I answered "other" for reccing, because I tend to only rec stuff on impulse, not in any organized or hierarchical fashion.

Also, I do suggest that you recommend some of these flawed-in-some-way stories -- because I'd love to read them! -- but differentiate them from your awards-type recs.

Unfortunately, I don't have a brilliant solution for doing so, but if you're concerned about author reaction, perhaps you should just refer to them as stories that you have certain reservations about, or issues with, rather than flat-out stating that they're flawed. (Although I personally wouldn't care if someone described a story of mine as "flawed.")

I mean, I wouldn't even need to know *why* you have second thoughts about reccing them normally; the simple fact that you do would be enough warning for me.