launched in 2009, the goodreads choice awards honor the year’s best books as decided by the readers. I consider myself a bookworm, always loved reading, since really young, so I can tell you these books would be amazing choices for all of you. already read some of them and it has genres for everyone. you’re a hopeless romantic? there’s a book for you! a sucker for thrillers? also book for you! prefer non-fiction literature? don’t you worry!
for the best fiction category, the winner was “yellowface” by r.f. kuang. this book is a combination of satire, metafiction, and slow-burn thriller, the book ultimately delivers a sly cultural critique concerning race and tokenism in the book business.
for best historical fiction, we have “weyward” by emilia hart. emilia hart’s "wayward" follows three desperate women along three timeline threads—separate but related—in 1619, 1942, and 2019. hart’s story stitches back and forth in time as the women encounter an abiding feminine power, deeply rooted in the land. and we have a double winner! emilia hart’s “wayward” also won the category of best debut novel. as first novels go, “weyward" is both accomplished and ambitious, effectively blending elements of magical realism and historical conjecture to tell the stories of three amazing women in three different eras. 
the winner for best mystery and thriller is “the housemaid’s secret” by freida mcfadden, which I personally loved! being the sequel to “the housemaid”, this new novel finds maid-with-a-secret millie calloway in another dodgy situation as author mcfadden delivers her patented blend of psychological suspense and switchback plot twists. as someone who also read other works from the author, freida writes the best plot twists!
for the hopeless romantics, “happy place” by emily henry was the one last year! she clocks her third straight victory in the category with this tale of a couple who have broken up but don’t want to harsh the vibe on an upcoming trip with friends. the result is a clever variation on the old fake-dating trope. henry’s three-in-a-row streak is extra impressive when you consider that she’s published only four adult romances in total, and they all have been a success!
the most unstoppable book last year on booktok… for the category of romantasy, the lucky winner was “fourth wing” by rebecca yarros, a dragon-rider fantasy/romance. I’m looking forward to read this book since it came out. people often compare it with a mix of “the hunger games” and “game of thrones”, and that bought it for me!
the best fantasy book in the year of 2023 was “hell bent” by leigh bardugo. bardugo is back on top. not coincidentally, the book is the sequel to "ninth house”, 2019’s winner in fantasy. bardugo’s beloved series has established a new trajectory for dark academia books, promising ivy league hopefuls a world of secret societies, occult rituals, and interdimensional portals. it was the grishaverse books, by the same author, that got me into my fantasy readings, 3 years ago. been obsessed since then!
for best science fiction, we have “in the lives of puppets” by t.j. lune. with its skillful mix of fantasy and science fiction elements, t.j. klune’s innovative novel brings the core concepts of the pinocchio legend into the notional environs of the 21st century and beyond. androids, anxieties… klune has an intuitive feel for this kind of modern mythmaking, bringing contemporary resonance to this classic tale.
the winner of best horror category, is “holly” by the one and only stephen king. as elder statesman and genre godfather, stephen king is a familiar name in the horror category. he returns this year with "holly", which pits an old fan-favorite character—private investigator holly gibney—against a pair of uniquely depraved antagonists.
for best young adult fantasy, “divine rivals” by rebecca ross was the choice. I loooove this book so much and am really looking forward to read the sequel, published recently. it’s another massive booktok sensation. this book introduces a genuinely fresh new fantasy world featuring vengeful gods, the horrors of war, and the power of love—all kinds of love. the book also extols the virtues of old-world correspondence (writing letters).
“check & mate” by ali hazelwood won for the category of best young adult romance. I have read another book from the author and I can tell it’s perfect for the ones who love cute and fluffy romances. “check & mate” follows reluctant chess genius mallory greenleaf as she deploys gambits and strategies in the game of life.
“poverty, by america” by matthew desmond won for the category os best nonfiction book. desmond asks some deeply uncomfortable questions about poverty in the united states, then persuasively argues for a bold new agenda of shared prosperity.
for the category of best memoir & autobiography book, the britney spears’ “the woman in me” won! one of several high-profile celebrity memoirs to drop this year, britney spears' big book was ecstatically received by fans—and it did quite well with the critics, too.
second to last, “the wager” by david grann was the best history & biography book. the book crosses rigorous research with true-crime verve, peppered with elements of survival tale, legal thriller, and horror story.
and to end this list, for best humor book, “being henry: the fonz… and beyond” by henry winkler was the winner. this bedrock wisdom provides the unshakable foundation of henry winkler’s delightful memoir, which reveals the actor’s keen eye, big heart, and formidable writing chops.
francisca amado is an internship student, from a communication and multimedia design degree , currently in CINCO team. born and raised in the outskirts of coimbra. always showing creativity and ambition, since very young.
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