Jeweller's Shop [CLOSED]

Sunshine's Picks: One Year Anniversary!

Hey there! Sunshine here. I'm not exactly a jeweller, but I'm going to be a bit greedy here and use my admin abilities to take over this store for a chapter. 

So, I still am struggling to believe this myself, but it has been exactly one year since this community came to life. In this one year, a lot has happened; we opened stores for reviewing, editing, designing, and more; we have been going strong with The Monthly Gemstone Awards; and the community itself has gone on to win cute little awards for our reviewing services.

To celebrate, I was thinking of holding a Q & A - you ask your questions about the community or myself or anything, and I'd answer them. Then, I remembered that, in reality, no one wants to do that - I'm a pretty boring person, honestly. I just review and organise things. 

Now, speaking of reviews, I did a count just before posting this, and it turns out that I have done 99 reviews in the past year for this community. I almost want to do a tally on how many words of reviewing I've written, but alas, that would take a bit too long. 

Anyways, to celebrate, I thought I would share my favourites out of all 99 books I have reviewed for this community. These are the books that have made me forget I was reviewing and want to curl up on my bed and hiss at everyone who tries to interrupt me. 

If I have reviewed your book, but have not included your story in the list below, please do not be upset. All 99 books had something absolutely stunning about them. These are just the ones that have stuck with me, and often pop into my head when I least suspect it. The stories are listed in alphabetical order. 

And please note, all these stories are rated a 11/10. 

Cold-Hearted by v3Olympus

Stunning and thought-provoking. The story follows water - literally, water - and shows us its journey into our world. Despite being what most would consider an inanimate object, the water is brimming with personality, and makes an excellent and engaging narrator. Like any protagonist, it develops throughout the chapters, and leaves a powerful message for the reader to take home. 

The writing is filled with thought and rich language, and while it takes a bit of a dark turn, it is effective in the way that it masterfully executes personification. An observation of human nature, I recommend this to all readers who are passionate about our planet. In fact, I recommend it to everyone - this is one of those stories that will create change. 

Lions of the Sea by MonicaPrelooker

Where do I start with this one? We have one badass heroine who is out there to change the world, we have lots of beautiful elements of history weaved into it, and I absolutely fell in love with the crew because of their wit, their banter, and their love for one another. There is incredibly character development that is empowering for both the characters and the readers, and the build of the romance is simply gorgeous. 

This story has a wonderful message for readers - particularly women - and is written with so much love and care that it is impossible to not love every second of it. This book made me laugh, made me want to cry, and made me want to throw on a pair of breeches and a wide-brimmed hat and join the fun. 

Of Suns and Spirits by riyamcyriac

I love, love, love this story. The characters start in completely different situations, and their lives intertwine in a cohesive and clever manner. We have blood battles and special abilities, and additionally, the purpose and desires of each character is very clear and drives the writing forward.