Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for The Christy Award Finalists 2025 organized by ECPA and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! We extend our sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to The Christy Award 2025 Finalists & Winners (announced on November 7th)!
I’m not sure when I first discovered The Christy Awards, but ever since then, I’ve loved following the contest. I look for familiar authors and books. I note the publishers. I study the titles and the covers.
I especially appreciate the First Novel category since it’s all newbies who are jumping into the fiction world with a splash. I like researching them, reading their background, seeing what else they’re working on.
I was thrilled this year when I discovered Addison Crissone, author of The Yellow Badge is a teenager who self-published her book. How cool is that? Obviously, to be that young and already a Christy finalist, Addison is going to be an author to keep an eye on.
I was also excited to see Amanda Wright’s Darkfell is not only a finalist in First Novel, but Speculative, as well.
I can’t wait to watch The Christy Award Gala to see who wins each of the categories. What about you? Which of these books have you read? Which ones are you rooting for?
You are Invited!
The Christy Award Gala 2025
Via webcast
November 7, 2025 | 7 pm CT
Featuring Chris Fabry, T.I. Lowe, Jessica Hooten Wilson, and a host of Christy-winning authors
This is our year to gather together VIRTUALLY to celebrate and honor the best Christian fiction of the year. The Christy Award® Gala Webcast will be held the evening of Friday, November 7th and will feature a premiere cast of the industry’s authors to announce The Christy Award winners in nine categories, The Christy Book of the Year®, and The Amplify Award for Christian Fiction.
The special evening will be hosted by radio personality and award-winning novelist Chris Fabry and will include keynotes by Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University, Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson and award-winning and Christy Book of the Year 2024 author, T.I. Lowe. The event will also include award-winning novelists Jaime Jo Wright, Johanna Rojas Vann, Lori Z. Scott, Katie Powner, Jamie Ogle, Rachelle Nelson, Vanessa Miller, Gabrielle Meyer, Crystal Caudill and Amanda Barratt.
The Christy Award Finalists 2025
Contemporary Romance (tie)
A Run at Love, Toni Shiloh (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Nature of Love, Toni Shiloh (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Roads We Follow, Nicole Deese (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Who Touches the Mountains, Deborah Raney (Raney Day Press)
First Novel
Darkfell, Amanda Wright (Quill and Flame Publishing House)
Until Our Time Comes, Nicole M. Miller (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Yellow Badge, Addison Crissone (Addison Crissone)
General Fiction (tie)
Between the Sound and Sea, Amanda Cox (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
Bitter and Sweet, Rhonda McKnight (Thomas Nelson)
Lowcountry Lost, T.I. Lowe (Tyndale House Publishers)
The Way Back, Heidi Chiavaroli (Hope Creek Publishers)
Historical
ll We Thought We Knew, Michelle Shocklee (Tyndale House Publishers)
Born of Gilded Mountains, Amanda Dykes (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Queen’s Cook, Tessa Afshar (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Historical Romance (tie)
As Sure as the Sea, Jamie Ogle (Tyndale House Publishers)
The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple, Joanna Davidson Politano (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Seaside Homecoming, Julie Klassen (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Walking on Hidden Wings, Rachel Scott McDaniel (Kregel Publications)
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller (tie)
The Crown Conspiracy, Connie Mann (Tyndale House Publishers)
Night Falls on Predicament Avenue, Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Serial Burn, Lynette Eason (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
Shattered Sanctuary, Nancy Mehl (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Terminal Danger, Jerusha Agen (SDG Words)
Short Form (tie)
A Daffodil in the Dress (within Something Borrowed), Susie Finkbeiner (Kregel Publications)
Forgiving the Cowboy, Tabitha Bouldin (Love Inspired)
A Heart in Disguise (within Something Borrowed), Rachel Scott McDaniel (Kregel Publications)
A Letter to Eli (within Something Borrowed), Allison Pittman (Kregel Publications)
Speculative (tie)
A Slice of Sky, Nancy Moser (Mustard Seed Press)
Darkfell, Amanda Wright (Quill and Flame Publishing House)
Memoria, J.J. Fischer (Enclave, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Protector, Megan Schaulis (WhiteCrown, an imprint of WhiteFire Publishing)
Young Adult (tie)
Ben Washington is the Newbie on the Block, Jasmine Mullen (Moody Publishers)
The Chaos Grid, Lyndsey Lewellen (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Echo Nova, Clint Hall (Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Jake Rogers’ Planet, Philip Wilder (Great Commission Alliance)
Register for The Christy Award 2025 Winners Webcast
The Christy Award winners webcast on November 7 at 7 p.m. CT. – free but registration is required.
Celebrate this year’s finalists and winners with authors, editors, publishers, and readers!
The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org
Author and Reader Event
Join fellow readers and 46 writers at the third annual Rendezvous to celebrate Christian fiction and sweet reads. This event, modeled after the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat and organized by JustRead Publicity Tours, aims to sweeten reading and storytelling experiences with fellowship and encouragement. Activities will include corporate worship, The Christy Award webcast watch party, speaker sessions, author panels, small group discussions, games, giveaways, a pop-up book shop, and author signings.
Learn more about the 2025 Read Write Rendezvous
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive print copies of The Christy Award 2025 finalist titles for one category of their choice!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 10, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 17, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Let's chat! What are your thoughts?