2025
Book of
the year
The Wake of Expectations by Javier de Lucia
Bio & Memoir
Bio & Memoir Winner
Unbalanced: Memoir of an Immigrant Math Teacher by Yellow Heights
Bio & Memoir Runner-Up
Oma & Me by Kerby Kunstler Caudill
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
FINALISTS
Children’s Book
Children’s Book Winner
The Dachshund Dash by Michelle Medlock Adams
Children’s Book Runner-Up
The Big Aquarium Adventure by Nancy Roop
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
General Fiction & Nonfiction
General Fiction & NonFiction Winner
The Girl from Block Number 5 by Andrew Holloway
General fiction & Nonfiction Runner-Up
To Die is Different Than Supposed by Alissa Butterworth
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
Historical & Adventure
Historical & Adventure Winner
The House Filler by Sherry Wong
Historical & Adventure Runner-up
Fortune’s Price by Frank Nissen
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
HORROR & Suspense
Horror & Suspense Winner
Letter 26 by Jacob Moon
Horror & Suspense Runner-Up
The Harvest by Alex Hunter
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
inspirational &
self-help
Inspirational & Self-Help Winner
A Quest for Tears by Sean Dwyer
Inspirational & Self-Help Runner-UP
Sweet Sorrow by Sherry Cormier
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
LITERARY & HUMOR
Literary & Humor Winner
Run Away Home by Catherine Manett
Literary & Humor Runner-up
Purcell Station by Dale Glenn
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
Middle Grade & Young Adult
middle grade & young adult winner
Spinner by Michael J. Bowler
Middle grade & Young adult Runner-up
Off Edge by Addison Brae
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
MYSTERY & Crime
Mystery & crime winner
Parrot Prose by DL Mitchell
Mystery & crime
Runner-up
The Girl in the Net by Gene Gross
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
Romance & Women’s Fiction
Romance & Women’s fiction Winner
More Than Luck Required by Connie Morgan
romance & Women’s fiction runner-up
Grounded in January by Savannah Hendricks
RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Finalists
Scifi & Fantasy
scifi & Fantasy winner
The Survivors by Angela White
scifi & Fantasy Runner-Up
The Shadow and the Scream by Rebecca L. Fearnley
WINNER
RUNNER-UP
Finalists
Thriller
Thriller Winner
The Both of Us by Dan Lawton
Thriller runner-Up
The Rebirth by VP Evans
