The Best of 2015 (So Far)

JUNE 30TH. Halfway through the year. Holy cats, when did that happen?

It's been a pretty fine reading year in these parts so far; though I had a few weeks of ho-hum reading, I found my groove in recent months and have found some real gems. In no particular order, the best of the best I've read so far this year:

The Book of Speculation, by Erika Swyler: Swyler's debut spans family secrets, circuses, tarot cards, magic (maybe?), curses (maybe?), and some damn fine writing. While I'm never much for "this book is a combination of X meets Y and does Z!" type descriptions, this reminded me of the best parts of Water for Elephants and The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, and the combination works.

Our Endless Numbered Days, by Claire Fuller: I never found the words to adequately review Fuller's novel, which centers on a father and his daughter who flee the end of the world for a cabin in the woods. My recommendation: read this as soon as you can get your hands on it, and read it knowing as little as possible about it going into it.

Saint Mazie, by Jami Attenberg: Saint Mazie is the story of Mazie Phillips-Gordon, cobbled together from scraps of her unpublished autobiography, journal, and interviews with those who knew her. Through this kaleidoscopic lens we see Mazie's life, lived in the ticket booth of the Manhattan movie theater where she worked, dedicated to quietly helping the streets of New York in its worst moments. "She had just lived a big life," Attenberg writes, "even though it was in this confined space. And when you live big you fall big."

The Shore, by Sara Taylor: Shannon's been talking about this book for what feels like ever, and what can I say? She's not wrong. The novel reads like a series of interconnected short stories, and true: it takes a little work to get the family tree sorted out at the beginning, which is necessary to making sense of the ending. But if you don't mind taking notes while you read, The Shore is smart and worth the effort, and proves to be a dark and violent tale of Southern life and family tensions and the lasting impact our decisions have on those around us.

The Star Side of Bird Hill, by Naomi Jackson: Jackson's novel moves between New York City and the West Indies as two sisters are sent from their mother in Brooklyn to live with their grandmother in Bird Hill. It's a big novel, full of heart and place and culture, never shying away from difficult subjects but finding some kind of hope nestled in the darkest of moments.

The Library at Mount Char, by Scott Hawkins: It's practically impossible to summarize this epic fantasy, so let me leave it at this: The Library at Mount Char is weird and strange and wonderful and did-I-mention-weird? and think-y. It requires a little bit of trust and a little bit of patience and if you go into it with both, it will prove a mindfuckery of a book in the best way possible.

The Fishermen, by Chigozie Obioma: Obioma's debut centers on four brothers and a prophecy that tears them apart. Told from the point of view of Benjamin, who witness these events when he was only nine years old, The Fishermen is tinged with the sadness of understanding one's youthful mistakes only from the vantage point of adulthood, when it is too late to change things. Obioma is a voice I'll be looking for more from in the future.

Terms of Service, by Jason Silverman: I've had more luck with fiction than non this year so far, but Silverman's account of social media and how it has impacted our culture today--complete with the price we pay in privacy in exchange for the use of these "free" social tools. Terms of Service is thoughtful and thought-provoking and well worth the read.

Trigger Warning, by Neil Gaiman: I came late to Gaiman's novels, starting with The Ocean at the End of the Lane (which I adored). This collection of "short fictions" is alternately fantastical and horrific--and sometimes both--and combines the best of what fans have come to expect from Gaiman's writing.

Little Black Lies, by Sharon Bolton: Those who know my reading habits may be surprised to find this here, as it falls outside my typical sweet spot for "favorite" reads. But I do love a good, suspenseful mystery when the mood suits, especially when said mystery is smart and makes me think. Little Black Lies is just that: weeks after finishing it, I'm still thinking over the questions Bolton raised about guilt versus grief and everything in between. It's haunting and creeping and set in the remote Falkland Islands and really quite excellent.

Backlist pick: Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell: I was late--way late--to the David Mitchell party, but I'm glad to have shown up at all. Cloud Atlas was challenging (it took me two months to read in full) in the best way possible, and I'm still marvelling at Mitchell's ability to pull together so many disparate threads of story into one cohesive, thought-provoking novel about life and belief and how we tell stories about ourselves and others.

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So far this year, I've read 64 books (about 21,000 pages in total). Of all of the 76 books I've picked up this year:

• 7 are DNFs (5 are in progress)
• 63% were written by female authors
• 30% were by or about diverse populations
• 22% were by non-US-born authors
• 55 were published in 2014 or 2015
• 40 were read as ARCs
• Only 1 (one!) was a classic. And I didn't even finish it.

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How's your reading year so far? What are your favorites??

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Part of Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.