Kris's top five titles of the year

About this time of the year I start thinking "What are my top five books of the year?" (and then "What have I read this year?")* After a bit of hard work and reconstruction I've come up with my top five. Here they are in no particular order...

Joker One : a Marine platoon's story of courage, sacrifice, and brotherhood / Donovan Campbell.

The moving and insightful story from the commander of an infantry platoon assigned to Ramadi. Campbell writes convincingly about the boredom, excitement, fear and pride in everyday life in combat.

Watch the book trailer

If you like this one then I also recommend "One bullet away : the making of a Marine officer / Nathaniel Fick.

On top of everything / Sarah-Kate Lynch.

Ms Lynch is one of my favourite authors. I love the stories and characters that she breathes life into. I also like the fact that food that plays an important role in all her books. Her latest title "On top of everything" is about a woman coping with the horrible things that are happening in her life. It's also about tea, truffles and the importance of shared food experiences. It made me cry. Her previous books have covered cheese, champagne, bread, pasta and love, always love.

Chaos walking series by Patrick Ness

The knife of never letting go ": Book One and The ask and the answer : Book Two

Okay, so this might be bending the rules slightly to count a series as one but it's just so good that I can't leave it out. It's categorised as Teenage Fiction (with non-descript covers) but don't let that put you off. It's bold and clever. It's about a boy called Todd who is about to become a man which sounds dreadfully corny and does not do the book justice at all. Just read it.

Quantum theory cannot hurt you : a guide to the universe / Marcus Chown.The book is about modern physics, specifically quantum theory and Einstein's general theory of relativity. I like popular science books. Although this one alleges it can be "read in a morning" I must confess that I had to keep putting it down to mull over the ideas within it. Unlike most of the books that I have to put down though, this one kept me coming back. One of the few science books I've read where I actually feel as if I have a good grasp of the contents after I'd finished reading it. Recommended.

The household guide to dying : a novel / by Debra Adelaide.

The book is narrated by Delia. She is a mum, a wife, the author of several 'how-to' books celebrating the 'household arts'... and she is dying. The story charts her coming to terms with her past and planning the future for her children. She writes lists planning her daughters' far-off weddings. She writes her column. She plans a raid on the neighbours garden. She encourages her husband to think about a new partner after she is dead. (That doesn't go so well.) A wonderful story about a difficult topic. Warm, funny, ultimately uplifting.

*also known as - kowhaireader "suggests" that I should do a Top five titles post