16th Annual Whitney Award Nominees

The Whitney Awards are a readers’ choice award. Nominees, finalists, and winners do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Whitney Awards Committee or the Storymakers Guild organization.

Nominees will be posted as they come in.

General/Historical

Baker, B. E. – The Bequest

Connolly, Rebecca – A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice

Lewis, L.C. – The Letter Carrier

Sowards, A.L. – Before the Fortress Falls

Adult Speculative

Book cover, witch flying on broom in front of moon with text The Witch of White Lady Hollow

Belt, C. David – The Witch of White Lady Hollow

book cover, family holding hands with space/planets

Butler, D. J. – Abbot in Darkness

Holmberg, Charlie N. – Star Mother

Ward, Marsha – Chill

Worthen, Johnny – Of Kings, Queens & Colonies

Mystery/Suspense

Abramson, Traci Hunter – Not Dead Yet

Abramson, Traci Hunter & Bessey, Sian Ann – The Danger with Diamonds

Brianne, Natalie – Constantine Capers: Flashes of Memory

Cowley, Katherine – The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception

Edwards, Paige – Facing the Enemy

Luke, Gregg – Red Cicada

Montgomery, K G – Harding Proper

Peterson, Kathi Oram – Danger Unknown

Romance

Abramson, Traci Hunter – Dreams of Gold

Armstrong, Lindzee – Dare to Fall

Baldwin, Kaylee – A Summer Mismatch

Easton, Meg – It Started with a Note

Ford, River – Completing Her Heart: Heather

Gygi, Allison – Chasing Her Heart

Hadly, Aspen – Just Enough Magic

Book Cover, couple holding hands near water

Hilton, Emi – Memories in Morro Bay

Holmberg, C.N. – You’re My I.T.

Jacobson, Melanie – Maybe I Will

LeCheminant, Dana – Love on Camera

Mendez, Yamile Saied – Twice a Quinceañera

Mitchell, Gracie Ruth – Say Yes to the Hot Mess

Proctor, Jenny – How to Kiss Your Best Friend

Steel, Cindy – Double or Nothing

Historical Romance

Allen, Nancy Campbell – To Capture His Heart

Beers, Laura – A Perilous Circumstance

Bessey, Sian Ann – An Unfamiliar Duke

Catmull, Lisa H. – An Unintended Engagement

Connolly, Rebecca – Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage

Flint, Jentry – Games in a Ballroom

Hawks, Arlem – Beyond the Lavender Fields

Jensen, Krista – Hearts of Briarwall

Johnson, Jen Geigle – A Tenuous Betrothal

Keyes, Martha – A Confirmed Rake

Kilpack, Josi S. – The Valet’s Secret

LeCheminant, Dana – The Thief and the Noble

Nelson, Miranda D – Pursuit of Perfection

Nichols, M. A. – To Have and to Hold

Odekirk, Tiffany – Summerhaven

Stockton, Kasey – Sensibly Wed

Thornell, Karen – Edward and Amelia

Tuft, Karen – An Accidental Romance

Van, Nichole – Love Practically

Wade, J. C. – The White Witch’s Daughter

Walker, Anneka – Bargaining for the Barrister

Zeigler, Amey – Wylder Bride

Young Adult General

Adair, Nicole – Voted Most Likely

Cluff, Sara Jo – Taylor’s Outrageous Vow

Eaton, Pam – They Didn’t Know

Inouye Huey, Emily – Beneath the Wide Silk Sky

Jakes, Annie – Chasing California

Book cover, sticky notes with the text "the words we keep"

Stewart, Erin – The Words We Keep

Young Adult Speculative

Archer, Ali – Dragon Protocol

Dodson, Alicia Morley – Hidden Syzygy

Smith, Kristin – Unbreakable

Stutznegger, Lenore – Blue Shadows Fall

Young Adult Fantasy

Beesley, Mary – Human Hearts

Cole, Darci – Summon

Frost, Heather – Royal Captive

Greer, Brandon J. – The Clandestine Queen

Nysetvold, Elissa C. – Nightwalker

Wheeler, E.B. – Cruel Magic

Zeller, Mathilda – The Revenge of Bridget Cleary

Middle Grade

Clark, Heather – Lemon Drop Falls

Cooper, Cori – Bake Happy

Evans, Loralee – Woodlands and Wormholes

Grantham, Tamara – The Not So Chosen One

Rivera, Kaela – Cece Rios and the King of Fears

Smithson, Camille – Dragon Pox

Best Novel by a Debut Author

Clark, Heather – Lemon Drop Falls

Flint, Jentry – Games in a Ballroom

Gygi, Allison – Chasing Her Heart

Book Cover, couple holding hands near water

Hilton, Emi – Memories in Morro Bay

Inouye Huey, Emily – Beneath the Wide Silk Sky

Jakes, Annie – Chasing California

Montgomery, K G – Harding Proper

Nysetvold, Elissa C. – Nightwalker

Smithson, Camille – Dragon Pox

Stutznegger, Lenore – Blue Shadows Fall

Wade, J. C. – The White Witch’s Daughter

Zeller, Mathilda – The Revenge of Bridget Cleary

The Whitney Awards are a readers’ choice award. Nominees, finalists, and winners do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Whitney Awards Committee or the Storymakers Guild organization.

15th Annual Whitney Award Finalists

General/Historical

Abramson, Traci Hunter; Bessey, Sian Ann; Edwards, Paige; Sowards, A. L. – Heirs of Falcon Point

Brower, Beth: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion

Elliott, Joani – The Audacity of Sara Grayson

Moore, Heather B. – The Slow March of Light

Sowards, A.L. – Of Sword and Shadow

Adult Speculative

Bates, Kevin W. – Prospector’s Choice

Harmon, Amy – The Second Blind Son

Holmberg, Charlie N. – Spellbreaker

Sanderson, Brandon – Rhythm of War

Wheeler, E. B. – A Proper Dragon

Mystery/Suspense

Brianne, Natalie – Constantine Capers: The Pennington Perplexity

Cowley, Katherine – The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet

Edwards, Paige – Danger on the Loch

McKusick, Heidi L. – Heart of the Enemy

Peterson, Kathi Oram – Treacherous Legacy

Romance

Jacobson, Melanie – So Not My Thing

Kay, Shaela – Only Ever Friends

Linton, Chalon – Fly Home to Me

Monson, Becky: The Accidental Text

Rallison, Janette: The Cowboy and the Girl Next Door

Historical Romance

Harmon, Amy – The Songbook of Benny Lament

Hatch, Esther – A Proper Scoundrel

Heileman, Jess – The Nabob’s Daughter

Kimball, Heidi – Heart in the Highlands

Newbold, Ashtyn – The Captain’s Confidant

Young Adult General

Boekweg, Sheena – A Sisterhood of Secret Ambitions

Eves, Rosalyn – Beyond the Mapped Stars

Farb, M. L. – Fourth Sister

Mickelson, Marcia Argueta – Where I Belong

Vickers, E. B. – Fadeaway

Young Adult Speculative

Camp, Shannen – Entanglement

Carpenter, Amy Michelle – Becoming Human

Hues, L. Blaise – Republic of Ruin

Keisel, Kortney – The Promised Prince

Scott, R. M.: Unseen

Young Adult Fantasy

Berg, Adam – Rainbringer

Olson, Jessica S.: Sing Me Forgotten

Purdie, Kathryn – Bone Crier’s Dawn

Sangster, Caitlin – She Who Rides the Storm

Shields, Breanna – The Splendor

Middle Grade

Allen, Sarah – Breathing Underwater

Baldwin, Cindy – The Stars of Whistling Ridge

Méndez, Yamile Saied: Wish Upon a Stray

Mull, Brandon – Return of the Dragon Slayers

Rivera, Kaela – Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

Best Novel by a Debut Author

Berg, Adam – Rainbringer

Brianne, Natalie – Constantine Capers: The Pennington Perplexity

Carpenter, Amy Michelle – Becoming Human

Cowley, Katherine – The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet

Elliott, Joani – The Audacity of Sara Grayson

Keisel, Kortney – The Promised Prince

Olson, Jessica S.: Sing Me Forgotten

Rivera, Kaela – Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

Scott, R. M.: Unseen