Goodreads has just announced the winners of the 14th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book awards decided by readers. This year close to six million users cast their vote in a number of genres. There are 16 books total that made the cut and the one good thing about this years list, is that some of them, you will likely not heard of. This might be the deciding factor on whether or not you want to pick up a new book to read over the Christmas holidays or to populate your new e-Reader with some new content.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Author Gabrielle Zevin brought a new kind of love story into the world with her universally admired novel about life, love, fame, failure, and video game design. Tomorrow was also selected as Amazon Books Editors’ book of the year and it’s going to be a movie, too—Zevin is currently working on the screenplay. Literary gamers, rejoice.
The Maid by Nita Prose
Toronto author Nita Prose notches her first Goodreads Choice Award with her debut novel, a classic locked-room mystery concerning wealthy dead people and hotel sanitation protocol. The Maid features whodunit writing with real heart, and an author with a perfect last name. Bonus trivia: Florence Pugh is in line for the title role in the upcoming film adaptation.
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
At age 37, former tennis champion Carrie Soto is back in the game to establish her legacy, defeat her young rival, and prove some things to herself and everyone else. Author Reid is something of a regular in the Historical Fiction category, having won last year with Malibu Rising and in 2019 with Daisy Jones and the Six.
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
Fantasy queen Sarah J. Maas takes home her seventh Goodreads Choice Award and her third in a row in the category with House of Sky and Breath the latest in her popular Crescent City series. Angels! Demons! Adventure! Romance! Suspense! As a storyteller, Maas’ worldbuilding chops are elite. Bonus trivia: Maas began writing her first novel at age 16.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
The Goodreads Choice Awards are determined by Goodreads regulars, and Goodreads regulars are book lovers. So it makes perfect sense that Book Lovers would win a Goodreads Choice Award. See? It’s like math. Plus, book lovers are good people and deserve a happy romance. This is Henry’s second award in the category, she won last year, too.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
In another encouraging triumph for literary sci-fi, Emily St. John Mandel takes home her first award for the year’s best book about time travel, lunar colonization, and Vancouver Island circa 1912. Well, the only book. But still. With stories like this and Station Eleven, Mandel is mapping new territories in 21st-century speculative fiction.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Jason Rekulak’s innovative book features a nanny fresh from rehab, her young ward Teddy, his quickly improving drawing skills, and a kinda-maybe supernatural entity in the woods. Teddy’s good, all right. Scary good. This is the first Goodreads Choice Award for Rekulak, who formerly ran his own indie press in Philadelphia.
The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey
The American version of the British TV series The Office evolved into a Hall of Fame comedy in its own right. This behind-the-scenes dual memoir from series regulars Jenna Fischer (Pam!) and Angela Kinsey (Angela!) won over a huge readership with its wit and warmth and subsequent word-of-mouth recommendations.
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown
Author and researcher Brené Brown attempts to map the human heart itself with this inventive nonfiction project, which explores 87 of the emotions and experiences that make up a truly meaningful life. Brown’s work draws from multiple disciplines, and her proficiency with science and storytelling has put her at the center of the cultural conversation for years.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmey, Ben Miller
Based on the popular podcast series, Bad Gays is a mischievous variation on the usual approach to popular history. Rather than focus on LGBTQ icons and heroes, the book profiles various villains, rogues, and baddies from the pages of history. Carefully researched and quietly subversive, Bad Gays is a tribute to the unexemplary life.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Author Bonnie Garmus’ shrewd and funny debut follows the fate of brilliant Elizabeth Zott, who uses her success as a chemist—and later, an unlikely cooking show star—to change the status quo for women in repressive 1960s America. An adaptation of Lessons in Chemistry is slated for Apple TV+ next year, with Brie Larson in the lead role.
The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
After earning nominations with her previous two books, Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ beloved YA mystery series finally notches a win with this third and concluding installment. The Inheritance Games books are state-of-the-art puzzlers, filled with twisted riddles, cryptic clues, and the occasional love triangle. Bonus trivia: Barnes is a former primate cognition researcher.
Gallant by V.E. Schwab and Victoria Schwab
With Gallant, versatile author V.E. Schwab (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) finds interesting new seams and shadows in the old Gothic tradition of courageous young women and spooky old manor houses. This is Schwab’s second Goodreads Choice Award win; she took the 2018 Science Fiction prize with her first adult sci-fi novel, Vengeful.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.