The Latest Goodreads Choice Awards Controversy

Or Romantasy and the Missing Categories

We can’t have a Goodreads Choice Awards without controversy. This year, the Goodreads Choice Awards generated controversy right from the starting gate.

There are two major controversies this year, and they are entwined. They involve romantasy and disappearing awards categories.

Meet Romantasy: A Display of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame at B&N. (Source: Photo by the author.)

Introducing the Best Romantasy Category…

First, this year, Goodreads added a new awards category for “Best Romantasy.” (Romantasy is a term that was recently coined to refer to romantic fantasy, such as Fourth Wing and the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.)

Some people are upset. They believe that romantasy got special treatment. (More on that later.)

But I think that adding a Romantasy category is great! Romantic fantasy (aka romantasy, although many hate the term) is a popular category.

Also — and I can’t believe the naysayers aren’t latching onto this — this new category will keep romantasy books from the fantasy category. That way, fantasy fans who hate romantasy (and there are many!) won’t have to worry about a romantasy book winning their category.

That has happened. Last year, the winner in the Fantasy category was House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas (SJM)…