The Goodreads Choice Awards is a yearly award program, first launched on Goodreads in 2009.
Winners are determined by users voting on books that Goodreads has nominated or books of their choosing, released in the given year. Most books that Goodreads nominates are from verified Goodreads authors. The final voting round collects the top 10 books from 20 different categories.[1]
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009[2] | Children's | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days | |
| Fantasy | Dead and Gone | ||
| Fiction | |||
| Graphic Novel | |||
| Mystery & Thriller | |||
| Nonfiction | Columbine | ||
| Romance | |||
| Science Fiction | Leviathan | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | Along for the Ride |
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010[3] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | and Brandon Sanderson | Towers of Midnight | |
| Fiction | Room | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | |||
| Graphic Novel | |||
| Historical Fiction | Fall of Giants | ||
| History & Biography | |||
| Humor | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | Unbearable Lightness | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | |||
| Nonfiction | |||
| Poetry | Come On All You Ghosts | ||
| Romance | Lover Mine | ||
| Science Fiction | Feed | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy | Mockingjay | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | Before I Fall | ||
| 2011[4] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | |||
| Fiction | 1Q84 | ||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Vampire Academy The Graphic Novel | ||
| Historical Fiction | |||
| History & Biography | Steve Jobs | ||
| Horror | Graveminder | ||
| Humor | Bossypants | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | Smokin' Seventeen | ||
| Nonfiction | |||
| Poetry | Horoscopes for the Dead | ||
| Romance | Lover Unleashed | ||
| Science Fiction | 11/22/63 | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Divergent | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | Where She Went | ||
| 2012[5] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | |||
| Fiction | |||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | , Vol. 16: A Larger World | ||
| Historical Fiction | |||
| Horror | |||
| Humor | Let's Pretend This Never Happened | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | Gone Girl | ||
| Nonfiction | |||
| Poetry | |||
| Romance | Fifty Shades Freed | ||
| Science Fiction | and Stephen Baxter | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Insurgent | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | |||
| 2013[6] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | |||
| Fiction | And the Mountains Echoed | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | Tangled | ||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | , Margaret Stohl, and artist Cassandra Jean | Beautiful Creatures | |
| Historical Fiction | Life After Life | ||
| History & Biography | Jim Henson: The Biography | ||
| Horror | Doctor Sleep | ||
| Humor | Hyperbole & a Half | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | I am Malala | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | Inferno | ||
| Nonfiction | and Richard Panek | ||
| Poetry | |||
| Romance | Lover at Last | ||
| Science Fiction | MaddAddam | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Allegiant | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | Eleanor & Park | ||
| 2014[7] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | |||
| Fiction | Landline | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | Red Rising | ||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | , Fábio Moon, and Daniel Dos Santos | ||
| Historical Fiction | All the Light We Cannot See | ||
| History & Biography | |||
| Horror | Prince Lestat | ||
| Humor | Yes Please | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | This Star Won't Go Out | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | Mr. Mercedes | ||
| Nonfiction | |||
| Poetry | Lullabies | ||
| Romance | Written in My Own Heart's Blood | ||
| Science Fiction | |||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | City of Heavenly Fire | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | We Were Liars | ||
| 2015[8] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | Trigger Warning: Short Fictions & Disturbances | ||
| Fiction | Go Set a Watchman | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | Red Queen | ||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | and Fiona Staples | Saga,Volume 4 | |
| Historical Fiction | |||
| History & Biography | |||
| Horror | Saint Odd | ||
| Humor | Why Not Me? | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | |||
| Mystery & Thriller | |||
| Nonfiction | and Eric Klinenberg | ||
| Poetry | |||
| Romance | Confess | ||
| Science Fiction | Golden Son | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Queen of Shadows | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | All the Bright Places | ||
| 2016[9] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child | ||
| Fiction | Truly Madly Guilty | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | Rebel of the Sands | ||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Adulthood is a Myth | ||
| Historical Fiction | |||
| History & Biography | Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man | ||
| Horror | |||
| Humor | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | When Breath Becomes Air | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | End of Watch | ||
| Nonfiction | and Jeremy McCarter | Hamilton: The Revolution | |
| Poetry | |||
| Romance | It Ends with Us | ||
| Science Fiction | Morning Star | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | |||
| Young Adult Fiction | Salt to the Sea | ||
| 2017[10] [11] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them The Original Screenplay | ||
| Fiction | Little Fires Everywhere | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | |||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Big Mushy Happy Lump | ||
| Historical Fiction | Before We Were Yours | ||
| History & Biography | |||
| Horror | and Owen King | Sleeping Beauties | |
| Humor | Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | What Happened | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | Into the Water | ||
| Nonfiction | |||
| Poetry | |||
| Romance | Without Merit | ||
| Science Fiction | Artemis | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | |||
| Young Adult Fiction | |||
| 2018[12] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Fantasy | Circe | ||
| Fiction | Still Me | ||
| Goodreads Debut Author | Children of Blood and Bone | ||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Herding Cats | ||
| Historical Fiction | |||
| History & Biography | |||
| Horror | Elevation | ||
| Humor | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | Educated | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | |||
| Nonfiction | I'll Be Gone in the Dark | ||
| Poetry | |||
| Romance | |||
| Science Fiction | Vengeful | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Kingdom of Ash | ||
| Young Adult Fiction | Leah on the Offbeat | ||
| 2019[13] [14] [15] | Children's & Middle Grade | ||
| Debut Novel | Red, White & Royal Blue | ||
| Fantasy | Ninth House | ||
| Fiction | |||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | and Faith Erin Hicks | Pumpkin Heads | |
| Historical Fiction | Daisy Jones & The Six | ||
| History & Biography | |||
| Horror | |||
| Humor | Dear Girls | ||
| Memoir & Autobiography | Over the Top | ||
| Mystery & Thriller | |||
| Nonfiction | Girl, Stop Apologizing | ||
| Poetry | Shout | ||
| Romance | Red, White & Royal Blue | ||
| Science Fiction | Recursion | ||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | |||
| Young Adult Fiction | Five Feet Apart |
| Year | Category | Author | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020[16] [17] [18] | Children's & Middle Grade | |||
| Debut Novel | Such a Fun Age | |||
| Fantasy | House of Earth and Blood | |||
| Fiction | [19] | |||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Heartstopper,Volume Three | |||
| Historical Fiction | ||||
| History & Biography | ||||
| Horror | Mexican Gothic | |||
| Humor | Strange Planet | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | ||||
| Mystery & Thriller | ||||
| Nonfiction | and Ibram X. Kendi | Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, & You | ||
| Poetry | Dearly: New Poems | |||
| Romance | From Blood & Ash | |||
| Science Fiction | To Sleep in a Sea of Stars | |||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | ||||
| Young Adult Fiction | Clap When You Land | |||
| 2021[20] | Children's & Middle Grade | Daughter of the Deep | ||
| Debut Novel | ||||
| Fantasy | ||||
| Fiction | Beautiful World, Where Are You | |||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Lore Olympus | |||
| Historical Fiction | Malibu Rising | |||
| History & Biography | ||||
| Horror | ||||
| Humor | Broken (in the Best Possible Way) | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | Crying in H Mart | |||
| Mystery & Thriller | ||||
| Nonfiction | ||||
| Poetry | ||||
| Romance | People We Meet on Vacation | |||
| Science Fiction | Project Hail Mary | |||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Rule of Wolves | |||
| Young Adult Fiction | Firekeeper's Daughter | |||
| 2022[21] [22] | Children's & Middle Grade | I Am Quiet | ||
| Debut Novel | Lessons in Chemistry | |||
| Fantasy | House of Sky and Breath | |||
| Fiction | Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow | |||
| Graphic Novel & Comics | Heartstopper, Volume Four | |||
| Historical Fiction | Carrie Soto is Back | |||
| History & Biography | Bad Gays: A Homosexual History | |||
| Horror | Hidden Pictures | |||
| Humor | and Angela Kinsey | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | I'm Glad My Mom Died | |||
| Mystery & Thriller | ||||
| Nonfiction | Atlas of the Heart | |||
| Poetry | Call Us What We Carry | |||
| Romance | Book Lovers | |||
| Science Fiction | Sea of Tranquility | |||
| Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Gallant | |||
| Young Adult Fiction | ||||
| 2023[23] [24] | Debut Novel | Weyward | ||
| Fantasy | Hell Bent | |||
| Fiction | Yellowface | |||
| Historical Fiction | Weyward | |||
| History & Biography | ||||
| Horror | Holly | |||
| Humor | Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond | |||
| Memoir & Autobiography | The Woman in Me | |||
| Mystery & Thriller | The Housemaid's Secret | |||
| Nonfiction | Poverty, by America | |||
| Romance | Happy Place | |||
| Romantasy | Fourth Wing | |||
| Science Fiction | In the Lives of Puppets | |||
| Young Adult Fantasy | Divine Rivals | |||
| Young Adult Fiction | Check & Mate |
| Year | Category | Author | Title | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Chick Lit | - | Picture Book | Blueberry Girl | - | Young Adult Series | Catching Fire | - | 2010 | Cover Art | Torment | - | Paranormal Fantasy | Dead in the Family | - | Picture Book | It's a Book | - | 2011 | Food & Cooking | My Father's Daughter | - | Goodreads Author | City of Fallen Angels | - | Paranormal Fantasy | Shadowfever | - | Picture Book | When I Grow Up | - | Travel & Outdoors | - | 2012 | Food & Cooking | - | Goodreads Author | Insurgent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paranormal Fantasy | Shadow of Night | - | Picture Book | Olivia and the Fairy Princesses | - | 2013 | Food & Cooking | Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist | - | Paranormal Fantasy | Cold Days | - | Picture Book | and Oliver Jeffers | - | 2014 | Business |
| - | Food & Cooking | Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook | - | Picture Book | - | 2015 | Food & Cooking | - | Picture Book | and Oliver Jeffers | - | Science & Technology | Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish | - | 2016 | Food & Cooking | Cravings | - | Picture Book | - | Science & Technology | Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? | - | 2017 | Food & Cooking | - | Picture Book | We're All Wonders | - | Science & Technology | Astrophysics for People in a Hurry | - | 2018 | Best of the Best | - | Food & Cooking | and Adeena Sussman | Cravings: Hungry for More | - | Picture Book | I Am Enough | - | Science & Technology | - | 2019 | Food & Cooking | Antoni in the Kitchen | - | Picture Book | and Luke Flowers | - | Science & Technology | Will My Cats Eat My Eyeballs? | - | 2020 | Food & Cooking | Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa CookbookI | - | Picture Book | and Ashley Lukashevsky | Antiracist Baby | - | Science & Technology | and Jonnie Hughes |
Several authors have won multiple Goodreads Readers Choice Awards or the same award in multiple years. Stephen King and both his sons, Owen and Joe, have won The Goodreads Choice Awards. The table below sets out those authors to have won more than one award:
(Listed by number of wins, then alphabetically by surname)
| Number of wins | Author | Winning categories |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Rick Riordan | Best Children's & Middle Grade (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) |
| 10 | Stephen King | Best Science Fiction (2011), Best Fantasy (2012), Best Horror (2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Mystery & Thriller (2014, 2016, 2018) |
| 7 | Sarah J. Maas | Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), Best Fantasy (2020, 2021, 2022) |
| 5 | Veronica Roth | Best Book (2011), Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2011, 2012, 2013), Best Goodreads Author (2012) |
| 4 | Suzanne Collins | Best Book (2009, 2010), Best Young Adult Series (2009), Best Young Adult Fantasy (2011) |
| Neil Gaiman | Best Fantasy (2013, 2015), Best Graphic Novel (2009), Best Picture Book (2009) | |
| 3 | Sarah Andersen | Best Graphic Novel and Comics (2016, 2017, 2018) |
| Margaret Atwood | Best Science Fiction (2013), Best Fiction (2019), Best Poetry (2020) | |
| Pierce Brown | Best Goodreads Debut Author (2014), Best Science Fiction (2015, 2016) | |
| Ree Drummond | Best Food & Cooking (2012, 2015, 2017) | |
| Colleen Hoover | Best Romance (2015, 2016, 2017) | |
| Rainbow Rowell | Best Fiction (2014), Best Young Adult Fiction (2013), Best Graphic Novels & Comics (2019) | |
| J. K. Rowling | Best Fiction (2012), Best Fantasy (2016, 2017) | |
| Angie Thomas | Best Goodreads Debut Author (2017), Best Young Adult Fiction (2017), Best of the Best (2018) | |
| J. R. Ward | Best Romance (2010, 2011, 2013) | |
| Andy Weir | Best Science Fiction (2014, 2017, 2021) | |
| Taylor Jenkins Reid | Best Historical Fiction (2019, 2021, 2022) | |
| Emily Henry | Best Romance (2021, 2022, 2023) | |
| Leigh Bardugo | Best Fantasy (2019, 2023), Best Young Adult Fantasy (2021) | |
| 2 | Holly Black | Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2019, 2020) |
| Cassandra Clare | Best Goodreads Author (2011), Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2014) | |
| Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers | Best Picture Book (2013, 2015) | |
| Diana Gabaldon | Best Romance (2009, 2014) | |
| Ina Garten | Best Food & Cooking (2014, 2020) | |
| John Green | Best Young Adult Fiction (2012), Best Nonfiction (2021) | |
| Kristin Hannah | Best Historical Fiction (2015, 2018) | |
| Deborah Harkness | Best Paranormal Fantasy (2012), Best Fantasy (2014) | |
| Charlaine Harris | Best Fantasy (2009), Best Paranormal Fantasy (2010) | |
| Paula Hawkins | Best Mystery & Thriller (2015, 2017) | |
| Jeff Kinney | Best Children's & Middle Grade (2009, 2010) | |
| Stieg Larsson | Best Mystery & Thriller (2009, 2010) | |
| Jenny Lawson | Best Humor (2012, 2021) | |
| Amanda Lovelace | Best Poetry (2016, 2018) | |
| Casey McQuiston | Best Romance (2019), Best Debut Novel (2019) | |
| Rebecca Skloot | Best Nonfiction (2010), Best Debut Author (2010) | |
| Chrissy Teigen & Adeena Sussman | Best Food & Cooking (2016, 2018) | |
| Mo Willems | Best Picture Book (2014, 2016) | |
| Amanda Gorman | Best Poetry (2021, 2022) | |
| V. E. Schwab | Best Science Fiction (2018), Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2022) | |
| Alice Oseman | Best Graphic Novels & Comics (2020, 2022) | |
| Emilia Hart | Best Historical Fiction (2023), Best Debut Novel (2023) |