It Can't Happen Here, Sinclair Lewis - Too timely for comfort, even though it was written in 1935. Served as inspiration for my own political satire.
The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas - Another great inspiration. Loved the voice, dialogue, and characterization of teenagers navigating race issues.
Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein - Loved the voice, characters, plot twists. Another inspiration when working on a violent, emotional thriller.
Under the Skin, Michel Faber - Disturbing and stunning.
A Song of Stone, Iain Banks - Ditto.
The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, and The Stone Sky, N.K. Jemisin - As awesome as everyone says.
She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb - Why did I wait so long to read this? Because it was an Oprah book I always assumed it was sweet, fluffy women's fiction. It's actually very dark and real.
White Oleander, Janet Fitch - Ditto.
Fingersmith, Sarah Waters - Shocking twists, amazing characters who earn their happy ending.
Peony in Love, Lisa See - Beautiful, bittersweet, fascinating view of traditional Chinese afterlife that stuck with me to the point I had several dreams about it.
The Tale of Raw Head & Bloody Bones, Jack Wolf - Amazing 18th-century voice/style. Loved the eerily hinted-at supernatural and the dark, intense, dangerous yet sympathetic MC. (On a personal note, I also loved that his relationship with his eventual wife resembled that between a character of similar type from a famous fantasy book, with whom I have long been obsessed, and the Mary Sue I once fantasized to be perfect partner.)
Light, M. John Harrison - Gorgeously written, bizarre, disturbing; I loved how the different storylines gradually came together, and the huge scope and age of the universe.