Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

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Read: February 18, 2026 - February 27, 2026

Oh boy, I feel like I could talk about this book forever. This book is absolutely devastating and gut-wrenching. As someone who has read The Hunger Games books, this book changed how I see the entire world so much. I see Haymitch and his pain everywhere in that series, and it's absolutely insane. I learned so much.

Haymitch has gone through so much, it's absolutely wild, and he is, I think, my new favourite character because simply how could he not? His trauma just keeps growing throughout the book. Everything really truly went downhill after Maysilee died because he soon went home. Yes, he won, but at what cost? He lost his family, he lost the love of his life, and he lost himself. He felt like anyone he got close to would die just because they knew him, and he bested the Capitol and The Games.

I loved every part of this book. I loved that I got to know more about characters from the original trilogy, like Effie, Mags, Wireess, Beetee, etc. It made me feel even more connected to the characters and the world because I was being given even more information and background information on characters that I've known for many years... it was beautifully written because I didn't feel like they were just random characters that I didn't care about, being shoved down my throat, they were characters I loved. Everyone was so connected, and I never knew it. My mind was blown in the best way possible.

His story is forever burned into my mind.

5 stars.