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:
Off Our Chests
A Candid Tour Through the World of Cancer
Liza Marshall and Dr. John Marshall
2021 Gold Medal
335 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
Off Our Chests: A Candid Tour Through the World of Cancer, by Liza Marshall and Dr. John Marshall, is an intimate, honest memoir and self-help book about what it's like to have cancer. Featured in The Washington Post's 10 Books to Read in May 2021, these two authors are husband and wife who help others by sharing their own perspectives of breast cancer and advocacy. I love the alternating POVs as it brings you into the hearts and minds of Liza and John. If you've never known someone personally who's dealt with breast cancer, or wonder how you would handle it, this book can act as a reference/advice guide, but also a personal account of what you may expect on an emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual level.
This book takes you inside Liza's diagnosis, treatment, and what follows after a double mastectomy. These issues aren't simple and can be overwhelming for those going through them, but their true stories may help you when you need it most. Even though John was chief of oncology, he endured tremendous pain in fearing that he may lose his young wife and mother of their children. He understood the medical aspects of what to expect and what they were going through, but he was in no way prepared for the emotional journey of a husband, father, and caregiver. I think the reading audience will appreciate his inside view of research, expensive healthcare, and how tough it is to maneuver the gauntlet of cancer care. Liza too was unprepared for the impact cancer would have on her own life.
At times their story is painful, but the uplifting parts far outweigh the hurt. One part stands out as honest and real, and that is that they both went through the experience separately, not necessarily together or by the book--but in an individual way. As a former social worker, I highly recommend this book. For a private look inside cancer and the professional and personal issues associated with it, Off Our Chests by Liza Marshall and Dr. John Marshall is a must-read.
Recommend this book:
Stories from the Tenth-Floor Clinic
A Nurse Practitioner Remembers
Marianna Crane
2020 Finalist
230 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
Stories from the Tenth-Floor Clinic: A Nurse Practitioner Remembers is a work of non-fiction and medical memoir penned by author Marianna Crane. Set during the 1980s, this highly emotive and truly fascinating memoir takes us into the world of senior care in a poorer area of Chicago. Our central character is a nurse practitioner working in a clinic inside a senior housing building, and the narrative takes us through the trials and tribulations of her job, not only in caring for the various patients themselves but protecting them from scam artists, unruly visitors, and even their family members. What results is a fascinating slice of life with a deeply personal and generous narrative, one that teaches us much about the faults in our elderly care system, and also about the pure kind-heartedness that the human spirit is capable of.
Author Marianna Crane does not set out with any particular agenda or mission, but rather the narrative unfolds by itself and leaves us to make our own conclusions about the nature of the wealth gap in the U.S.A. and the consequences that it has on elderly care. What is evident throughout the reading experience is an accomplished narrative that tells its story concisely, but also leaves room for an honest emotional reaction from its author. This is an admirable expression of truth which engenders a huge amount of respect for Crane, and the very difficult job that she and many others across the country have to take on every day. One of the most impressive feats in the writing is the way in which Crane brings to life the many people whom she sees come and go from the clinic, and each one is treated to a fully descriptive character moment that we may also fall in love with as the reading audience. Overall, I would highly recommend Stories from the Tenth-Floor Clinic to anyone seeking a heartfelt new memoir read.
Recommend this book:
H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey
Help, Organization, Preparation, and Education for the Road Ahead
Carol B. Amos
2020 Honorable Mention
262 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
In the introduction to H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey: Help, Organization, Preparation, and Education for the Road Ahead, Carol B. Amos states: “My brothers and I were devastated when our mother began displaying signs of Alzheimer's disease, also referred to as Alzheimer's. We became part of the estimated ten million unpaid family members caring for a person with Alzheimer's in the United States.” Thus began her journey in search of understanding what comes with the condition, a journey which took her to support groups, workshops, to eventually becoming a CARES Dementia Specialist. This book documents what the author has learned along the way, offering readers and caregivers to patients of Alzheimer’s the knowledge, wisdom, and the tools they need to make the journey less painful and more meaningful.
Carol isn’t just a wise and wonderful person, but also a great communicator, a woman who has learned tons from experience and has amassed a wealth of knowledge. She possesses the gift of communicating that knowledge in language that is accessible and in a voice that is both empathic and compassionate. In this book, readers will find a heart-to-heart conversation with readers looking for help in dealing with patients with Alzheimer’s. The use of the epistolary style in this book also makes its message intimate and more compelling. H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey is a great tool, a handbook that everyone with a parent or a family member having memory problems should read. It’s packed with information, insights, and actionable steps to transform the caregiving experience into one that enriches both the lives of the caregiver and the patient.
Recommend this book:
Your Precious Sight
An Optometrist's Most Memorable Cases
Eichin Chang-Lim
2020 Bronze Medal
283 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
When we’re young and feeling invincible, unless we have cause, we don’t give a lot of thought to our health, let alone our eyes. That all changes as we age and begin to notice we aren’t seeing as clearly as we once did, or we need stronger glasses, or one eye seems blurrier than the other. That’s what makes a book like Your Precious Sight by Dr. Eichin Chang-Lim a “must read”. Quite frankly, waiting until we have a reason to read it might just be too late. Dr. Chang-Lim’s book is not only a delight, thanks to the conversational style and a copious number of true-life anecdotes, but more importantly for the information it provides in easy-to-understand layman’s terms.
Learn not just about cataracts, glaucoma, epi-membrane issues (my own worrisome problem) but find out why some folks have color blindness, what those strange flashes we sometimes see in the dark mean, how diabetes affects the eyes, how retinas become detached, and even about the damage caused by smoking and drug use. If reading information like “...an estimated 2.4 million eye injuries occur in the United States each year. Notably, forty percent of eye injuries happen at home, and ten to twenty percent of injuries will cause temporary or permanent vision loss...”
If this doesn’t compel you to be more careful in your everyday environment and give you a good reason to wear protective glasses, perhaps Dr. Chang-Lim can. She has included a wonderful glossary of terms at the end of the book, along with plenty of active links in the digital version to take you to websites that expand on what she presents. Believe me, you are bound to learn much you didn’t know and you cannot come away from Your Precious Sight without being grateful that Dr. Eichin Chang-Lim took the time to write this for us all. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
I'm Still Here
A Memoir
Martina Reaves
2020 Silver Medal
264 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
I'm Still Here: A Memoir by Martina Reaves is an engrossing memoir with strong themes, well-written and inspiring. The memoir starts with Martina meeting her streetcar driver, an Episcopal priest, who eventually becomes a significant person in her life. But she comes out and meets Tanya, who becomes her life partner. They have a son through artificial insemination. In 2008 Martina is diagnosed with tongue cancer and a year later, she is informed the cancer is terminal. I’m Still Here is the story of her fight with a terminal disease and her survival, a book that makes a powerful statement about life and hope.
I'm Still Here is written with courage and utter honesty. It is interesting that the protagonist came out in the 1980s and at a time when lesbians started having children. The shifts in the story are intelligently designed, moving from the past to the present between chapters, with episodes and scenes that are arresting. It is a memoir of survival, healing, hope, love, and family. The author writes in a style that is simple and moving. I loved how she describes the commune where she lived, her interactions with people, and how she reconstructs the dialogues. What makes Martina Reaves’ story a must-read is the transformation that happens to her after being diagnosed with cancer. The reader understands the challenges of knowing that one has a terminal disease. But Martina refuses to die. I'm Still Here: A Memoir captures her fears and hopes, her decision to live with the disease, and to heal. As one reads from page to page, one learns about a courageous woman who allows the power of love, hope, and family to heal and strengthen her.
Recommend this book:
The Art of Healthcare Innovation
Interviews and Industry Insights from 35 Game-Changing Pioneers
Christina D. Warner
2020 Gold Medal
231 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
The Art of Healthcare Innovation: Interviews and Industry Insights from 35 Game-Changing Pioneers by Christina D. Warner is designed to revolutionize the healthcare experience for patients, articulating on the different points in the journey, including awareness, diagnosis, treatment, lifestyle change, and ongoing care. The book also provides critical advice to healthcare professionals, advice that will definitely accompany them through entrepreneurship, career development, and the technology that enables them to be on par with contemporary healthcare challenges. This book features interviews and input from icons in the medical field, each of them bringing a strong and unique perspective, offering innovative methods in diagnosing and treating a variety of health issues.
Dr. Sina Habibi, an expert in cognitive neuroscience, brilliantly talks about “the integrated cognitive assessment (ICA) tool (that) looks for the earliest signs of impairment by testing the performance of large areas of the brain.” Dennis Grishin shares their company’s mission to “drive the adoption of personal genome sequencing and the sharing of genomic data.” Dr. Hitesh Tolani comes across as an innovative thinker when it comes to population health, understanding the challenges and perils of our inter-connectedness, and offering solutions that make for convenience for patients. There are many experts in different healthcare fields that contribute to this book, offering insight, advice, and paths that will change the way readers approach healthcare. It is an understatement to say that this book is well-researched and beautifully written. In The Art of Healthcare Innovation: Interviews and Industry Insights from 35 Game-Changing Pioneers, Christina D. Warner delivers 'need to know' complex concepts and tools in a language that is widely accessible and a tone that is confident and assuring.
Recommend this book:
I Am Anxiety
A Step-By-Step Guide to Anxiety Recovery
David McLaughlin
2019 Finalist
140 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
Hard to believe, because it is so amazing, but David McLaughlin's I Am Anxiety actually worked for me! This spectacular handbook significantly reduced my anxiety practically as I read. After I finished the first thirty pages, I slept well and woke without the typical (for me) anxiety-induced stomach pain, and it has not returned. It was as if my brain learned what I wanted it to do and did it as I slept.
What is delightful and unexpected is the warm, comforting tone of the smooth narrative voice. David McLaughlin speaks to us as if we are good friends as he reassures us we are not crazy and we can learn to free ourselves from the grip of anxiety. In I Am Anxiety, we learn where anxiety originates, what fuels it, and the havoc it causes within us. We learn how to cope with stress and control anxiety mechanisms. We learn to accept our illness without fear. And, we learn to free ourselves of anxiety.
David McLaughlin calmed, encouraged, and prepared me for life after anxiety, but I never expected to gain so much so quickly. I am relieved to learn my symptoms are not only controllable, but they seem to have disappeared, and I expect never to suffer from anxiety again. I Am Anxiety is the answer to my life-long struggle and I am grateful. David McLaughlin's I Am Anxiety is instructive, supportive, and life changing. I would very much like to see it available as an audio book. I highly recommend it and give it the highest review of five stars.
Recommend this book:
Second Chance
A Mother's Quest for a Natural Birth after a Cesarean
Thais Nye Derich
2019 Honorable Mention
192 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
Second Chance: A Mother’s Quest for a Natural Birth after a Cesarean by Thais Nye Derich is the beautiful journey of the author whose first birth experience in hospital culminated in an unplanned cesarean. The author shares her difficulties of healing and recovery after a cesarean and how she opted for a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC). Her book reaches out to all expectant mothers and empowers them during the birth of their children, enabling them to grow in their spirituality, confidence, and power through birth. Not many women experience a cesarean and VBAC, and this memoir is an honest look at the birth process and the choice in birth style.
The book is candid and the author shares intimate details about her pain, trauma, suffering, and healing, and finally deciding to opt for a VBAC for her second child. The author’s physical and emotional trauma sheds light on the healthcare system when it comes to giving birth and her frustration is palpable while reading the book. The memoir is an encouragement to all mothers who want to go for natural birth and it also proves that vaginal birth is possible after a cesarean, though many hospitals in the USA have banned vaginal birth after a cesarean. The author’s story is heartrending and poignant, and will make everyone look at the options of what should be done to make childbirth safer and healthier for women. It captures the process, excitement, vulnerability, tension, expectation, and finally the raw surrender of giving birth.
Recommend this book:
With Fingers Crossed and Love Unyielding
Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot
2019 Bronze Medal
457 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
With Fingers Crossed and Love Unyielding by Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot is a wonderful and simply amazing memoir that had me on the verge of tears. The emotions are so raw, the feelings so deep and the people so real that I had a hard time finishing this book. But I did finish it, even if I felt like my heart was breaking in my chest. Their story was so moving, but it was also endearing. The connection between the author and her husband was touching. She took care of her husband as if her life depended upon it and he loved her and adored her, even though his mind was slipping away from him. Charlie and Karen loved each other dearly and when they vowed through “sickness and health,” they truly meant it.
Charlie and Karen had a good, fulfilling life that was filled with love and affection for each other. They trusted each other and spent a great chunk of their lives together, so when the tragedy hit, it was obvious that they would be together in it as well. Charlie had Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and cancer, so Karen did what she had always done; she stood by his side and loved him. Karen fought for herself just as much as she fought for Charlie. The author shared her tips and tools that will help couples like these two combat these diseases and make it just a little bit easier for them to cope with their situation and emerge fighting. I was simply touched!
Recommend this book:
Activate Your Joy
A Transformative Awakening to Health, Happiness, and Success
Erik Ohlsen
2019 Silver Medal
243 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
Everyone wants a happy life but it seems to be a far-fetched dream in times where there is so much judgment, suffering, and victimhood. Activate Your Joy: A Transformative Awakening to Health, Happiness, and Success by Erik Ohlsen is an insightful book that gives good tools and techniques to readers on how to design their lives the way they want it to be. The book is a wakeup call to discover the source of love, transform the darkness, and it helps readers to find their power to create a wonderful life. The action steps are helpful when it comes to becoming a master healer in one's personal life and creating abundance.
What makes the book credible and tangible is the author's personal healing and awakening to life's purpose. His personal struggles, tragedies, healing, and transformation give readers hope. The book has four strategies for life; vision, connection, transformation, and regeneration. This will give readers the framework for healing relationships and designing life. Each part will help to activate love and heal the world through self-healing. The topic has been dealt with in a way that is easy to comprehend and implement without much difficulty. The book will help readers examine their lives to see where each of the 12 missions can be applied and activated to draw love and peace into their lives. The writing style is neat, elegant, and fluid, and connects easily with readers. It has been written in an interactive way with exercises to do and this makes the book interesting to readers.