The Most Read Books on Goodreads This Week

via The Most Read Books on Goodreads This Week

Rebecca Yarros’s dominance over the most read books on Goodreads continues! Of the top five titles, three are from the Empyrean series. The only change from last week was a swap between the positions of two of the titles. To keep things interesting, I’ve also included the top five titles in three countries across the globe. This time, we’re looking at the books popular with Goodreads users in Malaysia, Mexico, and the Netherlands. But first, let’s take a look at some new books you should know about.

Two New Books Out This Week You Should Know About

Unfortunately, the most read books on Goodreads tend not to be diverse by any definition of the word. So, here are a couple of new books out this week that deserve wider readership, recommended by Erica Ezeifedi.

The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay This London-set debut is giving hints of R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, but inverted. Kind of. It follows Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo, who is trying to make it as a playwright in London’s theater world but comes up against what she very reasonably suspects is name-based racism. Then she meets the charismatic Hugo Lawrence Smith, who, like his name, is very white and is looking for a change from his corporate world. Together, they hatch a plan: Eddie (what Naledi goes by) will let Hugo pretend he wrote her play, and then when it’s a success, they’ll both reveal how it was hers all along, thereby exposing the inherent racism of the theater industry. But, as usual with these things, things go amok.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad Reading the title, I assumed Akkad was referring to Palestine, and I was right. The blurb for this nonfiction book mentions how, just a few weeks after October 7, 2023, he tweeted: “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.”  In this book, he explores the promise of the American Dream and Western ideals in general, and how disillusioned non-white Americans have become in them. He also looks at what it means for so much of the world to be ran by a select few (white) countries, and how he even grew up believing in the meritocracy espoused by the West.

The Most Read Books On Goodreads This Week

#5:

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood Ali Hazelwood is one of the most popular authors in the romance genre at the moment—you might recognize her from The Love Hypothesis and the paranormal romance Bride. Her newest is a college romance between a competitive diver and star swimmer. It was read by more than 24,000 Goodreads users this week and has a 4.1 average rating. Malaysia: Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli Mexico: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden Netherlands: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

#4:

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros Fourth Wing may have slipped down the most read books on Goodreads ranking slightly, but only because book three has taken it over. Somehow, there are still readers discovering this series even now. More than 31,000 users marked this dragon riding academy romantasy book as read this week. It has a 4.6 average rating. Malaysia: Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum Mexico: The Vegetarian by Han Kang Netherlands: Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

#3:

Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) by Rebecca Yarros Whether it’s people rereading the second book to prepare for book three or those new to the series scrambling to catch up, Iron Flame has seen a bump in readers alongside Fourth Wing and Onyx Storm. 31,000 people read it last week, and it has a 4.4 average rating. Malaysia: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh Mexico: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros Netherlands: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

#2:

The Crash by Freida McFadden Freida McFadden has quickly become a heavy hitter on the Most Read Books On Goodreads This Week chart, with many titles in the top 50. Her newest thriller is about a pregnant woman who crashes her car during a storm and is taken in by a couple in a remote cabin. It was read by over 33,000 users this week and has a 3.8 average rating. Malaysia: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Mexico: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Netherlands: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

#1:

Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) by Rebecca Yarros Finally, to no one’s surprise, the #1 goes to the newest Empyrean book, which came out January 21st. The question now is whether we’re at peak Empyrean or if the hype will stay alive until the next volume—Yarros has said she hasn’t started book four yet. Onyx Storm was read by almost 77,000 Goodreads users this week and has a 4.3 average rating. Malaysia: Deep End by Ali Hazelwood Mexico: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Netherlands: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

If you’re looking for more buzzy books, check out The Bestselling Books of the Week, According to All the Lists.

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.