A Few Faves From 2018…

I wanted to call out some fave reads from 2018 for a lengthier review… did you check any of these out in 2018?

 

–Marissa

 

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou was just… man, truth is stranger than fiction. This is a retelling of Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos scandal. I remember hearing just a teeny bit about this story, but diving into it just took my fascinating/horror to a whole new level as Holmes convinced tons of investors to give her millions and millions on promised technology… that never worked. If you’ve gotten sucked into the Fyre Festival documentaries lately, this is right up your alley!

 

The White Darkness by David Grann is a teeny, tiny nonfiction story, but it really stuck with me. In it, Grann follows the trials and travails of Henry Worsley, as he tries to break several records in crossing the Antarctic, one of them completely solo. I love a good man-versus-nature story, and this is just great storytelling coupled with that very spirit. I really enjoyed it (and it only took a little while to read!)

 

The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson is unlike any other mystery I read this year. First, it’s set in Iceland (which, of course, I’m into since Johnna and I visited), and features an unlikely heroine… a female police inspector in her 60s being pushed out of her position. She decides to investigate just one last case… and the ending of this novel as stuck with me all year long! If you read it, I wanna know your thoughts!

 

Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee was a special read… first, I met Lee (and got his autograph) on this copy at a conference, then eagerly devoured it chapter by chapter, smiling in particular at the one set in a restaurant in Indianapolis that I LOVE. Lee does such a beautiful job of combining food culture, the immigrant experience, recipes, and evoking what every bite tastes like with a completely approachable, unpretentious air. I loved every page, and wish I’d been along for the ride!

 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens was just… magic. I was reluctant to read it after ALL the hype, but was immediately sucked into the setting, the story of the “Marsh Girl”, and the community that keeps her at a distance. I couldn’t stop reading and friends, I actually *cried* at the end – both at the ending, and at the fact the story, the setting was leaving me. So highly recommended…