Award Time!

It's coming up to award time, and several organisations have announced their lists of finalists over the last few weeks. Today I'm introducing the finalists for the 2015 RITA (Inspirational Fiction) and Christy Awards.

Romance Writers of America

RWA have five finalists in their Inspirational Romance Category:

Deceived by Irene Hannon (read and reviewed)
For Such a Time by Kate Breslin
Hope at Dawn by Stacy Henrie
Huckleberry Summer by Jennifer Beckstrand
The Widow's Suitor by Rose Ross Zediker

For Such a Time is also a finalist for First Novel - well done, Kate Breslin!

Christy Awards

The long-established Christy Awards are the premier awards in Christian fiction, and showcase novels in a variety of categories:

CONTEMPORARY

Farewell, Four Waters by Kate McCord
Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon
The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert
Firewall by DiAnn Mills (read and reviewed)
Undetected by Dee Henderson (read and reviewed)

It's curious that Firewall and Undetected are in the Contemporary Romance category, as both are part of a series. 

CONTEMPORARY SERIES

The Amish Blacksmith by Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner
Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney (read and reviewed)
When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren (read and reviewed - always a favourite author)

FIRST NOVEL

Feast for Thieves by Marcus Brotherton (this one's on my to-read list)
For Such a Time by Kate Breslin
House of Living Stones by Kate Schuermann

HISTORICAL

The Advocate by Randy Singer (another on my to-read list)
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (interesting choice, as not known as a CBA author)
The Sentinels of Andersonville by Tracy Groot (I've heard good things about this, but haven't read it)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander
Thief of Glory by Sigmund Brouwer (and another on my to-read list!)
With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden (read and reviewed)

SUSPENSE

The Color of Justice by Ace Collins
A Cry from the Dust by Carrie Stuart Parks (read and reviewed)
Sky Zone by Creston Mapes

VISIONARY

Once Beyond a Time by Ann Tatlock
Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes

YOUNG ADULT

Failstate: Nemesis by John W. Otte
This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof
Storm Siren by Mary Weber

I've read and reviewed a lot of books over the last year, and I'm surprised to see I've read so few of these. What have you read?