BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 2005

94 highest-rated books first published in 2005.

← 20042006 →

Why Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is #1

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J. K. Rowling) scores 8.8/10 from 6.7K ratings — 0.3 points ahead of Dead Beat in second place.

The score is a weighted average across 3 independent rating sources. A title with few ratings is pulled toward the category average, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a book that thousands of readers have judged. Method →

  1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceJ. K. Rowling · 2005Filmed 2009 Fantasy6.7K ratings
    8.88.8 / 10
  2. Dead Beat
    Dead BeatJim Butcher · 2005 Fantasy792 ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  3. Thud!
    Thud!Terry Pratchett · 2005 Fantasy455 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  4. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
    Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham LincolnDoris Kearns Goodwin · 2005NYT bestseller Politics & society171 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  5. American Prometheus
    American PrometheusKai Bird · 2005NYT bestseller Biography & memoir186 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  6. Judas Unchained
    Judas UnchainedPeter F. Hamilton · 2005 Science fiction388 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  7. The Glass Castle
    The Glass CastleJeannette Walls · 2005NYT bestseller Biography & memoir701 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  8. Old Man's War
    Old Man's WarJohn Scalzi · 2005 Science fiction1.8K ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  9. Ptolemy's Gate
    Ptolemy's GateJonathan Stroud · 2005 Fantasy329 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  10. A Briefer History of Time
    A Briefer History of TimeStephen Hawking · 2005 Popular science149 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  11. Academ's Fury
    Academ's FuryJim Butcher · 2005 Fantasy397 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  12. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
    1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before ColumbusCharles C. Mann · 2005 History228 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  13. Identity Crisis
    Identity CrisisBrad Meltzer · 2005 Comics83 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  14. The Pale Horseman
    The Pale HorsemanBernard Cornwell · 2005 Historical fiction210 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  15. The Lightning Thief
    The Lightning ThiefRick Riordan · 2005Filmed 2010 Fantasy4.1K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  16. The lightning thief
    The lightning thiefRobert Venditti · 2005 Graphic novels123 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  17. Elantris
    ElantrisBrandon Sanderson · 2005 Fantasy2.5K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  18. No Country for Old Men
    No Country for Old MenCormac McCarthy · 2005 Thriller644 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  19. The Burning Bridge
    The Burning BridgeJohn Flanagan · 2005 Fantasy291 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  20. The Girl Who Played with Fire
    The Girl Who Played with FireStieg Larsson · 2005NYT bestseller Thriller1.6K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  21. Knife of Dreams
    Knife of DreamsRobert Jordan · 2005 Fantasy879 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  22. A Feast for Crows
    A Feast for CrowsGeorge R. R. Martin · 2005 Fantasy2.8K ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  23. Spin
    SpinRobert Charles Wilson · 2005 Science fiction417 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  24. A Man Without a Country
    A Man Without a CountryKurt Vonnegut · 2005 Essays139 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  25. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
    Gregor and the Curse of the WarmbloodsSuzanne Collins · 2005 Fantasy98 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  26. The Rivers of Zadaa
    The Rivers of ZadaaD. J. MacHale · 2005 Fantasy88 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  27. The Devotion of Suspect X
    The Devotion of Suspect XKeigo Higashino · 2005 Crime & mystery280 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  28. A Breath of Snow and Ashes
    A Breath of Snow and AshesDiana Gabaldon · 2005 Romance162 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  29. The Spook's Curse
    The Spook's CurseJoseph Delaney · 2005 Fantasy123 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  30. One Shot
    One ShotLee Child · 2005Filmed 2012 Thriller322 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  31. The Hallowed Hunt
    The Hallowed HuntLois McMaster Bujold · 2005 Fantasy99 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  32. King of Foxes
    King of FoxesRaymond E. Feist · 2005 Fantasy97 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  33. The Warrior Prophet
    The Warrior ProphetR. Scott Bakker · 2005 Fantasy73 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  34. Anansi Boys
    Anansi BoysNeil Gaiman · 2005 Fantasy965 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  35. Dawn
    DawnErin Hunter · 2005 Fantasy56 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  36. The Closers
    The ClosersMichael Connelly · 2005 Crime & mystery118 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  37. Princess Academy
    Princess AcademyShannon Hale · 2005 Fantasy136 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  38. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    The Girl with the Dragon TattooStieg Larsson · 2005NYT bestsellerFilmed 2011 Thriller150 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  39. The Redeemer
    The RedeemerJo Nesbø · 2005 Crime & mystery80 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  40. Touching Darkness
    Touching DarknessScott Westerfeld · 2005 Fantasy65 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  41. Priestess of the White
    Priestess of the WhiteTrudi Canavan · 2005 Fantasy82 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  42. Midnight
    MidnightErin Hunter · 2005 Fantasy88 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  43. Flight of the Nighthawks
    Flight of the NighthawksRaymond E. Feist · 2005 Fantasy95 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  44. The Opal Deception
    The Opal DeceptionEoin Colfer · 2005 Young adult428 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  45. Elsewhere
    ElsewhereGabrielle Zevin · 2005 Young adult117 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  46. Infernal Devices
    Infernal DevicesPhilip Reeve · 2005 Children’s books109 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  47. Maximum Security
    Maximum SecurityRobert Muchamore · 2005 Thriller74 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  48. Agent to the Stars
    Agent to the StarsJohn Scalzi · 2005 Science fiction277 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  49. The Killing
    The KillingRobert Muchamore · 2005 Spy & espionage59 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  50. Drowned Wednesday
    Drowned WednesdayGarth Nix · 2005 Fantasy112 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  51. Haunted
    HauntedKelley Armstrong · 2005 Fantasy52 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  52. Shadow of the Giant
    Shadow of the GiantOrson Scott Card · 2005 Science fiction369 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  53. The Hidden Family
    The Hidden FamilyCharles Stross · 2005 Fantasy54 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  54. Inkspell
    InkspellCornelia Funke · 2005 Fantasy313 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  55. Freakonomics
    FreakonomicsSteven D. Levitt · 2005NYT bestseller Business1.6K ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  56. Eldest
    EldestChristopher Paolini · 2005 Fantasy1.4K ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  57. Blue Noon
    Blue NoonScott Westerfeld · 2005 Fantasy56 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  58. Metro 2033
    Metro 2033Dmitry Glukhovsky · 2005 Science fiction405 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  59. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
    The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' NestStieg Larsson · 2005NYT bestseller Thriller88 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  60. Avalon High
    Avalon HighMeg Cabot · 2005 Young adult99 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  61. Faithless
    FaithlessKarin Slaughter · 2005 Crime & mystery72 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  62. A Stroke of Midnight
    A Stroke of MidnightLaurell K. Hamilton · 2005 Fantasy66 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  63. The Innocent
    The InnocentHarlan Coben · 2005 Crime & mystery59 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  64. Eleven on Top
    Eleven on TopJanet Evanovich · 2005 Crime & mystery102 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  65. Flush
    FlushCarl Hiaasen · 2005 Young adult76 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  66. Dark Lover
    Dark LoverJessica Bird · 2005 Romance297 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  67. Never Let Me Go
    Never Let Me GoKazuo Ishiguro · 2005Filmed 2010 Science fiction2K ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  68. Looking for Alaska
    Looking for AlaskaJohn Green · 2005 Young adult1.8K ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  69. Raven's Gate
    Raven's GateAnthony Horowitz · 2005 Fantasy108 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  70. Ark Angel
    Ark AngelAnthony Horowitz · 2005 Thriller164 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  71. The Fairy-tale Detectives
    The Fairy-tale DetectivesMichael Buckley · 2005 Fantasy92 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  72. 4th of July
    4th of JulyJames Patterson · 2005 Crime & mystery83 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  73. Kitty and the Midnight Hour
    Kitty and the Midnight HourCarrie Vaughn · 2005 Fantasy67 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  74. Chainfire
    ChainfireTerry Goodkind · 2005 Fantasy178 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  75. It's in His Kiss
    It's in His KissJulia Quinn · 2005 Romance204 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  76. The Camel Club
    The Camel ClubDavid Baldacci · 2005 Crime & mystery109 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  77. Already Dead
    Already DeadCharlie Huston · 2005 Crime & mystery53 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  78. Forever Odd
    Forever OddDean Koontz · 2005 Thriller184 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  79. Blink
    BlinkMalcolm Gladwell · 2005 Psychology913 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  80. Velocity
    VelocityDean Koontz · 2005 Crime & mystery116 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  81. Son of a Witch
    Son of a WitchGregory Maguire · 2005 Fantasy123 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  82. Dead as a Doornail
    Dead as a DoornailCharlaine Harris · 2005 Fantasy319 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  83. The Angel Experiment
    The Angel ExperimentJames Patterson · 2005 Young adult341 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  84. Shaman's Crossing
    Shaman's CrossingRobin Hobb · 2005 Fantasy152 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  85. Prodigal Son
    Prodigal SonDean Koontz · 2005 Horror90 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  86. Tyrannosaur Canyon
    Tyrannosaur CanyonDouglas Preston · 2005 Thriller65 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  87. Pretties
    PrettiesScott Westerfeld · 2005 Science fiction454 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  88. Something Borrowed
    Something BorrowedEmily Giffin · 2005NYT bestseller Romance202 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  89. 13 Little Blue Envelopes
    13 Little Blue EnvelopesMaureen Johnson · 2005 Young adult110 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  90. Uglies
    UgliesScott Westerfeld · 2005 Science fiction802 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  91. Lunar Park
    Lunar ParkBret Easton Ellis · 2005 Horror92 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  92. Haunted
    HauntedChuck Palahniuk · 2005 Horror328 ratings
    7.17.1 / 10
  93. The Colorado Kid
    The Colorado KidStephen King · 2005 Crime & mystery232 ratings
    7.07.0 / 10
  94. Twilight
    TwilightStephenie Meyer · 2005 Romance4.2K ratings
    6.26.2 / 10

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