Marissa Farrar

Marissa Farrar offers a taut tale of madness and murder that, while it took a little bit to get off the ground, morphs into a fast-paced struggle for survival.

Sasha, the protagonist, is likable and well-written as someone selfless and kind. The book starts with her lamenting her failing relationship and I immediately rooted for her to connect with Josh, a fellow traveler with whom she has chemistry.

The Cambodian landscape was richly painted and there were some authentically creepy scenes. Not wanting to spoil anything, I won’t give away what is driving the people mad, but know that when this thing takes over, it is very, very bad. The life and death feeling came through and while the conclusion came as a sudden drop, it was a nice twist that I wouldn’t have expected. A recommended read.
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The Sound of Crickets. It’s what four women expected to hear when they started a blog about life. Each took turns posting about their day-to-day, ranging from the ramblings to a stay-at-home mom of three under-fives to a single woman facing the possibility of life alone (while humoring her disapproving mother who had recently moved in with her).

I know Marissa Farrar’s writing from The Dark Road, an entirely different kind of story from Crickets. Her voice has always been succinct, her characters clear, but Crickets was an entirely different novel from what I’m used to. Let me tell you that switch in genre did nothing but prove beyond a shadow of a doubt she’s a versatile author.

Crickets touched on the things women struggle with: the monotony of staying at home, a few extra pounds, finding your soul mate, aging, empty nesting, infidelity, and ultimately mortality. Charlotte’s story became impossible to read without tears. Approaching forty, this one touched me in a profound way, echoing a lot of my own insecurities while making me count my blessings. That’s what good stories do, right? They resonate. A job well done. I finished the book in two days. The blog-style format made it a super fast read. Kudos, Marissa.
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