FICTION: Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Rowell took winner and runner up positions in YA Fiction last year, but this year it's her story of a troubled marriage (with an element of magic) that has everyone talking.
MYSTERY & THRILLER: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
The master of fear and suspense delivers again with this story of a crazed killer and the cop in his pursuit, but the book only very narrowly beat out The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling.
HISTORICAL FICTION: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
National Book Award nominee Anthony Doerr weaves together two stories, of two children engulfed in World War II: the young daughter of a locksmith who has to flee her home in Paris, and the German orphan whose mastery of mechanics gets him a spot at a Nazi military academy. The novel has found quite an audience, and President Obama himself just picked it up.
FANTASY: The Book of Life (All Souls trilogy) by Deborah Harkness
Deborah Harkness finishes the story of her historian witch and vampire scientist power couple in the last book of the All Souls trilogy, which sees them returning from adventures in time travel to face new enemies and uncover old secrets.
ROMANCE: Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander series) by Diana Gabaldon
It's June of 1778, and Claire Fraser's story continues in the eighth installment of Diana Gabaldon's wildly popular series — which has only grown in readership thanks to Starz's Outlander series.
SCIENCE FICTION: The Martian by Andy Weir
Andy Weir's space-age thriller — a tale of survival set on the surface of Mars — was originally self-published in 2012, but after Crown bought the rights and republished, it debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list.
HORROR: Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Anne Rice brings back her iconic vampire antihero and introduces new supernatural creatures in this expansive novel about a vampire world in crisis.
HUMOR: Yes Please by Amy Poehler
The beloved comedian, actress, and writer talks about work, family, friendship, and at least one encounter with George Clooney.
NONFICTION: The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan
Marina Keegan died in a car crash just five days after her graduation from Yale, but her essay "The Opposite of Loneliness" had already struck a chord and would go on to reach 1.4 million people. This collection includes her other essays and stories, which evoke the senses of hope and uncertainty that her original essay encapsulated.
MEMOIR & AUTOBIOGRAPHY: This Star Won't Go Out by Esther Earl
Esther Earl, who died from cancer at 16 years old, was the inspiration for John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and specifically, the character of Hazel Grace Lancaster. This is her posthumous collection of journals, stories, letters, and sketches, co-written by her parents.
HISTORY & BIOGRAPHY: The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport
In The Romanov Sisters, writer and historian Helen Rappaport chronicles the lives of the four Russian Grand Duchesses who met tragic and early deaths, pulling from previously unseen letters, diaries, and images from private collections.
BUSINESS: #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
Sophia Amoruso tells the story of how she went from college dropout to founder and CEO of women's online retailer Nasty Gal.
FOOD & COOKBOOKS: Make It Ahead by Ina Garten
In her latest cookbook, the Barefoot Contessa turns her attention to the dishes you can prep, assemble, and cook ahead of time.
GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS: Serenity: Leaves on the Wind by Zack Whedon
Zack Whedon (yes, Joss's brother) picks up the Firefly story where the film Serenity left off.
POETRY: Lullabies by Lang Leav
Lang Leav — who can count Khloe Kardashian among her cult following — explores love and loss in her second collection of evocative, musical poetry.
DEBUT GOODREADS AUTHOR: Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Pierce Brown has been the subject of some buzz for the debut novel in his dystopian YA series, about a dying earth, a move to Mars, and a working-class revolution. He's already sold the screenplay!
YA FICTION: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
National Book Award finalist E. Lockhart's thrilling and suspenseful novel was also Goodreads' most-searched for book of the year.
YA FANTASY & SCI-FI: City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments series) by Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare concludes her popular series with sacrifice, betrayal, and a thrilling, ultimate fight against evil.
MIDDLE GRADE & CHILDREN'S: The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Kids go crazy for the latest in Riordan's The Heroes of Olympus series, which follows the epic quests of Greek and Roman demigods.
PICTURE BOOKS: The Pigeon Needs a Bath! by Mo Willems
Willems is a family favorite, and his books about The Pigeon are known to make kids and parents laugh out loud.