The Goodreads Choice Awards (“the only major book awards decided by readers”) is back for 2023!
The final round in this year’s awards runs through December 3rd— you have until then to vote for your favorite books from the finalists in 15 categories, including Young Adult Fiction and Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction. The winners will be announced on December 7th!
This year, we’ve added eBook and/or audiobook copies of most of the books that have been nominated to give you a chance to read or listen to them before voting ends on the 3rd — look for them in the Sora digital reading app.
Here are the 10 finalists for Best Young Adult Fiction:
The Brothers Hawthorne (The Inheritance Games, Book 4) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes –Jameson and Grayson Hawthorne are each pulled into a different high-stakes game, where they must decide who they want to be and what they will sacrifice to win. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
COMING SOON! Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood — When eighteen-year-old Mallory begrudgingly agrees to return to chess in one last charity tournament, her surprise upset against Nolan Sawyer, the reigning world champ and bad boy of the chess world, sets her on an worldwind adventure as she rediscovers her passion for the game. “A highly enjoyable, emotion-filled romance” (Booklist). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis –The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in 1910 Chicago, and the two daughters, Olivia and Helen, are finding their way and finding love — even where they are not supposed to. “The perfect read for fans of escapist historical fiction” (NBC’s TODAY). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Five Survive by Holly Jackson –Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high — until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realize that this is no accident. “A thrill ride of a story” (Kirkus Reviews). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert –To win the grand prize at the end of their survival course, ex-best friends Claire and Bradley trudge through mud, dirt and their messy past to find the adventure bringing them closer together, sparking a whole new kind of relationship. “A zippy rom-com with strong characterization” (Kirkus Reviews). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Immortality: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology, Book 2) by Dana Schwartz –When Hazel becomes the personal physician to Princess Charlotte, the sickly granddaughter of King George III, she is dragged into the glamour and romance of the British court, but she soon realizes malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and she may be the only one capable of setting things right. “A delightful historical who’s who in the form of a secret society” (School Library Journal). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli –Pretending to be her queer best friend Lili’s former girlfriend, heterosexual Imogen Scott spends a lot of time with Lili’s friend Tessa and starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. ” A masterpiece that will be cherished by anyone who has felt they might not belong” (Booklist). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
One Of Us Is Back (One Of Us Is Lying, Book 3) by Karen M. McManus –A member of the Bayview Crew disappears and everyone feels like they could be next, but the situation suddenly worsens when someone unexpectedly returns to Bayview. “A soulful, high-stakes thrill ride” (Publishers Weekly). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
COMING SOON! Reign (American Royals, Book 4) by Katharine McGee — In an alternate America, Beatrice, Samantha, and Jefferson struggle to determine what they really want and how much it is worth when weighed against the crown. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley –With the rising number of missing Indigenous women, her family’s involvement in a murder investigation, and grave robbers profiting off her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and reclaim her people’s inheritance. “This follow-up to Boulley’s award-winning Firekeeper’s Daughter carries over all the same intrigue, tension, and heartbreak” (Booklist). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Here are the 10 finalists for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction:
Chain of Thorns (The Last Hours, Book 3) by Cassandra Clare — In the third book of the Shadowhunters series, Cordelia has fled to Paris after being stripped of her powers and losing everything that matters to her, but when the shocking news comes that London is under new threat by the Prince of Hell, Belial, Cordelia and her friends will have to muster their courage, swallow their pride and trust one another again if they are to save their city, their families and their souls. Fiendishly romantic from start to finish” (Kirkus Reviews). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, Book 3) by Stephanie Garber –In this electrifying conclusion to the epic trilogy, Evangeline Fox finally has her happily ever after, but unbeknownst to her, she has paid a devastating price for this fairytale and her husband will stop at nothing — not even murder — to make sure she never finds out. “Garber enchants readers with exquisitely imagined worldbuilding” (Publishers Weekly).
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross –When 18-year-old journalist Iris Winnow’s personal letters fall into the hands of her rival at the paper, she forges a magical connection that follows her into the battle for her family, the fate of humankind, and love. “An ardent romance and a harrowing exploration of war’s horrors and heartbreaks” (Publishers Weekly). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune, Book 2) by Chloe Gong — In 1932 Shanghai, exposed national spy Rosalind Lang must rescue fellow spy, Orion, whose memories of Rosalind were wiped, and find a cure to a dangerous chemical weapon before it hands in the hand of foreign invaders. “An impressive conclusion to the duology” (Kirkus Reviews).
Foxglove (Belladonna, Book 2) by Adalyn Grace –Navigating their futures in high society, Signa and her cousin Blythe are forced to entertain Fate, who is determined to have Signa for himself, and the two must play Fate’s unexpected games with their destinies hanging in the balance. “Complex, rich, and full of unexpected consequences” (Paste). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
COMING SOON! Powerless by Lauren Roberts — In a kingdom divided by extraordinary powers and a strict caste system, Paedyn Gray, a young girl with no abilities, must hide her ordinary nature as she navigates a forbidden romance with a powerful prince and must participate in the perilous Purging Trials that could reveal her true identity. “A tale of political and personal intrigue that capably kicks off an epic trilogy” (Publishers Weekly).
The Stolen Heir: A Novel of Elfhame by Holly Black –Hiding in the human world, Suren, the tormented child queen of the Court of Teeth, must guard her heart against a manipulative prince whom she cannot trust when she agrees to join him on a mysterious quest. “Even Black’s most experienced readers are in for a surprise . . . flawlessly executed” (School Library Journal). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid — Entering a contest to redesign late author Emrys Myrddin’s estate, aspiring architect Effy Sayre arrives at Hiraeth Manor where she meets a stodgy young literature scholar who draws her into a battle against dark forces — both mortal and magical — that threatens to consume them both. “Reid’s dark and lyrical writing will hold readers captive even after the story ends” (School Library Journal). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, Book 2) by Tahereh Mafi — The heir to the human throne, Kamran falls in love with Alizeh, heir to the Jinn throne, who fulfills a long-foretold prophecy as being destined to free her people, a discovery that causes Kamran to question everything he’s been taught about the Jinn and their future in his kingdom. “A necessary, beautiful, and torturous entry in this epic series” (Kirkus Reviews). Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez — Set in 1884, nineteen-year-old Inez travels to Egypt after the sudden death of her parents to uncover the truth about their deaths, and as she attempts to unravel the mysteries her parents sought, she becomes a pawn in a larger game that threatens to kill her. “A seamless blend of history, mystery, and mythology” (Publishers Weekly). Get the eBook
We continue our series of posts featuring some of the best books in the CA Library collection — today’s featured titles are all Mysteries! Follow the links for each book to learn more from the CA Library catalog — or follow the links to eBook and/or audiobook copies available in the Sora digital reading app.
One of the features of the 
OWWL (Wood Library) (YA Titles)