The 10 most popular books of 2015, according to the New York Public Library

Reading Book in Library
Getty Images / Thomas Lohnes

2015 is just about finished, but there are still a few more days left if you're looking to cram in another book or two before the year is out. 

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The New York Public Library System, which includes 92 branches in Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx, rounded up the top ten books that were checked out the most in 2015. From a police thriller to a millennial memoir, the list might surprise you. 

Keep reading to see if any of your favorite reads made the list. 

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10. “Grey” by E. L. James

Grey cover
Vintage

E. L. James takes her bestselling "Fifty Shades of Grey" novel and turns it completely around in her latest book "Grey." It has the same plot with Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey as James's original book, but there's just one difference: "Grey" is told completely from Christian's point of view.

Needless to say, the tale looks a little different through the eyes of the tortured and twisted millionaire Grey instead of Steele. 

Buy the book here >>

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9. “The Paying Guests” by Sarah Waters

the paying guest cover
Riverhead Books

Set in London in 1922, "The Paying Guests" chronicles the lives of Frances Wray and her mother.

After falling on hard times, the pair are forced to bring paying guests (hence the title) into their home to make ends meet. Enter Lilian and Leonard Barber, a couple who certainly shake things up in the house. 

Buy the book here >>

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8. “In the Unlikely Event” by Judy Blume

In the unlikely event
Knopf

The latest work from Blume, "In the Unlikely Event" takes a reflective look at the life of Mimi Ammerman.

While the plot begins in the 1980s, the crux of the story is set in the early 1950s in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the community is dealing with the aftermath of a series of airplane crashes. 

Buy the book here >>

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7. “Not That Kind of Girl” by Lena Dunham

Not That Kind of Girl
Random House

This memoir from the creator of HBO's "Girls," "Not That Kind of Girl" covers everything from anecdotes about a bizarre childhood field trip to more serious chapters about sex and relationships.

Dunham's memoir is a look at the struggles of growing up and finding a place in the world. 

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6. “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl
Broadway Books

Flynn's New York Times bestseller weaves the twisted story of Amy Dunne, a woman who vanishes on the eve of her fifth wedding anniversary.

Almost overnight, her husband Nick becomes the number one suspect. But is he actually guilty or is something much more sinister afoot?

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5. “Prodigal Son” by Danielle Steel

Prodigal Son
Delacorte Press

In "Prodigal Son," Danielle Steel tells the story of brothers who, despite being twins, could not be more different from each other.

As adults, one of the brothers moves away from their hometown, only to return 20 years later for a reunion that will make readers question the line between good and evil. 

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4. “NYPD Red 3” by Marshall Karp and James Patterson

nypd red 3
Grand Central Publishing

The third installment in James Patterson's crime series places Detective Zach Jordan and his partner Kylie MacDonald investigating a gruesome scene at the home of wealthy business man Hunter Alden Jr. on New Year's Eve.

Alden's son disappears shortly afterward and the NYPD duo is forced to figure out why Alden doesn't seem keen to find his missing kid.

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3. “Go Set a Watchman” by Harper Lee

Go set a watchman
Harper

A sequel to Lee's classic "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Go Set a Watchmen" is set 20 years after Tom Robinson's trial. Scout Finch, now 26, comes back to Alabama to visit an ailing Atticus.

With the battle for civil rights in the United States serving as a backdrop, Lee's new story takes a serious look at the changing racial and social tensions of the time period. She is said to have written "Go Set a Watchman" in the 1950s, but the book was officially published earlier this year. 

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2. “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins

original_The_Girl_on_the_Train
Riverhead Books

Hawkin's psychological thriller is the perfect read for a daily commute. It opens with the story's protagonist, Rachel, staring out the window at the houses and people she passes on her daily train ride.

But one day after witnessing something suspicious, Rachel feels compelled to tell the authorities. From there, her story of love, loss, despair, and maybe a touch of madness begins to unfold. 

Buy the book here >>

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1. “Leaving Time” by Jodi Picoult

Leaving Time
Ballantine Books

Jenna Metcalf's mother disappeared ten years ago, but Picoult's newest leading lady has never stopped searching for her. Scouring the internet and her mother's belongings, Metcalf is desperate to find any information that might give her some answers. 

Along the way, she meets a psychic and a private detective who both help her in the search, uncovering new questions and mysteries in the process. 

Buy the book here >> 

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