Sheesh, i'd be here all night on this one if i let myself....so, a few of my faves on recent times are:
The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
White Trash - John King
A Certain Age - Rebecca Ray
After You'd Gone - Maggie O'Farrell
Bird Song - Sebastian Faulks
Emma - Jane Austin
Anything by Dickens
'Memoirs of a Geisha' is one of my favourite ever books. In terms of Joanne Harris, 'Chocolat' was great, but i preferred 'Five Quarters Of The Orange' to 'Blackberry Wine'.
sl