One thing missing from The Hunger Games series is character development. This is the same in Mockingjay. Katniss never evolved from being the clueless teen who found herself in the middle of a revolution. Gale and Peeta remained paper-thin. I didn’t even care who she chooses in the end.

Suzanne Collins managed to describe how appalling war can be in Mockingjay. A lot of characters died in the book, including someone very close to Katniss. She could have used the horrors of war as a way to redeem Katniss’ character but she remained empty until the very end.

I think that Suzanne Collins was lazy or chasing a deadline when she wrote Mockingjay. We were given summaries of the events. Instead of showing us the story, she told it to the readers. Finnick was written as one of the most likeable characters in The Hunger Games but he was killed in a sentence. The same goes for Prim’s death.

Even Katniss’ decision to agree with President Coin for another Hunger Games featuring children of Capitol citizens was not explained. I know she did it so that she gets an opportunity to stop Coin but that was not obvious in the text.

Mockingjay featured Katniss at her finest. She was seen hiding, crying, and running most of the time. Then there’s the time she spent sleeping at the hospital. Instead of being engrossed with the story, I found myself putting it down. This is the reason why it took some time for me to finish the book. If I can choose to unread books from all the books that I’ve read so far, The Hunger Games trilogy would be on top of the list.

A year after Peeta and Katniss successfully won the Hunger Games, they were sent back into the arena to take part of the third Quarter Quell. Unrest is growing within Panem and yet the supposed instigator was clueless about it. Not only that, she was still uncertain about Gale and Peeta. These factors made me more frustrated about how Suzanne Collins made Katniss.

Catching Fire felt like reading a condensed version of a teenage girl’s diary. Plus the arena action in the second book was plain compared to how the arena battle was told in the first book. In the second book, the arena was supposed to be a clock by design, where a particular sector is triggered at a specific hour of the day. There were twelve sections of the arena but Collins didn’t even bother to describe all of the sectors. At 12 noon/midnight, lightning hits a tree. At 1, blood rains from the sky. At 2, acidic fog flows through the jungle. At 3, orange monkey mutts attack people within the area. At 4, Jabberjays mimic the voice of the Tribute’s loved ones. At 6, an unknown beast, which Suzanne didn’t even bother to name or describe, roams the sector. At 10, a tidal wave hits the beach. At 11, Katniss imagined that insects were activated in the particular sector but they didn’t dare venture into it and so we don’t know what they really are.

It was exciting to read about the arena battles in Hunger Games but it became tedious in Catching Fire. Then in the end came the big reveal that everyone conspired to escape the arena and jumpstart the revolution. But Katniss was still oblivious to it all and became whinier than before.

Catching Fire established what I already knew since the Hunger Games. Katniss might be the main character but she’s just a pawn in the grand scheme of things. I don’t care whether she’s the Mockingjay because to me, the character is as insignificant as Peeta’s love for her. She didn’t show any growth at all. She’s just a whiney little brat who doesn’t take any responsibility for her actions.

I still don’t get all the fuss about Hunger Games. I guess that I’m just not the target market for the series. I hope that the Mockingjay would wrap things up nicely for the trilogy but I doubt that it could convert into a fan of the Hunger Games.

Hands down, Hunger Games is a gripping fantasy novel. It is about a post-apocalyptic world where the country that used to be the United States demands tribute from its 12 districts. Two children from each district will be chosen randomly by lottery to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to death.

The brutal arena battle would be aired live throughout Panem while the 24 participants attempt to be the last man, or woman, standing. Citizens are mandated by the Capitol to watch the games. Prim Everdeen was selected to be one of the representatives of District 12 and right away her older sister Katniss volunteered to take her place in the Hunger Games. Joining her as the second representative of their district is Peeta, the baker’s son.

This is the start of the story of the star-crossed lovers. But unlike Romeo and Juliet, Katniss and Peeta had to kill each other. It began as a one-sided affair with Peeta being the only one with true feelings for Katniss. They have to contend with their feelings for each other at the same time they try to fight against stronger, bigger Tributes who have trained all their lives for the Hunger Games.

I see why Hunger Games appealed to a lot of people. It was like a reality show in paperback form. It has various elements that made it interesting to a wide audience. One thing I like about it is the action scenes. Suzanne Collins presented the details of each scene in a believable manner.

I had fun reading the Hunger Games while they were still in the arena. But once it ended, it felt like reading a Sweet Valley High book. It was cliché, immature and predictable. Well I haven’t started on the second novel and have no plans to start reading it anytime soon.

The Hunger Games will leave you hungry for substance. Yes, the book is entertaining and compelling but don’t look for any character development in it. It’s just about a girl trying to survive in the woods and nothing more.

Ethan (Christopher Gorham) is a writer looking for an inspiration for his next novel after his last one was rejected by publishers. Troy (Michael Landes) is a successful ad executive who makes every moment romantic for Jesse.

My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend started out like a typical romantic comedy. But I got irritated with Jesse the character. What I hate most in this world is a two-timer. In the movie, she tried hard to keep each suitor a secret from each other as she pondered on who she would give her heart to in the end.

But no matter how annoyed I got with Jesse, I can’t help but fall for Alyssa Milano. She still has that youthful look that I love ever since I saw her in Commando. Plus her acting is spotless in this movie. She’s the reason why I watch this movie and it’s a good thing that she didn’t disappoint me.

While there are some scenes that dragged out, it is still a good movie. It has a twist in the end that I didn’t except. Things were not always as they seem. My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend is an intelligent romantic comedy that I would recommend to everyone.

This odd pairing is somewhat unbelievable because I don’t think that a girl like Se Kyung’s character could fall for a gangster like Doo Hun. While Doo Hun is a likeable guy, it just felt that the chemistry between the two main stars was forced. This is one aspect in Hindsight that director Lee Hyun Seung failed to accomplish.

Hindsight is not just a tale of odd romances. It is also about revenge. This part played out well but there were moments where the scene took time to develop. If you’re looking for non-stop action, this is not the movie for you. But when the action comes, you’ll find yourself at the edge of your seat.

Aesthetically, Hindsight is beautiful. It used locations and sceneries that were pleasing to the eyes. But the main eye candy of the movie is definitely Shin Se Kyung. Her cuteness fits the character and she easily handled the complex emotions that were required from her.

Song Kang Ho is also perfect as the retire gangster. He has that rugged charm that makes his character amiable to the audience. But his character talks too much. There were some scenes where I wished he talked less and just let his emotions show. But then again the fault lies with the writer and the director and not the actor.

I was surprised with the location of Hindsight’s final sequences. Doo Hun finally opened his restaurant and it’s found in Cebu. He’s joined there by his loyal one-eyed man (Chun Jung Myung), Se Bin, and her best friend Eun Jung (Esom). It goes to show that it’s more fun in the Philippines as they enjoy the sunset drinking San Miguel Pale Pilsens.

Overall, Hindsight is a watchable movie. It could have been better if it was cut a little shorter than its two hour runtime. While I didn’t care about the unorthodox pairing, it had some interesting ideas that could have played out better. I have no trouble in casting Shin Se Kyung as the lead but she’s just too cute for Song Kang Ho.

Ethan Truman is the head of security for The Face, who is a Hollywood superstar. The actor and his family receive threats from an anarchist in form of strange gifts. Truman tries his best to solve the riddle as some characters, including him, have supernatural encounters.

The Face is not one of the main characters in the novel. Aside from Truman, the glorified bodyguard, it featured The Face’s son Aelfric Manheim. Everyone thought that the target was the actor but it turned out that he was after the son so that he could hurt the actor more. It could have been funny to see the anarchist’s reaction when he finds out that The Face had ignored his son and was focused more on his career.

There are times when Koontz’ way of describing the characters and their environment made the novel tedious to read. Some people might find the story to be too odd or bizarre but it didn’t have problems in that department. I accepted the supernatural concepts presented by the book, which might be the reason why I guessed the direction of the story.

With all the mumbo-jumbo in The Face, details tend drown the essence of the story. I know that this is Koontz’ style and I enjoyed his other novels, which is why I wonder why I can’t say the same with this one. But even if I don’t like this book, I wouldn’t stop reading the rest of his works.

Finally the long wait is over and I got a copy of Deadline as soon as it was available in Fully Booked. Actually this review is a month overdue. I got it the first week of June and finished the book within two days. Yes, I was a zombie during that time and I had to include work and some sleep into the schedule. And yes, I had to cram to meet my deadlines so that I can read Deadline.

As you might have guessed, Deadline is a book that you can’t put down once you’ve started reading it. It was just like Feed except one of the main characters is dead but definitely not out of the picture. If you haven’t read Feed yet, my advice is to stop reading from here because there are spoilers ahead.

In Deadline, Shaun Mason has to deal with the fact that his twin sister George is dead and at the same time run the news organization he co-founded with her. He doesn’t even go out to do Irwin jobs anymore.

Although George is already dead, she’s very much alive in Shaun’s head. She would help him figure things out when the situation gets rough. His team learned not to question Shaun when he starts talking to himself. Everyone knows he’s crazy, including Shaun himself.

Georgia Mason: I guess in the end, it doesn’t matter what we wanted. What matters is what we chose to do with the things we had.

Mira Grant introduced new members of Team Mason to replace the ones who died in Feed. There’s Doc Kelly, the rogue doctor from the CDC; Becks, the new head Irwin; Mahir, the new head Newsie; Maggie, the heiress and the new head Fictional; and Alaric, the new Newsie. Mira Grant’s character development is spot on in Deadline.

I got no complains about Deadline. It is the perfect sequel to a great book. Actually, I found Deadline to be better than Feed. It is no ordinary zombie fiction. The zombies are there but they are not the main focus of the story. The plot revolves around real issues and not just about people trying to survive. It has the right mixture of action, science and characters that makes it compelling and entertaining.

And just like in real life, Deadline made me asked the question, “What are the president and the vice president doing?” They are nowhere to be seen throughout the novel, unlike in Feed where they played pivotal roles. I expect to read about them more in Blackout.

Mira Grant, or Seanan McGuire, sure knows how to keep people hooked in. After the last page of Deadline, she included the first few pages of Blackout, the last book of the Newsflesh trilogy. I would absolutely, positively, definitely grab a copy of Blackout as soon as it’s out on May 2012.

With nothing better to do, he chooses to work on a case that he was once part of the investigation. It is the murder of 24 year old Angela Benton, which is also linked to the theft of $2 million from the film company that she was working for. He discovers that there are more crimes connected to the heist, including the disappearance of a FBI computer expert and the shooting of two LAPD detectives, which killed one and left the other bedbound.

Now that he doesn’t have a badge, Harry Bosch is more prone to butt heads with the authorities. His investigation leads him to an anti-terrorist group from the Department of Homeland Security. Michael Connelly showed in Lost Light how some federal agents became just like the beasts that they were pursuing. Some abuse their powers in the guise of protecting the nation.

Aside from the main plot, Lost Light features subplots that help relieve the tension of the murder for a while. This includes one involving Harry Bosch’s ex-wife Eleanor Wish. The investigation of the murder brings him to Las Vegas, where he meets Eleanor again. He senses that she is hiding something from him and it turns out to be a daughter. This brings him some peace that he is looking for since Black Echo.

What makes Michael Connelly a great writer is the method in which he manages to familiarize his characters with the readers. You wouldn’t feel lost about main character even if Lost Light is the first Harry Bosch novel you’ve read.

Lost Light is a fast read and very entertaining. The last part of the book was totally unexpected, much like what happened in the City of Bones. Just when you thought Bosch’s life has reached a milestone, another one was introduced by Connelly at the end of this one. This is highly recommended even for those who haven’t read any Michael Connelly book yet.

This is not just another case for the LAPD detective. Even though no one cares about solving the case, Bosch wants to bring find out who the killer is, especially after he found out that the kid has a long history of neglect in his short 12 years on Earth.

City of Bones takes Harry Bosch in an introspective journey as he tried really hard to solve the case. He had to contend with his ex-fling Medical Examiner who cares more about photo ops than the integrity of the case. Then there are his superiors who are willing to place the blame on the first likely suspect to come.

Harry Bosch is now divorced and through the investigation he met rookie cop Julia Brasher. She was at the scene of the crime and Bosch was quickly drawn into her. Michael Connelly masterfully developed their budding relationship and you’ll fight yourself rooting for the two of them. Her influence in Bosch’s life led to one of the most shocking turn of events in Bosch’s life.

City of Bones’ plot is well paced, just like the other Michael Connelly books. Instead of a straight up police procedural, it turned to forensic science in order to solve the case. This provided the right plot twists that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. It kept me awake until I reached the conclusion of the case.

I enjoyed reading City of Bones. It’s a good follow up to A Darkness More than Night. It renewed my fondness for Michael Connelly and his writing style. I just don’t like the ending but maybe Connelly has his reasons for coming up with that milestone in Bosch’s career.

Fascinated by forensics? Check out how to become a forensic scientist.

Unlike other Harry Bosch novels, the detective is not the main investigator in A Darkness More Than Night. It started with Detective Jaye Winston of the sheriff’s department paying McCaleb a visit and asking him to help solve the murder case of Edward Gunn, a small time criminal who has a long history with Harry Bosch. After McCaleb analyzed the case, the clues seemed to point toward Harry Bosch.

Detective Harry Bosch doesn’t know that he is now the prime suspect of a FBI investigation of a murder. He’s currently busy in court as the prosecution witness in the trial of David Storey, a movie director who is accused for the murder of an actress.

The evidence is strong but if you read the previous Harry Bosch novels then you’ll get the feeling that something is wrong. Because of this, A Darkness More Than Night became too predictable for me. Maybe I just have too much faith in Detective Bosch and I want all cops to be like him. But then there are those who turn out to be Rudy Tafero, a former LAPD detective who is now a private investigator working for David Storey.

I was excited to read a Bosch versus McCaleb novel but it didn’t turn out to be that way. McCaleb turned 180 degrees with his accusation and helped Bosch get his name cleared. But it was interesting to read about Harry Bosch through the eyes of another investigator. You get to learn more about Harry Bosch and his persona through A Darkness More Than Night.

Being a Connelly fan, I hate to admit it but A Darkness More Than Night is not as gripping as the previous Michael Connelly books I’ve read. It is easy to point out who killed Edward Gunn. You just have to believe that there are no coincidences in this world. This might be weaker than the other Connelly books but it was still a fun read.