The best books you read in 2015?

[southeastdweller]

So as another year is coming to an end, I've been thinking about all the books I've read in 2015. I absolutely loved these books:

1. Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig
2. A God in Ruins - Kate Atkinson
3. 84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff
4. A Life Like Other People's - Alan Bennett
5. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
6. And When Did You Last See Your Father? - Blake Morrison

What have been your favourite books this year?

I loved The Book of Strange New Things. Listened to it on audiobook, was very enjoyable. Poignant that Faber said in an interview it is likely to be his last novel, following the death of his wife.

New - Year of the runaways
Classic - Housekeeping - Marilynne Robinson
Sci-fi - Lexicon - Max Barry
The Long Narrow Road to the Deep North
& recommended here Into Thin Air

These were amazing:

The Narrow Road to the deep North by Richard Flanagan
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Bone Clocks and Ghostwritten by David Mitchell
All the Light We cannot see by Anthony Doerr

This one is an older book that I absolutely loved, highly recommended with a cracking ending:

The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage

I also enjoyed A Man called Ove, Burial Rites and the Martian....

I read some fabulous books last year! Off the top of my head...

The secret history
The goldfinch
Hausfrau
A God in ruins I loved, if you take it as the beautiful story rather than a means to an end!

I vary my trading and I liked a few of the nippy thrillers like I let you go and girl on the train.

Enjoyed the heart goes last
The year of the runaways

Loved child 44 too!

Marking place on this thread for ideas for books to read in 2016 - thanks everyone (you all seem to be very prolific readers)

Life after life, Kate Atkinson
The Last Runaway, Tracy Chevalier
An Officer and a Spy, Robert Harris
Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty
Wild, Cheryl Strayed

The Goldfinch
Life after Life
Elizabeth is Missing

Not got much to contribute as it's been a year when I haven't had much headspace to read but I loved
"The Last Runaway" by Tracy Chevalier
"Capital" by John Lanchester (in fact still reading it and saving TV show to watch)

Years ago I read 84 Charing Cross Rd and now inspired to read again!

Good thread, thanks OP.

1. Middlesex
2. The Poisonwood Bible
3. Lucky Jim
4. The Secret History
5. The Testament of Mary
6. Wolf Hall
7. Bring Up the Bodies

Lillipot - I'd be interested to read your thoughts on Capital, the novel, compared with the tv adaptation. I read it before watching it, but won't say any more

I watched capital but just bought the book as it had price dropped to 99p! Let me know if it's a good read!

My top books of 2015 are:

1. Park and Eleanor by Rainbow Rowell
2. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
3. The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber
4. Brilliance by Marcus Sakey
5. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
6. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
7. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
8. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Clare Nolan
9. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

10. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 11. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 12. Clothes, clothes, clothes, music, music, music, boys, boys, boys by Viv Albertine 13. Gallipoli by Alan Moorehead

It's a long list but I just could not choose a top 5! Glad to see the topic of the thread is Best Books of 2015 and not Top 5 books of 2015 otherwise I would have had a much more difficult decision to make. This year I have branched out into non-fiction and autobiographies a bit more and loved Viv Albertine's and Alan Moorehead's Gallipoli. Looking forward to reading more non-fiction in 2016. Catching up with some classics- my favourites of the year Life of Pi, Of Mice and Men and Brave New World. The consumerism depicted in BNW really hit a note with me (although I do continue to indulge ). The sprawling epic of Oscar Wao, thought-provoking messages in Narrow Road to the Deep North, Americanah and The Book of Strange New Things. The nostalgia and emotions of being young in Black Swan Green and Park and Eleanor and the sci-fi thriller action of Brilliance and Harry August.

Fantastic year of reading and have very much enjoyed thinking about them again for this review.

The goldfinch was amazing.

realJeff - I loved Capital. Thought it was a thoroughly enjoyable, gripping read. Hope you enjoy it too. Just don't want to say anything comparing the novel with the tv series in case it spoils enjoyment.

'A Brief History of Seven Killings' - Marlon James.
Totally transported me to a different world. Much more violent and gritty than what I would normally go for, but I absolutely loved this and was bereft when it ended and I had to 'leave' the world of the characters.

Other books I read and loved:

'Nora Webster' - Colm Toibin

Michelle Moran's Ancient Egypt fiction - 'Nefertiti', 'The Heretic Queen' and 'Cleopatra's Daughter'. Great, rip roaring reads.

Mary Renault's histoircal fiction, which was a new discovery. LOVED 'The Persian Boy'. Just beautiful.

oooo, top reads of 2015, mine were:-

1. The Children Act by Ian McEwan
2. H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald
3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
4. Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
5. Pandora's Star by Peter Hamilton
6. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
7. Armageddon by Max Hastings
8. World War Z by Max Brooks

Lots of great books being mentioned!

Station Eleven Emily St John Mandel
The Fifteen Lives of Harry August Claire North
The Goldfinch Donna Tartt
My Grandmother sends her regards and Apologises Fredrik Backman
I am Pilgrim Terry Hayes
The Martian Andy Weir

I will give capital a try then thank you!!

Another one here that loved I am pilgrim

I'll add my own to this tomorrow but want it on my watch list for inspiration! Great idea for a thread.

Just remembered HhhH by Laurent Binet - absolute genius.

Just finished 'A Man Called Ove' .... just fab! thanks for the recommendation

The Girl With All the Gifts by MR Carey.
Red Rising and Golden Son by Pierce Brown.
Us by David Nichols.
Wolf by Mo Hayder.

The Bone Clocks, David Mitchell
The Humans, Matt Haig

HhhH- is that the one about Hess? I nearly finished that but washed it by mistake and haven't replaced it.

I also enjoyed the Golem and the Djinn.

'HhhH' is about Heydrich. Tis excellent.