Nominees and Finalists

17th 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.

* Titles with an asterisk met the requirements and received the necessary nominations for a Whitney Award. They are not competing due to the one book per category per author rule. The Whitney Awards program is happy to honor the authors and fans of these titles by featuring them on our website.

Nominate a Novel

General/Historical

Bentley, Elizabeth Petty – Facing Grace

Bessey, Sian Ann – The Call of the Sea

Boyd, H. R. – Paint the Grass

Connolly, Rebecca – Under the Cover of Mercy

Harmon, Amy – A Girl Called Samson

Sowards, A. L. – A Waltz with Traitors

Adult Speculative

Atkins, Kristina – Feathers Sharp as Knives

Bates, Kevin W. – Quarantine

Belt, C. David – The Witch and the Devourer of Souls

Dalby, Carrie – Discernment

Dunn, Colby – The Brink

Gage, Rebecca – The Curious Case of the Whispering Corpse

Gunderson, Cindy – The Blessing Giver

Powell, Christie Valentine – The Captain’s Dowry

Read, D.T. – Mountains of the Gods

Reeder, Joanna – Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns

Wheeler, Jeff – Doomsday Match

Mystery/Suspense

Black, Stephanie – Come, Gentle Night*

Black, Stephanie – The Trespassers

Eljarbo, Heidi – The London Forgery

Griffith, Jennifer – If Looks Could Kill

Hahn, Caren – This Side of Dark

Lewis, L.C. – Revenge Never Rests

Lyon, Annette – Just One More

McKinnon, Rebecca – Murder To My Ears

Mitchell, Gracie Ruth – Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder

Peterson, Kathi Oram – Shifting Sands

Romeril, Christina – A Nutcracker Nightmare

Thompson, Jessica – Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up

Romance

Abramson, Traci Hunter – Worlds Collide

Anderson, June B. – Reining in the Cowboy*

Anderson, June B. – Roping the Cowboy Next Door

Atkinson, Jen – Insta Boyfriend*

Atkinson, Jen – Insta Connection*

Atkinson, Jen – Insta Kiss

Beckstrand, Jennifer – Second Chances on Huckleberry Hill

Cooper, Cori – Ways to Improve Bailey

Libretto, Lorelei – Finding the Wolf

Lieske, Victorine E. – A Necessary Nudge Out of the Friend Zone

Merriam, Kathryn – No Matter Who

Rabe, Jenny – Mistletoe Kisses*

Spencer, Jen – Happily Ever After on Huckleberry Hill

Stockton, Kasey – I’m Not Charlotte Lucas

Historical Romance

Barker, Joanna – A Heart Worth Stealing

Beers, Laura – An Improper Courtship

Bessey, Sian Ann – The Unassuming Curator

Bradley, Carol P. – The Making of Margaret Dashwood

Cummings, Kathleen – The Fight for Grace

Daines, Julie – Meriden Park

Eden, Sarah M. – Fleur de Lis*

Eden, Sarah M. – The Best Intentions*

Eden, Sarah M. – The Queen and the Knave*

Eden, Sarah M. – Wyoming Wild

Hastings, Samantha – Secret of the Sonnets

Hatch, Esther – The Earl’s Hideaway: No Ladies Allowed

Peaslee, Jessilyn Stewart – Always Ella

Spencer, Jen – Rachel and Riley

Stones, Rachel Kelley – Love Unseen

Walker, Megan – Miss Newbury’s List

Young Adult General

Cooper, Cori – Sage Advice

Daley, Tracy – The Wrong Side of the Setting Sun

Eves, Rosalyn – An Improbable Season

Frost, K.M. – No Matter What

Matthews, Julie K. – Anna’s MVP

Richards, Teresa – Flippin’ Skaters

Rigby, Randi – Derailed

Young Adult Speculative

Frost, Crystal – Moon & Ruin

Hibbert, Debbie – Necromancy the Musical

Hues, L. Blaise – Victor-27

Young Adult Fantasy

Anderson, Allison – The Spring Maiden

Bateman, Rachel – Make the Fireflies Dance

Benson, K.B. – Well of Eida

Drysdale, Elizabeth – The Exile’s Promise

Flory, Jessica – Oceans of Sand

Frost, Heather – Esperance

Hunt, Sydney – Cursebreaker

Lloyd, Janilise – The Whisperer’s Wish

Mera, Daniela A. – The Gilded Survivor

Millecam, Courtney – The Never Heir

Richards, Michael – The Peace of Freysdal

Stanford, Brit – The Timespeaker

Middle Grade

Baldwin, Cindy – No Matter the Distance

Carlson, Rebecca J. – The Wizard of Frogsmire

Dewsnup, Abby – Branson Garcia and the Sea of Sceros

Evans, Loralee – Taigh- A Flying Squirrel’s Adventure

Hartman, Aubrey – The Lion of Lark-Hayes Manor

Hill, Amanda Rawson – Once Upon a Family

Jacobs, Bruce – Zeke Zooter and the Eye of Balor

Jolley, Mary Locke – First, The Conjurer

Morris, Chad & Brown, Shelly – The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry

Nielsen, Jennifer A. – Iceberg*

Smithson, Camille – Ditch the Glitch

Thayer, Mike – The Talent Thief

Vickers, Elaine – Half Moon Summer

Best Novel by a Debut Author

Anderson, Allison – The Spring Maiden

Atkins, Kristina – Feathers Sharp as Knives

Boyd, H. R. – Paint the Grass

Cummings, Kathleen – The Fight for Grace

Daley, Tracy – The Wrong Side of the Setting Sun

Flory, Jessica – Oceans of Sand

Gage, Rebecca – The Curious Case of the Whispering Corpse

Hartman, Aubrey – The Lion of Lark-Hayes Manor

Hibbert, Debbie – Necromancy the Musical

Hunt, Sydney – Cursebreaker

Jacobs, Bruce – Zeke Zooter and the Eye of Balor

Jolley, Mary Locke – First, The Conjurer

Libretto, Lorelei – Finding the Wolf

Millecam, Courtney – The Never Heir

Richards, Michael – The Peace of Freysdal

Stanford, Brit – The Timespeaker

Stones, Rachel Kelley – Love Unseen