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: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I learned so much from this book. While medical ethics have improved since the days when Henrietta Lack's cells were taken without her knowledge, I don't think most people know what their rights are with regards to their cells and tissue. I certainly didn't until Skloot laid them out. I also had no idea what Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells have done for medicine.

While this is a compilation of the science behind the cells and what they've done for modern medicine, Skloot also tells the story of Henrietta and her family. She presents Henrietta to us as a person, which is how it should be. The doctors who used HeLa cells didn't see her as a person, they just saw cells and cultures, they forgot that she was an actual person with a family. Unfortunately, given the time that Henrietta lived in the color of her skin meant that she didn't get adequate medical care and when she did go to the hospital doctors took advantage of the opportunity to study her cells. My heart broke so many times for the wrongs done to Henrietta and her cells. Learning the hardships her children faced after her death was so sad. The Lacks children weren't the only people impacted by medical ethics injustices, and I was angered to learn how some of our modern "cures" have come about.

I wish the Lacks family could have gotten some sort of reparations for all of their suffering, but I understand how the legality of their situation doesn't allow for that. I guess I'm thankful for what HeLa has done for medicine, but I sure do wish the Henrietta and her family had received better treatment both personally and medically. This was a great telling of the Lacks family history, the evolution of HeLa, and medicine in general. I really enjoyed this.

On a side note, Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin did an amazing job with the narration of the audio book.

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