Why I Hated the Hunger Games ...

I know. You probably think I'm crazy.

But hear me out!

The books were extremely interesting, and they were very well written. I fell in love with Katniss's character right away. Nothing gets me more than sacrifice for family. After finishing the first book, I had to see how it ended.

Boy, was I disappointed. (No, I will not be divulging any spoilers. Feel free to read on.)

After the second book, I was leery to continue but I thought, well it will all wrap up in the end.

However, the third book just got worse ... And worse ... And worse ... Until there were only a few pages left. I kept thinking ... Ok, time to wrap up!

It didn't. At least, not in a way that pleased me.

I can't stand books where the main character does everything they can to be a good person or do the right thing - and just keep getting screwed over.

This book had an opportunity to show a mass amount of people - especially teens - that there is hope. Yes, life can be hard. The world can be cruel and terrible. But, in the end, there can be hope. There can be good.

But there wasn't. There was death, murder, and betrayal - over and over again.

I wasn't looking for a cutesy ending. I think the nature of what was going on wouldn't allow for a "happily ever after," but there were two major plot twists near the end that really didn't NEED to happen, which is what I am most angry about.

Yes, angry. I was angry after reading them. I'm angry every time I talk to someone about them. Ask Brent.

I think the ending could have been written extremely differently and still had a lasting effect on the audience. It was much to dark, depressing, and macabre for my taste.

I'll stick to Karen Kingsbury, thank you very much.