Feathered Quill Book Awards

Children's Picture Books

First Place

The Chameleon Who Couldn't Change Colors

by Nielle Marques

Second Place

Who Are We, Really?

by Nielle Marques

Finalist - Be WHOO You Are by Kathleen Welton
Finalist - Birdie's Picnic Party: A Tasty Take on Food Safety by Jessica McAnelly
Finalist - Just Enough Room for Christmas by Robin Currie
Finalist - Night of the Cricket by Laura Rasey Miller

Third Place

Sally the Brave

by Brittany Petish

Children's Early Readers (6-8 years)

First Place

The Hockey Banner Battle

by Melissa Ahonen

Second Place

Sally the Brave

by Brittany Petish

Finalist - Saturdays with Gramps by Marissa Bader
Finalist - Railings and Ramps by Adella Aakjar Haggerty
Finalist - The Banana from Space by Olga Podoprigora
Finalist - You Are Super, Penny: My Food Allergen Service Dog by Candace Laskowski

Third Place

Cameron, the Confident and Colorful Carnotaurus

by Susan Mills

Young Readers (8-12 years)

First Place

Color Me Skye

by Gloria G. Adams

Second Place

A Time to Wait

by Michelle Blackbird

Third Place

The Adventures of Syd: Lost in Bone Cave

by Danielle Simone

Teen (13-18 years)

First Place

The Lightning People Play

by Tim Cummings

Second Place

Seventeen Missions to Save the World

by Leyth Sharaf

Finalist - Kat's Greek Summer by Mima Tipper
Finalist - Allie's Adventure on the Wonder by Erika Adams
Finalist - The Lake Huron Mermaid: A Tale in Poems by Linda Nemec Foster and Anne-Marie Oomen
Finalist - Carter Knox and the Lost Legacy by Michael Hockwater

Third Place

Pigs and Flakes

by Heidi Fedore

Adult Fiction

First Place

Saving Annie

by Mathew Tekulsky

Second Place

The Fertile Crescent

by Chadwick Wall

Finalist - Blue Ridge to Bolivia by Judith Fournie Helms
Finalist - Für Elise, A Novel by Mark Splitstone
Finalist - Halley's Gathering by William Overstreet
Finalist - Arkansas Black by Alexander Blevens

Third Place

The Meaning of Androsia

by Eric Bush

Women's Fiction

First Place

The Third Estate Secrets of the Manor

by D.R. Berlin

Second Place

Finding Her Voice: From Broken to Bold Book 3: Acts of Early Female Apostles: A Novel

by Elaine Ricker Kelly

Finalist - Why Is My Bra Still On? by Kristen Wasyliszyn
Finalist - According to My Science by Jen Sinclair
Finalist - Sunshine Clinic: A Novel with Recipes by Meera Klein

Third Place

The Goldie Standard

by Simi Monheit

Romance

First Place

Royal Good Time

by Victoria E. Benoit

Second Place

Sunshine Clinic: A Novel with Recipes

by Meera Klein

Finalist - The Best Worst Mistake by Lily Parker
Finalist - The Next Round by Eva Frances

Third Place

Twirl

by Jase Peeples

Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror

First Place

To Know Good and Evil

by Daniel V. Meier

Second Place

The Tempests of Time: Ages of Malice, Book IV

by Lloyd Jeffries

Finalist - Voices from the Dead by Tony Bassett
Finalist - The Manipulator by Dan Buzzetta
Finalist - Deadly Quiet by Cathleen Watkins
Finalist - Soul Collector by Linda Barrett

Third Place

Unshackled: A Camille Delaney Mystery

by Amanda DuBois

Short Story/Anthology

First Place

Bad Mothers and Other Miscreants

by Ann Bronston

Second Place

Can I Have a Hug First?

by Mary Paula Hunter

Finalist - Next Year in Paterson by Ron Goldberg
Finalist - Nick and Lorraine Were Lovers: Stories by David C. Metz
Finalist -The Horned Women and Other Stories by Christy Matheson

Third Place

The Real Dreamwalker Presents: El Niño

by Ashlyn Jacobs

Poetry

First Place

Navigation

by Linda Neal Reising

Second Place

Letter to Xhevdet Bajraj

by Jeff Weddle

Finalist - It Wasn't Easy to Reach You by Daniel Meltz
Finalist - No Trouble Staying Awake by Teresa Scollon
Finalist - Reflections: Earth, Heart, Light, Dark by Dawn Bragg and Devon Jeffers Valdes

Third Place

Cardinal or Crow

by Molly Myriah

Children's Poetry

First Place

The Tractor Who Lost His TR

by Margarita Negre

Second Place

I Love You

by Juan Reynoso

Third Place

Bixby the Peacock on Maple Street

by Shani Night

Science Fiction

First Place

Tachyon Tunnel 3

by Michael Gorton

Second Place

100 Years to Extinction: The Tyranny of Technology and the Fight for a Better Future

by Peter Solomon

Finalist - Call the Wind Mariah: A Story of Survival and Romance at Sea in a Futuristic World Turned Upside Down by W.W. Hennemann
Finalist - Falling Through Space by Michael L. Stevens
Finalist - Imber by Deborah Mistina

Third Place

108: An Eco-Thriller

by Dheepa R. Maturi

Fantasy

First Place

The Unlife of Lisa Cooper: Vengeance

by J.M. Celi

Second Place

The Tempests of Time: Ages of Malice, Book IV

by Lloyd Jeffries

Finalist - Daughter of Starlight by Molly Hammond
Finalist - The Campaign by Evette Davis
Finalist - The Paragon by Molly Collier

Third Place

Faery Academy of QuillSnap: Night of the Purple Moon

by Jacqueline Reinig

Memoir/Biography

First Place

Nether Land

by Kem Hinton

Second Place

Until She's Found: A Daughter’s Journey of Love, Loss, and Justice Taken Away

by Stacy Andrade King

Finalist - Bring One Home: A Memoir of Boyhood, Basketball, and Hometown Spirit by Thomas L. Pelissero
Finalist - Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor's Soul by Robert Macauley
Finalist - Small Town Chaos: Lessons on Country Life by L. Focht
Finalist - My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels: In Control, Being Controlled, Out of Control! by Tom LeNoble
Finalist - When Obstacles Limit Freedom: Facing the Countless Immovable Obstacles of Anxiety and Panic Attacks by Alexander Kirkland

Third Place

A China Story: Growing Up in Mao's Cultural Revolution

by Ying Qian

Self-Help

First Place

Changing Course Gracefully: A Strategic Guide to Building Foundational Self-Trust

by Elaina Kelly Smith

Second Place

Why Breakups Are So Hard: How We Can Help

by Terry McNiff

Finalist - The Talking Circle: A Heart-Centered Approach to Conflict, Community, and Healing by Tamarack Song
Finalist - Deeply Human: The Science and Soul of Emotional Healing: How to Understand and Connect with Your Emotions by Dr. James Manning
Finalist - Before I Lose My Own Mind: Navigating Life as a Dementia Caregiver by Beverly Thorn
Finalist - Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Beehive by Philip Atkinson

Third Place

Must: Becoming the Person You Are Meant to Be

by Stephen Rue

Informational (includes Business, Parenting, Sports, and Cookbooks)

First Place

Align Your Business with the Real You: Connect with Yourself, Create What Matters Most, and Define Your Success

by Jennifer Musser

Second Place

Why Breakups Are So Hard: How We Can Help

by Terry McNiff

Finalist - I Blew My Diet! Now What?: The Easy, Proven 21-Day Plan to Drop Pounds & Bounce Back Boldly by Connie Bennett
Finalist - Healing Canadian Healthcare: Ideas to Improve Nursing Enrolment & Retention by Kathleen Boucher
Finalist- Effective Meetings: Great Results. Less Pain. Every Time. by Chris Fenning

Third Place

If They Won't Bend, Break Them!®: Tips, Tactics and Strategies You Need to Negotiate Like a Pro

by Geoffrey Michael

Historical

First Place

100 Objects from the Collections of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

by Stefanie Halpern

Second Place

Lifelines: A Viennese Family's Letters from Home and Exile, 1938-1947

by Patricia Haim

Finalist - Feathers from the Flame by Lynda Adamson
Finalist - A Soldier's Life: A Black Woman's Rise from Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion by Edna Cummings
Finalist - Für Elise: A Novel by Mark Splitstone
Finalist - Fox Creek: A Novel (The Fox Creek Plantation Trilogy Book 1) by M.E. Torrey

Third Place

Asa James

by Jodi Lew-Smith

Inspirational

First Place

Such A Pretty Picture: A Memoir

by Andrea Leeb

Second Place

Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness

by Deb Miller

Finalist - Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet by Ryan McDermott
Finalist - Serving the Leftovers: Balancing Service and Sanity in an Uncommon Life of Dog Rescue by Alysia Dubriske
Finalist - Align Your Business with the Real You: Connect with Yourself, Create What Matters Most, and Define Your Success by Jennifer Musser

Third Place

Clovis

by Annie Dike

Religious/Spiritual

First Place

Shanghai Road (Whiskey River Mysteries Book 3)

by Claire O'Sullivan

Second Place

The Tempests of Time: Ages of Malice, Book IV

by Lloyd Jeffries

Finalist - Stay with Me, I Want to Be Alone: A Chaplain's Search for Meaning | (A Spiritual Care Memoir of Grief, Loss and Chaplaincy) by Keith Wakefield
Finalist - 63 Hours in Hell by Susan Davis
Finalist - Encounter: A Journey into Chaos, Culture and Compassion by Ian Reilly

Third Place

Lifting the Weight of Shame: With God's Love Workbook

by Karla Noland

Animal - Children's and YA

First Place

Eliza Jane Finds Her Dog Squad

by Eliza Kelley and Debra Alexander

Second Place

The Chameleon Who Couldn't Change Colors

by Nielle Marques

Finalist - Alycat and the Christmas Cookie Swap by Alysson Foti Bourque
Finalist - Sidney's Games by Lolisa Marie Monroe
Finalist - The Pitiful Puppy Who Can't Have Pizza by Michell Kidwell

Third Place

Who Are We, Really?

by Nielle Marques

Animal - Adult

First Place

Greyhound: The Remarkable Story of the Legendary Racehorse Who Inspired a Nation

by Cheryl Eriksen

Second Place

Zen and the Art of Dog Training: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Ourselves

by Adam Halleck

Finalist - Mommy's Boy: How My Doggie Soulmate's Love Rescued Me by Jennifer Schaeffer
Finalist - Wolf Whisperer: My Wild Awakening by the Wolves I Rescued by Tamarack Song

Third Place

Serving the Leftovers: Balancing Service and Sanity in an Uncommon Life of Dog Rescue

by Alysia Dubriske

Debut Author

First Place

The Seven

by Igor Stefanovic

Second Place

Filaments

by KZK

Finalist - Encounter: A Journey into Chaos, Culture and Compassion by Ian Reilly
Finalist - Fox Creek: A Novel (The Fox Creek Plantation Trilogy Book 1 by M.E. Torrey
Finalist - Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness by Deb Miller
Finalist - The Stowaway in First Class: A True Story of an Unforgettable Quest to Come to America by Anthony DeSantis

Third Place

Such A Pretty Picture: A Memoir

by Andrea Leeb

Best of Backlist

First Place

When I See You Again

by Christine Anthony

Second Place

She Who Rides Horses: A Saga of the Ancient Steppe (Book One)

by Sarah Barnes

Finalist - Mud Crab Kingdom: The Soft-Shelled Prince by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

Third Place

Grumpy Lost And Found In Naples ( A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure)

by Susan Marie Chapman

Book Cover Design

First Place

Wolf Whisperer: My Wild Awakening by the Wolves I Rescued

by Tamarack Song

Second Place

The Chameleon Who Couldn't Change Colors

by Nielle Marques

Finalist - Soul Collector by Linda Barrett
Finalist - Feathers from the Flame by Lynda Adamson
Finalist - Allie's Adventure on the Wonder by Erika Adams
Finalist - The Lake Huron Mermaid: A Tale in Poems by Linda Nemec Foster and Anne-Marie Oomen
Finalist - Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Beehive by Philip Atkinson

Third Place

100 Objects from the Collections of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

by Stefanie Halpern

Reviewer's Choice

Our Reviewers Select Their Favorite Books of 2025

Selected by Reviewer Diane Lunsford

Such A Pretty Picture: A Memoir

by Andrea Leeb

Selected by Reviewer Douglas C. MacLeod, Jr.

100 Objects from the Collections of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

by Stefanie Halpern

Selected by Reviewer Alma Boucher

Shanghai Road (Whiskey River Mysteries Book 3)

by Claire O'Sullivan

Selected by Reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott

My Sister's Quilt

by Janet Shawgo

Selected by Reviewer Rebecca Jane Johnson

Bookends of Life

by Sonja Koch and Dalys Finzgar

Selected by Reviewer Tripti Kandari

The Contessa's Triumph

by Nora D'Ecclesis

ADDITIONAL
SPONSORED AWARDS:

Feathered Quill's We Love Animals!

Eliza Jane Finds Her Dog Squad by Eliza Kelley and Debra Alexander wins Feathered Quill's "We Love Animals!" Award for the top placing book in Best Animal - Children's and YA category. The winner will receive a Spotlight (front page) review and author interview with links to the book's (or author's) website. Review and interview will also be posted to our blog, twitter account, Facebook page, and Pinterest. In addition, the review will be posted to Barnes&Noble.com (if the book is listed on that site). - $149 value

BestsellersWorld Award for Best Romance

Royal Good Time by Victoria E. Benoit wins the BestsellersWorld Award for Best Romance - This award includes an author page on the site and the book and synopsis added to the Featured Books page for 10 days. - $125 value

Taborton Equine Books Best Horse Book

Greyhound: The Remarkable Story of the Legendary Racehorse Who Inspired a Nation by Cheryl Eriksen wins the Taborton Equine Books Best Horse Book - For the highest scoring book, of any genre, that prominently features horses. Taborton will place a small test order for the book, (and if the book sells well they will continue to order), as well as also invite the author to a book signing at one of the many equine events Taborton attends in 2025. The book must be available for purchase from either Ingram or directly from the author. Taborton is not able to order from Amazon.

Goodkindles Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Book

To Know Good and Evil by Daniel V. Meier wins the Goodkindles Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Book - This award includes a Professional Option that allows the winner to schedule a book promotion on Goodkindles and all their social media channels, and also a Main Banner graphic advertisement on Goodkindles in the selected month. The value of the award is $165 (Professional Option - $45, Main Banner - $120).

Book Award Pro

All winning books receive a three-month service from Book Award Pro.