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:
Yeager's Law
An Abel Yeager Novel
Scott Bell
2017 Bronze Medal
260 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Yeager’s Law by Scott Bell is a credible action story. It even had a small twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. The Yeager in the title is Abel Yeager, a divorced ex-Marine turned long distance trucker. His love interest is Charlie Buchanan, a bookshop owner whose ex-husband has involved her bookstore in shady dealings, putting Charlie and their son, David, in extreme danger. Abel’s best friend and former brother-in-law is “Por Que,” a childhood friend and former military chopper pilot. Between stolen money, angry drug lords, and acts of revenge, more than one mob is after Abel and the pallets of books in his missing truck. Good thing Por Que still has a helicopter and an extra pilot and ace mechanic, Cujo, a crazy man who is so brain damaged that he often forgets his given name.
Scott Bell has the background for all the different threads in Yeager’s Law, the first book in Bell’s series about Abel Yeager. His writing style is descriptive, but to the point. The chapter or section titles tell the reader the location of the next chunk of text, so it’s easy to follow along with the many shifts in locale. As the tensions build, these shifts get shorter and choppier, moving the action along quickly. The minor characters are perhaps more cardboard than they could be, but this isn’t enough of a negative to affect a reader’s enjoyment of this very interesting, action-packed story.
Recommend this book:
Tsunami Storm
D F Capps
2017 Bronze Medal
317 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
I must admit that these days my mind is very preoccupied with China. I live here and I teach here and I think it is good for everyone when America and China get along. We need to understand each other. America is the largest economy in the world. China is number two and predicted to take our spot at number one in a few years. There is a lot of potential for conflict in this. Tsunami Storm by DF Capps gives us one scenario how this might be played out and it is a tense one. Deception, arrogance, treachery, and deceit balance one side of the scale while courage, faith, honor, and determination sit on the other side. I like Tsunami Storm. I am always looking for a novel like this that shows the best and the worst in ourselves and our systems.
The plot of Tsunami Storm is awesome and I could see it happening easily in this new reality created since the last American presidential election. But as good as the plot is, I like the characters even more. Willa McBride is the kind of mayor we wish our small towns had. The kind of politician we hope is elected in most elections across America, but, sadly, probably is not. DF Capps can write. The story and the action are great. The writing is good, and the surprises keep coming. This is one you don’t want to miss and I predict you will see more and more stories like this as China continues its rise to the top.
Recommend this book:
Nailgun Messiah
Micah Reed Book 1
Jim Heskett
2017 Honorable Mention
330 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
For most of his life, Micah Reed has been a screw-up, drinking his way through life, but the trouble he finds himself in this night has nothing to do with him, really, but unfortunately the big bad drug dealer isn't willing to believe him. Micah is able to escape and finds himself needing to get out of town for a while. Although visiting his sister is forbidden, that's exactly what he does, which turns out to be a good thing. His little sister has gotten herself into what she thinks is a religious group, but is really just a front for other illegal activities. Micah knows he has to get his sister out, but she is not really inclined to trust him, based on his past record of screwing up. Nailgun Messiah is a complex and multi-layered story of all the people living in the house and the complex relationships and controls over them. Author Jim Heskett has developed so many levels that you don't know who is really a friend or a foe until the very end.
Nailgun Messiah is titled as the first book in the Micah Reed series, so it would seem that the author is planning to follow the main character through a few more books, which could be exciting. This book was full of adventure and intrigue, trying to figure how who was on what side, who you could trust and who you couldn't. Even after all that, I still found a few questions that were never fully answered, which is the mark of a good book. It leaves you still wondering about certain small parts and then there is the possibility that they show up again later in another book. This is a really good book, although there are themes of violence and mind control, in case any readers have issues with that. Definitely worth the read.
Recommend this book:
Resort Isle
Detective Frank Dugan series Book 1
Paul Sekulich
2017 Honorable Mention
488 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Resort Isle: Detective Frank Dugan Begins by Paul Sekulich is the first book in the Detective Frank Dugan series. This is a book that would appeal most to a mixed audience of young adults and adults who enjoy thrillers and stories about prison islands. Detective Frank Dugan lost his wife and children to ruthless career criminals that murdered them all. This horrible event sets Frank on the path of establishing a prison island, surrounded by sharks, for those who commit capital crimes and second offenders. Resort Isle is a tropical prison island that is supposed to be impossible to escape from, yet when Frank gets sent there, that is exactly what he wants to do. Will Frank manage to escape the prison he built, or will he die in the attempt?
Resort Isle is a very well written book that made me think about whether or not a prison island like Resort Isle would actually be a good idea in reality. While I do not know how it would turn out in reality, the way it turned out in fiction was pretty cool. A good portion of the beginning of the book was focused on the murder of Frank’s family and the creation of Resort Isle. My favorite part was when Frank was sentenced to Resort Isle as that was when the thriller element made its first appearance. I really enjoyed reading this book and I hope that future books in the series further explore Frank’s interesting talent.
Recommend this book:
Baroota
The Hunting Ground, The Director Series Book 1
Zach Fortier
2017 Finalist
171 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General
Nick Hudson is a former military man and retired police officer who just goes through the motions of living day by day in Baroota: The Hunting Ground by Zach Fortier. In this first book of the Director Series, Nick and his wife, JoAnn, meet her friend Jessica for dinner to meet Jessica’s new boyfriend, Jay. Given his suspicious nature, Nick feels that Jay is rather strange, especially when Jay asks Nick how he feels about ‘…women and children being kidnapped and forced into slavery overseas.’ Jay goes on to explain the Director’s formation of a new task force that will work outside of government interference to hunt down and bring these criminals to justice and invites Nick to join. After tremendous soul searching, Nick agrees but what he discovers once he is brought together with other team members is a shocking surprise. Along with Nõnkos Zia (Nõn) who is a survivor of human trafficking herself, Nick finds himself in the fight of his life. Will they win the dangerous game the Director has set up or will they become victims themselves?
Zach Fortier has created an amazing world in which the good guys have to fight for their lives against tremendous odds. Baroota: The Hunting Ground is Book One of the Director Series which promises tremendous action and well developed characters. Nick and Nõn are kindred spirits – two people who have seen the worst life has to offer – and they want to try to make a difference by removing some of this ugliness from the world. Great book! Quite exciting and hard to put down. The dialogue is tight and the descriptions are gripping. Excellent dialogue (with occasional bad language) and nail-biting action keep you turning the pages to see how these two may survive. Baroota: The Hunting Ground is definitely a must-read for fans of fast-paced action in thriller fiction.
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:
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:
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!