2025 Libby Awards Winners; Find Out Which Books Were Chosen as the Best of 2024!

We might be a couple of months into 2025 but 2024 still seems to steal the spotlight. This time, we finally have the winners for the 2025 Libby Awards. Keep reading to find out which books won. 

This year’s winners were chosen with the assistance of over 1,100 librarians as they nominated their books and voted on the winners. They alongside with the staff chose from different genres and books for different age groups. 

“Librarians are unmatched in their ability to connect readers with stories that resonate, and these finalists reflect the books that captivated communities across the country,” said Jennifer Leitman, the CMO of OverDrive. 

“The Libby Book Awards aren’t just about recognizing great books — they’re about celebrating the joy of reading and the role libraries play in fostering that passion,” 

I love the Libby App and if you are an avid reader, then you should take advantage of it. You can see the full list below!

Book of the Year – Adult Fiction

• The Women by Kristin Hannah – Winner
• James by Percival Everett – Runner-Up

Book of the Year – Adult Nonfiction

• The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson – Winner
• By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle – Runner-Up

Book of the Year – YA Fiction

• Heir by Sabaa Tahir – Winner
• Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds – Runner-Up

Audiobook of the Year 

• The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson – Winner
• Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar – Runner-Up

Debut Author of the Year

• The Ministry of Time by Kailane Bradley – Winner
• I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue – Runner-Up

Best Book Club Book

• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe – Winner
• Real Americans by Rachel Khong – Runner-Up

Best Business

• When We Are Seen: How to Come Into Your Power–and Empower Others Along the Way by Denise Young – Winner
• Cultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations by Mary C. Murphy – Runner-Up

Best Comic/Graphic Novel

• Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls – Winner
• I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together by Maurice Vellekoop – Runner-Up

Best Cookbook

• Anything’s Pastable by Dan Pashman – Winner
• Baking with Pride by Janusz Domangala – Runner-Up

Best Fantasy

• The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst – Winner
• The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo – Runner-Up

Best Historical Fiction

• James by Percival Everett – Winner
• The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Runner-Up

Best Horror

• Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle – Winner
• I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones – Runner-Up

Best Memoir & Autobiography

• Knife by Salman Rushdie – Winner
• Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley – Runner-Up

Best Middle Grade Book

• Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell – Winner
• Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr. – Runner-Up

Best Mystery

• We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – Winner
• The Hunter by Tana French – Runner-Up

Best Picture Book

• Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi – Winner
• We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang – Runner-Up

Best Romance

• Funny Story by Emily Henry – Winner
• The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava – Runner-Up

Best Romantasy

• House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas – Winner
• Faebound by Saara El-Arifi – Runner-Up

Best Science Fiction

• The Ministry of Time by Kailane Bradley – Winner
• The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei – Runner-Up

Best Thriller

• One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon – Winner
• Where You End by Abbott Kahler – Runner-Up

Conclusion

These are the 2025 Libby Awards winners. With over 1,100 libraries choosing the winners, it feels like they it right. Having a huge panel has its benefits. How many of these books have you read or plan to read? Let us know in the comments below!

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