Top 5 Wednesday: Best Books You've Read So Far in 2018

I used to hand out 5 stars just because I really liked a book.  Since I started blogging and reviewing books I don't rate things 5 stars as frequently and I'm much more critical of books.  I give out lots of 3 and 4 star ratings, and I really enjoy those books.  In no particular order these are the best books I've read in 2018, and they really were fantastic and I highly recommend them.

I've linked reviews to all of the books I've mentioned below so you can see what I thought about them.

• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
• If you like Trevor Noah's brand of humor and you'd like a lesson in humility you should check this out.  Everyone should read this and I've heard the audio is wonderful as well.  Noah gives a lesson about how you survive in South Africa during a time when it was illegal for you to be born.  He didn't have a great childhood but he made the most of it.  The book is laced with humor, yet makes you think about what is really important.
• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
• I thought this was wonderful.  I loved the mythology, the romance, and the characters.  I can't wait for book 2.  
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
• This was such and education about how medicine has advanced through the years.  This was heartbreaking and really makes you feel for the Lacks family.  You want them to receive some sort of reparation for the advances made from Henrietta's cells, but unfortunately that just isn't how it works.
• As You Wish by Cary Elwes
• If you love the movie The Princess Bride like I do, you should give this book a go.  I listened to the audio and it is full of the cast speaking about their experience filming.  This is so funny and heartwarming. 
• Sadie by Courtney Summers
• I just finished this and it was awesome!  It is told in mixed media and I loved it.  I couldn't put it down.  If you like YA thrillers go get this as soon as it comes out in September.  There are podcasts live that go with the book and episode 1 was excellent go check it out.

Go check out the Top 5 Wednesday group on Goodreads and see what other people recommended and to check out other topics.  

Review: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is by far the most charming and wonderful book I think I've ever listened to. I love The Princess Bride, and as Elwes mentions in this Tale I've watched it since the 80's when it came out, shared it with my kids, and it is as good now as it was then.  My husband calls me Buttercup, hence the name of the blog, and it comes from this movie as we've watched more times than I can count.  It is one of our favorites to watch together, that and Monty Python and The Quest for the Holy Grail.  We often talk to each other in quotes from those 2 movies, and I think Cary Elwes would approve.

It was wonderful to hear all of the cast's input on how fun and wonderful an experience it was to make one of my favorite movies. It was also interesting to hear about all of the people that were considered for the various roles, and how it just wouldn't have been the same had anything been different than what the film is today.  Can you imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger as Fezzik?  Wallace Shawn is and will always be Vizzini, no one else could have played that part.  I loved hearing about how Cary and Mandy trained for the sword fight and I was stunned to hear that the cast did almost all of their own stunts.  In today's age with CGI graphics and pretty much everything being possible, The Princess Bride was pretty fantastic considering what they had to work with at the time.  I love watching older movies when things were simpler and while they may look a little funny to today's youth, they feel more real to me.

At times it felt like a love letter from the cast to Andre the Giant. He is one of my favorite characters in film, and it is so heartwarming to hear that he was as gentle a giant in his real life as he was in the film. His life was not without hardships, but he seemed to always keep his spirits up and make everyone around him smile. The world needs more kind souls like Andre in it.

I loved all of the behind the scenes insights and stories that Elwes told. I was stunned to hear that the movie didn't do well after its release knowing how much of a classic it is. I'm happy that the classic blunder make in marketing the movie in the theaters was made up for by the VHS market and now DVDs and streaming media and the movie can be shared for years to come.

If you are a fan of the movie I highly recommend the audiobook. You will just miss some of the charm from the cast actually giving their insight and the tone of their delivery that you will miss from the written word, though I understand there are photos in the book that you miss out on in the audio version. This is a beautiful nod to a wonderful story, and I'm so glad to have experienced it.  I've never read William Goldman's book version of The Princess Bride, Inconceivable, I know!  I think I might after listening to Cary Elwes sing its praises.  I also plan on watching The Princess Bride as soon as possible.

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