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
20,852 members
616 reviews
4.2
34
17,267 members
911 reviews
4
55
7,748 members
407 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.
62
22,286 members
1,264 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
3,814 members
55 reviews
½ 4.3
74
5,951 members
316 reviews
4.1
13 Members
pechmerle, rstaedter, Kieln, lillypatti72, SpreeMetVoeten, 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.
76
16,032 members
385 reviews
4
77
9,952 members
470 reviews
½ 4.3
78
3,083 members
166 reviews
4
79
54,256 members
1,006 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.
80
5,998 members
367 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.
82
3,975 members
288 reviews
4.1
85
4,196 members
253 reviews
4
86
9,241 members
295 reviews
4.1
87
6,984 members
346 reviews
½ 4.3
89
9,007 members
355 reviews
3.8
90
35,629 members
545 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
3,629 members
159 reviews
4.2
92
5,720 members
164 reviews
4
93
9,432 members
183 reviews
4
94
18,220 members
453 reviews
3.9
98
15,152 members
147 reviews
4.1
100
5,326 members
283 reviews
½ 4.5