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:
Timelapse
Lorrie Farrelly
2014 Honorable Mention
320 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
Timelapse by Lorrie Farrelly is a story about Alex Morgan, single father of 4-year-old Jack, and Assistant Professor at Capitol University in Georgetown. When Alex is still a student in graduate school, his wife, Casey is tragically killed in a drunken car accident. The 24-year-old Alex is left to raise their infant son by himself with the help of his mother, Frannie. Emotionally scarred, Alex believes he has experienced grief in the worst way, and the only other potential pain he can imagine is losing his son, around whom his life revolves. Little does Alex know something terrible is looming in the near future. After an inexplicable break into his office at the university, Alex finds himself in a time warped present day, and discovers that the grief from his past is nothing compared to what is possible in the cruel reality of this alternate universe.
Lorrie Farrelly is an incredible writer. Timelapse literally kept me on my toes. This is such a remarkable novel. I started reading it and could not put it down until I finished. I felt as if I were actually in the story, experiencing the emotion and pain that Alex felt after his wife died; the fear of not knowing where in time he would end up next, and the riptide that coursed through his body as he contemplated whether he would ever be reunited with his son. This novel greatly moved me. It made me reflect on the rights and freedoms that I, as well as many others, take for granted. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to be emotionally awakened.
Recommend this book:
So Fell the Sparrow
Katie Jennings
2014 Honorable Mention
354 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
So Fell the Sparrow by Katie Jennings tells the story of Dr. Grace Sullivan and how she deals with the death of her parents, a mysterious inheritance, and the presence of spirits from another world. Grace is not the kind of person that believes in the existence of ghosts and paranormal phenomena, so when she is faced with inexplicable events, even though she decides to use the services of a team of ghost hunters, she is still skeptical about the existence of the spirits. The story progresses, and as Grace is struggling with the loss of her parents, the other-world presences, the medium and ghost hunters team, she is overwhelmed by her feelings and the never-ending mystery of the inherited house.
So Fell the Sparrow is more than a ghost story; it draws you in from the start with an engaging title, a wonderful cover, and excellent writing style. I would recommend Katie Jennings’ novel for everyone that wants to read a ghost story that will keep you interested from beginning to end. The characters and story are strongly defined by the author, which makes it easier for readers to envision the world that Katie Jennings describes.
If you like ghost stories and are not afraid of a little mystery, So Fell the Sparrow is the book for you. The action happens in exactly the kind of small town that you would think a ghost tale would happen, and it has everything you need in order to enjoy it from cover to cover. Expect sudden turns of events, powerful characters, a unique love story, and a frightening storyline.
Recommend this book:
The Six Train to Wisconsin
Volume 1
Kourtney Heintz
2014 Bronze Medal
427 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
In The Six Train to Wisconsin by Kourtney Heintz, Oliver and Kai seem like your average couple living in New York City; he is a financial adviser and she helps at risk children. But there's more to the two of them than what first meets the eye. Kai is a telepathic and the pressures of blocking out eight million voices is beginning to get to her. After a particularly bad night, Oliver takes her away from the city and to his childhood home in Butternut, Wisconsin, but there is more to that small town than you think.
The Six Train to Wisconsin is one of those novels that has blurbs all over the back saying things like 'evocative', and 'brilliant', and 'I couldn't put it down' - praise that is well deserved. A richly layered novel, The Six Train to Wisconsin gently pushes at the reader's expectations, then exceeds them, turning what could almost become kitschy in more inexperienced hands to something with an almost literary bent (if the literary genre ever decided to dabble in the paranormal).
It was an enjoyable read, and I can see why The Six Train to Wisconsin was the 2012 semifinalist for Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. My only complaint is that I wish the ending had stretched on a little longer. I was dying to know how everything was resolved with the characters but who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and Ms. Heintz will pen a sequel (both fingers crossed).
Recommend this book:
Fireflies
P.S. Bartlett
2014 Silver Medal
294 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
Fireflies, by P.S. Bartlett, is the story of an Irish doctor Owen Whelan and his wife Sarah. They are Irish immigrants. The Whelans had seven children. As we know all children are special. However, the youngest, Ennis, was unique from the beginning. He was born frail and barely survived his birth. He was six years old when his sister Teagan first suspected he was gifted. A tiny bird lay limp on the ground until Ennis held it in his hands; life sprang back into the tiny creature and it flew away. One day when Teagan was washing dishes, she cut her hand on a knife. The cut was deep and bleeding badly but Ennis’ gentle touch soothed her and she felt a warm sensation. When she looked, her hand was healed. At first she insisted she and Ennis should keep his gift of healing a secret. Eventually, however, she had no choice but to tell the family that Ennis could not only heal with his touch but could sense feelings. When the family discovered Ennis’ gifts, they were frightened for him and tried to protect him but Ennis wanted to help people. He could feel their needs pulling him.
Fireflies is a difficult book to review. I don’t want to give away too much and yet I want to share enough to entice readers. P.S. Bartlett has created a paranormal drama/romance/suspense, with a bit of Christianity thrown in. The plot quickly drew me in. One of the many things I liked about this book was the development of not only the main characters but of the secondary ones as well. While certain characters had smaller parts, I felt as if I knew them. This is not a good versus evil paranormal story; it is a story filled with the goodness of the Whelan family. Fireflies is an excellent read and appropriate for middle school, young adults, and adults.
Recommend this book:
Conduit
An Emily Monroe Novel
Angie Martin
2014 Gold Medal
355 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
In Conduit by Angie Martin, Emily Monroe is a private investigator along with her best friend and fellow investigator, Cassie Reid. She's also a psychic and sometimes uses her abilities when she is helping the Wichita police on a case. This particular case involves a serial killer who brutally murders his victims and has so far managed not to leave any evidence of his crimes. But what Emily and the police don't know is that the killer's real target is Emily herself and he's hoping to use the murders to bridge a psychic connection with Emily, eventually taking over her mind and having her all to himself. As the murders pile up, it becomes a race against time to find him before he kills again and captures Emily's mind completely.
I enjoyed Conduit by Angie Martin a lot. The writing was great and I really enjoyed the friendship between Emily and Cassie. I also liked the more psychic side of things. Emily hasn't fully come into her abilities, especially since she'd been suppressing them for quite a while, and it's interesting to see how she handles that as she's helping the police capture the killer. I also was happy that this wasn't going to be a book where the heroine picks up an errant strand of fiber and solves half the mystery. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and each woman taken left me fervently hoping that they would capture the killer in time. Can't wait to see what else Angie Martin comes up with.
Recommend this book:
The Witches Sleep
Kaitlyn Deann
2013 Gold Medal
428 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
Murdered by a mysterious stranger, Ella Barnes died as a 17 year old teenager and wakes up in Raena, the witches’ world, as Sunlight Reflecting off the Moon. A different body, a different name as well as different parents; a world that is seemingly perfect but laden with injustice decree. Will Ella or the new Sunlight be able to accept her unique role in a society that only exists in human imagination?
"The Witches’ Sleep" is an exceptionally well-paced story, a pleasure that I rarely experience as an avid reader. I was truly immersed in my reading and connected with the story and its characters so well as if I was experiencing it for real. I was able to picture the surroundings easily as they are very well-portrayed. I’m glad that Raena has comparable modern settings as the normal world instead of an entirely different scenery which is normally depicted in other novels with similar themes. Ella or Sunlight is definitely the center that anchors the story and the other characters. A very well-created character, and very vibrant with acceptable weakness and admired strength. I loved the fact that the witches’ names depicted their main traits and I found it a bit humorous that the were-creatures had normal human names. Kaitlyn Deann is my new favorite author and she did extremely well with the first installment of this trilogy. I can’t wait for the next book form this remarkable author.
Recommend this book:
Painted Skies
Sue Simonich
2013 Finalist
460 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
In "Painted Skies", Nova Denver is an ethnobotanist with a special gift and a special friend named Stephen, who she views as her guardian angel. After her mother’s sudden death, secrets start to unravel regarding Nova’s past. As she discovers more about herself and her family, Nova encounters more strange things that will lead her to her family’s old cabin as well as London – two places that will provide the answers she seeks.
Halfway through chapter one, I was exhausted. Nova’s fight with her mother Grace was strenuous to my mind. I even prayed that I will never stumble upon people like Grace. I’m still ambiguous whether the ‘battle of beliefs’ between the two characters was a good thing for me to go through, but it did solidify Sue Simonich’s ability as a writer to get me, the reader, to be fully engaged in the story and its characters. That, obviously, I truly did. The author’s writing style was beautiful; there were times when it sounded almost poetic to me. Unfortunately, there were also times where I needed the dictionary for certain words. The dialogues sounded literary at times. Nevertheless, I loved the story line and I did enjoy all the unpredictable twists and turns. All things considered, I would say I read a beautiful story, and perhaps my vocabulary improved greatly as well. As a fan of the paranormal genre, I look forward to her work should she decide to write another story with a similar theme.
Recommend this book:
Wind Warrior
Jon Messenger
2013 Honorable Mention
194 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
Twenty-year-old Xander Sirocco belongs to an age-old group of beings, but he doesn’t know it, at least not until he unwittingly saves a man from being hit by a bus while fresh out of a class in the college he is attending. He discovers that he can control the forces of the wind, but learns more when he uses this ability to stop an attempt at his life because, as Xander is bound to learn later on, the people of the Fire Caste can no longer wait for their turn to reign. The last of the Wind Warriors are supposed to die out, naturally passing on the power to the Fire Caste, but with Xander’s abilities surfacing, the plans have suddenly changed. And now Xander finds himself on the run for his life and in search for answers.
Yet another book to catch, "Wind Warrior" is a fascinating take on Armageddon, coming of age, self-discovery and a budding love story. And all of these elements are captured in a tale that will surely captivate young adults everywhere. Readers will surely be glued to the book until the last page, what with its non-stop sequence packed with a lot of action, topped off with a modern Romeo and Juliet romance in the background. Jon Messenger writes in a voice that youngsters will easily relate to, as the characters involved are the kind we can definitely root for, while they engage in battles and inner struggles. It is a light read, yet filled to the brim with excitement. This is a book that entertains as well as imparts a lesson or two. I highly recommend it to all readers, young and old alike.
Recommend this book:
The Dead Still Want to Live
Roxana Jones
2013 Silver Medal
214 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
Madeline is a housekeeper for Mr. Jeremiah, an elderly man who lives in an old and decaying Victorian house in London. When she first went to see him about the position, she was unfamiliar with both the country and the language and was relieved when she realized that her prospective employer was fluent in her native Spanish. Madeline fled Colombia, where she had grown up, when her lover, Sebastian, had threatened to have her killed, or kill her himself, if she did not immediately leave the country. When "The Dead Still Want to Live" begins, Madeline has returned home several years later to attend the funeral of Sebastian, after his death in a plane crash, and is confronted by his ghost, who seems confused and at a loss. She counsels him to seek the guidance of an angel and is rebuffed as Sebastian has not changed and is still the dominant and egotistical man who sent her away.
"The Dead Still Want to Live" is a remarkable novel. Madeline, Mr. Jeremiah and the cook live simple lives in their ramshackle mansion, which is a joy to behold. She reads to him and is his companion and, in many ways, the elderly man has become her patron, friend and the father she never had. The author, Roxana Jones, handles the metaphysical side of this tale with a deft and sure touch as the angel guides the surly and self-centered Sebastian through the different levels of awareness as he learns to love himself, abandon his need to be controlling and ultimately find healing. There is much to absorb and think about when reading this book which I found to be quite pleasurable. This is a book I'll be reading again soon and will be recommending to my friends.
Recommend this book:
Heaven or Hell
Roni Teson
2013 Honorable Mention
328 Pages
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Fiction - Paranormal
Here is a must have story for every home with normal people. The theme is well-researched and the author portrays a very nice view of life and death. Roni relates a fictitious story and turns it into a possibility for many. This is a hard subject made easy by the author who writes in a form that many people will connect with. Joe is a recovered alcoholic and has only a few days left before he dies. His chosen life has wrought havoc on his body. Now he is in the advanced stages of cirrhosis with no way out. For many years he has hidden behind alcohol to relieve the pain he feels due to losing his youngest daughter in a car accident and, just a few weeks later, his beloved wife to cancer. What is worse is that he left his only daughter to fend for herself from that point on. For many years he has tried to quit and kept falling short. Meanwhile, his daughter went on with her life, but never found closure concerning her father’s disappearance. Now, at the end of his life, he wants to make things better with his daughters and late wife. But would they let him?
I enjoyed this great tale and the characters portrayed in this book. It is a very good book to have handy when someone dies and questions are asked. Though the book is the personal opinion of the author, all who have gone through a family death need to hear that their departed loved ones are all right and that there is an afterlife. This is a very nice work for readers from young adults to adults.