Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merit special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
The Council, which consists of twelve librarians who are experts in readers’ advisory and collection development, selects one book from each of eight different categories. The eight genres currently included in the council’s considerations are adrenaline titles (suspense, thrillers, and action adventure), fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, and relationship fiction. However, the Council is constructed in such a way to be adaptable to new genres and changes in contemporary reading interest.
The Council announces the eight winning titles at the RUSA Book and Media Awards Reception at ALA LibLearnX in January each year. A short list of honor titles (up to four per genre) is also announced. All selected titles are published on the RUSA Web site following the event.
Members interested in serving on The Reading List Council should read about serving on the Council.
Authors or publishers interested in having their book considered for The Reading List should review the selection criteria and the submission guidelines. For further information, please visit the committee roster page (login required) or the form here.
The Lists
Adrenaline
Winner
“ Better the Blood: A Hana Westerman Thriller” by Michael Bennett (Atlantic Monthly Press, an imprint of Grove Atlantic)
Detective Hana Westerman has long struggled to balance her Māori heritage with her work. When a serial killer begins committing ritualistic killings in response to a crime that occurred decades prior, Hana must face demons in her own past as her hunt for the killer grows ever more desperate.
Read-alikes: The Chestnut Man” by Søren Sveistrup; “Hades” by Candice Fox; “Shutter” by Ramona Emerson
Short List
“ The Antiquity Affair: A Novel” by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (Harper Muse, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus LLC)
“ Blood Sisters” by Vanessa Lillie (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Going Zero: A Novel” by Anthony McCarten (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“ The Last Word: A Novel” by Taylor Adams (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Fantasy
Winner
“Gods of the Wyrdwood: The Forsaken Trilogy, Book One” by R J Barker (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
Cahal once walked the path to becoming the Cowl-Rai—the Chosen One of Crua. However, another Cowl-Rai rose to power, forcing Cahal to spend the next twenty years living in secrecy. When a desperate situation forces Cahal to reveal himself, the consequences of his choice reach further than he could have anticipated.
Read-alikes: “Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb; “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms” by N. K. Jemisin; “In the Shadow of Lightning” by Brian McClellan.
Short List
“ The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: A Novel” by Shannon Chakraborty (Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Starling House” by Alix E. Harrow (A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group)
“ Thornhedge” by T. Kingfisher (A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group)
“ Untethered Sky” by Fonda Lee (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates / Tor Publishing Group)
Historical Fiction
Winner
“ Lady Tan’s Circle of Women: A Novel” by Lisa See (Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
Tan Yunxian spends much of her youth in fifteenth-century China studying women’s illnesses under the tutelage of her grandmother. As an adult, however, Yunxian must fight to balance a life of propriety with her own aspirations from within the confines of an arranged marriage.
Read-alikes: “The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd; Empress Orchid Anchee Min; The Surgeon’s Daughter by Audrey Blake
Short List
“The Bookbinder: A Novel” by Pip Williams (Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“ Essex Dogs” by Dan Jones (Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“ Hang the Moon: A Novel” by Jeannette Walls (Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“ Looking for Jane” by Heather Marshall (Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
Horror
Winner
“ The September House” by Carissa Orlando (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Margaret has long grown used to the difficulties that come with living in a haunted house, but after four years her husband has had enough and leaves. When he stops returning calls, their daughter Katherine comes to town to search for him even as the hauntings grow ever more intense.
Read-alikes: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson; It Will Just Be Us by Jo Kaplan; She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
Short List
“Black River Orchard: A Novel” by Chuck Wendig (Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror” edited by Jordan Peele (Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Reformatory: A Novel” by Tananarive Due (Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
Mystery
“A Disappearance in Fiji” by Nilima Rao (Soho Press, Inc.)
In 1914 Fiji, disgraced Sikh police sergeant Akal Singh reluctantly accepts the seemingly routine case of a missing indentured woman. Over the course of his investigation, Akal's perspective shifts as he navigates the complex web of colonial racism, labor exploitation, and personal redemption, realizing the case is anything but ordinary.
Read-alikes: “The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey; The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra; A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee
Short List
“Death Comes to Marlow: A Novel” by Robert Thorogood (Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks)
“Grave Expectations” by Alice Bell (Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Mother-Daughter Murder Night: A Novel” by Nina Simon (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Tumbling Girl” by Bridget Walsh (Gallic Books)
Relationship Fiction
Winner
“The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise” by Colleen Oakley (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
After losing her college soccer scholarship to an injury, Tanner grudgingly accepts a live-in caretaker job with equally reluctant octogenarian Louise. Their uneasy coexistence takes a madcap turn after Louise forces Tanner into the role of unwilling chauffeur for an impromptu cross-country road trip to help an old friend.
Read-alikes: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg; The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan; A Thousand Miles to Graceland by Kristen Mei Chase
Short List
“The Collected Regrets of Clover” by Mikki Brammer (St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
“Maame” by Jessica George (St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
“The Museum of Ordinary People” by Mike Gayle (Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group)“The Sweet Spot: A Novel” by Amy Poeppel (Emily Bestler Books/Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
Romance
Winner
“Role Playing” by Cathy Yardley (Montlake, an imprint of Amazon Publishing)
Grumpy hermit Maggie agrees to try to meet new people if her college-aged son does too. When optimist Aiden welcomes a snarky new player into his online gaming guild, they quickly become virtual friends. Upon meeting face-to-face, the pair’s contrasting personalities blend, but their respective complicated pasts challenge their connection.
Read-alikes: “Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole; The Love Con by Seressia Glass; Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Short List
“10 Things That Never Happened” by Alexis Hall (Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks)
“Business or Pleasure” by Rachel Lynn Solomon (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Curves for Days” by Laura Moher (Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks)
“We Could Be So Good: A Novel” by Cat Sebastian (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Science Fiction
Winner
“House of Gold” by C. T. Rwizi (47North, an imprint of Amazon Publishing)
In this Afrofuturistic dystopia, two pairs of genetically enhanced warriors trained to rule become disillusioned with a status quo that keeps the rich aristocracy in power indefinitely. Now free from the lies that shaped their childhood, they plot to shape a better future.
Read-alikes: Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction ed. by Sheree Renée Thomas and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki; Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden; Noor by Nnedi Okorafor
Short List
“Infinity Gate: Book One of the Pandominion” by M. R. Carey (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“ The Meister of Decimen City” by Brenna Raney (CamCat Books, an imprint of CamCat Publishing, LLC)
“The Scourge Between Stars” by Ness Brown (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
“Where Peace is Lost: A Novel” by Valerie Valdes (Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Adrenaline
Winner
“Killers of a Certain Age” by Deanna Raybourn (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have spent forty years as assassins for a clandestine organization. When a fellow assassin targets them during their retirement cruise, they go on a skilled offensive to stop the very organization to which they've given their lives.
Read-alikes: Red (film); “What Rose Forgot” by Nevada Barr; “Bullet Train” by Kōtarō Isaka, translated by Sam Malissa
Short List
“Cold Fear: A Thriller” by Brandon Webb and John David Mann (Bantam Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Lies I Tell: A Novel” by Julie Clark (Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks)
“Look Closer” by David Ellis (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Wrong Place, Wrong Time: A Novel” by Gillian McAllister (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Fantasy
Winner
“Nettle & Bone” by T. Kingfisher (A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
A reclusive princess and her unlikely companions, including a loyal bone dog, her fairy godmother, and a demon chicken, embark on an epic quest to save her sister.
Read-alikes: “The Bone Houses” by Emily Lloyd-Jones; “Uprooted” by Naomi Novik; “Once More Upon a Time” by Roshani Chokshi
Short List
“Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution” by R. F. Kuang (Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“In the Shadow of Lightning” by Brian McClellan (A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
“Legends and Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes” by Travis Baldree (Cryptid Press)
“The Monsters We Defy” by Leslye Penelope (Redhook, an imprint of Orbit, a division of Hachette Book Group)
Historical Fiction
Winner
“By Her Own Design: A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register” by Piper Huguley (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Ann Lowe, a highly sought after Black designer from the 1920s to the 1960s, created one of the most famous dresses of the 20th century – Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress. Lowe’s largely untold story traces the highs and lows of her personal and professional life.
Read-alikes: “Red at the Bone” by Jacqueline Woodson; “The House of Eve” by Sadeqa Johnson; “The Gown” by Jennifer Robson
Short List
“The Forty Elephants” by Erin Bledsoe (Blackstone Publishing)
“The Good Wife of Bath: A (Mostly) True Story” by Karen Brooks (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Swift and the Harrier” by Minette Walters (Blackstone Publishing)
“Two Storm Wood: A Novel” by Philip Gray (W. W. Norton & Company)
Horror
Winner
“Leech” by Hiron Ennes (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
Over centuries, the Interprovincial Medical Institute has slowly replaced human practitioners of medicine, controlling young minds and shaping them into doctors. When one of the hivemind's many bodies dies mysteriously at an isolated chateau, the replacement investigates and discovers a frightening competitor taking hold in the baron’s home.
Read-alikes: The Southern Reach series by Jeff VanderMeer; “The Death of Jane Lawrence” by Caitlin Starling; “The Girl with All the Gifts” by M.R. Carey
Short List
“Dead Silence” by S. A. Barnes (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
“The Ghost That Ate Us: The Tragic True Story of the Burger City Poltergeist” by Daniel Kraus (Raw Dog Screaming Press)
“Not Good for Maidens” by Tori Bovalino (Page Street Publishing Co.)
“What Moves the Dead” by T. Kingfisher (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
Mystery
“The Binding Room: A Novel” by Nadine Matheson (Hanover Square Press)
Called to the crime scene of a murdered pastor, DI Henley and her partner discover a torture victim on the brink of death. As the detectives investigate, they realize that the crime is larger than just this case.
Read-alikes: “The Chestnut Man” by Søren Sveistrup; “Broken Places” by Tracy Clark; “The Silence of the White City” by Eva García Sáenz, translated from the Spanish by Nick Caistor
Short List
“The Appeal: A Novel” by Janice Hallett (Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“Down a Dark River” by Karen Odden (Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC)
“One-Shot Harry” by Gary Phillips (Soho Press, Inc.)
“The Verifiers” by Jane Pek (Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
Relationship Fiction
Winner
“Mika in Real Life: A Novel” by Emiko Jean (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Thirty-five-year-old former artist Mika Suzuki now works a series of dead-end jobs. When the daughter she gave up for adoption sixteen years ago reaches out, Mika panics and constructs a fake aspirational life.
Read-alikes: Fleabag (tv series); “The Guncle” by Steven Rowley, “Stray City” by Chelsey Johnson
Short List
“Carrie Soto Is Back: A Novel” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Love & Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love” by Kim Fay (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin (A Borzoi Book, published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Romance
Winner
“The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy” by Megan Bannen (Orbit, a division of Hachette Book Group)
Undertaker Mercy butts heads with marshal Hart when he brings bodies to her family’s struggling business. In a low moment, Hart pens a letter addressed to “A Friend” that finds its way anonymously to Mercy. A correspondence is born, with the pair growing closer as the dangers of Tanria escalate.
Read-alikes: “The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston; Pushing Daisies (tv show); “Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match” by Sally Thorne
Short List
“All the Feels: A Novel” by Olivia Dade (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Delilah Green Doesn’t Care” by Ashley Herring Blake (A Jove Book, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Honey and Spice: A Novel” by Bolu Babalola (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Siren of Sussex” by Mimi Matthews (A Jove Book, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Science Fiction
Winner
“Drunk On All Your Strange New Words” by Eddie Robson (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
Lydia works as a telepathic translator for an alien cultural representative. When he is murdered on a night Lydia barely remembers due to hours of translating, she comes under suspicion. Determined to clear her name, Lydia investigates a lead from an unexpected source.
Read-alikes: “Station Eternity” by Mur Lafferty; “Axiom’s End” by Lindsay Ellis; “Embassytown” by China Miéville
Short List
“Braking Day” by Adam Oyebanji (DAW Books, Inc.)
“Mickey7” by Edward Ashton (St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
“The Mountain in the Sea” by Ray Nayler (MCD, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
“Under Fortunate Stars” by Ren Hutchings (Solaris, an imprint of Rebellion Publishing Ltd)
Adrenaline
Winner
“Razorblade Tears” by S. A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)
Husbands Derek and Isaiah were estranged from their fathers, but after the couple is gunned down, ex-cons Ike and Buddy Lee seek personal redemption and bloody justice for their sons in this gritty, vengeance-fueled thriller.
Read-alikes: “Animal” by K’wan; “Winter Counts” by David Heska Wanbli Weiden; No Country for Old Men (film)
Short List
“Bullet Train: A Novel” by Kōtarō Isaka, translated by Sam Malissa (The Overlook Press, an imprint of ABRAMS)
“Never Saw Me Coming” by Vera Kurian (Park Row Books)
“The Push: A Novel” by Ashley Audrain (Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Red Widow: A Novel” by Alma Katsu (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Fantasy
Winner
“A Master of Djinn” by P. Djèlí Clark (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
In an alternate 1912 Cairo, where the magical and the mundane collide, Agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi teams up with a new partner and seeks help from the djinn as she investigates the massacre of a mysterious cult and races to stop a fake prophet who threatens to reshape the world.
Read-alikes: “City of Brass” by S.A. Chakraborty; “The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday” by Saad Z. Hossain; “Trail of Lightning” by Rebecca Roanhorse
Short List
“Black Water Sister” by Zen Cho (Ace, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Blacktongue Thief” by Christopher Buehlman (A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
“When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain” by Nghi Vo (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
“The Witch’s Heart” by Genevieve Gornichec (Ace, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Historical Fiction
Winner
“The Sweetness of Water” by Nathan Harris (Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.)
Immediately after the Civil War, a grieving white couple and formerly enslaved brothers come together to form an unexpected friendship and vision for working the land. Their small Georgia community is skeptical and even horrified at the arrangement and as the summer unfolds, secrets are revealed with tragic consequences.
Read-alikes: “Conjure Women” by Afia Atakora; “The Prophets” by Robert Jones Jr.; “A Thousand Moons” by Sebastian Barry
Short List
“Daughters of Sparta: A Novel” by Claire Heywood (Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Leonora in the Morning Light” by Michaela Carter (Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)“The Rose Code: A Novel” by Kate Quinn (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“A Tip for the Hangman: A Novel” by Allison Epstein (Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
Horror
Winner
“Nothing But Blackened Teeth” by Cassandra Khaw (A Nightfire Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
A wedding party camped in a crumbling Japanese mansion falls prey to their own creeping dread and the encircling yōkai--hungry inhabitants led by a ghostly bride. She was buried alive long, long ago, and she has been lonely.
Read-alikes: “The Ring” by Kōji Suzuki, “Night of the Mannequins” by Stephen Graham Jones; “It Will Just Be Us” by Jo Kaplan
Short List
“The Death of Jane Lawrence: A Novel” by Caitlin Starling (St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
“My Heart is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones (Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“Near the Bone” by Christina Henry (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“This Thing Between Us: A Novel” by Gus Moreno (MCD x FSG Originals, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Mystery
Winner
“Arsenic and Adobo” by Mia P. Manansala (Berkley Prime Crime, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Lila Macapagal reluctantly returns to her hometown to help with her family’s struggling Filipino restaurant, only to have a food critic - her ex-boyfriend - drop dead. A prime suspect, Lila spars with Detective Park while her best friend and nosy aunties help clear her name in this charming, cozy series starter.
Read-alikes: “A Deadly Inside Scoop” by Abby Collette; “Death by Dumpling” by Vivien Chen; “Mimi Lee Gets a Clue” by Jennifer Chow
Short List
“Grave Reservations: A Novel” by Cherie Priest (Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“The Jigsaw Man: A Novel” by Nadine Matheson (Hanover Square Press)
“Sleep Well, My Lady” by Kwei Quartey (Soho Press, Inc.)
“Under Color of Law” by Aaron Philip Clark (Thomas & Mercer)
Relationship Fiction
Winner
“The Guncle: A Novel” by Steven Rowley (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Patrick, a former sitcom star sequestered in Palm Springs, temporarily takes in his young niece and nephew after their mother’s death. Over the summer Gay Uncle (Guncle) Patrick is drawn out of his self-imposed isolation as he and the kids cope with their grief in this exuberant, witty, heartwarming story.
Read-alikes: “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune; “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer; “The Reminders” by Val Emmich
Short List
“Dial A for Aunties” by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Reading List: A Novel” by Sara Nisha Adams (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Sorrow and Bliss: A Novel” by Meg Mason (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Summer Seekers” by Sarah Morgan (HQN)
Romance
Winner
“One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston (St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
Recently arrived in New York, August Landry is mesmerized by her impossibly cool fellow Q train rider Jane Su. With Jane stuck out of time and unable to leave the train, August resurrects old skills to uncover the truth and save Jane in this sweet and sexy timeslip romance.
Read-alikes: Oona out of Order by Margarita Montimore; Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, Palm Springs (film)
Short List
“The Charm Offensive: A Novel” by Alison Cochrun (Atria Paperback, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes” by Xio Axelrod (Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks)
“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry (A Jove Book, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“For the Love of April French” by Penny Aimes (Carina Press)
Science Fiction
Winner
“A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers (A Tordotcom Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates)
In a post-collapse utopia, nomadic tea monk Dex spends their days visiting small villages providing respite from everyday life. Encountering the first robot anyone has seen since robots left human society, the two journey together. This gentle, tender story examines the roots of personal dissatisfaction and the joys of community.
Read-alikes: The Iron Giant (film); “This is How You Lose the Time War” by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone; “Silver in the Wood” by Emily Tesh
Short List
“Day Zero: A Novel” by C. Robert Cargill (Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Project Hail Mary: A Novel” by Andy Weir (Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“One Day All This Will Be Yours” by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Solaris, an imprint of Rebellion Publishing Ltd)
“Unity” by Elly Bangs (Tachyon Publications LLC)
Adrenaline
Winner
“The Holdout: A Novel” by Graham Moore (Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC)
Ten years after Maya Seale convinced her fellow jurors to acquit a man of murder, a true crime documentary reunites the jury amid claims of new evidence. When one of them is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, she must prove her own innocence in this taut legal thriller.
Readalikes
“The Body in Question” by Jill Ciment
“The Runaway Jury” by John Grisham
“Twelve Angry Men” by Reginald Rose
Short List
“Blacktop Wasteland: A Novel” by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)
“A Good Marriage: A Novel” by Kimberly McCreight (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“A Solitude of Wolverines: A Novel of Suspense” by Alice Henderson (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“When No One Is Watching: A Thriller” by Alyssa Cole (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Fantasy
Winner
“The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune (A Tor Book Published by Tom Doherty Associates)
Linus Baker, diligent case worker at the Department of Magical Youth, travels to Arthur Parnassus’ orphanage to determine if any of the magical children in Arthur’s care might cause the end of the world. While getting to know Arthur and his charges, Linus discovers a found family worthy of rule-breaking.
Readalikes
“Every Heart a Doorway” by Seanan McGuire
Joe Vs. the Volcano (movie)
“Silver in the Wood” by Emily Tesh
Short List
“Black Sun” by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“The City We Became” by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“A Deadly Education: A Novel” by Naomi Novik (Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Ring Shout: or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times” by P. Djèlí Clark (A Tordotcom Book, Published by Tom Doherty Associates)
Historical Fiction
Winner
“Conjure Women: A Novel” by Afia Atakora (Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC)
During Slaverytime, conjure woman and healer Rue kept the plantation slaves healthy. With the Civil War over, Rue continues to tend to the formerly enslaved until the birth of a child feared to be a demon and the arrival of a charismatic preacher place Rue in a precarious situation.
Readalikes
“Remembrance” by Rita Woods
“The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead
“Washington Black” by Esi Edugyan
Short List
“Code Name Hélène: A Novel” by Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Cold Millions: A Novel” by Jess Walter (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“The Pull of the Stars: A Novel” by Emma Donoghue (Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group)
“The Land Beyond the Sea” by Sharon Kay Penman (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
Horror
Winner
“The Only Good Indians: A Novel” by Stephen Graham Jones (Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
This slow-burn horror novel follows four members of the Blackfeet tribe as an illegal elk hunting trip catches up to them ten years later, and the spirit of the elk they wronged methodically tracks them down to exact her bloody revenge.
Readalikes
“Empire of Wild” by Cherie Dimaline
“The Ritual” by Adam L.G. Nevill
“Trail of Lightning” by Rebecca Roanhorse
Short List
“The Hollow Places: A Novel” by T. Kingfisher (Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“The Return” by Rachel Harrison (Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” by Grady Hendrix (Quirk Books)
Mystery
Winner
“Fortune Favors the Dead: A Novel” by Stephen Spotswood (Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
Pentecost, premier female detective of 1940s New York, and her right-hand woman Parker, an ex-circus performer, are called to investigate a ghostly murderer. The victim’s shadowy past, an eerily knowledgeable medium, Pentecost’s health, and Parker’s growing attraction to the victim’s daughter complicate this noirish locked room mystery.
Readalikes
“Fer-de-lance” by Rex Stout
“Girl Waits With Gun” by Amy Stewart
“The Right Sort of Man” by Allison Montclair
Short List
“The Devil and the Dark Water” by Stuart Turton (Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks)
“The Eighth Detective: A Novel” by Alex Pavesi (Henry Holt and Company)
“The Silence of the White City” by Eva García Sáenz, translated from the Spanish by Nick Caistor (Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
“A Trace of Deceit: A Novel” by Karen Odden (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Relationship Fiction
Winner
“Oona Out of Order” by Margarita Montimore (Flatiron Books)On New Year’s Eve 1982, 18-year-old Oona Lockhart faces a personal crossroads. But when the clock strikes midnight, she faints and awakens decades in the future as her older self. Jumping to a new age each New Year’s, Oona grapples with constantly changing circumstances and discovers relationships that anchor her.
Readalikes
“Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
“In Five Years” by Rebecca Serle
“The Two Lives of Lydia Bird” by Josie Silver
Short List
“Anxious People: A Novel” by Fredrik Backman, translated by Neil Smith (Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
“His Only Wife: A Novel” by Peace Adzo Medie (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, a division of Workman Publishing)
“The Love Story of Missy Carmichael” by Beth Morrey (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
“This Won’t End Well” by Camille Pagán (Lake Union Publishing)
Romance
Winner
“The Duke Who Didn’t” by Courtney Milan (Courtney Milan)
Chloe Fong is the capable, list-focused love of Jeremy Wentworth’s life, but she’s looking for someone serious. After three years of chasing seriousness, Jeremy returns for the annual fair determined to show Chloe that he may not be serious, but he’s serious about her. A flirty, sexy historical romance.
Readalikes
“Breathless” by Beverly Jenkins
Bridgerton (TV series, Netflix)
“True Pretenses” by Rose Lerner
Short List
“Love Lettering” by Kate Clayborn (Kensington Books)
“Spoiler Alert: A Novel” by Olivia Dade (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“Take a Hint, Dani Brown: A Novel” by Talia Hibbert (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“You Had Me at Hola: A Novel” by Alexis Daria (Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Science Fiction
Winner
“The Space Between Worlds” by Micaiah Johnson (Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
In a future where people can travel to parallel universes in which their counterparts are deceased, Cara’s worth is measured by how easily she dies. Earth after Earth, the poor die to benefit the wealthy, until Cara discovers a secret that could disrupt the whole corrupt system.
Readalikes
“Binti” by Nnedi Okorafor
“The Future of Another Timeline” by Annalee Newitz
“Recursion” by Blake Crouch
Short List
“Axiom’s End: A Novel” by Lindsay Ellis (St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
“The Doors of Eden” by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group)
“Hench: A Novel” by Natalie Zina Walschots (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
“A Pale Light in the Black: A NeoG Novel” by K.B. Wagers (Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Adrenaline
Winner
“The Passengers” by John Marrs, Berkley an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
After their driverless cars are hacked, eight passengers have two and a half hours to live. One will be set free based on the votes of a captive jury and the will of the world’s social media population – but each has secrets that could condemn them.
Readalikes
“Speed” the 1994 movie
“Elevator Pitch” by Linwood Barclay
“The Escape Room” by Megan Goldin
Short List
“The Chain” by Adrian McKinty, Mulholland Books an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a Division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
“Cold Storage” by David Koepp, HarperCollins
“Conviction” by Denise Mina, Mulholland Books an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a Division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
“Lock Every Door” by Riley Sager, Dutton an Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Fantasy
Winner
“Gods of Jade and Shadow” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Del Rey an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
In Jazz Age Mexico Cassiopeia’s dull life takes an adventurous and life-changing turn when she must help a Mayan death god vanquish his brother and regain his throne in the underworld.
Readalikes
“Spinning Silver” by Naomi Novik
“Trail of Lightning” by Rebecca Roanhorse
“We Hunt the Flame” by Hafsah Faizal
Short List
“Middlegame” by Seanan McGuire, a Tor.com book published by Tom Doherty Associates
“Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo, Flatiron Books
“The Ruin of Kings” by Jenn Lyons, a Tor book published by Tom Doherty Associates
Historical Fiction
Winner
“The Secrets We Kept” by Lara Prescott, a Borzoi Book published by Alfred A. Knopf
During the Cold War, the CIA trains a new generation of female spies in an attempt to smuggle Boris Pasternak’s censored novel, Doctor Zhivago, back into the U.S.S.R. while Pasternak’s mistress deals with the fallout
Readalikes
“A Thread of Grace” by Mary Doria Russell
“Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly
“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles
“The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book” by Peter Finn
Short List
“City of Flickering Light” by Juliette Fay, Gallery Books an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
“The Confessions of Frannie Langton” by Sara Collins, Harper an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“The Song of the Jade Lily” by Kirsty Manning, William Morrow An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“Where the Light Enters” by Sara Donati, Berkley an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Horror
Winner
“The Twisted Ones” by T. Kingfisher, Saga Press an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Brimming with spookiness, paranoia, and a single-minded bloodhound, this devilishly wicked tale of folkloric horror set in the woods of North Carolina is inspired by Arthur Machen’s
“The White People.”Readalikes
“The White People and Other Weird Stories” by Arthur Machen
“The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek” by Rhett McLaughlin
“Meddling Kids” by Edgar Cantero
Short List
“The Devil Aspect” by Craig Russell, Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
“The Homecoming” by Andrew Pyper, Simon & Schuster Canada a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
“The Toll” by Cherie Priest, a Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates
“Violet” by Scott Thomas, Inkshares, Inc.
Mystery
Winner
“The Right Sort of Man” by Allison Montclair, Minotaur Books
In post-World War II London, Iris Sparks (perhaps a wartime spy) and Gwendolyn Bainbridge (a society widow) have teamed up to matchmake singles with The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. When one client is accused of murdering another, Iris and Gwendolyn decide the police have the wrong man and start investigating
Readalikes
“Dear Mrs. Bird” by A.J. Pearce
“Mr. Churchill’s Secretary” by Susan Elia MacNeal
“Girl Waits with Gun” by Amy Stewart
The Tommy & Tuppence books by Agatha Christie
Short List
“The Chestnut Man” by Soren Sveistrup, Harper an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“Magic for Liars” by Sarah Gailey, a Tor Book published by Tom Doherty Associates
“Paper Son” by S.J. Rozan, Pegasus Crime an imprint of Pegasus Books, Ltd.
“The Scholar” by Dervla McTiernan, Penguin Books an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Relationship
Winner
“When You Read This” by Mary Adkins, Harper a division of HarperCollins Publishers
After her death at 33 from an aggressive lung cancer, Iris leaves behind a blog that connects her boss and sister. Told through blog entries, emails and texts, this tender, uplifting, and at times amusing story shows each working through their grief and discovering an unexpected connection
Readalikes
“The Garden of Small Beginnings” by Abbi Waxman
“Attachments” by Rainbow Rowell
“Meet Me at the Museum” by Anne Youngson
Short List
“Evvie Drake Starts Over” by Linda Holmes, Ballantine Books an imprint of Random House a division of Penguin Random House LLC
“Queenie” by Candice Carty-Williams, Scout Press an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc
“Rules for Visiting” by Jessica Francis Kane, Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
“The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters” by Balli Kaur Jaswal, William Morrow an imprint HarperCollins Publishers
Romance
Winner
“The Flatshare” by Beth O’Leary, Flatiron Books
Tiffy needs a place to live and Leon works nights, so they come to an unusual arrangement: sharing an apartment (and a bed!) but never seeing each other. Communicating via post-it note, they begin to rely on each other in ways they never imagined.
Readalikes
“Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating” by Christina Lauren
“Our Stop” by Laura Jane Williams
“We Met in December” by Rosie Curtis
Short List
“The Bride Test” by Helen Hoang, A Jove Book published by Berkley
“Lady Derring Takes a Lover” by Julie Anne Long, Avon Books an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics” by Olivia Waite, Avon Impulse an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“Royal Holiday” by Jasmine Guillory, Berkley an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Science Fiction
Winner
“A Memory Called Empire” by Arkady Martine, A Tor Book published Tom Doherty Associates
In this conspiracy-filled novel, a determined ambassador desperately tries to survive her new diplomatic assignment while investigating the murder of her predecessor on a planet with rules she doesn’t understand.
Readalikes
“The Goblin Emperor” by Katherine Addison
“The Collapsing Empire” by John Scalzi
“Ancillary Justice” by Ann Leckie
Short List
“Finder” by Suzanne Palmer, DAW Books, Inc.
“The Future of Another Timeline” by Annalee Newitz, A Tor Book published by Tom Doherty Associates
“Gideon the Ninth” by Tamsyn Muir, a Tor.com Book published by Tom Doherty Associates
“To Be Taught, If Fortunate” by Becky Chambers, Harper Voyager an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Adrenaline
Winner
“Safe Houses: A Novel” by Dan Fesperman. A Borzoi Book, published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Managing CIA safe houses in 1979 West Berlin, Helen overhears a secret conversation that sends her on the run. Thirty-five years later, a tragedy leads Helen’s daughter to dig into her mother’s secret past, unaware that her mother’s old enemies are still watching.
Readalikes:
Deutschland 83 (TV show).
“The Expats” by Chris Pavone.
“Restless” by William Boyd.
Short List
“Barbed Wire Heart: A Thriller” by Tess Sharpe. Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group.
“Bearskin: A Novel” by James A. McLaughlin. Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Jar of Hearts” by Jennifer Hillier. Minotaur Books.
“Star of the North: A Novel” by D.B. John. Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Fantasy
Winner
“Foundryside: A Novel” by Robert Jackson Bennett. Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Sancia is a thief-for-hire whose latest job has the potential for a life-changing payout. When she realizes the power of the item she has stolen–a magical key with the ability to open any lock–she keeps it for herself, setting in motion a chain of events with far-reaching consequences.
Readalikes:
“A Darker Shade of Magic” by V.E. Schwab.
“Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch.
“The Mechanical” by Ian Tregillis.
Short List
“The City of Brass: A Novel” by S.A. Chakraborty. Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“The Hazel Wood: A Novel” by Melissa Albert. Flatiron Books.
“The Poppy War” by R.F. Kuang. Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Trail of Lightning” by Rebecca Roanhorse. Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Historical Fiction
Winner
“Between Earth and Sky: A Novel” by Amanda Skenandore. Kensington Books.
When Alma discovers a former classmate from her missionary parents’ Indian Territory boarding school has been arrested for murder, she returns home to defend him. Upon arrival she reflects on the heartbreaking legacy of forced assimilation and the damage done by stripping Native American children of their language and culture.
Readalikes:
“News of the World” by Paulette Jiles.
“One Thousand White Women” by Jim Fergus.
“The Round House” by Louise Erdrich.
Short List
“The Butcher’s Daughter: A Novel” by Victoria Glendinning. Overlook Duckworth.
“Circe: A Novel” by Madeline Miller. Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group.
“Dear Mrs. Bird: A Novel” by AJ Pearce. Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
“A Well Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts” by Therese Anne Fowler. St. Martin’s Press.
Horror
Winner
“The Silent Companions: A Novel” by Laura Purcell. Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
In 1860s England, pregnant Elsie travels to her deceased husband’s crumbling country estate. Kept company by only a few servants, Elsie discovers a realistic life-sized wooden figure in the attic. As the figure and others like it begin popping up around the house, Elsie begins to question her sanity.
Readalikes:
“The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson.
“The Miniaturist” by Jessie Burton.
“The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James.
Short List
“Awakened: A Novel” by James S. Murray, with Darren Wearmouth. Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Bad Man: A Novel” by Dathan Auerbach. Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
“The Cabin at the End of the World: A Novel” by Paul Tremblay. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Melmoth: A Novel” by Sarah Perry. Custom House, an imprint of William Morrow.
Mystery
Winner
“The Widows of Malabar Hill” by Sujata Massey. Soho Crime, published by Soho Press.
Oxford-educated Perveen Mistry is the first practicing woman lawyer in 1920’s Bombay. When three widows of a wealthy Muslim businessman need legal assistance, Perveen is perfect for the job –especially since the women live secluded from men. When the widows’ guardian is murdered, Perveen must unravel the mystery.
Readalikes:
“Leaving Everything Most Loved” by Jacqueline Winspear.
“A Rising Man” by Abir Mukherjee.
“The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra” by Vaseem Khan.
Short List
“The Broken Girls” by Simone St. James. Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
“Broken Places: A Chicago Mystery” by Tracy Clark. Kensington Books.
“Crimson Lake: A Novel” by Candice Fox. A Forge Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates.
“The Ruin: A Novel” by Dervla McTiernan. Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Romance
Winner
“Intercepted” by Alexa Martin. A Jove Book, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
When Marlee Harper discovers that her NFL player boyfriend has been cheating on her, she swears off athletes forever. Or, at least, until the team’s new quarterback Gavin Pope enters the picture. Years ago, Marlee and Gavin shared a steamy encounter, and the sparks continue to fly when they meet again.
Readalikes:
“Field of Pleasure” by Farrah Rochon.
“Hooked on You” by Kate Meader.
“Nobody’s Baby But Mine” by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
Short List
“The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang. A Jove Book, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
“A Princess in Theory” by Alyssa Cole. Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Tempest” by Beverly Jenkins. Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“The Wedding Date” by Jasmine Guillory. A Jove Book, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Science Fiction
Winner
“The Calculating Stars” by Mary Robinette Kowal. A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates.
In a world emerging from World War II, Earth is struck by a massive meteorite. Faced with the likelihood of total extinction, the scientific community dedicates themselves to developing space technology. The efforts of aspiring astronaut Dr. Elma York and her fellow women scientists are hampered by racism and sexism.
Readalikes:
“The Atomic City Girls” by Janet Beard.
“Doomsday Book” by Connie Willis.
“Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly.
Short List
“Noumenon Infinity” by Marina J. Lostetter. Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“An Ocean of Minutes: A Novel” by Thea Lim. Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
“Stars Uncharted” by S.K. Dunstall. Ace, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
“The Wrong Stars” by Tim Pratt. Angry Robot, an imprint of Watkins Media Ltd.
Women's Fiction
Winner
“Stray City: a Novel” by Chelsey Johnson. Custom House, an imprint of William Morrow.
In the early 1990s, Andrea Morales flees her disapproving parents and discovers a family within the Portland, Oregon lesbian scene. Betrayal causes Andrea to stray from her community, resulting in an unintended pregnancy. After ten years, her daughter Lucia discovers her father’s identity and asks to meet him.
Readalikes:
“Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl” by Carrie Brownstein.
“The Price of Salt” by Patricia Highsmith.
“When Katie Met Cassidy” by Camille Perri.
Short List
“The High Season: A Novel” by Judy Blundell. Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC.
“How to Walk Away: A Novel” by Katherine Center. St. Martin’s Press.
“Meet Me at the Museum: A Novel” by Anne Youngson. Flatiron Books.
“Women in Sunlight: A Novel” by Frances Mayes. Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House LLC.
Adrenaline
Winner
“Fierce Kingdom” by Gin Phillips. Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Joan and her four-year-old son, Lincoln, are enjoying an afternoon outing at the zoo when the unthinkable happens–a mass shooting. Trapped and in tremendous danger, Joan must rely on her bravery and survival instincts to make it out alive. This terrifyingly plausible thriller unfolds in real time.
Read alikes
“Lockdown” by Laurie R. King.
“The Quality of Silence” by Rosamund Lupton.
“This Is Where it Ends” by Marieke Nijkamp.
Short List
“The Marsh King’s Daughter: A Novel” by Karen Dionne. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“She Rides Shotgun: A Novel” by Jordan Harper. Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Lola: A Novel” by Melissa Scrivner Love. Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House.
“The Force: A Novel” by Don Winslow. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Fantasy
Winner
“Down Among the Sticks and Bones” by Seanan McGuire. A Tor.com Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates.
Twin sisters Jack and Jill discover a portal that leads them to the Moors, a dark and unsettling world that reveals their true selves. But will their conflicting desires tear them apart?
Read alikes
“The Book of Lost Things” by John Connolly
“The Magicians” by Lev Grossman
“Birthright” by Joshua Williamson (graphic novels)
Short List
“Winter Tide” by Ruthanna Emrys. A Tor.com Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates.
“Passing Strange” by Ellen Klages. A Tor.com Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates.
“The Witches of New York: A Novel” by Ami McKay. Harper Perennial.
“A Gathering of Ravens: A Novel” by Scott Oden. Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
Historical Fiction
Winner
“The Half-Drowned King: A Novel” by Linnea Hartsuyker. Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Betrayed and left for dead, Viking raider Rangvald seeks revenge and his inheritance, while his sister Svanhild’s path to freedom lies with Rangvald’s mortal enemy. This epic tale of uneasy alliances, set in 9th century Scandinavia, offers action, intrigue and historical detail.
Read alikes
“The Sagas of Icelanders” by Robert Kellogg
“Saxon Tales” (series) by Bernard Cornwell
“Vikings” (TV series)
Short List
“The Confessions of Young Nero: A Novel” by Margaret George. Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee. Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group.
“Golden Hill: A Novel of Old New York” by Francis Spufford. Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
“Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions: A Kopp Sisters Novel” by Amy Stewart. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Horror
Winner
“Kill Creek” by Scott Thomas. Inkshares.
An homage to horror and the authors who write it, “Kill Creek” features four prominent authors who are lured into spending the night in a famous haunted house as a publicity stunt. The aftermath is both unexpected and terrifying.
Read alikes
“Hex” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
“The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson
“The Family Plot” by Cherie Priest
Short List
“Little Heaven” by Nick Cutter. Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
“In the Valley of the Sun: A Novel” by Andy Davidson. Skyhorse Publishing.
“A God in the Shed” by J-F Dubeau. Inkshares.
“Ararat: A Novel” by Christopher Golden. St. Martin’s Press.
Mystery
Winner
“The Dime” by Kathleen Kent. Mulholland Books, Little, Brown & Co, a division of Hachette Book Group.
Dallas detective Betty Rhyzyk comes from a family of cops. She’s nearly six feet tall, has flaming red hair, a New Yorker’s sharp tongue, and a girlfriend. When her investigation into a Mexican drug lord goes sideways, she must salvage the operation while dealing with a highly disturbed stalker.
Read alikes
Mallory Novels (series) by Carol O’Connell.
“Cop Town” by Karin Slaughter.
“Revolver” by Duane Swierczynski.
Short List
“The Dry: A Novel” by Jane Harper. Flatiron Books.
“Magpie Murders: A Novel” by Anthony Horowitz. Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore: A Novel” by Matthew Sullivan. Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
“Casualty of War: A Bess Crawford Mystery” by Charles Todd. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Romance
Winner
“An Extraordinary Union: A Novel of the Civil War” by Alyssa Cole. Kensington Books.
Elle Burns, a free black woman, voluntarily leaves the North to work in the Confederacy as a slave and a spy. When she uncovers a possible plot she also encounters Malcolm, a white Union spy. Their intense attraction places their lives in danger in this tale of forbidden love.
Read alikes
“The Spymaster’s Lady” by Joanna Bourne.
“Indigo” by Beverly Jenkins.
“His at Night” by Sherry Thomas.
Short List
“The Sumage Solution: San Andreas Shifters #1” by G.L. Carriger. Gail Carriger LLC.
“Wild at Whiskey Creek: A Hellcat Canyon Novel” by Julie Anne Long. Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Hate to Want You” by Alisha Rai. Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“The Lawrence Browne Affair” by Cat Sebastian. Avon Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Science Fiction
Winner
“The Collapsing Empire” by John Scalzi. Tor, a Tom Doherty Associates Book.
In the Interdependency, each planet relies on its far-flung neighbors for survival. Now a galactic change is transforming the universal order, a new empress has been crowned, a rival is plotting a revolution, and a foul-mouthed captain is caught in the middle.
Read alikes
Foundation series by Isaac Asimov
“The Cold Between” by Elizabeth Bonesteel
“The Wrong Stars” by Tim Pratt
Short List
“The Power” by Naomi Alderman. Little, Brown & Co, a division of Hachette Book Group.
“A Closed and Common Orbit” by Becky Chambers. Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“Paradox Bound” by Peter Clines. Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House.
“An Oath of Dogs” by Wendy N. Wagner. Angry Robot, an imprint of Watkins Media, Ltd.
Women's Fiction
Winner
“The Almost Sisters” by Joshilyn Jackson. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Geeky Leia is pregnant after an encounter with a sexy, anonymous Batman. Pondering when to tell her Southern family she is expecting a biracial child, her life is upended by the implosion of her half-sister’s marriage, her grandmother’s dementia, and a skeleton in the attic in this humorous tale.
Read alikes
“June” by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
“Six of One” by Rita Mae Brown
“Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” by Fannie Flagg
Short List
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman. Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“The Woman Next Door: A Novel” by Yewande Omotoso. Picador.
“Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: A Novel” by Kathleen Rooney. St. Martin’s Press.
“The Garden of Small Beginnings: A Novel” by Abbi Waxman. Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Adrenaline
Winner
“Orphan X” by Gregg Hurwitz. Minotaur, an imprint of Macmillan.
Evan Smoak was trained from childhood to be a lethal, efficient assassin, and provided with the skills and equipment to survive a variety of difficult missions. He was the best at what he did–until he used his skills to escape from the program. Now someone from his past has tracked him down, and Evan must figure out who is after him and what they want before it’s too late.
Short List
“Daisy in Chains” by Sharon Bolton. Minotaur, an imprint of Macmillan.
“Livia Lone” by Barry Eisler. Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon.
“The One Man” by Andrew Gross. Minotaur, an imprint of Macmillan.
“Security” by Gina Wohlsdorf. Algonquin Books, a division of Workman Publishing.
Fantasy
Winner
“Stiletto: A Novel” by Daniel O’Malley. Little, Brown, a division of Hachette Book Group.
Magical agents prop up the English government, while their bio-engineered foes prosper in Europe’s Low Countries. A fragile truce may revert to war unless two unlikely young women can put aside their initial enmity and find the source of a series of bizarre attacks. Secret organizations, messy splatter, and British humor hallmark this imaginative novel.
Short List
“Borderline” by Mishell Baker. Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
“Children of Earth and Sky” by Guy Gavriel Kay. New American Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“Ghost Talkers” by Mary Robinette Kowal. Tor, a Tom Doherty Associates book.
“A Green and Ancient Light” by Frederic S. Durbin. Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Historical Fiction
Winner
“The Last Days of Night: A Novel” by Graham Moore. Random House, a division of Penguin Random House.
In 1888 an inexperienced yet capable lawyer finds himself defending George Westinghouse in a patent lawsuit against Thomas Edison. The competitive Westinghouse and arrogant Edison each fight for control of electrical current, and to sway the genius Nikola Tesla to their side. Rich historical and technical details illuminate this swiftly paced novel.
Short List
“Homegoing: A Novel” by Yaa Gyasi. Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House.
“News of the World: A Novel” by Paulette Jiles. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“The Risen: A Novel of Spartacus” by David Anthony Durham. Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House.
“To the Bright Edge of the World: A Novel” by Eowyn Ivey. Little, Brown, a division of Hachette Book Group.
Horror
Winner
“Hex” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. Tor, a Tom Doherty Associates book.
Though she can appear during your intimate moments, her mouth and eyes stitched closed, townsfolk have an uneasy alliance with the witch. But when a group of tech savvy teenagers grow tired of being bound to the witch and the town, they discover her awful vengeance is limitless in this epic horror that turns the terror dial to 11 and keeps right on going.
Short List
“The Family Plot” by Cherie Priest. Tor, a Tom Doherty Associates book.
“The Fireman: A Novel” by Joe Hill. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
“My Best Friend’s Exorcism: A Novel” by Grady Hendrix. Quirk Books.
“Suicide Motor Club” by Christopher Buehlman. Berkley, an imprint of Random House.
Mystery
Winner
“Darktown” by Thomas Mullen. 37Ink/Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
In 1948 Atlanta, two of the city’s first African American cops try to unravel the murder of a young black woman, all while battling racist police, an ambivalent black community and a society built on their oppression. A powerful historical police procedural that holds an unflinching mirror to modern truths.
Short List
“Angels Burning” by Tawni O’Dell. Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
“IQ” by Joe Ide. Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown.
“Revolver” by Duane Swierczynski. Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown.
“Splinter the Silence: A Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Novel” by Val McDermid. Atlantic Monthly Press, an imprint of Grove Atlantic.
Romance
Winner
“Forbidden” by Beverly Jenkins. Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Eddy, a forthright African-American woman, suffers one more hard knock when she finds herself stranded in Nevada and beholden to Rhine, a successful businessman passing as white. Eddy has always dreamed of California, but finds herself pulled in by the welcoming community and drawn to Rhine, despite the danger he poses.
Short List
“Hold Me” by Courtney Milan. Courtney Milan.
“Out of Nowhere” by Roan Parrish. Dreamspinner Press.
“A Promise of Fire” by Amanda Bouchet. Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks.
“The Soldier’s Scoundrel” by Cat Sebastian. Avon Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Science Fiction
Winner
“Arkwright” by Allen Steele. Tor, a Tom Doherty Associates book.
With the Arkwright Foundation, golden age science fiction author Nathan Arkwright secures his, and his family’s, legacy. Inheriting his dream to construct and launch the starship Galactic, Arkwright’s descendants face a project bigger than themselves: building a hopeful future in a world reluctant to let go of past prejudices.
Short List
“Behind the Throne” by K.B. Wagers. Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.
“Crosstalk” by Connie Willis. Del Rey, an imprint of Random House.
“The Medusa Chronicles” by Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds. Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
“Time and Time Again” by Ben Elton. Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
Women's Fiction
Winner
“I Almost Forgot about You” by Terry McMillan. Crown, a division of Penguin Random House.
As she approaches her fiftieth birthday, Dr. Georgia Young’s life is smooth sailing on the surface. When she learns about an old flame’s death, a desire for more than the status quo is sparked within her. With the support and encouragement of her family and friends, she revisits her past lovers and seeks out her future.
Short List
“The Assistants” by Camille Perri. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living” by Louise Miller. Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“The Mothers” by Brit Bennett. Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“The Opposite of Everyone” by Joshilyn Jackson. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Adrenaline
Winner
“Pretty Girls: A Novel” by Karin Slaughter. William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins.
Three sisters are driven apart in the aftermath of one’s disappearance. When a violent crime occurs new fears arise and relationships shift again. Long term effects of family grief are exploited by the compulsions of a psychopath. Brutal and disturbing, this is ultimately a story of love and empowerment.
Read-alikes
“Jack Caffery” series by Mo Hayder. Atlantic Monthly.
“The Hand that Feeds You” by A.J. Rich. Scribner.
“Dark Places” by Gillian Flynn. Crown/Shaye Areheart.
Short List
“The Cartel” by Don Winslow. Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House.
“Descent: A Novel” by Tim Johnston. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
“The Killing Lessons” by Saul Black. St. Martin’s Press, a division of Macmillan Publishers.
“Palace of Treason: a Novel” by Jason Matthews. Scribner, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Fantasy
Winner
“Uprooted” by Naomi Novik. Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books.
In this enchanted old-world fable, villagers threatened by a blighted magical wood allow the resident wizard to take one daughter into servitude for ten years. When he chooses klutzy Agnieszka, she faces an unexpected future and confronts the dangers of a wider political world and the roots of magical corruption.
Read-alikes
“The Golem and the Jinni” by Helene Wecker. Harper.
“Tearling” trilogy by Erika Johansen. Harper.
“Wild Girl” by Kate Forsyth. St. Martin’s/Thomas Dunne.
Short List
“The Aeronaut’s Windlass: The Cinder Spires” by Jim Butcher. Roc, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
“A Darker Shade of Magic” by V. E. Schwab. Tor Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.
“The Fifth Season: The Broken Earth: Book One” by N. K. Jemisin. Orbit, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company.
“Sorcerer to the Crown” by Zen Cho. Ace Books, an imprint of The Berkley Publishing Group.
Historical Fiction
Winner
“Crooked Heart: A Novel” by Lissa Evans. Harper.
Raised by his eccentric ex-suffragette godmother to be a free-thinker, young Noel is thrown into chaos when the London Blitz forces him into the home of a scam artist loyal only to her layabout son. Thrust together, the two oddballs are forced to find a way through the wartime landscape.
Read-alikes
“All Clear” (#1) and “Blackout” (#2) by Connie Willis. Spectra Books.
“Night Watch by Sarah Waters. Riverhead.
“Paper Moon” (movie, Paramount, 1973).
Short List
“Jam on the Vine: a Novel” by LaShonda Katrice Barnett. Grove Press.
“The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah. St. Martin’s Press.
“Paradise Sky” by Joe R. Lansdale. Mulholland Books, a division of Little, Brown and Company.
“The Truth According to Us: a Novel” by Annie Barrows. The Dial Press.
“Girl Waits with Gun” by Amy Stewart. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Horror
Winner
“The Fifth House of the Heart: A Novel” by Ben Tripp. Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster.
Flamboyant antiques dealer Asmodeus “Sax” Saxon-Tang made his fortune by accidentally killing a vampire with a horde of treasure. To protect the only person he loves, his niece, he’s forced to return to old Europe to assemble an eccentric team of vampire hunters in this gory, witty caper.
Read-alikes
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (TV, Mutant Enemy Productions, 1997-2003)
“Parasol Protectorate” (#1) series by Gail Carriger. Orbit.
“Stoker's Manuscript” by Royce Prouty. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Short List
“A Head Full of Ghosts” by Paul Tremblay. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.
“Little Girls” by Ronald Malfi. Kensington Publishing Corp.
“The Silence” by Tim Lebbon. Titan Books.
“When We Were Animals: a Novel” by Joshua Gaylord. Mulholland Books, a division of Little, Brown and Company.
Mystery
Winner
“The Long and Faraway Gone” by Lou Berney. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Cold cases cast a twenty-five year shadow of grief and guilt on the lives of two survivors of traumatic teenage crimes. New leads and new cases bring them back to Oklahoma City as past and present intersect in this poignant and compelling story of lives forever changed by random violence.
Read-alikes
“Case Histories” by Kate Atkinson. Little, Brown.
“In the Woods” by Tana French. Viking.
“Mystic River” by Dennis Lehane. Morrow.
Short List
“Gun Street Girl: a Detective Sean Duffy Novel” by Adrian McKinty. Seventh Street Books.
“Land of Careful Shadows” by Suzanne Chazin. Kensington Books.
“Last Ragged Breath” by Julia Keller. Minotaur Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.
“Little Black Lies” by Sharon Bolton. Minotaur Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.
Romance
Winner
“Taking the Heat” by Victoria Dahl. HQN, Harlequin Books.
Sassy relationship advice columnist Veronica overcomes her commitment anxiety and gains confidence with the help of mountain-climbing librarian Gabe. Steamy romance evolves into a strong relationship as they scale a mountain of family conflicts and share secrets against a majestic Jackson Hole backdrop.
Read-alikes
“Can't Buy Me Love” by Molly O'Keefe. Bantam.
“Natural Born Charmer” by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Morrow.
“Veiled Desire” (#1) by Alisha Rai. Samhain.
Short List
“A Desperate Fortune” by Susanna Kearsley. Sourcebooks Landmark.
“Ever After: a Nantucket Brides Novel” by Jude Deveraux. Ballantine Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.
“Rumor Has It” by Cheris Hodges. Dafina Books.
“When a Scot Ties the Knot: Castles Ever After” by Tessa Dare. Avon Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins.
Science Fiction
Winner
“Golden Son” by Pierce Brown. Del Rey, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Insurgent Darrow inveigled his way into high Gold society in 2014’s Red Rising. In this dramatic, high octane follow-up, conflicting loyalties and his own ambitions lure Darrow into an untenable web of deceptions. Bolstered by new alliances, Darrow battles to overthrow corrupt lunar leadership and bring freedom to Mars.
Read-alikes
“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. Scholastic.
“Ender's Game” by Orson Scott Card. Tor.
“Dune” (#1) Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert. Hodder & Stoughton.
Short List
“Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits” by David Wong. Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, a division of Macmillan Publishers.
“Seveneves” by Neal Stephenson. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Slow Bullets” by Alastair Reynolds. Tachyon.
“The Water Knife” by Paolo Bacigalupi. Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House.
Women's Fiction
Winner
“Re Jane” by Patricia Park. Pamela Dorman Books, an imprint of Penguin Books.
Anxious to escape the strict upbringing of her uncle’s Flushing grocery, Korean-American Jane accepts an au pair position in the pretentious household of two Brooklyn academics and their adopted Chinese daughter. Park has created a bright comic story of falling in love, finding strength, and living on one’s own terms.
Read-alikes
“The Nanny Diaries” by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. St. Martin’s.
“Brooklyn” by Colm Tóibín. Scribner.
“The Newlyweds” by Nell Freudenberger. Knopf.
Short List
“Days of Awe: a Novel” by Lauren Fox. Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House.
“The Royal We” by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group.
“This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!: a Novel” by Jonathan Evison. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
“A Touch of Stardust” by Kate Alcott. Doubleday.
Adrenaline
Winner
“Broken Monsters” by Lauren Beukes (Mulholland Books)
Detroit serves as the economically battered backdrop of this inventive, visceral suspense story about a series of bizarre murders that draws a group of memorable characters into a complex web of violence. Smart, stylish and addictive, this page-turner shows how the American Dream has failed many on a personal level.
Read-alikes
“Skin” by Kathe Koja (Delacorte)
“The Whisperer” by Donato Carrisi (Mulholland)
“True Detective” (TV series, HBO, 2014)
Short List
“Mr. Mercedes” by Stephen King (Scribner)
“The Runner” by Patrick Lee (Minotaur)
“The Son” by Jo Nesbo (Knopf)
“Those Who Wish Me Dead” by Michael Koryta (Little, Brown)
Fantasy
Winner
“The Goblin Emperor” by Katherine Addison (Tor)
Following the sudden, suspicious deaths of his entire family, exiled half-goblin Maia becomes emperor, a role requiring diplomacy and adherence to strict protocols. Focusing on the intricacies of court life, this elegant novel unfolds at a pace that allows readers to savor the rich tapestry of character, setting and plot.
Read-alikes
“The Spirit Ring” by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
“Cold Magic” by Kate Elliott (Orbit)
“The Ruins of Ambrai” by Melanie Rawn (DAW)
Short List
“Half a King” by Joe Abercrombie (Del Rey)
“Hot Lead, Cold Iron” by Ari Marmell (Titan)
“The Paper Magician” by Charlie N. Holmberg (47 North)
“Queen of the Tearling” by Erika Johansen (HarperCollins)
Historical Fiction
Winner
“Bitter Greens” by Kate Forsyth (Thomas Dunne)
Banished from the court of Versailles, spirited Charlotte-Rose de la Force meets a nun who weaves together the strands that form the Rapunzel fairy tale, revealing its surprising origins. A captivating marriage of history and folklore featuring characters true to their time periods, yet timeless in their dreams and desires.
Read-alikes
“In the Company of the Courtesan” by Sarah Dunant (Random House)
“The Girls at the Kingfisher Club” by Genevieve Valentine (Atria)
“The Moon and the Sun” by Vonda McIntyre (Pocket)
Short List
“Flight of the Sparrow” by Amy Belding Brown (NAL)
“Hild” by Nicola Griffith (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
“Wayfaring Stranger” by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster)
“The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress” by Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday)
Horror
Winner
“The Lesser Dead” by Christopher Buehlman (Penguin)
Beneath the streets of 1970s New York, Joey meets the merry children, a gang of ancient child vampires, and discovers that immortality isn't all fun and games. Gritty, clever and gonzo, this fresh take on the vampire mythos gets darker and creepier as the pages turn.
Read-alikes
“The Light at the End” by John Skipp and Craig Spector (Stealth Press)
“Enter Night” by Michael Rowe (ChiZine)
“Double Dead” by Chuck Wendig (Abaddon)
Short List
“Butcher’s Road” by Lee Thomas (Lethe Press)
“Horrorstor” by Grady Hendrix (Quirk)
“The Supernatural Enhancements” by Edgar Cantero (Doubleday)
“The Troop” by Nick Cutter (Orbit)
Mystery
Winner
“Murder at the Brightwell” by Ashley Weaver (Minotaur)
This classic English mystery follows Amory and her estranged husband, Milo, whose paths cross at a seaside resort, where suspicious deaths implicate Amory’s former fiance, Gil. A vivid mystery that sparkles with personality as Amory and Milo puzzle out the truth behind the murders and negotiate their own complicated relationship.
Read-alikes
Tommy and Tuppence Series by Agatha Christie (William Morrow)
“Cocaine Blues: A Phryne Fisher Mystery” by Kerry Greenwood (Poisoned Pen)
“Escapade” by Walter Satterthwait (St. Martin's Press)
Short List
“Wolf” by Mo Hayder (Atlantic Monthly)
“A Burnable Book” by Bruce Holsinger (William Morrow)
“Talus and the Frozen King” by Graham Edwards (Solaris)
“The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man” by W. Bruce Cameron (Forge)
Romance
Winner
“A Bollywood Affair” by Sonali Dev (Kensington)
Comic misunderstandings ensue when playboy Bollywood director Samir travels to America to secure an annulment for his brother, married at age four to Mili in a traditional arranged Indian wedding ceremony. Appealing protagonists, a diverse supporting cast and a colorful multicultural backdrop lend this charming story unexpected emotional depth.
Read-alikes
"Bride and Prejudice" (Miramax Films, 2004, dir. Gurinder Chadha)
“The Newlyweds” by Nell Freudenberger (Vintage)
“The Malhotra Bride” by Sundari Venkatraman (Flaming Sun)
Short List
“My Beautiful Enemy” by Sherry Thomas (Berkley Books)
“It Happened One Wedding” by Julie James (Jove)
“The Raider” by Monica McCarty (Ballantine)
“Three Weeks with Lady X” by Eloisa James (Avon)
Science Fiction
Winner
“The Martian” by Andy Weir (Crown, 9780804139021)
Stranded on Mars, wisecracking botanist Mark Watney proves that an astronaut has to be smart, resourceful and, perhaps, a little crazy to survive. Strong characterization, well-researched but accessible technical detail, and a deft blend of suspense and humor will please science enthusiasts and fans of survival stories on any planet.
Read-alikes
"Gravity" (Warner Brothers, 2013, dir. By Alfonso Cuarón)
“Packing for Mars” by Mary Roach (W.W. Norton)
“Farmer in the Sky” by Robert Heinlein (Baen)
Short List
“Annihilation” by Jeff Vandermeer (FSG Originals)
“Fortune’s Pawn” by Rachel Bach (Orbit)
“Lock In” by John Scalzi (Tor)
“Shovel Ready” by Adam Sternbergh (Crown)
Women's Fiction
Winner
“My Real Children” by Jo Walton (Tor)
Patricia Cowan, an elderly woman suffering from dementia, remembers two different lives, two different careers, two different families and two different worlds. A striking novel of how tragedy turns to joy and heartbreak turns to love with a narrative twist that hooks the reader and never lets go.
Read-alikes
“Life After Life” by Kate Atkinson (Reagan Arthur)
"Sliding Doors" (Miramax Films, 1998, dir. Peter Howitt)
“The Time Travelers Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Short List
“After I Do” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Washington Square Press)
“The House We Grew Up In” by Lisa Jewell (Atria Books)
“How To Build A Girl” by Caitlin Moran (Harper)
“The Story Hour” by Thrity Umrigar (Harper)
Adrenaline
Winner
"Red Sparrow" by Jason Matthews (Scribner)
This modern spy novel pits two covert operatives against each other in an intricate cat-and-mouse game. As Dominika and Nathaniel ply their tradecraft, they navigate the moral ambiguities of a post-Cold War world where no one is as they seem and betrayal is business as usual.
Read-alikes
"Night Soldiers" by Alan Furst
"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" by John le Carré
"Skinner" by Charlie Huston
Short List
"The Caretaker" by A.X. Ahmad. (Minotaur Books)
"Ghostman" by Roger Hobbs. (Alfred A. Knopf)
"Lexicon" by Max Barry. (The Penguin Press)
"Lost" by S.J. Bolton. (Minotaur Books)
Fantasy
Winner
"Vicious" by V.E.Schwab (Tor Books)
A friendly rivalry turns vicious when college friends Victor and Eli obtain super-human powers and use them for very different purposes. This dark paranormal fantasy, a riveting tale of vengeance and redemption, proves that extraordinary powers don’t necessarily make superheroes.
Read-alikes
"Invincible" by Robert Kirkman
"Ex-heroes" by Peter Clines
"Steelheart" by Brandon Sanderson
Short List
"The Necromancer’s House" by Christopher Buehlman (Ace Hardcover)
"A Natural History of Dragons" by Marie Brennan (Tor Books)
"American Elsewhere" by Robert Bennett Jackson (Orbit)
"The Golem and the Jinni: A Novel" by Helene Wecker (Harper)
Historical Fiction
Winner
"The Outcasts by Kathleen Kent" (Little Brown and Company)
Love, morality and greed collide in this Reconstruction Era western. A whore without a heart of gold, Lucinda escapes from a Fort Worth brothel to begin a new life -- and a new con. She and her lover are bound to cross paths with Texas Ranger Nate, who is chasing stone-cold killer McGill. Both Nate and Lucinda are unforgettable characters, driven by the need to survive.
Read-alikes
"The Sisters Brothers" by Patrick deWitt
"True Grit" by Charles Portis
"3:10 from Yuma" (film, Lionsgate Films, 2007)
Short List
"The Abominable: A Novel" by Dan Simmons. (Little Brown and Company)
"Longbourn" by Jo Baker (Alfred A. Knopf)
"Out of the Black Land" by Kerry Greenwood (Poisoned Pen Press)
"The Thicket" by Joe R. Lansdale (Mulholland Books)
Horror
Winner
"Last Days" by Adam Nevill (St. Martin's Griffin)
Deep in debt, documentary filmmaker Kyle Freeman reluctantly accepts the financial backing of an enigmatic self-help guru to make a movie about infamous cult The Temple of the Last Days. Unique, atmospheric and deeply disturbing, Nevill delivers a visceral horror experience that will haunt readers long after they put the book down.
Read-alikes
"The Grin of the Dark" by Ramsey Campbell
"House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski
"Paranormal Activity" (film, Paramount Pictures, 2009)
Short List
"Apocalypse Cow" by Michael Logan (St. Martin’s Griffin)
"The Daylight Gate" by Jeanette Winterson (Grove Press)
"Doctor Sleep" by Stephen King (Scribner)
"Red Moon" by Benjamin Percy (Grand Central Publishing)
Mystery
Winner
"Murder as a Fine Art" by David Morrell (Mulholland Books)
London, 1854: The Artist of Death ritualistically recreates the sensational Ratcliffe murders inspired by the writings of the notorious opium addict Thomas De Quincey. In this fast-paced mystery, filled with colorful characters and authentic period detail, Scotland Yard detectives, along with De Quincey and his daughter must find the Artist of Death before he executes another macabre masterpiece.
Read-alikes
"The Bedlam Detective" by Stephen Gallagher
"The Maul and the Pear Tree: the Ratcliffe Highway Murders, 1811" by P.D. James and T.A. Critchley
"From Hell" by Alan Moore
Short List
"Alex" by Pierre Lemaitre (The MacLehose Press)
"The Beggar’s Opera" by Peggy Blair (Pintail: The Penguin Press)
"How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel" by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)
"Seven for a Secret" by Lyndsay Faye (Amy Einhorn Books)
Romance
Winner
"Any Duchess Will Do" by Tessa Dare (Avon)
Desperate for grandchildren, the Duchess of Halford strikes a bargain with her only son, Griff: pick a woman--any woman. If she can transform her son's choice into duchess material, he must marry the girl. Griff picks the least likely candidate in bluestocking barmaid Pauline, only to quickly realize he has no idea who he is dealing with. A humorous and clever historical romance with engaging characters you won’t soon forget.
Read-alikes
"This Rake of Mine" by Elizabeth Boyle
"The Lady Most Willing" by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway
"Then Comes Seduction" by Mary Balogh
Short List
"Autumn Bride" by Anne Gracie (Berkley Books)
"The Heiress Effect" by Courtney Milan (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform)
"One Good Earl Deserves a Lover: The Second Rule of Scoundrels" by Sarah MacLean (Avon)
"The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion (Simon & Schuster)
Science Fiction
Winner
"Love Minus Eighty" by Will MacIntosh (Orbit Books)
Cryogenics adds a darkly humorous twist on dating, love and relationships in the 22nd century. This multi-perspective story provides a thought-provoking and poignant social commentary on power dynamics, gender, class and the ethical issues surrounding life after life-after-death.
Read-alikes
"Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance" by Lois McMaster Bujold
"The Curiosity: A Novel" by Stephen Kiernan
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (film, Universal Studios, 2004)
Short List
"Abaddon’s Gate" by James SA Corey (Orbit Books)
"Great North Road" by Peter F. Hamilton (Ballantine Books)
"Tales of Majipoor" by Robert Silverberg (ROC Trade)
"Wool" by Hugh Howey (Simon & Schuster)
Women's Fiction
Winner
"Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes (Pamela Dorman Books)
Unemployed 26-year-old Louisa takes the only job she can find: as a “care assistant” to 35-year-old quadriplegic Will. When Louisa discovers the depth of Will’s unhappiness, she embarks on a mission to convince him that life is worth living and in the process begins to think about her own future. This bittersweet, quirky novel recounts an unlikely friendship while grappling with complex issues in a realistic and sensitive manner.
Read-alikes
"The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving: A Novel" by Jonathan Evison
"Talk Before Sleep: A Novel" by Elizabeth Berg
"You’re Not You: A Novel" by Michelle Wildgen
Short List
"The Husband’s Secret" by Liane Moriarty (Amy Einhorn Books)
"Necessary Lies" by Diane Chamberlain (St. Martin’s Press)
"Reconstructing Amelia" by Kimberly McCreight (HarperCollins)
"The Storyteller" by Jodi Picoult (Emily Bestler Books)