Marwan

This is a somber but enjoyable prequel which very clearly explains why Haymitch is the way he is. It's not a happy story, but there are not many happy stories in the Hunger Games universe. There are moments of happiness though, even if they all take place under the cloud of knowing what is coming for most of the characters.

This was my third book by Judson, having been introduced to him by [b:The Temporary Agent 28090847 The Temporary Agent Daniel Judson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1456966871s/28090847.jpg 48093767] then finishing [b:The Poisoned Rose 17502148 The Poisoned Rose (The Gin Palace Trilogy, #1) Daniel Judson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362420027s/17502148.jpg 1551727]. The second book in the Gin Palace Trilogy picks up right where the first left off, and the pace is just as fast.Judson fleshes out the characters that we met in The Poisoned Rose and introduces us to new characters, as the complex circumstances surrounding Declan MacManus intensify and grow. The reader is drawn into this world and will be turning pages at a rapid pace to see how “Mac” gets through increasingly horrible situations. This will inevitably cause a couple of nights of less-than-desired sleep, as the reader feels the need for “just one more chapter”. Judson pulls no punches as the story climaxes, leaving the reader feeling... well, you should read the book. Make sure you have the third volume in the trilogy, [b:The Gin Palace 15706131 The Gin Palace (The Gin Palace Trilogy, #3) Daniel Judson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367385775s/15706131.jpg 21369559], ready to go, because you will not want to wait to finish this riveting storyline.