Devon Book Club discussion

Sonia suggested to me that we open a thread to reveal our top 3 reads of 2015. I will keep track of what you offer and produce a poll on which we might vote for the New Year. This should offer some great recomemendtaions for reading in 2016.

So many to choose from but my top 3 for the year are:
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov - a wonderful satire
HHhH by Laurent Binet - a beautifully written and engaging story (based on fact) about the assasination of Himmler
A Riot of Goldfish by Kanoko - Okamoto a little book, but such an exquisite study of character

but close behind (I'm cheating already)
Elena Ferrante My Brilliant Friend - the first in the Neopolitan trilogy; a lovely examination of friendship and growing up
Early One Morning by Virginia Baily - a great story, gripped me from the start
Belinda Seaward The Beautiful Truth - lives and events slipping between wartime Krakow and the modern day - thoughtful and moving

Look forward to hearing about yours

Always difficult to choose, but here goes:
The Pure Gold Baby Margaret Drabble
Canada Richard Ford
Life After Life Kate Atkinson

Angela wrote: "Always difficult to choose, but here goes:
The Pure Gold Baby Margaret Drabble
Canada Richard Ford
Life After Life Kate Atkinson"

Nice. Not read them but all good choices by repute.

My top 3
1. The Goldfinch - a fantastic read, worth the investment of time - compelling characters and a great story with the power of love and humanity at its core. Very sad to reach the last page.
2. The House of Mirth] - smart, sharp and funny. A brilliant portrayal of high society New York at the turn of the 20 th century. An excellent book .
3. Girl With a Pearl Earring - evocative narrative - totally transports you to 17th century Holland.

Sonia wrote: "My top 3
1. The Goldfinch - a fantastic read, worth the investment of time - compelling characters and a great story with the power of love and humanity at its core. Very sad to rea..."

Hi Sonia. Hope you've hada great Xmas. Thanks for posting these. I've not read any of them, though all are on my ever expanding list! as you suggested, I will make a poll of the books poeple nominate and we can vote on them to find the best of the best to read in 2016 for those that are interested.

This could link to your shared read project BJ?

Great Christmas thanks. Hope yours was good too. The Goldfinch is a must read Ian - i think you'd like it.

Sonia wrote: "Great Christmas thanks. Hope yours was good too. The Goldfinch is a must read Ian - i think you'd like it."

That's good. Yes, a nice Xmas here too. I downloaded it ages ago but just havent got round to it. One for 2016

My three best reads came, almost consecutively, in May

A Place Called Winter - Patrick Gale

Inside the O'Briens. - Lisa Genova

Lacey's House. - Joanne Graham

Then I've just finished this:
Orhan's Inheritance. - Aline Ohanesian

So it has to be 4!

Sue wrote: "My three best reads came, almost consecutively, in May

A Place Called Winter - Patrick Gale

Inside the O'Briens. - Lisa Genova

..."

Great to see that local authors take two of the three choices!

Ian wrote: "Sue wrote: "My three best reads came, almost consecutively, in May

A Place Called Winter - Patrick Gale

Inside the O'Briens. - [author:Lisa Genov..."

Patrick Gale was a BIG hit when he came to our library for the book festival a couple of years ago. Of course I was in Devon that week!

Sue wrote: "My three best reads came, almost consecutively, in May
..."

oooh, good choices. I already have 2 of those books on my to-read list so have added the other 2 to it as well. I will have to make the Patrick Gale book a priority after your recommendation- I have had it sitting on my shelf for months.! Btw, how did you get hold of Orhan's inheritance? I just looked it up on amazon and they list it as not being published until March 2016? Perhaps they only did a small print run the first time?! I will have to see if Devon libraries has a copy...

I have read so many great books this year that it is really difficult to name my top three, but here goes:
1. Louis de Bernières: Captain Corelli's Mandolin
I listened to this as an audible audiobook and fell in love with it instantly.

2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.

3. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. This was a brilliant and very moving story set in Penang, Malaysia during WW2. It is not a light read so beware the faint-hearted! I wrote a fuller review of it earlier in the year on challenge #2 posts I think.

Ellen wrote: "I have read so many great books this year that it is really difficult to name my top three, but here goes:
1. Louis de Bernières: Captain Corelli's Mandolin [bookcover:C..."

Interesting range of books - shows what diverse tastes you have - thank you for sharing them

I will probably change my mind tomorrow, but for the moment, my 3 best books of 2015 are; The Martian; Outlander; and All The Light We Cannot See, in that order.

Lisa wrote: "My three favourite books from 2015 are:

1. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
2. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
3. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling"

Again, three very different books. Fascinating what people are choosing.

Thank you for sharing with us Lisa - and, if I may offer a small tip: if you click on the add book/author link just above the comment box you can add the book and/or author and it provides a link that takes us to reviews, information etc - as per below

The Crimson Petal and the White
The Little Stranger
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (tho not sure which Harry Potter you read?)

Interestingly, I dont think that there has been a duplication yet. We all read and love such different work. That's one of the fantastic things about this group - opens our minds to all sorts of books,w e might not otherwise read

Carol wrote: "I will probably change my mind tomorrow, but for the moment, my 3 best books of 2015 are; The Martian; Outlander; and All The Light We Cannot See, in that order."

Excellent - thank you; and I know what you mean about changing yoru mind! I did enjoy the Martian (thank you for the recommendation - I didn't think I would so that showed me not to be so narrow in my reading)

Lisa wrote: "My three favourite books from 2015 are:

1. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
2. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
3. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling"

I loved the crimson petal too. Have you read The Apple: New Crimson Petal Stories. Apparently the author really liked the characters!

Ellen, Ohran's Inheritance came through the library. Think I put in a request, paid £1 and they bought a copy. Someone else had put it on hold so looks like it may become popular. Hope you manage to get a copy.

I only gave a 5 star rating to 2 books so they definitely make it into my top 3 which are:

1. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

2. The Martian by Andy Weir

3. Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith

Alison wrote: "I only gave a 5 star rating to 2 books so they definitely make it into my top 3 which are:

1. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

2. The Martian by Andy Weir

3. Gorky Park by M..."

I have Richard Flanagan on my reading list for this year so good to know it comes highly recommended.

Ian wrote: "Carol wrote: "I will probably change my mind tomorrow, but for the moment, my 3 best books of 2015 are; The Martian; Outlander; and All The Light We Cannot See, in that order."

Excellent - thank y..."The reason I put All the Light We Cannot See, as 3rd, is that although it was exquisitely written, it made me cry, the only book since Little Women to have that effect on me, and therefore I'm not sure I want to read any more books by him.

Carol wrote: "Ian wrote: "Carol wrote: "I will probably change my mind tomorrow, but for the moment, my 3 best books of 2015 are; The Martian; Outlander; and All The Light We Cannot See, in that order."

Excelle..."

Books that can move us that much are rare indeed. They usually qualify for 5 stars on my system

1. The Beautiful Truth by Belinda SeawardBelinda Seaward

2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathThe Bell Jar

3. The House on The Strand by Daphne Du MaurierThe House on the Strand

Helen wrote: "1. The Beautiful Truth by Belinda SeawardBelinda Seaward

2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathThe Bell Jar

3. The House on The Strand by Daphne Du Maurier[book:The House on..."

Great choices. Loved the first two. The last one lost it a bit towards the end I thought. I thought Belindas book was wonderful, all the better for having met her at Sidmouth and I enjoyed the Bell Jar. Read that a couple of years ago after reading a book of her poetry.

Just loved the fact that Daphne Du Maurier could write so widely about so many different places and was so adaptable...although Cornwall was a favourite of course.

Helen wrote: "1. The Beautiful Truth by Belinda SeawardBelinda Seaward

2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathThe Bell Jar

3. The House on The Strand by Daphne Du Maurier[book:The House on..."
Haven't read the first 2, but Daphne du Maurier is one of my favourite authors.

Yes, one of my favourite authors too Carol.