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:
Shadow Wolves
Jake Kaminski
2020 Silver Medal
334 Pages
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Fiction - Action
Shadow Wolves by Jake Kaminski is a chilling sojourn into a dark world, where humanity is laid bare in extremes of both good and evil. Ethan Crowe, a Lakota Indian, is an incredibly honed weapon of warfare who has seen more than his share of horror, from the genocide of Catholics and Muslims in Bosnia, through to the war on drugs in Thailand. Now, having suffered an incredible loss, he has withdrawn to Italy in an effort to find a peace that has long eluded him. Just when he believes he may have found a life worth living, Ethan is once again called on to join the battle against the Zetas, a deadly drug cartel based in Mexico. From his base in Southern Arizona, Ethan knows he is at war yet again; a war against an enemy just as ruthless and cold-blooded as any he has faced. Will his team of highly trained Indian trackers survive this battle, or will Ethan’s story be etched in blood on the sun-baked sand of the Sonoran Desert?
Jake Kaminski’s Shadow Wolves is an incredibly gripping read that is almost impossible to put down until the final climax has played out. The characters are very special, with each being uniquely carved from a wide range of social environments, leading to a world full of diversity that closely matches reality. I particularly enjoyed the Apache twins and their relationship with each other, and the bonds forming between them and Ethan. The way the story wrapped up made me want much more of Nalin Chee and the promise of a future that may unfold with Crowe. This is a top-notch book that will appeal to those wanting fast-paced action, molded with a perfect mix of emotions and excitement on a grand scale. One of the best books I have read.
Recommend this book:
Three Degrees and Gone
J. Stewart Willis
2020 Gold Medal
325 Pages
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Fiction - Action
Three Degrees and Gone is a dystopian novel set in the year 2080 when author J Stewart Willis takes us to America which is suffering badly from climate change. Sea levels have risen, leaving several cities underwater, frequent and fierce hurricanes have battered the land, and the economy is in a downward spiral. The title takes its name from the average three-degree rise in temperature over planet Earth. Three families decide to enter Canada illegally to begin new lives. Frank, Dana, and their daughter Embrey live in an industrial park, an enclosed community that protects them. In theory, they are safe from the elements, but their biggest challenge is boredom. Harry Sykes is a chartered accountant and divorced. He has lost everything and watches helplessly as the tide engulfs his house. He takes desperate measures to pay for his son’s university education and escaping to Canada is a good option. The third pair is a wealthy mother and daughter from Chicago where the wife is locked in a mixed-race, loveless marriage.
I found Three Degrees and Gone by J Stewart Willis a refreshing read. The author describes life as he imagines it 60 years into the future with some interesting and innovative gadgets. However, human nature has not changed one iota and nor have today’s prejudices and attitudes. I found that realistic. The beauty of this story for me, besides being a twist on refugees escaping to the West for a better life, was the idea of this happening due to climate change. I particularly liked the brilliantly drawn characters who leap off the page, from grinding my teeth every time Frank opened his mouth to the reactions of suburban Cynthia having to live rough. Minor characters, those who facilitated the escape route, were also well-drawn. I found it very difficult to put this book down once I started reading it. Recommended with 5 stars from me.
Recommend this book:
Ascension
The Chrusion Saga Book 1
Brian Lambert
2019 Finalist
588 Pages
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Fiction - Action
Michael and Kyle were brothers in both arms and blood, but any in the Black Knights would stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder. They would put their lives into the hands of their fellow guild members without question. Experience from the twenty-year war had taught many lessons, ones the other guilds serving the king of Avalon did not always understand. As such, they were the only ones Shawn could trust at his back on a mission of grave importance. When a rumor from the Count of Lyoness whispered of the King's Warriors inciting war with heinous, unspeakable acts, there was a choice to be made; peace or war. One thing is clear, someone attacked protected villages. Someone seeking to implicate Avalon is behind these attacks. The question is who, and what are their motives?
Ascension by Brian Lambert makes for an entertaining read. Many readers may find the segregation into only nine chapters an unusual choice, but fear not, within each are scene breaks that can act as a good place to stop when you need to put it down. The attention to hierarchy and guilds will put people in mind of the detail paid to such things in Game of Thrones. Realistic relationships make for not only conflict within the Black Knights, but their tightly knit relationships mean they can overlook such things to stand beside their brothers in arms as needed.
A detailed and descriptive style of writing provides vivid and clear descriptions of places, people, and things to create clear imagery of the lands and its people, adding to the world building undertaken. An amalgamation of action, adventure, challenges, tension, drama, faith, honor, revenge, legacies, and justice fill the pages of this gripping journey and provide an exciting foundation and foothold for the next book in The Chrusion Saga.
Recommend this book:
Out of Time
The Dream Traveler Book 1
Ernesto H Lee
2019 Honorable Mention
294 Pages
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Fiction - Action
With The Dream Traveler Book I, author Ernesto H. Lee begins the Out of Time series, a time-traveling, cold-case detective story that impresses with verisimilitude and fast-paced action. Detective Constable (DC) Sean McMillan has a unique ability to travel back in time through the medium of his dreams. However, Sean soon discovers that changes to the past to influence the future can have unexpected and deadly consequences. The past is not the past, the future is not set and nothing in life is certain.
Utilizing personal knowledge and experiences of dreams, the entanglement theory of quantum physics, and a superb imagination, Ernesto Lee introduces unforgettable characters and lays the groundwork for what I believe will be a hit series for fans of science fiction and detective/crime stories. As with all great characters, DC McMillan embodies a likeable personality engaged in battle with criminal elements while keeping his personal demons and unusual talents secret. Other than McMillan, the remaining players are reminiscent of characters in any number of detective/crime novels; the loyal partner, the hard core boss that's actually soft inside, the bad guy bully without redeeming features, et al. These characters, however, are perfect in that they complement the fantastic story and lead character without distraction.
Without giving away a spoiler, the process of McMillan's time travel, both going and coming, is unique in the extreme. Verisimilitude is an important factor in fiction that oft times offends readers sensitive to crude language or graphic violence and/or sex. Lee uses language relevant to the locations and characters' personalities perfectly. For me, it's a highlight in Lee's story telling talent and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Recommend this book:
Addiction & Pestilence
E.M. Kelly
2019 Bronze Medal
331 Pages
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Fiction - Action
Addiction & Pestilence by E.M. Kelly is a gripping story with a fascinating post-apocalyptic setting characterized by a gritty struggle against the plague, a narrative with powerful religious themes. A plague is unleashed in New York by the Four Horsemen and it spreads quickly. People are moving and seeking a means of survival. It is against this backdrop that Drew Murphy, an E.M.T. in Boston and a former Marine, undertakes his own journey towards redemption. A man with dark secrets who finds comfort and an escape in his addictions, he sets out to go to his mother who is very sick. The journey is that of transformation as he joins others who have their inner demons to conquer. United by the will to survive and save their families, can they find enough fight in them to trump their addictions and save those they love?
The prose is gripping and E.M. Kelly’s narrative voice is strong, exposing points of views that are clearly defined. The narrative opens with very intriguing lines: “The little black mass appeared out of nowhere. It floated and danced like a butterfly, yet it stayed in the same place.” And the reader wants to know what the floating object is and how it materializes itself. The chapters are short, the paragraph breaks designed for great dramatic effect, and these combine with the use of short sentences to make for an enjoyable read. The pacing is fast, the action intense, and the entire narrative filled with great emotional intelligence. Addiction & Pestilence is a novel with themes of addiction, but curiously, it is addictive. I was hypnotized, transformed, and found myself rooting for the characters. The writing is infused with realism and a fine sense of humanity. The grittiness is real, the psychological elements of the narrative strong, and the character development is expertly handled.
Recommend this book:
The Apotheosis
Darrell Lee
2019 Silver Medal
362 Pages
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Fiction - Action
In The Apotheosis by Darrell Lee, when Dr. John Numen’s father dies suddenly he inherits a major stake in a successful pharmaceutical company. Using the company as a cover, John Numen begins his own medical research which could change human life as we know it. As the decades pass, John discovers the meaning of abandonment by those close to him but also true unconditional love. His research and his plan to boost his wealth even further takes him down a morally disturbing path. Following a series of devastating events, he finds himself on the run from the FBI. There is now no turning back and John is determined to see his experiment through, no matter who has to suffer, in the name of progress. Follow John through many decades and continents as he tries to master his life’s work and get his retribution before the FBI can stop him.
This science fiction thriller will hook you from the first page. The suspense throughout this fast-paced plot will always keep you in anticipation. The medical jargon is just enough to understand and enjoy the story but it is clearly very well researched. John Numen is a disturbed character who believes his macabre work is for the benefit of mankind. Whether he is a villain or a misunderstood hero will be for the reader's belief system to decide. The tangled web of deceit and corruption in the story is woven throughout with nail-biting conflict. Not often does a novel make you question your own values but this one did mine. Each of the characters was well created and three-dimensional, especially Irina, a strong-minded fighter with a fierce attitude towards the cold-blooded and callous Roman. The hunt by the FBI at the end had me on the edge of my seat, followed by an excellent twist that was absolutely masterful.
Recommend this book:
High Alert
The Project Book 14
Alex Lukeman
2019 Gold Medal
290 Pages
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Fiction - Action
I spent eight years in the military. I was Army Infantry, but a smart infantry soldier can be used anywhere in the army system, so I had a lot of interesting jobs. I worked a lot with the special forces. These guys are different. They are unique, they are, well…special. I love to read military fiction and some of the best stories are about the special forces. The problem is that I have lived and worked with these guys and some writers just don’t get them, or what they do, right. If you want to read a realistic novel of the special forces and other elite people who work for our government, read High Alert by Alex Lukeman. I have served in Asia, where a lot of the action occurs and, let me tell you, that you are getting a very realistic story.
I liked the characters in High Alert more than I appreciated other elements of the novel. Everything was done well. The setting, the writing itself, the plot. High Alert by Alex Lukeman is a well put together novel. It should be. It is the fourteenth book in The Project Series. You don’t get to do it fourteen times if you are doing it wrong. No, the rest of the elements were done well, it’s just that I fell in love with these characters. They reminded me of people I served with. I knew soldiers just like Ronnie Peete and Lamont Cameron. Reading this book made me miss my days of service.
Recommend this book:
Ruby Dorn
Paul Wychor
2018 Finalist
300 Pages
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Fiction - Action
From the outset, Ruby Dorn has only the problems any other fifteen-year-old girl living in a small Minnesota town in the year 1875 might face: her mother recently died in childbirth, her father has been arrested for burning the crops on their farm that had just been repossessed by the bank, and her older sister, Morain, is in hiding for assaulting the man who turned their father in. Events quickly take a turn for the worse when an accident involving a boy trying to force himself on Ruby results in his death. Knowing her younger sister is naïve enough to get herself arrested and likely hanged by the corrupt local judge, Morain comes to Ruby’s rescue and leads her away from their hometown into the wilds of the untamed West.
Immediately after arriving in a remote mining settlement known as Foregone, the sisters nearly fall prey to a purported local lawman, and after having violently escaped his attempt at rape, Ruby finds herself sentenced to death, only to be narrowly rescued by her ferocious, ever-inventive sister. After defeating a neophyte bounty hunter who had thought Ruby would be an easy catch, the sisters plan to take a coach and then ride a train east to Chicago. During the journey, Ruby discovers that she has become a topic of national debate regarding society’s treatment of women following the publication of an article covering her arrest in Foregone featuring a fabricated interview between herself and the article’s writer. As women, now known as “Dornists”, take revenge on their attackers around the country, a new bounty of five thousand dollars is declared for Ruby’s apprehension, and the sisters find themselves confronted at every turn by men who will stop at nothing to either capture or control them. Eventually making their way to Boston, Ruby feels certain they have reached civilization, again only to discover that they are still far from escaping the depravity of humanity.
Paul Wychor’s debut novel, Ruby Dorn, is a fantastically fast-paced historical melodrama that forever keeps the reader wondering as to what new tribulation could possibly befall the protagonists, as the author deftly takes his audience on a wild ride of ever-escalating encounters and escapes. The trash-talking, brutal Morain, so adept at “ferreting out others’ weaknesses” and viciously exploiting them, might not be the sort of person we would enjoy to know in real life, but thanks to Ruby’s perfect and often exasperated narration she is absolutely delectable as a character. The constant conflict between the two sisters, both so different in desires, dress, speech and temperament, is executed beautifully. The first person point-of-view featuring regular internal monologues is integral to the overall charm of the story as Ruby relates her experiences with her overtly intense sibling, honestly stating: “As much as I loathe being forced to live in her world I cannot help but be awed by her brilliance.” Though Morain necessarily takes center stage during most of the action sequences, Ruby is not always relegated to the literary backwaters. Instead, as circumstances dictate, Ruby reluctantly sits in the driver’s seat herself, and as a character she continues to grow throughout the book as she slowly begins to accept her rightful place in a mad world where, time and again, violence seems the only solution to the evils perpetrated by men.
Recommend this book:
Dead Cold
An Emily Stone Thriller
Jennifer Chase
2018 Finalist
402 Pages
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Fiction - Action
Jennifer Chase’s Dead Cold is the sixth of her Emily Stone thrillers, with a seventh in the pipeline. Emily and her partner, Rick Lopez, are ex law enforcement officers who’ve decided that rather than deal with the humdrum of everyday law enforcement, with its highs and lows — thrills and spills one minute, acute boredom the next — they’d ditch the routine and become 24/7 thrill-a-minute good guys, superheroes almost, tracking down villains, solving crimes, leaving the local cops to claim the glory of yet another mysteriously solved felony. In this episode, a Californian community is beset by a disturbing spike in gruesome homicides. There’s a serial killer out there who not only ensnares and tortures victims, but cuts them into neat sections and displays them in a macabre formation for all to see. The local police are flummoxed, with Detective Danny Starr doing his best, but being thwarted at every turn by one of the cleverest killers he has ever come across. Enter Emily Stone and her partner, Rick, and this time they enlist the assistance of a friend, Jordan. Together the intrepid trio sets out to track down the killer. And this time it’s easier said than done.
Dead Cold is not for those with weak hearts or nervous dispositions. Every page will have your heart pumping so much you’ll feel like you’re running a marathon. The story gets off to a cracking start in the prologue with high speed action from the first line. Jennifer Chase introduces us to real, three-dimensional characters, those with whom you can empathise, those you can love, hate, root for. Chapters aren’t numbered but rather they are headed with a date and time, a device which helps to keep up the frenetic pace throughout the story. The writing is visual so, as you flip through the pages, it will feel like you’re watching a movie and as the story is multi-layered, you won’t lose interest. The concept itself is unique. Most American thrillers involve police officers, FBI agents, spies, or private detectives, not people working clandestinely and happy to allow regular law enforcers to take all the credit. So, if you’re an adrenaline junkie, put on your seat belt and start reading. When you get to the end, if you’re not already familiar with this author’s work, you’ll be taking note of her name and reaching for another Emily Stone adventure.
Recommend this book:
How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse
Steven Bereznai
2018 Honorable Mention
258 Pages
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Fiction - Action
In How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse by Steven Bereznai, Marty Melon starts off having a bad day. As if killing his lady-love-turned-zombie isn't bad enough, he finds himself fighting for survival with his bitch ex-girlfriend playing her same old underhanded self. With gay-best-friend Gary at his side and his childhood teddy bear, Teddy, giving him advice, he fights to survive both the zombies and the ex from hell.
I loved, loved, loved Marty Melon. You could set him down in the middle of any story and he would be the center of attention. Steven Bereznai has made him into a multi-dimensional good man who had to crawl out of the pit of juvenile dweebdom and recreate himself into a rock star boyfriend with a killer body, a loyal best friend, and just enough of a bad ass zombie killer to keep himself alive. His role in How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse adds just enough humor, compassion, fear, and vulnerability to take the book to a whole different level of entertainment.
Besides the human element, How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse provides a steady dose of horror, thrills, and well-thought out speculation as to how a population of zombies would act. The fact that some zombies maintained a degree of their humanity made what Marty and his crew had to do even more disturbing, but to some degree, the whole concept of being stuck in a zombie apocalypse with the one person he hated the most is even more horrific than the monsters outside.