My Hunger Games Santa operated on a nefarious scheme: that I enjoyed dystopian novels similar to the Hunger Games (that includes Battle Royale) but not particularly the adventures of Ms. Everdeen and her cohorts. With a nearly indomitable task in hand, Santa set off, drawing not only from some exceptional authors, but from my very own wishlist!

Included were copies of Anthony Burgess'ss'ss'sssssssssss (wait, what?) The Wanting Seed, which deeply compels me as a history buff and is strikingly relevant given the current state of reproductive rights! I'm both pleased and embarrassed that I haven't read this yet, given how fond I am of A Clockwork Orange. Scott Westerfeld's 'Uglies' series looks equally compelling and I'll admit I'm a sucker for books that deal with plastic surgery and herd mentality- here's to hoping it's better than Chuck Palahniuk's latest monstrosity.

The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness, evokes a version of American Psycho, but it promises dogs, premature aging, germs, strange medical testing, and antiquated resources. Between this and my tea exchange, I'd say my weekends are set. I've included links for fellow HG/dystopian aficionados to take a look at. If you're looking for a series deviation, these certainly sound like the ticket!

To complete the wonderful set, Santa included a copy of Jesse Eisenberg's new book, Bream Gives Me Hiccups & Other Stories. I fucking love his essays in the New Yorker. They make me look forward to work. Santa, thank you for stepping outside of the box. I'll think of you on my nights buried in these books!