@therandoawards
A homespun literary award with absolutely zero prestige but 100% passion. Founded in 2023 by a collection of randos who just wanted to celebrate the books they love. Want to join the judging team for the 2025 Randos or sponsor an award? Drop us a DM!
As we approach the end of 2025, our team of Randos is looking for new judges to join the crew!
Do you love reading?
Like, REALLY love reading?
Would you like to send an award to the author of your fave book of the year?
If so, join us! Shout out and we'll get you on the team!
With all our winners' trophies now having landed on doorsteps, it's time for the Randos crew to take a breather.
We'll keep quietly reading and falling in love with books for the next couple months, then kick this all off again in late 2025!
Congratulations!
(there is, in fact, one more award we'll announce soon. Just dotting i's and crossing t's).
Thank you again to everyone who took part in the second annual Rando Awards and congratulations to all the winners and nominees. We love your stories!
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE GENDERVERSES
- WINNER: In Universes, by Emet North
- Confessions of the Fox, by Jordy Rosenberg
- The Unraveling, by Benjamin Rosenbaum
- The Space Between Worlds, by Micaiah Johnson
- The Husbands, by Holly Gramazio
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR THE BEST OF THE FIRST
- WINNER: Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Matt Dinniman
- The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune
- The Sunbearer Trials, by Aiden Thomas
- The Wrath & the Dawn, by Renee Aidieh
- The City of Brass, by S.A. Chakraborty
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR NORDIC FEELS
- WINNER: The Night Guest, by Hildur Knútsdóttir
- Someone You Can Build a Nest In, by John Wiswell
- Leech, by Hiron Ennes
- Quarter Share, by Nathan Lowell
- What Feasts at Night, by T. Kingfisher
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR REMINDING ME I LOVE READING
- WINNER: Consort of Fire, by Kit Rocha
- The Invisible Library, by Genevieve Cogman
- Rules for Ghosting, by Shelly Jay Shore
- Witch of Wild Things, by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
- Slippery Creatures, by KJ Charles
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR LIFE IS BUT A DREAM
- WINNER: The Museum of Human History, by Rebekah Bergman
- Famous Men Who Never Lived, by K. Chess
- The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez - Gnomon, by Nick Harkaway
- Time's Agent, by Brenda Peynado
...
- How to Get a Girlfriend When You're a Terrifying Monster, by Marie Cardno
- Stalked By the Kraken, by Lillian Lark
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN THE STREETS, MONSTER FUCKING IN THE SHEETS
- WINNER: Impromptu Match, by Lily Mayne
- Morning Glory Milking Farm, by C.M. Nacosta
- Jumping the Shark: Matched with the Space Shark, by Ash Raven
(nominees cont...)
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR OOF, RIGHT IN THE EMOTIONS
- WINNER: The Blacktongue Thief, by Christopher Buehlman
- The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez - Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Hench, by Natalie Walschotts
- Some Desperate Glory, by Emily Tesh
THE 2024 RANDO AWARD FOR WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY
- WINNER: The Marigold, by Andrew F Sullivan
- Who Gets to be Smart, by Bri Lee
- The City in the Middle of the Night, by Charlie Jane Anders
- The Faithless and the Damned, by Sev Romero
- The Winnowing Draw, by Michael Tichy
Friends and fellow readers, we're happy to announce the winners of the 2024 Rando Awards!
Our sincere congratulations to all our winners. Thank you for writing the books that kept us up past our bedtimes all through 2024. Your trophies are already on the way!
🧵 of all winners and nominees below!
Hi Terry! This might be a little out of left field, but I figured this was the most direct way to drop you a line. Would you be available for a 30 sec chat about an indie book award?
Hi Andrew! Would you be able to shoot us a DM? There's something Rando-related we were hoping to discuss :)
What are the Randos? Is this a serious award? Are there actual trophies or just pretty Canva mockups? Who are you clowns?
Yes, it's (semi) serious. Yes, there are real trophies. Yes, we kind of are clowns. But also, we love books. All your answers, here:
www.christopher-ruz.com/blog/randosa...
Congratulations to all our fantastic nominees, and thank you for all your incredible books! We look forward to announcing the winners in the coming weeks.
The Rando Award for Best of All Possible Genderverses In Universes, by @emnorth.bsky.social Confessions of the Fox, by Jordy Rosenberg The Unraveling, by @benjaminrosenbaum.com The Space Between Worlds, by @micaiahjohnson.bsky.social The Husbands, by @hollygramazio.bsky.social
The Rando Award for Best of All Possible Genderverses
In Universes, by @emnorth.bsky.social
Confessions of the Fox, by Jordy Rosenberg
The Unraveling, by @benjaminrosenbaum.com
The Space Between Worlds, by @micaiahjohnson.bsky.social
The Husbands, by @hollygramazio.bsky.social
The Rando Award for Nordic Feels The Night Guest, by @hildur.bsky.social Someone You Can Build a Nest In, by @wiswell.bsky.social Leech, by @hironennes.bsky.social Quarter Share, by Nathan Lowell What Feasts at Night, by @tkingfisher.com
The Rando Award for Nordic Feels
The Night Guest, by @hildur.bsky.social
Someone You Can Build a Nest In, by @wiswell.bsky.social
Leech, by @hironennes.bsky.social
Quarter Share, by Nathan Lowell
What Feasts at Night, by @tkingfisher.com
The Rando Award for Reminding Me I Love Reading The Invisible Library, by @genevievecogman.bsky.social Rules for Ghosting, by @shellyjayshore.bsky.social Witch of Wild Things, by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland Consort of Fire, by @kitrocha.com Slippery Creatures, by @kjcharleswriter.com
The Rando Award for Reminding Me I Love Reading
The Invisible Library, by @genevievecogman.bsky.social
Rules for Ghosting, by @shellyjayshore.bsky.social
Witch of Wild Things, by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Consort of Fire, by @kitrocha.com
Slippery Creatures, by @kjcharleswriter.com
The Rando Award for Life is But a Dream Famous Men Who Never Lived, by K. Chess The Museum of Human History, by @rebekahbergman.bsky.social The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez Gnomon, by @harkaway.bsky.social Time’s Agent, by @brendapeynado.bsky.social
The Rando Award for Life is But a Dream
Famous Men Who Never Lived, by K. Chess
The Museum of Human History, by @rebekahbergman.bsky.social
The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez
Gnomon, by @harkaway.bsky.social
Time’s Agent, by @brendapeynado.bsky.social
...How to Get a Girlfriend (When You’re a Terrifying Monster), by @mariecardno.bsky.social
Stalked by the Kraken, by Lillian Lark
The Rando Award for Social Commentary in the Streets, Monster Fucking in the Sheets Morning Glory Milking Farm, by C.M. Nascosta Jumping the Shark: Matched with the Space Shark, by @authorashraven.bsky.social Impromptu Match, by @authorlilymayne.bsky.social How to Get a Girlfriend (When You’re a Terrifying Monster), by @mariecardno.bsky.social Stalked by the Kraken, by Lillian Lark
The Rando Award for Social Commentary in the Streets, Monster Fucking in the Sheets
Morning Glory Milking Farm, by C.M. Nascosta
Jumping the Shark: Matched with the Space Shark, by @authorashraven.bsky.social
Impromptu Match, by @authorlilymayne.bsky.social
(cont)....
The Rando Award for We Live in a Society Who Gets To Be Smart, by Bri Lee The Marigold, by @afsulli.bsky.social The City in the Middle of the Night, by @charliejane.bsky.social The Faithless and the Damned, by @sevromero.bsky.social The Winnowing Draw, by @emptywrites.bsky.social
The Rando Award for We Live in a Society
Who Gets To Be Smart, by Bri Lee
The Marigold, by @afsulli.bsky.social
The City in the Middle of the Night, by @charliejane.bsky.social
The Faithless and the Damned, by @sevromero.bsky.social
The Winnowing Draw, by @emptywrites.bsky.social
The Rando Award for Stellar Storytellers Diary of an Apprentice Astronaut, by Samantha Cristoforetti How to Astronaut, by @astroterry.bsky.social A City on Mars, by @weinersmith.bsky.social and @zachweinersmith.bsky.social Chasing Space, by Leland Melvin Not Necessarily Rocket Science, by Kellie Gerardi
The Award for Stellar Storytellers
Diary of an Apprentice Astronaut, by Samantha Cristoforetti
How to Astronaut, by @astroterry.bsky.social
A City on Mars, by @weinersmith.bsky.social & @zachweinersmith.bsky.social
Chasing Space, by Leland Melvin
Not Necessarily Rocket Science, by Kellie Gerardi
The Rando Award for Oof, Right in the Emotions The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez Children of Time, by @aptshadow.bsky.social Hench, by @nataliezed.bsky.social The Blacktongue Thief, by @buehlmeister.bsky.social Some Desperate Glory, by @emilytesh.net
The Rando Award for Oof, Right in the Emotions
The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez
Children of Time, by @aptshadow.bsky.social
Hench, by @nataliezed.bsky.social
The Blacktongue Thief, by @buehlmeister.bsky.social
Some Desperate Glory, by @emilytesh.net
The Rando Award for The Best of the First Dungeon Crawler Carl, by @mattdinniman.bsky.social The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune The Sunbearer Trials, by @aidenschmaiden.bsky.social The Wrath & The Dawn, by Renée Ahdieh The City of Brass, by @shannonchakraborty.bsky.social
The Rando Award for The Best of the First
Dungeon Crawler Carl, by @mattdinniman.bsky.social
The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune
The Sunbearer Trials, by @aidenschmaiden.bsky.social
The Wrath & The Dawn, by Renée Ahdieh
The City of Brass, by @shannonchakraborty.bsky.social
After much deliberation, we’re excited to announce the shortlists for the 2024 Rando Awards! All authors were selected for excellent work in both fiction and non-fiction. Each award and shortlist has been sponsored and composed by a single judge. Works may or may not have been published in 2024.