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
523 participating members
3
19,842 members
588 reviews
4.2
34
16,762 members
901 reviews
4
54
7,533 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
69
21,373 members
1,239 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
5,788 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
5,612 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
8,949 members
437 reviews
½ 4.3
79
8,335 members
482 reviews
½ 4.4
81
2,993 members
164 reviews
4
83
4,081 members
246 reviews
4
84
8,965 members
287 reviews
4.1
86
8,493 members
347 reviews
3.8
87
15,258 members
365 reviews
4
88
5,533 members
164 reviews
4
89
6,671 members
337 reviews
½ 4.3
90
34,107 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
3,519 members
161 reviews
4.2
92
9,112 members
174 reviews
4
96
14,480 members
143 reviews
4.1
98
4,943 members
270 reviews
½ 4.5
99
51,804 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
17,589 members
432 reviews
3.9