Storytel Awards surpasses the milestone of 200,000 votes - audiobook fan engagement soaring to record levels

STOCKHOLM, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Storytel Awards cements its position as the largest popular audiobook prize in the Nordics, the Netherlands and Belgium. With user engagement soaring, this year's Storytel Awards season has so far generated a record breaking 200,000 fan-votes resulting in over 50 awards distributed to beloved authors, narrators and creators.

Winners and nominees sparkled on the red carpets at recent awards-shows in Stockholm, Helsinki, Reykjavik, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Winner speeches have evoked joy and movement, and emphasized the vital and increasing role Storytel and audiobooks play in the cultural fabric of the markets they serve. And authors and narrators have celebrated on stages and dance floors well into the night all around Northern Europe.

Since 2015, the annual Storytel Awards gives audiobook fan communities a unique opportunity to celebrate their favorite audiobooks, authors and narrators through public voting. After a record-breaking 200,000 votes counted, this year's Storytel Award winners lists have allowed the most popular local authors in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands and Belgium to share the spotlight with big international names like Lucinda Riley, Bonnie Garmus and Jenny Colgan. 

"Storytel's mission is to move the world through story, and the response from our listeners casting their votes at our digital ballot boxes has been amazing this record-breaking year. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all the nominees and winners of this year's Storytel Awards, and to send an equally large and heartfelt thank you to all the audiobook listeners and publishers involved for your strong commitment and engagement. It inspires us in our ambition for the awards to be launched in more countries as the audiobook phenomenon grows", says Johannes Larcher, CEO of Storytel.

This year's Storytel Awards season will conclude on May 3, when Storytel Norway hosts its first ever Storytel Awards at an event in Oslo. 

FNCA Sweden AB is the company's certified adviser.

For further information, please contact:

Dan Panas, Senior Director Corporate Communications, Storytel Group
Tel: +46 70 186 52 90
Email: dan.panas@storytel.com

About Storytel
Storytel is one of the world's largest audiobook and e-book streaming services and offers more than one million titles on a global scale. Our vision is to make the world a more empathetic and creative place, with great stories to be shared and enjoyed by anyone, anywhere and anytime. The streaming business within the Storytel Group is conducted under the brands Storytel, Mofibo and Audiobooks.com. The publishing business is managed by Storytel Books, and by the audiobook publisher StorySide. The Storytel Group operates in over 25 markets. The headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden.

The winners – by country and category:

Sweden

Novel

Title: Lektioner i kemi
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Narrator: Lena Endre

Crime/Thriller 

Title: Ghettoprinsessan
Author: Sammy Jeridi
Narrator: Jonas Malmsjö

Children 

Title: Skurkarnas skurk
Author: IJustWantToBeCool
Narrator: Emil Beer

Young Adult

Title: Grim
Author: Sara Bergmark Elfgren
Narrator: Nina Zanjani 

Non Fiction

Title: Ärren bär jag med stolthet
Author: Emma Schols & Frida Funemyr
Narrator: Ella Schartner

Feelgood

Title: Kallbaderskan bland fjällen
Author: Karin Härjegård
Narrator: Marie Richardsson

Finland

Novel 

Title: Virtahevot
Author: Emmi-Liia Sjöholm
Narrators: Pihla Viitala & Samuli Niittymäki

Crime/Thriller

Title: Kivipuiston tyttö 
Author: Nilla Kjellsdotter
Narrator: Krista Putkonen-Örn 

Non Fiction & Biographies

Title: Sun poika kävi täällä
Author: Venla Kuoppamäki
Narrator: Vilma Melasniemi

Children & Young Adults 

Title: Täysin hulluja satuja
Author: Paula Noronen & Minna Kivelä
Narrator: Eero Ritala

Romance/Feelgood

Title: Numeroruuhka
Author: Eve Hietamies
Narrator: Antti Virmavirta

Iceland

Novel

Title: Konan hans Sverris
Author: Valgerður Ólafsdóttir
Narrator: Margrét Örnólfsdóttir

Crime

Title: Þú sérd mig ekki 
Author: Eva Björg Ægisdóttir
Narrators: Sigríður Láretta Jónsdóttir, Sigríður Eyrún Friðriksdóttir, Þórey Birgisdóttir, Haraldur Ari Stefánsson, Guðmundur Ingi Þorvaldsson, María Dögg Nelson

Feelgood

Title: Litla bakaríið við Strandgötu
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrator: Esther Talía Casey

Audio series

Title: Hundrað óhöpp Hemingways
Author: Lilja Sigurðardóttir
Narrators: Birgitta Birgisdóttir, Sigríður Láretta Jónsdóttir, Örn Árnason, Lilja Sigurðardóttir, Þuriður Blær Jóhannsdóttir, Lára Sveinsdóttir, Kolbeinn Arnbjörnsson

Children & Youth

Title: Litla hafmeyjan
Author: Anna Bergljót Thorarensen
Narrators: Árni Beinteinn Árnason, Andrea Ösp Karlsdóttir, Stefán Benedikt Vilhelmsson, Anna Bergljót Thorarensen, Þórunn Lárusdóttir, Sigsteinn Sigurbergsson, Thelma Hronn Sigurdórsdóttir

Non Fiction

Title: Veran í moldinni – hugarheimur matarfíkils í leit að bata
Author: Lára Kristin Pedersen
Narrator: Úríður Blær Jóhannsdóttir

Denmark 

Novel

Title: Annas sang
Author: Benjamin Koppel
Narrator: Iben Hjejle

Crime

Title: Nøglen til mord
Author: Anna Grue
Narrator: Githa Lehrmann 

Biographies & documentaries

Title: Jeg er her jo
Author: Pia Møller Søe & Zandra Berthelsen
Narrator: Ann Hjort

Children

Title: Verdens 100 mest truede dyr
Author & Narrator: Sebastian Klein

Romance

Title: Sara & August
Author: Pernille Juhl 
Narrator: Maria Garde

Fiction (translated)

Title: Mord på kostskolen
Author: Lucinda Riley
Narrator: Tammi Øst

The Netherlands & Belgium

Best Audiobook NL

Title: Wij waren, ik ben. Weg uit Ruinerwold
Author & Narrator: Israel van Dorsten

Best Audiobook BE

Title: Zelfzorg is het begin van alles
Author: Nina Mouton
Narrator: Maria Meulders

Best Storytel Original

Title: Spoorloos – deel 1
Author: Suzanne Vermeer
Narrator: Chava voor in't Holt

Best Narrator NL

Donna Vrijhof

Best Narrator BE

Sam D'hondt