Part of The Hunger Games, book 0.5
First published 2025
The morning of the fiftieth Hunger Games arrives in District 12. Haymitch Abernathy wants nothing more than to survive another day with the girl he loves. The Quarter Quell changes everything. This year's twisted celebration demands double the usual tributes from each district. When the reaping begins, Haymitch hears his own name echo through the crowd. His dreams shatter in an instant. The Capitol tears him away from his family and his love. Three other District 12 tributes join him on the train to certain death: a close friend who feels like a sister, a boy obsessed with calculating odds, and the most arrogant girl in their community. The arena reveals the truth quickly. The Gamemakers designed these Games for Haymitch to lose. Every rule works against him. Every advantage belongs to someone else. Yet something inside him refuses to accept defeat. He discovers a will to fight that could shake the foundations of Panem itself. His rebellion might echo far beyond the arena's deadly boundaries.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, adventure, action
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: District 12, Panem
Period: Fiftieth Hunger Games, Quarter Quell
387 pages · Hardcover · Scholastic Press
Content warnings: violence