Mockingjay.

In the teen book world, we're all pretty excited about the release of Suzanne Collin's new book, Mockingjay. It's the third and final book in the Hunger Games series, but please don't ask me to tell you the plot of the first two books, because it's rather confusing, and would take a while, mainly due to the fact that I'm a perfectionist and must describe every... tiny... little... detail. But anyways, I do suggest that you read them, for they are witty, thought-provoking, and interesting.

Another thing that sparks my interest as far as the whole release goes (besides the fact that, well, I'm excited to read the new book!) is that this kind of countdown to a book release is not something that happens all that often with a book series. "But wait!" You'll say, "What about Twilight, and Harry Potter?" And to that I reply, "Movies."

Pretty much every series that pops to mind that has had so much excitement before a release has also had a series of movies. The first Harry Potter books weren't already hugely popular before their release- it was only after the movies also started to premiere that people began to count down to book releases, stay up all night to read the books, and wait in their local bookstore for hours to get the book. Before that, it was just another book series- one that many people loved, but not one that inspired such displays of public approval. There wasn't Harry Potter merchandise at Hot Topic before there were movie profits, and the popularity the movies brought to the series.

Same with Twilight. There weren't Twilight sweatshirts and pins and t-shirts being mass-produced and sold across the country when it was just a book series. But then the movies came out, and now you can't swing a cat in a bookstore or Hot Topic without hitting Twilight merch.

I expected the same thing to apply to the Hunger Games, no matter how popular they were in my nerdy little groups. So, imagine my suprise when I walk into a local Hot Topic, looking for the new "Undesirable no. 1" Harry Potter shirts, and find three different styles of Hunger Games shirts.

The local bookstore, too, has a cardboard poster board showing the release date and some press pictures. You can download a widget thingy on your computer that counts down for you. Heck, there's even an advertisement video for it that you can watch, like you would watch a preview for HPatDH movie, or a new TV show. And this is just a book.

All I have to say is, I'm so getting that "District 12 tribute" shirt next time I go to HT.