Halifax Public Library Staff Favourites of 2015 - Adult Fiction

It's that time of year again!  We've polled our staff for their favourite books of 2015 and as always, we have an eclectic bunch of books to recommend. 

Our picks for Adult Fiction include some books that you'll likely see on many "Best-Of" lists this season, but we have a feeling that you may not have noticed all of these titles. There's a great mix of literary fiction, fun quirky books, dystopian fantasies, and mysteries. Enjoy.

A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell 
Recommended by Elizabeth: "It's a darkly humourous tale of family and destiny. Funny, poignant, dark, and very compelling, it is the history of the Alter family and their curse."

How to Start a Fire by Lisa Lutz
Recommended by Jeanna: "A perfect book - dialogue-heavy and often quite funny, with very likeable characters and a lot of heart. I wanted to read it again as soon as I'd finished it."

Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley by Jeremy Massey   
Recommended by Rosemary: "Coming from a British background I enjoy reading about the "old country". This novel has an Irish undertaker who finds himself on the wrong side of the Irish mob."

Confess by Colleen Hoover.    
Recommended by Elizabeth:  "A completely engrossing story told in two perspectives. One of the characters is a painter and you can find glossy colour images of some of his paintings based on anonymous confessions that are sent to him in the center of the book.They are actual confessions that were sent anonymously to the author, Colleen Hoovers, from her readers!" 
His Whole Life by Elizabeth Hay
Recommended by Lindsay RB: "A coming of age story set against rural Ontario and NYC about learning to love people despite their shortcomings and how dreams deferred manifest in our children, marriages, friendships."

The girl who slept with God : a novel by Val Brelinski
Recommended by Vicki

When the Saints by Sarah Mian (Local Author)
Recommended by Alanah

Hausfrau : a novel by Jill Alexander Essbaum.
Recommended by Maria
Read our previous post on Hausfrau here.
Kitchens of the great Midwest : a novel by J. Ryan Stradal.
Recommended by Jeanna
Read our previous post on Kitchens of the Great Midwest here.

Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
Recommended by Rosemary Talbot & Vicki Smith: "I love books with family history that has a bit of mystery and a family curse.  Adding the love of old books and the history of a circus troop made the book magical."
Read our previous post on Book of Speculation here.

The Water Knife : a novel by Paolo Bacigalupi
Recommended by Robbie
Read our previous post on The Water Knife here. 

Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper.
Recommended by Kristina: "A sad, heartwarming, creative story of love and aging."
Read our previous post on this book here. 

Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller 
Recommended by Lindsay: "A girl who’s kidnapped by her survivalist father and raised in a cabin in the woods where he tells her the world has ended. This book is fantastic, gritty and dark."
Read our previous post here.

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Recommended by Lindsay: "Beautiful, sharp representation of competing perspectives of a complicated marriage."
Read our previous post on Fates and Furies here.

The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
Recommended by Chloe:"My all around favourite from 2015. The Neapolitan series taken together is one of the most brilliant portrayals of how people treat each other that I have ever come across."
Read our previous post here. 

Among the Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont
Recommended by Jannaya: "I was drawn in by Pierpont's mix of tones, sharp wit, and thoughtful character development in her first novel, which follows the Shanley family as they enter crisis mode upon the discovery of an affair. At times sad, and at others quite funny, their story is told through multiple perspectives in a writing style that is distinct, nuanced, and insightful."

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Recommended by Elinor: "N. K. Jemisin is such a good writer! I’m in the midst of reading everything she’s written… " 

Binti by Nnedi Okofor
Recommended by Elinor: "SciFi with an African slant. So good." 

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Recommended by Chloe: "My pick for the best sci-fi/speculative book of 2015."
   
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Recommended by Keriann
The Fold by Peter Clines
Recommended by Jeremy: "Great sci-fi about opening a door into a parallel world - fun and terrifying at the same time."  
 
One Year After by William R. Forstchen
Recommended by Jeremy: "Great sequel to One Second After.  The book looks at what happens to civil society after all electronics stop working."

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley (Flavia DeLuce #7)
Recommended by Alison C.
Read our previous post on the Flavia DeLuce series here.
 
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny (Armand Gamache #11)
Recommended by Alison C. & Louise: "This story was based on actual historical events and opened up a chapter in Canadian history I was unaware of until I read this book."
Read our previous post on this book here.