A few years ago Sarah Weinman thought she was going to have a career as a forensic scientist. But then she launched the crime and mystery fiction blog Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind as a way of procrastinating on her master’s thesis, and it changed her life’s path. As she’s the most voracious reader we’ve ever met, we’ve asked Sarah to recommend a new book for Flavorpill readers to check out each Wednesday. Learn more about her latest pick — which puts a deadly spin on the reality TV craze — after the jump, and leave us a review in the comments if you’ve already read it!
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Finally, finally, I have read this amazing book, which takes its dystopic vision cues from the Middle Ages and transplants them into a future where everyone is watching an annual Survivor-esque reality show on TV — except the stakes are high enough that the teens who fight must do so to the death, with only one victor allowed. There are moral dilemmas, forbidden love, sacrifices made in the name of family, an unforgettable protagonist named Katniss, flamboyant stylists and a cliffhanger that means I have to get the second book in the trilogy as soon as it is out.
– Sarah Weinman