I've had a weak year and bumped a few up to bold which ordinarily wouldn't have made it. I'll comment on that as I go.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Set on a farm during the pandemic, a woman recounts to her daughters the story of her short lived acting career and how she was once romantically involved with a well known film star. Audiobook read by Meryl Streep. Charming.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
A woman who does audio transcription as a job, becomes obsessed with a woman receiving therapy whose sessions she can listen in on.
This was not initially a bold but I changed it because I kept thinking about it and it stayed with me. I can't remember anyone's name now though
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Possibly my book of the year, worked amazingly well as an audiobook as one man tries to save Earth on a high stakes mission
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
A woman returns to her boardjng school to deliver a seminar and finds herself pulled back into the story of her roommate who died one night on the property. Lots of people didn't like this or felt mixed which made me hesitant on bold, but I liked it, so I'm sticking with.
Wifedom by Anna Funder
Lots of us loved this non fiction about the wife of George Orwell. Definitely worth a read
The True History Of The Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
What the title implies ! I loved this as an audio and felt really involved in it
Age Of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
It’s 2004 in New Delhi and a speeding Mercedes with a drunk driver at the wheel ploughs into a group of street sleepers, killing five. This symbolic yet seemingly senseless act also binds together the three main protagonists of an impressively ambitious literary thriller: Sunny Wadia, the playboy scion of a major criminal family; Neda Kapur, an investigative journalist; and Ajay, a hapless footsoldier in the Wadias’ nefarious business empire.
I had to use The Guardian's description because I've forgotten most of it now but I thought it was really good at the time.
The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland
The true story of a man who escaped Auschwitz
Desperately important and thoroughly shocking
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
A young journalist develops an unhealthy relationship with an imprisoned serial killer
This has had mixed reviews on the thread and is one of the two that I bumped to bold even though there were flaws. I suppose it's because I liked the themes and haven't read something like it before.
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
A man living in a dystopian society begins to question the world around him.
This is the other book that perhaps wasn't quite a bold but close. Decent enough twist made it thought provoking
Born A Crime by Trevor Noah
The comedian's autobiography about growing up mixed race in South Africa
The Cutting Place by Jane Casey
The Maeve Kerrigan detective series is my standout discovery of the year and I don't hesitate to recommend.
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A charming true story of an American woman's correspondence with a London bookshop
Rivals by Jilly Cooper
It's just bloody good fun, particularly after the more controversial Riders
None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
A chance encounter in a pub toilet has dramatic consequences for everyone involved
Alongside Project Hail Mary this is probably my standout read of the year. They were both audiobooks which is interesting. Several others were also
Apologies for the long post, that's me done. I'm trying to make 135 for the year so I've still got 7 to go!