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?
3
20,723 members
612 reviews
4.2
34
17,197 members
910 reviews
4
55
7,715 members
406 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.
61
22,188 members
1,263 reviews
4.2
15 Members
donutage, fifthbusy, kootibkiteer, RobinMG, briarhills, smasler, rozymary, Risbom, WhatUsername, HelenGress, Peace2, richard_c, ParanoidMaryMarvel, Jelissa88, SundayN
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.
69
3,793 members
55 reviews
½ 4.3
74
9,789 members
463 reviews
½ 4.3
75
53,924 members
998 reviews
4
13 Members
gilroy, applemcg, brianc6, lordcharles, martensgirl, eclecticdodo, joanra21, Peace2, chwiggy, Femklutz, CharlesTheB, ijamiedee, Kylagm
Explanations
lordcharles: Opened my eyes to a number of things - and possibilities. Frightening. On pet.
76
5,905 members
315 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.
77
9,088 members
515 reviews
½ 4.4
78
5,939 members
365 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.
80
3,949 members
288 reviews
4.1
81
15,963 members
384 reviews
4
83
3,072 members
166 reviews
4
85
4,185 members
251 reviews
4
86
9,202 members
294 reviews
4.1
88
8,908 members
354 reviews
3.8
89
6,933 members
346 reviews
½ 4.3
90
35,556 members
541 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
3,602 members
159 reviews
4.2
92
5,694 members
164 reviews
4
93
9,369 members
182 reviews
4
95
18,118 members
448 reviews
3.9
98
15,073 members
146 reviews
4.1
100
5,259 members
281 reviews
½ 4.5