The BREW Book Excellence Award celebrates books that fascinate and inspire readers, and highlights outstanding achievements across a diverse range of genres, from fiction to nonfiction. The award sets a benchmark for storytelling that transcends boundaries and resonates with the universal human experience. Judged by a panel of seasoned literary experts called the BREW Laureate Council, winners are recognized not only for technical mastery but also for their ability to forge deep emotional connections with readers. By honoring works that enlighten, challenge, and enrich, the award underscores the enduring power of narrative to expand understanding and offer fresh perspectives.
Table of Contents
2026 Winners
- More Future Dreams and Nightmares by Donald Firesmith (Speculative Fiction)
- Nero and Sporus by S.P. Somtow (Historical Fiction)
- Armando and Maisie by John Maynard (Narrative Poetry)
- Drinking from the Stream by Richard Scott Sacks (Political Fiction)
- Fly Stone, Fly by Dust Kunkel (Dark Fantasy)
2025 Winners
The Velvet Hammer by Chief Justice Belvin Perry, Jr. and Amy Mitchell
- Overall Book of the Year
- Best Memoir
- Best Legal Drama
- Best Social Justice Narrative
- Best Historical Narrative
Saint Bloodbath by Frederick Douglass Reynolds
- True Crime and Investigative Masterpiece
- Best Crime Investigation
- Best Police Procedural
- Best Homicide Investigation
Intrepid Spirit by David Tunno
- Best Historical Fiction
- Best Military Fiction
- Best Nautical Fiction
- Best Naval Adventure
2024 Winners
“Journey of a Radiant Heart” by Niomi Nicci
- Overall Book of the Year
- Biography of the Year
- Inspirational Book of the Year
“Nature Ninja Saves the Natural World” by Tania Moloney
- Children’s Book of the Year
- Sustainability Book of the Year
“Holy Parrot” by Angel A
- Multicultural Book of the Year
2023 Winners
Overall Book of the Year
- Winner: “Black, White, and Gray All Over” by Frederick Douglass Reynolds
Action and Adventure
- Winners:
- “Brothers” by M. E. Taylor
- “Raptor’s Revenge” by Jim Malloy
- Finalists:
- “Accidental Diplomacy” by Jeffrey Busch and Dominic Man-Kit Lam
- “When We Push Through Sound” by Geoff Sease
Australian
- Winner:
- “Hide and Seek Alphabet: With Australian Animals” by Anna Finch
Children’s (10,000 words or longer)
- Winner:
- “The Adventures of Angel: A Kitten’s Story” by Ross Alan Hahn
Children’s (Illustrated)
- Winners:
- “The Secret Life of Santa’s Butterfly Elves: The Magic at Christmas” by Rose Andria
- “What Is Heaven Like?” by Richard R Eng
- “Adventures of Jackson: The Young Field Mouse” by Adam DeGraide
- “Something New in Cloverville?” by Janet Stuart
- “Fingerprints of God” by Melanie Burgess
- “Magic Hotel” by John Reimold
- Finalists:
- “Mahalo Does Not Mean Trash” by Hiwalani Perkins
- “What? No Easter Eggs?” by Janet Stuart
- “Doppy and the Runaway Balloons” by H. R. Manske
- “Let Your Inner Golden Sparkle Shine: The Little Girl Who Never Stopped Believing in Herself” by Muse Literary
- “Grandpa’s Lessons on Fishing and Life” by Ruthie Godfrey
- “Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack” by Linda Harkey
- “The Kindness Guru” by Gar Ying Chan
Children’s Activity Book
- Winner:
- “Stay Safe with Ruby and Reuben” by Sneha Sabu
Children’s Dog Book
- Winner:
- “Love Snaggs – A Little Dog’s Courageous Journey” by Melanie Joy Mezzancello
Children’s Friendship Book
- Winner:
- “Roosevelt Banks and the Attic of Doom” by Laurie Calkhoven
Christian
- Winner:
- “Be a Giant Killer: Overcoming Your Everyday Goliaths” by Ed Norwood
- Finalists:
- “Along Came Hell, or So I Thought” by Lois Young
- “Journey to Peaceable Soul” by Megan Macaulay
Comedy
- Winner:
- “Tales from the Bug Guy” by Dr. German Roach
Contemporary Fiction
Winner:
- “Dragum” by K.C. LaSaga
Creative Non-fiction
- Winners:
- “My Sweet Aroma” by Timothy Green
- Finalists:
- “Applauding Life: Poetry and Prose of an Octogenarian” by David A.J. Richards
- “Way Worse than Attica” by Dirk Cameron Gibson
Epic
- Winners:
- “The Provenance: Astar’s Blade: Part One” by Joe Lyon
- “Linden Falls” by Joshua Hershey
Fantasy
- Winner:
- “Adventures of Fairies and Dragons” by Nancy Benson
Folklore
- Winner:
- “Age of Resolve: The E.V. Chronicles” by Ilene Grydsuk
Historical Fiction
- Winner:
- “No One Must Know” by Susan Frances
Inspirational
- Winners:
- “The Eighteen Years That Didn’t Change Anything” by Enrico Tesla
- “The Art and Science of Culture: The Power of Seeing What’s Hidden” by Chad Carr
- “Sport: A Stage for Life – How to Connect with the Touchstones of Elite Performance and Personal Fulfillment” by Cristiana Pinciroli
- “The Human Paradox: It’s Time to Think and Act as a Species” by Gilbert E. Mulley
- “Mental Health, Poetry, and I: Original Poetry That Saved My Life” by Brendon Feeley
- “The Journey Home: Portraits of Healing” by Gabriel Bron
- Finalists:
- “The Unstoppable Artist: Discovering the Artist Inside Yourself” by Barbara L. McCulloch
- “Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul” by Mitzi Perdue
- “Mind Candy: The Code to Program Your Subconscious Mind to Achieve Any Goal” by Felicia Pizzonia
- “The True Believers” by Louis Martin
- “Chasing Rabbits” by Rodolfo Del Toro
- “Tosher” by Adrian Winney
Memoir, Biography, or Autobiography
- Winners:
- “Black, White, and Gray All Over” by Frederick Douglass Reynolds
- “Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again” by Roni Rosenthal
- “The Eighteen Years That Didn’t Change Anything” by Enrico Tesla
- “Mud Flower: Surviving Schizophrenia and Suicide Through Art” by Meghan Caughey
- “Sprig of White Heather and a Scottish Lass” by Anne Angelo
- “Fictionally Nonfiction: The Life I’d Never Admit Was Nonfiction” by Wynn Thà nh Phi
- Finalist:
- “Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness” by Richard Lui
New Book
- Winners:
- “Story and Structure” by Leon Conrad
- “The Connection Game” by SS Turner
- Finalists:
- “This Is Dodger: A Story About the Life of a Rescue” by Dawn R. Smith
- “Peace in War” by Lindsay Ann Fink
- “It Could Happen Here – A Roadmap to Disaster” by J. F. Cronin
Non-fiction
- Winners:
- “Black, White, and Gray All Over” by Frederick Douglass Reynolds
- “Story and Structure” by Leon Conrad
- “Healing Guide to Having a Baby: Infertility, Emotional Wounds and Taking Back Your Power” by Jennifer Coady Murphy
- Finalists:
- “100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions, Volume 2: Top Content Creators Help You Succeed in an Era of Rapid Change” by Ross Brand
- “Nipper” by Peter Massam
- “Liberty, Science and Wealth: The Evolution to Modern Society” by Ralph L. Bayrer
- “Abraham Lincoln’s path to reelection in 1864: our greatest victory” by Fred J. Martin, Jr.
Novella
- Winner:
- “Do Nothing: A Griffin Knight Murder Mystery Thriller” by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
Poetry
- Winner:
- “Poems from Heartlands: Special Illustrated Color Edition” by Dr. C. A. Buckley
Scifi Realism
- Winner:
- “Homecoming” by Jude Austin
Suspense
- Winner:
- “A Colossal Injustice: A Griffin Knight Corporate Murder Mystery (The Griffin Knight Series)” by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
- Finalists:
- “Pacifica” by Richard C. Deason
- “Forbidden Zone 1940” by Anne Angelo
Thriller
- Winner:
- “Praesidium” by McKinley Aspen
Western
- Winner:
- “The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch: A Modern Ranch with an Ancient Secret” by Julia Brewer Daily
Young Adult
- Winner:
- “Torment: Descension” by Daniel Foster
2022 Winners
None
2021 Winners
“Bunky and the Walms” by Aleksandra Tryniecka
- Book of the Year
- Children’s Book
- New Book
“A Time to Forget in East Berlin” by CG FEWSTON
- Spy Thriller Fiction
Share this page
If you’d like to embed a clickable image on your own website’s page, post, or widget, you may copy and paste the code below. When your audience clicks this image on your website, they’ll be taken to this page.

<a href="https://thechrysalisbrewproject.com/brew-book-excellence-award-winners/"><img decoding="async" src="https://thechrysalisbrewproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/6.png"></a>
More information
For more details about the awards, here are the links:
- General BREW Book Excellence Awards Terms and Conditions
- BREW Book Excellence Awards nomination form as well as other specific terms and conditions
- Nominate a book for an award
- Other BREW Book Awards
- BREW Award Winners
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Use
- Disclaimer and Disclosure
- Editorial Guidelines
- Contact Form
You must be logged in to post a comment.