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:
You'll Never Find Us
A Memoir
Jeanne Baker Guy
2022 Silver Medal
288 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
You’ll Never Find Us: A Memoir is a work of non-fiction in the autobiography subgenre. It is aimed at mature readers and was penned by author Jeanne Baker Guy. The book follows Jeanne after her ex-husband leaves the country with their children with no intention of returning them to her. When legal avenues fall short in helping her, Jeanne gets caught up in the feminist movement of the 1970s as she discovers her strength and the determination to find her children and take them back. As she prepares herself for what must be done, she reflects on the person she used to be and the marriage that has led to this situation.
Here in these pages lies a heartbreaking tale of a woman molded into an accommodating young girl by the patriarchal society of the 1950s having her world turned upside down by a supreme act of selfishness. Jeanne Baker Guy is unflinchingly honest and open about sharing her pain with the reader. Her prose when describing the emotional and personal journey she undertook to understand herself and develop into someone who will defend themselves against injustice is beautiful. The book manages to impress upon the reader the importance of the feminist movement in helping women like Jeanne understand that they had a voice and were entitled to use it; a societal change that is usually hard to understand unless lived through is exposed and explored here as the effects on Jeanne’s life are made clear. Overall, You’ll Never Find Us is an astonishing and personal tale about the hidden power of refusing to accept mistreatment.
Recommend this book:
Raising Jess
A Story of Hope
Vickie Rubin
2022 Gold Medal
207 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Being a parent can be challenging at the best of times. Add the additional factor of a special needs child and the workload multiplies substantially, but, then again, so does the love and the inevitable learning curve that goes along with these needs. Jess was born prematurely; her mother suffering from chickenpox at the time. She was born in an era (the 1980s) that continued to foster the notion that a mother, concerned about certain growth patterns in her child, was actually a hypochondriac. Even though the family lived in a thriving metropolis, the medical professionals appeared to be far behind in the growing numbers of diverse special needs children being born every year. This only added to the difficulties: not knowing why Jess wasn’t developing ‘normally,’ and not knowing how to help her, the parents and grandparents were scrambling to research and determine how best to identify and help Jess’s special needs.
Vickie Rubin’s memoir, Raising Jess: A Story of Hope, is a heartwarming, compassionate story about a mother’s (and father’s) enduring love through difficult and challenging times. The author leads the reader on a journey through Jess’s life, right up to the growing concern of the global pandemic and how it might affect this charming, special needs child-turned-young woman. The story unfolds from the mother’s perspective, including journal entries and medical reports that document the growing concerns and research required to help this special child. The language is pure and to the point, pulling the reader right into this one family’s story; for a story about a special needs child is more than a child’s story, it’s a family’s story. The inclusion of a family photo album, pictures taken over the years, adds to the warmth and revealing love that engulf this story. This story will bring tears to the eyes of readers as they are educated and enraptured by one family’s journey with a special needs child. Thanks for sharing your story.
Recommend this book:
Remembering Ravensbrück
Holocaust to Healing
Natalie B Hess
2021 Finalist
308 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Remembering Ravensbruck: Holocaust to Healing by Natalie B. Hess encapsulates a journey from childhood to adulthood. She speaks of her experiences as a Holocaust survivor where she gives glimpses of early childhood images related to the horror of the Holocaust, survival in the Jewish ghetto of Piotrow Tribunalski, the cattle train deportations, the treatment in the women's concentration camp of Ravensbruck, and the arrival of the ‘white buses’ in April 1945 which took her to Sweden. Her story is proof of how one can actually succeed in rebuilding life after all the trauma she had experienced. The healing that happens as her life progresses will give hope to many readers who have undergone challenges and adversities in their lives.
Remembering Ravensbruck is heartbreaking, heartwarming, inspiring, and is about grief, pain, difficulties, resilience, and healing. Natalie B. Hess is very honest while sharing her story and I enjoyed reading about her Americanization and becoming an American girl. Stories of the Holocaust and stories of the survivors are always compelling and poignant, and the story of Natalia Chojnacka will warm the hearts of readers and give them glimpses of the Holocaust and its survivors. Her journey is admirable and encouraging, as well as motivating to watch her rise and grow as a teacher. Written in a conversational format, the author also shares her life stories in Israel and America. She speaks about her happy family which will bring a smile to the faces of readers, knowing that she has come a long way from being a survivor.
Recommend this book:
Gilligan's Dreams
The Other Side of the Island (Second Edition)
Dreama Denver
2021 Finalist
272 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Depending on your age, you probably will remember Bob Denver as either Maynard G. Krebs—from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis—or Gilligan from Gilligan’s Island. If you think you know Bob Denver, think again. Bob’s wife of over 25 years (Dreama Denver) has scored a major hit with her personal insights found in her book Gilligan’s Dreams: The Other Side of the Island. You will love reading their love story and see how they remained married through the years of trials. You may think that TV stars are all about money and fame, but you would be wrong. Bob was a loving and caring man. Together, Dreama (Bob called her Dreams) and Bob reared a differently-abled son. Bob was a dedicated father and together Dreama and he cared for their son.
This book gives the reader a glimpse into the personal life of Bob Denver. Dreama Denver was Bob’s fourth wife. In Gilligan’s Dreams: The Other Side of the Island, she shares some details about Bob’s life before he met Dreama, personal stories from his Gilligan days, and how they met. Then she goes on to talk about the charmed life the two of them lived together from their first meeting. After a few years of marriage, they decided to start a family. Together they had a son who was severely differently-abled. He had autism and seizures. Read how together they took care of their son, sacrificing everything for him. The book tells the sad story of Bob’s cancer and death. There is an afterword that talks about Dreama’s life since Bob’s demise and how much progress their son has made. Be sure to have a box of tissues with you if you have an ounce of compassion. You will need them. But also, be ready to laugh until you cry.
Recommend this book:
A Saint and a Sinner
The Rise and Fall of a Beloved Catholic Priest
Stephen Donnelly with Diane O'Bryan
2021 Honorable Mention
352 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
As I read the last few pages of this courageous memoir, A Saint and a Sinner, I was overcome with a profound sadness that a man who’d fought so hard to win control over his various addictions and was helping so many people made one more bad mistake. That slip-up resulted in his dismissal from the Catholic Church. In his honest and raw memoir, Stephen Donnelly shares details of his less than idyllic upbringing that resulted in his decision to become a priest. His great love of God, coupled with his genuine desire to serve God’s people, qualified him for the priesthood but...and it’s a big “but”...he was addicted to cocaine and eventually, alcohol. Worse yet, being celibate wasn’t possible as he was deeply in love with Camilla. Honestly, Hollywood scriptwriters couldn’t write a more eye-opening film script.
But A Saint and A Sinner by Stephen Donnelly with Diane O'Bryan is no fiction movie. What Stephen, and other priests like him experience, is a most difficult, sometimes ugly reality: the priesthood is a lonely and demanding vocation. Growing up Catholic, how well I remember being in awe of and just a little afraid of priests. But as an adult, I found it almost preposterous that young men in their prime were denied the right to sexual relationships. Over the years I often wondered how they managed the self-denial. Well, Donnelly’s memoir sheds much light on the real difficulties priests endure. I feel sure that if I were one of his parishioners, seeing all the good he did to help others recover from addictions, the dedication he brought to his duties, and the genuine love he continues to have for his vocation and church, I would forgive him for all those sins. As for what got him dismissed, well, you will have to read A Saint and A Sinner to find out. This memoir is beautifully executed, fast-paced with lots of realistic dialogue, and characters to whom you can readily relate and whom you will not easily forget. What stays with me most is the courage it must have taken to write this memoir. Hats off to you, Father Stephen Donnelly. You’re my kind of saintly sinner and the world could use many more like you.
Recommend this book:
Crash
How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver
Rachel Michelberg
2021 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Crash: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver by Rachel Michelberg is a memoir that details an important period in her life. After a couple of broken engagements, she got married to David and had two children. Rachel had lost satisfaction in the marriage, but she persevered. A catastrophic plane crash involving her husband years later would disrupt what was left of her family. From seeing David through multiple surgeries to handling the children and holding onto her sanity, there was only so much a person could take. She had to decide concerning the care of her husband, and that put her at odds with his family. Would they ever understand what she had to deal with? How does she care for her husband in his present state, the kids, and balance other areas of her life with her mind intact?
Crash: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver by Rachel Michelberg was an intense and emotional book. I couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page. Rachel was so brutally honest, putting down information without bias or pretense. She said her truth and owned it, regardless. It was a constant battlefield of the mind; a war between duty and self-preservation. I was plagued with a ton of thoughts revolving around wedding vows, compassion, more recognition for caregivers, choosing liberation, and more. Caregiving is not a walk in the park, especially when spouses are involved. The mental strain and new family dynamics could have a negative ripple effect, especially in a household of growing children. Hence, Rachel, a strong woman although flawed like all humans, focused on what mattered. Thank you for sharing a part of your life with the world.
Recommend this book:
The Other Madisons
The Lost History of A President's Black Family
Bettye Kearse
2021 Bronze Medal
272 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family is a non-fiction American history memoir that chronicles the lineage and legacy of author Bettye Kearse's ancestry, a direct descendent, and the four-times great-granddaughter of Founding Father and fourth president of the United States, James Madison. But this is not a story about James Madison. It is something so much better. The book begins with the intimate backstory of Kearse's first known African-born ancestor, a slave named Mandy, whose heart-wrenching and violent subjugation is the maternal thread that weaves the story together. As each layer of delicate fabric is slowly connected, Kearse's pieces are brought to life as her generation's family griotte. She is the keyholder of oral family history that she augments with her own extensive research. And this is her story. “Always remember—you’re a Madison. You come from African slaves and a president.”
It has been way too long since I've had the great fortune to read a book that haunted me for weeks after finishing it. The Other Madisons required time to decompress in my mind, overwhelmed by the phenomenal writing of Bettye Kearse and the unpacking of thoughts around a president I thought I knew a lot about. It turns out, not so much. Kearse and her relationship with her mother, the griotte chosen to hold the sacred story before her, as well as her difficulty reconciling the regard held for her most famous family member and the fact that he owned human beings. What I loved in Kearse's account is that the focus is really on the origins of the enslaved; Mandy and her daughter Coreen, who is both James Madison's half-sister and mother to his enslaved son, Jim. From there the lines of the family tree are firmly drawn, interspersed with Kearse's fact-finding, its emotional toll, and the accounts of all those before who brought her here today. Kearse has written this glorious book and shared it with us, no longer the griotte of her family alone, but one that carries the heritage of a nation flowing through her veins and through the tip of her pen. I would give this book a whole bucket of stars if I could.
Recommend this book:
Surviving Chaos
How I Found Peace at A Beach Bar
Harold Phifer
2021 Silver Medal
316 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Raised by a schizophrenic mother and a manipulating aunt in Mississippi, Harold’s childhood is fraught with consistent abuse and violence. He soon learns the art of becoming invisible and complacent to avoid the daily ritual of physical and emotional attacks, not only from those who should care for him but also from his older sibling and peers. Although Harold’s childhood is a constant battle to survive each day unscathed, he somehow manages to retain his humor and hunger to succeed. Surviving Chaos (How I Found Peace at a Beach Bar) by Harold Phifer is an inspirational and heartwarming story of one man’s journey to make sense of his chaotic and dysfunctional world with unwavering determination and optimism. Follow Harold’s horrifying story as he recounts the events and memories from the mayhem of his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. As Harold, now 56 years of age, recovers from a near-death experience in Afghanistan, he begins the long journey toward recovery and a peaceful future.
Surviving Chaos by Harold Phifer is a beautifully written memoir that will take you on a rollercoaster of powerful emotions. Harold is a natural-born storyteller as he invites you inside his world of betrayal, abuse, neglect, and triumph. I loved how the story, switching from past to present, lends the reader insight into Harold’s mindset at each stage of his life. The humor is superb; his attitude toward his lack of friends and his dog abandoning him made me laugh out loud. The characters are memorable, with larger-than-life personalities that leaped from the page, especially Flirty Shirley and Dead Eye Red. The story flowed perfectly and kept my interest. Some of the scenes of abuse were extremely hard to read, especially the manipulating mind games by his aunt. The relentless bullying and violence Harold suffers builds a strength of character that is extraordinary. However, the story reminds us that one event can trigger painful memories of the past if not addressed. Harold’s story is a beacon of hope that we can overcome adversity and regain our dignity, kindness, and resolve to find a positive future. Surviving Chaos is a compelling read.
Recommend this book:
Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops
Allison Hong Merrill
2021 Gold Medal
368 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops by Allison Hong Merrill begins with an abusive childhood in Taiwan, where one of the few rays of hope is cast by Mormon missionaries. Allison’s father disowns her for accepting the faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints instead of traditional ancestor worship. Allison learns English and achieves a university entrance. However, she delays finishing her degree to marry Cameron and move to America. In America on a student visa, she is destitute when Cameron abandons her and cleans out their joint account. Seeking aid from the church, she transfers to Brigham Young University. After a couple of dating mistakes, she meets the lovely man she believes God has destined for her.
Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops by Allison Hong Merrill is a poignant and compelling memoir. Some of the incidents are challenging, including vivid descriptions of poverty, abuse, and cultural clash. Merrill wrote so persuasively that I was able to identify with her every experience. The viewpoint she presented was uniquely centered in religion and ethnicity yet was universal as the skillful words touched on the basics of human motivation. I finished reading the story with tears in my eyes, as it was one of the most expressive accounts I have ever read. Merrill opened my eyes to the vulnerability of the immigrant experience and impressed me with the young woman’s determination to succeed. I can recommend Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops by Allison Hong Merrill for anyone who enjoys a combination of women's literature and a human interest story.
Recommend this book:
Two Minus One
A Memoir
Kathryn Taylor
2020 Finalist
152 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Memoir
Betrayal comes in all shapes and sizes. After reading Kathryn Taylor's Two Minus One: A Memoir, I am pretty confident that there is no easy way to separate an honest person from a dishonest one. Jim said all the right words and stood by Kathryn and her daughters for many years. He reassured her time and again that he was never going to give up on her. Although Kathryn told him on many occasions that she was not looking for romance in her life, he did not stop pursuing her. Being human and thinking that she deserved another chance at happiness, Kathryn finally gave in and married the guy. For eight years, she believed her life to be a fairy tale with this man in her arms. And then it happened.
With no warning or discussion, Jim simply announced that he was done with the marriage. A sudden end to something beautiful has the power of breaking the strongest of souls, and that's exactly what happened to Kathryn. She could not believe her world had crashed in the blink of an eye. Her health took a toll and she felt as if she had neither desire nor energy left to move on in life. Two Minus One: A Memoir by Kathryn Taylor is the manifestation of everything that you would feel in such a situation. She had left her normal life behind for Jim: she sold her house, moved to a different place, quit her job to support this man, whom she considered to be the love of her life. She suffered the loss of everything that she held close to her, yet with the help of her friends and daughters, she found the strength to move on.
Divorce is not an easy thing to deal with at any age and to be thrown into this process at the age of sixty is really devastating. However, Two Minus One: A Memoir brings a ray of hope into the lives of people who are going through such a phase. In her memoir, Kathryn Taylor has outlined all the tools that helped her become a stronger version of herself. If it weren't for her husband's betrayal, it is quite possible that she never would have tapped into the immense strength and talent that was deep inside her. Written in a first-person narrative, Two Minus One moves at a slow yet steady pace and shows its readers that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We may not always get closure but we can definitely grow from our hurtful experiences.