Book Club Guide: Sunrise on the Reaping
Everything You Need to Live Out The Hunger Games at Book Club
April’s Book Club pick was Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest installment in The Hunger Games saga AND WOW DO WE HAVE THOUGHTS. Watch our episode, Sunrise on the Reaping: The Story Panem Wanted You to Forget and please drop us your thoughts in the comments, because we are NOT done talking about this book.
We loved this read and between the pure adrenaline of a new Hunger Games story and the tidal wave of serious nostalgia for the dystopian days of yore, we knew we had to do something extra special for this book club.
Enter Game Maker Hannah [Flickerman].
If there’s one thing to know about Hannah, it’s that she loves personality typing, astrology, and a well-constructed fictional universe. So naturally, she used all of this knowledge (this a little help from Chat GPT) to reap every person at book club. As we were discussing Sunrise on the Reaping, our conversation was periodically and dramatically interrupted by the iconic cannon boom and anthem that signaled the days deaths. She would read us our fates: who killed who, with what weapon, parting words, etc.
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Olivia walked away as the victor. Here are our player cards:
Olivia - District 2 - Can run a meeting and a militia.
Archetype: The Survivor
Weapon of Choice: Double axes
Strengths: Fearlessness, physical strength, strategy
Last Words: “You should’ve aimed higher”
Legacy: Known for one interview quote: “You wanted a victor. Not a hero.”
Emily - District 6 - Would rather write the rebellion anthem than fight in it.
Archetype: The Quiet Killer
Weapon of Choice: Slingshot
Strengths: Stealth, compassion, focus
Last Words: “It’s okay…I forgive you.”
Legacy: Her legacy lives in the reminder that even in horror, humanity can bloom.
Dani - District 3 - She came. She saw. She went viral.
Archetype: The chameleon
Weapon of Choice: Traps
Strengths: Cunning, innovation, unpredictability
Last Words: “I would’ve done the same thing.”
Legacy: Her journal of arena sketches and trap blueprints becomes contraband in District schools - studied like a rebel’s Machiavelli.
It was chaotic. It was brilliant. It was unhinged Hunger Games fan energy at its absolute peak. It was perfect.
Sunrise on the Reaping Book Club Decoration
What is an Always Booked book club without themed food, drinks and decor?
Haymitch’s Birthday Cake: The reaping really put a damper on Haymitch’s big day, but we love any excuse to bring a cake to book club. Don’t forget the plates!
Poisoned Cocktail: You can’t talk about President Snow without also talking about his infatuation with poison. Throw these edible flowers into any drink to leave your both your lips and trust issues tingling. Because we’re gluttons for punishments, we also adorned our drinks with these (non-blood-filled) lady bug stirrers. IYKYK.
Poisoned Berries: These sour cherries are a little sweet, a little tart and entirely untrustworthy.
Poppies: More than just a flower, a symbol from the Capitol. Like in the arena in the Hunger Games, beauty can be deadly.
Our storefront has everything you need to host a great Hunger Games book club.
Sunrise on the Reaping Discussion Questions & Topics
What did you think about seeing some of the characters from the original trilogy in this story?
Do you think Lucy Gray is actually dead?
Did you, like us, feel absolutely sick to your stomach reading about Lulu’s replacement?
Whose death impacted you most?
What was the underlying message do you think Suzanne Collins was impressing on us, her readers.
How do you feel about songs in books? (Emily hates it)
Discuss how poison has been a thread in Snow’s life and how he’s willing to harm himself.
What did you think about seeing the game makers in the arena?
Discuss Beetee being forced to train Ampert and how it ripped out your soul.
How has this book changed your perception of Haymitch Abernathy?