Reads Rainbow Awards 2021: The Results

As you may have noticed, we ran the awards a little differently this year, allowing for a week’s worth of nominations in all categories, before taking those nominated more than once, adding a few more to reach 20 per category (although 15 in two, and 30 in debut), and then opening up voting for 3 and a half weeks. In selecting nominees, we tried out best to ensure different books were nominated in each category (debut and romance aside) and that, within each category, an author appeared only once.

But enough of that. The results of that vote, with 2320 ballots cast, are now here and I’m sure you’re all excited to see who won! First though, if you’re interested in just who made the cut in this year’s awards, below you can:

see the list of nominees!

Otherwise, happy scrolling!

ADULT CONTEMPORARY

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

ADULT MYSTERY & THRILLER

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
Subtle Blood by K. J. Charles
Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia

ADULT HISTORICAL FICTION

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian
The Pursued and the Pursuing by AJ Odasso
The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

ADULT FANTASY

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Under the Whispering Door by T. J. Klune

ADULT SCIENCE FICTION

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Persephone Station by Stina Leicht

ROMANCE

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

NONFICTION

Fat and Queer ed. by Miguel M. Morales, Bruce Owens Grimm & Tiff Joshua T.J. Ferentini
The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye
You Will Get Through This Night by Daniel Howell

MEMOIR & BIOGRAPHY

Hola Papi by John Paul Brammer
Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi
Gender Euphoria ed. by Laura Kate Dale
The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel

GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

Heartstopper, Vol. 4 by Alice Oseman
The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag
The Last Annihilation: Wiccan & Hulkling by Anthony Oliveira

POETRY

Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat by Khalisa Rae
Burned Tongues by Cynthia Cisneros

DEBUT NOVEL

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

YA CONTEMPORARY

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

YA MYSTERY & THRILLER

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

YA HISTORICAL

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

YA FANTASY

The Witch King by H. E. Edgmon
Afterlove by Tanya Byrne
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

YA SCIENCE FICTION & DYSTOPIA

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

MIDDLE GRADE & CHILDREN’S

Princess at Heart by Connie Glynn
A Touch of Ruckus by Ash Van Otterloo
The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor

Did your faves make it? What else would you rec?