Hello Everyone! Down below, we have the winners of the Action/Mystery Participants!

Congratulations to our winners!

To be honest! I had issues judging this category as well. I discovered so many amazing new books that I haven’t read before! There was only one that I had read a few chapters of because they were my host and judge at one point. Which is phenomenal, because I’ve judged so many categories in so many awards. Even by hosting the Ultimate Romance Awards.

I’m sorry that I am getting these scores out to you later than I had originally planned. This week has been heart-wrenching and emotional. I’m not even going to go into details. It’s just been difficult. 2024 has just been emotional and difficult all around so far. Needless to say, my reviews aren’t as descriptive as usual.

The scores were mind-blowing, though! I had to dive deep into this genre for sure.

Anyhow…

I give first place winners a shout-out on my personal message board and place them in my winners’ library. All winning participants- 1st, 2nd and 3rd will receive a sticker.

Let’s get down to business! 

We have two first place winners! Phoenix Consumption and Casandra de Ville!

Cassandra de Ville

By: lupe6583v

Score: 1-100 score 97

Book Cover/Title: 1-10 score 10

The book cover for Cassandra de Ville is radiant and corresponds perfectly with the overall plot of the book. Additionally, the imagery is exquisite and pixelated to perfection. The bold font makes it stand out and not get overshadowed by the background. Notably, it is extremely eye-catching and possesses an amazing hook factor, effectively catching readers’ attention and enticing them to read the story. Moreover, the title is one of a kind and fits the overall plot perfectly.

Blurb: 1-10 score 9

The book’s summary is intriguing and catches a reader’s attention in amazing ways. It has the right amount of information to hook readers and have them wanting to dive right into the story. There are also no grammatical errors, but I would section it off into paragraphs; so it’s not all muddled together all in one paragraph like it is now.

Plot/Creativity/Originality: 1-10 score 10

The plot unfolds smoothly right from the beginning of the book. It hooks readers straight from the first chapter and leaves them hungry for more. Each chapter is better than the last and it’s hard to put the book down. Having a female as the head of a mafia household is unique for sure, so the plot is highly creative and original.

Fits the Genre: 1-10 score 10

The story fits the Action/Mystery genre perfectly.

Character Development: 1-10 score 10

After losing her parents and witnessing her eldest sister’s murder, Cassandra must take over as head of the de Ville mafia household ten years later. She’s endured many hardships, but when the time comes for her to take her place as head of the mafia family de Ville, she goes in guns blazing. Metaphorically speaking. She is powerful, smart and amazing at all that she does and doesn’t let the other men from the other mafia houses belittle her. Cassandra’s character growth is smooth and grows exceptionally well from the beginning.

Story Flow: 1-10 score 10

The story flow is smooth; neither fast nor slow paced.

Grammar: 1-10 score 9

There were a few issues here and there, but nothing a slight edit wouldn’t help.

Writing Style: 1-10 score 9

The writing style was smooth to understand. Its descriptive text was phenomenal, allowing readers to get fully immersed in the book and make readers feel as if they themselves were there. Descriptive text of emotions, actions, and surroundings was wonderfully portrayed and highly intriguing.

Overall Engagement: 1-20 score 20

The overall mystery behind who killed Cassandra’s parents and all the mysterious things that happen within the pages makes the book highly intriguing. There’s never a dull moment in her life. Especially when she meets with the other mafia heads of household. After her parents’ death, another mysterious tragedy occurs, and she must work with the other mafia families to uncover who is out to kill them all. Then, beyond all that, there’s the mystery of love. Who will Cassandra wind up with? If anyone at all. There are so many plot twists and mysteries behind this book; which keeps readers on the edge of their seats wanting more and to find the answers. Cassandra de Ville is highly intriguing and a must read for sure.

Phoenix - Consumption

By: YsmeriaGuilro

Score: 1-100 score 97

Book Cover/Title: 1-10 score 7

Please forgive me ahead of time for what I’m about to say. With book covers, I tend to be a bit OCD. Your book cover is the most important thing, because it’s the first thing readers see. If your book cover is lacking, readers will bypass your book. The first thing I must suggest is that you fix the font. I can’t make out consumption at all. It’s blurry for one and tiny. The title needs to be bold and stand out. The color of the font is good though. Also, I can’t make out the author’s pen name at the top. The imagery could use some work as well. Is that the wing of a phoenix? The thought is great, but given she isn’t actually a phoenix, I would try to find an image that corresponds to the overall plot. I’ve actually made a few mockups for you and will send them to you when I send your winning sticker. On a positive note, though, the title perfectly aligns with the plot and is one-of-a-kind. There are no other titles on Wattpad even close.

Blurb: 1-10 score 10

The blurb is spot on with the overall plot. However, I would like to have more clarity as far as how this blue-eyed stranger came into being. I love how you have the main female lead voicing her thoughts and feelings within the blurb. It makes things more personal in a way, so the reader can have a connection before even starting the book. The blurb has that hook factor of the mafia trope that many readers love these days. So it hooks readers into wanting to start reading right away. There are also no grammatical issues. In all honesty, I can understand now why you would take the phoenix approach with the book cover and I love how you thought outside the box with the book’s title.

Plot/Creativity/Originality 1-10 score 10

I love how the plot is so unique from most mafia related books. I’ve read so many that after a while, they all sound the same. But this one is original. The plot unfolds perfectly right from the first chapter and keeps readers engaged throughout.

Fits the Genre: 1-10 score 10

Phoenix Consumption fits the Action/Mystery genre perfectly.

Character Development: 1-10 score 10

The character development was flawless and smooth for both the female and male leads. May’s character was the most developed and I’m so proud of her for taking Nonna’s advice and reaching for her dreams, instead of trying to make her parents happy. She got disowned by doing so, but if you ask me, her parents weren’t deserving of her. I have several more things I could say here, but I’m going to keep quiet, because I don’t want to give any spoilers. You’ll need to read the book to find out for yourself. But May is darn right awesome for sure and will do anything to get revenge for her Nonna. To be honest, I wanted to kick Ezio’s butt in the beginning. He was an arrogant asshole. I can’t say much else. But six years later, he has done a 360 and treats May with respect, amongst other things.

Story Flow: 1-10 score 10

The story flow was smooth. Neither slow nor fast paced.

Writing Style: 1-10 score 10

In all honesty, I loved the way the dialogue played out. I think I have only seen it portrayed that way in one other book that I have read. But it made the dialogue flow better and left no room for grammatical errors. That’s a crazy thing to like, I suppose; but I’m not normal in any sense. So just bear with me here. Also, the descriptive text was phenomenal with dialogue, actions, emotions, and surroundings. It was so easy to get completely immersed in the book and made it hard to put down. 

Overall Engagement: 1-20 score 20

This book was actually one of my favorites out of this genre. My only issue, for the most part, was the book cover. Which is insane! I know! I can’t help it. Book covers trigger my OCD. But when it comes down to the actual storyline, I was completely in love. Not only does the story hold the mafia trope, which is one of my favorites, but it brings out so many emotions. Especially for her family and her anxiety about doing what they want or follow her dreams. There is so much more I want to say here! But it’s so easy to give spoilers and I don’t enjoy doing that. This book captured my heart and I’m looking forward to reading more when I have the time. Phoenix Consumption is a must read for sure! So head on over and check it out!

Now for our second place winners! There are two! Of Gold & Sins and Cursed Whispers of Love!

Of Gold & Sins

By: SecondStar_Books

Score: 1-100 score 96

Book Cover/Title: 1-10 score 10

Personally, the book cover for Of Gold & Sins completely mesmerized me. The overall imagery is so vivid, and the font is bold. The book cover corresponds perfectly with the overall plot. It looks like it belongs in a book that you would buy from the store. It’s very well pixelated and captivating. The title is one of a kind and also corresponds well with the overall plot.

Blurb: 1-10 score 10

The blurb has an intriguing hook fact that pulls readers in, making them want to dive right into their reading. It has the perfect amount of information to captivate readers and falls inline with the overall plot of the book. There are also no grammatical errors.

Plot/Creativity/Originality 1-10 score 10

So, I’ve read my fair share of mythological type books, but nothing with actual angels and the fact that fairies also come into play within the book’s pages makes the book all that more intriguing. The plot unfolds smoothly from the very first chapter. It’s highly creative, for sure.

Fits the Genre: 1-10 score 8

I’m thinking this book would fit best in the fantasy genre. Someone killed the poor guy on the streets, leaving us wondering who did it, which adds a hint of mystery. There was some action with the fighting scene and the scene where he pretty much ODs, but not much.

Character Development: 1-10 score 8

The character development of the main character, Sariel, was slow and lacking. Instead of acquiring what he needs to function properly, he continues to go without and ultimately resorts to attacking a poor fairy and succumbing to an overdose. Throughout the first five chapters, he makes no efforts to better himself, hindering his ability to fulfill his duty of cleansing the streets of sin. In fact, his own actions lead him down a path of becoming more human-like, tainted by his immoral deeds.

Story Flow: 1-10 score 10

The story’s flow was perfect; neither too fast nor slow paced.

Grammar: 1-10 score 10

There were no grammatical errors that stood out to me.

Writing Style: 1-10 score 10

The writing style was smooth to understand. The descriptive text of actions, emotions, and surroundings was absolutely phenomenal. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading.

Overall Engagement: 1-20 score 20

It was absolutely amazing to walk the streets of London with Sariel as he sniffed out greed and sin. The poor angel was suffering from withdrawal (not from drugs, but needing fairy light,) though, and it was intriguing to see him trying to function properly, anyway. It was hard for me to put the book down because the descriptive text was so vividly portrayed and kept me thoroughly engaged. Of Gold & Sins is a must read for sure and I highly recommend that you all check it out.

Cursed Whispers of Love

By: enig-MaLLy

Score: 1-100 score 96

Book Cover/Title: 1-10 score 9

To be honest, the imagery on the book cover falls flat and is boring considering all the amazing aesthetics you have within the book; as well as the overall plot of the book. I would like to see a more vivid picture being used for the imagery. I can help you with this if you would like. The font, however, is awesome, standing out boldly, not being overshadowed by the imagery. The title is one of a kind and fits the overall plot of the book.

Blurb: 1-10 score 10

The blurb for Cursed Whispers of Love has a phenomenal hook factor, leaving readers wanting more. There’s the perfect amount of information given and there are no grammatical errors.

Plot/Creativity/Originality: 1-10 score 10

The plot unfolds smoothly from the very beginning and leaves readers wanting more. There’s a perfect balance of mystery, action and even love to keep readers engaged. I must say, I’ve never read anything like this story before. So, it’s definitely original and highly creative. It was hard for me to put the book down.

Fits the Genre: 1-10 score 10

The story fits the Action/Mystery genre perfectly.

Character Development: 1-10 score 10

So the main character is actually as y/n in the reader’s narrative. Which was awesome, because I could relate to the character in so many ways. The actions and emotions of y/n were so relatable and portrayed so well that I felt I was the character; down to the fact that she’s an extremely clumsy woman hahaha. Somehow, it made the reading experience that much more intriguing and amazing. The character development was smooth and engaging.

Story Flow: 1-10 score 10

The story’s flow was smooth; neither fast nor slow paced.

Grammar: 1-10 score 8

My main issue with this story was the grammatical errors. However, I know English is not the author’s native language, so I looked past these issues. The author portrayed their message clearly within the text, making it easy for me to grasp.

Writing Style: 1-10 score 9

To be honest, I don’t normally like reading books where the main character is y/n or r/n, but the author’s writing was so good that I enjoyed my reading. The author’s writing was so good that I found myself completely immersed in the book, experiencing it as if I were there in the pages myself. The descriptive text was phenomenal.

Overall Engagement: 1-20 score 20

This book was so strange, yet absolutely mind-blowing. I’m a sucker for lucid dreams connecting twin flames. Many don’t even know what twin flames are, so I’ll put soulmates. I absolutely loved the mystery behind her dreams and how he came into reality. My goodness! I love this book and can’t wait for more. I’ll definitely be back when I have more time. It’s a must read for sure!

Our third place winner is!

No Man With The Mask

By: urieltom

Score: 1-100 score 82

Book Cover/Title: 1-10 score 5

Please forgive me for what I’m about to say. I’m completely OCD with book covers. But the book cover does not correspond with the plot at all. It lacks creativity and doesn’t even fit with the title. The book cover honestly needs a lot of work. I’ve created some mockups for you and will share them with you when I send your winning sticker. The title, however, fits perfectly with the overall plot and is also one of a kind and original.

Blurb: 1-10 score 7

I received confirmation from the author that they were young when writing this book. English is also not their first language. But, the summary needs some work. For one, it says the book is a part of a series, but no other books have followed. Also, there is a lot that happens before Lisa comes into contact with The Man With No Mask. You should portray the main character Lisa and her interaction with Crime and how Lisa’s story unfolds. How he helps her to find The Man With No Mask…

Plot/Creativity/Originality: 1-10 score 10

Even though I had some difficulty getting through the chapters, the plot unfolded smoothly. This book is actually pretty awesome, with creativity and originality. I enjoyed my reading for sure.

Fits the Genre: 1-10 score 10

There is a lot of mystery and action that unfolds throughout the chapters. So this book definitely fits the Action/Mystery genre perfectly.

Character Development: 1-10 score 10

The character development for both Lisa and Crime was smooth and unfolded perfectly from the first chapter.

Story Flow: 1-10 score 8

The story’s flow was fast-paced, and it was hard to take in one scene before another unfolded.

Grammar: 1-10 score 7

There were many issues. But the author was young and first starting out as an author. Also, English is not their first language. I caught onto that in the first chapter and did my best to look past those issues. However, the story needs a thorough editing to make it more understandable to other readers.

Writing Style: 1-10 score 7

Even though there are several grammatical errors and the story was fast-paced; the descriptive text was amazing. By formulating a picture in my mind, I could understand what the author was trying to portray. I honestly love the whole concept of the story and where the author was leading readers. I’m looking forward to reading more after the author has edited.

Overall Engagement: 1-20 score 18

Beyond the grammatical issues, I honestly thoroughly enjoyed my reading. I’ve never read a book of this caliber and it was captivating. There is potential for greatness in this book, for sure. I got hooked and, to be honest, it was hard to put down when it came time to do so. I really want to see how everything unfolds.