*Review* Tenth of December by George Saunders

Tenth of December by George Saunders
Publisher: Random House 2013 

Genre: Short Stories, Contemporary, Adult Fiction 

Source: Library borrow/ e-book 

Rating: 4/5

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Goodreads Synopsis
A new story collection, the first in six years, from one of our greatest living writers, MacArthur "genius grant" recipient and New Yorker contributor George Saunders.
The title story is an exquisite, moving account of the intersection, at a frozen lake in the woods, of a young misfit and a middle-aged cancer patient who goes there to commit suicide, only to end up saving the boy's life.
"Home" is the often funny, often poignant account of a soldier returning from the war.
"Victory Lap" is a taut, inventive story about the attempted abduction of a teenage girl.
In all, Tenth of December is George Saunders at his absolute best, a collection of stories and characters that add up to something deep, irreducible, and uniquely American. 

There was a lot of hype when this book first came out a couple of years ago, and I remember really wanting to read it, and then for no particular reason it fell off my radar until recently, when I decided I needed a nice break from all the novels I'd been reading.

Man oh man, this collection! Absolutely fabulous! While there were a couple of stories I slogged through as they just didn't interest me too much, as a whole, I love this collection. Saunders has an interesting way of writing that really puts you in the heads of his characters and makes you question what's really going on.

I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I can't wait to get my hands on more of Saunders' work.

Until next time,
xox

Review # 11- The Quick by Lauren Owen

*Goodreads Page*

Goodreads synopsis- An astonishing debut, a novel of epic scope and suspense that conjures up all the magic and menace of Victorian London  
London, 1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society, and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Unnerved, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine city that greets her, she uncovers a secret world at the margins populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling “Doctor Knife.” But the answer to her brother’s disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of one of the country’s preeminent and mysterious institutions: The Aegolius Club, whose members include the most ambitious, and most dangerous, men in England.

In her first novel, Lauren Owen has created a fantastical world that is both beguiling and terrifying. The Quick will establish her as one of fiction’s most dazzling talents.

Named One of the Top 10 Literary Fiction Books of the Season by Publishers Weekly

Let me start off by saying that this book took me several tries before I got into it, but I'm beyond glad I kept trying!

Without giving too much away (because I feel like this book is one of those that you shouldn't know too much going in), this book is about a young man named James who has moved to London and is living with another young man named Christopher. Where James is quiet and bookish, Christopher is a partying, out all hours of the night, charming opposite.  James and Christopher eventually develop a relationship that inadvertently ends in tragedy. 

James is missing, and his sister Charlotte comes to London looking for him. What she stumbles upon and is pulled into will change her life, and her view of the world, forever.

Okay, so this is a little obscure, (hopefully not too misleading) but I promise you I'm leaving out a lot because there is a twist that I at least didn't see coming, and I really think if you go into this book knowing what that twist is, it won't be quite as enjoyable. I do promise that it's more than worth it! This book had me in tears, it had me screaming, it had me laughing. I honestly can't tell you the last time I enjoyed an historical novel so much! This book is dark and charming, and I honestly couldn't get enough!

The only thing I was upset about was the ending. However, that's probably because I like nice clean endings in these kinds of books, but at the same time the ending leaves room for a sequel (which I am fervently praying is in the works!).

All in all, this was a SPECTACULAR debut novel, and I really can't wait to get my hands on more of Owen's work! I urge you, if you have not done so already, to pick this book up! I promise you won't regret it!

Until next time,
xox

A Few of My Favorite Authors Part 1

I recently posted this picture on Instagram, showing a handful of some of my favorite authors, and I thought I'd make a proper post about some of my favorite authors and my favorite books by them.

To start off, let me clarify how I categorize "favorite authors". For me, a favorite author is an author who writes books that I know, no matter what mood I'm in, I'll be able to pick up and fall in love with immediately. If you're a favorite author of mine, I've either read all of your books or have read a good many of them.

Now, many of my favorite authors are ones that I discovered at a young age, but they write the kind of timeless novels, that even today, as a young adult, I can pick up one of their books and immediately fall in love.

In order give a little more detail about what I love about these authors and an attempt to not bore you to tears, I think what I'll do is tell you about three authors now, and make another post or two discussing my other favorite authors. 

The three authors I'll tell you about today are three that, when I think about my favorite books as a child, come to mind first. 

1. Laurie Halse Anderson: The first book I read by her was Twisted, and this book got me hooked on all things Laurie. I know most of you probably know her best for her novels Speak and Wintergirls, but the book I fell in love with most was Catalyst. I'm not even sure why. It was the book I related with least on a personal level, but there's just something about the story that I absolutely love!

2. Jerry Spinelli- My first Spinelli book was Stargirl, and if any of you have read this book, I'm sure you know why I was instantly hooked! I remember going to the library in my town and checking out every Spinelli book they had. I even re-read a few of them, which is something I almost never do. Spinelli just has a way of writing about adolescent life that's so real and true, yet fun and exciting that you can't but devour more of his writing. Some of my favorite books by Spinelli are his Space Station Seventh Grade books, Crash, and Who Put that Hair on my Toothbrush?.

3. Robert Cormier- I fell in love with Cormier's writing after reading The Chocolate War. Cormier writes some darker stuff, but it's really good. If you haven't read anything by him, I encourage you to do so immediately! I promise you won't regret it! Some of my favorite books by him are Fade, We All Fall Down, Tenderness, and the Rag and Bone Shop. 

Alright guys, here are a few of my favorite authors! Please stay tuned for some more! 

Until next time,

xox