The Pride Awards

Category Winners - Fantasy/Paranormal

A huge thank you to clownceo for judging the fantasy and paranormal category!

Congratulations to all our participants! Potato's review for the top three finalists are posted below, and all other participants can DM for their feedback. Winners please DM too for your prizes!
(There's a small glitch on wattpad messaging so please contact me on discord, if possible, at @itsmeimthevampire).

Now without any further ado, here are our winners!

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
First Place Winner

Anachronistic
92/100 @Scarlett_Fox-

Title - 2/5
The title stands out, but I'm not sure how it fits the story.

Cover - 3/5
I really like the image and the bold font of the title. The text itself was small and blended into the image, so I think it would look better if it were darker and more centered. Same with the author name, it was very small and I wouldn't have noticed it at all if I hadn't been looking.

Blurb - 9/10
Solid blurb. Not too short, not too long. It introduces the main character, some background about the world, the conflict and stakes. The first line could have packed more of a punch, but by the end of this blurb I was intrigued and excited to read. There was a good balance of the main plot as well as the larger themes at play.

Writing Style - 10/10
The opening paragraph is descriptive and has an eerie suspense to it. The dialogue does a good job of revealing information about the characters, world, and conflict. "Andrew was trained by Fennel as well," Angela says in the first chapter, subtly letting us in on the loss the group has suffered. Much of the information we learn about the youkai is also told through dialogue. The descriptions, especially in the action sequence halfway through the prologue, are very vivid. Third-person narration works well in this story, giving the audience a bird's eye view of the events unfolding around us. Strong, visceral vocabulary transports us into the thick of the action. "Gregor turned to find the creature sitting upright throwing its head toward the sky with a howl. Its ribcage unfolded; its chest blooming like a meat flower. The flames burning in its gaze roared forth from the youkai's open chest and a pale green overtook the clearing."

Pacing - 10/10
The prologue throws us straight into the action, and then things cool down in the two chapters to follow. The first chapter is a good introduction to Lilith's character and ends with her discovering the reality of what she is. Hitting this inciting incident means the pacing was right on track. The second chapter was a good introduction to Pandora and also packed with important information. Every scene felt purposeful and engaging.

Plot - 9/10
The premise is very intriguing and balanced with rich descriptions, realistic dialogue, and impactful characters. The first three chapters never failed to hold my attention and I'm excited for what comes next!

Details - 9/10
The descriptions of the characters are very rich. For example, the opening description of Fennel in the first chapter is punchy and powerful - "Fennel was a slight woman, hardly any use in a fight, yet he reckoned she was the most valuable hunter in his group. In the years since he trained her, she had surpassed him in tracking and strategy. Mixed with a near superhuman calm under pressure, her skills made her the perfect battlefield general. In his mind, her judgment was second only to the word of God." These descriptions are woven into the dialogue to give us information on the characters without an info dump.

Characters - 10/10
The characters felt real and fleshed-out, with distinct personalities and roles in the story. The dialogue between Lilith and Gregor, and Lilith and Joshua in the first chapter reveal a lot about their personalities and dynamics as well. Lilith's naive view of love and intimacy feels realistic, even for a 22-year-old woman, due to her isolation and main reference being romance books. And I have a feeling Pandora is about to take the stage in her love life soon...