Recommend the 20 best books you've read in the last five years

Description
A casual acquaintance is looking for ideas about books to read, but you don't know much about their tastes. Thinking back over your last five years of reading, which books would you recommend?
Members
524 participating members
3
19,834 members
588 reviews
4.2
34
16,761 members
901 reviews
4
54
7,531 members
397 reviews
4.1
20 Members
aprille, SqueakyChu, pammab, bookworm12, goldenmoon, KimarieBee, amysisson, kxn11, goldenlobo, hammockqueen, KatyBee, Jenny1013, IrishSue, Winny99, Penske, KittyTwist, richard_c, WendyRobyn, archanads, nankan,pitjrw , ,aulsmith
Explanations
: Bad science fiction, terrible dialogue, and really bad theology.
65
3,673 members
53 reviews
½ 4.3
68
21,362 members
1,238 reviews
4.2
14 Members
donutage, fifthbusy, kootibkiteer, RobinMG, briarhills, smasler, rozymary, Risbom, WhatUsername, HelenGress, Peace2, richard_c, ParanoidMaryMarvel, Jelissa88
Explanations
donutage: An inventive and, by the end, surprisingly moving story of an orphan raised in and by a graveyard. Categorized as a YA title, which is understandable, but I consider it also a meditation on parenthood.
72
3,810 members
278 reviews
4.1
73
5,786 members
305 reviews
4.1
12 Members
pechmerle, rstaedter, Kieln, lillypatti72, Lapsus16, rozymary, peterveen, LoneS, linlef, kazzer2u, Michael_Gibbons, CharlesTheB
Explanations
pechmerle: A combination of East Asian history, historical romance, suspense, and writing style that is irresistible. A little knowledge of Japanese history before reading makes it a much richer reading experience.
75
5,608 members
348 reviews
4
12 Members
Shrike58, Aquila, Euryale, ArieJvdP, dhm, SusiLibrarian, RobinMG, Dilara86, zjakkelien, gypsysmom, lorannen, jpahl,ayaeckel
Explanations
Shrike58: Another current example of the best state of the art of modern SF that builds on the traditions of the field (imagine what a collaboration between Le Guin & Cherryh would look like) while trying to extend the state of the art. Some people think this is a bad thing, and I'm not sure that Leckie's tricks of language always work, but this is ultimately a very individual story of how one comes by personal dignity.
78
8,945 members
437 reviews
½ 4.3
79
8,333 members
482 reviews
½ 4.4
81
2,994 members
164 reviews
4
83
4,080 members
246 reviews
4
84
8,964 members
287 reviews
4.1
86
8,490 members
347 reviews
3.8
87
15,252 members
365 reviews
4
88
5,532 members
164 reviews
4
89
6,666 members
337 reviews
½ 4.3
90
34,098 members
520 reviews
3.8
11 Members
aprille, donutage, unspuncapricorn, dmsteyn, smasler, tjsween, AmourFou, pseudoeden, CharlesTheB, NidiaMR86, CLMor,KerryMcGuire ,booksbooks63
Explanations
donutage: It's a "classic" for a reason. Ambitious, profound, playful, at times bizarre. Like many, I read this back in high school and was somewhat flummoxed by the "boring" "digressions" about whale anatomy and sailing ships. When I re-read it a couple years ago, I was more willing to take the sprawling narrative on its own terms and found it infinitely enjoyable.
91
3,518 members
161 reviews
4.2
92
9,111 members
174 reviews
4
96
14,477 members
143 reviews
4.1
98
4,942 members
270 reviews
½ 4.5
99
51,787 members
983 reviews
4
10 Members
gilroy, applemcg, brianc6, lordcharles, martensgirl, eclecticdodo, Peace2, chwiggy, Femklutz, CharlesTheB
Explanations
lordcharles: Opened my eyes to a number of things - and possibilities. Frightening. On pet.
100
17,587 members
432 reviews
3.9