Hunger Games...it's not just a kid's book

So, my Henry received all three of Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games books last Christmas (thank you, sweet anonymous Santa...they were his FAVORITE presents, hands down). He finished all three before the winter break was over. Molly read all three, Henry loaned all of the copies out to friends, William started the first book. I was just happy that they were reading.

Then, I started hearing about moms picking up the books and reading them. Some of my more highbrow friends were reading the first book for their Book Clubs. I was tempted, but since I am lucky to eke out time to un-dread my hair every few days, the idea of sitting down and reading something for pleasure was laughable.

And then my friend Gillian read the first book. She quite literally couldn't put it down. I love Gillian, and I give her opinions and thoughts special weight, since she and I are similarly wired. So after hearing her gush about it, I decided to pick up Henry's copy of The Hunger Games.

That was a little over 24 hours ago.

I just finished it, and am already eying* Catching Fire, Book Two, trying to figure out when in the hell I'm going to be able to start devouring it. Even the thought of getting out tonight to play my beloved gathering-of-the-nerds Trivia seems hollow compared to delving into this next adventure.

I cannot remember the last time a book has held me captive like this, honestly. Surely not since I've had kids...who has the time to get utterly lost in a book when you have kids and responsibilities and overflowing floor drains in the basement? And yes, I did converse with the Roto-Rooter guy while gripping my book like it was a slippery baby. Even cursed him a little, under my breath, because I was on the last 20 or so pages and he kept bugging me (could you flush that upstairs toilet for me one more time please? Sir, do you not realize that if I don't find out what happens to Katniss and Peeta I will go completely insane?). My poor kids have had to ask me questions twice, sometimes three times before I could hear them through the trees and over the sounds of cannons being fired and mockingjays singing.

Have you read it yet? Did you love it?

Now I have to go do those things I put off in the last 24 hours...you know, those little things that I neglected so I could indulge the malnourished bookworm in my head. Things like laundry, feeding my kids, showering....

After all, I have two more books to read.

* eying or eyeing? According to spellcheck, the former is correct. According to my anal-retentive spelling "gut", eyeing is right. Gahhhhh.