The Hollywood Creative Alliance Launches Inaugural Astra Book Awards
February 20, 2026
Sixty five different books have been nominated across 16 categories
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – The Hollywood Creative Alliance is proud to announce the nominees for their first ever Astra Book Awards, celebrating a remarkable year in literature across a wide range of genres and voices.
From compelling memoirs and thought-provoking fiction to romantic fantasy and standout debut titles, this year’s nominees reflect the depth, diversity, and cultural impact of storytelling today.
The 2026 Astra Book Awards is slated to take place on April 20, 2026 at Castaways in Burbank. The ceremony will bring together authors, publishers, and industry professionals for an evening honoring literature from all over the world.
All of the nominated books will be eligible to win the Book of the Year award, which will be revealed at the ceremony on April 20th.
Tickets to attend the awards ceremony are now available for purchase by visiting the Astra Book Awards website.
Best Celebrity Book:
Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself by David Archuleta
Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music by Debbie Gibson
Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! Hardcover by Liza Minnelli
You with the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate
Best Children’s Book:
I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy by Mychal Threets
I am Rebel by Ross Montgomery
The Dawn of Adonis by Phil Earle
X Marks the Haunt by Lindsay Currie
Best Comic Book:
Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 by Deniz Camp
Absolute Wonder Woman #1 by Kelly Thompson
The Power Fantasy #1 Book by Kieron Gillen
Ultimate Endgame #1 by Deniz Camp
Best Debut:
Lenswoman in Love: A Novel of the 1960s & ’70s by Kim Gottlieb-Walker
Of the Holy Trinity by Dani Len
One Fall by Joe Maldonado
The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen
Best Fantasy:
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
Katabasis by Rebecca F. Kuang
The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn
The Way of Lucherium by Christopher J. Rziha
Best Fiction:
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Something in the Water by Phyllis R. Dixon
The Capricious Nature of Being by Richard Plinke
Your Tomorrow Was Today by Oyindamola Dosunmu
Best Historical Fiction:
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
The Luckiest Fool on Earth: The Twisted Yarn of America’s Greatest Flagpole Sitter, Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly by Phillip S Roberts
Best Horror:
Dollface by Lindy Ryan
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Best Humor:
Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane by Lindy West
A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike
That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You by Elyse Myers
Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart
Best LGBTQ+:
A Lady for All Seasons by TJ Alexander
And So It Was for Mary by Aaron Denius
Black Flame by Gretchen Felker-Martin
The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid
Best Memoir:
Awakenings in Real Life by Dan Cohen
Life Is Lifey: The A to Z’s of Navigating Life’s Messy Middle by Sarah Shahi
My Good Life by Gregory M Lee
The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke
Best Mystery & Thriller:
Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
Strange Buildings by Ukatu
Best Romance:
Anne of Avenue A by Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
How Freaking Romantic by Emily Harding
Reasons to Be Loved by You by Hannah Brown
Too Good to Be True by Prajakta Koli
Best Romantasy:
Alchemised by SenLinYu
Brimstone by Callie Hart
Devour the Snake: A Captain Hook, Crocodile, and Wendy Darling Reimagining by Nikki St. Crowe
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Best Science-Fiction:
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
The Compound by Aisling Rawle
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
Best Young Adult:
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani
We Fell Apart by E.Lockhart
About The Astra Awards:
The Astra Awards, presented by the Hollywood Creative Alliance, recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements in entertainment and media. The HCA’s mission is to foster a supportive and inclusive community where professionals from all areas of the industry can connect, collaborate, and champion one another. The current guild membership includes actors, critics, creatives, journalists, podcasters, producers, publicists, and writers.
Follow The Astras on social media:
Facebook: @TheAstraAwards
Instagram: @hollywoodcreativealliance
YouTube: @TheAstraAwards
TikTok: @TheAstraAwards
###
Press Contact:
Lee Meltzer
Lee Meltzer Consulting
