Best books of the year revealed: Yellowface tops Goodreads Choice Awards while TikTok sensation Emily Henry picks up best romance (but Britney beats Harry for best memoir!)

A satirical thriller about the publishing industry has been voted the best book of the year by Goodreads readers.

The book “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuanga received more than 200,000 votes in a poll by the world’s largest reading and book recommendation site, voted on by users around the world.

The novel tells the story of Athena Liu, the young darling of the literary world, and Juniper Hayward as her jealous friend.

When Athena suddenly dies in an accident and Juniper steals Athena’s just completed manuscript. She publishes it under a different name.

It’s how far Juniper will go to defend his project that creates danger in the top-rated satire.

Kuang, who has previously written fantasy books, has won praise for the novel, with the Daily Mail’s review praising her “knack for wit” and raising alarming awareness of the ruthless hypocrisy at a publishing house that is willing to go to any lengths to appear virtuous. position on race, and everyone is woke, no matter how many lies they tell.”

More than 5.8 million readers voted for various books in 15 categories. Previous winners include Gabrielle Zevin’s “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow,” Sally Rooney’s “A Wonderful World,” Matt Haig’s “Where Are You” and “The Midnight Library.”

Emilia Hart’s Wayward topped the Best Historical Fiction category and won Best Debut Novel.

Wayward follows three desperate women along three threads of time—separate but connected—in 1619, 1942 and 2019. Hart’s story weaves through time as women confront the enduring feminine power deeply rooted in the earth.

One reviewer called it “sublime – a beautiful exploration of three women and their deep connection to the natural world and each other.”

Elsewhere, Britney Spears beat Prince Harry in the Best Memoir category with 132,867 votes to Spear’s 71,461.

In the gripping book, the pop superstar opens up about growing up with an alcoholic father, being exploited in the music industry and having an abortion while pregnant while dating Justin Timberlake.

Tiktok sensation Emily Henry won the award for best romance novel for her novel Happy Place, the third year in a row she has won the award.

It tells the story of a “perfect couple” who break up and don’t want to tell their friends so they can enjoy a group holiday.

The Maid’s Secret, the sequel to the bestselling Maid, wins in the Mystery and Thriller category.

Written by medical practitioner Freida McFadden, the novel finds maid with a secret Millie Calloway in yet another twisted situation as author McFadden delivers her patented blend of psychological tension and plot twists.

The Fourth Wing, a romantic epic fantasy filled with intense scenes, sarcastic dragons and a stoic female lead, won the Romantazia Award.

Its sequel, Iron Flame, became Waterstones’ best-selling pre-order book in history after the first book in the series went viral on TikTok.

The book, the first in a planned Empyrean series, was a huge success on Tiktok, racking up nearly 200 million views on #fourthwing.

One reviewer described it as “violent games, grumpy dragons, searing sexual tension, fantasy you’ve never read before”

The novel takes place in a “military college”. The novel tells the story of Violet Sorrengale.

Violet was destined to become a scribe, but instead was forced into her school’s brutal “rider quadrant”, where students train to become dragon riders or die trying.

Along the way, she meets fellow student Xaden, a tall, dark and handsome “wing leader”; (equivalent to a general) who is angry with her because of the dark and bloody history between their families.

However, as the novel progresses, Xaden and Violet’s relationship becomes more and more tense, leading to sex scenes, furniture breaking, and eventually love.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many fans desperate for a sequel.

Speaking to BooksellerGabi Lee, genre fiction buyer at Waterstones, explained that Iron Flame was the fastest-selling game with one-day pre-orders on the Waterstones website.

In the Best Fantasy category, Leigh Bardugo won with Hellbent.

According to Goodread’s Bardugo’s beloved series ushered in a new trajectory for dark science fiction, promising Ivy League hopefuls a world of secret societies, occult rituals and interdimensional portals.

Best Science Fiction went to T. J. Clune “In the Life of Puppets.”

According to Goodreads, the book is a clever blend of fantasy with elements of science fiction.

Rebecca Ross’s book Divine Rivals has won the award for best science fiction for young adults after going viral on BookTok.

Checkmate by Ali Hazelwood won the prize for best fiction for young people.

Meanwhile, horror godfather Stephen King took home the prize in the horror category for Holly.

The book pits old fan favorite character Holly Gibney, a private investigator, against a pair of “uniquely depraved antagonists.”

Poverty in America won for Best Non-Fiction.

Goodreads said the book by sociologist and Pulitzer Prize winner Matthew Desmond “will be cited by historians for generations to come.”

Journalist and seasoned researcher David Grann recounts the bloody fate of an 18th-century British warship that won Best Story for The Bet: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.

And Henry Winkler rounds out the non-fiction category with Being Henry: The Fonz. . . and so on.