BREW Readers’ Choice Award 2025–2026 Winners and Finalists Announced

Australia, 3rd Jan 2026, -
 

The Chrysalis BREW Project has announced the winners and finalists of the Monthly and Annual BREW Readers’ Choice Award 2025–2026, following the conclusion of reader voting across the award cycle.

The BREW Readers’ Choice Award is determined through reader participation. Eligible titles must receive a minimum rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars and compete with other nominated works, with winners determined by the highest number of reader votes. As stated in the award criteria, “nominees for the award need to receive 4.0 out of 5 stars and must compete with other nominees with the book getting the most votes winning the award.”

The annual Book of the Year winner for the 2025–2026 cycle was Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines. 

Monthly Book of the Month winners were also recognised throughout the award year. These monthly titles qualified for annual consideration based on reader ratings and votes. The Chrysalis BREW Project notes that “not all titles may be awarded in a given period,” and that “winners may or may not be announced for a particular award round,” depending on voting outcomes.

Here are the complete lists of honourees:

🏆 Annual Winners and Finalists

Book of the Year Winner

• Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines by Adriene Caldwell

Finalists

• The Moaning Lisa by Rosemary and Larry Mild
• Peering Into Infinity: Mirrors of Love & Grief by Steven Lewis
• Cancer Courts My Mother by LindaAnn LoSchiavo
• The Magical World of Candytopia by Abigail Samson
• The Song of Hadariah by Alisse Lee Goldenberg
• Accused Again by Michael J. Kundu
• Down to Earth by Nil Demircubuk
• Climb Greater Heights by Tony Jeton Selimi
• Jake Fox: Ties That Blind by Michael Stockham
• The Lost Lamb by Melanie Flynn
• Nero and Sporus by S.P. Somtow
• The Mystery of Way Back When by Carolyn Summer Quinn
• The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor by D.R. Berlin
• The Destiny Book by Helena Lind
• What Mommy Doesn’t See by Karen Ledbetter
• The Islander by David W. Berner
• Cristobal Bull by Chris Corbett
• Nowhere to Hide by Jude Austin
• Erift’s Journeys: Secrets of The Sealed Forest by J.T. Tenera
• Cheerful Obedience by Patrick McLaughlin
• Know Your Mind by Peter Massam
• Young Anastrina and Companions by Luminescence Goh
• Yesterday Was Not So Long Ago by Ruth Benario
• Eternal Love by C. Peggy Atoche
• The Travels of Mr Cat by Jenny Carey
• Unravelling Inwards: A Journey Of Embracing The Divine Feminine by Camilla Fellas Arnold
• Mary Poser (YA Edition) by Angel A
• The Magic Hotel by John Reimold
• 100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions, Volume 5 by Ross Brand
• Every Other Weekend: Coming of Age With Two Different Dads by Anthony J. Mohr
• Not A Shovel In Sight by Carolyn Summer Quinn
• Letters from Gilgil 3 by Peter Massam
• Garden Tools: Poems by David W. Berner
• The Ballad of Billy Lopez by Stewart McKay
• The Last Toll Collector by S.S. Turner
• Apprenticed to the Night by LindaAnn LoSchiavo
• The Woman on the Ferry by Brenda K. Uekert, PhD
• Letters from Gilgil 1 by Peter Massam
• Letters from Gilgil 2 by Peter Massam
• The Doctor’s Future by Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli
• Little Joe and the Big City by Mike Darcy
• The Foundling: Heir to Ash and Blood by Donald Firesmith
• The Romantic Ideal by Gregory V. Diehl
• Two Crowns, Three Blades by Robert A. Walker
• Cargo 3120: Ties That Bind by Aaron Walker Sr
• The Puzzle Piece by Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez
• 100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions, Volume 2 by Ross Brand
• Rivers on Fire by Paul Buchheit
• Yankeeland by Lacy Fewer
• Willow Rose by M. Kevin Hayden
• The Art of Managing Humans by Tsvika Abramovitch
• Vanished on the Vaudeville Circuit by Carolyn Summer Quinn
• Botheration 2 by Vito Di Barone
• Child of Secrets From Afar by Carolyn Summer Quinn
• More Future Dreams and Nightmares by Donald Firesmith
• Living on the Fringe of the Mob by Joseph P. O’Donnell
• Daylight Saving Time: The Power of Growing Older by David W. Berner
• Never Have I Ever by Harker Jones
• Wealth and Privilege by Jeanette Watts
• A Song at Dead Man’s Cove by Ana Yudin
• Doris the Dragon by Tom Morency
• Ancient Wonders: The Sword’s Secret by Chris Cole
• Hey Dick: The Story of How I Loved and Lost My Brother by Robbie Blackburn
• Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria
• Metrognome by Jana Cruz
• Vademecum of English by Ana María López Jimeno
• It Was Her New York by C.O. Moed
• The Adventures of Periwinkle Fae by Donald Firesmith
• The Call of Abaddon by Colin Searle
• An Enemy Like Me by Teri M Brown
• Nipper by Peter Massam
• The Sea Turtle Spy Project by Marsha Klopmeier Tufft

🌟 Book of the Month Winners

December 2025

• Peering Into Infinity: Mirrors of Love & Grief by Steven Lewis

November 2025

• The Moaning Lisa by Rosemary and Larry Mild

October 2025

• Down to Earth by Nil Demircubuk

September 2025

• Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines by Adriene Caldwell

August 2025

• Yesterday Was Not So Long Ago by Ruth Benario

July 2025

• The Ballad of Billy Lopez by Stewart McKay
• The Doctor’s Future by Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli
• The Foundling: Heir to Ash and Blood by Donald Firesmith
• Little Joe and the Big City by Mike Darcy
• Letters from Gilgil 2 by Peter Massam
• Letters from Gilgil 1 by Peter Massam
• The Woman on the Ferry by Brenda K. Uekert, PhD
• Apprenticed to the Night by LindaAnn LoSchiavo
• The Last Toll Collector by S.S. Turner

June 2025

• Eternal Love by C. Peggy Atoche
• The Travels of Mr. Cat by Jenny Carey
• Unravelling Inwards by Camilla Fellas Arnold
• Mary Poser (YA Edition) by Angel A
• The Magic Hotel by John Reimold
• 100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions: Vol. 5 by Ross Brand
• Every Other Weekend by Anthony J. Mohr
• Not a Shovel in Sight by Carolyn Summer Quinn

May 2025

• Young Anastrina and Companions by Luminescence Goh
• Know Your Mind by Peter Massam
• Secrets of the Sealed Forest by J.T. Tenera
• Cheerful Obedience by Patrick M. McLaughlin

April 2025

• Cristobal Bull by Chris Corbett
• Nowhere to Hide by Jude Austin
• The Islander by David W. Berner
• What Mommy Doesn’t See by Karen Ledbetter

March 2025

• The Destiny Book by Helena Lind

February 2025

• The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor by D.R. Berlin

January 2025

• The Mystery from Way Back When by Carolyn Summer Quinn

About the BREW Readers’ Choice Award

The BREW Readers’ Choice Award is an ongoing literary recognition programme organised by The Chrysalis BREW Project. The award is based on reader reviews and voting in addition to editorial selection. Titles are evaluated according to published eligibility requirements, including minimum review scores and comparative reader votes. Monthly awardees are eligible for annual recognition, subject to voting results.

About The Chrysalis BREW Project

The Chrysalis BREW Project is an independent literary platform that publishes reviews, features, and awards across multiple genres. It facilitates reader engagement through open reviews and various recognition programmes, including the BREW Readers’ Choice Award. The project operates internationally and releases award results on a periodic basis.