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/Novella
- 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 - Science/Technology
- Non-Fiction - Self Help
- Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novella
- 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:
Clouds: On the Wind
Poems for the Soul - A Meditation
Gary W. Burns
2020 Finalist
104 Pages
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Poetry - General

‘Sometimes we get lost. And that’s okay. Life is a mystery. As we go our way.’ Clouds: On the Wind: Poems for the Soul – A Meditation by Gary W. Burns is a contemplative collection of poems that will have a calming and meditative effect on the reader. This rhythmic collection of poems is evocative and tackles diverse topics and emotions in an aesthetic way. The poet’s perceptions on life and living in a minimalist way make an impact on readers as they can feel the images growing in their minds. The visualizations of nature, love, harmony, calmness, contemplation, warmth, and other emotions stand out starkly in the poet’s delightful and tightly knitted poems.
This zen-like and tranquil collection will have a meditative effect on readers. The poet is expressive and conveys a lot in a few sentences. I liked the poems ‘Meditation I’, ‘Meditation II’ and ‘Meditation III’ – they capture the essence of meditation and the line ‘let now be your way’ sums up the concept of meditation beautifully. ‘Soul Serenade’ is exquisite and the poet serenades readers in those three lines. It is not always easy to get readers’ attention in short verses but the poems in this book manage to do that because there is so much depth and profundity in the poet’s words, even though they are succinct and crisp. It is a good collection that all poetry lovers will enjoy and the poems will help them reflect on and contemplate life and the emotions that come with it.
Recommend this book:
Woman Strong
Anna Casamento Arrigo
2020 Honorable Mention
108 Pages
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Poetry - General

Woman Strong by Anna Casamento Arrigo is a collection of poems that address many questions with the main one asking what it means to be a woman. Today, being a woman is fraught with abuses, lack of control, and many barriers despite achieving basic freedoms like voting. All of this and more is captured in Woman Strong. Anna Casamento Arrigo also captures the strength, vulnerability, happiness, and love that comes with so many life experiences. Each poem varies and allows the reader a brief view of a life event like birth, divorce, and death. Interspersed with photographs and art of Heydi Quezada, this collection of poems shows readers many of the nuances of being a woman in such a beautiful way that tears came to my eyes numerous times.
As an avid reader, I like to read a variety of genres and I have a special spot for remarkable poetry. This collection was one of those. The author varies the length of poems and kept me reading with this tactic. This wasn’t the only aspect that kept me going though. The author evokes many emotions with each poem and I may have even shed a tear at the end. Some poems are able to capture the nuance of a moment which made my mind bloom with dozens of images. Perhaps the greatest part for me was that the author managed to expertly portray the life stages of a woman and show the raw strength that accompanies them. Simply put, Woman Strong by Anna Casamento Arrigo was breathtaking.
Recommend this book:
Hurricane Warning
Poems
Matthew Ryan Defibaugh
2020 Bronze Medal
58 Pages
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Poetry - General

Hurricane Warning: Poems by Matthew Ryan Defibaugh shares poetic insights into the everyday challenges faced by those who have disabilities. He took the very fabric of his being and turned it into words that echo deep inside the hearts of those who can comprehend what it's like to be impaired. From the joy of a gentle breeze to the pain of becoming wheelchair-bound, going through surgery and pneumonia, to explaining how we sometimes have to heal ourselves, Defibaugh has bared his soul. Moments of undying love and courage, pain, sadness and loss are transformed into poetry.
Hurricane Warning: Poems by Matthew Ryan Defibaugh is an amazing collection of poetry written in various styles. I love the way Defibaugh has shown through poetry and verse how people can rise above disabilities and strive for something greater, even if the task seems unbearably difficult. Sharing everything he feels and thinks during times of comfort, sorrow and love with such a deep emotional impact is a true inspiration. I love how the author has given a voice to the deepest emotions that reveal true respect and understanding for the beauty of life. I recommend Hurricane Warning to everyone, even those who do not generally read poetry. Every single page carries the words that will inspire and encourage others to persevere, no matter what obstacles and milestones may be barring the path to success. I hope that Defibaugh has many more poems for future collections.
Recommend this book:
Seasons of the Soul
Nidhi Kaur
2020 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Poetry - General

Seasons of the Soul is a collection of philosophical poetry by Nidhi Kaur. It has many eloquent, often short poems that show the relationship between a woman seeking love and a beloved she longs for, and can also be used to describe a deeper search for peace and meaning in the stages of life. The book summarizes four “seasons” or life stages in the love journey and these four seasons are examined through intricate sets of poems paired with pictures, predominantly of leaves and flowers, to create a strong sensory experience. The seasons—Season of Longing; Season of Remembrance; Season of Love; and Season of Enlightenment—take the narrator and reader through a life journey of finding love.
The poetical quality of Seasons of the Soul is delicate and gentle. The broader spiritual growth that can be applied to this cascading waterfall of poems gives them a lot of depth and Nidhi Kaur’s writing merits close attention for the quiet elegance that is structured into each set of poems and images. While many poetry books use images effectively, few do so with as much skill as this one because the pictures act as little verses of their own, accompanied by individual longer poems or by tiny, brief verbal fragments strung along together to create a sophisticated experience. The comparison of the growth of love to the life cycle of a flower as it sprouts, buds, and blooms is carried through the whole book with strength and energy, and there are touches of beautiful lyricism, as in the lovely verse “I have translated all of your silence into poetry.” Seasons of the Soul is a good expression of the inner spirit of a life that is continually growing.
Recommend this book:
Feelings
Expressions From Deep Within
Garfield Whyte
2020 Gold Medal
44 Pages
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Poetry - General

Concentrating on such issues as memories that cling, love - both lost and found - tortuous desires, deep secrets, things pursued, and hopes abandoned, Garfield Whyte offers his thoughts in his collection of poetry, Feelings: Expressions From Deep Within. The titles to Whyte’s offerings provide insight into the emotions he examines within his works, and his feelings about his experiences and memories, including those such as “Yearning,” “Paradox,” “Pursuit,” “The Little That We Had,” “I Want to Cry,” and “Unsure.” Whyte accompanies his renditions with a series of clear and lovely photographs that complement the emotions he seeks to express within his work. The photos are consistent, without jarring differences in type and color that might otherwise throw a reader off track. Occasionally, the text wraps around and envelops a photograph, making for a single artistic offering — a single overall impression to engage both the reader’s thoughts and his eye.
It is clear when reading Garfield Whyte’s poetry in Feelings that he has loved and lost, yearned, desired, and even been forsaken from time to time. And who amongst us has not? We can identify with such thoughts as: “The smell of you still lingers on my pillow,” “Now you stand firm and tall in my life like yon’ oak tree,” “In my mind I am compelled to recreate,” and “It’s such a joy your path crossed mine.” Indeed, these are experiences we have all shared. Readers will be pleased to know that he invites those unable to adequately express their own feelings to find the words that they seek within his works.
Recommend this book:
Moments: This to the Next
Poetry - Now and Eternity
Gary W. Burns
2019 Honorable Mention
104 Pages
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Poetry - General

Moments: This to the Next: Poetry - Now and Eternity by Gary W. Burns is a poetry collection composed around the concept of time against the backdrop of nature. In Moments, Gary has brought together the various elements of time such as the past, present, future, eternity, now, and brought out the essence of it which is the present moment. The poems are grouped under various headings related to time such as A Point called Time, Moments to Hours, Clocks and Faces, Time – And You and Me, and each of these contain several short poems. The poems are usually a page long and some are just a sentence or two but still pack a punch and often contain a wealth of meaning in just a few words. There is also a short author bio at the end of the book with a list of his other poetry books.
I loved reading Moments: This to the Next: Poetry - Now and Eternity and re-read portions of it twice. This is a short book and, at first glance, it seemed as if the poems might be too short or simplistic. But this is not the case at all and sometimes the ones with just a few verses are the best ones! There is a beautiful harmony and serenity in these poems and I loved how they intertwine time and nature into one. Some of my favorite poems are Landscapes, Be Still, Midnight Bright, At One With, and The Bridge Called Journey although it’s hard to pick just a few! There is a distinct strain of metaphysics and philosophy throughout this book which I loved as well. Gary has a definite talent for poetry and his composition is soothing, with a great rhythm and technique. This is a must-read poetry book and I hope to read Gary’s other poetry books after this.
Recommend this book:
Horse Prayers
Poems From the Prairie
Anna M. Blake
2019 Bronze Medal
106 Pages
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Poetry - General

Horse Prayers: Poems From the Prairie by Anna Blake is a collection of poems and photographs that gives readers a glimpse into the simple beauty that transforms the Colorado prairie. Be it the animals on her farm, the exquisite sunsets, or the daily routine, the poet holds readers captive with her wonderful descriptions and pictures and transports them to the place where life is still simple and the rawness of nature still exists. From the sunsets to the animals to the clear air, the author handles all the subjects associated with the prairie with finesse and elegance.
The poems resonate well with readers and the poet's love for her land, nature, and animals is tangible through the words and pictures. 'Loss' is a poem that reflects the longing of the poet and it gives readers an aesthetic way to look at sunsets and the ending of a day, with a pinch of remorse, and yet it appreciates the 'simple wealth of earth and sky'. It is an achingly beautiful collection for all those who love animals, especially horses, and the collection lingers on the richness and raw beauty that is in abundance in the universe. It is a collection readers will return to again and again - the fresh air of the prairie, the innocence of the animals, the large canvas of nature's daily activities, and the enchanting photographs are real, relatable, and memorable. All the poems in the sections Wolf Moon, Pink Moon, Strawberry Moon, Harvest Moon, Hunter Moon, and Cold Moon will leave readers wanting more.
Recommend this book:
Tourmaline
Ginger Tran
2019 Silver Medal
148 Pages
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Poetry - General

Tourmaline by Ginger Tran is a collection of intimate poems that evoke the journey through change and transformation experienced in the soul of the author, that reflect the nuances and the subtleties of our existence. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, the author embraces this reality and uses it to explore the psychological implications of the human experience. The words in each poem come from a secret, sacred place where the author defines their humanity, a questing mind that grabs at the intangible sensations, the movements of the heart, the perceptions of the soul, and the threads that hold their life together and bind them with humanity. The poems explore a variety of themes, most of them with psychological hints — thought processes, personal growth, awareness, reality versus appearances, meaning, art, being human, and many more.
There is a unique beauty in the language; its simplicity is deceptive, masking the depth in thought and meaning. Words are so carefully chosen that they take on a life of their own, contributing to the rhythm and the symbolic character of the poems. One of my favorite poems in this collection is the “self-psychology” which invites the reader to develop a strong sense of awareness of the inner processes associated with the changes taking place within us: “keep reminding yourself/ that it is the unburdening / of your damaged psyche / that now needs to find / its own way / of perceiving reality…” Ginger Tran is a poet of the psyche, endowed with an innate ability to capture details of the human heart. The poems are short, each featuring a thought, a movement, an idea, and it’s in their brevity that they become even more enticing and provocative. Tourmaline is indeed a poetic gem for readers looking for poems that are intellectually exciting and heartwarming.
Recommend this book:
Birnam Wood
El Bosque de Birnam (English and Spanish Edition)
Jose Manuel Cardona, Helene Cardona (translation)
2019 Gold Medal
96 Pages
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Poetry - General

Birnam Wood by José Manuel Cardona is an elegant, epic, fecund odyssey of lyrical imagery, steeped in time-honored mythic tradition and yet endlessly inventive. Cardona is alternately stentorian and coy – his imagery swells like distant thunder even as it dances. In the truest Shakespearean tradition of using the oxymoron to forge new synaptic pathways, Cardona offers implacable, sublime juxtapositions of language which defy categorization. From Ode to a Young Mariner: "The sea is a bride with open arms/with stout rubber balls for breasts." This perfect union of seemingly unmarriageable images is closely followed by “Handsome men, hard as anchors torn/from the chests of a barbarian god.” This is the second sight of a true poet—a true master of incontrovertible word and image pairings which simultaneously sear and expand the brain. Birnam Wood is mind-expanding in the manner of the world’s finest literature—an epic adventure in verse, beckoning us to abandon all that we know for the promise a new way of seeing the world.
Birnam Wood by José Manuel Cardona has been lovingly and painstakingly translated from the Spanish by Cardona’s daughter Hélène. It is a rare pleasure in the world of poetry to read such an expert and devoted translation. Hélène Cardona’s affection for her father and respect for his genius orbit each other in every line. The magical bond between father and daughter is perhaps nowhere better expressed than in her father’s words, translated by a poet in her own right: “We arrived and the miracle happened.”
José Manuel Cardona’s Birnam Wood is a paean to the importance of awe to human survival. With its roots firmly planted in classical mythology, Birnam Wood leaps into the air time and time again and absorbs itself thoroughly in the mystery of returning to earth. Birnam Wood is inexplicably suspended between mortality and immortality; groundedness and blind faith; past and future; courage and fear—it is a song for the ages, fascinating anew with every turn of an eclectic, sirenic page.
Recommend this book:
I Am A World Of Uncertainties Disguised As A Girl
Nicole Lyons
2018 Bronze Medal
138 Pages
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Poetry - General

I Am A World Of Uncertainties Disguised As A Girl is an incredible embodiment of emotion, expressed through prose and poetry, and written by Nicole Lyons. The shuddering impact each verse creates in the soul of the reader is profound, dealing in various embattled reactions to situations in life and its complexities. Whether the subject be conveying one’s faith, promiscuity, temptations in life or broken hearts, each verse shakes you emotionally, as it reaches inside and tinkers with the many different experiences and aspects of a person’s existence.
Never before have I read poetry on such a large scale of extreme raw emotion. I was able to feel and relate to the pain of Nicole Lyons as she expressed so many variances in her life, up to the point of waiting for the impact of death to take place. The violations of a human body and soul were also felt, bringing back some very painful moments in my own life, all of which were expressed so fully in the pages of I Am A World Of Uncertainties Disguised As A Girl. Whether Nicole draws each verse from experience or imagination, the talent which shines through each page is intense, almost to the point of it blinding the reader in a lyrical depiction of pain, heartache, disaster and emotional invasion.
Two poems snagged my interest in particular: Turning Goodbye came across as a final message left on a tombstone or epitaph, whereas Impetus draws upon the raw emotion of a tidal pull. I wholeheartedly recommend I Am A World Of Uncertainties Disguised As A Girl to lovers of poetry over the age of 15 years, and look forward to adding it to my bookshelf at home, filled only with incredible works in literature.