It’s time to announce the results of, what we call, the Emmys and Grammys of books — the much-deserved winners of the Goodreads Choice Awards 2023.
Like any awards-glitzy event, candidates were voted on (by readers!) and one winner per book genre won the shiny gold trophy.
Not to mention, we’re big readers. From following top titles year-round to scouring the internet (and BookTok) for some really interesting plots, we’re not at all surprised some titles made the it-list. (Related: Reese’s Book Club full book list).
Ahead, shop all of the Goodreads Choice Awards 2023 winners. We also rounded up additional top nominees (think: first, second, third and fourth runners-up), along with some personal review notes — if we combed through certain titles from cover to cover.
Not to mention, any of these picks would make an excellent addition to your bookshelf (or a gift for the book lover!)
Best Fiction
“Yellowface” by R. F. Kuang
Among all of the Goodreads Choice Awards winners, we wholeheartedly agree with the choosing of “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang as Best Fiction. We read nearly 100 books this year and this title, in particular, earned five stars from us. Specifically, it’s a suspenseful, page-turning parable about the publishing industry where you’ll fall in love with the protagonist. Plus, it’s different from anything we’ve ever read.
Other nominees for Best Fiction include “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano, “The Wishing Game” by Meg Shaffer and “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett.
Best Historical Fiction
“Weyward” by Emilia Hart
“Weyward” by Emilia Hart has earned two Goodreads Choice Awards wins — Best Historical Fiction and Best Debut Novel. This adored pick centers on three timeline threads (1619, 1942 and 2019), stitching back and forth, as the women characters “encounter an abiding feminine power, deeply rooted in the land,” per Goodreads.
Other nominees for Best Historical Fiction include “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese, “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women” by Lisa See and “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride.
Best Mystery & Thriller
“The Housemaid’s Secret” by Freida McFadden
If there’s a title we’ve been seeing everywhere, it’s “The Housemaid’s Secret” by Freida McFadden. Though we haven’t read it quite yet, it’s certainly on our list. This is the sequel to “The Housemaid,” where this winning title follows a maid with a secret in another thrilling situation where the psychological suspense is not lacking by any means. From its description, it sounds similar to “The Maid” by Nita Prose — one of our favorite reads of the year.
Other nominees for Best Mystery & Thriller include “None of This is True” by Lisa Jewell, “The Only One Left” by Riley Sager and “The Last Devil to Die” by Richard Osman.
For more options, check out our guide to the best mystery and thriller books we reviewed.
Best Romance
“Happy Place” by Emily Henry
Meet one of our personal five-star reads of the year and the winner of Best Romance: “Happy Place” by Emily Henry. Among other fan-favorites we’ve read, this was our favorite, much ado to its light-heartedness, lovable characters and, as its name suggests, happy feeling.
Other nominees for Best Romance include “Love, Theoretically” by Ali Hazelwood, “Yours Truly” by Abby Jimenez and “Things We Hide from the Light” by Lucy Score.
Best Romantasy
“Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros
The book everyone is talking about right now is “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros, winner of Best Romantasy (aka, romance and fantasy, tied into one). This immersive dragon-rider plot has everyone on BookTok talking about it — making it an on-trend read to order just in time for your next read.
Other nominees for Best Romantasy include “Assistant to the Villain” by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, “The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King” by Carissa Broadbent and “A Soul of Ash and Blood” by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Best Fantasy
“Hell Bent” by Leigh Bardugo
We’re not quite into fantasy reads ourselves yet (we may try in 2024, perhaps), but we’ve heard nonstop rave reviews about “Hell Bent” by Leigh Bardugo, winner of Best Fantasy. This novel is the sequel to “Ninth House,” 2019’s winner in Fantasy, and explores another dark academia setting in a world of secret societies, occult rituals and inter-dimensional portals.
Other nominees for Best Fantasy include “Trees of the Emerald Sea” by Brandon Sanderson, “A Day of Fallen Night” by Samantha Shannon and “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries” by Heather Fawcett.
Best Science Fiction
“In the Lives of Puppets” by TJ Klune
“In the Lives of Puppets” by TJ Klune is the recipient of the Best Science Fiction award, as many have been fixated on the engaging, brought-to-life retelling of Pinocchio, with its core concepts re-modernized. Think: Androids, anxieties, found families and more.
Other nominees for Best Science Fiction include “Light Bringer” by Pierce Brown, “Starter Villain” by John Scalzi and “The Marriage Act” by John Marrs.
Best Horror
“Holly” by Stephen King
Not to our surprise, Stephen Kings takes home the crown for Best Horror with his trending title of the year, “Holly.” by Stephen King. This novel pits an old fan-favorite character—private investigator Holly Gibney—against a pair of uniquely depraved antagonists to create another spooky read for all ages.
Other nominees for Best Horror include “How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix, “A House with Good Bones” by T. Kingfisher and “Vampires of El Norte” by Isabel Cañas.
Best Young Adult Fantasy
“Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross
For lovers of YA and all things fantasy, “Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross should be next on your list, the winner of Best Young Adult Fantasy. Here, the author ignites a “genuinely fresh new fantasy world,” per Goodreads, “featuring vengeful gods, the horrors of war and the power of love — all kinds of love.”
Other nominees for Best Young Adult Fantasy include “A Curse for True Love” by Stephanie Garber, “The Stolen Heir” by Holly Black and “Chain of Thorns” by Cassandra Clare.
Best Young Adult Fiction
“Check & Mate” by Ali Hazelwood
Contemporary romance novelist — and nominee for Best Romance — Ali Hazelwood has won Best Young Adult Fiction with her all-over-social-media title, “Check & Mate.” This adoring story follows reluctant chess genius Mallory Greenleaf as she deploys gambits and strategies in the game of life. For lovers of school settings and romances, this one’s for you.
Other nominees for Best Young Adult Fiction include “The Brothers Hawthorne” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, “Five Survive” by Holly Jackson and “One of Us is Back” by Karen M. McManus.
Best Nonfiction
“Poverty, by America” by Matthew Desmond
“Poverty, by America” by Matthew Desmond is the winner of Best Nonfiction and is “the kind of book that future historians will be citing for generations,” according to Goodreads. Specifically, Desmond asks some deeply uncomfortable questions about poverty in the US — a persuasive call-to-action for any member in any region or class of society.
Other nominees for Best Nonfiction include “Butts” by Heather Radke, “The Art Thief” by Michael Finkel and “8 Rules of Love” by Jay Shetty.
Best Memoir & Autobiography
“The Woman in Me” by Britney Spears
Ooh ooh, baby, Britney Spears won Best Memoir & Autobiography during this year’s Goodreads Choice Awards. This has to have been one of the most-talked-about new releases before it even launched, and you’ll love soaking in this high-profile memoir that ranked far above Prince Harry’s “Spare” memoir that debuted in Jan. 2023 by more than 61,000 votes.
Other nominees for Best Memoir & Autobiography include “Pageboy” by Elliot Page, “You Could Make This Place Beautiful” by Maggie Smith and “Counting the Cost” by Jill Duggar.
Best History & Biography
“The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder” by David Grann
“The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder” by David Grann has taken home the Best History & Biography award for its gripping profile of the 18th-century British warship with two groups of survivors — each retelling a different tale of “what really happened.” According to Goodreads, ‘The Wager’ crosses rigorous research with true-crime verve, peppered with elements of survival tale, legal thriller and horror story.”
Other nominees for Best History & Biography include “The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts” by Loren Grush, “Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard and “King: A Life” by Jonathan Eig.
Best Humor
“Being Henry: The Fonz … and Beyond” by Henry Winkler
“Being Henry: The Fonz … and Beyond” by Henry Winkler, winner of Best Humor, is Henry Winkler’s delightful memoir, “which reveals the actor’s keen eye, big heart and formidable writing chops,” per Goodreads. In this divided culture, it’s nice to agree that The Fonz will never be forgotten in this lighthearted, fun-filled read.
Other nominees for Best Humor include “Leslie F*cking Jones” by Leslie Jones, “Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult” by Maria Bamford and “Tough Titties: On Living Your Best Life When You’re the F-ing Worst” by Laura Belgray.
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