Happy 13 District Tour kick-off day!!

Welcome, my potential future tributes. I’m Michelle and I’ll be your hostess here in District One.  I offer to you some of our high-end luxury items — but, please, do keep that a secret, I’d prefer President Snow not relegate me to the life of an Avox.

As your guide today I’ll be talking to you about who could have been the winner of The 74th Annual Hunger Games.  I mean really, tthat silly little girl Katniss with all her heart and soul shouldn’t have beat my lovely Career tributes.  Don’t even get me started about her faithful true love Peeta.  Two?  TWO winners?

Pffft.

So, who should have been top contenders for ultimate prize of life?  I’ll tell you who!

Cato
Beefcake reigns supreme y’all!

Part of the Career group of tributes this hefty dude had some serious hatred going on.  More than that, the boy had the hardcore brute strength to back it up.  Let’s not even discuss the fact that he had venom enough to spew at all the tributes and then some.  The boy should have had a death grip on this game.  Alas, despite pointing his destructive and unrestrained nature at anyone and anything that was going to get in the way of his winning AND maintaining a bloody reign over the game, the poor boy fell short.

Surprisingly, however, he was wise in managing his alliances and showed genuine caring for his District-mate when she fell at the hands of Thresh.  How he lost is completely beyond me.

Thresh
Be still my beating heart, the boy has a heart to go along with his killing nature!  I’m not sure I understand how it’s possible that he didn’t walk away from The Arena to the cheers and adulation of the Capitol crowd.

Isolation and strategy was the name of the game for this District 11 tribute. Why?  Because when he chose to avoid alliances his single solitary self removed the potential for invasive manipulation.  Add in the fact that he always had a plan (for the most part) and he should have been the golden boy.  Already fearsome and widely respected for his strength (both physical and mental) he should have maintained a total command of The Games to the bitter end.

Then….yes then…. you add in his occasional demonstration of loyalty and kindness and voila a winner.

Rue
Who doesn’t love an underdog?

Not me, that’s for sure.  I knew from the jump that I was going to love the bird-like girl who could float undetected through the trees.  It was like she had her very own set of wings.  Heck, she should have been able to soar right down into that winner’s circle.

If only it weren’t for that pesky stabbing Marvel inflicted.  Damn him!

Anywho, her advantages were quite abundant.  With stealth-like movement, small stature, youngest in age, and general good naturedness District 11′s little sweetheart should have made it to the end on those qualities alone.  Add in to the mix her fierce protector Thresh and a rock solid alliance with Katniss and the girl was in it to win it with very few problems.

There were any number of other tributes who had either the physical strength or mental capacity to be the winner of The Games.  Some even had both, in abundance I might add.  But, in the end it was our fair Katniss and Peeta that prevailed.

<whispers>

snaps for Team Peeta

</whispers>

But what if they hadn’t?  Who would you choose?

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Now, let’s talk cool prizes shall we?

The folks at Scholastic have been kind enough to provide me with a fabulously awesome box set of The Hunger Games Trilogy to share with one lucky winner.  Even better?  It’s signed by Suzanne Collins!

**pets**  isn’t it pretty?  >>>>

Dude, believe me if there was any way for me to rig this giveaway to keep it for myself you gotta believe that I’d be working that angle post haste.  Sadly, I’m not that nefarious so I’m opening things up for you all.

Who: US Residents only please
When: August 2nd – August 16th (closes at midnight PST)
What: One Hunger Games Trilogy Box Set SIGNED by Suzanne Collins
Where: Enter by filling out this MOCKINGJAY GIVEAWAY ENTRY FORM

Please note:

  1. Responses in the comments do NOT enter you into the giveaway, only completion of the above form.
  2. One entry per person, if you submit more than once your additional entries will be deleted.
  3. One winner will be notified via a post on this blog of their prize, should that winner not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

** This giveaway is sponsored by the author’s publicity representative and will ship directly from their location at their expense.

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You all may already be aware, but this post comes to you as part of the super-fabulous Mockingjay 13 District Blog Tour.  Each stop will have it’s own unique editorial content and giveaway prize.  I strongly encourage you to stop by stop number two at Sci Fi Guy who will post on August 4th.

As if following along on the tour isn’t going to be enough, you can also find loads of awesome stuff over on The Official Hunger Games Facebook Page.  I strongly encourage you to check them both out!