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:
Playground Zero
A Novel
Sarah Relyea
2021 Finalist
432 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
The 1960s, the era of sex, drug and rock ‘n roll, was a time of civil unrest, endless protests, unwanted wars, drug-induced ‘flower’ power, assassination, and, somewhat unexpected in such an era, putting a man on the moon. When the Rayson family packed up their house and moved from staid, predictable Washington, D.C. across the country to the footloose and fancy-free Californian west coast, little did they know the changes that would quite literally rock their little world. Ten-year-old Alice is the youngest; her story is outlined first. With an older brother and a father who loves baseball, she’s also a fan, a little bit of a tomboy. Settling into her new home and school in Berkeley, Alice and the others soak up the climate and the hippie paradise atmosphere. Alice, who never thought twice about befriending a black girl in Washington, is now tagged as ‘Whitey’, and struggles to come to terms with a new norm where differences are categorical. So many changes. As the family as a whole struggles to come to terms, Alice, as the youngest, provides a child’s perspective of the strange and bizarre situations all around her, from a shattering sense of mounting tension within the home to the divisive racism in her school and the threats against her personal well-being and sense of place.
Sarah Relyea’s novel, Playground Zero, is a troubling look back in time to a difficult era, the 1960s. Taking one family’s perspective and how the events of the era affect each member, the author creates a mosaic of four stories (one for each member of the Rayson family), each story telling one particular, very personal point of view. Like the writing of Jodi Picoult, Sarah Relyea has the ability to build a particular drama into a compelling plot, unveiled through multiple points of view. Each character’s point of view is identified with the character’s name and the plot continues to evolve from one perspective to another. While Alice clamors for her own identity in a world upturned, her mother seeks solace in books that cleverly add to the complexity of the era, like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Through music, literature, and actual events, the author creates a clear picture of the 1960s, especially the tumultuous events and the free-love flower power that swept the west coast in particular. This is a powerful, historical drama. Well constructed.
Recommend this book:
Escaping the Whale
The Holocaust is over. But is it ever over for the next generation?
Ruth Rotkowitz
2021 Honorable Mention
392 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
The question of whether the horrors of the Holocaust are over for the next generation is a pressing and haunting theme in Ruth Rotkowitz’s Escaping the Whale. Set in 1980, Brooklyn, this is the story of 28-year-old Marcia Gold, a high school guidance counselor who excels in helping pregnant teenagers. Then there is her tall, handsome boyfriend Jason who has earned the approval of her European refugee parents. What more can she ask for? But as a second-generation child of Holocaust survivors, the horrors of the past have caught up with her; a dormant plague lying deep within the recesses of her mind has awakened to disrupt the normal run of her life. Everything around her, from the people that she works with to the current world affairs, seems to trigger her psychological debility. Marcia is plagued with demons, and she will have to do something that she should have done a long time ago.
Regardless of the decade when you were born, Escaping the Whale will make you connect to the lessons of the past and remind you that it will always be connected to the present. On the other hand, you might also think that we don’t need another novel about the Holocaust. But Ruth Rotkowitz has so much to say about her theme. She brilliantly demonstrates one particular aspect of human nature; that we believe some secrets are better left a secret. We keep it bottled up and pretend that everything is fine. Rotkowitz’s love of the written word is reflected in her pristine narrative, and her keen examination of Marcia’s consciousness gives you a clear study of what goes on inside a brilliant but disturbed mind. This is a must-read, timeless story that I am willing to bet will remain relevant long into the future.
Recommend this book:
A Comedian Walks Into A Funeral Home
Dennis Kelly
2021 Bronze Medal
226 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
In A Comedian Walks Into A Funeral Home by Dennis Kelly, every area in Vince Locker's life is tragic. His comedy act for the LaughCom competition has just bombed, ruining any chance of the cash prize he desperately needed. Vince's life is in tatters; abandoned by his father as a child, an estranged wife, Jessica, who he seems to disappoint just by his mere existence, and living in his mother's house with his bipolar brother and facing foreclosure. As he stands on Smith Avenue Bridge, suicide seems the only option until he is rescued by a mortician named Truss. Vince meets another of Truss's rescues, Winona, who both see Vince's talent for comedy. They ask Vince to speak at a eulogy for a porn king and his performance is a complete success. As Truss Mortuary faces a brutal and illegal takeover bid, the body of a young woman is discovered. The events that follow see Vince embroiled in a murder investigation, a kidnap attempt, and threats to Jessica and his young daughter. As details of the murdered young woman are slowly revealed, Vince realizes that he has many ghosts of his own to put to rest. As Vince faces his painful past, mortuary assistant Winona is always there by his side.
A Comedian Walks Into A Funeral Home by Dennis Kelly is a laugh-out-loud comedy with an unusual plot that engages your interest from the first chapter. The humor is witty and intelligent. Each of the characters, even the minor ones, has great backstories which explain their actions as the story progresses. This is evident especially with the main character Vince; his Masters in Philosophy highlights how he analyzes and overthinks each situation and his constant negative inner dialogue. The dialogue is sharp and perfectly highlights the personalities of the characters. This exchange was superb: “If you were dead, lying in a casket, what would you want people to say about you?” “That’s easy. ‘He’s still moving.’” There is plenty of action, drama, and many personal obstacles for Vince to overcome which brings fantastic tension and layers to the story. I loved the twist towards the end regarding Vince's family history. There is also a very compelling exploration into grief, death, and the afterlife which I found extremely comforting. The relationship between Vince and Winona was developed beautifully. This is a brilliant story with thought-provoking subject matter and clever humor around usually dark issues.
Recommend this book:
Found in Pieces
George Rollie Adams
2021 Silver Medal
237 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
Found in Pieces by George Rollie Adams takes us back to the late 1950s, just as the Civil Rights Movement in the United States was gathering momentum. All across the nation but particularly in the South, communities were searching for ways to defy the law of the land, as espoused in the Supreme Court decision of Brown vs Board of Education. The ruling that segregation of public schools into white pupils and black pupils was unconstitutional sent shockwaves through many communities and states scrambled to find ways around the ruling. Small towns and their newspapers were forced to take a stance on school integration. For Pearl Goodbar, the new owner and editor of a previously defunct weekly newspaper, the Unionville Times, her stance on integration would be key to whether her new business venture was to succeed or fail spectacularly. In Unionville, a small town that straddled the Arkansas /Louisiana border, things were about to heat up with the return to the town of a native son, Elton Washington, a young black man determined to make a difference somehow in the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. From the minute he arrived in town and challenged the prevailing perspectives on black rights, it was clear Unionville was primed for chaos and violence. Pearl Goodbar was determined to be the one who would record it all for posterity and lead the calls for decency, calm, and human dignity.
Found in Pieces is a powerful social commentary on a turbulent period of history, especially that of the South. Author George Rollie Adams has used the small-town setting to show the entrenched and fundamentally vile attitudes of many whites of the time to not just denying human rights for the black population but actually denying their humanity and justifying their own barbaric acts against some of the population as no different to dealing with animals or savages. Although much of the rhetoric from these “good ole boys” is deeply offensive to me, not a black reader, the author was attempting to place the dialogue in its historical perspective. I suppose, as a reader, the most disturbing aspect of this whole story is that this rhetoric is still in common use some sixty-odd years later and many would argue it is even getting worse in recent times. The story does give us an excellent insight into where that deep-bred hatred and belief of white supremacy came from and is agitated, especially in the South, and for that, the author deserves great kudos. The plot is clever and well-constructed and the narrative exceptionally easy to read. I particularly enjoyed the concept of not only a woman editor and newspaper owner in the late 1950s but one with as much humanity as Pearl. I loved that she changed her own stance on integration over time as she discovered more about the black community in Unionville and the history of the black struggle in the South. For me, this gave the story real moral authority and I can highly recommend this read, which is both enlightening and entertaining.
Recommend this book:
Hush Money
How One Woman Proved Systemic Racism in her Workplace and Kept her Job
Jacquie Abram, Deborah Harris, Delilah Harris
2021 Gold Medal
146 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
Hush Money by Deborah Harris, Jaquie Abram, and Delilah Harris is an explosive novel that focuses on systemic racism. All Ebony, a black woman, ever wanted was to have a decent and steady source of income, to take care of her mother and son. Her dream came true, or so she thought, when she was offered the role of secretary at Daebrun Career Institute. However, her second boss, Ms. Kelly, was racist and made Ebony’s life a living hell, which started the bullying trend. There’s only so much that one person can take, especially when she carries the burden of her mom’s failing health. She’s left with three options; become the poster girl for pity, give up her job and run away, or take these bullies head-on!
Reading Hush Money by Deborah Harris, Jacquie Abram, and Delilah Harris gave me the chills. People of color go through some of the worst working conditions in the corporate world. I thank the authors for putting this issue in the spotlight and weaving a fantastic story around it. The plot was ironclad, the writing style was engaging, and the dialogues had depth, evoking in me a cocktail of emotions. I read this book in one sitting because the suspense had me engrossed. I loved the character development, especially the main protagonist. She was the strength that every other person needed, but she broke down so many times, showing that she was human. This book shows me that humans are equal regardless of race, color, language, and creed. Hush Money deserves to have a sequel.
Recommend this book:
The Duplex
Can They Fool A Whole City?
Lucky Stevens
2020 Finalist
318 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
The Duplex is a work of interpersonal drama and LGBTQ+ fiction penned by author Lucky Stevens. Set in the recent past in the glamorous world of Los Angeles in the 1950s, we find our main protagonist Cliff leading a not so perfect life. Being gay is still an offense, and he and his partner Jerry are always only one step ahead of the law. So when they meet Barbara and Dot, the foursome devise a plan to appear normal to the outside world but live in freedom. What results is an even bigger predicament than any of them could have foreseen, with some valuable lessons about the cost of fitting in.
Author Lucky Stevens has created a diverse, modern and highly engaging drama that bears all the golden hallmarks of fifties nostalgia at the same time. I loved the atmospheric touches of the time and place, including descriptions of settings and the way of life back then. This made for an immersive reading experience, as though I was living with the characters and up close to their trials and tribulations. The themes teeter between serious and amusing really well, maintaining the realism of the emotional drama, but with some really funny goings-on as they try to keep everything secret. As the plot progresses and the characters deepen, the story turns into something really heartfelt and special. Overall, I would definitely recommend The Duplex to all readers who love a good romantic and interpersonal drama, and especially those looking for diverse tales set in the recent past.
Recommend this book:
Need to Want
Sava Buncic
2020 Honorable Mention
348 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
Sava Buncic’s Need to Want lays bare humanity’s unrelenting and ageless dance with nature, where survival is woven into the fabric of natural resources upon which we live or die. In a far distant future, the sun burns with a ferociousness that drives all living creatures into protected shelters, unable to negotiate its intensity for any significant period of time. When a handful of adults and children arrive on an unknown island, after fleeing from a world leached of any possible future by overutilization and climate change, a new societal microcosm takes shape and begins anew. Will this reborn community learn from their past or follow what may be inherently contained within all of us; a path to crave more than we need? A Need to Want.
Need to Want by Sava Buncic is an extremely thought-provoking and, in some ways, disturbing read. As I progressed through the story arc, there were many times when I found myself torn between viewpoints, and I still cannot say with certainty that I would have chosen the right path to follow, even having the hindsight I now possess. These philosophical issues are what humanity has grappled with for our entire existence, and Need to Want brings them into crystal clarity. The characters striving to preserve our future are all very real, and their experiences are not only interesting but fully engaging, drawing you into their adventures and subjecting you to extremes of both joy and heartbreak. I found this to be a very stimulating and emotionally invigorating read.
Recommend this book:
Wheelboys
Dd Jaseron
2020 Bronze Medal
330 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
Wheelboys is the debut, coming-of-age novel by Dd Jaseron set around the world of small-town karting and the dreams of adults and children alike as they imagine a life of professional racing stretching ahead of them. Chad and Gary-Lee had grown up together in Blue Springs, Alabama, united in their friendship by their love of karting. Guiding the local wheelboys’ dreams is the notable family of professional racers who live in a mansion above Blue Springs and have their fingers in every pie around the town and the state, exploiting the keen young karters for their own financial gain and prestige. Although both boys had dreamed of a career in the high-powered world of professional car racing, all dreams were put away after one tragic weekend, just before the pair would graduate from high school. Both boys must face their uncertain futures and deal with the competing egos of the many adults that wanted to have a stake in their future directions. For Chad, especially, the decision of a future direction is complicated by the appearance in his life of a beautiful young kart racer from Texas.
What I particularly liked about Wheelboys was that it addressed the many issues that often get glossed over in these coming-of-age novels. Author Dd Jaseron was not afraid to question the adults' motivations as they tried to impress their own dreams and desires on the young people and how many adults were prepared to ruthlessly use young people just for their own financial gain under the guise of helping or mentoring them. This has long been an issue in not only sports but education and other aspects of teenage life in general. The characters were realistic, the pain genuine, and the angst of growing up and experiencing young love was explored and dealt with extremely well. The side story of Uma and her family also rang true as Uma beautifully summed up the uncertainty and fears of having a family involved in a very dangerous sport. I felt the author’s style was extremely readable and I was able to get through large chunks of the story in one sitting. This is a book for parents as well as young people. The issues faced by these three families are universal and ones that we all have to confront at various times in our lives. An excellent first novel from a talented author and one I can highly recommend.
Recommend this book:
Boundaries
Scope of Practice Book One
Jessica Aiken-Hall
2020 Silver Medal
298 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
Novels based on childhood abuse have a special place in my heart, particularly if the victims manage to eventually put their pasts behind them and use their experience to help others. Jessica Aiken-Hall, the author of Boundaries, is one such survivor. I remember reading and reviewing her previous book, The Monster Who Ate my Mommy. I was curious to see what angle she would take to further explore sexual abuse in Boundaries and was delighted to see she has created a completely new story with a new protagonist. With Valerie, a social worker who keeps herself away from people in a basement morgue, the author has gone even deeper into where and how some survivors might feel as adults. Do they just stay quiet and keep their painful secrets hidden forever? Do they ever wish they could punish the abusers? Would any of them dare to exact punishment, even kill for revenge? Thought-provoking.
When Valerie is forced into working with a handful of women in a trauma support group, once comfortable with each other, the ladies begin opening up. Their stories are horrible; each feels the other’s pain. One woman, Sonya, brings up how she wishes she could make the abuser pay for his crime. With each woman’s story, Valerie feels herself being triggered and memories of her own abuse surface. Adding to her growing anger is the brutal, but unsolved death of a beautiful young woman, Carmen, and Carmen’s addict mother. Valerie feels compelled to get to the bottom of Carmen’s murder. Readers will be surprised by her findings, but the bigger surprise is how all this violence ultimately affects Valerie herself.
Jessica Aiken-Hall is an excellent writer and has a gift for letting a plot unfold itself through the dialogue of its characters. Her engaging style is easy to follow and her characters are believable. In these days of trafficking, sexual abuse, and internet predators, books like Boundaries need to be written and read by both survivors and those who work with them to help them put their lives back together after others have torn them apart. If you belong to either group, read Boundaries.
Recommend this book:
The Opium Lord's Daughter
Robert Wang
2020 Gold Medal
308 Pages
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Fiction - Social Issues
I have just finished reading The Opium Lord’s Daughter by Robert Wang, which tells the story of the family of Lord Lee Shao Lin, his daughter Su-Mei and his number one son Lee da Ping during the time of the Opium Wars between Britain and China. Many people may not know of the travesty of this unevenly fought war when the British navy attacked China to ensure uninterrupted trade in tea, porcelain, silks, and spices. Since China had no need to import anything from the west, the currency used to buy Chinese goods was Chinese silver which the British obtained by illegally importing opium into China. Everyone was involved, the Chinese merchants, the corrupt customs officials, the addicts who would do what it took to obtain more of the drug. But then the Emperor issued a decree to halt the trade and the troubles begin. At this time, Sue-Mei meets Travers Higgins from Yorkshire and falls in love – a cross-cultural affair unheard of and disapproved of in 1840. The stage is set for an explosive story in more ways than one.
The Opium Lord’s Daughter is one of the best books I have read this year. I read it in a day and a half and loved every bit of it. The characters leaped off the pages. I connected with Sue-Mei, the heroine, and the words flowed effortlessly. For the hours I was engrossed in this book, I was living in the 1800s in China, surrounded by the sights and smells, the customs and the laughter and sorrow of the young couple and their family. The historical information was woven seamlessly into the story and I suspect the author researched the facts thoroughly, backed up by the pictures in the back of the book featuring many of the real characters mentioned at the time. A fairly balanced argument from both sides which highlights the greed and avarice and arrogance of mankind which has not changed one iota in the last two hundred years. I highly recommend this fabulous book, and I shall file it away to read again in the future. I wish I could award it 6 stars.