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How Avid Reader Press Drove Early Engagement for The Ministry of Time
Posted by Margo on August 28, 2025
Learn how The Ministry of Time used various tactics including Goodreads advertising and went on to become a Goodreads Choice Awards Winner, The New York Times best seller and Good Morning America’s book of the Month.
The Ministry of Time is a debut novel for Kaliane Bradley first published in May of 2024. Before this book had published Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster) knew this was a title not to be missed.
The Ministry of Time went on to win a host of accolades including two Goodreads Choice nominations and was the winner of Goodreads Choice Awards Readers’ Favorite Science Fiction 2024. The Ministry of Time was on the NYT bestseller list for one week at onsale and on the ABA Indie list for a remarkable 45 weeks. Its strong performance helped solidify its position as one of the most successful debut novels of 2024, gaining widespread recognition and a loyal readership during its time on the list.
Highlights
Goodreads, with over 165 million users worldwide, was central to Avid Reader Press’s ad strategy. The success of The Ministry of Time can be attributed in part to a strategic and robust advertising campaign on Goodreads. The publisher secured the book as a sponsor of the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards (GCAs), which includes over 6 million impressions, a full 6 months prepublication. This drove Want to Reads and title awareness to the 6.3 million voters actively engaging on Goodreads.
A Goodreads standalone ad campaign launched during the book’s debut week, further driving its reach including Home Native Ads Mobile Web and Desktop (1% CTR), Billboards (.82% CTR) and our Want to Read email (53% Open Rate). Avid Reader Press also ran giveaways from Nov 2023 to May 2024, building anticipation and driving momentum, ultimately contributing to its remarkable success and sustained momentum leading up to its release.
Editorial Coverage
The amount of traction The Ministry of Time was getting on Goodreads easily caught the attention of our Editorial team. All of our editorial articles are based on data—we look at what readers are adding to their shelves, talking about in reviews, and most importantly, what the ratings are. Due to the strong positive data signals, partly driven by the extensive Goodreads advertising campaign, the Editorial team saw significant potential for The Ministry of Time. As a result, the title was featured in over six articles prior to publication, as it met the Editorial criteria for inclusion (Editorial coverage is separate from advertising).
The Ministry of Time was also selected as a Good Morning America (GMA) pick the month it came out. Good Morning America's Book Club picks are selected through a combination of factors, including book quality, popularity, and relevance to their audience. Popularity of The Ministry of Time is certainly something Goodreads users helped generate via Avid Reader Press’ ample advertising on Goodreads.
Goodreads Choice Awards
The Ministry of Time participated as a sponsor of the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards. Separately, it was voted by readers as the winner in the 2024 Readers’ Favorite Science Fiction category and was also nominated for 2024 Readers’ Favorite Debut Novel. These accolades contributed to a surge in Want-to-Reads and ongoing reader interest.
“My boss LOVED the idea of spotlighting our biggest 2024 titles while everyone is on site for the biggest titles of 2023!” -Meredith Vilarello VP, Associate Publisher, Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster)
Takeaways
Reach Out
For questions, comments, or suggestions, email the team at advertising-inquiry@goodreads.com.
Happy reading,
The Goodreads Team
The Ministry of Time is a debut novel for Kaliane Bradley first published in May of 2024. Before this book had published Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster) knew this was a title not to be missed.
The Ministry of Time went on to win a host of accolades including two Goodreads Choice nominations and was the winner of Goodreads Choice Awards Readers’ Favorite Science Fiction 2024. The Ministry of Time was on the NYT bestseller list for one week at onsale and on the ABA Indie list for a remarkable 45 weeks. Its strong performance helped solidify its position as one of the most successful debut novels of 2024, gaining widespread recognition and a loyal readership during its time on the list.
Highlights
Goodreads, with over 165 million users worldwide, was central to Avid Reader Press’s ad strategy. The success of The Ministry of Time can be attributed in part to a strategic and robust advertising campaign on Goodreads. The publisher secured the book as a sponsor of the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards (GCAs), which includes over 6 million impressions, a full 6 months prepublication. This drove Want to Reads and title awareness to the 6.3 million voters actively engaging on Goodreads.
A Goodreads standalone ad campaign launched during the book’s debut week, further driving its reach including Home Native Ads Mobile Web and Desktop (1% CTR), Billboards (.82% CTR) and our Want to Read email (53% Open Rate). Avid Reader Press also ran giveaways from Nov 2023 to May 2024, building anticipation and driving momentum, ultimately contributing to its remarkable success and sustained momentum leading up to its release.
Editorial Coverage
The amount of traction The Ministry of Time was getting on Goodreads easily caught the attention of our Editorial team. All of our editorial articles are based on data—we look at what readers are adding to their shelves, talking about in reviews, and most importantly, what the ratings are. Due to the strong positive data signals, partly driven by the extensive Goodreads advertising campaign, the Editorial team saw significant potential for The Ministry of Time. As a result, the title was featured in over six articles prior to publication, as it met the Editorial criteria for inclusion (Editorial coverage is separate from advertising).
The Ministry of Time was also selected as a Good Morning America (GMA) pick the month it came out. Good Morning America's Book Club picks are selected through a combination of factors, including book quality, popularity, and relevance to their audience. Popularity of The Ministry of Time is certainly something Goodreads users helped generate via Avid Reader Press’ ample advertising on Goodreads.
Goodreads Choice Awards
The Ministry of Time participated as a sponsor of the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards. Separately, it was voted by readers as the winner in the 2024 Readers’ Favorite Science Fiction category and was also nominated for 2024 Readers’ Favorite Debut Novel. These accolades contributed to a surge in Want-to-Reads and ongoing reader interest.
“My boss LOVED the idea of spotlighting our biggest 2024 titles while everyone is on site for the biggest titles of 2023!” -Meredith Vilarello VP, Associate Publisher, Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster)
Takeaways
Avid Reader Press identified the book’s potential early on and positioned it as a must-read.
Launching multiple giveaways early in the campaign helped drive initial discovery and visibility.
Tying the title to Goodreads’ tentpole events generated strong awareness during our most active and engaging season.
An advertising campaign using Goodreads’ highest-performing ad products ensured the title reached the right audience, aligned with its key genres.
An advertising campaign using Goodreads’ highest-performing ad products ensured the title reached the right audience, aligned with its key genres.
Reach Out
For questions, comments, or suggestions, email the team at advertising-inquiry@goodreads.com.
Happy reading,
The Goodreads Team
