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:
The Tegen Cave
Inge-Lise Goss

2017 Finalist
279 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

The Tegen Cave by Inge-Lise Goss is an amazing horror fiction that made me sweat and that is not easy, I can tell you. Sara Jones, the protagonist of the story, knows that her life will not be the same. She ran away from her boyfriend and his crime family and started a new life in a new place. She even has a new boyfriend and her life is finally picking up. Things go downhill quickly when she receives a mysterious package. Inside the package is a spider. Despite being confused, she knows that somehow she and her family are compromised.
Now people around her are dying of mysterious poisonous spider bites. What is even more mysterious is the fact that these spiders and their poison have no effect on her. She is immune to them. And now that she is 25 years old, something about her past and her heritage is coming forward. Can she trust anyone in this world? With everything happening around her, can she keep herself and her family safe?
This novel has romance, action, drama and a lot of thrills for readers who love horror novels. You can actually feel your skin crawl when you read scenes about spiders. I loved Sara; she is relatable and she is strong. She is a level-headed character and very deep. Even with so many things happening in her life all at once, she was resilient and this is the reason why I loved her. This is definitely one of the best novels I have read this year. It was wonderful and truly well written.
Recommend this book:
Stage 3
Ken Stark

2017 Bronze Medal
216 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

In Stage 3 by Ken Stark, a zombie virus has hit the world with a bang and main character, Mason, a misanthrope who survives the initial pandemic by locking himself in his apartment following a horrific airplane incident, finds himself surrounded. Emerging from his hideaway, unaware of the disease that has turned ninety percent of the population into zombies, Mason immediately encounters a few of the infected. He quickly adapts, destroys them, and begins his search for other survivors. He encounters Mack, a young, blind girl mature for her age, who proves the theory that people who suffer a malady of a single sense have heightened abilities in another of the five senses—or six, in this case. Mack is searching for her Aunt Sarah and Mason agrees to help her. But, the odds are long as the aunt, if she survived, is in a far corner of the city and in between are oceans of the walking dead.
There are numerous comparisons between Stage 3 and other zombie apocalypse tales, but it’s the dissimilarities of other zombie tales that put Ken Stark at the top of the zombie author charts. Stark’s monsters are different, a fact evident through explanation of the title approximately one-third into the story. Mason and Mack construct a believable pair of survivors whose interactions and depth of character display the human psyche at its best. Mason’s development, thanks to Mack’s maturity and insight, is a beautifully sculpted and integral part of the story that alone would be worth the read. There’s lots of gore, fighting, and a variety of bad guys (other than the zombies) that keep the action going, the plot thickening, and the pages turning. For me, the constant battles that comprised seventy to eighty percent of each chapter were a bit much, but for zombie fans that’s probably just the right amount. Stark is a master wordsmith. His insight into character development, realistic dialogue, and the right amount and timing of twists that keep the reader reading are second to none. I highly recommend Stage 3 to zombie and horror fans, but also those who enjoy a human story embedded in an action-packed apocalyptic tale.
Recommend this book:
Abra-Cadaver
Matt Drabble

2017 Silver Medal
325 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Abra-Cadaver by Matt Drabble is about Tommy Ross who has a penchant for adventure and magic. Something goes wrong with one of the tricks on The Captivating Cosmo X which his parents had hired for his 12th birthday. What follows is a series of scary adventures, thrills, murders, etc. which sets the tone for the onset of something eerie.
Writing too much about the book would be giving away the plot and losing the suspense. The story is dark with many twists and turns which keep you glued to the mystery. The author has managed to create an enigmatic ambiance which runs silently throughout. The language used and the murders that happen reiterate the gory feeling.
It's not always easy to write horror books without the cliches creeping in. And most of the time in a horror story, the ending and the happenings are always predictable after a couple of chapters. But here the author manages to keep the suspense until the very end. The character of the local magician Albert Trotter is another eerie one which adds to the suspense and changes the tone of the story.
Abra-Cadaver throws a new light on magicians. It is frightening to think that magicians can actually misuse their magical skills and terrify people. You start looking at them with a different eye, doubting their magical powers.
Recommend this book:
Wicked Prayers
S. D. Moore

2017 Gold Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Horror

Wicked Prayers by S.D. Moore is a horror story with a little extra added. Elizabeth Holly has been abducted by Old Man Wilson. She is pregnant and it is down to her family to save her and her child. Julia, her daughter, thinks there is more to the abduction than first thought when she lays eyes on her new brother’s “evil” face. Evil grows and builds up an army of creatures to command and it is down to the folk of Autumnstown to band together and fight against Evil, fight against all manner of weird and terrifying creatures. Can they succeed or will Autumnstown fall and become part of the legend of Evil?
Wicked Prayers by S.D. Moore is an outstanding story. It is packed full of suspense and horror, with some truly frightening moments in it. It really is very vivid in its descriptions, allowing any reader to see the story as they read it – try not to read it last thing at night! I read the entire book from cover to cover in one sitting; it wasn’t possible to put it down without wondering what was going to happen next and picking it up again, “just to read a couple more pages!” The story starts quickly, and is action all the way. The character development is in depth and the story itself is a real mixture of horror, suspense, and even comedy, making it a great read, and a great introduction to those readers new to the horror genre. Non-stop action, a great story.
Recommend this book:
Jacob's Odyssey
Dead Dayz Volume 1
Russ Melrose

2016 Finalist
302 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Russ Melrose’s protagonist in his debut novel Jacob’s Odyssey (Dead Dayz Volume 1) is Jacob Henricksen, a fifth grade school teacher with nothing about him that would tell anybody else that he’s an “action hero.” Plagued by the memory in which he had to kill his own brother, Jake makes his way through other people’s backyards to a cabin somewhere in the Wasatch Mountains. While occupying one of many abandoned homes, Jake receives a phone call from a woman who asks for food for her and her daughter. What Jake finds at the woman’s location is another person – a cheerful yoga teacher. When they ask Jake for a favor, Jake doesn’t hesitate to comply. Maybe by helping them, he can make up for what he did to his brother.
According to colorful internet patois, the virus, never named in the book, has already turned most of the human population into "infected," "grays," "zombies," "zeds," or "runners." What sets this post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world apart from most fictitious creations is that in this one, the internet is still up and running. I like how Jake, being a fifth grade school teacher and all, got a chance to use that to his advantage in the novel. For an antagonist, Jake has to contend with an alpha that he refers to as the "Swimmer." The Swimmer quickly becomes Jake's bane, showing up around every corner, smart and calculating. He is a chilling addition to the storyline and a welcome counter plot. Blood-and-guts moments are never very far off, making one fear for the lives of the protagonist and the people he must protect.
Recommend this book:
The Eaton
John K. Addis

2016 Honorable Mention
421 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

The Eaton by John K. Addis tells the story of Sam Spicer, who purchases the long-abandoned Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Eaton Rapids with the dream of opening a hot new martini bar. But he and his friends discover an abandoned underground hotel directly beneath the property, and they try to find out what happened to the original guests. Unfortunately, a terrifying secret from the past awaits them. Sam and his friends might never escape the abandoned underground world.
The narrative’s back and forth transition between the present day and the past is well executed, showing Addis’ strength as a writer. His characters are compelling and clearly drawn. The plot is fast-paced, but has enough room to let readers know all the necessary details about what happened in the old Victorian hotel. The story does remind me of Stephen King’s works, but I personally felt Addis excelled more in characterization and storyline structure.
The ending is solid; it has a gripping finish like some of the best horror novels that I’ve read before. Needless to say, I enjoyed The Eaton. It’s an out and out thrilling horror and an absolute page-turner – it had me wanting “just another chapter.” But it is, I think, also a little more than that. Addis explores a number of very contemporary and relatable concerns here regarding the relationship between the characters as well as their past. This is a great read and I guarantee horror fans are about to be as hooked in as I was.
Recommend this book:
Good Neighbors
Russell C Connor

2016 Bronze Medal
482 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Good Neighbors by Russell C Connor is a horror story. Elliot Jefferson needs to stay away from people. He needs to get sober and stay sober so he moves to the Estates of North Hills, the perfect, isolated place. Or is it? He has some odd neighbors; people he wouldn’t have dreamed of becoming involved with before. The complex is surrounded by electric transformers and they are alive. Or so it seems when they start a shrieking buzz that Jefferson calls “the squall.” That’s when bad things happen. That’s when children start killing their parents. That’s when husbands are locked up by their wives. That's when his neighbors begin to twitch, to fight, and to mumble about voices, voices only they can hear. And nobody will tell him the truth about the squall. Jefferson must find out for himself if he wants to live, and he must help the innocent people in the complex before they all end up the same way.
Good Neighbors by Russell C Connor is a real chilling horror story, a story that I guarantee will send shivers down the spine of any reader – I know it did mine. The story starts off at an even pace, but when things really start to pick up, it’s full speed ahead. From the first page to the last, this is a roller coaster. Not quite out of control because Mr. Connor does let you catch your breath occasionally, but not for long! This is one of those books that plays itself out in your head while you read, in glorious technicolor but, for me, that just added to it. Mr. Connor has a real command of language, using plain, easy to understand language, with nothing ambiguous, flowery, or too complicated. He has clearly put a great deal of thought into this and the characters match the story very well. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it’s one of those books that could be made into a great movie – provided they don’t ruin the story when they do it.
Recommend this book:
Dirt
Evil in the Heartland
John P. Goetz

2016 Silver Medal
628 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Dirt: Evil In The Heartland is a thriller novel by author John P. Goetz. In Goetz’s familiar, darkly psychological style, the story begins in a tiny backwater town in North Dakota, where three unfortunate boys – Danny, Booger and the title’s Dirt – grow up amid squalor and abuse. The violence in which they are raised dampens the spirits of all but one, who flees the town of Arvilla to discover that the rest of the world is almost as bad in its own way. He needn’t worry though, for fate will pull him back to the dirt roads of home when a body is discovered and the finger points to one of three men. So begins a gritty tale where past and present collide.
As someone who’s read all of John P. Goetz’s previous books, I was very pleased to get my hands on Dirt, and it did not disappoint me. The narrative had all the descriptive prowess and small town charm of a Stephen King classic, landing the reader in a vivid setting with Arvilla, grounding them in reality before terrible and tragic events take place. Dirt is a boy born to father Tubbs, who regards him as just another pair of hands to work, and mother Trude who convinces herself that her son was born evil, and needs redeeming. Whilst the other two boys of the tale have slightly better upbringings, all three are thrown into genuine suspicion which kept me turning pages right to the end. Goetz’s best work so far.
Recommend this book:
Soil-Man
Symphony, Book 1
Oz Monroe

2016 Gold Medal
277 Pages
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Fiction - Horror

Wow! Just, wow! That’s exactly what I thought when I finished reading Soil-Man: Symphony Book One by debut author Oz Monroe. This book is an epic beginning to what should be, by all accounts, an absolutely fantastic new series. Follow the story of Jon Aesop as he struggles to make sense of his world after what appears to be an angel tortures and kills his family. Formerly a man without religious belief, Jon must now suspend his previous disbelief in order to find his wife’s soul. Fighting through bands of murderous angels to meet his goal, Jon seeks answers to the afterlife that he suspended long ago. And when he meets up with Var, an angel abomination, one who has existed for centuries - obsessed with revenge, hunting from the shadows - what they discover together in hell will change everything, forever.
I loved Soil-Man: Symphony Book One. Loved. It. How’s that for a review? Well, it’s truly how I felt about author Oz Monroe’s fantastic new book. Unique, creative, edge of your seat adventure are just a few ways that I could describe this book, but in many ways, Soil-Man is indescribable. It’s very rare for me to find a book that I find to be a real original. I’m a voracious reader, and it seems that many books follow similar templates, similar story lines. But Oz Monroe has managed to move away from that and he provides his readers with a plot line that they will not have read before. His scene setting skills are simply second to none, his characterizations are vivid, and his overall storytelling skills are superb. Any reader who likes a good book of supernatural fiction, or just a great work of fiction in general, should absolutely read Soil-Man as soon as they possibly can. I, for one, cannot wait to read more from the incredibly promising new author, Oz Monroe, as soon as possible, and hope that he is deep into the second book of this series. If it’s anything like Soil-Man, it will be a book that is not to be missed!
Recommend this book:
Return to Mateguas Island
A Tale of Supernatural Suspense
Linda Watkins

2015 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Horror

When Karen Pierce returns to the island, the sleeping spirits reawaken and strange things begin to happen again in Return to Mateguas Island: A Tale of Supernatural Suspense by Linda Watkins. Reluctantly accompanying her twin daughters and her husband to the Island where there are hidden memories, Karen is quickly caught up in the swirl of supernatural events that threaten to affect everyone around her. Terri and Sophie want to investigate the circumstances of their father’s disappearance 10 years earlier, but stir up forces that would have been better left alone. Unfortunately, one of the twins has inherited her mother’s connection to the spirits and is pulled into a mystery that nearly scares her to death. Secrets build up, tearing some relationships apart, but some new connections are created that provide Terri with the strength she needs to complete a mission and preserve the natural balance of things. Will the tragedies of the past be repeated or can the demands of the ancient god of the dead be satisfied and the chain of loss broken?
Linda Watkins brings readers back to a picturesque Maine island in Return to Mateguas Island: A Tale of Supernatural Suspense. This is a quick-paced story portraying a wide range of human emotions, deadly supernatural forces and ancient Native American beliefs that may help the characters survive the ordeal in store. It explores the depths of love and loss, dedication and defiance, innocence and desire - all in spite of the threat of losing everything. This is supernatural fiction at its best with a hint of coming-of-age enlightenment to appeal to younger readers as well as readers of all ages.
