Thank goodness that you don't have to "keep up" with books!
I discovered the Chalion books in 2005, read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, discoverd the Song of Ice and Fire. . . what else did I read?
I actually spent lots of 2005 NOT reading.  This is fairly unusual for me.
	
 
		
		
 ita, not only is it new -- it's about vampires.
ears perk up
Well then, I guess I'll be adding that to the list.
	
 
		
		
I think the best book I read in 2005 was probably Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.  Although I think I enjoyed Martha Wells' Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy more.
Once I got to the end, I really respected Elizabeth Bear's Hammered trilogy, although I didn't like them as much as I wish I did.  
	
 
		
		
There's a new OEB? Hallelujah! And here I've got a Borders gift card burning a hole in my purse. I'm liking Elizabeth Lynn's "Dragon's Treasure," but I've always enjoyed her humanist almost-utopias.
I officially got a big kick out of "Olympos" by Dan Simmons. It made me want to go read some background on Greek mythology. Strangely I had no such desire to explore Proust or recall Shakespeare.
	
 
		
		
I'm currently reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I started it in 2005.  I'll probably finish it in 2007, at this rate.  I do like it, though.
	
 
		
		
Has Anasi Boys been mentioned?  I don't recall that it has.  It should have been, though.  Loved it.
	
 
		
		
 I'm currently reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I started it in 2005.
Ha.  Me too.  I brought it with me to London, almost finished it on the plane back, and then completely lost my momentum.  Very Large Books are hard.
	
 
		
		
The way I read Jonathan Strange was by getting sick and staying home for two days.  I read fast, and being home and offline for 2 days really gave me the time to get through it.  I also thought it read pretty easily.
	
 
		
		
I think I read Johnathan Strange in about a week. I even tried to drag it out I was enjoying it so much. That and Anna Pavord's The Naming of Names were probably my favourites from last year.
	
 
		
		
I read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in 2004 and enjoyed it muchly.  I had a long layover at an airport and read about 200 pages in one gulp which I think helped to keep my attention.   It was probably my favourite book that year.  I don't think I have a favourite of 2005 - at least I can't think of anything right now.