Favorite Peeta Quotes from The Hunger Games

Literature,

The Hunger Games is currently my favorite guilty pleasure. I read the first two books of the trilogy repeatedly for almost a week, and I can’t wait till Mockingjay comes out in August. When I first read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I was more involved in the action – the quest to survive, the violence and all that. On my second reading, I started noticing the romance. Lately, I’ve been noticing more of the humor. For such a dark book, there are portions that made me literally laugh out loud. You have to hand it to the baker’s son to always say something funny. Here are some of my favorite Peeta Mellark quotes from the first book.

“What about you? I’ve seen you in the market. You can lift hundred pound bags of flour,” I snap at him. “Tell him that. That’s not nothing.”

“Yes, and I’m sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people.”

Then we move on to camouflage. Peeta genuinely seems to enjoy this station, swirling a combination of mud and clay and berry juices around on his pale skin, weaving disguises from vines and leaves. The trainer who runs the camouflage station is full of enthusiasm at his work.

“I do the cakes,” he admits to me.

“The cakes?” I ask. I’ve been preoccupied with watching the boy from District 2 send a spear through a dummy’s heart from fifteen yards. “What cakes?”

“At home. The iced ones, for the bakery,” he says….

“It’s lovely. If only you could frost someone to death,” I say.

“Don’t be so superior. You can never tell what you’ll find in the arena. Say it’s actually a gigantic cake —” begins Peeta.

“Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person pick up a heavy ball and throw it a couple of yards. One almost landed on my foot.”

Caesar asks him if he has a girlfriend back home.

Peeta hesitates, then gives an unconvincing shake of his head.

“Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what’s her name?” says Caesar.

Peeta sighs. “Well, there is this one girl. I’ve had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I’m pretty sure she didn’t know I was alive until the reaping.”

Sounds of sympathy from the crowd. Unrequited love they can relate to.

“She have another fellow?” asks Caesar.

“I don’t know, but a lot of boys like her,” says Peeta.

“So, here’s what you do. You win, you go home. She can’t turn you down then, eh?” says Caesar encouragingly.

“I don’t think it’s going to work out. Winning . . . won’t help in my case,” says Peeta.

“Why ever not?” says Caesar, mystified.

Peeta blushes beet red and stammers out. “Because… because… she came here with me.”

“What’s going on?” says Effie, a note of hysteria in her voice. “Did you fall?”

“After she shoved me,” says Peeta as Effie and Cinna help him up.

“She’s just worried about her boyfriend,” says Peeta gruffly, tossing away a bloody piece of the urn.

My cheeks burn again at the thought of Gale. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Whatever,” says Peeta. “But I bet he’s smart enough to know a bluff when he sees it. Besides you didn’t say you loved me. So what does it matter?”

My foot has just broken the surface of the water when I hear a voice.

“You here to finish me off, sweetheart?”

I whip around. It’s come from the left, so I can’t pick it up very well. And the voice was hoarse and weak. Still, it must have been Peeta. Who else in the arena would call me sweetheart?

My eyes peruse the bank, but there’s nothing. Just mud, the plants, the base of the rocks.

“Peeta?” I whisper. “Where are you?” There’s no answer. Could I just have imagined it? No, I’m certain it was real and very close at hand, too. “Peeta?” I creep along the bank.

“Well, don’t step on me.”

I jump back. His voice was right under my feet. Still there’s nothing. Then his eyes open, unmistakably blue in the brown mud and green leaves. I gasp and am rewarded with a hint of white teeth as he laughs.

It’s the final word in camouflage. Forget chucking weights around. Peeta should have gone into his private session with the Gamemakers and painted himself into a tree. Or a boulder. Or a muddy bank full of weeds.

“Close your eyes again,” I order. He does, and his mouth, too, and completely disappears. Most of what I judge to be his body is actually under a layer of mud and plants. His face and arms are so artfully disguised as to be invisible. I kneel beside him. “I guess all those hours decorating cakes paid off.”

Peeta smiles. “Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying.”

Within minutes of pressing the handful of chewed-up green stuff into the wound, pus begins running down the side of his leg. I tell myself this is a good thing and bite the inside of my cheek hard because my breakfast is threatening to make a reappearance.

“Katniss?” Peeta says. I meet his eyes, knowing my face must be some shade of green. He mouths the words. “How about that kiss?”

I burst out laughing because the whole thing is so revolting I can’t stand it.

“Something wrong?” he asks a little too innocently.

“You’re such a bad liar, Katniss. I don’t know how you’ve survived this long.” He begins to mimic me. “I knew that goat would be a little gold mine. You’re a little cooler though. Of course, I’m not going. He shakes his head. “Never gamble at cards. You’ll lose your last coin,” he says.

“Tomorrow’s a hunting day,” I say.

“I won’t be much help with that,” Peeta says. “I’ve never hunted before.”

“I’ll kill and you cook,” I say. “And you can always gather.”

“I wish there was some sort of bread bush out there,” says Peeta.

“Peeta,” I say lightly. “You said at the interview you’d had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?”

“Oh, let’s see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair . . . it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up,” Peeta says.

“Your father? Why?” I ask.

“He said, ‘See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner,’” Peeta says.

“What? You’re making that up!” I exclaim.

“No, true story,” Peeta says. “And I said, ‘A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could’ve had you?’ And he said, ‘Because when he sings . . . even the birds stop to listen.’”

“That’s true. They do. I mean, they did,” I say. I’m stunned and surprisingly moved, thinking of the baker telling this to Peeta. It strikes me that my own reluctance to sing, my own dismissal of music might not really be that I think it’s a waste of time. It might be because it reminds me too much of my father.

“So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent,” Peeta says.

“Oh, please,” I say, laughing.

“No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew — just like your mother — I was a goner,” Peeta says. “Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you.”

“Without success,” I add.

“Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck,” says Peeta.

Peeta wriggles back inside, his face lit up like the sun. “I guess Haymitch finally got tired of watching us starve.”

A disturbing thought hits me. “But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!”

“Ah, that’ll be nice,” says Peeta, tightening his arms around me. “You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games’ tales.”

“I told you, he hates me!” I say, but I can’t help laughing at the image of Haymitch becoming my new pal.

“Only sometimes. When he’s sober, I’ve never heard him say one negative thing about you,” says Peeta.

“He’s never sober!” I protest.

“That’s right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It’s Cinna who likes you. But that’s mainly because you didn’t try to run when he set you on fire,” says Peeta. “On the other hand, Haymitch . . . well, if I were you, I’d avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you.”

“I thought you said I was his favorite,” I say.

“He hates me more,” says Peeta. “I don’t think people in general are his sort of thing.”

“So do we hunt on empty stomachs to give us an edge?”

“Not us,” I say. “We stuff ourselves to give us staying power.”

“It was all for the Games,” Peeta says. “How you acted.”

“Not all of it,” I say, tightly holding onto my flowers.

“Then how much? No, forget that. I guess the real question is what’s going to be left when we get home?” he says.

“I don’t know. The closer we get to District Twelve, the more confused I get,” I say. He waits, for further explanation, but none’s forthcoming.

“Well, let me know when you work it out,” he says, and the pain in his voice is palpable.

UPDATE: You can also check out my favorite Peeta quotes from Catching Fire here and my favorite Peeta and Katniss moments from Mockingjay here.

333 thoughts on “Favorite Peeta Quotes from The Hunger Games”

  1. Team Peeta !
    I really love this !
    My favpurite is when he tells her about the first time he saw her and that’s when she noticed and started have feelings for her !

    I LOVE PEETA MELLARK !

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    1. okkkkkk i know that Peeta is AWESOME!!! but PLEEEEAAAASSSEEEE dont start the team peeta team gale stuff!! i REALLY dont want this to end up like twilight

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      6. I don’t think it’s annoying. It could be because I’m a huge Twilight fan too, but I mean, Twilight doesn’t own the idea of teams. And usually when there’s a love triangle, it’s natural to want to pick sides, saying I’m “Team Peeta” or “Team Gale”! Even in Harry Potter, the same idea was presented, except in ships (ex. I ship Dramione). And I’m not saying one way is better than the other, but does it really matter? I’m not saying that The Hunger Games is all about the love triangle either, but a diehard fan has to admit that it’s a significant part of the book. You would think real fans would understand the logic, and even as respectful human beings, respect other fandoms. You know that Stephenie Meyer has actually read the Hunger Games and has PRAISED it? Even if you hate Twilight, shouldn’t you at least respect her enough to recognize good literature when she sees it, and treat her like a fellow fan?

        All I ask if that you open up your mind a little bit. TEAM PEETA, BABY!(: ❤

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      7. I totally hate when people are like, “I’m Team Peeta!” or, “I’m Team Gale!” First of all, this isn’t Twilight. Second of all, all this “Team Peeta” and “Team Gale” stuff confuses me, because to me, Peeta was Katniss’s only future.

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      8. I agree Peeta is Katniss’s furture she has no other choice.
        And if she did have a choice it would be no one at all she said herself she is never getting married. And all this “Team” stuff is only for Twilight. If you want to be doing Team stuff do somewhere else!

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      1. Um, you guys cant start telling people whether or not they can say ‘Team Whoever’ or whatever. If they pick a team, let them do it! It is none of your business. Gosh, why dont you just enjoy they books and stop arguing with each other.

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      2. You may not like Twilight, but at least have some respect. As a decent human being, you may as well have respect for other fandoms. Did you know that Stephenie Meyer has actually read the Hunger Games trilogy and ENJOYED it? In fact, she’s praised it. Can’t you at least respect her for knowing good literature when she sees it, and treat her like a fellow fan, rather than calling the series she’s created the last couple years of her life shitty? Honestly, I don’t think you can come up with anything better, nor would you end up that successful, rich, or famous if you did write a book. So stfu 🙂 AND TEAM PEETA!!!

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  2. Peeta has humor and a really soft side….. but he is clever and cunning at the same time!!!!! He has got to be the best guy ever! Team Peeta all the way!!!!!

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      1. People say “Team Peeta!” or “Team Gale” because in Catching Fire not many notice but you have to choose between Peeta or Gale.

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      2. everyone is soooooo STUPID. it IS team gale or team peeta because katniss DOES have to pick between the two of them…DUH!

        TEAM PEETA FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRRR

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      3. yea pretty much but I still think people really shouldnt do this “team Peeta Team Gale” stuff because I REALLY dont want this to end up like twilight!

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      2. I LOVE PEETA JOSH HUTCHERSON IS JUST AS I THINK PEETA SHOULD BE LIKE SO TEAM PEETA ALL THE WAY I HEART YOU PEETA IS BEAST

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      3. They keep the books entertaining! ‘Lets let Peeta claim it since he died today,’ Sorry but only Finnick OFREAKINGDair can pull that one liner off.

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      2. @Bob: Gale is destructive, he always wants death, he doesn’t feel bad about killing people as long as their winning. He is even ready to kill people at his own side.

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      5. @bb I agree. Have you? He was going to kill the District 2 citizens. Even the ones who are forced against their will to go. Like Katniss’ father.:( Peeta…We’re loving you.

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      6. He turns into some kinda killing machine in mockingjay, oh lets blow up the mountain where a bunch of people from district 2 are.

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    3. OMG!!! i toyally agree w/ u! Have you guys read the third book yet? I started crying about 3 times. And i agree with everyone. TEAM PEETA!!!!! My sis’ said that she hated Peeta in the 1st book and i started screaming at her, “HOW CAN YOU HATE PEETA?! HE IS WAAAY BETTER FOR KATNISS THAN GALE! SHE CAN’T SURVIVE WITHOUT PEETA!” Cuz, if you read the last book, then on the last page it explains why she can’t survive without Peeta. I love the last lines.
      “You love me. Real or not real?”
      “Real.”

      That is Peeta first, then Katniss answering him. The books make me so frustrated, but i LOVE them!

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      2. @Anonymous i’m so fckng agree with you ! that was my favorite part of the book , a game of real or not real ! you know my feel ? grrrrggg … i love peeta all the way ! a loverboy ❤

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  5. TEAM PEETA !! Peeta is the most best character ever ! :3

    I absolutly love him to death and he is soo amazing and sweet and funny and kind and PERFECT!!!

    TEAM PEETA MELLARK ALL THE WAY !

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  10. TEAM PEETA!! ❤ i think i have a tiny, okay HUGE, crush on peeta. what i wouldnt give to be katniss. i love peeta's quotes in catching fire, where he says, "I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you" And when he says "I wish i could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it forever." gosh, i love him. he's officially the standard i will hold all men to in the future.

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  12. i love Peeta! he is the best ❤
    my book is on order and i can't get it for another few weeks 😦 if Katniss or Prim end up with Gale i'll cry T_T the first two books were really good and hopefully the last one will be too!!!!!!

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  14. So..Peeta is so much better than Gale. Gale is cocky and pushy and he wants to have the final “manly” say between Katniss and himself.
    Peeta ❤ is caring and listens and can always brighten the mood. 🙂 PEETA FTW!

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      2. It’s Peeta. Say’s so in Mockingjay. gale is not the right one for Katniss. Katniss said it herself. it’s nat the destructive fire in Gale that she needs. She needs Peeta, a little gentleness and softness in her life. Sorry for my english.

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      4. Gale is a jerk who does not know how to admit his real feelings until he is pissed of and is agressive. if he had married Katniss i predict thier marrage would end in katniss being abused by him and him ending up like haymitch, a drunk, out of anger at the world so he drinks away his sorrow.
        Gale can go die a fiery death and while Katniss is greiving PEETA will be thier comforting and still thinking of gale as a friend even though he tried to steal katniss from him
        P.S. STOP SAYING TEAM PEETA!

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      6. i rly love peeta 2 n im rly happy that katness chose 2 b with him but lets not exagerate bout gail! katness n gail were best friends 4 half her life! she loves gail 2 n he was always there 4 her taking care of her family…he would NEVER do anything 2 hurt katness n if u think gail tried 2 steal katness from peeta u could c it also as peeta stealing katness from gail cuz she knew gail way longer n she loved both of them. it sais so in the book!
        PEETA ❤ ❤ ❤

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      3. HE DIDNT BLOW HER UP!! it sais specifically in the book- they dont know if it was gails bomb or the capitol & anyway if it was gail lets say, he threw it on the capitol ppl peacekeepers & it blew up again later when prim came 2 help the wounded. so even if it was him it was a huge accident not on perpese!

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  18. peeta is amazing. he is so sweet and funny, and perfect! i have like this huge crush on him i soo wish i was katniss 😉

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  19. I LOVE YOU PEETA! PEETA FOREVER and EVER!

    Out of 6,813,000,000 people in this world, i choose YOU! :”> Because,you are amazing just the way you are. My love for you is SO BIG! ❤

    iloveyou PEETA MELLARK! ❤ 🙂 That is a FACT! 🙂 ❤

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      1. totally peeta is soooooooo sweet and loves katniss with all his heart and gale is sooooooo hostile and mean and SPOILER ALERT just leaves katniss in the end for some fancy job sooooooooooooo
        team peeta
        and team boo gale

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  21. cassie and liv lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee peeta mellark and his eyelashes his superduper hot u cam totlay tel!!!!! she has to pick him and not gale and better not be someone lik kristin stewart playing her in the movie that already ruined one bopok tht i like so yea finnick hot to but lik honsetly go away and that galle has that burn on the side of his face hes no t even hot any more soooooooo yea!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  22. Srry but peetas not real so stop lovin him hes afictional charcter soooo yeaaaaa but channing tatum, on the other hand ya kno hes real so y not!!!!! hhes superdupre hot

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  23. jeeesssse yr such a downer debby downer!!!!!!!!! i luv pEeeeta evn tho his fam make bread lik peeta bread!!!:)

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  28. Oh my gosh I’m only 11 years old and i LLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE peeta I’ve read the hunger games 3 times because of Peeta Team Peeta all the way if I could marry one book character it would be PEETA. And Debbie you are a Downer. Team Petta forever man.

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  30. I like gale, but it’s beacuse Gale just seems a IDK how to describe it and dn’t say he’s a jerk cause he’s not Katniss is the jerk in this story. I think she should’ve married and had kids with Gale instead of Peeta and yes, in the 3rd book she ends up with Peeta an has kids with him (one liitle girl with dark hair and blue eyes and a little boy with blond curls and gray eyes) Makes me mad she chose Peeta, even though he is sweet and kind and yes PERFECT, but he seems a bit too perfect that’s what I’m saying.

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    1. honestly peetas not perfect through the whole series… and hes perfect in that way where its not creepy. yeah i kinda fell for him. but really when do you find a guy like that? i know hes not real which makes it worse. im still on mockingjay cuz im trying to last it out(its really hard to do) and i already knew that peeta and katniss were gonna stay together… and i really dont get why she never realized that he was the one in the first place

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  31. I’M TEAM GALE all the way WOOT WOOT hope he’s like superduper hot in the movie that would like make me love him even more!!!

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  32. Peeta is awesome and very sweet im glad he got katniss and had two childeren who by the way r soo cute if u picture them i love katniss and peeta hope they spend there whole lives together in each others arms!!!!! So perfect for each other….. BTW im glad gale left to district two for katniss to forget him and stay with peeta thank you suzanne collins!!!!

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  34. OMGOSH I LOVE PEETA HE MY MAN WE GOT MARRIED IN DISTRICT 12 BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE PLACE WHERE PEETA LIVE AND HE MINE NOW SO BACK OFF HE IS MINE AND ONLY MINE SO YOU ALL GONNA HAVE TO CONVERT TO GALISM O WAIT MY BFF HAVE GALE SO NOW ALL YOU GONNA HAVE TO GO TO HAYMITCHISM CUZ NO ONE LIKE HAYMITCH SO HAHAHAHAHA IN ALL OF YOUR FACE PEETA WHOOOOOOOO YOU MY MAN ❤

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  36. i am going to marry the actor who plays peeta in the hunger games movie, why are fictional charaters always more attractive then real people?

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    1. Agreed! Just don’t get your hopes up: Josh Hutcherson is playing Peeta. It SHOULD have been Alex Pettyfer or Hunter Parrish! Alex was my 1st choice. But even if one of them played Peeta,the real Peeta from the book will always be more attractive (and a little more buff from lifting flour bags ;D) than an actor. I love Peeta Mellark.

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      1. No way! Josh Huterson is MINE! I know everything about him. ( not meaning to be a stalker ) his half birthday is even on my birthday! He was born on Oct. 12 1992, he has two dogs, his moms name is Michelle, he has a brother 3 1/2 years younger than him and he is from Kentucky! He also has a blanket that he calls “yellow blanky” that he still hasn’t got rid of….. And he’s 19! I have to say, I’m In love with Josh’s face and peetas personality. TEAM PEETA!!!!!

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  37. I love peeta and am so happy he ends up with katniss i just really wish prim would not have died though u know anyway im glad gale went to district two and is probably with someone else now yyyyeeeeaaaahhh TEAM PEETA cause you are perfect

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  39. Pingback: Peeta! « hasminkeyt's Blog

  40. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love peeta i so want them to make a movie out of this
    my fav quote is when peeta is telling caeser who he is in love with!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    i am glad becuase my teacher put me in a book club and i got the chance to read this amazing book

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  41. what a amazing book i love all of these quotes!!!!!!!
    one of my favorite quotes in this book is when he calls her sweetheart and says well dont step on me!
    Love Peeta forever!!!!!!!!!!

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  42. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! the last book is soooo amazing because even though the Capitol like “brainwashed” Peeta he was still able to fight it to be with Katniss ❤ 😀 ….. Peeta is PERFECT!!!!! and gale can go suck it because if he can handle Katniss at her worst.. he doesn't deserve her at her best (and her best btw is when she is with peeta) 😀 fav qote is in the last book when he says "you love me. real or not rea?" like real obvoisly.. and 2nd fav is def. when Katniss says "stay with me" and he says "always" when he is having a bad flash back… damn he LOVES her ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

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  43. It’s like Edward and Jacob but wayyyyyy better!!!

    I don’t like Gale. I love Peeta!! He’s so funnyy<33

    and cute(:

    and he understands her (:

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  44. Oh my gosh!!! I love PEETA!!! he is the best thing that happend to me!I can relate the hunger games sooo much to my life! theres a boy i really like at my school and he is the spitting image of peeta! He looks alot how suzanne collins describes him! it’s soo cool! I think Alex pettyfer would be PERFECT to play Peeta in the movie next year! ive wacthed the trailers a million times!!! ahh…. I LOVE PEETA!! ❤ (Katniss can have gale,…Peeta's mine :D)

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      3. definately not my friend… peeta mellark is mine and i just spent hours on the phone with you screamimg my head off cuz i want my book! so im pretty sure you know its me(;

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  47. Team GALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gale rhymes with MALE, which is Gale’s gender. Peeta’s is questionable…he’s just not man enough!
    Besides, pita is a kind of bread… :/ Yeah, he’s a baker, but come on! All I see is a slice of bread when I see his name in the book.

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    1. He wasn’t naked! He had all his clothes on. Later, Katniss had to strip him down to his underwear to clean his wounds. She didn’t want to go past his underwear because she was shy…so cute. She was just kinda wondering, “why am I shy of Peeta if I see my mom doctoring naked guys at home all the time?” Hahaha.

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