Announcing the INSPYs 2016 Shortlists

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Afternoon, blogging and reader friends. Well, it’s here. We have arrived. The 2016 5-book panels in 7 genres are announced. The Advisory Board spent the weekend in discussion, working out which of the 15 books we began with in the seven categories were best suited for these shortlists. We came away happy with excitement and anticipating the chance to share the INSPYs 2016 shortlists with you all!

INSPYS 2016 | Judging Panels

Below you can find the official INSPYs website announcement, feel free to visit it and share your thoughts or comment down below. We’re now thrilled to turn the daunting task of deciding which books in these seven categories most deserve the win. This will be decided by our judging panels, which we announced earlier this month.

Congrats to all of the amazingly talented authors, and thank you, judges for taking on the task of honestly and with consideration, deciding on which book should win.

Without further ado. Drumroll please…

INSPYs 2016 Shortlists Announced

As many of you will remember, there were significant changes made to our awards at the beginning of our 2016 program year. Despite this, the INSPYs program saw an increased number of nominations this year. We thank you so much for understanding our need to change and evolve as we strive to create a program that is considerate of the many wonderful novels written in this genre. We experienced an incredible show of support for the INSPY program yet again.   

Multiple book deliveries later coupled with juggling multiple time zones, and our respective schedules, the Inspy Awards Advisory Board is thrilled to (finally) announce the 2016 shortlist contenders. As each year does, another daunting task was placed before us to pick just 5 books in each category from a long list nominated by readers and bloggers around the world. After careful consideration and deliberation, the INSPYs Advisory Board is pleased to announce that the following books have been shortlisted in the 6th annual INSPY Awards. 

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE/ROMANTIC SUSPENSE 

London Tides (David C. Cook) by Carla Laureano
The Dandelion Field (Zondervan) by Kathryn Springer
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Howard) by Beth K. Vogt
A Love Like Ours (Bethany House) by Becky Wade
The Wonder of You (Tyndale House) by Susan May Warren

DEBUT FICTION

The Thorn Bearer (Vinspire Publishing) by Pepper D. Basham
Jaded (David C. Cook) by Varina Denman
A Noble Masquerade (Bethany House) by Kristi Ann Hunter
Irish Meadows (Bethany House) by Susan Anne Mason

GENERAL FICTION 

A Cup of Dust (Kregel) by Susie Finkbeiner
The Art of Losing Yourself (Waterbrook Press) by Katie Ganshert
Secrets She Kept (Tyndale House) by Cathy Gohlke
Water From My Heart (Center Street) by Charles Martin
The Brontë Plot (Thomas Nelson) by Katherine Reay

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

The Wood’s Edge (WaterBrook) by Lori Benton
Not by Sight (Bethany House) by Kate Breslin
The Mistress of Tall Acre (Revell) by Laura Frantz
Luther and Katharina (Waterbrook Press) by Jody Hedlund
Through Waters Deep (Revell) by Sarah Sundin

MYSTERY AND THRILLER

A.D. 33 (Center Street) by Ted Dekker
The Last Con (Thomas Nelson) by Zachary Bartels
Vendetta (Revell) by Lisa Harris
Falcon (Shiloh Run Press) by Ronie Kendig
The Bones Will Speak (Thomas Nelson) by Carrie Stuart Parks

LITERATURE FOR YOUNG ADULTS 

Season of Fire (Blink) by Lisa T. Bergren
Shades of Doon (Blink) by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
The Choosing (Tyndale House) by Rachelle Dekker
An Uncertain Choice (Zondervan) by Jody Hedlund
Siren’s Fury (Thomas Nelson) by Mary Weber

SPECULATIVE FICTION

The Methuselah Project (Kregel) by Rick Barry
Heir of Hope (Enclave Publishing) by Morgan L. Busse
The Shock of Night (Bethany House) by Patrick W. Carr
The Curse of Crow Hollow (Thomas Nelson) by Billy Coffey
Embers (Enclave Publishing) by Ronie Kendig

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Congratulations to all of the nominated authors and shortlist contenders! We now turn the job over to our judges to select a winner in each category. Winners will be announced June 28th.