2020 INSPY Shortlists Published!

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

So exciting!! We are now down to the INSPY Shortlists.

Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe (Tyndale) by Carla Laureano


Sweet on You (Bethany House) by Becky Wade


Just One Kiss (Independent) by Courtney Walsh

Debut Fiction

Heart of a Royal (WhiteSpark) by Hannah Currie


Whose Waves These Are (Bethany House) by Amanda Dykes


Shadow Among Sheaves (Shiloh Run Press) by Naomi Stephens

General Fiction

All Manner of Things (Revell) by Susie Finkbeiner


How the Light Gets In (Tyndale) by Jolina Petersheim


The Printed Letter Bookshop (Thomas Nelson) by Katherine Reay

Historical Romance

The King's Mercy (Waterbrook) by Lori Benton


Until the Mountains Fall (Bethany House) by Connilyn Cossette


A Bound Heart (Revell) by Laura Frantz

Literature for Young Adults

Evermore (Northern Lights Press) by Jody Hedlund


Within These Lines (Blink) by Stephanie Morrill


Tiger Queen (Blink) by Annie Sullivan

Mystery/Thriller

The Wind Will Howl (Wheelhouse Publishing) by Sibella Giorello


Storm Rising (Bethany House) by Ronie Kendig


The Curse of Misty Wayfair (Bethany House) by Jaime Jo Wright

Speculative Fiction

Flight of the Raven (Bethany House) by Morgan L Busse


Brand of Light (Enclave) by Ronie Kendig


Light from Distant Stars (Revell) by Shawn Smucker

Winners will be announced June 28.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Any surprises? Any from the long lists that you expected to be on the short list and didn't make it?

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Soooo happy that Amanda Dykes's Whose Waves These Are made the short list. That was one of my top-three favorites last year. It's pretty rare that my favorites make the short lists or win any accolades.

[Lauren]

I'm so happy over Flight of the Raven by Morgan L Busse.

There are some I'm interested in so that's good too.

[Chris]

The Wind Will Howl, Evermore, and Whose Waves These Are are all on kindle unlimited for free right now if you want to read them by ebook!! Can't wait to read these and Ronie Kendigs books.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Andrea wrote: "Soooo happy that Amanda Dykes's Whose Waves These Are made the short list. That was one of my top-three favorites last year. It's pretty rare that my favorites make the short lists or win any accol..."

Andrea, I love when that happens! I agree that it is disappointing when a book you loves doesn't get the recognition we think it should.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Lauren wrote: "I'm so happy over Flight of the Raven by Morgan L Busse.

There are some I'm interested in so that's good too."

Lauren, that is one of the ones I haven't read. Glad to hear it's a good one!

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Chris wrote: "The Wind Will Howl, Evermore, and Whose Waves These Are are all on kindle unlimited for free right now if you want to read them by ebook!! Can't wait to read these and Ronie Kendigs books."

Thanks for sharing that Chris. I notice Just One Kiss is available for Kindle Unlimited as well. I've been wanting to read a Sibella Giorello novel for some time now. Any recommendations on which one to start with?

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

For me there were a few surprised that did/didn't make the short lists. I absolutely love when I find a new author from award lists and Hannah Currie is one that I don't remember seeing before (other than the long list). Look forward to reading her debut.

As for what I'd love to read before the winners are announced:

[Loraine]

I've read 5 of them and a few more that I'd like to read.

[Chris]

I just finished Just One Kiss - it was a good book. Curse of Misty Wayfair was just ok - A Bound Heart was my favorite of all of them. Sweet on You was a sweet book. Looking forward to reading a lot of these otherwise. Not really into speculative fiction though.

[Kim]

I've read several of the books on this list and can agree wholeheartedly with them being on there. Several others are on my wish list too.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Loraine wrote: "I've read 5 of them and a few more that I'd like to read."

Excellent Loraine! Any favorite among the ones you've read?

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Chris wrote: "I just finished Just One Kiss - it was a good book. Curse of Misty Wayfair was just ok - A Bound Heart was my favorite of all of them. Sweet on You was a sweet book. Looking forward to reading a lo..."

Chris, speculative isn't one I read much of either. Glad to hear Just One Kiss is good. Hope to get to that one soon.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Kim wrote: "I've read several of the books on this list and can agree wholeheartedly with them being on there. Several others are on my wish list too."

Same Kim! A reader's TBR is ever expanding.

[Loraine]

Staci wrote: "Loraine wrote: "I've read 5 of them and a few more that I'd like to read."

Excellent Loraine! Any favorite among the ones you've read?"

I gave all 5 that I read a 5 rating, so it's hard to pick a favorite especially when except for 2 they are in different categories.

[Elizabeth]

I think Until the Mountains Fall was my favorite book I read last so I'm glad it made the short list. Read and loved several more of these and I'm hoping to get to a few more before the winners are announced.

[Sarita]

Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Haven't read any on the shortlist. Surprised didn't make it. was also really good.

Mystery and Thriller

I've read 2 of the 3 on the shortlist

Between the two I vote for

Others I've read on the long list which I thought was great was

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Elizabeth wrote: "I think Until the Mountains Fall was my favorite book I read last so I'm glad it made the short list. Read and loved several more of these and I'm hoping to get to a few more before the winners are..."

I love Connilyn Cossette's books too!

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Sarita wrote: "Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Haven't read any on the shortlist. Surprised didn't make it. was also really good.

Mys..."

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Sarita. There are always a few from the long list that I think should have made the short list that didn't.

[Natalie]

Sarita wrote: "Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Haven't read any on the shortlist. Surprised didn't make it. was also really good.

Mys..."

Aww, thank you so much!! <3

[Caroline]

Thanks to 'Hoopla', I was able to read almost all the short-listed nominees. The ones I couldn't get:


The best part of reading these nominees is discovering new authors. This time, they are:

Both are not my typical reads, but I ended up enjoying them immensely.

[Caroline]

My favorites in each category:
Contemporary Romance/ Romantic Suspense


General Fiction


Historical Romance


Literature for Young Adults


Mystery/Thriller


Since I haven't read one of the books in Debut and Speculative Fiction categories and I am still hoping my library will buy the books, will refrain from picking a favorite now.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Caroline wrote: "Thanks to 'Hoopla', I was able to read almost all the short-listed nominees. The ones I couldn't get:


The best part of read..."

That's awesome Caroline! Love finding new authors. I have a Kindle book by Sibella Giorello that I've been meaning to get to for a while.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Caroline wrote: "My favorites in each category:
Contemporary Romance/ Romantic Suspense


General Fiction


Historical Romance
[bookcover:Un..."

Thanks for sharing your favorites. The wait for the winners announcement isn't much longer...

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

I ended up being able to read:



Both were good! Just two more days until the winners are announced.

[Brittany]

I have read these books from the shortlist: