Let’s Talk About the Goodreads Awards Finalists

It’s become a tradition for us to share with you our choices for the Goodreads Choice Awards. Every year the competition is fierce – and for the 5th year in a row, we’re highlighting the books we’ve read (and want to read) in each category.

FICTION

TANYA PATRICE – Last year’s prediction of the winner was spot on with The Testament, Margaret Atwood. This year, I’ve again read 3 of the finalists – The Glass Hotel, Emily St. John Mandel which I really did not like; American Dirt, Jeanine Cummins – I talked a bit about the controversy surrounding this book here – and Anxious People, Fredrik Bachman which was amazing. So this book gets my vote for the win.

MYSTERY | THRILLER

KIM – From this category I’ve read The Sundown Motel, Simone St. James which I really loved. It was super creepy and the flashbacks to the 70s era was a fun setting. This one made me jump a few times. Home Before Dark, Riley Sager was a 5 star read for me as well. Very atmospheric and creepy. One in which you don’t know who to trust or believe. I loved it. I also listened to the audio of The Guest List, Lucy Foley and really enjoyed it. It’s definitely a slow burn with the shocking twists coming right at the end. So if you are impatient (like me) just trust that it will be worth it. Honestly, I’d really like to see Tana French’s The Searcher win even though I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I love her and I’d like to see her recognized for her writing. I don’t know – competition in this category is always really fierce.

TANYA PATRICE – I also read and loved The Sun Down Motel, Simone St. James, and that’s who I think will take home the prize. I also read and really liked When No One Is Watching, Alyssa Cole, and while  The Wives, Tarryn Fisher was an intriguing story, the main character was just soooo annoying! Again, I called the winner last year – The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides.

FANTASY

KIM – Many of the books in this category have been really raved about this year. It’s tough competition but I voted for The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune. Not just because it’s the only one of the category that I’ve read but because it was a truly fantastic book and I’d love to see it get recognized.

SCIENCE FICTION

KIM – As a die hard Murderbot fan I voted for Network Effect, Martha Wells in this category. I did read Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir and loved it but because I haven’t read Harrow the Ninth yet, I didn’t vote for it. I wouldn’t be sad to see it win though.

HORROR

KIM – From this category I read Malorie, Josh Malerman and The Year of the Witching, Alexis Henderson. I enjoyed both but don’t feel that either will win. First, there’s a Stephen King book in the mix. Also Mexican Gothic has been widely buzzed about and has a fair chance of winning I think.

TANYA PATRICE – I’ve always said that if there’s a Stephen King book nominated – it will win (it did last year). And there’s one – If It Bleeds. This is a collection of short stories and a novella – and they are all outstanding! The other books I’ve read and liked are Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, Grady Hendrix. My “why is this here” book is The Only Good Indians, Stephen Graham Jones – and Tender Flesh, Agustina Bazterrica is really the most horrifying book I’ve read in a long time. It’s short and fascinating in how disgusting it is as humans are now bred as meat because a virus wiped out all the animals.

DEBUT NOVEL

KIM – The Year of the Witching, Alexis Henderson is the only one I’ve read so I didn’t vote. I wish they wouldn’t overlap books from this category into other categories.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION & YOUNG ADULT FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION

KIM – Clap When You Land, Elizabeth Acevedo was a good book but I did feel it slogged a bit at times. One of Us is Next, Karen M. McManus was a nice follow up in the series. I liked it better than the first book- but I don’t feel it’s award winning material. Those are the only two I’ve read so I didn’t vote in this category either.

TANYA PATRICE – Like Kim, I also read 2 books in this category. Children of Virtue & Vengence, Tomi Adeyemi is the 2nd book in the Legend of Orisha series following Children of Blood and Bone, which I preferred. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins is the prequel to The Hunger Games series. It follows the story of President Snow when he was growing up. This is my pick to win.

Which books were your top picks? Are there any books you are surprised made it – or is not included?