Gemstone Reviews [Closed for Catch up]

Review #10-Millenium

Title: Millennium

Author: Kat Elyse (qtdxll)

Genre: Paranormal/Sci Fi/LGBT

Rating: PG-13 (mild profanity, lgbt)

# of chapters: 4 (ongoing) 

# of chapters I've read: 1

Summary/Blurb: 

Able to control their lives like puppets, Destiny has planned every detail about Solis and Luna's lives from their first breath to their last, but people can't be manipulated. Given the power to change fates by the universe, Destiny is also equip with the power of teleportation and manipulation of thoughts and actions. Bold and mysterious, Destiny guides Luna and Solis as they're plunged into a paranormal world different from the technologically advance world they're accustomed to.

Luna, the embodiment of the Moon, can control the Moon. Visions of the future and a voice torment her dreams. Driven by emotion, she's willing to risk her life for her family, despite what could happen.

Solis, who goes by Lis, commands the Sun. A single touch of an object or person can send her into a trance, revealing past events to her. Outspoken, Lis doesn't believe a word that comes out of Destiny's mouth.

The dynamic duo of Lis and Luna are destined soulmates, complicating their relationship. As they dig through the past, they uncover terrible secrets. Amber, the first embodiment of the Sun, was able to dream walk and telepathically communicate with others. Galen, the first embodiment of the Moon, had the power of telekinesis and binding. Destiny sought out replacements for Amber and Galen when they died on December 21st, 2012. The circumstances of their death are unknown, even to Destiny who seems to know everything. 

Review:

Cover:

*takes a look at the genre* Yep, the cover doesn't send chills running up my spine and little children crying themselves to sleep just for the heck of it. This seems to be a paranormal story. I really like its composition, and I can tell that you've made an effort to incorporate elements within it that create ties between the title and the blurb; everything seems...right. I'll point out these links to help the writers who struggled with this aspect of their book to help them gain a better idea of the 'right way' of creating exposure for yourself.

Firstly, the use of inverted colors (or basically, heavy photo manipulation) helps convey the eeriness associated with paranormal stories. The fog, the looming forest, these are all things that add to the image rather than detract from it. In the blurb, the first line says: "Able to control their lives like puppets, Destiny has planned [...]" this manipulation is shown through the ropes tied to the girl's arms and legs. Her pose—arms raised in the air, head to one side—does, in fact, make her look like a puppet. Finally, with the title,'Millennium' , I'm thinking about the new embodiments of the Sun and Moon, who are younger and inexperienced in comparison to their predecessors.

Overall—Fabulous! 

Blurb:

Before I get into the blurb, I'd like to comment on the quotes (to see them you have to scroll all they way down the blurb), from current readers of the story. I've heard that this type of thing is being done a lot recently, to emulate an actual, published book, but I've never actually encountered it myself. I've heard a lot of complaints about it being "pretentious", but to me, it's just another way to advertise your story. Personally, when I read through them, I felt more compelled to read the story. Then again, I can only ever know if this story is "a piece of artwork" by clicking on that orange 'read' button and finding out for myself.