What is the best book you've read this year?

[Stokey]

Am about to go on holiday and would like some recommendations.
I have read quite a lot this year with maternity leave and a new kindle, although have fallen into the kindle trap of buying cheap books and then feeling slightly dirty after reading them!
Books I've read and enjoyed this year include State of Wonder, Me before You, Before I go to Sleep, the William Nicholson trilogy, Perfect People, The White Lie.
Loads of 99p Kindle books that are a bit meh, quite good for when I was extremely sleep deprived, but not what I am after now that I get a reasonable night's sleep.
Anyway tell me what have you enjoyed please, thanks.

Well I don't know if they are the 'best' books I've ever read but I really enjoyed 'The night circus' and 'The song of Achilles'. I've recently re-read 'the time travellers wife' too - still love that book. Oh and.. 'The guernsey literary and potato peel pie society'. Try the Paulina Simmons books (The bronze Hourseman ect...) Still love them - they are my comfort books!

Capital by John Lanchester and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, David Mitchell. Both pretty hefty, so good for a holiday. Also, I didn't particularly like State of Wonder, but loved Ann Patchett's earlier novels, so do try those if you haven't already. Enjoy.

ooh I liked the Jacob de Zoet one too so I will try Capital. Have read Bel canto, and Run. Will look at Paulina Simmons too, thanks September

For me, I think the best reads so far have been The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, My Dear I Wanted To Tell You by Louisa Young, and Still Missing by Beth Gutcheon.

Off the top of my head I would say Room by Emma Donoghue, The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha and The Island by Victoria Hislop. Loved Me Before You!!

Wolf Hall, Rivers of London and 11.22.63

If you like Ann Patchett, The Magician's Assistant is well worth reading too.

I really enjoyed Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies - both hefty reads - and second My Dear I Wanted to Tell You, which is much better than the blurb and cheesy cover would suggest.

If you like crime, I've been enjoying Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series, set near Quebec. Fairly cosy crime, but interesting insights into the English/French Canadian divide.

I read Wolf Hall when dd1 was a tiddler, and liked it, so will definitely get Bring Up the Bodies. Have also read My Dear I Wanted to Tell You. Inspector Gamache sounds good, just started reading Dorothy Sayers. Room doesn't really appeal, the synopsis bit off putting.

The song of Achilles. Only bought it because it was the times read of the week but I really enjoyed it and have re-read it three times so far!!

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. I was hooked and couldn't put it down.

Fragrant Harbour (an earlier John Lanchester) is wonderful too. Looking forward to trying some of the ideas on here myself. Currently reading The Strangers Child by Alan Hollinghurst. Liking but not loving it, but bought it when it was on offer for 20p and definitely the best 20p I have ever spent!

Just finished The Last Werewolf and Tallulah Rising, couldn`t put them down.

The must read of the year for me has to mbe 'We need to talk about Kevin'. I couldn't put it down.

Jeffrey Deaver is my favourite author by far, try to read them in order though if you can. Next comes Harlan Coben, but can be guilty of being a bit "samey" IYKWIM. My best kindle buy was Arthur Conan Doyle the complete Sherlock Holmes collection, for free. I thought it would be stuffy not having read that sort of thing before, but actually amazing. Also "the facebook killer" really graphic if your squeamish then no, but try part one (free) and if you like then part 2 and 3 are only 99p each. I'm now onto Michael Connelly, also excellent, again read in order if possible. And totally agree with itsallinmyhead about Kevin, although I had the paperback...Lee Childs is also good, and if you are after a bit of comedy then you cannot go wrong with terry Pratchett, been reading him since primary school but he is one of those writers who makes jokes for the kids, and then the jokes that go above the kids' heads... Whatever you do, DO NOT GO TO GREY worst crap ever written...

Also Ken Follett -amazing, unputdownable! And Conn Iggulden, he may not seem like a obvious choice for a woman, my DP was like WTF? But seriously, brilliant, was one on them (make your own tea kids there's microwave burgers in the fridge) type books, well 2 trilogies actually, one about Ceasar and one about Genghis, just AMAZING cannot tell you how good they were.

I know what you mean about cheap kindle books. I loved Me before You too.

Not this year, but this is one of my all time fav books. I have gifted it several times and read it a number of times. It made my (male) boss sob.

www.amazon.co.uk/Hunting-Midnight-Zarco-2-ebook/dp/B005AE68ES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348190435&sr=8-1

The Shadow of the Wind. Also enjoyed We Are All Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka.

The Help. Didn't want it to end and haven't found anything that has hooked me in as much. Loved it.

If you are tempted by Grey but actually want a good piece of literature, Gordon by Edith Templeton is amazing

Ah The Help, of course!! Don't know how on earth I forgot to mention that, a brilliant read....

The Help was good, but I thought the ending was a little unsatisfactory.

"Dress Circle" by Laurie Graham.

Actually nearly anything by Laurie Graham but I read this a few weeks ago and found it almost unputdownable

Loved me before you too, however also couldn't put down 2 Elizabeth Hayes novels -into the darker corner and revenge of the tide. Excellent reads.

I have loved "The Thread" best. It was so beautifully written and I learnt a lot from the author - completely transported me.

I have been reading Mark Billingham in order. The first three were compulsive reading. Just finished the fourth which I found not so engaging, which seems to be backed up by other reviews. Am about to start the fifth which sounds more promising.