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:
To the Stars Through Difficulties
Romalyn Tilghman

2017 Gold Medal
320 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

To the Stars Through Difficulties by Romalyn Tilghman is a story that espouses the human spirit and the values of community; a story with a beautiful setting and characters that will make readers think about what they are doing for their community; a story that revolves around three powerful women and their commitment to bring change to their community by creating an arts center and a library. After the devastation of Prairie Hill by a tornado, Gayle is determined to rebuild her town and to bring life back to it. Angelina is in Kansas for her PhD dissertation, but soon discovers that solving a family mystery could be more important than writing a dissertation. Traci is an artist in residence at the Carnegie Arts Center and her inspiration is about to change the lives of young people in her community. Read on to discover how these three women put together their skills to bring life and culture to their community.
To the Stars Through Difficulties is women's fiction at its best, a story that showcases the role that women play in their communities in a brilliant manner. It’s a story about courage, problem-solving skills, generosity, and resilience. As one reads through the stories, one gets a clear idea of the role that libraries play in community building. The story is told in the first person narrative and from the perspectives of the three women. The prose is wonderfully crafted, charming and heartwarming, and the reader is irresistibly pulled in as they follow each character through the engaging story. The setting comes across vividly and it can’t be difficult for the reader to fit themselves into the story. Romalyn Tilghman is a gifted storyteller with an unusual skill for crafting characters that take a prominent place in the hearts of readers. A wonderful and satisfying read!
Recommend this book:
Out of The Box Regifted
Jennifer Theriot

2017 Gold Medal
362 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Out of The Box Regifted by Jennifer Theriot is a moving romance about a second chance at love. Olivia is looking forward to a future without her ex-husband. She now has Ash, an exciting lover who appreciates and loves her. Her new life with Ash is broadening her mind and outlook. On her birthday, Ash proposes to Olivia and ecstatically she accepts. Now, not only are they deeply in love and getting married, other spectacular things are happening within their two combined families. Ash's son is getting married and his career is taking off. Olivia's daughter is expecting her first baby, making Olivia and Ash grandparents.
Life has never been so good for either Olivia or Ash. Olivia and Ash are looking forward to their blended family's future together. However, as always happens in life, bad things go hand in hand with the good. Untimely and traumatizing deaths occur and Olivia discovers her closest friend has betrayed her. Someone both families love is in a grave and serious condition, needing their help and support. The repercussions of these events are producing feelings of resentment and instability. These insecurities are wreaking havoc with Olivia's attitude, causing her to do some soul searching. With all of these things converging on them in such a short period of time, will Olivia and Ash's relationship survive?
Out of The Box Regifted by Jennifer Theriot is a romance novel that is the passionate sequel to Out of The Box Awakening. This story takes up where the last one left off and is the continuation of Olivia's awakening. Here she struggles with her identity and role in her relationship with Ash. The unexpected hardships the blended family experiences help weed out ugly and painful memories and experiences. The story displays how the unconditional love of Olivia and Ash's blended family is a shield for them all against the anguish and devastation of loss and calamities. This is a marvelous romance story about a second chance at love and I recommend it to those over the age of eighteen due to the graphic sexual content.
Recommend this book:
Evanthia's Gift
The Gift Saga Book 1
Effie Kammenou

2016 Finalist
568 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Effie Kammenou writes with confidence in her debut novel Evanthia's Gift: The Gift Saga Book 1, where we follow the story of a Greek-American family through the life of Anastacia Fotopoulos. In a story spanning three generations, we get a glimpse of life in Greece through her parents’ and in-laws' viewpoints as the country is ravaged by the Second World War. In 1956, Ana finds herself in New York, pregnant, and escaping from a bad marriage. Surrounded by family and friends, she tries to get on with her life, vowing not to fall in love again. That is until a former acquaintance, Alexandros Giannakos, comes along. Unable to get pregnant again, Ana goes through another painful phase. And her daughter, Sofia, who grows up between two cultures, faces her own struggles too.
Evanthia's Gift: The Gift Saga Book 1 chronicles the life of a Greek-American family. As such, we get to learn about the Greek culture and how it is preserved in a foreign country through generations. The recipes at the start of some chapters certainly help to enhance the story. And if it’s location you want, Evanthia’s Gift offers that too, but Effie Kammenou, unwittingly perhaps, shows us that even in New York, a place of many nations, Ana still prefers her own kind when it comes to those she keeps the closest. As the story progresses, the plot reveals a number of fissures crackling beneath the surface - marriages falter and children stray. In the end, this is a universal story of love, pain, hope, and dreams made exceedingly colorful and interesting because it unravels through generations and between two completely different cultures.
Recommend this book:
In the Context of Love
Linda K. Sienkiewicz

2016 Finalist
272 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

In The Context of Love by Linda K. Sienkiewicz is the story of Angelica Schirrick. The novel opens with Angelica talking about her children and how she is dreading meeting their father, Garrick. After a disastrous marriage, Angelica is trying to find her footing. Her life is not what she thought it was, and things are getting worse. This made her reflect on things, things that were in the back of her mind. She remembered her first true love and how that love is still on her mind and how he still keeps her company at night. Was it her bad decisions or was it just bad luck that lured Angelica away from her true love? No matter what the catalyst was, Angelica wants to rise from the ashes and change her life. She wants to stand tall and proud and create a better life for her children and for herself.
This is one of those novels that inspires you and makes you want to do better. Angelica is the type of protagonist that everyone can relate to. She depicts our fears and our anxieties. The story itself is different and fast paced. The reader gets all the information they need at the moment. There is a fulfilling quality to this novel that makes you feel satisfied, but at the same time it makes you want more. Another thing I noticed was that the novel was written in a very lyrical way. I could sing the dialogues and descriptions if I wanted to. This added a lot more fun to the story line and my reading experience.
Recommend this book:
Wild Raspberries
Wild Raspberries Series Book 1
Connie Chappell

2016 Honorable Mention
329 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Connie Chappell's Wild Raspberries is a story about what happens to secrets after a person’s death. It is about the repercussions of those secrets to the women still living. When Jack Sebring dies, he leaves behind a wife and a lover. His lover, Callie, promised him she would return to their cabin in West Virginia that signified their love affair. But things are complicated around the Sebring women since the death of Jack’s son, Dan. Dan had a son, Chad, and his wife and mother are feuding over Chad’s future. It is up to Callie to step in and see that the decisions being made are the right ones for the boy, and aren’t just about who has the most power or who can take control of the situation. But each woman has secrets she’d rather keep buried, secrets that start rising to the surface as they fight over what’s best for Chad.
I loved the complexity of Wild Raspberries. It is a detailed story with many interesting characters who have different wants and needs. Chappell wove the story so nicely it almost felt like she was sewing a quilt together to create a complete and unique story for us to love. The characters were so different and unique. At first, I worried that their differences might overwhelm the story or that I would get lost or confused, but Chappell did an excellent job of making the characters distinct and keeping their individual stories fresh. It was a very nice piece of women's fiction that many readers will enjoy.
Recommend this book:
Shattered Lies
S. J. Francis

2016 Honorable Mention
400 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Shattered Lies by S.J. Francis is the story of Kate Thayer, a simple girl who runs her family’s horse farm. She is content with her life. She is a veterinarian and she loves her grandmother who raised her. However, when a series of lies come out and destroy her world, she has no idea if she can trust her grandmother again. Their relationship is tarnished and everything she believed about herself and her life was changed right from that instant.
Kate has no idea how she can change the past, but she is adamant to change her future. With the help of her grandmother and her grandmother’s once best friend, Kate will try to right the wrong and bring back that one part of her that was snatched from her when she was nothing but a baby. Now it is the quest of her grandmother to bring their relationship together and regain respect for one another.
Shattered Lies, the title implies a mystery novel or an action novel. When I first started to read this novel, I thought this would be a regular old-school mystery. Boy, was I surprised to find that the title implies so much more than the genre. The story is heartfelt and very real. I am very impressed with S.J. Francis. The way the author wrote the novel was super amazing and fascinating. She transported me back in time and made me feel the pain and confusion of a grandmother who thought she was doing the right thing. It is a great novel, one that I would like to read again and again.
Recommend this book:
Intent
A.D. Justice

2016 Bronze Medal
431 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Intent by A.D. Justice is an OMG! inducing romance that will have you sighing throughout. There is absolutely nothing I would want Miss Justice to change about her book. This is perfection, my fellow readers, simply perfection. The story is about Layne and Ace. Layne was in a toxic relationship, which was not going anywhere she wanted it to. She wanted it all; the marriage, the children, and the happily ever after. But when the man she loved was not capable of giving her all of this, and cheated on her, she had no choice but to move on. When she goes on a little R and R vacation, she discovers that love can be found in the most unusual places and unusual forms.
Ace was really not looking for love. His heart was filled with love for his daughter, River. He finds that his heart has some space for Layne if she will give him a chance. But when you have been hurt so badly, is your heart still capable of trusting someone else with it?
This is the romance of the year; I have no doubt about that. Ace and Layne are perfect for each other. In a time when writers are moving more towards steamy scenes and less towards actual plot, Intent is refreshing and so very good. The characters were perfectly crafted. Ace is an Alpha male without being boorish and Layne is not annoyingly submissive. They are a team and a couple because they understood each other, and became each other’s friend before becoming a couple. I absolutely loved that! A fantastic, amazing and romantic read!
Recommend this book:
Out of The Box Awakening
Jennifer Theriot

2016 Silver Medal
394 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Out of The Box Awakening by Jennifer Theriot is a story of compassion, love, and embracing your true feelings. Olivia is a woman who never does anything half way. She is the perfect woman, dedicated to her children, her husband, and her marriage. However, making sure that everything is perfect in the lives of her children and husband has taken a toll on her life. When her husband wants to move the family to another city, she agrees. But the new place had some new surprises, including finding out that her husband cheated on her.
Devastated, she found Ash. Ash, much like Olivia, is no stranger to taking care of everyone else. However, he too has suffered losses and his only solace is his music. When Olivia meets Ash, things are platonic and all about music. Together, they make a new family for themselves, a family that loves music just as much and appreciates them. But there is too much chemistry between Ash and Olivia, so much that it is getting hard to ignore it. Will they ignore their chemistry or will they take the leap of faith?
This story is so beautiful that it will take your breath away. This is not your usual romance where the protagonists of the story are in their late twenties and want to steam up every scene. This story is about mature people who understand the realities of life and have lived them in the most brutal fashion. When I say this is a love story, I don’t mean that in the usual sense. There are all kinds of love in this novel; the love of a friend, of a mother, of children, and the new budding love between a man and a woman. It is beautiful, soulful, and very lovely. I have already read it for the second time and it is just as amazing.
Recommend this book:
A Drop in the Ocean
A Novel
Jenni Ogden

2016 Silver Medal
328 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

A Drop in the Ocean is a brilliantly well written novel, one that will instantly pull readers into its deepest depths. Jenni Ogden has beautifully woven a story that readers won't easily forget. A story of one woman's journey to life, love, and loss, A Drop in the Ocean is a fictional world where readers will truly lose themselves inside its plot.
Jenni Ogden's novel, A Drop in the Ocean, is the first of her novels that I have read. After reading this compelling story, I have fallen in love with Jenni Ogden's work. In a world depicting one very intelligent yet strong woman, Anna Fergusson isolates herself inside her work. This work requires a lot of back breaking old-fashioned research. It's not until her 49th birthday that she reads a letter that will forever change her life. The life and work that she has come to know and love is taken away, but still she hopes for a miracle. Soon, she finds herself on an island and discovers a lot more to life than just research.
Readers will laugh and cry and want to hug Anna Fergusson as the scenes unfold. But that's not all. Readers will be taken into the vivid imagery of the island and the turtles. A beautiful world indeed. Life throws us curve balls and here we see Anna struggle with the ones tossed her way. Jenni Ogden's story is realistic and heartfelt. This is a must-read for all. A breathtaking journey of second chances. Life, love, and loss are strong themes that will lure readers back to this unforgettable novel. I loved it! A powerful read that I highly recommend to readers everywhere.
Recommend this book:
Wrecked
Blind Man's Alibi Book 1
Sarah Grimm

2016 Gold Medal
402 Pages
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Fiction - Womens

Emma Travers is living on borrowed time and intends on making the most of every minute. That’s why she throws caution to the wind and goes back stage to meet heart-throb rock star Joe Campbell. Falling in love and wanting to help him slay his own demons is not what she is expecting, though. Wrecked: Blind Man’s Alibi Book 1 by Sarah Grimm is an amazingly intense account of love at first sight when the deck is stacked against the couple. With just months to live due to an advanced brain tumor, Emma opens her heart to Joe and lets her ‘Sunshine’ warm the parts of his soul that have begun to wither from the excesses of life on the road with leeches and takers. She joins him on tour where the two share more than just an erotic adventure, but rather one that opens them both to the joys and sorrows of true love. Emma says Joe is hers forever, but with such a short relationship, what effect will Emma’s influence really have on Joe’s life as his must continue without her?
With some of the most deeply developed characters of any genre, Wrecked: Blind Man’s Alibi Book 1 by Sarah Grimm leaves you breathless as emotions flow through and around you page after page. The intensity of Emma and Joe’s feelings is portrayed through exquisite love scenes that leave you breathless in their afterglow. Their hopes, fears and ultimate understanding of their own psyches fill you with the wonder of the capacity of the human soul to accept changes and grow in spite of the pain that fills them with the reality of Emma’s imminent death. Never has such a sad story offered such a degree of hope and consolation.
