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:
Yukon Audit
A C.E. Brody Novel
Ken Baird
2016 Honorable Mention
522 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Yukon Audit by Ken Baird is a thriller beyond all thrillers. The Yukon is a mystical place. It is the land of the midnight sun. It is the home of the Klondike gold rush. And it is a place to launder money with a gold mine. Brody lives in a tiny cabin on the Yukon River. He’s happy with his life, flying an old plane and running a repair shop, living alone with his dogs. He doesn’t like phones or the police and is happy to live the quiet life. Until he repairs a car for a beautiful woman who hires him to fly her over a gold mine. Seeing nothing sinister in her request, they go off and, on their journey, they spot a missing plane. Landing, they investigate and find it contains two dead men – Brody knows the pilot and the woman knows the passenger. All of a sudden, Brody’s quiet life is turned upside down as he comes to the attention of the FBI and the Mounties, not to mention a couple of underworld gangs. Having to deal with romance, a kidnapping, a beating and a hijacking, Brody is determined to get to the bottom of this.
Yukon Audit by Ken Baird is a brilliant novel, packed full of action and color. It is one of those page-turners that are impossible to put down and, indeed, I didn’t. For starters, it is full of wonderful descriptions about the Yukon, descriptions that really make me want to go there. Second, the plot is amazingly well developed, with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns that keep a reader on their toes and firmly entrenched in the novel. The characters were full of life and well matched to the story. Ken Baird clearly knows a great deal about the Yukon and it shows in the plot, which is intricate and tightly woven. If you love thrillers, mysteries and adventures, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, you will love this book. An absolutely riveting story that you will not want to let go of.
Recommend this book:
The Eighth Day
Joseph John
2016 Honorable Mention
282 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
In an exciting, thrilling and very adventurous book by debut author Joseph John, The Eighth Day is a story that will keep readers riveted to the page from the very first all the way through to the end. Follow the story of protagonist Shawn Jaffe as he learns that his life may not be what he thought. When a stranger approaches him, tells him that his name is not Shawn, he's not an investment broker, and he's not from Ohio, and then disappears, his life is changed forever. He realizes that someone has been controlling him and his memories, and he's not sure why. But if he doesn't find out, his very life may be in danger.
I so enjoyed The Eighth Day. Author Joseph John has done a fantastic job in writing a real nail biter of a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. His ability to create characters that his readers will find interesting, will relate to, and will ultimately care about is second to none. Some of the scenes are so well described that readers will feel as if they are truly in the scenes with Shawn, and gasping for breath to keep up. Any reader who enjoys action, adventure, a thrilling read with a mysterious backdrop, or just a great work of fiction should absolutely read The Eighth Day. I highly recommend this book, and am hoping that author Joseph John is already hard at work on a follow up. I, for one, will be keeping my eye out for it!
Recommend this book:
Razor Sharp
Embryo: A Raney & Levine Thriller Book 6
J.A. Schneider
2016 Finalist
214 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
In J.A. Schneider’s Razor Sharp (Embryo: A Raney & Levine Thriller Book 6), a cunning serial killer is on a rampage. His latest victim is Kimmie, a young woman who is having problems with her boyfriend Jared. They are both seeing a psychiatrist. All of the victims are attacked with a sharp razor, their faces mutilated, and until this one, they were all men - one transgender, one transvestite, and a gay hustler. The killer is a Jack the Ripper copycat. When the psychiatrist refuses to answer questions from the police, invoking the client-doctor confidentiality clause, celebrated physicians Jill Raney and David Levine are called in by the police. The two were involved in detective work in the past. Before the killer mutilates another victim again, can they catch him?
Razor Sharp opens with the ruthless murder of a young vulnerable woman and this surely gets the reader’s undivided attention immediately. Especially because J.A. Schneider narrates the horrific murder from the perspective of the killer. The first chapter is shockingly descriptive and it sets the tone and pace of the novel. And as we follow the unexpected twists and turns of the story, we are sucked into the sick mind of a serial killer who wants to be Jack the Ripper incarnate. Only this time, his victims are men with gay tendencies. Jill and David’s Sherlock Holmes–like characters are quite appealing, aided by the extraordinary talent of their three-year-old son, Jesse. This book will keep your reading lights burning well into the wee hours of the morning and you will certainly not be disappointed!
Recommend this book:
Anonymous
Christine Benedict
2016 Finalist
304 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Anonymous by Christine Benedict reminds me somewhat of those Saturday night made for TV movies my husband and I like to watch: it grabs us in the first few minutes, then slows down a bit making us wonder if we should stick with it, and then it takes off, keeping us glued to the screen for the next 90 minutes. Thriller fiction fans will be unconsciously ramming chips into their mouths as new neighbours and jogging friends, Julie and Debra, find themselves slowly becoming paranoid over anonymous letters and creaks and scrapings in a derelict farmhouse being restored by Debra and her hubby, Greg.
As a teen, Debra witnessed her mother shooting her sexually abusive stepfather, for which her mom got locked up in the psychiatric ward. Half convinced that she too will end up there one day, Debra forever worries she's becoming unhinged when she finds feral dead cats hanging from barn rafters, along with learning that the previous house owner died from electrocution in the basement, now full of cobwebs and spiders. Is the house haunted? Is she going nuts like her mother? Or is there some real and present danger lurking in her home?
When Christine Benedict throws salacious love letters to Julie from an anonymous admirer into this scary landscape, the two women lean on each other for support, not sure who to trust and ultimately, like the reader, suspecting the wrong people. Benedict brings Anonymous to a movie ending surprise finish, and those who enjoyed the read will be looking to see what else this author has written.
They might be surprised to learn Anonymous is Christine Benedict's first novel. She has been well mentored in her writing career and is on her way to bigger and better books for sure. This author will find a receptive audience.
Recommend this book:
Back In Town
A Small Town Series: Book Two
Marc A. Di Giacomo
2016 Finalist
210 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Packed full of suspense and intrigue, Back in Town is a fitting second book to Marc A. Di Giacomo’s Small Town Series. After Leo Kepler was safely behind bars, he suddenly disappeared; that incident came on the heels of the car accident which left Detective Donny Mello dead, and brothers Matt and Francis (Franny) Longo find themselves in a twisted mess. As they are looking at the security camera footage of Kepler’s disappearance, they both see something that changes the entire landscape of the small town; Donny Mello isn’t really dead. As the two brothers put together the pieces of the puzzle, Matt is getting rather serious with FBI agent Cynthia Shyler. With another group of Feds breathing down their necks, Matt and Franny are kept busy trying to stay ahead of a sudden crime spree that has hit their small town. There are plenty of surprises waiting for both of them as they attempt to unravel the mystery of Donny Mello and what appears to be ties to the mob.
Marc A. Di Giacomo has packed plenty of action and suspense into Back in Town, the latest installment in A Small Town Series. Though the reader begins somewhat in the dark about what is going on, as the story progresses things become a little bit clearer and twists and turns of the plot begin to untangle themselves. Tied into the action on several different levels, the reader is a prisoner of the pages of this book and simply cannot put it down. Action-packed, dark and suspenseful, Back in Town will keep your heart pounding and your mind racing to try to stay ahead of the mystery that is quickly unraveling before your eyes.
Recommend this book:
This Way Madness Comes
A Novel
Robert Alan
2016 Bronze Medal
711 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
This Way Madness Comes by Robert Alan combines the genres of mystery, thriller, and suspense together in one novel. It will appeal to an audience made up of mature young adults and adults who enjoy suspenseful fiction set during the Cold War. The story follows Dr. Alexi Truskov as what he first thought was a ground breaking discovery, that would lead to a peaceful ending of the Cold War, instead leads him down a dark rabbit hole that has him questioning his own loyalties. Dr. Alexi Truskov was first and foremost a scientist who devoted his life to “uncovering the fundamental truths of nature,” yet he is forced to decide between betraying his country or betraying humanity as a whole. His decision will shape not just one country, but the entire world and all of humanity.
This Way Madness Comes by Robert Alan reminded me a bit of the X-Men First Class movie in how both main characters have to weigh their own morals, their loyalty to their country, and the fate of humanity. I greatly enjoyed reading the book as, besides being remarkably well written, its suspenseful narrative refused to release me. I simply could not stop reading at any point as I simply had to know the fate of Dr. Alexi Truskov and the world; this caused me to finish the entire book in one sitting. While I enjoyed all of This Way Madness Comes, my favorite aspect was the very beginning where author Robert Alan gave me insight into Dr. Alexi Truskov's beginnings as a scientist, a student, and a person. This insight allowed me to truly sympathize with Dr. Alexi Truskov and to understand him better as a character.
Recommend this book:
Banished Threads
Volume 3
Kaylin McFarren
2016 Silver Medal
258 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
In an excellently written and thrilling murder mystery story by author Kaylin McFarren, Banished Threads: Volume 3 is a book that will keep readers obsessively turning the pages from the very start, hearts in their throats, and pulses racing! Follow the story of characters Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen. They attend a soiree at her uncle's home in which a very valuable art collection goes missing. Rachel's aunt's granddaughter, Sloan Rafferty, is blamed, and Chase is determined to clear her name and at the same time win the favor of Rachel's uncle. What he finds might not exactly be what he is looking for, however, as Rachel's uncle is soon accused of an unsolved murder, and both of these cases might be more related than they appear. Will Chase finally get to the bottom of these crimes? You'll need to read the book to find out!
I so, so enjoyed Banished Threads. Author Kaylin McFarren has done a fantastic job in writing an exciting story with excellently drawn characters that her readers will be able to connect with, relate to and will care about. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. The mystery isn't one that's easily solved, even for a reader like me who frequently figures out the end quite early in the book, and there are plenty of creative twists and turns that will keep readers guessing. I highly recommend Banished Threads, and I certainly look forward to reading more from the very talented author, Kaylin McFarren, in the near future!
Recommend this book:
A Secondhand Life
Pamela Crane
2016 Gold Medal
312 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Fantastic. Fantastic. Fantastic. I could write that word ten more times and it still wouldn’t be enough to describe A Secondhand Life by author Pamela Crane. In this intriguing and thrilling work, we meet Mia Germaine. Mia is a woman in her thirties who, at the young age of twelve, had the very great misfortune of being in a terrible accident that claimed the life of her father, and the very great fortune of receiving the heart from a donor so that she could go on living. Now, twenty years after receiving this gift, she starts to have terrible dreams, nightmares really, about an unsolved crime: the murder of the very girl from whom she received her heart. Strained to the max by the messages she seems to be receiving, convinced she must avenge the murderer of the original owner of her heart, and now being stalked by a killer herself, Mia’s not safe at any turn. And the lengths she must go to in order to keep herself safe and quiet the voice within her could lead to her ultimate demise.
I loved this book. I don’t know how else to say it. A Secondhand Life was a great psychological thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat and reading until the very end. Author Pamela Crane has a true gift in character development, as I continued to think about Mia Germaine long after I put the book down. She also has a clear understanding of the human psyche, what makes it take and what makes it break. I recommend this book highly to any reader who loves thrillers, mysteries, or just plain excellent writing and story craft. Great cover and great book! This is the first book I’ve read by Pamela Crane, but it absolutely will not be the last.
Recommend this book:
Bone Box
Jay Amberg
2015 Finalist
255 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Bone Box by Jay Amberg is an intense archaeological journey full of suspense and twists. Joe Travers and Sophie Altay's meeting in a cafe in Istanbul is at the behest of the Aegean Association he works for. She is suspicious of him at first and fiery in her passion for her work; she suspects he is here to spy on or fire her! His reasons are to examine the dig near the Basilica of St John. It involves international teams of archaeologists and the Aegean Association under the very watchful eye of the German chairman Leopold Kirchburg, who doesn't particularly trust her work methods and likes things done to his specifications. Sophia Altay tries to prevent her discovery of the ossuary, said to contain the bones of Jesus himself and most precious documents, from becoming public until they can be authenticated. This takes them both on a dangerous path, only to be escalated and antagonized by the media, which causes havoc. This story takes you on an incredible and dusty journey from Istanbul to ancient Ephesus, Izmir, and Cappadocia, blended with Christianity, archaeology and Islam, described with accurate detail to bring the story alive.
Jay Amberg's Bone Box is an extremely well researched and well thought out book. The story gives you incredibly detailed and visual pictures of Turkey. Jay Amberg is a master of description and intrigue, and does not paint you into a corner when explaining things; the plot and characters are believable and interesting. When reading the book you have to keep going to find out what will happen next. It is a real page turner, one that keeps you guessing through each and every chapter. A cross between The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) and The Sign of the Cross (Chris Kuzneski) this is an "un-put-downable" book of the highest quality.
Recommend this book:
The Advance Man
Rick Robinson
2015 Honorable Mention
272 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
In The Advance Man by Rick Robinson, David Unger is working in his dream job as the advance man for the Vice President. By all accounts, he is unassuming and good at his job. Suddenly, in a flash all that changes. With the nation in mourning over the death of the Vice President, all law enforcement agents are searching for his alleged killer, David, and want him found ASAP. It doesn’t matter that there are major holes in the story. With some unconventional help and a new makeover, the young man has no choice but to hide in DC's trendy DuPont Circle neighborhood - and in this case, hide in plain sight. Richard Thompson, former Congressman, is appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. Reluctant to return to public life, little does he know he will become an integral part in a well designed conspiracy.
The Advance Man by Rick Robinson is a well developed and well written story. It is not your run of the mill political thriller and is more of a good mystery with some intrigue thrown in for good measure. The reader will quickly identify the varied cast of characters from political insiders to FBI special agents to members of the DC Gay community and even a pair of nasty hit men. The plot moves along at a steady pace that will keep the reader's attention and desire to see what happens next. The dialogue is excellent without the use of excessive bad language or violence. I would recommend this to readers who like good mysteries along with a little political intrigue. A very good story.