In the Group Stage, the thirty-two books are randomly assigned to eight groups.
The judges for each group read all four books, and their composite rankings identify
the top two books in each group, which then move on to the knock-out bracket.
​The Group Stage takes place July through September.
​

Group A

• The Cold Millions​
  
• The Death of Vivek Oji
  
• A Burning
  
• The Midnight Library
  

Group B

• Mexican Gothic
• Hamnet
  
• The Prophets
  
• The Five Wounds
  

Group C

• Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
• Crooked Hallelujah
  
• Gold Diggers
  
• Whereabouts
  

Group D

• Homeland Elegies
• The Vanishing Half
  
• Great Circle
  
• ​Transcendent Kingdom
  

Group E

• How Beautiful We Were
• Piranesi
• Project Hail Mary
  
• Of Women and Salt
  

Group F

• The Atmospherians
  
• Leave the World Behind
• My Year Abroad
  
• Sisters
  

Group G

• The Rib King
• Phase Six
  
• The Pull of the Stars
  
• Malibu Rising
  

Group H

• The Other Black Girl
• Hour of the Witch
  
• Peaces
  
• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue