Tag: Christy Award

21 August 2025

Book Chat #398 | Do book awards make you want to check out the book?

Yes, but not all book awards.

As I mostly read Christian fiction (especially Christian romance), I have a particular preference for book awards that are either specifically for Christian fiction (such as the Christy and Carol Awards), or which have a Christian or inspirational fiction category. I also have a preference for awards organised by writer or reader organisations.

What I’m less interested in is “participation awards”. You know the ones: they say they have over 500 authors entering the awards each year, but when you look at the website you realise there are close to 100 categories, with five finalists in each category …

What about you? Do you check out books that have won awards?

9 December 2022

First Line Friday #263 | All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese, a 2022 Christy Award and ACFW Carol Award winner.

Here’s the first line from Chapter One:

The Kindle version is currently on sale for less than a dollar, so click here to check out the sample.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About All That Really Matters

Molly McKenzie’s bright personality and on-trend fashion and beauty advice have made her a major social media influencer. When her manager-turned-boyfriend tells her of an upcoming audition to host a makeover show for America’s underprivileged youth, all her dreams finally seem to be coming true. There’s just one catch: she has little experience interacting with people in need.

To gain an edge on her competitors, she plans to volunteer for the summer at a transitional program for aged-out foster kids, but the program’s director, Silas Whittaker, doesn’t find her as charming as her followers do. Despite his ridiculous rules and terms, Molly dives into mentoring, surprising herself with the genuine connections and concern she quickly develops for the girls–and Silas. But just as everything seems perfectly aligned for her professional future, it starts to crumble under the pressure. And as her once-narrow focus opens to the deep needs of those she’s come to know, she must face the ones she’s neglected inside herself for so long.

Find All That Really Matters online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

14 September 2021

Bookish Question #194 | Does a book winning an award influence you to read it?

It depends on the award. I’ve tried reading a couple of Orange Booker Prize finalists or winners and haven’t made it through the first chapter. I can only conclude that means those awards recognise a style of writing I’m not especially interested in reading.

As a child, I realised one of my favourite novels had won something called the Newbery Medal.

If I saw a Newbery Medal award on a book cover, I’d then read it because I found they were consistently enjoyable books.

As an adult, it depends …

As a book reviewer, I tend to mostly read pre-release or newly released titles. I”m always happy when I see a book I read and enjoyed finals or wins an award like the Carols (from American Christian Fiction Writers), the Christy Award (from ECPA), or the Inspys (organised by a group of book bloggers). I will occasionally buy a book that’s won one of these awards, especially if the publisher has a post-award sale 🙂

I would buy more Carol, Christy, and Inspy-Award winning books if it wasn’t for my current to-read pile. My current Kindle contains enough unread books to keep me quiet for the next two years, assuming I don’t download or agree to review any more books (as if). Then there’s my old Kindle Keyboard, which has enough books for the next eight to ten years …

But I’m always glad when a book I’ve read and enjoyed wins an award.

What about you? Does a book winning an award influence you to read it?

28 September 2020

Book Review | The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox

The Edge of Belonging is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in years.

It’s a dual timeline story where the past and present are only twenty-four years apart and feature the same characters.

In the present day, Ivy Rose Lashley is a school counsellor who loves her job and the children she works with, and is engaged to the handsome Seth. But that all unravels after her grandmother’s death, and she returns to her hometown where she finds her grandmother has left her a puzzle to solve—the mystery of her birth and subsequent adoption.

In 1994, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn, so takes her back to the camp he calls home.

But he doesn’t have baby milk or diapers or anything needed to care for a newborn, and he doesn’t have money to buy any. He finds supplies in an unlocked church, and proceeds to name the baby Ivy Rose, and to care for her as his own.

I know this is supposed to be Ivy’s story, but I thought Harvey was the more interesting and sympathetic character, because his problems were not problems of his own making. Having said hat, nor were Ivy’s. At first, I thought Ivy’s problems with Seth were the result of her own bad judgment, but as the novel progressed it became obvious that their relationship was the result of her own emotional needs weaknesses, many of which stemmed from being adopted.

But Harvey was the character who tugged at my heartstrings.

He’s had a rough deal in life but hasn’t let it turn him bitter. In fact, he doesn’t seem to realise how bad it’s been. Instead, all he wants to do is love and protect baby Ivy, and you can’t hold that against him. At the same time, the present story gave an idea of the direction the past story would take, and that tugged the heartstrings even more.

There were lots of twists in the story, most of which only became obvious towards the end so I won’t give spoilers. Let’s just say that I started by saying this is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in years, and I stand by that opinion.

Edge of Belonging has a great dual-timeline plot, wonderful characters, a strong underlying Christian message, and writing that is good enough to make the strongest person weep. Recommended.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Amanda Cox

Amanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband and their three children.

Find Amanda Cox online:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About The Edge of Belonging

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

Find The Edge of Belonging online:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Read the introduction to The Edge of Belonging:

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

7 September 2020

Book Review | Portrait of Loyalty (Codebreakers #3) by Roseanna M White

Lilian Blackwell spends her days volunteering in Charing Cross Hospital … at least, that’s what her mother thinks. She actually spends her afternoons in the basement of the Admiralty building, retouching and manipulating photographs to be used in the war effort. Propaganda—something Lily and her mother have opposing views on.

Cryptographer Zivon Marin escapes Russia in the fourth year of World War I, escaping the rise of the Bolsheviks … and the murder of his fiance. He ends up in London, working for the British Admiralty, although he doesn’t think the British trust him, especially not after certain photographs show up.

The two meet when Lily’s father invites Marin home for dinner, and start getting to know each other. But it’s not an easy relationship, as the Admiralty aren’t sure if they can trust Marin, as it’s not clear which side of the Russian Revolution he supports. What does become clear is that he is on one side … and his brother is on the other, which places Marin in danger …

Portrait of Loyalty brings in more history than simply the backdrop of World War I, and that is a strength.

The other nod to history (which I should have seen coming) is the Spanish Flu arriving in London from Kansas via half of Europe. And that’s not pretty, particularly given what we now know about living through a pandemic. So if you’re one of the people avoiding pandemic books, you might want to wait before reading Portrait of Loyalty.

Overall, Portrait of Loyalty is another excellent installment in Roseanna M White’s Codebreaker series. The characters are people of faith, so it’s clearly Christian fiction. It has romance, suspense, and tragedy, and the writing is excellent.

A Portrait of Loyalty is yet another brilliant World War I Christian romance from Roseanna M White. Recommended! #ChristianFiction Share on X

It’s a standalone novel, so you don’t have to have read earlier books in the series to enjoy this one. However, if you have, you’ll recognise some characters. Recommended for fans of historical fiction.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Roseanna M White

Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna has a slew of historical novels available, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia.

Find Roseanna M White online at:

About A Portrait of Loyalty

Zivon Marin was one of Russia’s top cryptographers until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee to England after speaking out against Lenin, Zivon is driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits. But never far from his mind is his brother, whom Zivon fears died in the train crash that separated them.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and re-creating photographs. With her father’s connections in propaganda, she’s recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove if she ever found out.

After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily that soon takes over their hearts. But both have secrets they’re unwilling to share, and neither is entirely sure they can trust the other. When Zivon’s loyalties are called into question, proving him honest is about more than one couple’s future dreams–it becomes a matter of ending the war.

Find A Portrait of Loyalty online at:

Amazon | Christianbook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

4 May 2020

Book Review | Stay With Me (Misty River Romance #1) by Becky Wade

Eighteen years ago, Genevieve was one of five miracle children who survived days trapped in rubble in San Salvador, after an earthquake hits the during their junior high mission trip. Now, she’s an online celebrity, a famous author of Bible studies for women. And she’s hiding a prescription drug addiction that could destroy her career, and wondering what secrets her family is hiding. Because there is definitely something, if the anonymous letter she received is any indication.

But she knows something has to change after she wakes up in a stranger’s house with no memory of how she got there. But she can’t go to rehab. That would mean the end of her career. And there is also the question of how her parents will react, especially her overprotective mother.

Sam Turner is an Australian American who owns his own coffee shop and is a big advocate of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. (Okay, so the one thing I’m not convinced about is a man who voluntarily eats kale, but there you go.) Anyway, Sam agrees—against his better judgment—to help Genevieve detox.

Stay With Me is a strong romance with excellent characters. It’s strong Christian fiction, because faith is central to both Genevieve and Sam’s lives. But the real strength is the way it deals with Genevieve’s addition, an issue that’s rarely discussed in Christian fiction, and the subtle warning against putting other Christians—especially Christian leaders—on pedestals.

Stay With Me by @BeckyWade is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn't afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

Stay With Me is a great start to a new series, a Christian novel that isn’t afraid to ask tough questions about faith and life. Recommended.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Becky Wade

Becky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

These days, you’ll find Becky in Dallas, Texas failing to keep up with her housework, trying her best in yoga class, carting her three kids around town, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, hunched over her computer writing, or eating chocolate.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Stay With Me

A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents’ past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she’s also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he’s chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can’t force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most.

As Genevieve researches her family’s history and her and Sam’s emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they’ve clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.

Find Stay With Me online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

And don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

5 December 2019

Throwback Thursday | True to You by Becky Wade

Nora Bradford is one of my favourite-ever fictional heroines.

She’s a bookish librarian-researcher-genealogist who is a devotee of a certain British period drama, and one of the minor actors (the way she describes him, I see him as a slightly more foppish version of Benedict Cumberbatch).

Nora also happens to own a historic village (as you do). She meets the handsome John Lawson when her sister volunteers her as a hostage for a training exercise run by John’s company, and the attraction would have been immediate if it wasn’t for the existence of Allie, John’s perfect girlfriend.

John is adopted and wants to find his birth parents.

Nora seems the perfect person to help him. Only she’s too perfect … and he’s too much of a Christian and a gentleman to be able to do anything with that perfection when he already has the perfect girlfriend in Allie. Allie, who knows his secret and still wants him.

The plot was excellent, with the perfect (!) combination of predictable and surprising.

There were several plot points that I didn’t see coming, but which made perfect sense. The characters were excellent—intelligent, funny, and quirky, and I’m already looking forward to the next two books in the series, to find out how Willow and Britt get their happy-ever-afters (the who has been pretty well identified already. The how … that’s going to be fun to watch. And I don’t know which I want to read more—the story of the ex who’s back in town, or the story of the boy next door who’s been in love with her forever).

The writing was outstanding. There were so many great lines, but I can’t quote most of them because *spoilers*. I especially loved the faith thread. Both Nora and John are Christians, and while the plot never makes a big deal about it, it is central to both their characters and both their stories. It comes across as entirely natural, and that’s tough to pull off.

I think you’ve figured by now that I loved this book. Recommended for all contemporary Christian romance fans.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Becky Wade

Becky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About True to You

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has 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 and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John’s already dating someone and Nora’s not sure she’s ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

Find True to You online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | ChristianBook | Koorong

Read the introduction to True to You below:

12 June 2017

Bookish Question #11 | Do You Read Award-Winning Books?

I’ve loved reading ever since I was a child. (Raise your hand if that sounds familiar!)

Most of the early books I read were from Scholastic, courtesy of the Lucky Book Club brochures that were delivered to school every few months. Mum would usually buy us a book out of the brochure. I also found many books from the brochure in the school library.

When I was about ten, I noticed that many of my favourite books had a picture of a medal on the cover—the Newbery Medal. I learned that if I was looking for a book, that medal often indicated a book I’d like.

Then I grew up, and grew out of Newbery Medal-winning books. Were there adult equivalents? My mother bought The Bone People by Keri Hulme, the first book by a New Zealand author to win the prestigious Booker Prize (back before it was sponsored by Man Group). She didn’t like The Bone People—she couldn’t get past the non-standard punctuation.

I think that put me off searching for adult equivalents to the Newberry Medal.

Now I read mostly Christian fiction, and I find there are a huge range of awards for Christian books, fiction and non-fiction. I enjoy following the fiction awards:

The Christy Award, named for Christy by Catherine Marshall. Click here for the Christy Award finalists and winners for 2016.
The Carol Award, run by American Christian Fiction Writers. Click here for the Carol Award finalists for 2016—the 2017 finalists are due to be announced later this month.
The CALEB Award, run by Omega Writers, and celebrating the best Christian writing in Australia and New Zealand.
The INSPY Awards, which are unique in that they feature a reader-nominated shortlist, and the final judges are book bloggers. Click here for the INPSY Award shortlists for 2017.

I find these four contests routinely have finalists and winners I enjoy—so if a book makes it to that coveted finalist position, I’m willing to give it a try even if I know nothing about the book or the author.

The Christy, Carol, and INSPY Awards all have several genre categories, and a first book category. I love checking out the lists of finalists in my favourite genres.

How many of the books have I read? Which did I like? Which would I pick to win?

I do find myself adding several books to my to-read pile. Sometimes I wonder how and why I missed them when they were first published.

So yes, I do read award-winning books, but only from the Christian contests I trust.

What about you? Do you read award-winning books?

6 July 2016

2016 Christy and INSPY Award Winners and Carol Finalists

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.

Winners of the 2016 Christy and INSPY awards

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.

28 May 2016

Book Review: Invisible by Ginny Yttrup

If you’ve signed up for my monthly Newsletter, you’ll already have receive my entirely biased list of 50 novels from my favourite Christian authors. If you haven’t, sign up on the right!

Today I’m reviewing Invisible by award-winning author Ginny Yttrup. And if you think Invisible sounds good, it is—but Words is even better.

Invisible

Ellyn De Mossmid is in her forties, and is the owner and chef of her own restaurant. Sabina Jackson is a counsellor on leave with stress issues and mild depression. Dr Miles Becker is a healer recovering from the truth that he couldn’t heal his own wife, and Twila Boaz is a recovering anorexic who works in her mother’s health food store while waiting to see where God leads her.

Miles describes Ellyn as witty, intelligent and beautiful. Her voice certainly comes across as witty and intelligent, whereas Miles is more distant, his formality no doubt a product of his grief–and perhaps his guilt. Sabrina tries to be upbeat and professional, but there is something there that might be a lie, while Twila has a wisdom beyond her years. They form an unlikely group of friends, each learning from the others… and there might even be a little romance in there somewhere…

Ginny Yttrup’s first novel, Words, was a finalist for two Christy awards and winner of one, and after just three chapters of Invisible I could see why. I am in awe of her writing. What is even more amazing is that the writing is unobtrusive. I wasn’t reading it and thinking ‘oh, this is great writing’. I was totally engaged in her characters and the story she was telling. It was only as I paused to reflect on the story that I saw how good the writing is, how she has managed to write four quite different characters all in the first person (and in present tense, no less), each with their own unique voice.

Invisible is about finding beauty in God’s creation, including ourselves, and understanding that God’s standard for beauty is not the commercialised and sexualised standard we see in contemporary media. It’s a beautifully written reminder that we are created in the image of our mighty God. Recommended.

Thanks to and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Ginny Yttrup on her website, and you can read the beginning of Invisible here: