Congratulations to those who made it this far into the competition!

Let's take time to also thank your judge, eatingher_words!

We hope that you've enjoyed your time in the competition!

Note: If you would like a medal with the background removed, please message AdrielleReina 

Without further ado, here are the final results!

The Withered Kingdom, tpmwrites 
Writing Style: 7/10
Plot: 4/10
Creativity: 8/10
Conflict: 8/10
Organization: 6/10
Character Development: 4/10
Total: 37/60
Notes: This story started out quite strong; it seemed as though a coming of age story surrounding Lorne and Porter (her dad), but I felt the foundations of their relationship weren't given enough time to blossom before a series of events rapidly happened after: she steals her father's sword, a friend tells a ghost story that just so happens to be true, and then the events from said ghost story happen in Dorser, their city. It all just felt rather quick, and especially with the swift death of her father, I felt as though I needed more of a foundation to cling to. The cast of characters is interesting, but I found myself not really caring a whole lot about what they had to say. I didn't feel an attachment to them, perhaps because it felt as though I was tossed into different moments in the plot and their relationships were not established before things started to happen. Sure, death and battles are epic and cool and whatnot, but I couldn't find any reason to care for these kids.

The worldbuilding was good at the start, and could still use some fleshing out, and bits and pieces are put together as we move deeper into the plot. The most fascinating thing to me was the onyx veins in different items (the sword, ring, necklaces etc). But in other ways I felt like all this new information about magic and the sword and the ghost story were too conveniently explained right before those details became relevant. The pacing felt a bit too rapid-fire, a bit too hurried.

I can see the plot slowing now that the kids have made it to Styg, but the first 8 or so chapters felt like a fever dream; SO much happened. My recommendations for the author as they move forward would be to give the reader some more time to warm up to characters, and ease us into the plot rather than make it feel like elements are conveniently bending to accompany the events happening in the plot.

I did enjoy the descriptions, and while I did find typos, the writing itself wasn't difficult to read. There were times when I thought a few paragraphs were a bit too lengthy, but I am also all for varying lengths. I hope Lorne and the gang get their revenge (or not; maybe Lorne will remember what her dad said, and won't do anything rash!).

The Apprentice and the Lost City, justalex99
Writing Style: 8/10
Plot: 6/10
Creativity: 9/10
Conflict: 8/10
Organization: 8/10
Character Development: 6/10
Total: 45/60
Notes: This story, as I mentioned before, is very charming. I can imagine characters are 2D cartoons flitting around and acting all cozy and cute, which is a great vibe. As I continued to read to chapter 10, I did notice some lulls in story, however; the pacing is quite slow. We follow an adorable magic-manic Emma Marsh, who is chosen by Merlin's wand, and becomes the Grand Apprentice to the Grand Mage, Peridot. The cast of characters is fun; Emma's dad is definitely a close second to Peridot – literally dad goals. However, the conflicts brought up seem to be a bit stagnant. I love the coziness of this story, and I understand the undercutting plot is Emma's journey to witch-hood, but by chapter 10, not much has happened outside of an elf-looking Egg Thief, a thief who broke into an untrustworthy Mr. Toft's shop, and a bunch of kids bullying Emma. Now, I understand that the softer side of this book may cater towards a slower-moving plot, but I think that meeting Willow earlier on would have intrigued me more, and would've propelled the plot forward.

As engaging and cute as this story is, I didn't feel that the first ten chapters were a bit slow to start, and because of this I scored it the way I did. I love Blu though, and I think the cast of characters is so endearing. I want to know more about the Thief she spotted, and I want to see where she goes with the Grand Witch and her apprentice, but I do feel like it took us quite a while to get here. I think there is a way to be a bit more concise with introductions of characters whilst giving the reader that worldbuilding and background, and also moving the plot along. I really enjoyed the descriptions and silly dialogues; they serve the purpose of lightening the heaviness of the atmosphere (especially the bullying scene; my heart wrenched while Molly and the others were so cruel to Emma ): ). I think the author has mastered "cozy fantasy."
For edits, I'd recommend keeping what is absolutely necessary for plot, and figuring out ways to communicate the relationships with neighbors and friends within a shorter span. That would be my advice for a "normal" fantasy, though; as this doesn't give me the same vibe (as "normal" fantasy), I think maintaining that whimsical atmosphere is important. Maybe prologue the first chapter and then cut down the bits where not much is happening? In the end, if the story makes you happy and you deem certain things important, then go with that. 

THIRD PLACE: 

Of Caverns and Casters, avadel 
Writing Style: 10/10
Plot: 7/10
Creativity: 10/10
Conflict: 8/10
Organization: 8/10
Character Development: 9/10
Total: 52/60
Notes: This story is crafted quite beautifully; it's very polished and carries a dark and damp vibe that I'm really enjoying. The writing styles of the authors are both engaging and descriptive, and the story itself is quite creative. Many readers commented on the underground city fitting a "steampunk" vibe that I was living for. I love the concept of casters using "grimoire"-like books and doktors using alkemi. Tying the two together was fun, and I definitely want to see more of it in the future of this story!

The beginning was extremely clean, and dropped me immediately into two suspenseful introductory chapters – Leavi first, then Aster. But the funny thing is: I think my favorite character up to chapter 10 is Sean (more on that in a little bit). The opening chapters were action-packed, and then we follow Sean and Leavi in the caverns. I was hoping for a little more action here too, but the only thing that really held my interest was Sean's internal thoughts haunting him and reminding him of his past. The alkemi bits were interesting enough, but I felt like our mission got lost a little. As for Aster's insertions: I don't really see the plot moving in his second POV chapter; it felt more like a reason for readers to realize what he's leaving behind. Which leads me to a question that I've been scratching my head thinking about: Why does Aster not tell Agraund about this boarding school that will hopefully hone his magic? Maybe I missed something... But for him to be sneaking out to better himself *because of his loyalty* to Morineaux feels a bit odd. Wouldn't his family be in support of this? Perhaps I overlooked an explanation... Or maybe it will be explained later. It just didn't seem like he needed to be all that secretive, especially when he blew his cover with the stable boy.

Okay, now back to Sean - he felt like the reader, if that makes any sense. Leavi is aggravatingly suspicious of everything Sean does, and his reactions are exactly how I'd react if I were in his situation. And while not the perfect character, he just felt like someone I could relate to, learn things from, and be friends with. So I found myself getting a little mad at Leavi for being so doubtful, after she wasn't even prepared to go into the caverns. I'm not sure if this was the authors' aim with her character, but it had me scratching my head wondering if I should like her or not.

Aster and Leavi have similar goals - to leave their situations; one is leaving to better himself for the greater good of his country, and the other is leaving to escape her deadly fate. It'll be interesting to see them come together later on and perhaps fight their battles together. 

SECOND PLACE:

The Gemini Age, Oxviola 
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Creativity: 10/10
Conflict: 9/10
Organization: 10/10
Character Development: 9/10
Total: 56/60
Notes: This story was extremely engaging. From the beginning, we get a full cast of unique characters, and by the 10th story part, we see them all interacting. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book; the author has created a very intricate world of gangs and run-down alleys, as well as "politician"-style high life. I enjoyed seeing the contrasts between characters, and also the humanity in them. Even though Lloyd and Marcus will have my heart forever, I also really enjoyed seeing the POVs from the villains (The Nomads/Skye) and from the normal, Gemini girl (Jade)'s POV. The story has been set up in a very intriguing way – as a reader, I'm excited to get back into the drama surrounding Karim, and whether he survived or not. Skye doesn't seem to be all-bad (none of these people do), and they all have very real problems. The lore setup here is also super intriguing – I enjoyed reading about not only the Gemini's but also those who are "Hot" or "Cold" souls. More about that please! This urban fantasy story was a whirlwind, and with a blend of great writing style and a flurry of impressive action scenes, this one was very enjoyable to read.

Because I felt like we were still getting into the story by the 10th part, I didn't know how to rate character development. In terms of establishing characters, this was done fabulously. I love the banter between Wilf and Jade, and also the introduction of Trigger and Fiona. I think the execution of character introductions was done well, and it wasn't too quick for me, especially since the first three parts were dedicated to those introductions. I love some lighthearted interactions, semblances of friendships (Penelope and Jade) and a potential for romance (Jade and Marcus?). Definitely nailed the intrigue with so many unique and different characters!

My only concerns were in some of the descriptions (sometimes they seemed a bit too meaty), and also in the introduction of conflict. There are a lot of mini conflicts happening all at once, and while I think they are brilliant, I found them a bit hard to follow at first. A lot of terminology is thrown in from the beginning, and as a studious reader, I found myself rereading and trying to wrap my brain around some of the concepts (honestly, this is probably just a me thing. I have to really concentrate, and even then sometimes information flies directly over my head!). Otherwise, this story was very organized, flows well, is extremely creative, and gives me superhero vibes with magic, and it was a very engaging read. 

FIRST PLACE: 

The Circle of the Paw, MichaelSToledano 
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
Creativity: 10/10
Conflict: 9/10
Organization: 10/10
Character Development: 10/10
Total: 58/60
Notes: I was extremely impressed with the worldbuilding and execution of this story. I quickly grew attached to Misha and Akhi, and found myself rooting for both of them. The way the author has portrayed the friendship between human and animal, and dog and cat is very impressive. The worldbuilding was a joy to read – from the made-up curses like "Oh my Cod" and the use of animal limbs in place of humans' (i.e. "it's out of our paws now"), I found myself smiling a lot throughout this story.

The characters are lovable and complex; I love Akhi to pieces and want to see him succeed. His past is sad, as is Misha's, but he's still learning and growing and that's what sold me on cheering for him. I think he will learn that leaving was a good way for him to discover what he could be missing in his loving home. The search for him is equally as entertaining as his new adventures with Lima. I loved reading the descriptions of the underground market. Everything is very nicely described, and details are woven in artfully to make the reading experience a delight to read.

I've seen the "baby comes in, animals get neglected" trope quite a bit, in Lady and the Tramp specifically, and it felt like a pretty predictable plot point, but I understand it was necessary to carry out what needed to happen. My favorite details were outside of these main plot points: Akhi's desire to be a part of the Circle of the Paw. Of the animals standing upright and carrying weapons. Of there being a whole system of turfs between the Pharoah's Mejay and the Gibborim (also, *totally* in love with the name schemes for both animals and elements in this world). Everything felt very well put together, and it was honestly a breeze to read. The details are rich and every piece feels as though it belongs. The fur mark on Akhi excites me too, to see how it will affect him later when he eventually has his run in with the Mejay. There are just... many *many* things to be excited about with this book. A very unique read that is not a typical fantasy novel, but fits the description flawlessly. Very well done.

My only caveat to this review (that didn't affect the score) is that I did notice a smattering of grammatical errors, including comma placements and some typos/extra words probably from previous edits, but nothing that ruined my comprehension. I really enjoyed this story, and even accidentally voted on it as I was reading (and probably spooked the author... sorry lol), but I added this to my library and will be back to reading more soon, definitely.

Once again, congratulations to the winners and thank you to all who have participated! 💛

Good luck in all your writing endeavors!