The winners of the 2024 annual Goodreads Choice Awards have been revealed, with some of this year’s top books coming from authors including Stephen King and Sarah J. Maas.
Chosen by readers from the online book community Goodreads, the Goodreads Choice Awards reflect the works that people truly enjoyed this year.
Across 15 categories, 300 books were nominated in total with more than 6.2 million readers voting for their favourites - a record number for the awards. From readers’ favourite “romantasy” book - the TikTok favourite genre which combines romance and fantasy - to more traditional categories such as historical fiction, mystery and horror, there is something for every reader.
This year’s winners include debut novelists such as English writer Kaliane Bradley as well as familiar names like the legendary Stephen King, with a few surprise additions thrown in for good measure.
So if you’re perhaps trying to find your next read over the Christmas period, or are looking for a present, here are all of the winners from the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards.
1. Readers’ Favourite Fiction: The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Described as a “surprise sensation” Alison Espach’s The Wedding People follows a depressed young woman who accidentally crashes a lavish wedding in Rhode Island. Up against works such as Dolly Alderton’s Good Material and Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo, Espach’s shifts from drama to comedy and her underlying message saw The Wedding People named as Readers’ Favourite Fiction book of 2024. | Hachette UK
2. Readers’ Favourite Historical Fiction: The Women by Kristin Hannah
A returning winner, Kristin Hannah’s The Women won over readers of during the Goodreads Choice Awards. Introducing audiences to idealistic Army nurse Frances “Frankie” McGrath as she volunteers in Vietnam in 1965 before returning to a divided America. | Pan Macmillan
3. Readers’ Favourite Mystery & Thriller: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Written by Liz Moore, The God of the Woods faced some stiff competition in the Readers’ Favourite Mystery & Thriller category with authors such as Freida McFadden and Richard Osman also in the running. However, The God of the Woods’ intriguing and well-handled premise of a troubled teenager going missing from her family’s summer camp 16 years after her older brother disappeared the same way won out with its engaging mystery. | Hachette UK
4. Readers’ Favourite Romance: Funny Story by Emily Henry
Emily Henry is the undisputed queen of romance writing at the moment, having snatched the Goodreads Choice Award for Readers’ Favourite Romance for the fourth year in a row with her latest work Funny Story. Focusing on a heartbroken librarian who ends up becoming roommates with her ex-fiancé's new fiancée's ex-boyfriend, you can expect Henry’s typical style of writing with well developed characters and a rewarding pay-off. | Penguin / Viking