The 2025 Wattys Shortlist
95 stories
Indigo Skies by MalloryGrant-Author
MalloryGrant-Author
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When Sawyer wakes up one morning, the last thing he expects is to see the ghost of his childhood best friend, Indigo, sitting at the foot of his bed. A fight in middle school shattered their friendship, and they drifted apart. Now in college, a tragic accident brings them back together, forcing them to confront their past and work together to unravel the mystery that binds them. With time running out, Sawyer and Indigo must find a way to make amends before it's too late. **WATTYS 2025 SHORTLIST**
Dead Man's Match by MusicalKehleigh
MusicalKehleigh
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For years, Madelyn's worst fears have only resided in her head, feeding off her heightened sense of her surroundings and unfortunate experiences and accidents in her past. That's why her schooling is more than just assignments, tests, and high school drama. The Eralyn Academy of Secondary Education provides her with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to develop her special ability. It's her safe haven, a place where she can strive to one day control her ability and anxiety - at least, it is until things take a deadly turn. When Madelyn is dared to sign up for the school's joke of a dating app, she reluctantly complies. But when she arrives on the first date, she realizes that she's been matched with a dead man. Caught up in an investigation and ruminations running wild, Madelyn seeks to uncover who the real murderer is in a desperate attempt to outrun one increasingly deafening thought: Is she a killer? Wattys 2025 Winner Ambys 2025 Grand Favorite Open Door Awards 2024 - Honorable Mention for Mystery/ Thriller 3x Featured: @Fright @Mystery & @Action Trigger Warnings: Themes of death, anxiety/ ocd, and ptsd.
Steeped in You by murmurreads
murmurreads
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[2025 Wattys Shortlist] After getting cut off by her wealthy, business-obsessed parents, Emily Grayson finds herself broke, stranded in a small town, and working at a boba café, something she never imagined in her wildest dreams. Her first days on the job are a disaster, her patience (and Jake Sherlind's) running thinner than the tapioca pearls she keeps burning. Jake, the charming yet hardworking guy with big dreams, has no patience for entitled rich girls who don't know how to hold a job. But when Emily starts proving him wrong, their tension brews into something neither of them expected. Between spilled drinks, late-night confessions, and an orange stray cat that won't leave the back door, Emily begins to wonder... maybe losing everything was exactly what she needed to find herself. A small-town rom-com about growth, second chances, and love that's better steeped with time.
A Kind of Magic by SilviaKrpatova
SilviaKrpatova
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~The Wattys 2025 Shortlist~ ~The Ambys 2025 Grand Favourite~ ~ONC 2024 Honourable Mention~ ~~~ Alaric, the King of Silmarea, recently married to his beloved husband, needs an heir of his own blood to secure the throne. With the help of Emrys, his court magician and best friend, he recalls his youthful escapades and discovers a daughter he once had with a woman he had loved in The World Beyond The Stones (our world). He sends an unlikely but trusted trio on a quest to find her and bring her home-- a brooding dragon shifter and Highlander who owes him a favor, a dashing elf whom he loves like the son he never had, and a loyal, kindhearted dwarf, the elf's best friend. Alaric, the last scion of the old gods, weary of ruling the country and ready to retire and enjoy his love life, doesn't know that this quest will bring much more than he ever bargained for, setting in motion events plotted by the destiny that will challenge his kingdom and legacy.
The Silver Prince by aflowers3238
aflowers3238
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For 17-year-old Nyx Madden, stealing shadows is second nature. This rare power allows her to control the person whose shadow she holds. And, since she's been on her own for the past five years, it's her only chance at survival. But Nyx's life in the shadows is jeopardized when she is visited by Victor, the enigmatic leader of the criminal underworld. Somehow, he discovered that she is the faceless Shadow Thief, Itoria's most wanted criminal. If he reveals her identity, she'll be hanged. Victor strikes a deal with Nyx. He'll give her more gold than she knows what to do with in exchange for the shadow of Itoria's Silver Prince, thus nicknamed for his fickle nature and careless wealth. Nyx readily agrees, as this may be the last shadow she ever has to steal. And, considering the Silver Prince's rotten reputation, Itoria can only improve with him out of the way. In order to take the prince's shadow, Nyx must uncover his greatest fear and confront him with it. She infiltrates the castle, where she discovers that nothing in Itoria is as it seems, including the prince himself. Stuck under his dying father's thumb, the Silver Prince has little freedom-but his selfish, callow nature might be hiding a golden heart. With her identity hanging in the balance, Nyx finds the fate of the entire kingdom in her hands-and her own heart in the hands of the Silver Prince.
De La Wien by Huntley141
Huntley141
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In the snowbound streets of 18th-century Paris, destiny stirs in secret. Born beneath omens and raised in silence, Valeriano De La Wien is no ordinary boy. Strange forces bend to his will. Whispers of magic trail in his wake. And now, despite his parents' desperate efforts to shield him, he's ready to discover the truth about the world beyond his gilded prison. But the moment he escapes the manor walls, something ancient takes notice-something dark, relentless, and watching. As old secrets rise and hidden powers awaken, Valeriano must learn who he truly is before the shadows claim him forever. A Remnant stirs. And adventure has only just begun.
The Science of Murder by Littlepearl95
Littlepearl95
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[[Wattpad 2025 Shortlist]] Neo and Charlie are back, and there's a new mystery for them to solve. Bernard Malevich, a secondary school science teacher, is found murdered in his classroom at the exclusive private school Haverish Hall. Only his death is a impossible. Pasts collide, and secrets crash into the open, as Neo and Charlie try to figure out their new future together, but will their happy ending be brought to an abrupt end?
Broken Hero by jeffcross5000
jeffcross5000
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Shortlisted in the 2025 Wattys. Massachusetts State Police Trooper First Class Kevin Thornton joined the force for all the wrong reasons, and as such he's done so little that the only promotion he's received is the automatic one to trooper first class after five years on the job. So when a plane full of drug money crashes on the highway while he's on night patrol, he doesn't hesitate to help himself to it.
Hate You With My Heart  [Debut Novel] (Deluxe Edition) by AndyAguilar23
AndyAguilar23
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Rebecca Snyder doesn't do drama-at least, not intentionally. She's too busy running her cozy little bakery in Charleston, trying to keep her emotions in check and her walls sky-high. But when her business gets tangled in a local culinary competition, she comes face-to-face with Charlie Woods-the arrogant, gorgeous, emotionally unavailable restaurant owner who's infuriatingly good at pushing her buttons. Charlie has his own demons. Haunted by his complicated family history and driven by his relentless ambition, he's not looking for distractions-especially not ones that come with flour on their apron and fire in their eyes. But something about Rebecca gets under his skin... and stays there. What starts as a rivalry explodes into stolen glances, bold dares, and late-night confrontations that blur every line between hate and want. As they navigate workplace wars, personal tragedies, and a series of emotionally charged, undeniably steamy moments, Rebecca and Charlie are forced to confront the truth: maybe the person you can't stand is exactly the one your heart needs. But falling in love is never simple. When secrets from the past resurface, a near-tragedy shakes their world, and difficult choices threaten everything they've built, Rebecca and Charlie must decide-are they just enemies with chemistry, or soulmates who took the long way home? Hate You With My Heart is a raw, laugh-out-loud, gut-punchingly honest love story about passion, pain, healing, and the complicated beauty of finding "the one" in the last place you'd ever expect. Perfect for fans of slow burns, sarcastic banter, angsty longing, and characters who feel a little too real-this is not just a love story. It's a battle, a journey, and a promise. [For more updates, extra content, and information, visit my website: https://andyaguilarauthor.my.canva.site/ ] 📣 [GOING UNDER INTENSE EDITING THE WINTER OF 2026!]
The Lake House by KellyBlack_20
KellyBlack_20
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✨Shortlisted for the WATTYS 2025!!✨ Lesley and Nick Livingston leave the hustle and bustle of the big city of New York. Trading in the daily sky-scraper sightings and the sounds of blowing car horns for serene days and quiet nights in the small, tranquil town of Arcaden in upstate New York. But little do they know, beneath the glistening waters lies a dark secret, a haunting mystery that is waiting to be unraveled. Their lake house was supposed to be a dreamy haven of relaxation and peace. Until the somber history of the house begins to awaken with the spirit of a dead soul. The daughter of the previous owners, Leah Meyers, supposedly drowned there. This tragedy doesn't deter Lesley, though; she's hopeful she can turn the lake house into a charming and cozy home. However, very eerie occurrences begin to unfold right before her eyes. Lesley senses an ethereal presence, and soon she is visited by a ghostly figure whom she believes to be Leah Meyers herself. Lesely feels unsettled, and her sanity slowly begins to fray. Her once promising photography career spirals toward collapse. Things go from bad to worse when Nick goes missing, leaving Lesley to grapple with both the haunted lake house, the strange ghostly sightings around Arcaden and Nick's disappearance. The clock continues to tick, and time is slowly running out. Will Lesley unravel the mysteries that are lurking beneath the lake house? And will Nick be found before it's too late? FEATURED: @Mystery (Amateur (Sleuth)) @Fright (Creatures & Zombies)