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Christy Awards
"The Christy Awards were started in 1999 when nearly a dozen Christian publishers established a Christian fiction award to recognize novelists and novels of excellence in several genres of Christian fiction. The Christy Award is designed to nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview, as well as showcase the diversity of genres." Click here to visit the official website.
Christy Awards
Book of the Year
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True to You by After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now. Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. However, when John, an adoptee, is diagnosed with an inherited condition, he's forced to dig into the secrets of his ancestry. John enlists Nora's help to uncover the identity of his birth mother, and as they work side by side, this pair of opposites begins to suspect that they just might be a perfect match. But can their hope for a future survive their wounds from the past?
Best Contemporary Romance
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True to You by After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now. Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. However, when John, an adoptee, is diagnosed with an inherited condition, he's forced to dig into the secrets of his ancestry. John enlists Nora's help to uncover the identity of his birth mother, and as they work side by side, this pair of opposites begins to suspect that they just might be a perfect match. But can their hope for a future survive their wounds from the past?
Finalists
- The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner
- Troubled Waters by Susan May Warren
Best First Novel
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Missing Isaac by It is 1965 when black field hand Isaac Reynolds goes missing from the tiny, unassuming town of Glory, Alabama. The townspeople's reactions range from concern to indifference, but one boy will stop at nothing to find out what happened to his unlikely friend. White, wealthy, and fatherless, young Pete McLean has nothing to gain and everything to lose in his relentless search for Isaac. In the process, he will discover much more than he bargained for. Before it's all over, Pete--and the people he loves most--will have to blur the hard lines of race, class, and religion. And what they discover about themselves may change some of them forever.
Finalists
- Freedom's Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli
- The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
- Turtles in the Road by Kaley Rhea & Rhonda Rhea
Best General Fiction
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Life After by Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost. A year later, Autumn Manning can’t remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief—by guilt. Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve-year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she’ll bring more wreckage in her wake.
Finalists
- A Time to Stand by Robert Whitlow
- The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix
Best Historical Fiction
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Isaiah's Daughter by In this epic Biblical narrative, ideal for fans of The Bible miniseries, a young woman taken into the prophet Isaiah's household rises to capture the heart of the future king.
Finalists
- Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson
- Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
Best Historical Romance
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The Lacemaker by When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth "Liberty" Lawson is abandoned by her fiance and suspected of being a spy for the hated British. No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the radical revolutionaries, or stay true to her English roots? And at what cost?
Finalists
- A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden
- To Wager Her Heart by Tamara Alexander
Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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The House on Foster Hill by Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide.
Finalists
- Cold Water by Samuel Parker
- Rule of Law by Randy Singer
Best Short Form
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12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Call Number: EBOOKEngland, 1851: When Clara Chapman receives an intriguing invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home, she is hesitant yet feels compelled to attend--for if she remains the duration of the twelve-day celebration, she is promised a sum of five hundred pounds. But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests--her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane. Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on whoever stole his honor. When he's given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it--and is faced with the anger of the woman he stood up at the altar. Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they've been striving for isn't what ultimately matters. What matters most is what Christmas is all about ... love.
Finalists
- Guilt by Association by Heather Day Gilbert
- Her Secret Daughter by Ruth Logan Herne
Best Visionary Fiction
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The Man He Never Was by Toren Daniels vanished eight months back, and his wife and kids have moved on--with more than a little relief. Toren was a good man but carried a raging temper that often exploded without warning. So when he shows up on their doorstep out of the blue, they're shocked to see him alive. But more shocked to see he's changed. Radically. His anger is gone. He's oddly patient. Kind. Fun. The man he always wanted to be. Toren has no clue where he's been but knows he's been utterly transformed. He focuses on three things: Finding out where he's been. Finding out how it happened. And winning back his family. But then shards of his old self start to rise from deep inside--like the man kicked out of the NFL for his fury--and Toren must face the supreme battle of his life.
Finalists
- Awakened by Morgan Busse
- The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker
Best Young Adult
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The Delusion by By March of Owen Edmonds's senior year, eleven students at Masonville High School have committed suicide. Amid the media frenzy and chaos, Owen tries to remain levelheaded--until he endures his own near-death experience and wakes to a distressing new reality. The people around him suddenly appear to be shackled and enslaved. Owen frantically seeks a cure for what he thinks are crazed hallucinations, but his delusions become even more sinister. Owen eventually arrives at a mind-bending conclusion: he's not imagining the evil--everyone else is blind to its reality. He must warn and rescue those he loves . . . but this proves to be no simple mission. Will he be able to convince anyone to believe him before it's too late?
Finalists
- Last Summer at Eden by Christina Hergenrader
- Unraveling by Sara Ella
Book of the Year
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Long Way Gone by At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O’Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish. Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns to his remote home in the Colorado Mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith. When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it’s too late to tell her the truth about his past—and if he is ready to face it.
Best General Fiction
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The Promise of Jesse Woods by The summer of 1972 was the most pivotal of Matt Plumley’s childhood. Matt’s family moves from Pittsburgh to Dogwood, West Virginia, where his father steps into the pulpit of a church under the thumb of town leader Basil Blackwood. A fish out of water, Matt is relieved to forge a fast bond with two unlikely friends: Dickie Darrel Lee Hancock, a mixed-race boy, and Jesse Woods, a tough-as-nails girl with a sister on her hip and no dad in sight. Matt begins to fall for Jesse, and their promises to each other draw him deeper into her terrifying reality. One night, the wrath of the Blackwoods and the secrets of Jesse’s family collide, and Matt joins Jesse in a rescue that saves one life and ends another . . . and severs the bond of their friendship. Years later, Matt is pulled back to Dogwood and to memories of that momentous summer by news of Jesse’s upcoming wedding. He could never shake the feeling that there was more to the story of that fateful night, and he’s determined to learn the truth behind the only promise Jesse Woods ever broke.
Finalists
- Long Way Gone by Charles Martin
- The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore
Best Contemporary Romance
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Her One and Only by Call Number: E-AUDIOBOOKGray Fowler, star NFL tight end, is being pursued by a stalker, so his team hires a protection agency to keep Gray under the watch of a bodyguard at all times. When Gray meets Dru Porter, an agent assigned to him, he's indignant. How can an attractive young female half his size possibly protect him' But Dru's a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt. She's also ferociously determined to uncover the identity of Gray's stalker. And she's just as determined to avoid any kind of romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past. But the closer they get to finding the stalker, the closer they grow to each other. As the danger rises, can Dru and Gray entrust their hearts--and their lives--to one another?
Finalists
- The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson
- Rescue Me by Susan May Warren
Best First Novel
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Stars in the Grass by Call Number: EBOOKBefore the accident, Abby McAndrews' dad, Reverend John McAndrews, had all the answers, but now his questions and guilt threaten to destroy his family. Abby's fifteen-year-old brother, Matt, begins an angry descent as he acts out in dangerous ways. Her mother tries to hold her grieving family together, but when Abby's dad refuses to move on, the family is at a crossroads. Set in a small Midwestern town in 1970, Abby's heartbreaking remembrances are balanced by humor and nostalgia as her family struggles with--and ultimately celebrates--an authentic story of faith and life after loss.
Finalists
- Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette
- Like a River From Its Course by Kelli Stuart
Best Historical Novel
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The Mark of the King by After being imprisoned and branded for the death of her client, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana, where she hopes to be reunited with her brother, serving there as a soldier. To make the journey, though, women must be married, and Julianne is forced to wed a fellow convict. When they arrive in New Orleans, there is no news of Benjamin, Julianne's brother, and searching for answers proves dangerous. What is behind the mystery, and does military officer Marc-Paul Girard know more than he is letting on?
Finalists
- Like a River From Its Course by Kelli Stuart
- Miriam by Mesu Andrews
Best Historical Romance
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A Note Yet Unsung by Call Number: E-AUDIOBOOKDespite her training as a master violinist, Rebekah Carrington was denied entry into the Nashville Philharmonic by young conductor Nathaniel Whitcomb, who bowed to public opinion. Now, with a reluctant muse and a recurring pain in his head, he needs her help to finish his symphony. But how can he win back her trust when he's robbed her of her dream? -
The Lady and the Lionheart by Two worlds collide when the circus comes to Victorian-era Virginia.
Finalists
- From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden
Best Suspense
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When Death Draws Near by Forensic artist Gwen Marcey is between jobs when she accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky—a small town facing big-city crime. But before Gwen can finish her first drawing of the serial rapist who is on the loose, the latest witness vanishes. Just like all the others. Gwen suspects a connection between the rapist and the “accidental” deaths that are happening around town, but the local sheriff has little interest in her theories. When her digitally-obsessed teenage daughter joins her, Gwen turns her attention to a second assignment: going undercover in a serpent-handling church. She could get a handsome reward for uncovering illegal activity—a reward she desperately needs, as it seems her breast cancer has returned. But snakes aren’t the only ones ready to kill. Can Gwen uncover the truth—and convince anyone to believe her—before she becomes a victim herself?
Best Visionary
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The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by Corporate trainer Jake Palmer coaches people to see deeper into themselves—yet he barely knows himself anymore. Recently divorced and weary of the business life, Jake reluctantly agrees to a lake-house vacation with friends, hoping to escape for ten days. When he arrives, Jake hears the legend of Willow Lake—about a lost corridor that leads to a place where one’s deepest longings will be fulfilled. Jake scoffs at the idea, but can’t shake a sliver of hope that the corridor is real. And when he meets a man who mutters cryptic speculations about the corridor, Jake is determined to find the path, find himself, and fix his crumbling life.
Finalists
- The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim
- King's Folly by Jill Williamson
Best Young Adult
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The Silent Songbird by Evangeline longs to be free, to live in the world outside the castle walls. But freedom comes at a cost.
Finalists
- If You're Gone by Brittany Goodwin
- Unblemished by Sara Ella
Book of the Year
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The Five Times I Met Myself by Brock Matthews’ once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage. So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing. Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn’t know how to let go of . . . and his greatest fear is it’s already too late.
Best Contemporary Novel
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The Sea Keeper's Daughters by Call Number: FICTION WINGATEDesperate to save her high-end restaurant, Whitney Monroe seeks to sell an inherited Gilded Age hotel on North Carolina's Outer Banks, but the downstairs tenants--as well as her estranged stepfather--are determined to save the historic building.
Finalists
- The Art of Losing Yourself - Katie Ganshert
- As Waters Gone By - Cynthia Ruchti
Best Contemporary Romance/Suspense
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The Wedding Chapel by Retired football coach Jimmy Westbrook never imagined anything would come of his labor of love—building a wedding chapel for Collette Greer, the woman he fell in love with in 1949. But now a realtor wants the land the chapel sits on, and he sees no reason to hang onto the past. Photographer Taylor Branson is trying to make a life for herself in New York. Leaving her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, she put a lot of things behind her. When she falls head-over-heels for Jack Gillingham, a top ad man, their whirlwind romance and elopement leave her with doubts. When a post-mortem letter from Taylor’s Granny Peg shows up, she is driven to uncover family secrets and the secret to her own happiness, starting with an assignment to photograph the wedding chapel back in Heart’s Bend. Taylor begins a mission to convince Jimmy that the chapel is worth saving—and that forgiveness and healing might happen within the chapel’s walls . . . for both of them.
Finalists
- Falling Like Snowflakes - Denise Hunter
- Sabotaged - Dani Pettrey
Best Contemporary Series
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Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Wedding bells and storm clouds collide in the first engaging novel in a brand-new series about destination weddings, the power of love, and the possible mishaps and missteps that happen on a couple’s journey down the aisle to “I do.”
Finalists
- Anna's Healing - Vanetta Chapman
- Come Rain or Come Shine - Jan Karon
Best First Novel
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Irish Meadows by Irish immigrant James O’Leary has spent his life building Irish Meadows into a thriving horse farm and is not about to let hard economic times threaten its success. He intends for his daughters to marry prosperous men–ones who will secure the family’s rightful place in society, and at the same time, guarantee the future of Irish Meadows. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.
Finalists
- The Choosing - Rachelle Dekker
- A Noble Masquerade - Kristi Ann Hunter
Best Historical Novel
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Secrets She Kept by All her life, Hannah Sterling longed for a close relationship with her estranged mother. Following Lieselotte’s death, Hannah unlocks secrets of her mother’s mysterious past, including the discovery of a grandfather living in Germany. Thirty years earlier, Lieselotte’s father, ascending the ranks of the Nazi party, demands a marriage for his daughter to help advance his career. But Lieselotte is in love—and her beloved Lukas secretly works against the Reich. How far will her father go to achieve his goal?
Finalists
- The Girl From the Train - Irma Joubert
- The Wood's Edge - Lori Benton
Best Historical Romance
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Luther and Katharina by Katharina von Bora has seen nothing but the inside of cloister walls since she was five. In a daring escape, Katharina finds refuge with Martin Luther and seeks his help to pair her with the noble, wealthy husband she desires. As class tensions and religious conflicts escalate toward the brink of war, Martin Luther believes that each day could be his last and determines he will never take a wife. As the horrors of the bloody Peasant War break out around them, the proud Katharina and headstrong Martin Luther fight their own battle for true love, in one of the greatest love stories of history.
Finalists
- Beyond All Dreams - Elizabeth Camden
- The Lost Heiress - Roseanna M. White
- To Win Her Favor - Tamera Alexander
Best Suspense
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Twisted Innocence by Call Number: MYSTERY BLACKSTOHolly Cramer has stumbled through most of her adult life as a party girl, but she longs to live a more stable life for her daughter, Lily. When police show up to question her about the whereabouts of Lily's father, Creed Kershaw, a person of interest in a drug-related murder case, she is determined to keep him out of their lives and turn him over to police. But her bravado backfires when he turns the tables and takes her and Lily hostage. As desperate hours tick by, Holly realizes his connection to Leonard Miller the man who has gunned down several members of her family. Creed claims he's innocent and that Miller is after him too. Dangers old and new threaten Holly and her baby, and lives are demanded as sacrifices for love.
Finalists
- The Bones Will Speak - Carrie Stuart Parks
- Vendetta - Lisa Harris
Best Visionary
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The Five Times I Met Myself by Brock Matthews’ once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage. So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing. Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn’t know how to let go of . . . and his greatest fear is it’s already too late.
Finalists
- A Time to Speak - Nadine Brandes
- Waking Beauty - Sarah E. Morin
Best Young Adult
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The Choosing by Call Number: SCIENCE FICTION DEKKERLike all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she'd spent a lifetime preparing for--her Choosing Ceremony--to end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she'll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it's her duty to follow the true way of the Authority. As Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. Though the whispers contradict everything she's been told, they resonate deep within.
Finalists
- Rebel - R.J. Anderson
- To Get to You - Joanne Bischof
Book of the Year
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Thief of Glory by Call Number: FICTION BROUWERThis WWII drama is both exciting in its revelations and heart-rending in its truth about human nature and forgiveness.
Best Contemporary Novel
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The Story Keeper by Call Number: FICTION WINGATESuccessful New York editor Jen Gibbs is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing--until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk. Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in turn-of-the-century Appalachia. A risky hunch may lead to The Story Keeper's hidden origins and its unknown author, but when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she'd left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster book deal may be higher than she's willing to pay.
Finalists
- Farewell Four Waters - Kate McCord
- Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good - Jan Karon
Best Contemporary Romance
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A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for 24 year old model Ivy Clark. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white. If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants her still?
Finalists
- Firewall - DiAnn Mills
- Undetected - Dee Henderson
Best Contemporary Series
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The Amish Blacksmith by Apprenticed blacksmith Jake Miller is skeptical of Priscilla Kinsinger's innate ability to soothe troubled horses. Six years earlier, Priscilla's mother died in an awful accident at home, and Priscilla's grief over losing her mother was so intense that she was sent to live with relatives in Ohio. She has just returned to Lancaster County. Not that her homecoming matters to Jake, who is interested in courting lighthearted Amanda Shetler. But Jake's boss is Priscilla's uncle, and when the man asks Jake to help his niece reconnect with community life, he has no choice but to do just that. Surprisingly, he finds himself slowly drawn to the beautiful but emotionally wounded Priscilla.
Finalists
- Home to Chicory Lane - Deborah Raney
- When I Fall in Love - Susan May Warren
Best First Novel
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Feast for Thieves by Call Number: FICTION BROTHERTSergeant Rowdy Slater was the most incorrigible paratrooper in Dog Company during World War II. But after the war, when Rowdy robs a bank with the black-hearted Crazy Ake, he vows to turn his life around. The lawman, suspicious that Rowdy’s confession is a sham, gives him an ultimatum: Rowdy must serve for one year as the town minister, or go straight to jail. Rowdy’s choice? Preaching at the community church in Cut Eye, Texas, at the midpoint of nowhere and emptiness. At first the job seemed easy. But when Crazy Ake shows up with a plan to make some quick cash, Rowdy becomes ensnared and is forced to make a deadly choice.
Finalists
- For Such a Time - Kate Breslin
- House of Living Stones - Kate Schuermann
Best Historical Novel
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The Sentinels of Andersonville by Near the end of the Civil War, inhumane conditions at Andersonville Prison caused the deaths of 13,000 Union soldiers in only one year. In this gripping and affecting novel, three young Confederates and an entire town come face-to-face with the prison’s atrocities and will learn the cost of compassion, when withheld and when given.
Finalists
- The Advocate - Randy Singer
- The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd
Best Historical Romance
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Thief of Glory by Call Number: FICTION BROUWERThis WWII drama is both exciting in its revelations and heart-rending in its truth about human nature and forgiveness.
Finalists
- A Beauty So Rare - Tamera Alexander
- With Every Breath - Elizabeth Camden
Best Suspense
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The Color of Justice by 1964- Justice, Mississippi, is a town divided. When attorney Coop Lindsay agrees to defend a black man accused of murdering a white teenager, the bribes and death threats don't intimidate him. As he prepares for the case of a lifetime, the young lawyer knows it's the verdict that poses the real threat--innocent or guilty, because of his stand Coop is no longer welcome in Justice. As he follows his conscience, he wonders just how far some people will go to make sure he doesn't finish his job? 2014- To some, the result of the trial still feels like a fresh wound even fifty years later, when Coop's grandson arrives in Justice seeking answers to the questions unresolved by the trial that changed his family's legacy. When a new case is presented, again pitting white against black, this third generation Lindsay may have the opportunity he needs to right the wrongs of the past.
Finalists
- A Cry From the Dust - Carrie Stuart Parks
- Sky Zone - Creston Mapes
Best Visionary
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Once Beyond a Time by It’s 1968, and Sheldon and Meg Crane have just moved their family from Pennsylvania to the small town of Black Mountain, NC. Sheldon has recently resigned from the ministry after an affair. heldon is burdened by his wife’s unwillingness to forgive and his daughter’s anger over his moving the family to “Barney Fife country.” On top of that, his oldest son is in Vietnam. The only reasonably happy member of the family is his eight-year-old son, Digger.
After settling into an old house high on the side of a mountain, the family discovers their new home is no ordinary place. It’s a place where all of time is happening at once, so that the family can occasionally see and speak with people who have lived there before or who will live there in the future. They are trying to come to terms with this phenomenon and what it might mean for them when Digger suddenly disappears...
Finalists
- Shadow Hand - Anne Elisabeth Stengl
- A Time to Die - Nadine Brandes
Best Young Adult
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Storm Siren by Call Number: YA FICTION WEBERIn a world at war, a slave girl’s lethal curse could become one kingdom’s weapon of salvation. If the curse—and the girl—can be controlled. But what if she doesn’t want to be the weapon they’ve all been waiting for?
Finalists
- Failstate: Nemesis - John W. Otte
- This Quiet Sky - Joanne Bischof
Book of the Year
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Burning Sky by Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. She quickly finds much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land. When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky?
Best Contemporary Novel
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Stones for Bread by Call Number: FICTION PARRISHLiesl McNamara's life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, perfecting her craft. But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits Liesl's recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour, a single father with strange culinary habits, seems determined to win Liesl's affection. When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family's past.
Finalists
- Every Waking Moment - Chris Fabry
- The Prayer Box - Lisa Wingate
Best Contemporary Romance/Suspense
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Dangerous Passage by When two Jane Does are killed on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, detective and behavioral specialist Avery North discovers they share something in common--a tattoo of a magnolia on their shoulders. Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder. But it doesn't take long for them to realize that there is much more to the case than meets the eye. As they venture deep into a sinister world of human trafficking, Avery and Jackson are taken to the very edge of their abilities--and their hearts.
Finalists
- Once Upon a Prince - Rachel Hauck
- Rosemary Cottage - Colleen Coble
- Vanished - Irene Hannon
Best Contemporary Series
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Take a Chance on Me by Call Number: ROMANCE WARRENDarek Christiansen is wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn't know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity's death. Can they work through their prayers when caught between new love and old grudges?
Finalists
- Firefly Island - Lisa Wingate
- Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrell - Melody Carson
Best First Novel
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Burning Sky by Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. She quickly finds much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land. When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky?
Finalists
- A Cast of Stones - Patrick W. Carr
- Dear Mr. Knightly - Katherine Reay
Best Historical Novel
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Burning Sky by Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. She quickly finds much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land. When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky?
Finalists
- All For a Story - Allison Pittman
- Sweet Mercy - Ann Tatlock
Best Historical Romance
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Harvest of Gold by Sarah married Darius,and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage-Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband's love still seems unattainable. Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother's people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life-and even in his marriage?
Finalists
- Stealing the Preacher - Karen Witemeyer
- Under a Blackberry Moon - Serena B. Miller
Best Suspense
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Outlaw by Call Number: FICTION DEKKER"The story of how I, Julian Carter, and my precious two-year old son, Stephen, left Atlanta, Georgia, and found ourselves on a white sailboat, tossed about like a cork on a raging sea off of Australia's northern tip in 1963, is harrowing. But it pales in comparison to what happened deep in the jungle where I was taken as a slave by a savage tribe unknown to the world. Some places dwell in darkness so deep that even God seems to stay away...My name is Julian and this is my story. But more, it is the story of my son who was born to change the world."
Finalists
- Dark Justice - Brandilyn Collins
- Singularity - Steven James
Best Visionary
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Dragonwitch by Submissive to her father’s will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves–Lord Alistair, future king of the North Country. But within the walls of Gaheris Castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair to the brink of insanity. Whispers rise from the family crypt. The reclusive castle Chronicler, Leta’s tutor and friend, possesses a secret so dangerous it could cost his life and topple the North Country into civil war.
Finalists
- A Cast of Stones - Patrick W. Carr
- Numb - John W. Otte
Book of the Year
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Into the Free by Call Number: FICTION CANTRELLIn Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a 'nothing mama,' she struggles to find a place where she really belongs. For answers, Millie turns to the gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family's long-standing cycle of madness and abuse."
Best Contemporary Novel
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Not in the Heart by Truman Wiley used to report news stories from around the world, but now the most troubling headlines are his own. He's out of work, out of touch with his family, out of his home. But nothing dogs him more than his son's failing heart. With mounting hospital bills and Truman's penchant for gambling his savings, the situation seems hopeless . . . until his estranged wife throws him a lifeline--the chance to write the story of a death row inmate, a man convicted of murder who wants to donate his heart to Truman's son.
Finalists
- The Air We Breathe - Christa Parrish
- Borders of the Heart - Chris Fabry
Best Contemporary Romance
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The Breath of Dawn by Morgan Spencer has had just about all he can take of life. Following the tragic death of his wife, Jill, he retreats to his brother's Rocky Mountain ranch to heal. Two years later, Morgan begins to make plans to return to his home in Santa Barbara to pick up the pieces of his life and career. Quinn Riley has been avoiding her past for four years. After a "chance" first meeting and a Thanksgiving snowstorm, Quinn is drawn into the Spencer family's warm and loving world, and she begins to believe she might find freedom in their friendship. The man Quinn helped put behind bars has recently been released, however, and she fears her past will endanger the entire Spencer family...
Finalists
- Lethal Legacy - Irene Hannon
- Wildflowers From Winter - Katie Ganshert
Best Contemporary Series
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You Don't Know Me by To everyone who knows her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She's a permanent member of the PTA, never misses her kids' sporting events, and is constantly campaigning for her husband's mayoral race.No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O'Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the sleepy town of Deep Haven, Deidre got a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker. Twenty years later, Annalise couldn't be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her...
Finalists
- Two Destinies - Elizabeth Musser
- Waiting For Sunrise - Eva Marie Everson
Best First Novel
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Into the Free by Call Number: FICTION CANTRELLIn Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a 'nothing mama,' she struggles to find a place where she really belongs. For answers, Millie turns to the gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family's long-standing cycle of madness and abuse."
Finalists
- Tangled Ashes - Michele Phoenix
- Wedded to War - Jocelyn Green
Best Historical Novel
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Flame of Resistance by Years of Nazi occupation have stolen much from Brigitte Durand. But that changes the day American fighter pilot Tom Jaeger is shot down over occupied France. Picked up by the Resistance, Tom becomes the linchpin in their plan to infiltrate a Germans-only brothel and get critical intel out through Brigitte, a prostitute rumored to be sympathetic to the Allied cause. D-day looms and everyone knows that invasion is imminent. But so is treachery, and the life of one American pilot unexpectedly jeopardizes everything. He becomes more important than the mission to a man who cannot bear to lose another agent and to a woman who is more than just a prostitute, who finally realizes that her actions could change the course of history.
Finalists
- Wedded to War - Jocelyn Green
- A Wreath of Snow - Liz Curtis Higgs
Best Historical Romance
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Against the Tide by As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she's finally carved out a perfect life for herself--a life of stability and order with no changes, surprises, or chaos of any kind. She adores her apartment overlooking the bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy. However, it is her talent for translation that brings her into contact with Alexander Banebridge, or "Bane," a man who equally attracts and aggravates her. When Bane hires Lydia to translate a seemingly innocuous collection of European documents, she hesitantly agrees, only to discover she is in over her head.
Finalists
- Be Still My Soul - Joanne Bischof
- Love's Reckoning - Laura Frantz
Best Suspense
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Rare Earth by Call Number: FICTION BUNNConducting an undercover investigation into Kenya's corruption-prone obscure-metals industry, Marc Royce, posing as a relief organization auditor, forges an unexpected bond with an Israeli medical administrator who is offering humanitarian aid to local refugees.
Finalists
- Downfall - Terri Blackstock
- The Last Plea Bargain - Randy Singer
- Submerged - Dani Pettrey
Best Visionary
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Soul's Gate by What if you could travel inside another person’s soul? To battle for them. To be part of Jesus healing their deepest wounds. To help set them free to step boldly into their divinely designed future. Thirty years ago that’s exactly what Reece Roth did. Until tragedy shattered his life and ripped away his future. Now God has drawn Reece out of the shadows to fulfill a prophecy spoken over him three decades ago. A prophecy about four warriors with the potential to change the world . . . if Reece will face his deepest regret and teach them what he has learned.
Finalists
- Daughter of Light - Morgan L. Busse
- Starflower - Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Best Young Adult
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Child of the Mountains by Call Number: J SHANKIn the early 1950s, Lydia Hawkins has grown up poor in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia with her widowed mother, brother BJ, who has cystic fibrosis, and her Gran, but when Gran and BJ die and her mother is jailed unjustly, Lydia must try to remain strong and clear her mother's name, even after she learns a shocking secret from the uncle with whom she is sent to live.
Finalists
- Failstate - John W. Otte
- Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words - Rachel Coker