Goodreads Members' Most Read Books (By Genre)

Posted by Lillian Boyd on September 8, 2021


Is there anything more satisfying than getting all the way through a book, turning that last page, and getting to gush with people about everything you've read? We think not.

This season, Goodreads readers have been absolutely devouring books across every genre, from longtime reader favorites like We Were Liars and A Court of Thorns and Roses to new smash hits including The Paper Palace and One Last Stop. Below, we have the books that are most popular with readers right now, which we measure by looking at the books that Goodreads members marked as being "read."

Scroll over the ones that catch your eye for more information, and don't forget to add the most interesting ones to your Want to Read shelf!
 

Fiction

Historical Fiction

 
 

Mystery & Thriller

 

Fantasy & Science Fiction

 

Young Adult

 

Romance

 
What books have you finished lately that you're dying to talk about? Let us know down in the comments!

Check out more recent articles:
Catch Up on Earlier Books from This Fall's Biggest Authors
The Swooniest September Romances (According to Goodreads Members)
The Most Anticipated YA Books of September

Comments Showing 1-48 of 48 (48 new)

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message 1: by Will (last edited Sep 08, 2021 01:14AM) (new)

Will Goodreads peeps just love Casey McQuiston huh? I agree too!


message 2: by Lady (new)

Lady Dazy I see Normal People is still popular. I can remember reading this a few years ago. Look forward to reading some of these other titles.


message 3: by Valitza (last edited Sep 08, 2021 02:44AM) (new)

Valitza Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria


message 4: by Sharon (new)

Sharon Ryder Roberts Some great reads, i can not wait to read..


message 5: by Victoria (new)

Victoria Odum Hi everyone, I just finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. It’s my first time reading a book in the science fiction genre and I absolutely loved it!


message 6: by Char (last edited Sep 08, 2021 06:33AM) (new)

Char Is Horror not a genre? Why is it always treated as an afterthought here at Goodreads?

I'm sure next month all of the people here that couldn't care less about the genre will start reading spooky books for Halloween, but horror is a genre all year round. Us horror fans have had to get used to being treated as second rate citizens around here. It gets tiresome.


message 7: by Lynne (new)

Lynne So many good books, read a few and can’t wait to read some of the others!


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

Just like Char said!


message 9: by Ophilia Adler (new)

Ophilia Adler Victoria wrote: "Hi everyone, I just finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. It’s my first time reading a book in the science fiction genre and I absolutely loved it!"

As an avid horror reader i agree 100%.


message 10: by Char (new)

Char If any of you horror book fans are looking for fellow horror fans, I help moderate a group here called Horror Aficionados. I believe we are the largest group related to horror books at around 18,000 members. Come join us! We host two authors every month and we do two group reads each month and those are chosen by our members. Hope to see you there!


message 11: by Abbas (new)

Abbas I suggest that Sci-fi and fantasy must be separate categories. They're pretty different in concept, aren't they?


message 12: by Terry (new)

Terry Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"

I don't think so
Try
Adriana Tragiani (sp)
Elena Ferrante


message 13: by Susana (new)

Susana M. Well, I've read at least 1 book in each category, that's good. Didn't love all of them, but they were read lol


message 14: by themara (new)

themara hii


message 15: by Sara (new)

Sara Youssef This is basically booktok loool


message 16: by Pearl (new)

Pearl Read all of the YAs, and I have 2 want-to-reads on both the historical fiction and Fantasy/Sci-fi. Wow....BookTok/BookTube you keep me up to date with society XD.


message 17: by K (last edited Sep 08, 2021 09:51AM) (new)

K Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"


browse->new releases->more new releases (at the end of the column on the right) -> most read (on the right) -> at the top you can pick a specific country or the whole world and week/month/year

I don't know if there is a shortcut to get there.


message 18: by William (new)

William Char wrote: "Is Horror not a genre? Why is it always treated as an afterthought here at Goodreads?

I'm sure next month all of the people here that couldn't care less about the genre will start reading spooky b..."


I agree. I find it off putting that horror is treated like some dirty word.


message 19: by Lizet (new)

Lizet Very good books
I definitely recommend reading:
The silent patient
The song of Achilles
The house in the cerulean sea
Six of crows
Red white and royal blue
Although they are all very good


message 20: by Laurie (barksbooks) (last edited Sep 08, 2021 10:41AM) (new)

Laurie  (barksbooks) Hmmm, I bet next month you're featuring horror and then forgetting all about it until October rolls around again. Such rudeness.


message 21: by Char (new)

Char Laurie | LOHF wrote: "Hmmm, I bet next month you're featuring horror and then forgetting all about it until October rolls around again. Such rudeness."

Exactly!


message 22: by Tina (new)

Tina Haigler Char wrote: "Is Horror not a genre? Why is it always treated as an afterthought here at Goodreads?

I'm sure next month all of the people here that couldn't care less about the genre will start reading spooky b..."


I agree, and considering that next month is October, you would think that they would've added it to the list. Unless of course, every most read book is a Stephen King novel lol.


Ann (Inky Labyrinth) Disappointed to see horror not included. Also fantasy and science fiction should probably be two separate categories.


message 24: by Lauren (new)

Lauren Thanks for the invite Char. 😊🔪


message 25: by Jean (new)

Jean Nastja wrote: "Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"

browse->new releases->more new releases (at the end of the column on the right) -> most read (on the right) -..."

Most excellent. Thank you!


message 26: by Char (new)

Char Lauren wrote: "Thanks for the invite Char. 😊🔪"

We are happy to have you, Lauren!


message 27: by Alondra (new)

Alondra Miller Char wrote: "Is Horror not a genre? Why is it always treated as an afterthought here at Goodreads?

I'm sure next month all of the people here that couldn't care less about the genre will start reading spooky b..."


You tell 'em Char!!!! .... I agree


message 28: by Alondra (new)

Alondra Miller Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"


Go to Listopia. In the search bar to the right, just type in Italy as a tag, and it will pull up a few lists on there.

Go here: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8...


message 29: by Susan (new)

Susan Reeves deMasi Leaf wrote: "This and many other articles (and the "loved by Goodreads user" sections in the main menu) show that Goodreads members have no taste."

Leaf wrote: "This and many other articles (and the "loved by Goodreads user" sections in the main menu) show that Goodreads members have no taste."

Why??? Because their preferences are different than yours?! Why would you choose to be so rude about it?
There are all kinds of readers in the world (and so many books to choose from)... Sure would be boring if we were all the same.


message 30: by chloé (new)

chloé taylor jenkins is a queen honestly 😩


message 31: by Dash (new)

Dash Wow you couldn't find any popular books by authors that aren't white???


message 32: by Shandi Pattison (new)

Shandi Pattison CHAR!! I agree! I kept trying to scroll down thinking they must have missed something! Boo! What a disappointing list!


message 33: by Shandi Pattison (new)

Shandi Pattison I feel like this is a schmalzy pallzy dated list. Bwaahh bwahh bwahh bwahhhhhhhh (muted trumpet).


message 34: by Maureen (new)

Maureen Shandi Pattison wrote: "I feel like this is a schmalzy pallzy dated list. Bwaahh bwahh bwahh bwahhhhhhhh (muted trumpet)."

At least two of the fiction titles, two of the historical fiction titles and three of the thrillers were published in 2021. I don’t read any of the other genres listed to offer an opinion.


message 35: by Bob (new)

Bob Rose Char wrote: "Is Horror not a genre? Why is it always treated as an afterthought here at Goodreads?

I'm sure next month all of the people here that couldn't care less about the genre will start reading spooky b..."


I'm not much of a horror fan, other than HP Lovecraft, but I agree with you. Besides, horror is probably a pretty good income stream for Amazon.


message 36: by Char (new)

Char The horror genre is having a little boom right now. A major publishing house, TOR, added an entire line dedicated to horror and dark fiction. (See Tor Nightfire online for more information.) Horror movies are booming and small horror presses are all over the place.

All of which apparently means nothing to Goodreads.


message 37: by Valitza (new)

Valitza Alondra wrote: "Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"

Go to Listopia. In the search bar to the right, just type in Italy as a tag, and it will pull up a few lists ..."




Thank you Alondra!!!!


message 38: by Jezzy (last edited Sep 09, 2021 05:16AM) (new)

Jezzy Nastja wrote: "
browse->new releases->more new releases (at the end of the column on the right) -> most read (on the right) -..."


never knew there is a link i could find for every country that's a popular read for every week... thanks!


message 39: by Valitza (new)

Valitza Jean wrote: "Nastja wrote: "Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"

browse->new releases->more new releases (at the end of the column on the right) -> most read (..."


Great!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!!

Valeria


message 40: by Valitza (new)

Valitza Nastja wrote: "Valeria wrote: "Hi,
is there a most read books in Italy anywhere here?
Thanks
valeria"

browse->new releases->more new releases (at the end of the column on the right) -> most read (on the right) -..."


Thank you very much Nastja!!!


message 41: by roma (new)

roma So every single author here is white huh


message 42: by Johanna (new)

Johanna "Is there anything more satisfying than getting all the way through a book, turning that last page, and getting to gush with people about everything you've read?"

If that's what a person is reading for, I fear they've missed the point of reading entirely.


message 43: by Jamie (new)

Jamie Oh my heart just soars to see all the horror lovers come out and demand some horror representation. Honestly incredibly hard to find horror. Favorite genre but probably my least read. When I search I end up getting the same recommendations over and over. Like Audible is the same, gotta hunt for horror. Then fantasy and sci-fi just get combined?


message 44: by Char (new)

Char Come join us in the Horror Aficionados group! We'll have horror recs coming out your ears, fellow horror fan!


message 45: by Gerardine (new)

Gerardine  Betancourt what about horror?


message 46: by Govind (new)

Govind Reddy Please add non fiction section to mostly read books in goodreads.


message 47: by Janet (new)

Janet Speaking of genres, WHY are mystery and thrillers lumped together? Some of us like our mystery without the repulsiveness of gore and violence.


message 48: by Helen (new)

Helen I think it's Trigiani, not Tragiani


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