Expert librarians select the year’s most outstanding books, with winners including “Onyx Storm,” “Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil,” and “We Can Do Hard Things,” among other exceptional titles

CLEVELAND – March 4, 2026 – Libby, the leading library reading app, unveils the winners of the third annual Libby Book Awards, recognizing the best books, audiobooks and digital experiences of the year. Selected by expert librarians from across North America, this year’s winners highlight standout works that captured the hearts of readers, featuring both debut authors and beloved names in the literary world.

“The 2026 Libby Book Award winners highlight the incredible range of books, audiobooks and digital experiences that resonated with readers and libraries over the past year,” said Jen Leitman, Chief Marketing Officer at OverDrive, the company behind Libby. “From fantasy, mystery to romance, each selection reflects the exceptional storytelling and thoughtful curation our librarians champion every day.”

New to this year’s awards is the category, Best Personal Growth, to honor books that inspire self-improvement and personal development. This year also marks the debut of the Reader’s Choice award, in which the general public voted for their favorite.

• Reader’s Choice: “Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry
• Book of the Year – Adult Fiction: “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Book of the Year – Adult Nonfiction: “A Marriage at Sea” by Sophie Elmhirst
• Book of the Year – Young Adult Fiction: “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
• Audiobook of the Year: “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman
• Debut Author of the Year: “Alchemised” by SenLinYu
• Best Book Club Book: “Wreck” by Catherine Newman
• Best Comic/Graphic Novel: “Spent” by Alison Bechdel
• Best Cookbook: “Baking Across America” by B. Dylan Hollis
• Best Fantasy: “Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil” by V.E. Schwab
• Best Historical Fiction: “Isola” by Allegra Goodman
• Best Horror: “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones
• Best Memoir & Autobiography: “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” by Omar El Akkad
• Best Middle Grade Book: “Scarlet Morning: Book 1” by ND Stevenson
• Best Mystery: “The Librarians” by Sherry Thomas
• Best Personal Growth: “We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life’s 20 Questions” by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle
• Best Picture Book: “Don’t Trust Fish” by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat
• Best Romance: “These Summer Storms” by Sarah MacLean
• Best Romantasy: “Onyx Storm” by Rebecca Yarros
• Best Science Fiction: “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor
• Best Thriller: “Julie Chan Is Dead” by Liann Zhang

“I just want to say how honored I am that ‘Onyx Storm’ was chosen for this year’s Libby Book Award,” said Rebecca Yarros, winner of Best Romantasy for ‘Onyx Storm’. “I’m so very grateful to librarians for all you do for our community and readers.”

Similarly, Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach, winners of Best Personal Growth for “We Can Do Hard Things”, expressed, “Being honored by librarians means everything to us. Librarians are vital in connecting people with stories that help them live fully. Thank you for honoring ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ and the 118 brilliant wayfinders whose wisdom lives inside these pages.”

This year marks a milestone for the Libby Book Awards as the ceremony was held in person for the first time. On Saturday, March 7, 2026, readers can tune in on YouTube and Kanopy to watch the celebration. The event will feature the full award show, including author appearances, acceptance speeches and more. It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity to join the excitement and honor the best books of the year. Streaming information will be available here.

Readers can explore the complete list of finalists for the 2026 Libby Book Awards here.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is a mission-based company that supports libraries and schools. Named a Certified B Corp in 2017, OverDrive serves more than 92,000 libraries and schools in 115 countries with the industry’s largest digital catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, video, and other content. OverDrive empowers libraries and schools by expanding access for all through tireless industry advocacy and consistent innovation. Award-winning apps and services include the Libby library reading app, the Sora student reading platform, Kanopy, the leading video streaming app for libraries and colleges, and TeachingBooks, which offers one of the largest catalogs of supplemental materials that enhance literacy outcomes. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. www.overdrive.com.

Contact:

Madison Stoneburner

mstoneburner@overdrive.com

+1 216-573-6886 ext. 1389