36 Recent Winners of Our Unofficial Best Book Title Award

Posted by Sharon on January 27, 2023


Regular Goodreaders may have noted that we occasionally give out unofficial Best Book Title awards in our monthly previews. This is an extremely unofficial honor with no actual prize, other than the book title won our attention and admiration. Ask anyone in the publishing industry: Naming a book is an art and a science.
 
We thought it would be fun to round up recent titles that caught our eye in one list here, with wanton disregard for genre or categorization. These are simply, in our estimation, awesome book titles. To keep things manageable, we’ve restricted our picks to recent releases, from August 2022 through January 2023.
 
Some are funny, some are punny. Some are quietly witty, and others just evocative in a particular way. And we’ve noticed a kind of microtrend recently—overachieving book titles that are full sentences in themselves.
 
Is there a clear winner? Maybe. But it’s all subjective, of course. Feel free to make your own nominations in the comments section, and if a book title really grabs your eye, add it to your Want to Read shelf.

 


Now it's your turn! What makes for a great title in your eyes? Share your favorites in the comments below!

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Comments Showing 1-21 of 21 (21 new)

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message 1: by Murat (new)

Murat Akpınar Two titles that i can't get forget are On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Books themselves are amazing too!


message 2: by Ashleigh (new)

Ashleigh Now THIS is the kind of list I want to see.


message 3: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie Fitzgerald “Belittled Women”-😀


message 4: by Lisa (new)

Lisa I love the play on the classics! Reader, I Murdered Him and Love in the Time of Serial Killers


message 6: by Richard Young (new)

Richard Young Richard young


message 7: by Bookfan (new)

Bookfan Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman. Fantastic book.


message 8: by Lizz (new)

Lizz Axnick What We Fed the Manticore was weird and at times boring


message 9: by Dani (new)

Dani Baby-sitters Club


message 10: by Dani (new)

Dani Cause it has besties that stand up for each other


message 12: by Jodi (new)

Jodi O My Darling My Hamburger


message 13: by Kim (new)

Kim Lockhart Great titles (and great books):

The Constellation of Vital Phenomena

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves

Assassination Vacation

Gun, With Occasional Music

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

The Tsar of Love and Techno

How Long 'til Black Future Month?

Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?

Shakespeare for Squirrels

I Love You, But I've Chosen Darkness


message 14: by fiona (new)

fiona Lisa wrote: "I love the play on the classics! Reader, I Murdered Him and Love in the Time of Serial Killers"

I agree!


message 15: by AG (new)

AG The last tale of the flower bride by Roshani chokshi


Ann (Inky Labyrinth) What We Fed to the Manticore is both an excellent title and a great book.

Some of my favorite titles (since I keep a running list) are Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, Shit Cassandra Saw, No God Like the Mother, and See What I Have Done.


message 17: by Summer (new)

Summer (speaking_bookish) One that comes to mind for me is This Body’s Not Big Enough for Both of Us by Edgar Cantero. Fantastic book- fantastic author. I’ve rated every one of his books 4+ stars yet I rarely hear anyone talking about. Please, if you’ve happened upon this comment consider taking my advice and checking out Edgar Cantero- Meddling Kids is one of his best books!!


message 18: by Ginamarie (new)

Ginamarie Talford the Way of the Greyhound


message 19: by Glen (new)

Glen Venezio Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black by the late Cookie Mueller


message 20: by Franki (new)

Franki I just picked up a book called “ Time Travel For Love and Profit “ by Sarah Lariviere


Too Fond of Books Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead (Tokarczuk)
Razorblade Tears (Cosby)
How Not to Die Alone (Roper)
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry (Backman)
The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing (Jacob)
The Art of Racing in the Rain (Stein)


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