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:
January 6: A Novel
The Anti-Hero Rebellions
Norman Brewer
2024 Finalist
228 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
January 6: A Novel by Norman Brewer is an alternative historical novel in which, on January 6, 2021, a coalition of far-right extremists and militias violently storms the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the certification of a contested presidential election. The aim is to incite chaos so the President will declare martial law. The attackers take several key figures hostage, including the Speaker of the House, using this leverage to escalate their demands and amplify their message. As this flares, a plan to orchestrate nationwide bombings and attacks on critical infrastructure arises to provoke broader unrest. As the situation deteriorates into widespread violence and conflict, the government struggles to respond effectively. The attempts to destabilize the country through violence, hostage-taking, and infrastructure sabotage ultimately lead to a critical showdown between the insurgents and authorities.
This domestic terrorism novel, January 6: A Novel by Norman Brewer, easily delivers one of the year's standout novels, brilliantly creating an alternative history with a chillingly plausible twist. Brewer’s writing is both polished and insightful, with great character development that is all the more impressive given the number of players presented. As a British reader who is ultra critical of political novels that scream about exceptionalism, Brewer was able to get me properly unsettled in a way that I haven't experienced since reading The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, or even the remarkable Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here. Brewer’s adept portrayal of "what could have been" forces readers to confront a nightmarish vision of how close the free world came to its downfall, proving the work to be both an entertaining and thought-provoking read. Very highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
The Kiev Confession
Kathleen Hart
2024 Honorable Mention
364 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
Dmitry was starting to take too eagerly to the party's doctrine. He wanted to be a scientist like his uncle, and nothing would get in his way. Larysa and Vasyl are worried about their children, not just the increased tantrums by Dimitry but also the recently occurring disaster. What should they do to keep their children safe? Anatoly had been a director of a nuclear facility and a staunch loyalist of the Communist Party, even at the end of his brother's life. Was he a seeker of truth or a keeper of secrets? From Indiana to Washington, Vickie has to survive politics and the intrigues of Washington's journalism world. Her boss, who sees Vickie only as an assistant, doesn't make her life easy. But how does a lowly journalist in America relate to a nuclear disaster that happened miles away? To find out, get a copy of The Kiev Confession by Kathleen Hart.
This is a wonderfully written book and a page-turner. The plot takes you through endless adventures in the Soviet Union and America without you having to leave your couch. Kathleen has managed to use suspense to great effect. The reader can't wait to see what happens in subsequent chapters. I loved how the characters were developed and how realistic the dialogue was. The vivid descriptions of events and the characters' emotions will also capture the reader's attention. Despite this being a work of fiction, The Kiev Confession is thought-provoking, and as I was reading, I couldn't help but think about a government's role in keeping its citizens safe. This book is a must-read.
Recommend this book:
On the Precipice
Brianna MacMahon
2024 Bronze Medal
301 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
On the Precipice by Brianna MacMahon is a political sci-fi thriller set in Imperium, a paradisiacal world of great success. At the core of this success is the god they worship, Mystia, and the seven Lord Regents, as they are called, who rule and manage Imperium's different divisions. Amid an important election, Levin Liston, Lord Regent of Diplomacy and leader of the Affiliate Party, seeks to ally with another planet, Civitan. Civitan had recently broken free from the stronghold of The Core, a great enemy of Imperium. However, Civitan had been an ally of the Core some decades ago, and millions of Imperials had died in what was known as the Glass War. Not everyone, including some in Levin's close circle, believes that Civitan can be trusted. The stakes are high, trust is gained or lost, and in many cases, deception proves to be the ultimate weapon.
Although On the Precipice is set in a fantasy world, it had me thoroughly glued to the reality of the dynamics of politics. For this novel to succeed, Brianna MacMahon created exceedingly complex characters who, by virtue or vice, roused me with their words and actions. The continuity of each one's character or nature is steadfast, making for authenticity and a hyper-immersive novel. The dialogue is also intriguing, ranging from meaningful conversations to sarcasm and, at times, hilarious wit. I also enjoyed how there was always an air of suspense leading up to major events and how I never knew what to expect next. This novel towers above many others for its exceedingly skillful craftmanship of characters in a world where the weaker will get by but the strong will thrive.
Recommend this book:
Bucharest Legacy
The Rise of the Oligarchs
William Maz
2023 Finalist
433 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs is a political thriller by William Maz. CIA agent Bill Hefflin’s mission was to escort a KGB officer out of Romania. The mission went awry when Bill was suspected of being a KGB mole. The mole’s handler was a KGB agent known as Boris, the code name for Bill’s longtime KGB asset. This makes Bill the prime suspect for being the mole. Bill and his wife, a French intelligence agent, join forces to identify the real culprit. Bill was allowed the opportunity to prove his innocence by traveling back to Bucharest in Romania, where he was born. Bill had to find Boris and identify the mole, but Bill had a secret. Boris had been dead for more than a year, and Bill was the only one who knew.
Bucharest Legacy was a roller coaster ride involving the Cold War, spies, action, and betrayal. William Maz created a world of pursuit, deception, suspense, and intrigue. It was fast-paced, and the tension kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a spine-chiller of a read, and I could not put it down. I was intrigued from the outset and I just kept turning the pages, not knowing what to expect next. The twists and turns were captivating and engrossing. The characters were well-developed and authentic. Bill was resourceful and could easily adapt to any situation to carry out his duties. The story is excellently written, with a brief history of the story’s time frame and the prevailing political situation.
Recommend this book:
Aggressor
The Aggressor Series Book 1
FX Holden
2023 Honorable Mention
556 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
Aggressor is a work of fiction in the action-adventure, military, and thriller subgenres. It is the opening work to a new series of the same name and was penned by author FX Holden. Intended for mature adult readers owing to adult references including wartime violence, this intelligent technothriller gives us front-row seats to a terrifying conflict that could spark a war larger than the world has ever seen before. With China and Taiwan at the center of a maelstrom of political and international conflict, this near-future military tale explores the consequences of conflict from multiple viewpoints, from civilians to serving personnel and decision-makers who hold the lives of countless others in their hands.
Author FX Holden always knows how to craft a thrilling read, and this new series starts off with plenty of action, adventure, and thrilling scenes where the stakes could not be higher. Beyond this, there’s also a really intelligent level of plotting that takes a thread of terrifying realities that we currently face and pulls at them to create a nightmarish vision of things that could well come to pass in the future of our planet. It’s these sparks of realism that keep the story grounded, along with the sensitive and well-considered multi-perspective portrayal. I liked that this work didn’t just contain top minds and gung-ho action heroes but really showcased the hard work, dedication, terror, and hope of ordinary people caught up in unimaginable conflict. Overall, fans of the author will surely find Aggressor to be the best novel yet, and newcomers who love action-packed military thrillers are in for a treat.
Recommend this book:
Cold Peace
Helena P. Schrader
2023 Silver Medal
679 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
Cold Peace: Bridge to Tomorrow is a work of fiction in the historical, interpersonal drama, and wartime fiction subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience and was penned by author Helena P. Schrader. In this highly immersive and engrossing historical tale, we find ourselves transported back to the post-war era following the Second World War. In Berlin, tensions run high as a cast of characters forms an air ambulance company, including female air traffic controllers and former RAF pilots. Carrying the scars of the last war with them, it’s not long before the threat of Stalin brews up trouble once more.
Author Helena P. Schrader has crafted a spellbinding work of historical fiction that brings a unique pocket of history to life with extraordinary detail and heart. I loved the premise and was so intrigued to learn about the Berlin Airlift, particularly through such a naturally told and engaging storyline that gives us all the richness of the period but never has a dull moment in the plot. I was particularly drawn to Kathleen Hart and her journey of self-discovery throughout the tale, but readers will all find different people to relate to as Schrader puts heart and soul into the dialogue and development of everyone from cover to cover. This keen sense of reality adds to the overall attitude of the piece, giving an authentic image of people caught in a very unsettling historical time. Overall, Cold Peace is a deeply engrossing novel that I would recommend to fans of military history, realistic drama, and suspense novels alike.
Recommend this book:
The Stolen Altarpiece
A historical crime mystery
Gabriel Farago
2023 Gold Medal
578 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
Gabriel Farago's The Stolen Altarpiece is a psychological and suspense-filled thriller. Connecting ancient and modern times, this is the riveting tale of a quest to find a painting, an amulet, and an artifact, each of great religious and historical significance. The novel takes its inspiration from historical figures, events, and places. I liked the Author's Note, in which Gabriel Farago writes about current events, and how a Russian children's poem inspired him to write The Stolen Altarpiece. Jack Rogan is an acclaimed journalist and novelist who is drawn into a dangerous quest by a powerful adversary from the past. His enemy is a psychopath who will not hesitate to murder and manipulate people for his nefarious ends. Jack follows a trail of cryptic clues from Venice and on to other European cities. He must defeat his archenemy to keep his family and friends safe. The story twists and turns to the very end!
I greatly enjoyed Gabriel Farago's riveting The Stolen Altarpiece because of its remarkable character Jack Rogan and his extraordinary courage and love for his family and friends. I particularly liked the interweaving of the backstories of Jack and the other major characters into the quests. As I read the evocative and gripping descriptions, the characters sprang to life. I liked how Jack's dilemmas, fears, and hopes emerge throughout the story as he faces challenge after challenge from his malevolent and manipulative adversary. At the same time, Jack is committed to protecting his family and friends. I loved this intriguing multilayered story and how the complexity of human nature emerges through different characters, their actions, settings, and dialogues. Equally, I loved the details as Jack tracks the "journeys" of the historical artifacts, the different owners through time and geography, and of incomplete or lost records. Some of the most powerful and emotional moments were when Jack finds significant pieces of the puzzle. The Stolen Altarpiece is a fascinating, compelling, and thought-provoking historical crime mystery with extraordinary characters!
Recommend this book:
Girls, Crimes & the Ruling Body
Barry R. Ziman
2022 Finalist
280 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
Girls, Crimes & the Ruling Body: A Novel by Barry R. Ziman is an engaging story with interesting and well-developed characters. Ryan McNeil works in Albany for Assemblyman Somatos, a powerful politician. He has plans of getting married to the love of his life, but Ryan unwittingly witnesses the abduction of a legislative intern while flirting. Everything about his life unravels in a way he never could have imagined, with Caroline Tierney leaving him so suddenly that he does not even have the time to process what is happening, and his dreams of a political career are dashed against the rocks. After seven years, Ryan, now married to Annie, finds himself in an act of infidelity and witnesses another kidnapping of a woman in Virginia, and this time, he is a prime suspect. Follow him as he deals with a pathologically lying wife with whom he does not feel any emotional connection, and fights to prove his innocence while figuring out where Caroline, the love of his life, fits into the picture.
Girls, Crimes & the Ruling Body is an engaging story that follows characters readers will stick with from beginning to end, especially the protagonist, Ryan McNeil as his life is overturned again and again due to his sexual infidelities. He just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, or does he? This novel is an emotional ride with a strong appeal to fans of thrillers, and it explores themes of power and the connection it has to sexual desires, infidelity, and marriage. It is revelatory of the base natures of humans, especially those of the ruling class, and it shows readers how power can be used to manipulate others. Barry R. Ziman has an extraordinarily brilliant talent when it comes to weaving complex plot points and characters that readers can easily identify with.
Recommend this book:
Blood Before Dawn
The Dung Beetles of Liberia series Book 2
Daniel V. Meier, Jr.
2022 Honorable Mention
272 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
We witness a return to Liberia in West Africa as Daniel V Meier’s hero Ken Verrier and his wife Sam take a month’s trip to buy diamonds to finance their future back in the United States. The country is run by the descendants of people of color who had returned to Africa as free people, referred to as Americo-Liberians, who comprised the government and all services – in effect a ruling class. When the Verriers arrive, they are unaware of the tensions boiling below the surface. Since they are familiar with Liberia and the typical way of life in developing countries, Ken agrees to run the local aircraft hire company for an old and valued friend for a couple of months. In the following weeks, the only disruption is coping with Bao, their adopted monkey – the locals are eying up the bushmeat. But then the people rise up against William Tolbert’s government, and the killing begins.
In both books, The Dung Beetles of Liberia and this sequel, Blood Before Dawn, author Daniel V Meier captures the essence of Africa. It’s a continent that is both majestic and undeniably cruel. It’s the battlefield where the clash between foreign influence with western ideals of life and a fair standard of living, tribalism, lack of compassion, minimal sanctity of life, and belief in witchcraft meet and struggle. Meier throws the Americans into this mix, who are worried that either China or Russia is gaining inroads into an area they wish to influence, and this lights the touch paper to the revolution. No one is safe; men’s basest behaviors are unleashed, destroying lives and livelihoods.
The mindsets in developing countries are almost incomprehensible to anyone who has not lived there. I have enormous respect for this author who has drilled down to the truth and presented it as it is. The story itself takes the reader on a page-turning, fast-moving exciting ride, and I found myself holding my breath as I flew through the chapters. I can’t recommend it highly enough. As I wrote in my review for book one in the series, this is another read that will stay with me for years to come.
Recommend this book:
The Accidental Oligarch
A Ukrainian Saga
David Hoffman
2022 Bronze Medal
440 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Political
The Accidental Oligarch: A Ukrainian Saga by David Hoffman is a suspense novel revolving around a twenty-eight-year-old male protagonist named Yuri Yavlinsky, a Kyiv Zoo employee who, within moments of being first on the chopping block of the now underfunded zoo, is summoned to the Ukrainian tax court. He's broke, his great-grandmother is infirm, his sister has resorted to taboo money-making, and his stepfather is a violent brute. Meanwhile, an opioid kingpin is living off the fat trimmed from a government his money influences, which has the unfortunate side effect of starving out the other 99%. People like Yuri. But Yuri is about to have his day in court and our new proverbial David kicks off a high-stakes undercover war against an entire political system built by the richest and most powerful Goliaths.
There's so much to love about The Accidental Oligarch that it's hard to know where to start. It's undeniable kismet that David Hoffman's fast-paced underdog thriller landed in my lap the day after video footage was released incriminating a real person named in this fictional book. Somewhere out there Oscar Wilde is clapping enthusiastically. Yuri is a likable character in a hierarchy of unlikeable people. We get to know both good and bad intimately with Hoffman swapping points of view between characters and allowing us into rooms we have no business being in. The writing is tidy and the tension is thick, but the best part is how Hoffman structures the uprising of everyday people against a backdrop of escalating conflict with a hostile Russia, on a worldwide stage, culminating with the invasion of Crimea. Spectacular. Truly.