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:
Restoration
Sharon Mikeworth

2022 Finalist
269 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Restoration by Sharon Mikeworth is a thriller/horror novel that will have you holding your breath until the end. Cliff Phillip’s world was shaken to its core when his wife Tricia left him for another man. Devastated by the end of his marriage and the loss of his job, Cliff packed his bags, booked a cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains, and took that as an opportunity to rethink and restart his life. At first, everything was perfect, until it wasn’t. It didn’t take too long for Cliff to witness something strange in the lake. As if the strange movement and lights in the lake weren’t enough, people started to disappear. Before he knew it, Cliff was stuck in a horrible circle of suspicion, tragic accidents, and intense drama that he could not shake off. Everything led back to the lake and the mystery it held in its depth. It would take everything Cliff had to solve the mystery and get out of the Blue Ridge mountains alive.
Reading Restoration was a roller coaster ride with unending twists and turns. The story had me hooked from the very beginning, and it has a lot to do with Cliff. Cliff had my sympathies right from the start, and I was interested in how he would reshape his life after Tricia’s betrayal. However, author Sharon Mikeworth added in just the right twists and turns to make the story interesting. The mystery about what lived beneath the lake, why people started to disappear, and why they were targeted had me hooked. The descriptions were goosebump-inducing, the imagery created was perfect, and the dialogues were fantastic. There was never a moment when I felt something was missing. I was looking for answers and hoping that Cliff got those answers before it was too late. Fans of Joe Hill will enjoy this novel. Entertaining and terrifying at the same time!
Recommend this book:
Bloodline Gypsy
Jook and Gypsies, Vol. 1
Shirley A. Martin

2022 Finalist
436 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Bloodline Gypsy by Shirley A. Martin is the first volume in the Jook and Gypsies series, following Susannah after her mother and grandparents die, leaving her in the custody of a father she's never met. She thought this would be a fresh start for her, but when she meets her stepmother, she realizes she has to give up everything she was just to fit in with her new family. Keeping her gift of healing secret, Susannah manages to please her new parents, but when she meets a mysterious neighbor, her life starts looking up. That is until she learns she's part of an ancient and secret group of people, with a dangerous werewolf hunting her. With few options, and feelings she doesn't quite understand, she's forced to trust two strangers who claim to be protecting her.
I don't really read novels that are classified as 'horror,' but the premise was intriguing and I couldn't resist seeing what adventure Bloodline Gypsy would have in store. It was worth it! Bloodline Gypsy is well-written, creative, unique, and frightening. A fast-paced page turner that you can't stop reading until you reach the end. Bloodline Gypsy is grotesque horror at its finest, with a villainous werewolf that is truly disturbing, and it will leave you anxious for Susannah and her friends' safety. Shirley A. Martin craftily weaves rich mythology into a modern setting, immersing you in the story. Susannah is a strong heroine who garners much sympathy when she's forced to leave herself behind because her stepmother is in every way 'wicked.' There's the classic spin of her meeting mysterious strangers and belonging to an ancient mythology, but Martin takes a unique approach to the idea of a werewolf that leaves you guessing, and wanting more.
Recommend this book:
The Tooth Fairy
Davide Tarsitano

2022 Honorable Mention
278 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

If the idea of a tooth fairy warms your heart, then Davide Tarsitano's psychological thriller The Tooth Fairy will replace the feeling with a biting cold sensation that will haunt you for a long time. When Johnny Hawk caught his wife cheating on him, it triggered something inside him: the need to escape from everything. Pushing aside all rational and practical thoughts, he decided to quit his business and move far away. However, his escape led him to Wendy, a stunning dentist, albeit disturbed beyond his wildest imagination. From the first moment he laid eyes on her, he was smitten. As for Wendy, their encounter awakened an evil side of her that only knew cruelty, torture, and all things sadistic.
Even though The Tooth Fairy is Davide Tarsitano's debut novel, the narration shows the panache of a seasoned author. The story goes back and forth between different timelines, past and present, but the plot never gets confusing. Each character, whether a side player or main protagonist, has a unique personality and a backstory to help build a connection with them. An excellent psychological thriller is one in which readers are sitting in anticipation. They want to know more about this complex character whose mind keeps switching gears. The scenes of sexual abuse, though not too graphic, may disturb some readers. By creating an engaging thriller with relatable characters that readers will care about, Tarsitano has given fans of psychological thrillers a compulsive read. I highly recommend this book and challenge readers to dare put it down before finishing it.
Recommend this book:
Razormouth
A Novel of Blood in the Sea
Howard Butcher

2022 Silver Medal
482 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Razormouth by Howard Butcher is 'A Novel of Blood in the Sea.' It’s 1984 and Seabrook and Aja are living in the Bimini Islands, renting a house overlooking a beautiful lagoon as they carry out their marine biology work. Suspecting they are onto a new species of predator, they double down their efforts but, just as they are almost done, they are interrupted by a scarred, earless man with gunshot wounds. Soon, a Colombian cartel has them in their sights, searching for the man and $50 million in missing dollars. When Aja is abducted, it’s up to Seabrook to try to save her. They have their undying love and their vast knowledge of the ocean on their side but can Aja escape the clutches of one of the most bloodthirsty cartels in history? Across land and sea, Aja and Seabrook are embroiled in the fight of their lives.
Razormouth by Howard Butcher is a fascinating, terrifying tale of predators – human and animal. It starts off slowly, setting the scene and building the tension, readying the reader for the suspense and terror that follows. A unique tale, it would do well as a movie but I suspect much of the story would be lost. The author has a way with words, with descriptive prose drawing you right into the story and making you feel you are there. Heart-pounding, nail-biting scenes follow in fast succession, with a great mix of different characters, some of them pretty scary. The new sea creature they discover, dubbed the Razormouth, puts me in mind of several horror films and the descriptions of that and the other sea creatures are detailed, making them as much characters of the story as the human characters. The ending is surprising, one you won't see coming in this thrilling tale that will keep you reading all the way through.
Recommend this book:
Pool Man
Dan McDowell

2022 Gold Medal
187 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Pool Man is a psychological thriller/horror novel written by Dan McDowell. It's the year 1991. Greg Preakle, a one-armed pool man working at The Oak Hollow Hotel, has his life turned upside down after finding a dead body floating in the hotel pool. Jobless and broke, Greg's desperation leads him to participate in an outlandish and bloody cable quiz show called Twisted Hacks. This leads to a bizarre chain of events that Greg could never have anticipated. He joins the West Riverton High School as a janitor working for the slug-obsessed Principal John Fatts. But everything is not as it seems. Why is the basement off-limits? What's the deal with the creepy Dr. Carl Hicks? As Greg slowly acclimates himself to the oddities of the school, dead bodies start piling up whenever Greg is in the vicinity.
If surreal psychological thriller/horror is your jam, you'll have a blast with Pool Man. Filled with suspense, intrigue, and nail-biting thrills, Dan McDowell's uniquely twisted tale hooks you in from the get-go and refuses to let go until the end. The narrative switches timelines every now and then, creating an atmosphere filled with tension and dread that will have readers on the edge of their seats. I found the plot completely unpredictable. After the midway point, you find yourself trying to guess what's going to happen next, only to have the rug pulled out from under you. The eccentric characters keep you engaged with their idiosyncratic personas and odd behaviors. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.
Recommend this book:
Soul Seeker
Gehenna
Kaylin McFarren

2021 Finalist
393 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Kaylin McFarren presents Soul Seeker, an urban paranormal romance adventure that delves into the cross-political world of humans, souls, angels, and demons. Crighton Daemonium is a highly-skilled soul collector working for the big boss himself, Lucifer. Crighton torments his human target, Benjamin Poe, as well as his family, but Poe exhausts all means to fight back and protect his son. But demons are cunningly deceptive, and Poe is tricked into committing a murder that merits his execution. Crighton continues to go about his business collecting souls until he meets the angel Ariel that will put his true nature to the test. And then there is the Sovereign Sector, a privately held organization of rogue scientists whose intelligence and skillsets include advanced technology that allows them to battle angels and demons in the spirit realm—and Crichton finds himself at their mercy.
Soul Seeker takes you to a different world—an imagined, detailed spiritual world of opposing forces that have been made popular by different Abrahamic faiths. McFarren throws in the element of super science to add to the excitement. Moreover, she picks up from where the apocryphal story of the angelic rebellion left off. It is fascinating how McFarren writes about demons as creatures whose desires are no different from mortals. Here you will see Crichton’s character put to the test as he walks with humans and falls in love with an angel. McFarren never fails to keep you turning pages as she makes it difficult for characters to achieve what they want. This is a story that deeply explores actions ruled by emotions. Soul Seeker exceeds expectations when it comes to paranormal fiction.
Recommend this book:
The Covenant of Wickersham Hollow
An Occult Horor Thriller
Thomas A. Bradley

2021 Honorable Mention
354 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

The Covenant of Wickersham Hollow by Thomas A. Bradley is an occult horror thriller. Annabel and Brian have lived their whole lives in the town, and they really should have known the history behind the old Wickersham place before they decided to buy it. Behind its façade hides a horrific secret dating back to 1697. On All Hallows Eve, a deal was struck. A deal was forged in the fires of hell, and now it waits, hiding in the shadows. Waiting for the next soul to arrive. Waiting for Annabel. What happened to the seven teenagers who thought it would be fun to spend the night there all those years ago? Will Annabel be the one to finally cleanse the house or just another victim?
The Covenant of Wickersham Hollow is a spooky, spine-tingling read that will stay with readers for a long time. The story flicks between timelines, giving us a history of the house and other events that have occurred there while guiding us through the present time. This is done particularly well by author Thomas A. Bradley, as you fall seamlessly between past and present, the story pulling you deeper in until you are fully immersed in the evil. The action doesn’t let up, the story is well-paced, and the characters are real people, easy to like and relate to, developed as the story unfolds before you. The plot contains lots of twists and turns and plenty of scares and thrills to keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for something different in this genre, or you just want a way to escape the real world for a while, this is the book for you.
Recommend this book:
Mandala Mandela
R.J. Myles

2021 Silver Medal
312 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Mandala Mandela by R.J. Myles is a novel that combines crime and horror to deliver a wonderful reading experience. The setting is the town of Starvation, Oregon. In this novel, six teenagers — Crantz, Glenda, Linda, Bobby, Judy, and Luther — meet and set out on an adventure to Pricket’s Barn, a barn that had something unique for each of the teenagers. When the local farmer, Fred Schroder, discovers a body in the barn, he is alarmed. But then there is something more shocking: all six teenagers have been murdered. But by who? While Joseph’s guilt is accepted, Fred faces second-degree murder. The town hurries to get back to normal. But in the second part of the story, Richard John Myles returns home for his uncle’s funeral after twenty years away. But who is John Myles and what is his connection to the murder of the six teenagers?
R.J. Myles’ Mandala Mandela is a suspenseful novel with a wonderful plot. The plot is twisty and it is hard to guess what happens next. The story begins with a wonderful description of the town of Starvation, Oregon, with the morning shining down. The “contented big-bellied farmers” love the town and never shy away from telling curious passersby how the town received its name. As the story progresses, the reader gets a strong image of this little town that has a life of its own. The characters are well-developed and real. I loved how the author writes mystery into the story, making the reader wonder if the right person is held responsible for the crime. Mandala Mandela is written in wonderful prose — descriptive and laden with strong imagery — and it features a crime that rocks the tranquil life of a small rural community. It is gripping and entertaining.
Recommend this book:
The Brother's Curse
The Brother's Curse Saga Book 1
Christine M. Germain

2021 Gold Medal
403 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

For the legion of shapeshifting demons to resurrect, an amethyst necklace must be retrieved and liberated. To retrieve this artifact, the wearer must die! This is the story of The Cursed Brothers, a thrilling horror novel written by Christine M. Germain. Crystal had just returned to Lakeview Falls, a year after her parents’ brutal murder. Her birthday was fast approaching, and she received the amethyst necklace posthumously from her late mom. She also developed romantic feelings towards her new next-door neighbor, Jason. Unfortunately, her friends started disappearing one after the other. The culprit was the necklace, and two immortal demons were after it. Only Crystal can fight this battle. She will choose her destiny, whether to live or die. What will it be?
Whoosh! The Brother’s Curse by Christine M. Germain offered a lot and lived up to its genre. Christine is such a fantastic storyteller that I felt the energies emanating from the novel. The plot was unlike anything I’ve ever read, very detailed and otherworldly realistic. I loved the sprinkle of humor that tempered the tension and fear. Character development was top-notch, and I loved their unpredictability. John and Trey were my authentic heroes in the book. They were the ones who truly loved; walking their talk all the way. I loved the writing style and the way words flowed effortlessly–almost poetically. The book cover was also very attractive and informative, telling me what to expect. This is the first book, and I can’t wait to read other works by Christine.
Recommend this book:
A Thousand Miles to Nowhere
An Apocalypse Thriller
David Curfiss

2020 Finalist
292 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

A Thousand Miles to Nowhere: An Apocalypse Thriller is a work of fiction set in the dark supernatural genre, and was penned by author David Curfiss. Playing with the usual tropes of the zombie genre to create something truly unique and more intense, Curfiss’s dark tale begins in a world where a deadly virus has already been plaguing the planet for fifteen years. Protagonist Matt Tanner is a survivor at heart, but when a stranger arrives with a letter and a fresh batch of the infection, Matt must make a choice about his immediate future. There’s a chance of a reunion with a brother he never expected to see again ... if he’s willing to face all hell to take it.
Author David Curfiss writes with a great sense of pacing in this slow-burning yet constantly creepy horror novel. There’s a sense of danger lurking around every corner as you turn each page, and Curfiss has a knack for balancing moments of sudden, shocking action against quietly tense scenes of emotional grief, the loss of friends and survivor’s guilt. Protagonist Matt Tanner is an ideal vehicle for these themes, highly relatable in his everyman style and his approach to leadership and survival. There’s real heart and grief in the close narrative, but also high contrast in the well-described action scenes and the visceral presentation of Curfiss’s unique brand of wasted-away zombies. Overall, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere: An Apocalypse Thriller is a highly recommended read for horror fans looking for a high-quality zombie thriller.
