2024 saw the rise of celebrity book clubs and BookTok favorites, but we were waiting for the Libby Awards to announce their top picks this year. Finally, our wait is over because they announced their winners! According to PEOPLE, a record-breaking number of librarians sifted through 2024's most-anticipated books and we're delighted to see some of our favorite reads made the cut.
Whether you see reading as a hobby, a way to escape or a form of resistance, having organizations and librarians who encourage it is truly golden.
Scroll to see which of our favorite books made the Libby Awards list and the top runner-ups from adult fiction to romantasy!
Best Adult Fiction Book
Amazon
Kristin Hannah's The Women deserves the acknowledgement it continues to get because it such a well-written novel. It introduces readers to Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a nursing student, who believes she and other women have something special to contribute to the Vietnam War. Enlisting in the Army Nurse Corps allows her to follow her brother and show how much she's serious about her desire to do more. But, she doesn't expect to be surrounded by so much mayhem upon her arrival and return back to the home she left behind.
Amazon
James by Percival Everett (Runner-Up)
Huckleberry Finn's story has always been readily available, but the runaway slave who accompanied him during his journey was overshadowed. Seeking to change that, Percival Everett wrote James as a way to give Jim a purpose-filled voice.
Prior to forming a friendship with the "wild child," Jim's worst fears come true when he learns his master wants to take him away from his family. Unwilling to let that happen, he escapes to Jackson Island where he crosses paths with Huck Finn. Both are aware they're running from volatile situations which leads them to make a perilous journey to find a taste of freedom.
Best Adult Nonfiction Book
Amazon
Erik Larson's The Demon of Unrest takes readers back in time to understand how fraught Abraham Lincoln's election and the Southern Confederates' relationship was. It was clear far right thinking was seeking to dismantle any idea of democracy for all and it seemed that nothing would change until the fateful events that took place at Fort Sumter.
From Major Robert Anderson to William Seward, readers will relive a time period where many lives were lost as the quest for power created bloodshed.
Amazon
By the Fire We Carry also revisits a time in history where injustice prevailed, but this time the focus is on American Indians. Beginning in the 1830s, the Muscogee people were forcibly removed from their land to unknown territories. Though they believed they would receive retribution, it became evident it wouldn't happen when Oklahoma took over their home. And when treacherous murder happens, the new state refused to step in for years.
It wasn't until 2020 that the Supreme Court reached an overdue decision that didn't seek the best interests of the American Indians, proving injustice is embedded in American history.
Best Young Adult Fiction Book
Amazon
Heir by Sabaa Tahir
AIZ knows life isn't fair as she's grown up poor in Kegari, but it hasn't stopped her for wanting revenge for something she's never forgotten. Her rage puts her in an even more dangerous situation and it threatens to overtake her. Then there's SIRSHA, a tracker with magic in her veins. She hasn't had a stroke of luck in a while which makes her accept a job of punishing a child murderer. Lastly, there's the reluctant prince QUIL. He's seen the effects being in control has on others and doesn't want to meet that same fate, but is forced to make a decision when the Empire is threatened. Each will have to make decisions that play a role in their final fates and it's impossible to know who will survive.
Amazon
Aria met Neon two years ago because her dog decided to have its version of fun by chasing the latter. It was a fateful meeting that put them on a path of love and everyone knows it. Talks about intimacy have led to more conversations about having sex for the first time, but readers will see how complicated it is for the teens.
However, Aria and Neon make a plan to do the one deed they can't stop thinking about. But guess where Neon is?
Hiding in a bathroom because his nerves are all over the place!
Best Debut Author
Amazon
When a civil servant receives a job she's been dreaming about, she's overjoyed and gladly accepts its conditions. She and others will help "expats" adjust to living in the present after their time travel journeys. That's how she meets Commander Graham Gore ("1847"). The last thing he knew was that he lived during the 1840s so he experiences shock that things are so different from what he remembers.
Nevertheless, he and the civil servant begin to respect each other in a way that leads to the one forbidden rule for their situation: they're never meant to fall in love.
Amazon
Jolene finds herself in hot water with HR when her snarky emails about co-workers are discovered. In order to keep her job, she has to complete training with Cliff and even has to follow email protocols to make sure she doesn't repeat her mistakes. But then she becomes aware of other employees' emails and realizes she's not the only one who's been writing things that can be seen as red flags. It's how she finds out a company-wide layoff will be happening soon.
Torn between wanting to protect herself and see the humanity of those she works with, Jolene will have to decide how vulnerable she wants to be in both situations.
Best Book Club Pick
Amazon
Margo Millet was born into a precarious situation given the fact her dad used to wrestle professionally while her mom waited tabled at Hooters. Despite her lack of examples, the young adult starts taking classes at a junior college while wondering how she's going to make ends meet. Somehow, she has an affair with a married professor that leads to a very unplanned pregnancy that everyone thinks she should terminate. But something awakens in Margo and she ignores everyone's "advice."
In order to take care of herself and her young child, she starts an OnlyFans account that garners more attention than she thought it would. Suddenly able to afford her bills, Margo leans into her new "job," until someone close to her does the unthinkable.
Amazon
Rachel Khong's Real Americans decodes what happens when a young woman named Lily Chen meets a wealthy man named Matthew. Though it's clear they were in love, readers eventually discover the two are no longer together when they see her raising her teenaged son alone. Refusing to explain what happened to his father, Lily places her son in a tough spot where he resolves to uncover his heritage without her.
Along the way, the past, present, and future converge in a way that makes readers ponder about classism and more.
Best Fantasy Book
Amazon
Kiela has a people problem, but she bypasses it for the most part as she dutifully takes care of the Great Library of Alyssium with Caz the magical spider plant. However, their perfect paradise comes crashing down when someone destroys where they work, forcing them to evacuate to a place Kiela grew up. Once there, Kiela's visited by her meddling and attractive neighbor who takes a liking to her. Still, she has to do something to bring money in which is how she begins growing berries to create delicious jam.
Her only obstacle is that she's using magic illegally to making a living, leading to a spellshop that will change the island she's on forever.
Amazon
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (Runner-Up)
Luzia Cotado spends her days doing back-breaking work as a scullion and would've perished had it not been for the small amount of magic she uses to get by. Things take a wrong turn when her powers are discovered and she's forced to use more to help the family she works for. Hot on her heels is Antonio Pérez, a secretary to Spain's king who needs as much good luck as he can find. By discovering Luzia, he feels he'll be able to rework his way into the good graces of the man he serves.
The only way she'll be able to evade him is by becoming acquainted with others with magical powers and relying on the immortal familiar Guillén Santángel.
Best Horror Book
Amazon
Misha's big moment in Hollywood has finally come in the form of a worthy Oscar nod. The only thing standing in his way are the executives who want him to stop pushing the "gay narrative" on his TV series. Though he admirably rebels against their demands, he soon finds himself and loved ones being haunted.
Amazon
A young teen's life takes on a drastic path when he's forced to become a killer. Tolly Driver has always stayed out of trouble, but tragedy pushes him to do something that's out of character while living in Lamesa, Texas. Instead of being written off as another psychotic murderer, Stephen Graham Jones wrote I was A Teenage Slasher from Tolly's POV.
Best Romance Book Of The Year
Amazon
We all know and love
Emily Henry's work, but
Funny Story still remains one of the best novels she's written. She allows readers to get to know Daphne's tragically hilariously plight as she realizes her fiancé's been in love with his best friend Petra the entire time they've been together. It blindsides her in more ways than one and leaves her wondering how she's going to afford rent.
As luck would have it, Petra's ex Miles Nowak is in need of a roommate too so he and Daphne decide to share a space. Most days they ignore each other until one conversation leads to a friendship and the perfect idea: pretend to date each other to rub it in their exes faces!
There's no way Daphne or Miles could fall in love with each other for real, right?
Amazon
Ember Lee Cardinal is in a tight spot because she's yet to secure a job despite the many times she's submitted her resumé with applications. Deciding to experiment, she embellishes a few things and stops checking the Native American box. This method works, leading her to secure a role as an accountant.
She does well and even begins dating IT guy Danuwoa Colson despite their job's strict policies. No one suspects a thing until someone sees them during a company trip and threatens to make everyone aware they're together. Now Ember's in a odd situation where he dream job has become a nightmare and she beings telling small lies in order to save her neck because telling the truth has consequences she doesn't want to deal with.
Best Romantasy Book
Amazon
Bryce Quinlan's been out of Midgard for sometime and is looking for ways to get back to what feels familiar. She never intended to go far away, but it's not so easy to get back to where she was. Plus, she has to watch her back because she doesn't know who's friendly or not.
Hunt Athalar's fate is no better because he's back in Asteri's dungeons and doesn't know where Bryce could be. Though he's helped her in the past, he's unable to intervene this time because he's trapped and doesn't see a way out.
Amazon
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi (Runner-Up)
Yeeran's life has been consumed by battle and she knows that's probably where she'll die. She fiercely serves in the elven army while her sister Lettle spends her days as a diviner. But when Yeeran's kicked out of the Elven Lands, she and sister are forced to face the unknown of the fae court. Having been hidden in plain sight, it begins to pull them in opposite directions from which they may never recover from.
Amazon
Be sure to see the full list of The Libby Awards winners here!
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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
