Before you read
As I previously announced, this category wasn't judged by its original judge. I should have been the one to do it, but I am literally running out of time to read everyone's books and post everyone's results.
A friend of mine judged this category and wrote the following results. I'm having a bit of a rough time lately, and I need to put myself together.
Thank you!
This category was judged by TheAlixDavenport (thank you so much)
🥇 1st place winner🥇
Blood Bargain by CamelliaCarroll
Title & Cover 10/10
Loved the Cover. Good image to show the main character and the time period. The ray of light gave it a sort of ethereal feel and put a bit of magic into it. The title is as unique as the book, and I liked the creative title in all its simplicity.
Blurb 10/10
The blurb gave me as a reader all the required elements to draw me in. It started with a question that would make anyone think. Would conjuring a demon to catch a killer be the wise thing to do? Then it presented the two main characters, who they are and why they're in the situations that lead them together. Enough to create a connection with them, but not enough to give away too much. And it finished off with a teaser about what to expect from the book in accordance with the genre, but also the subplot of romance.
Plot 5/5
Ellie, being a witch, living in a witch community where they depend on each other, and still need their privacy, is a perfect character to match Kaz, the somewhat bored and jaded demon she conjures to help find her late boyfriend's murderer. They make a blood bargain with certain terms in place, and they both believe it'll be easy breezy to an extent. Neither consider the ripples their close proximity and getting to know each other will create in their lives and the people in Ellie's community. It's a mystery, with a subplot romance. A journey of self-discovery and acceptance of things that cannot be changed. I can't give too much away here, but the plot is woven beautifully.
Creativity & Originality 20/20
A well thought-out concept of a mystery paired with paranormal/supernatural elements. And since it's set in the 1920s in a rural area, it cancels out many of the modern solutions that would have helped a murder investigation along. Also, the tight-knit community mentality of closing ranks plays a big factor in setting a scene that's different for the reader. This shows not only a super creativity concerning magical elements and the supernatural/paranormal plug-ins but also an ability to think outside the box, making this book compelling in a way that a more modern setting wouldn't have given.
Character Development 20/20
Both Ellie and Kaz start out behind massive walls for self-protection. Even with their personalities shining through in their snappy banter, they work on assumptions while adapting to the situation. Each chapter, they pick a brick of two from their walls, learning to open up and trust. They show in subtle signs that first impressions can be deceiving, and that what they had expected is not what they got. The way the author described how their eyes are opened and feelings stir somewhere inside their locked-away depths, is superbly done, and I only expect it to become better as the book progresses.
Story Flow 5/5
There's a natural progression of both characters and plot line. Information is sprinkled throughout each chapter, and though it's not a fast-paced book, it feels faster because the level of immersion is so great.
Research & Attention to detail 15/15
As a period piece, the need for research should be apparent, and the author has done their due diligence. How food is stored, how small communities work, their dependence on bartering to survive/help each other, the hierarchy of a small town, and what it's like to live in a rural mountain areas with the constant battle with the elements. And then the creative building of an alternate universe, the background story for how Others (paranormal/supernatural beings) live with humans. The magical system, as well as how each Other species has their own powers and place in their species-specific communities, and how those work in the world of humans. It's masterfully thought up and blended with a world of times past.
YOU ARE READING
The Hot & Bothered Awards
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