20. White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Beautiful, dreamlike prose, and a story about the relationships women have – especially those between daughters and mothers – not just biological mothers either, but all of those who play the role of adult role model in our lives, and who often end up as the Dark Mother, and the way we can hurt and blind each other, and eventually heal each other, through these relationships. Occasionally trite or overdone, but mostly very, very good and very beautiful.

21. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
A sly, satirical take on the world of pop fiction and literature, set in an alternate Wales. This book (indeed this series) not only made me glad I was well-read, but it made me want to be more so (So I could get more of the jokes).

22. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
I am trying not to write about TOO much fantasy and sci-fi. It is primarily what I read for pleasure, but it has a poor reputation, mostly well-deserved because of its often obvious biases to the teenaged male audience, two dimensional ‘characters’ and predictable, awful ‘plots’.
Robin Hobb is a little different; a woman who writes mainly male protagonists, and writes them so well that most of her audience assumes she is male. Her plots, whilst sticking to fantastic formula, furnish enough twists and turns to keep you surprised, and she certainly does not pull any punches. Her protagonists seem to learn their lessons the hard way, they make mistakes, and yet they are ultimately likable and sympathetic. Plus, you know, she writes good female characters too – no wilting violets who swoon constantly, here.