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
20,786 members
613 reviews
4.2
34
17,228 members
911 reviews
4
55
7,726 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
22,228 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
3,800 members
55 reviews
½ 4.3
74
9,849 members
467 reviews
½ 4.3
75
54,044 members
999 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
5,921 members
316 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
9,156 members
519 reviews
½ 4.4
78
5,968 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
3,953 members
288 reviews
4.1
81
15,961 members
384 reviews
4
83
3,076 members
166 reviews
4
85
4,190 members
252 reviews
4
86
9,218 members
294 reviews
4.1
88
8,945 members
354 reviews
3.8
89
6,943 members
346 reviews
½ 4.3
90
35,650 members
543 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
3,614 members
159 reviews
4.2
92
5,705 members
164 reviews
4
93
9,398 members
183 reviews
4
95
18,154 members
448 reviews
3.9
98
15,087 members
146 reviews
4.1
100
5,291 members
282 reviews
½ 4.5