2026 Mid-Year Book Awards | You Might Disagree With These Choices

The best book of 2026 does not always have the best villain. The funniest book may not be the most comforting. And sometimes the book you can't stop thinking about is also the one that made you ask, “What did I just read?” In this mid-year reading wrap-up, I’m handing out the first annual Tophies, a collection of more than 30 highly subjective book awards celebrating the stories, characters, performances, plot twists, covers, meals, endings, and completely unexpected reading experiences that have stood out during the first half of 2026. DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE BALLOT: Choose your own winners, and let me know which books would take home your mid-year reading awards. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uLMYe9q0z... OTHER VIDEOS MENTIONED: Top 15 Books Of The Year...So Far -    • 🥇81 Books In — The 15 I Haven't Stopped Ta...   CHANNELS MENTIONED:    / @preacherreads   📚JOIN THE TOPHER’S LIBRARY DISCORD Looking for more bookish conversation? Join the Topher’s Library Discord, where we have monthly reading paths, book discussions, buddy reads, community recommendations, and a growing group of curious readers who love talking about stories across genres. ➡️ Join here: https://discord.gg/hayRmpgd7G 🏆 THE 2026 MID-YEAR TOPHIES THE DYNAMIC DUO AWARD The Murder at World’s End Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aT5JSJ Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780063458772 THE “I LOVE TO HATE YOU” AWARD Steel Gods by Richard Swan Amazon: https://amzn.to/4vVTIEm Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780316577038 THE THROW HANDS AWARD Dissection of a Murder Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fhyB8u Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9798217177004 THE BLOOD PRESSURE SPIKE AWARD Ashes of Man Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fkNZRD THE SCENE STEALER AWARD Red Rising Series THE RUG-PULL AWARD Come Closer THE STUCK THE LANDING AWARD The Poet Empress Amazon: https://amzn.to/4pnjlLU Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9781250406811 THE TAKE ME THERE AWARD Ship of Magic Steel Gods THE CHEF’S KISS AWARD Foster Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fdRBED Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780802160140 THE BIG SWING AWARD 11/22/63 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aRX3Mk THE “I’M SORRY, WHAT?” AWARD Blacktail Amazon: https://amzn.to/4wddAD5 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9798217089963 THE BELLY LAUGH AWARD The Lies of Locke Lamora Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gDi8O9 THE MAN TEARS AWARD A Man Called Ove THE “NOM NOM” MEAL AWARD The Briar Club Amazon: https://amzn.to/4w6xdga Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780063244757 THE JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER AWARD The Children Sarafina Steel Gods THE SPEED READER AWARD Five THE DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING AWARD Small Worlds THE HYPE TRAIN WRECK AWARD Mistborn The Last Contract of Isako THE EVERYONE WAS RIGHT AWARD Children of Time Amazon: https://amzn.to/4wIHIGh Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780316452502 THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT AWARD Headlights THE HIDDEN GEM AWARD The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hczNwg THE ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT AWARD A Deadly Education The Devils THE PETER PAN AWARD Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aReug3 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780316508896 THE CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP AWARD Sun Eater Series THE ACTUALLY TRUE AWARD The Feather Thief Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SZzGdE THE BEST AUDIOBOOK AWARD The Murder at World’s End Harry Potter Full Cast: https://amzn.to/3RcYaPS THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD The Poet Empress THE STILL HOLDS UP AWARD Interview with the Vampire Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9798217208852 THE BRAIN MELTER AWARD Japanese Gothic Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9781335001559 THE MVP AWARD The Poet Empress The Lies of Locke Lamora THE WARM BLANKET AWARD The Inklings Detective Agency Amazon: https://amzn.to/457YJhb Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9798217151981 THE EVERYONE NEEDS THIS AWARD A Monster Calls Amazon: https://amzn.to/4wMhTFw Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/118321/9780763660659 AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER Some links included in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase a book through one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Topher’s Library.