The 2024 Christy Award Winners
"11 novels named as the year’s best in Christian Fiction"
Every year, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) hosts the Christy Awards in Chicago, recognizing authors across nine fiction categories and presenting two additional awards, The Christy Book of the Year and The Amplify Award.
The Christy Award exists to celebrate excellence in the art of Christian fiction and to honor the power of faith in story.
—ECPA press release, 11/15/2024
I was pleasantly surprised to realize I’d read seven of them—not usually the case! (Kind of like my Academy Award track record; I’m lucky if I’ve heard of those, let alone watched—or enjoyed!—them.) But Christian fiction is my jam, so maybe it shouldn’t surprise me.
Read on for the winners and, where applicable, links to my reviews.
THE CHRISTY BOOK OF THE YEAR and CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Indigo Isle, T.I. Lowe
Tyndale House Publishers
*From The Chapter House (TCH): ⭐⭐⭐ A mixed-bag read for me; I personally preferred Under the Magnolias and Lowcountry Lost more (both link to my Substack reviews). But that cover! 🥰
THE AMPLIFY AWARD FOR CHRISTIAN FICTION
The American Queen, Vanessa Miller
Thomas Nelson
*From TCH: ⭐⭐⭐ Probably my favorite of the books I’ve read by this author. Not always my favorite writing style (and topically challenging at times), but I so appreciate the author’s bringing the MC and topic to life.
FIRST NOVEL
An American Immigrant, Johanna Rojas Vann
WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House
GENERAL FICTION
The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass, Katie Powner
Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group
*From TCH: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughtful and thought-provoking; fans of Mitford will enjoy. See my full review on Goodreads.
HISTORICAL
The Warsaw Sisters, Amanda Barratt
Revell/Baker Publishing Group
*From The Chapter House: ⭐⭐⭐Three stars mostly due to tough subject matter. Well researched and written, as I’ve come to expect from this author—simply challenging given the amount of detail at street level during the Holocaust. See my full review on Goodreads.
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Of Love and Treason, Jamie Ogle
Tyndale House Publishers
*From TCH: ⭐⭐⭐ Three stars; I can appreciate biblical fiction (and have enjoyed some great reads out there!), but it isn’t really my favorite—I’m not sure why. I can see why people like it, but it’s not for me.
MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER
The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, Jaime Jo Wright
Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group
*From TCH: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ JJW is at her best with this read! On par with The House on Foster Hill (which, as movie!Sam Gamgee would say, “is sayin’ a lot”). See my full review here.
SHORT FORM
Star of Wonder (within We Three Kings), Crystal Caudill
Kregel Publications
SPECULATIVE
In This Moment, Gabrielle Meyer
Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group
*From TCH: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is book 2 of 4 in a series, and the first two are easily my favorites. Well researched and conceptually so interesting. See my full review here.
YOUNG ADULT – tie
Offsides, Lori Z. Scott
End Game Press
Sky of Seven Colors, Rachelle Nelson
Enclave Escape, a division of Oasis Family Media