While the story echoes the previous book, the deepening conspiracy and emotional stakes make it a compelling and essential read for fans of the series.