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Happy Friday, everybody!

Until a broadcast from the Capitol shows her the only thing that could convince her to fight - Peeta. Bruised, battered, but still alive. Seeing him gives her new hope. If filming promos and rallying fighters can bring Peeta back, then she'll do it. Even if Gale disapproves. Even if it means she's still a puppet. She'll do anything to rescue him, even - especially - killing President Snow herself. If only she can find some way to shove her pain behind her, find the fire that once burned so fiercely inside her, and rally the courage to risk her life, once again, in the bloody battle against tyranny.

In the midst of it all, Katniss must examine her fickle heart. Does she love Peeta, even though the Capitol's turned him into someone she no longer recognizes? Or does her allegiance belong to Gale, her lifelong friend whose passion for the cause is endangering them all? Or is it better for everyone if she remains, always, alone? In this strange new world where everyone's got an agenda - including herself - Katniss must play the most important game of her life. And win. With everything on the line, the fiercest competitor Panem's ever known will step into the arena for the last time ...

Although Mockingjay has all the intensity and suspense of the first two books, certain parts of the story started to wear a little thin for me. The love triangle, especially, grated on my nerves. I've been a Gale girl from the beginning, but by the end of Mockingjay, I wasn't that fond of either boys. They both come off as wimpy and interchangeable, always needing to be rescued by Katniss. It's pretty clear she doesn't really need either of them. By the time the book ended, I don't think I really cared which one she ended up with. Likewise, I knew where the story was heading and was only really surprised by an unexpected death. As I mentioned before, it ended pretty much how I thought it would, which disappointed me a little. I wanted a sweeping, stunning conclusion, and Mockingjay didn't really provide it. In fact, it left me as mute as an Avox. My first reaction was, "Hmmmm ..."

Don't get me wrong - Mockingjay is still a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat thriller, it just wasn't quite as powerful as I wanted it to be. Oh well. Maybe it was all the hype that built it up so impossibly. Maybe it's just me. Who knows? Who cares? Like I said already, this is a phenomenal series. If there's anyone on the planet who hasn't read it yet (Tobin, this means you), do it now.

What did everyone else think? Did the series end the way you thought it would? Were you satisfied with the ending? Agree with me or disagree with me? Gale or Peeta? C'mon now, dish!

(Readalikes: Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins)

Grade: B+

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for violence/gore and sexual innuendo, including references to prostitution

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Mockingjay from the very generous folks at Scholastic. Thank you, thank you, thank you!