150 Award Genres
Children
- Children - Action
- Children - Adventure
- Children - Animals
- Children - Audiobook
- Children - Christian
- Children - Coming of Age
- Children - Concept
- Children - Educational
- Children - Fable
- Children - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Children - General
- Children - Grade 4th-6th
- Children - Grade K-3rd
- Children - Mystery
- Children - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Children - Non-Fiction
- Children - Picture Book
- Children - Preschool
- Children - Preteen
- Children - Religious Theme
- Children - Social Issues
Christian
- Christian - Amish
- Christian - Biblical Counseling
- Christian - Devotion/Study
- Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Christian - Fiction
- Christian - General
- Christian - Historical Fiction
- Christian - Living
- Christian - Non-Fiction
- Christian - Romance - Contemporary
- Christian - Romance - General
- Christian - Romance - Historical
- Christian - Thriller
Fiction
- Fiction - Action
- Fiction - Adventure
- Fiction - Animals
- Fiction - Anthology
- Fiction - Audiobook
- Fiction - Chick Lit
- Fiction - Crime
- Fiction - Cultural
- Fiction - Drama
- Fiction - Dystopia
- Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
- Fiction - Fantasy - General
- Fiction - Fantasy - Urban
- Fiction - General
- Fiction - Graphic Novel/Comic
- Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
- Fiction - Historical - Personage
- Fiction - Holiday
- Fiction - Horror
- Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Fiction - Inspirational
- Fiction - Intrigue
- Fiction - LGBTQ
- Fiction - Literary
- Fiction - Magic/Wizardry
- Fiction - Military
- Fiction - Mystery - General
- Fiction - Mystery - Historical
- Fiction - Mystery - Legal
- Fiction - Mystery - Murder
- Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
- Fiction - Mythology
- Fiction - New Adult
- Fiction - Paranormal
- Fiction - Realistic
- Fiction - Religious Theme
- Fiction - Science Fiction
- Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Fiction - Social Issues
- Fiction - Southern
- Fiction - Sports
- Fiction - Supernatural
- Fiction - Suspense
- Fiction - Tall Tale
- Fiction - Thriller - Conspiracy
- Fiction - Thriller - Environmental
- Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
- Fiction - Thriller - General
- Fiction - Thriller - Legal
- Fiction - Thriller - Medical
- Fiction - Thriller - Political
- Fiction - Thriller - Psychological
- Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
- Fiction - Time Travel
- Fiction - Urban
- Fiction - Visionary
- Fiction - Western
- Fiction - Womens
Non-Fiction
- Non-Fiction - Adventure
- Non-Fiction - Animals
- Non-Fiction - Anthology
- Non-Fiction - Art/Photography
- Non-Fiction - Audiobook
- Non-Fiction - Autobiography
- Non-Fiction - Biography
- Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
- Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
- Non-Fiction - Cultural
- Non-Fiction - Drama
- Non-Fiction - Education
- Non-Fiction - Environment
- Non-Fiction - Genealogy
- Non-Fiction - General
- Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
- Non-Fiction - Grief/Hardship
- Non-Fiction - Health - Fitness
- Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
- Non-Fiction - Historical
- Non-Fiction - Hobby
- Non-Fiction - Home/Crafts
- Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Non-Fiction - Inspirational
- Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
- Non-Fiction - Marketing
- Non-Fiction - Memoir
- Non-Fiction - Military
- Non-Fiction - Motivational
- Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
- Non-Fiction - New Age
- Non-Fiction - Occupational
- Non-Fiction - Parenting
- Non-Fiction - Relationships
- Non-Fiction - Religion/Philosophy
- Non-Fiction - Retirement
- Non-Fiction - Self Help
- Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Non-Fiction - Social Issues
- Non-Fiction - Spiritual/Supernatural
- Non-Fiction - Sports
- Non-Fiction - Travel
- Non-Fiction - True Crime
- Non-Fiction - Womens
- Non-Fiction - Writing/Publishing
Poetry
Romance
Young Adult
- Young Adult - Action
- Young Adult - Adventure
- Young Adult - Coming of Age
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
- Young Adult - Fantasy - General
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban
- Young Adult - General
- Young Adult - Horror
- Young Adult - Mystery
- Young Adult - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Young Adult - Non-Fiction
- Young Adult - Paranormal
- Young Adult - Religious Theme
- Young Adult - Romance
- Young Adult - Sci-Fi
- Young Adult - Social Issues
- Young Adult - Thriller
Illustration Award
Recommend this book:
Summer at Sea
The Summer Series, Book 1
Beth Labonte
2017 Honorable Mention
276 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Summer At Sea is a romance novel written by Beth Labonte. Afraid to break her mother’s heart, Summer Eve Hartwell still lives at home with her parents. At 26 years of age, Summer is determined to get married, enabling her to leave home and escape being under her mother’s thumb. When her brother, Eric, buys luxury cruise tickets for the family, thanks to the fortune he’d made inventing a Fart App, Summer pins her hopes that Mr. Right will be found on the luxury liner. At the last minute, however, Eric cancels his own ticket, sending his fortune-from-flatulence business partner, Graham Blenderman, in his place. Graham’s objective in going on the cruise is to try to make Summer’s parents lighten up a little (or, rather, a whole lot), whilst simultaneously trying to help Summer stand up for herself and gain some self-confidence. Being aboard a cruise ship means that the likelihood of Summer running into her parents while on the hunt for her future husband is high, whether she is poolside, at a bar or on the dance floor. The events which take place during the cruise rattle Summer quite a bit, as her parents seem set out to embarrass her at every turn. Throughout all of the hilarity and the drama, whether real or imagined by Summer’s parents, one thing’s for certain: this is a cruise that none of them will ever forget.
Caution: Do not read this book in public where noise is forbidden, as laughing out loud is inevitable. Beth Labonte’s tale of a young librarian who is desperate to be liberated from her parents’ strict rules is one of the funniest books I have read to date. With Summer’s parents being more than 40 years her senior, they are very old fashioned and set in their ways. Unwilling to permit their daughter to leave home until she is married, Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell give the reader many-a-cause for an eye-roll or three. If you are having a bad day, Summer At Sea is just the therapy you need. Not only does it show how utterly humiliating two parents can be, but it also sends shock waves through your funny bone, causing those around you to stare as you giggle uncontrollably. I can personally say that the images left in my head of what can possibly happen during a relaxing massage have shaken me and are impossible to erase... I couldn’t be more thrilled! While there are a few darker moments in the book, showing how underhanded people can be when they think you have a lot of money, each dark event fits perfectly in place within the story line, teaching the reader a lesson or two at the same time. I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed Summer At Sea, and recommend it to readers over the age of 15 years who like romance, suspense, drama and hilarity, all wrapped into one small, perfect package.
Recommend this book:
Mixing It Up
Tracie Banister
2017 Bronze Medal
470 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Mixing It Up by Tracie Banister is a hilarious tale of one woman’s bid to lead her life as she sees fit. Cecily was born to a well-to-do family, but has disappointed them with her choice of career. She has her own TV show, Serving Romance, where she demonstrates French cuisine and she thought it was successful. Until the network is taken over and shaken up by Devlin Hayes. He wants to change the show and bring it into the present, but his plans don’t sit well with Cecily. She tries hard to get along with her new co-host, Italian chef Dante Marchetti, but they have history and it isn’t a good one. Cecily must fight to keep the integrity of her show intact and finds herself stooping as low as her new boss and her co-host to get what she wants. But is this really where Cecily belongs? Wouldn’t she be better off doing what she loved best elsewhere? And is her boss really “all that” or is it just part of his ploy?
Mixing It Up by Tracie Banister was a fantastic story and is a must-read! It is a funny, sassy, and energetic story with plenty of go in it – I can assure you there are no dead bits here! Ms. Banister has written some incredibly clever, likeable, and interesting characters here and I absolutely loved them all. Each one brought something new to the story, another dimension that just added to the depth and direction the plot was going in. Each character is well developed, especially the main protagonist, Cecily, a woman that I couldn’t help but like. I found myself rooting for her so many times, indignant on her behalf so many times, and cheering for her as well. This isn’t a straightforward tale and you will certainly be taken on a roundabout way to the explosive finale. I absolutely loved this book, it is an addictive read and I will be looking for more books by this wonderful author.
Recommend this book:
How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days
Jennifer Peel
2017 Bronze Medal
230 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Presley Benson might have thought she’d found the best strategy to move on, but when she meets her ex, now the new Vice Principal at a school where she teaches, things cease to work as she’d planned. Were they really over each other or was their rupture just a getting-to-know-each-other phase of a powerful romance? How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days by Jennifer Peel is a romance that is well-crafted to offer readers great entertainment. Moving on can be more difficult and complicated than many people think and, no matter how beautiful or rocky the relationship has been, one still carries part of someone they have loved with them; the beautiful memories, the hurts, the lies, the betrayals. Walking past all of these can be a huge challenge because the heart learns to attach itself to people that come into one’s life, and letting go can feel like severing a part of one’s person.
When I picked up this book, I thought it would be self-help, but it turned out to be something more than I imagined. How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days is a tantalizing read for fans of modern romance. Narrated in the first person, it is absorbing with a strong story line and a lot of drama. The reader is immersed in a stream of emotions as they explore the characters. The writing is beautiful and the characters as real as they are interesting, well-developed and perfectly carved into their respective roles in the story. Jennifer Peel is a master at leading readers into the complex world of the human heart and emotions, and her book will make for a satisfying read.
Recommend this book:
Groupie
Volume one
Susan Daugherty
2017 Silver Medal
257 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Groupie by Susan Daugherty revolves around a developing romance between Dr Lexie Travis and music sensation Jack Morgan. Lexie doesn't appreciate Jack's brand of country music much and has a low opinion of his lifestyle. When Jack has an accident on stage and hurts his leg, Lexie is brought in as his therapist. Turns out Jack Morgan isn't the uncouth womanizer she believed him to be. Their healing sessions bring them closer and Jack is forced to take a good look at his life since his stardom. For Lexie, travelling with Jack on his tour is a dream come true. Jack may just be the man to make Lexie hope again. Just one problem; she didn't believe in true love and Jack is ready to jump all in.
When it comes to exploring a character's emotions, Susan Daugherty hit the nail on the head. I felt the fear, the excitement, and the love between Lexie and Jack. Both characters have been scared by the past and are scared to commit, but as they get to know each other better, their friendship turns into something more meaningful. This book is filled with "awww"-inspiring sweet moments and nail biting suspense (sometimes more than I could take). I especially loved that it still managed to convey the romantic atmosphere without the overblown sex scenes so prevalent in romance books nowadays. The book ends in a cliffhanger, but was totally worth the read. I can't wait to read the conclusion of Lexie and Jack's story in Muse. Fans of Colleen Hoover will definitely enjoy Groupie.
Recommend this book:
Silver Threads
Bette Lee Crosby
2017 Gold Medal
278 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
“On the day Jennifer Green was born, a pile of stones was placed alongside her scale of life.” The Keeper of the Scales was glad to see into Jennifer’s future: married to Drew Bishop, mother of Brooke. The Bishops were destined to lead a happy, fulfilling life. Unfortunately a similar prognosis was not possible for Tom Coggan. His scale was not balanced; instead, it came crashing down around Jennifer Bishop, dislodging a happy balance that she desperately tried to maintain with a travelling husband and a young child at home. Words could not soothe the pain that Drew and Brooke would face that fateful day Jennifer did not return home from the drug store. Their lives turned a ghastly corner that even the Keeper of the Scales could not control. When Drew is forced to sell his home and relocate miles away to Memory House, he finally sees that his daughter might survive her devastating loss and he could possibly find the hope that his heart would also be repaired.
Silver Threads: Memory House Series Book Five by award winning author Bette Lee Crosby is a fast paced romance of an unusual breed. Although the story line is contemporary, there lies a constant reference to an almost supernatural superior being in control of the characters' destinies. Crosby flawlessly merges two themes in this fifth book of her Memory House series. As the Keeper of the Scales's presence is apparent, this element of fantasy does not interrupt the beauty of a solid love story, sure to stay with you beyond the last page.
Recommend this book:
Mimi Plus Two
Whitney Dineen
2016 Finalist
315 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Mimi Plus Two is Whitney Dineen’s hilarious, entertaining and insightful chick lit fiction tale of a young American woman embarking on pregnancy and marriage into a British aristocratic family who are in the US. Mimi finds her life changes bit by bit as she progresses through the nine months, works out how to deal with her in-laws, and makes adjustments to her new life without losing herself. Mimi’s and husband Elliot’s families couldn’t be more different, or so she thinks. She is expected to give up her beloved little home and live in a mansion sized property, and take on a nanny (fortunately she finds quirky and artistic Abbie for the role and the two become friends and allies). Then, as events unfold, poor Mimi develops postpartum depression, which causes her to believe the end of the world is nigh, and her alien reptilian husband and in-laws are in on it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turner of a novel. Written in first person present tense, with the delightful and hilarious Mimi telling the story, the book romps along at a good pace. The plot has plenty of surprises in store for the reader and kept my interest throughout. Whitney Dineen creates well-defined, unique and believable characters. I loved Mimi’s sense of humor and her positive take on events. She even gives her painful bunion a name and character all of its own! Mimi is very likable and I felt drawn into her changing and challenging world. Her marriage to Elliot occurs after a short, whirlwind romance and so the story is in many ways an exploration of the relationship between two people from very different backgrounds as they really begin to discover each other – and their families – and make adjustments.
Amongst the fun and mayhem there is another theme, though, as Mimi embraces her pregnancy with all its discomfort and the unexpected disruption it causes to her body, and then the distressing postpartum illness. This, of course, is no joke and Mimi finds ways to calm herself and find hope of this ending in time. While her paranoia and alarming beliefs and behavior are presented in a humorous way, I liked the fact that she is brave enough to reach out to others for help and support. So perhaps the book will prompt more thought, openness and discussion about this condition. Mimi Plus Two is a well-written and entertaining story that will keep fans of women’s fiction and chick lit engaged to the end. Recommended.
Recommend this book:
Been Searching for You
Nicole Evelina
2016 Finalist
312 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Been Searching for You by Nicole Evelina is a realistic, enchanting love story that is inspiring. Annabeth is a hopeless romantic who has a yearly tradition of writing to her future love. Determined to change her single status, and with help from her friends, she tries out different events, hoping to meet Mr Right. But how will she know who is Mr. Right? Is he the one she meets from the dating website? Or is he an old friend she reconnects with? Take a leap and join Annabeth on her journey to find her soul mate.
I loved this book. Nicole Evelina's novel touched my heart and I couldn't put it down. The romance was especially sweet, but was tempered by the drama of what it really means to be in a relationship. The getting to know someone, the compromises, and the mixing of work and home. Each aspect was showcased and it only made the relationship that much more enjoyable. While there were some characters which I rooted for more than others, I enjoyed their multifaceted personalities, and when it came to the romantic gestures, I fell in love a little bit more. The plot was well written and not overtly sexual, and while chemistry is essential with your potential mate, so is the meeting of minds. Evelina blended both themes very well that showcased the characters' flaws and strengths very clearly. I recommend this book to all die-hard romantics and those who are looking for something new to try. A wonderful book to read and share with your friends.
Recommend this book:
Pam of Babylon
Suzanne Jenkins
2016 Honorable Mention
297 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
In an extremely promising start to a series, Pam of Babylon, by author Suzanne Jenkins, the reader is introduced to quite an interesting scenario. When Pam's husband Jack dies suddenly from a massive heart attack, the secrets he's been keeping come to the surface. Finding that the husband she loved had not one, but two mistresses, comes as quite a shock and quite a blow. But in a story of healing, forgiveness and ultimately redemption, Pam comes to grip with the husband she thought she knew, the love she thought she had, and the reality of what had been kept hidden from her for so long.
I so enjoyed this book. Author Suzanne Jenkins has done a fantastic job at creating characters that the reader will truly relate to and care about. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. The storyline is easy to follow and well-paced. Pam of Babylon will keep you turning the pages from start to finish. In fact, the best piece of advice I have for any reader is to have enough time aside to read this entire book at once, because once you start it, you will not want to put it down. Any reader who enjoys chick lit, women's fiction, or just an enjoyable read will love this book. I recommend Pam of Babylon, and am very much looking forward to reading the next installment in author Suzanne Jenkins' series as soon as possible.
Recommend this book:
Speak Now
Or Forever Hold Your Peace
Becky Monson
2016 Bronze Medal
366 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Bridgette, a small town girl from Connecticut, has just moved to New York to live with her Gram. Broken hearted and starting a new job, Bridgette thought she would not find love again after “the love of her life” left, but then she saw Adam in the local deli. It was love at first sight and so we become part of her quest to find the love of her life, stop a wedding, and make things right with her friends and her Gram. Bridgette bungles her way through love’s trials, tribulations and victories with her best friends Ashley and Justin at her side. She finally comes to a decision about “the perfect love.”
Have you ever read something that made you say to yourself, “Oh I can’t believe she said that!” or “Oh I can’t believe she did that!” That was my first response reading Becky Monson’s book Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace. From the prologue to the very end, I had to keep reading to find out what would happen to Bridgette and her friends. I loved how Bridgette had her best friends Ashley and Justin, who stood by her no matter what wacky plan she came up with, and how they had their favorite diner that was their place where they would celebrate, encourage each other and prove that friendship can outlast “crazy love.” Will she find the “perfect love” she dreams about or something better or something different all together? From the first words the author drew me in and I couldn’t put the book down. I just had to find out what would happen to Bridgette and her best friends. The author makes you think about your ideas of love and finding the “perfect love.”
Recommend this book:
Bon Bons to Yoga Pants
The Health and Happiness Society
Katie Cross
2016 Bronze Medal
254 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Chick Lit
Bon Bons to Yoga Pants by Katie Cross brings us book one in the Health & Happiness Society series, and it starts off following Lexie Greene. Lexie has always struggled with her weight, overeats to cope with stress in her life, and has become immune to hearing she has a pretty face and her mother’s urges to lose weight. At twenty-two years old and on the cusp of meeting her online crush for the first time at her sister’s upcoming nuptials, Lexie gets inspired to slim down, change her look, and be good enough to meet Bradley. She joins the Health & Happiness Society and finds encouragement to go to the gym and count her calories, but of course, it’s never that easy. Lexie struggles to watch the pounds get lower on the scale, binge eats after a stressful day, and finds the gym to be humiliating. But she is determined to be good enough, pretty enough, and thin enough to meet Bradley, so she continues on her quest to becoming a better Lexie.
Bon Bons to Yoga Pants truly fascinated me because it was more than just reading a story; it was taking a journey – and a very personal one at that – with Lexie. Katie Cross did a fantastic job at taking me into Lexie’s world, to understand that, when we first met our main character, she truly believed being beautiful translated to being thin. It was really quite moving to see her become more confident, not only as she lost weight, but as she understood there was so much more to being a beautiful person than just what pants size she wore. An added benefit in my opinion was the little health lessons I learned along the way about eating clean. I am very excited to read more from this series, and I highly recommend it.