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:
Are You Being Set Up To Fail?
Jillion R Rising
2018 Honorable Mention
152 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Are You Being Set Up To Fail? by Jillion R Rising is a slim but relevant book that explores one of the common experiences of millions of people in America — and elsewhere: the tragic sense of failure. In this book the author identifies a feeling that is becoming a belief for most people, the thought that they are destined to fail and that nothing they try ever succeeds. The book answers the difficult question: Why? Why do most people feel like they can’t amount to anything? In clear and powerful prose, the author examines the political and social systems that nurture this feeling in readers, and shows clearly how the media subtly communicates a message of hopelessness to the masses. The author then offers a road map to a liberating journey that allows readers to regain their inner freedom, reconnect with their core personal values, and redefine success on their terms.
This book will empower people, especially parents, to identify the media junk that leads people to feel helpless, helping them understand how corrupt politics and the advertising industry can impact negatively on the lives of individuals. The author looks critically at the misleading voices of the media, how information overload can create stressors, the connection between our mental thought processes and the quality of life we live, the moral dilemma of sin, and a lot more. Jillion R Rising’s book is a wonderful gift for this generation, a message of hope, and one that empowers readers to take their destiny in their own hands, to take full responsibility for their lives. The writing is confident and the author comes across as an authority on the subject. In fact, this is one of those books that will help readers understand the social conditioning that they are being subjected to, and to find ways of liberating themselves and creating the life they want. Are You Being Set Up To Fail? is a book to read and pass on.
Recommend this book:
Permanent Happiness
The Only Way to Find Peace, Joy, and Your Life-Given Purpose
Iyabo Ojikutu MD
2018 Finalist
168 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Permanent Happiness: The Only Way to Find Peace, Joy, and Your Life-Given Purpose by Iyabo Ojikutu, MD is an inspiring book that highlights the author’s observation that permanent happiness comes from inner peace. Without this peace, our happiness will only last temporarily, because of the many external influences that are constantly changing in our lives. Every human being is responsible for their own happiness and they can achieve this goal by making sure that their spiritual and physical life lines are flowing in a straight line parallel to each other. Our spiritual health is related to our physical well being and we must nourish our souls the same way that we nourish our bodies. We also are all born with God-given gifts and it is up to us to use them wisely in order to positively influence people who are around us.
I enjoyed reading Permanent Happiness: The Only Way to Find Peace, Joy, and Your Life-Given Purpose by Iyabo Ojikutu, MD, because it was very positive and uplifting. I agreed with the author’s reflections that lasting happiness could only be achieved by finding inner peace. We need to let go of all the negative and toxic practices, thoughts, people, and lifestyles that are bringing us down. We have to seek and find our inner peace and not rely on others to make us happy. Negativity needs to be replaced with positivity and this will allow us to change our thoughts and actions to be more valuable and empowering. I do believe there is a mind-body connection and I love the author’s quote that says “worry is poison to the soul", because it is one hundred percent true. Constant worrying and anxiety can cause havoc in our physical bodies and it is up to us to change this way of thinking. I believe this empowering book will help those people that need a positive change in life, and the refreshing advice that the author offers will be very valuable to those seeking pure inner peace and permanent happiness.
Recommend this book:
Friendship
A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance
Francis Mandewah
2017 Finalist
220 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance is an autobiography written by Francis Mandewah. Mandewah was born in 1961, in the small village of Punduru in Sierra Leone. His father died when he was just an infant, leaving his mother to raise him and his older sisters, Bettie and Amie, who often cared for him while their mother was working in the fields. Punduru is located in a tropical rain forest in West Africa, a location rich in plant and animal life, having a robust rainy season and a hot and windy dry season. Mandewah became proficient as a lad in climbing the various fruit or nut-bearing trees, which grew in the family’s small farmstead. Life really began for Mandewah, however, when he started attending classes at the United Methodist Church elementary school. The teacher was strict about tardiness, but taught his students the precepts of Christianity as well as the basics of education. After he completed his schooling there, he went to live with his cousin in Yengema, which was a hub for the diamond mining business that was booming in Sierra Leone. His cousin, while generous in paying Mandewah’s tuition fees, was physically abusive and made living there an ordeal. Faced with the choice between continuing his education and returning to his village, he opted to stay under his cousin’s roof. But one of his daily chores, selling oranges in town, turned out to have unexpected repercussions -- repercussions that would change his life. A blond-haired American pilot bought some oranges and started up a conversation with Mandewah; his name was Tom Johnson, and he offered to paid for his education, and, best of all, wanted to be his friend.
Francis Mandewah’s nonfiction autobiography, Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance, is a fascinating account of a life-changing friendship between the author and a man who wanted to make a difference in someone else’s life. I loved reading about the natural beauty of Sierra Leone and was infinitely saddened by Mandewah’s later account of his village’s destruction during the conflicts. The author’s travels across the Sahara Desert and through Europe are compelling reading, on a par with some of the better travelogues I’ve read. I particularly enjoyed reading about his stay in Italy with the Stanganelli family, who owned the Park Hotel in Gioia Tauro, and loved experiencing the sights in Italy and Greece through his eyes. Mandewah’s accounts of his schooling in Massachusetts and New York are inspiring as well, and his stories about his life on the reservation with the Ojibwa Native Americans were absorbing. As a black man, Mandewah has experienced his share of discrimination in this country as he chronicles when he discusses about the time he fell prey to a scam, but his steadfastness, despite the odds, is something the reader gets to realize most clearly in this remarkable and well-written autobiography. Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
A Mother's Dance
A Memoir, One Step Back, Two Steps Forward, Full Circle
Pattie Welek Hall
2017 Honorable Mention
330 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
When a memoir has earned 77 5-star reviews on Amazon, along with several awards, one has to wonder what sets A Mother's Dance by Pattie Welek Hall apart from the bulk of memoirs...one of the least popular genres with both readers and publishers. How has Pattie Welek Hall earned such praise and recognition for A Mother's Dance? The answer lies first and foremost in the marketability of A Mother's Dance. The most riveting and memorable memoirs have an audience looking for stories like this, ones that deal with traumatic events in ordinary people's lives, stories that offer hope and inspiration to others who might be experiencing the same.
The second reason A Mother's Dance succeeds is the author's style: Pattie Welek Hall writes like a novelist would! She opens with a scenario that immediately captures the interest of any parent: her son, Casey has been involved in a horrific motorcycle accident and is in critical condition with a brain injury. What parents don't dread the possibility of news like this when it comes to their children?
The third reason again rests in Patti Welek Hall's writing skill: it's all too easy, and unfortunately common for those relating the events and emotions of life-changing events to rely on simple narration. That is the least effective way to keep readers reading and to give depth to all the characters in the story. And this is the area in which Patti Welek Hall really sets herself apart from other memoirists. She handles dialogue smoothly and uses lots of it to move the story along and let all the characters show the reader who they are and what they think and feel. She slips into flashbacks as easily as a bird alights on a tree branch. These flashbacks are frequent, but never too long, and always relevant to the story and the characters being revealed by them. Again, this is an area so often badly handled by too many memoirists, but Patti Welek Hall is an expert at using flashback techniques.
Those who have strong faith, whatever their religious leanings, and those who also believe in meditation, spiritual healing, and the power of prayer will be especially caught up in A Mother's Dance. The author relied heavily on her beliefs and faith to carry her through not just the trauma of nearly losing Casey, but the additional heartache some years later of losing his older brother, Bo. Where Casey made a wonderful recovery and eventually went on to have a happy married life, Patti lost Bo to an overdose. But her faith carried her through it all. A Mother's Dance is inspiring and well deserving of the accolades it has received, including this 5-star review.
Recommend this book:
No Damage
An Adventure in Courage, Survival and the Pursuit of Dreams
Kathryn Hodgson
2017 Bronze Medal
220 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
“‘Yes, I really am sure and yes it is, er, very pretty.’
'Are you sure now young lady? Hang on! Weren't you in here just the other day buying it? ... So, tell me. Go on! Why do you want to return it then darling?”
‘... Because yesterday my groom left me and he's not coming back.’”
No Damage: An Adventure in Courage, Survival and the Pursuit of Dreams by Kathryn Hodgson is a memoir “sans pareille,” a journey through loss and pain to freedom, captured within the spirit, and real healing. Kathryn is just in her thirties and has made many mistakes and suffered a lot of serious blows from life as well, including broken relationships, having to spend some time in a South African prison, and fighting cancer. These could make anyone lose heart and give in to pessimism, but not the heroine. In this slim memoir, she shares her journey toward hope and how her positive world-view allows her to create the kind of life she wants and pursue her deepest desires.
No Damage: An Adventure in Courage, Survival and the Pursuit of Dreams is a book that carries the powerful message that all is never lost, that in spite of our struggles, we have the power to transform our lives, to create, and to transcend our reality, especially when we learn to embrace life generously and to live in hope. The writing is beautiful and the author’s voice comes across gracefully and compellingly. I admire the audacity of this story and the sincerity with which it is told. Readers will hear their own fears and stories in Kathryn Hodgson's voice.
Recommend this book:
Sister Jaguar's Journey
Judy Bisignano, Sandra C Morse
2017 Silver Medal
252 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Sister Jaguar's Journey by Judy Bisignano and Sandra C Morse is a fascinating memoir of one woman’s journey to herself. Meet Sister Judy Bisignano, a Dominican nun who spent many years looking for God, only to find Him in the most unlikely of places — the Amazon rainforest. Invited to visit the Achuar community in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, she meets people who helped her to reconnect with God and herself; she is introduced to the wisdom of the native people and their rituals and felt the irresistible call to face her past — abusive and troublesome. Join her as she walks the transforming path towards self-acceptance and inner peace.
Here is a story that is rich in its message, in its narrative aspects, and in the entertainment it offers. Apart from sharing one woman’s personal journey towards herself and her communion with God, Sister Jaguar's Journey explores very interesting themes and opens the eyes of readers to a healing culture, hidden in the Achuar community. This is a story loaded with both spiritual and personal lessons that will help readers embrace their own journey with courage. In an age when we easily feel left behind, mistreated, and ignored, this book comes in with a fresh perspective, encouraging readers to love themselves and to pursue what gives meaning to their lives. The writing is beautiful and it offers a lot of descriptions that situate readers in the context of the story. This book will transport readers to a place of transformation — both physical and spiritual. A gorgeous read.
Recommend this book:
The Way of The Fairy Godmother
Jennifer Morse MS PhD
2017 Gold Medal
161 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
The Way of the Fairy Godmother by Jennifer Morse MS PhD is a self-help book aimed at aiding people in reaching the path of enduring happiness. She does this through relating challenges to the story of Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother. Instead of focusing on Cinderella, as most authors would, Morse chooses to look at the Fairy Godmother, and her never-ending supply of optimism. Each chapter begins and ends with certain key things the reader must do to find their happiness. For example, Morse is very passionate about the reader finding their Deepest Desires. She urges us to focus on harmonizing our lives to look past the things we have maybe settled on to find the things we really want. Morse goes on to encourage the reader to follow a Proclamation, much as the prince issued in the story of Cinderella. What does the reader want most in their lives, and what are the key steps to achieving this goal? The book continues to delineate Nine Keys to Happiness, all the while relating them back to the life of the Fairy Godmother.
I found Morse’s usage of the Fairy Godmother to be unique, and not something I have seen done before in self-help books. While the approach is different, she took something familiar and relatable (the fairy tale itself) to the reader, and this is a positive aspect of this book. I felt at times the book was repetitive, but I surmised this is a common thread to all self-help books: constant reminders of the goals the reader should strive to achieve. Overall, I can see how The Way of the Fairy Godmother by Jennifer Morse MS PhD would help a person who might have lost sight of their optimism and life goals, and give them the means to rediscover what truly makes them happy.
Recommend this book:
What's In It For Me?
A Personal Journal of Recovery... and Hope
John L.
2016 Finalist
166 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
What's In It For Me?: A Personal Journal of Recovery... and Hope by John L. is the author's account of going from being an alcoholic to a sober man. The author's story of recovery shows readers that with enough willingness life's adversities can be overcome in a positive way. This inspiring book of self-recovery is helpful to all those who live with addictions, and gives them the hope that change is possible. The author's painful story of recovery from drugs and alcohol is honest and reaches out to readers in a big way. It's an uplifting book for all readers, regardless of what their personal life is at the moment.
The book is very well written and the author's journey is touching and relatable. The notes are insightful and will make readers reflect on life, how to look at life in a positive way, and live with peace and happiness. It's inspiring to read how the misshapen and flawed 'life stone' which was unrecognizable has now been polished to produce a stone that is totally unique. The author's ability to work on himself and make positive changes is motivational to all readers.
The writing style is simple, neat, and elegant, and readers can connect well with the author's dilemmas and problems in life. What I like about this book is that it encourages change; it is inspirational, and the quote 'Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?' is something that will stay in the minds of readers. It's an uplifting and inspirational book that will motivate readers to get rid of their addictions.
Recommend this book:
Before, Afdre, and After
(My stroke . . . oh what fun)
Maureen Twomey
2016 Finalist
316 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Before, Afdre, and After: (My stroke...oh what fun) is a nonfiction memoir written by Maureen Twomey. The author was a professional copywriter who had given up freelancing for a permanent position with an advertising firm in San Francisco when she was in her early 30s. She loved her new apartment and its views of the Golden Gate Bridge, as did her cat, Salinger. One day at work, she experienced a strange light-headedness and an intermittent flashing in one of her eyes. As her symptoms worsened, her coworkers called for an ambulance. She underwent a CAT scan and other tests, but a stroke was ruled out, and she was released. The next morning, her father drove her back to the hospital. Twomey had not only suffered a stroke, but a major one, which, because of its rarity and location, had not been detected the day before. The bleeding led to massive inflammation in her brain and a portion of her skull was removed and preserved so the surgeons could work on saving her. One doctor thought the damage was not only profound but irreversible, but the author knew it was only a matter of time until she would be writing a book on the experience.
Maureen Twomey’s nonfiction memoir, Before, Afdre, and After: (My stroke...oh what fun), is written by a wryly funny and brutally honest survivor whose message grabs the reader on the first page and doesn’t let go until she finally means it when she says, “the end.” Just don’t believe her the first dozen or so times that she does say it and expect to feel a little sad when her story is actually over. I marveled as I read through the progress reports that appear throughout the text and watched as Twomey’s handwriting was transformed from shaky and unwieldy scratchings into an elegant Southpaw backhand. I was shaken by the severity of her initial injuries and found it hard to imagine lying there in the hospital unable to read, and I found myself cheering as the author took those first steps, uttered those first words and began to write once again. This is a most impressive and moving memoir about a catastrophic injury and the way one brilliant, funny and very resilient person climbed her way back towards a full recovery with lots of help from the friends and family who were with her every step of the way. Before, Afdre, and After: (My stroke...oh what fun) is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Flying Penguin
How to create miracles in your life using the six dimensions of success
Dr. Asoka Nimal Jinadasa
2016 Finalist
162 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Flying Penguin: How to Create Miracles in Your Life Using the Six Dimensions of Success is a motivational self-help book written by Dr. Asoka Nimal Jinadasa. Dr. Jinadasa is a martial arts master, filmmaker, business strategist, and chartered engineer. The premise of his work is that human beings can achieve much more than they've been programmed to believe they can. He points to the amazing abilities that people under extreme duress can sometimes manifest, and shows how each of us can reach extremely ambitious goals with a little bit of guidance and effort. The techniques he presents have been tried and tested in the energy-based workshops he offers to business and personal clients. Dr. Jinadasa introduces his material by showing how his readers already perform such amazing feats as flying nearly every day, even though they're not fully aware of that fact. He shows how cultures discourage being too bright, creative or smart in favor of having a conforming and productive citizenry. He identifies what he terms the six dimensions of success necessary to achieve ambitious goals, and then discusses how to develop the skills necessary for each of them.
Reading Dr. Asoka Nimal Jinadasa's non-fiction motivational self-help book, Flying Penguin: How to Create Miracles in Your Life Using the Six Dimensions of Success, made me feel as though I were being personally coached by this engaging and energetic author. I was fascinated by his own story, appreciated his views on society's strictures and found his instructions for developing flying skills to be both practical and eminently doable. I liked the fact that the author provides a wealth of links, footnotes and references, and I found myself setting up bookmarks on my laptop for the videos and other resources that I wanted to get to work on right away. I was most intrigued by the sections on developing the body, mind and health dimensions; however, I'd be hard pressed to mention any other skill that I don't plan to work on. Flying Penguin is well-written, and the author's easy conversational style truly made me feel as though he were directly working with me. I finished the book feeling motivated and ready to start figuring out some truly ambitious goals of my own. Flying Penguin: How to Create Miracles in Your Life Using the Six Dimensions of Success is most highly recommended.