Goodreads Choice Awards

The choice is yours on Goodreads.com. Vote in 17 different categories for the best books of the year in the 13th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards.

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Any way the wind blows

Any way the wind blows

Rowell, Rainbow, author
2021

Simon, Baz, Penelope, and Agatha return to England, back to the Watford School of Magicks, and back to their families for a final adventure.

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Barely functional adult : it'll all make sense eventually

Barely functional adult : it'll all make sense eventually

Ng, Meichi, author.
2020

...a hilarious and poignant [autobiographical] collection of beautifully illustrated short stories that perfectly captures the best and worst of adult life and the joy, terror, fun, and pain that comes with learning to navigate its complexities and conundrums.

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Chasing the boogeyman : a novel

Chasing the boogeyman : a novel

author. Chizmar, Richard, 1965-
2021

"In the summer of 1988, the mutilated bodies of several missing girls begin to turn up in a small Maryland town. The grisly evidence leads police to the terrifying assumption that a serial killer is on the loose in the quiet suburb. But soon a rumor begins to spread that the evil stalking local teens is not entirely human. Law enforcement, as well as members of the FBI are certain that the killer is a living, breathing madman--and he's playing games with them. For a once peaceful community trapped in the depths of paranoia and suspicion, it feels like a nightmare that will never end."--Provided by publisher.

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City of the plague god

City of the plague god

Chadda, Sarwat, author
2021

"Thirteen-year-old Sikander Aziz has to team up with the hero Gilgamesh in order to stop Nergal, the ancient god of plagues, from wiping out the population of Manhattan in this adventure based on Mesopotamian mythology."-- Provided by publisher.

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The crown of gilded bones

The crown of gilded bones

Armentrout, Jennifer L., author
2021

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she's found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It's a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers. The enemy and the warrior... Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms' dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy's head. A lover and heartmate... But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself.

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Crying in H Mart : a memoir

Crying in H Mart : a memoir

Zauner, Michelle, author
2021

In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humour and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond over heaping plates of food. It was her mother's diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

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Cultish : the language of fanaticism

Cultish : the language of fanaticism

Montell, Amanda, author
2021

Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of "brainwashing." Amanda Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities "cultish," revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven's Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds.

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Daughter of the deep

Daughter of the deep

Riordan, Rick, author
2021

In this story inspired by Jules Verne's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,' Ana Dakkar, a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy--a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world--makes astounding discoveries about her heritage and puts her leadership skills to the test against deadly enemies from a rival school.

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The ex talk

The ex talk

Solomon, Rachel Lynn, author
2021

"Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon's sparkling romantic comedy debut. Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts. As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers"-- Provided by publisher.

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The final girl support group

The final girl support group

Hendrix, Grady, author
2021

This is an "homage to slasher films" and follows six girls who belong to a survivors support group that has been meeting for nearly two decades. The women in the Final Girl Support Group have been in therapy together ever since one was attacked by a cannibal family in Texas, by a machete-wielding maniac at summer camp, by an older brother who returned to settle scores on Halloween, and by a lunatic who allegedly entered their dreams. And now, the final girls are mysteriously dying, one by one.

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Firekeeper's daughter

Firekeeper's daughter

Boulley, Angeline, author
2021

Daunis, who is part Ojibwe, defers attending the University of Michigan to care for her mother and reluctantly becomes involved in the investigation of a series of drug-related deaths.

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The four winds

The four winds

Hannah, Kristin, author
2021

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance. In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli-like so many of her neighbors-must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life.

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The guncle : a novel

The guncle : a novel

Rowley, Steven, 1971- author
2021

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. When tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick's brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Quickly realizing that parenting - even if temporary - isn't solved with treats and jokes, Patrick's eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you're unfailingly human.

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In love & pajamas : a collection of comics about being yourself together

In love & pajamas : a collection of comics about being yourself together

Chetwynd, Catana, author, illustrator
2021

Why bother getting out of bed when you could stay bundled up with that special someone and a book of cozy, cute comics? Chetwynd's collection captures the honest, playful, and relatable snapshots of romantic life.

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The lost apothecary

The lost apothecary

Penner, Sarah, author
2021

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary's fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries. Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary's in a stunning twist of fate--and not everyone will survive.

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The Paris library : a novel

The Paris library : a novel

Skeslien Charles, Janet, author
2021

Paris, 1939. When World War II breaks out, Odile Souchet stands to lose everything she holds dear - including her beloved library. But by war's end, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983. Odile's solitary existence in gossipy small-town Montana is unexpectedly interrupted by her neighbour Lily, a lonely teenager craving adventure. Odile helps Lily navigate the troubled waters of adolescence, never suspecting that Lily will be the one to help her reckon with her own terrible secret. Based on the true story of the American Library in Paris.

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Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary

Weir, Andy, author
2021

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that - let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. Alone on this tiny ship that's been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it's up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.

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Razorblade tears

Razorblade tears

Cosby, S. A., author
2021

"A Black father. A white father. Two murdered sons. A quest for vengeance. Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah's white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss. Derek's father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed his father was a criminal. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy. Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys. Provocative and fast-paced, S. A. Cosby's Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change - and maybe even redemption."-- Provided by publisher.

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Rule of wolves

Rule of wolves

Bardugo, Leigh, author
2021

As Fjerda's massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm--and even the monster within--to win this fight. But a dark threat looms that cannot be defeated by a young king's gift for the impossible. The Stormwitch. Zoya Nazyalensky has lost too much to war. She saw her mentor die and her worst enemy resurrected, and she refuses to bury another friend. Now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. No matter the cost. The Queen of Mourning. Deep undercover, Nina Zenik risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. But her desire for revenge may cost her country its chance at freedom and Nina the chance to heal her grieving heart. King. General. Spy. Together they must find a way to forge a future in the darkness. Or watch a nation fall.

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Shipped

Shipped

Hockman, Angie, author.
2021

"Between taking night classes for her MBA and her demanding day job at a cruise line, marketing manager Henley Evans barely has time for herself, let alone family, friends, or dating. But when she's shortlisted for the promotion of her dreams, all her sacrifices finally seem worth it. The only problem? Graeme Crawford-Collins, the remote social media manager and the bane of her existence, is also up for the position. Although they've never met in person, their epic email battles are the stuff of office legend. Their boss tasks each of them with drafting a proposal on how to boost bookings in the Galapagos--best proposal wins the promotion. There's just one catch: they have to go on a company cruise to the Galapagos Islands... together. But when the two meet on the ship, Henley is shocked to discover that the real Graeme is nothing like she imagined. As they explore the Islands together, she soon finds the line between loathing and liking thinner than a postcard. With her career dreams in her sights and a growing attraction to the competition, Henley begins questioning her life choices. Because what's the point of working all the time if you never actually live?"--Provided by publisher.

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Under the whispering door

Under the whispering door

Klune, TJ, author
2021

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village and introduces Wallace to Hugo - the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life. When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

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Unplugged

Unplugged

Korman, Gordon, author
2021

Relates, in multiple voices, the adventures of a group of youngsters at an electronics-free wellness camp where wealthy, spoiled Jett, leads other campers in trying to stop a criminal.

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Where the deer and the antelope play : the pastoral observations of one ignorant American who loves to walk outside

Where the deer and the antelope play : the pastoral observations of one ignorant American who loves to walk outside

Offerman, Nick, 1970- author.
2021

With wit, heartwarming stories and a keen insight into new and exciting ways to see both the past and the future of the country, the actor, writer and woodworker takes a literary journey to America's frontier to celebrate the people and landscape that have made it great.

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Winter's orbit

Winter's orbit

Maxwell, Everina, author.
2021

"Summoned before the Emperor, Prince Kiem--a famously disappointing minor royal and the Emperor's least favorite grandchild--is commanded to renew the empire's bonds with its newest vassal planet. The prince must marry Count Jainan, the recent widower of another royal prince of the empire. But the Jainan suspects his late husband's death was no accident. And Prince Kiem discovers that Jainan is a suspect himself. But broken bonds between the empire and its vassal planets leaves the entire empire vulnerable, so together they must prove that their union is strong while uncovering a possible conspiracy. In the shadows of a secret past and an insecure future, Kiem an Jainan must come together to protect both of their worlds."-- Provided by publisher.

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¡Hola Papi! : how to come out in a Walmart parking lot and other life lessons

¡Hola Papi! : how to come out in a Walmart parking lot and other life lessons

Brammer, John Paul, 1991- author
2021

"The first time someone called John Paul (JP) Brammer "Papi" was on the popular gay hookup app Grindr. At first, it was flattering; JP took this as white-guy speak for "hey, handsome." Who doesn't want to be called handsome? But then it happened again and again...and again, leaving JP wondering: Who the hell is Papi? What started as a racialized moniker given to him on a hookup app soon became the inspiration for his now wildly popular advice column "¡Hola Papi!," launching his career as the Cheryl Strayed for young queer people everywhere--and some straight people too. JP had his doubts at first--what advice could he really offer while he himself stumbled through his early 20s? Sometimes the best advice to dole out comes from looking within, which is what JP has done in his column and book--and readers have flocked to him for honest, heartfelt wisdom, and of course, a few laughs. In ¡Hola Papi!, JP shares his story of growing up biracial and in the closet in America's heartland, while attempting to answer some of life's toughest questions: How do I let go of the past? How do I become the person I want to be? Is there such a thing as being too gay? Should I hook up with my grade school bully now that he's out of the closet? Questions we've all asked ourselves, surely."--Provided by publisher.

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