It’s been a busy week in terms of awards for Christian fiction. American Christian Fiction Writers have announced the finalists in the Carol Awards (with the winners to be announced at their conference in August), and the 2016 Christy Award and 2016 INSPY Award winners have been announced.
So if you’ve been looking for a Christian novel to read, here are some great choices!
First up, the winners of the 2016 Christy Awards:
Book of the Year and Visionary:
The Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart
Contemporary:
The Sea Keeper’s Daughters by Lisa Wingate
Contemporary Romance/Suspense:
The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck
Contemporary Series:
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt
First Novel:
Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason
Historical:
Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
Historical Romance:
Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund
Suspense:
Twisted Innocence by Terri Blackstock
Young Adult:
The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker
The only surprise for me on this list was the winner of First Novel—I attempted to read it, but found the heroine so unlikeable I couldn’t finish it. I can only assume she improved a lot by the end.
The 2016 INSPY Award winners are:
Contemporary Romance / Romantic Suspense
The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer
Debut Fiction
Jaded by Varina Denman
General Fiction
Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
Historical Romance
Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin
Young Adult
An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
Mystery/Thriller
The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks
Speculative Fiction
The Shock Of Night by Patrick Carr
I’m Thrilled To See Secrets She Kept On This List As Well—It Was An Outstanding Novel (And, In Fact, Cathy Gohlke Won This Category Last Year As Well, When I Was An Inspy Judge).
And the finalists for the Carol Awards are:
Contemporary:
Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman
The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert
As Waters Gone By by Cynthia Ruchti
Historical:
Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson
Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund
Historical Romance:
Beyond All Dreams by Elizabeth Camden
Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin
A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller:
The Aleppo Code by Terry Brennan
Blessings in Disguise by Nancy Mehl
Finding Amanda by Robin Patchen
What’s interesting about this category is that none of these are from ‘major’ Christian publishers.
Novella:
A Bride for Bear from The Convenient Bride Collection by Erica Vetsch
A Palace on the Plains from The Most Eligible Bachelor Romance Collection by Erica Vetsch
The Archaeologist’s Find from The Homestead Brides Collection by Erica Vetsch
Huge congratulations to Erica Vetsch, who obviously has this category sewn up!
Romance:
The Beekeeper’s Son by Kelly Irvin
Until the Harvest by Sarah Loudin Thomas
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt
Romantic Suspense:
No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason
Submerged by Elizabeth Goddard
Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.
Short Novel:
Covert Justice by Lynn Huggins Blackburn
The Christmas Family by Linda Goodnight
The Doctor’s Second Chance by Missy Tippens
Speculative:
Vinnie’s Diner by Jennifer AlLee
Heir of Hope by Morgan L. Busse
The Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart
Young Adult:
Angelhood by A.J. Cattapan
The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson
Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman
Debut:
The Thornbearer by Pepper Basham
The Calling of Ella McFarland by Linda Brooks Davis
The First Principle by Marissa Shrock
Another category where all the books are from smaller publishers, which is great news for authors.
