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:
Terminal
John Leifer
2019 Finalist
376 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Terminal is the first book of a trilogy by John Leifer and deals with bio-terrorism. The book opens at George Mason University at a conference on bio-terrorism attended by 200 people. The two featured speakers, Commander John Hart - a CIA operator officially working through DARPA - and Dr. Elizabeth Wilkens - a senior scientist at the CDC Biosafety Lab - give presentations on genetically modified smallpox and the threat by the United Islamic State of using it as a weapon against the United States. In another part of the world, Leifer introduces us to Ibrahim Almasi al-Bakr, the founder and leader of the UIS, his protege Ahmed Al Hameed, who has formulated a plan to disperse a bio-weapon against the United States, and Beibut Valikhanov, a brilliant Russian scientist who has developed a lethal form of a genetically modified smallpox virus. Disillusioned by the new watered-down stance of Russia, Valikhanov is spirited away and joins Al Hameed in Faisalabad, Pakistan to start putting the plan in action. Over the next year, a bio-weapons lab is set up and made operational to produce the virus and 50 million doses of a vaccine that can be given to the 'Chosen Ones', those who will be determined to be worthy of surviving the global pandemic event.
John Leifer gives a brilliant and detailed account of an event that some day could become a reality. Leifer paints a vivid picture of the attack, the attempts of the United States to contain the virus, and the hunting down and destruction of those who perpetrated the atrocity. He has evidently done a lot of research on Terminal, and the story rings true due the amount of detail he includes in the narrative. It is well documented, and each character is well developed with background detail. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the way Leifer presented it. His narrative is straightforward and easy to follow. One can readily relate to the people who perpetrate the attack, those who try to stop it, and the victims of the attack. Terminal comes to a solid conclusion, but hints that there is more to come. I definitely will get the next book in the series, 8 Seconds to Midnight, and look forward to seeing what comes next.
Recommend this book:
Dark Times
Michael Gerhartz
2019 Honorable Mention
492 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
In Dark Times by Michael Gerhartz, we meet Natascha. Once framed as a most-wanted terrorist, all Natascha wants to do now is live her life with Nick and the daughter they have together. She works part-time as a marine biologist at the London Aquarium and as a secretary for a security company but when she gets involved in a scientific expedition, things turn nasty. Finding herself in a flooded mine underneath an old abbey, she learns a secret that the clerics don’t want anyone else to know. Natascha now has her work cut out to stay ahead but her past is about to catch up with her. Nick and some friends follow her but they must solve the mystery if they are to find Natascha in time.
Dark Times by Michael Gerhartz is a thrilling story from start to finish. The very first page hooks you and pulls you headfirst into an adventure that will leave you breathless. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, off you go in another direction, down another path with more clues and more intrigue. This is a fantastic book, really well written with some great characters in it. It is properly paced, with plenty of action and suspense that leave you guessing right to the very end. There’s a whole range of emotions in this story and you will struggle to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am really looking forward to the next one. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers or those who just want a really good story to lose themselves in.
Recommend this book:
Gray Horizon
A Dr. Whyte Adventure
CB Samet
2019 Bronze Medal
291 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Gray Horizon by CB Samet is a Dr. Whyte Adventure thriller. Dr. Lilian Whyte has gone on vacation to get some much-needed downtime. She didn’t expect to come face to face with a mercenary she thought she’d left in the past. Learning that a nuclear weapon has been stolen and is somewhere in Europe, she joins the hunt to stop it. Separated from her husband, she must hunt the weapon with a sworn enemy beside her, and she will have to face her past and her present before she can keep the future safe for the world. Can she find and stop the bomb or has time finally run out for the good doctor?
Gray Horizon: A Dr. Whyte Adventure Story by CB Samet is a thrilling ride from start to finish. Grabbing me from page one, I was taken on a rollercoaster journey in a story that I didn’t want to put down. This is an action-packed adventure, well paced and full of interesting characters, some of which have appeared in previous Dr. Whyte stories. This is the only one I have read and felt that it worked well as a standalone novel. The characters were developed very well and the entire story was full of suspense with a little humor thrown in to lighten the mood a bit. It has made me want to read the other Dr. Whyte books as I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I would recommend this for any reader who is looking for a gripping story, keen to get their teeth into something solid.
Recommend this book:
One Down: Citizen Warrior Series - Book 2
J. Thomas Rompel
2019 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
One Down is the second book in the Citizen Warrior Series by J. Thomas Rompel. This is an interesting thriller, fast-paced and featuring elaborately developed and unforgettable characters. Carter Thompson has worked with retired Delta Force Colonel Doug Redman before to save the American people from a serious threat. When the old man receives a call from the retired Colonel, asking Carter and the team to meet urgently, Carter knows there is trouble. But it is far greater than his fear of their secret being uncovered. The United States is under another attack and can they stop this one before it is too late? Moreover, do they have enough fight in them for an enemy this vicious?
One Down is beautifully written and deftly plotted. I enjoyed the fact that the key characters are veterans and the author does an incredible job in exploring their friendship and the power of teamwork. J. Thomas Rompel opens the story with an intriguing premise; an arms dealer who represents a strong threat to the country. The suspense starts from the moment the call is made to Carter and I became very keen on seeing what happened next as I followed the narrative. The characters are sophisticated and believable. I loved the way the key characters worked together. The prose is exciting, crisp and flowing, filled with descriptions that capture the details of the setting and scenes. This novel is an exciting read, spiced with humor and packed with action.
Recommend this book:
Vengeance
A Romantic Suspense Thriller (Tip of the Spear Book 2)
Belle Ami
2019 Gold Medal
211 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Vengeance: A Romantic Suspense Thriller is book two in the Tip of the Spear series by Belle Ami. It is an intriguing, beguiling tale that begs for superlatives to qualify it. A well-plotted and beautifully written story that features terrorists, a powerful Mossad agent, and the FBI, but what does Layla Wallace Hassani have to do with it all? When his wife is captured by terrorists in a restaurant bombing in Manhattan, Mossad agent Cyrus Hassani vows to rescue her. He is aware that the capture of his wife is a bait to lure him into the lion’s den, but there is more than his desire to rescue his wife; he driven by the need for revenge. He is the only one who can stop the Iranian terrorists from unleashing a bomb that can cause millions of deaths. But there is something he doesn’t know, which his wife knows, of course. Rescuing his wife could mean the death of their beloved child. She will have to choose to save their child or to sacrifice the child for the husband.
The very premise of this novel is powerful and intriguing enough to get the reader interested, and it doesn’t end there because Belle Ami introduces wonderful literary elements into her writing and builds a plot that is filled with surprising turns. Her characters are gorgeous, well-imagined, and constructed with the kind of mastery that places her in the ranks of authoritative authors like James Patterson. I enjoyed the intrigue, the pacing, the cunning plot, and the compelling characters. It would take another review to comment about the strength of the setting — both physical and political. Vengeance: A Romantic Suspense Thriller is riveting, an action-packed novel that creates the kind of tension readers need when they encounter such characters. Simply brilliant.
Recommend this book:
Standstill
Jack Probyn
2018 Finalist
507 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Standstill by Jack Probyn is a pulsating terrorist thriller that moves at an electrifying pace. The setting is London and the time is summer, when residents feel the humidity washing over them. Two brothers execute one of the most dreadful terrorist attacks the city has ever known, bringing three trains destined for the airport to a standstill, and holding thousands of people hostage. However, they make a very strange demand and DC Jake Tanner soon finds himself being played like a rag doll. He is issued a set of rules by the terrorists and breaking any one of them would mean dire consequences for the hostages, and he can’t afford to be late. Follow this terrorist drama as the story gets more complex from one gripping page to the next sensational one. There's no difference between this thriller and a compelling, action-packed movie.
Love Patterson or Connelly? If yes, then Standstill will have the same effect that these authors have on readers. Tightly plotted with unbelievable tension and the highest of stakes, this story pulls readers into a game where nothing is predictable. The pacing is fast, and it moves with the same rhythm as the pounding action and the emotional tide. Having a great idea for a novel is something any average writer can imagine, but executing the plot to a satisfying denouement requires skill. Jack Probyn comes across as a master in crafting a story with an exhilarating endgame. From an author I haven’t read before, this book is a rare gem, a wonderful treat in entertainment.
Recommend this book:
Eagle Shield
Milestone Rising
Carl Lakeland
2018 Honorable Mention
215 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Before I begin the review for Eagle Shield: Milestone Rising by Carl Lakeland, can I just say, wow! Seriously, this is one of the best thriller novels with a spy angle that I have read EVER! I absolutely loved the story line, I loved the characters, I loved the pace, and I loved every single thing about it. Everything was on point, even the cover of the novel reflects upon the story itself. The dialogues revealed so much about the characters and how they said it made all the difference! Such small yet important things were given close attention by the writer, which I think is a great accomplishment.
What happens when an ex-soldier is given an assignment to protect a great secret and a 10-year-old child? Nothing goes according to plan, the little girl will charm the soldier and the soldier will lose his heart and soul to the innocent little girl. When Nathan is given the assignment to relocate little Angel to Melbourne, he has no idea that the whole mission will be one with dangerous twists and turns. Angel is not an ordinary 10-year-old; she has special powers that must be protected until she is ready to face the world with her power. Along with her, Nathan has to guard a disk with all his might. He has no idea that having Angel and the disk in the same place will mean so much danger for them. He is also not counting on the fact that little Angel will distract him, steal his heart and make him become a father. He is not ready for this, but he has never run away from responsibility and he will never abandon Angel. So what will he do now? Is he strong enough to protect Angel from the forces that want to abuse her powers?
I loved the relationship between Nathan and Angel, it was sweet and adorable. Nathan is a protector and he knows it, but he was very much like a parent toward Angel from the very get go. He was a little hesitant at the beginning, but he quickly learnt to trust his instincts when it came to her. In return, Angel showered her affection on Nathan, which was really very sweet. I simply adored this novel because it was so good that I didn't want it to end.
Recommend this book:
Presidential Conclusions
Douglas J. Wood
2018 Bronze Medal
344 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Presidential Conclusions by Douglas J. Wood is a powerful political thriller with compelling characters. A story with an international setting in the future, with complex terrorist issues affecting the US, Ukraine and the Middle East. The reader follows the life of US President Samantha Harrison, a strong female president faced with monumental challenges. In this spellbinding thriller, the reader is introduced to her unique way of making decisions that affect her people and other countries. Follow her in her dealings with past US presidents and her determination to solve a major terrorist threat. But can she succeed?
It is surprising to note that this book, the third in a trilogy, was written before the most recent presidential elections because the reader might have thought it was inspired by Hillary Clinton’s political journey. I was hooked right away and couldn’t help but notice the realism in Douglas J. Wood’s writing and its prophetic message. I loved the fact that the protagonist is a woman and readers will root for her. It will be impossible for a keen reader to read this engaging story without reflecting on the current American political conundrum. The author masterfully weaves the themes of racism, patriotism, terrorism, and politics into the story without distracting the reader in any way.
There are very revealing passages in the story, especially in the words of the protagonist. Here is one of the statements that hit close to home and call for serious thought: “We are not a country of vigilantes, but we must be vigilant. We are not people who look at others and judge them as terrorists because of the color of their skin or the heritage of their parents. But we are people intelligent enough to know that profiling to protect our safety and the well-being of our loved ones is a justified caution.” Presidential Conclusions arrests the reader’s attention and forces them to follow compelling characters like Samantha and Ayatollah Ali Khomeini until the last page. The balanced writing, the gripping plot, and the strong sense of pacing are elements that make this novel a great success.
Recommend this book:
Amie Stolen Future
Lucinda E Clarke
2018 Silver Medal
320 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
Amie Stolen Future by Lucinda E Clarke is book three in a series of books centered around Amie and her life in Africa. Amie returns to Africa once again with her husband, where she has previously formed relationships, friendships, and even enemies. As Amie, a young white woman, tries to settle down into her life again, her past and her enemies rise up as she faces devastating losses, death, the fear of rape, and even murder, while at the same time forming new relationships and experiencing new adventures. This is a suspense thriller that leaves one wondering until the end. The beauty, wildness, and majesty of Africa has been stunningly portrayed and it is easy to see why Amie considers this her home.
Amie Stolen Future by Lucinda E Clarke is an engaging read. The plot moves fast and, with its aura of danger and adventure, is a mix between romance, thriller, and suspense genres. I liked the character of Amie and, in fact, felt that the essence of Africa has been captured well in the characters overall. While reading the book, I felt as if I was a part of the sun-drenched landscape and the vast open spaces of Africa. I only wish that, for someone who isn’t familiar with the other books in the series, more of a background had been provided as I found myself trying to catch up with the characters’ backgrounds and past relationships. Still, I found this to be an enjoyable read and would recommend it.
Recommend this book:
Sanction
A Spy Thriller
William Hunter
2018 Gold Medal
445 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
In Sanction, William Hunter sets his crime thriller in the United Kingdom. Sean Garrett is on an unofficial mission there when he witnesses the murder of a reputable Cambridge professor by a well-known contract killer, David Laurent. His cover is blown and he has to get as far as possible from a killer who wants to leave no traces behind. The head of the Secret Intelligence Service is trying to find out if there is a connection between the murder of the professor and a bombing that took place a year earlier. While CIA operatives Tre Ward and Brian Bishop are on a desperate mission to locate and extract Garrett, Montjoy, the head of the SIS, makes a discovery that will blow the minds of readers, a dangerous secret that has been buried since WWII.
William Hunter introduces readers to an array of characters, each with a solid background and depth of personality. The writing has great emotional resonance, semantic richness, and essential depth. I love stories that are well-plotted and Sanction never disappointed. Right from the very first page, the reader is already enticed by the elements of suspense that define the pulse of the story. This one is a veritable tour de force and Hunter reveals himself as a master of the craft, one whose name should appear alongside the likes of James Patterson and Lee Child. The story is intelligently constructed and the execution is faultless, a gripping plot with swift turns that will grip the reader.