Gwen Thames

An Interesting Sneak Peek

I think the story premise is really good and there's enough going on to make the reader want to continue on. For example, I'm dying to know why Ellie's mom married Jared.

Otherwise, the writing style is easy to follow. Good for younger readers without being too simplistic.
There were some tense issues - past and present, but otherwise grammatics and formatting were good.

Nice work!

Excellent!

Wow, this story was a fully packed! The details and descriptions were on point and the storyline made it difficult to put down! The characters were relatable and vivid! And the writing was superb! The end had me a bit teary! I highly recommend!

A Hilarious Nugget of Widsom

Not sure if your life is the cherries or the pits? Come and have a chat with Barnatum the gnome. This little collection of wise tidbits isn't for the easily offended, but sometimes a little shocker from your local gnome guru is just what the doctor ordered.
I had many a good laughs throughout, while taking the nuggets of wisdom to heart.

I highly recommend! 👍 😊 💜

One Fantastical, Action-Packed Tale

Michael is an amazing storyteller, which is quite evident in this fully packed story imbued with wonderful world building and character development. We join Lucifer (aka Luci), a thief of the extraordinary and magical, as she navigates other dimensions and worlds us mortals don't even know is bubbling all around us, in not only her quest to acquire the most unusual, bringing balance to that universe, but in her ultimate (and unrealized) quest for love and kinship.

I can honestly say there was not one boring chapter, and as the story progressed, I was wholly sucked into Luci's world. Michael has a gift for visuals and truly brings the most unworldly and fantastical scenes and 'landscapes' to life. His characters have immense depth - humor, anger, sadness, and love - it's all here! The hot scenes are intense and just that - hot - in all the right ways, and appropriately enhance the storyline, as they should.

Not sure that I could keep up with the fast paced and harrowing life of Luci - but I'm sure glad I got to tag along for the ride! :)

A Romantic Drama Worth Checking Out

Nana brings us an artistically Italian romantic drama that, while is still in works, is very much worth checking out—especially for art and cat lovers! As a side note, I generally don't give reviews until a book is complete, but am writing this per the requirements of the MVP Awards, and have read up through chapter 35. But, I do plan on finishing the story as Nana posts chapters, for I am quite invested in the story at this point.

With that said, Nana has woven together an intriguing contemporary tale told through the eyes of both protagonists (Hazel and Sasha) and an ever-present cat or two, lending the reader a unique and much greater perspective. Without giving too much away, it's important to note that Nana wisely chose the title, "True Colors," with a lot of thought. From Hazel's colorblindness to Sasha's amputated arms, this pair, who are connected by their love of art, must not only navigate physical colors, but the true colors of their life-circumstances and individual emotions—not only for each other, but for all the events and people who are a part of who they have become. There are dramatic moments, laugh out loud moments, many heartfelt moments, and a few that will bring you close to tears.

Plotwise, I find the story a tiny bit slow, but everything connects and deeper meaning seems to be had throughout. The characters are full and vibrant. There's enough mystery to keep the reader interested and the unveiling of said mysteries is well done. Nana's writing style is lovely! I often find her narrative to be poetic in nature, and she effectively transports me to Florence, Italy and into each scene! Grammar and punctuation is pretty stellar, especially through the first half of the book. As a writer who sets her sights on learning and growing in her work, it's apparent she's extensively reviewed and edited the first half a bit more than the more recent chapters, as expected, so there are a few more slight mistakes and odd-phrasings in the later half. But I have no doubt she will get it up to par in no time. Nana is a very talented author who I'm very excited to not only see finish this story, but will continue to follow in her writing pursuits!

If you're a romantic and an art lover, this story is for YOU, and I hope you will join me in reading Nana's truly colorfully-introspective story!

A Must-Read for Every Married Couple & Parent

Cameron shares the third chapter from his much longer story, "Respite," in this short 12-chapter novella.
Here we follow Mark's story as he navigates life as a father to an autistic son, and also as a husband, while trying to maintain a strong relationship with his wife.

As a foreword to my review of the actual story, I need to express that every couple and every parent has problems, struggles, and fears, but the 'ordinary' issues that can oftentimes make us feel that our problems are the worst of the worst, pale in comparison to the real-life and everyday struggles posed by Cameron through Mark and his wife, Monica. This story is guaranteed to make you reevaluate your life and family if you don't know what it's like to have a child with this or other such disorders. Through this, it also excels in showcasing the strength that can be built between a couple DESPITE their struggles. Suddenly, those little things that drive you crazy about your kids or spouse don't seem so important anymore. If Mark and Monica can do it, and still love their son and each other at the end of the day, so can I...
I highly recommend that EVERY married couple and/or parent read this story on that basis alone!

Now for the story...
To try to maintain a somewhat normal relationship, Mark and Monica plan a date night every so many months in which one presents a fictional romantic fantasy they've written as a story for the other.
The reader follows Mark in his writing journey as he creates the most beautiful, sensual story for the woman he loves with all his heart and soul. Through a dual story format in alternating chapters (his real life, and that of his own fictional story), we truly get a sense of his feelings for his wife and how deep their love runs.

Cameron takes us through extreme highs and lows as we experience Mark's worries and stress over their son and the relationship between he and his wife, then shows us the beauty of his love through exquisitely done love scenes. The sex perfectly enhances the story.

The writing style really captured my interest, as it was very emotional, but not overly done. Topics were presented matter-of-factly, but scenes therein drove the facts and attached emotions home through dialogue and interactions. I may have spotted a couple of spelling errors, but otherwise, Cameron's technical skills are on-point! The only downfall, in my opinion, was that because this was only a snippet of her larger work ("Respite"), it ended a bit abruptly for a stand-alone. But, it did very much make me want to go out to Amazon and download "Respite" to continue my journey with Mark and Monica. <3

Thank you, Cameron, for this beautiful insight into the world of parenthood and marriage with an autistic child, and for sharing your lovely talent with us!

Manifestations of an Intriguing Paranormal Crime Series

This is the start of an intriguing crime series in a world where paranormal occurances are commonplace and accepted. TimidonNodimit excels at drawing the reader in with realistic characters and great scene development. He introduces new concepts easily, making the revelations of this world feel natural, while keeping you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next surprise.

There are some grammatical and tense issues, but definitely not a hindrance to the ease of reading. A little polishing will make this story shine. I very much look forward to reading the next in his upcoming episodic series! 👍 😊

A Exciting Ride

Move over 'Ancient Aliens,' Timine has entered the scene! If you're looking for an exciting mix of adventure, science fiction, and drama that pulls at your heartstrings, this book is for you!

Norwegian Archaeologist and student, Mari, finds herself kidnapped by aliens, only to end up on their planet and living with emotionally void, but very touchy-feely Kai'ine. Feisty Mari doesn't take her situation laying down though and proves that Earthlings have some guts.

Timine gives her readers a lot to think about throughout, from COVID-19, BLM, and other world events, to things as emotional, delicate, and personal as rape, respect, cultural mindsets, and even love.

As an Archaeologist myself, I enjoyed her bits of human history mixed with the contemporary and learned a lot! :)

Best of all, Timine leaves you excited to continue the story in Book #2, which she's currently writing!
Yes, there are some grammatical and punctuation errors, but it's still an excellent read and well worth your time!
Please give this book a chance!! 🥰

An Intriguing take on Popular Culture

@Steelerheart presents a unique take on a variety of TV shows, games, and popular culture through her one-of-a-kind poetry collection. As a fan of her fiction writing, it was exciting to see what she could craft in poems. Well done and I highly recommend!👍 😊

A Revealing Tale of Inner Struggle

*This review concerns only the first five chapters of this WIP, per the rules of the Green Exchange Awards '23 for which the piece was read.
Mary is embarking upon a tedious mission with this well-written story! We are introduced to Victoria, a young figure skater whose goal is to get to the Olympics. She's talented for sure, likeable, and loves her sport. The problem is, like most college kids with expectations placed on them, she's super stressed out. While this story showcases the sport of figure skating in some depth, the plot is really about Victoria's eating disorder, which is becoming more apparent as the chapters progress.

As this is a first draft, there's naturally some technical errors, but none that make the reading cumbersome. There are some moments that feel too tell vs. show, and could probably be incorporated into dialogue or action, though they're not very hindersome either. Mary's strength is in her dialogue, which is very natural and shows her character's emotions and makes them relatable. As a skater herself, Mary provides a neat little encyclopedia of skating terminology, in which she shares her own thoughts briefly. I felt this was done with just the right amount of technical speak and personal interjection, helping us identify with her as the author and someone who has authority to speak on the story's subject matters. If you simply skim through this, I feel it does help associate the reader with a general gist of the lingo involved with Victoria's interactions. I appreciate that we don't have to know what each type of jump is to get the overall idea of what's happening when someone's skating or they're talking about a routine.
One area I felt that could be worked on is physical descriptions, primarily of people. Incorporating them with emotion, action, and even personality can make them more relevant to the story, vs as an irrelevant side note. But with Mary's skills, that's an easy fix.

Most important to this review (saving the best for last!), I want to touch on the plot of this gem. I absolutely LOVE a story that reveals something important for the world to acknowledge and understand. Eating disorders are nothing new, but something that rarely gets the notoriety (in the RIGHT way) that it should. While I haven't personally experienced such an issue, like so many people, I've had my share of stressing out over weight and food. It's when that stress overtakes someone's life and puts them in jeopardy of illness or even death, that we suddenly realize something's wrong. It's a huge problem in certain fields, like figure skating, and it really needs to be talked about! I think Mary is a brave and beautiful soul for taking on this task and bringing this tragic (and preventable) problem to light. The more that we know about such things, the better we can see it in our friends, family, coworkers, or even ourselves.
I can't wait to see how Mary ultimately presents Victoria's story and the crisis of Eating Disorders as she progresses with this piece! I highly recommend!

Poetic Storytelling at its Finest

Buckle up and hold on, for Luke has brought us a fantasy that not only showcases the impressive usage of his carefully curated vocabulary, but is both intriguing and terrifying. Poetic in nature, this prose begins with the magical and vividly entertaining world of the Peri. But just as he draws you into their world, Luke turns the tables, introducing us to the extremely dark world of Abandon, where hideous, feral creatures live and plot to decimate the Peri.
I don't want to give too much away, but I was thoroughly entertained (thus far) as each chapter leads into dreadful suspense. I was also enthralled with Luke's worldbuilding. Reminiscent of the imagery found in Tolkien's stories, but with tidbits of even more exotic locales, I'm now interested to know more about Thomas Moore's "Lalla Rookh," which Luke states was an inspiration for his tale.
Grammar and technical aspects were on point!

I'm looking forward to continuing the story, but I won't lie... the text might be a bit steep for some; it's not a quick-read by any means—nor do I feel like it should be. If you're looking for something to tantalize the imagination and exercise your mind with poetic storytelling, this is a story worth your while!
*While I typically don't like giving reviews prior to finishing a story, this review regards chapters 1-5 solely, per the requirements of the Green Exchange Awards '23.

A Must Read for Time Traveler Want-to-Be's

This was such a fun, quirky short read. Anyone who's tried to write about Time Travel will likely find the humor in this manual!

I'd love to read a story in which this book is a piece of the action! 😄
Nicely done! 👍

Excellently Run Contest!

This is my second contest run by TheGreenShoes in which I was a participant, and my first judging. If you're looking for a fun, well planned, and smoothly run contest on both the participant and judging sides, you've come to the right place! The Green Shoes is on top of her game when it comes to ensuring a well organized and thorough event. Judging criteria for both rounds 1 and 2 enabled judges to provide plenty of valuable feedback to authors, which is really the greatest "prize" to be had. Be sure to follow her new contest account (@GreenExchange) for upcoming opportunities!

Poetry for Nature Lovers

(This review is written in the capacity of Judge for the SCA Awards, and encompasses only the first five poems of this collection. With that being said, I enjoyed this selection so much that I will continue to finish the entire collection afterwards!)

Bookworm shares her very heartfelt love for nature in this lovely selection of poems. Tying in emotions and concepts from our everyday lives, she makes us reevaluate how we view nature. From the flowers to the trees, and even storms, she brings awe to both the small and the large. I think with some minute polishing, her poems will really wow, but as they are now, you are sure to feel inspired by the beauty right outside your door. I highly recommend!

A Beautiful View into Life

(This review is written in the capacity of Judge for the SCA Awards, and encompasses only the first five poems of this collection. With that being said, I enjoyed this selection so much that I will continue to finish the entire collection afterwards!)

In this lovely collection of poetry, Bookworm shares her most inner thoughts and emotions. But it’s not really all about her… Her relatable poems are sure to uplift you, as she presents a dose of hopeful reality to go with the emotional ups and downs of life that we all have been through. I enjoyed her varied use of poetic structure, and look forward to seeing how this collection rounds out as she continues to write! Some technical polishing will really make her shine, but I highly recommend!

A Thoughtful and Beautifully Written Collection

(This review is written in the capacity of Judge for the SCA Awards, and encompasses only the first five poems of this collection. With that being said, I enjoyed this selection so much that I will continue to finish the entire collection afterwards!)

L. A. Ruel presents a thoughtful and beautifully written collection of poetry which will not disappoint. She wisely uses a nice, broad vocabulary to convey messages and emotion, while creating a lot of good imagery. Nothing too cumbersome for the average reader, but affluent enough to show off her lovely writing skills. Touching on tough, emotional, relatable subjects, she presents an original, fresh, optimistic, yet realist view. Her poems are fully packed with emotion and depth, as she adeptly brings out truths and alternative ways of looking at ideas, others, and ourselves. I highly recommend!

An intriguing Mystery that proves the power of Love and Joy

I've been following The Green Shoes (TGS) for her "Helpful Hints for Writing and Editing Success" for some time and have finally gotten the opportunity, through the MVP Awards, to read one of her actual stories! And what a treat it was!

"The Shadow Men" is a suspenseful story involving a struggling woman named El, who ends up at the mercy of the mysterious, faceless Shadow Men. They not only kidnap her from her apartment while she sleeps, but beat the heck out of her, leaving her to fend for herself in strange places. Without giving too much of the story away, she finds an ally in old high school acquaintance, Dillon. The pair go through thick and thin on their journey to discover who the Shadow Men are, and along the way, discover just how much they mean to each other.

Plot-wise, I thought this was an excellent concept. I loved the uniqueness of the storyline and even as I neared the end, I wasn't 100% certain how it would work out, leaving me needing to read on to keep from going insane from thinking about it later! Oh wait, I'm still thinking about it heavily now! It was just that good! :)

The characters were very believable. The relationship between El and Dillon was just right. Not over the top, but perfectly perfect in speed and naturalness. There were some instances where I felt that, while El is a pretty resilient woman, she was going about things right after a Shadow Man attack a little too well. This made it easy to forget that she should be all bruised up and sore, and lessened the impact of the Shadow Men as a whole. Also, as I mentioned in the comments, but not to spoil the story for others, I would have loved to see more historical information tied to Dillon's resolution. Even in the end, I think El's revelations need to be expanded upon to really make it an 'epiphany' for them and the reader.

TGS is an excellent writer, and there were minimal errors/typos. Her style flows well and is an easy, smooth read. The story is written in first-person, which I usually find to be difficult for authors to get quite right. TGS hit the nail on the head there! If you want a good example of nice first-person narrative, this is your book! If you're looking for a mysterious thriller with a touch of romance and a feel good ending (which could potentially expand into a Part 2 [*hint, hint! I would LOVE that!], then this is definitely your book as well! I highly recommend!

A Fantasy Adventure that Keeps you on your Toes

Mary digs deep into worlds reminiscent of "Divergent" and "The Giver" in the first of her ongoing fantasy adventure series. "Spirit of Fire" primarily follows Saffire, a Fire Wielder, and Coburn, a Water Wielder, in a land where elementals (fire, water, earth, and air) are separated from the rest of the world. Early on, young 19-year-old Saffire is selected as the next leader of the Fire Wielders when her predecessor is killed by the evil twins of the Shadow Realm. Joined by Luna, a healer elemental, the Elemental Leaders must battle against evil forces to keep their own world safe.

Mary does an excellent job of keeping the story going with dramatic highs and sweet lows, intense moments are offset by heartfelt chapters, and the reader can expect to form an emotional tie with the dual protagonists who have tremendous vulnerabilities as they navigate not only their roles as leaders, but their own relationships between each other and those around them. Weighty subjects such as suicide and rape are adeptly utilized to not only enhance the story, but express the heartwrenching difficulties real people face in these circumstances. I applaud her efforts here.

Technically, Mary is an exceptional writer with very few errors in grammar and punctuation—none that stick out heavily in my mind. Plotwise, the story is suspenseful and intriguing. My only qualm is that I felt there was a lot of 'tell vs show' - especially in the first half of the book. A lot of explaining, repetition, and details getting in the way of the story that could be cut out or condensed through dialogue. I would have also liked to understand a little more of the organizational setup of the Elemental Leaders. Though they're a relatively new organization, how exactly do they fit into the governing of the island? Why don't they have a staff to assist them in their duties? (Secretaries, assistants, cooks, personal trainers, etc.) These would add background to better the world-building aspect and ground the story in realism despite its fantastical nature. Also, it would add opportunity for exchanging 'telling' portions for 'showing' through dialogue and actions.

But overall, if you're looking for a suspenseful and heartwarming story, this is one to check out! I'm excited to see where the next book takes us! Keep up the good work, Mary!

Thank You for Saying What Needed to be Said!

Mike, your patriotic-like love for life and humanity has made for one extremely heartfelt read. You said what has been trying to come out within my own heart regarding the state of the world and the Ukrainian crisis, but I'd been having difficulty finding the words. Things I've been trying to express to my teen who has so many questions about what's right and wrong, and why people do what they do/don't do.

You're more than absolutely right, and your sentiments are exactly why I joined the military years ago and why I'm still proud to be a veteran today. Humanity - that's what it's ALL about and soooo worth fighting for and protecting.

Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us all!

A Lovely Little Holiday Tale

If you're looking for a nice, warm Christmas holiday tale, look no further. Within these pages is a well written story that broaches friendship despite differences in opinion.

As a freshly-written story, I was impressed with the minimal grammatical errors, all of which will be easily fixed in a future update.

I definitely recommend this heartfelt read before the holidays are completely over this year!

A Lovely, Must-Read Story

Will is my favorite Young Adult genre writer! He does it again in this unique tale about Charlene, a young woman who lost not only her loving parents at a young age, but her voice. In her quest to latch onto the only remaining family she has, at nineteen years she finds herself in the strange and cold world of her straight-laced and near-unemotional aunt and two cousins who are doing their best to survive as daughters to the "Ice Queen." Figure skating is the one thing that connects the group, but also brings out each character's strengths, flaws, fears, and desires.

It was a pleasure to tag along with Charlene as she discovers herself and how she fits into this family, while trying to help them heal just as much as she heals within herself. The ultimate, and very well accomplished take-away is that regardless of our strengths and talents, it's the love we have for those close to us and the love they have (or perhaps even had) for us, that makes whatever in life we do meaningful and creates the joy in pursuing life.

The plot was overall well done, though as some have mentioned, I would have liked to have known if Aunt Elizabeth did in fact have Charlene's dad's letters. And even more so, to have read about Doug's backstory - he promised to tell her (us), after all! But, digressing to the letters... As Will had noted in his other story, "The Feud," in which he'd pulled a similar card on the reader at the end, this lack of information was most likely done purposefully to enhance the TRUE message of the story. It really wasn't about 'the letters,' but about family love. Perhaps, this could be considered a bit misleading, as it was a primary focus for our protagonist throughout the story, but understandable/forgivable in the grand scheme of things.

Otherwise, I enjoy his writing style immensely, and his grammar and punctuation are spot on! I highly recommend "The Silent Skater!"

An excerpt that will have you saving up for the full length book

This excerpt, from one of my favorite Inkitt Authors, is just another example of why Rebecca Jonson rates so highly on my list! Giving us a fairly decent sized snippet of her much larger fantasy novel that is hopefully on it's way to being traditionally published SOON, Rebecca leaves us begging for more!

The prologue easily sucks the reader in as we're introduced to Grey and his noble steed, Steed, who must not only escape, but fight off a tribe of gnomes unlike anything I've ever heard of before! We're then transported to the picturesque small town of Coryul, where we meet our primary protagonist, Aleida, and her equally vibrant friends and associates. Rebecca does a fantastic job of world- and character-building throughout, and it's easy to envision yourself tagging along with the characters as they carry you through the story.

Her writing style is effortlessly intricate, meaning that she has wisely chosen words and phrases that are easy to grasp, yet project just the right amount of meaning to carry the reader on with a very good understanding of the concepts and feelings, regardless of how foreign or fantasical they are. Grammar and punctuation were stellar throughout - as always!

The plot, being an excerpt, felt a bit lacking. I desperately want to know what's going on with Grey and Steed and was sad that we only got a hint of them here, especially since they are the prologue and carry the majority of the 'fantastical' portion of the excerpt's plot. I also understand that they have a much larger role in the full-length book. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, though I kind of wish we had that feeling a bit earlier. We had a fair amount of conflict from the start - enough to keep things quite interesting, but it got reeeally good towards the end!



Speaking of the end, I felt a lot like I did after seeing the first 'Lord of the Rings' movie in theaters: super excited to see what happens next, yet a bit like, "That's it?! Noooo!" In fact, I might have actually said that aloud! :)
But... an excerpt should make the reader want to read the complete story... So, Rebecca has definitely found herself a buyer in me for her book when it does eventually come out!

Overall, a reader can expect to be drawn into a fascinating world with equally fascinating characters and will find themselves quite entertained with a mix of beautifully humorous, dramatic, heartwarming, and suspenseful storytelling, intertwined into one very exciting read! I highly recommend!

The Perfect Edge-of-Your-Seat Continuation

Jacky has done it again! Book 3 in the "Forevermore 45 Chronicles" is a stellar continuation of her must-read series!

Without giving away too many details, this story takes us further into Vlad's (Dracula/Vlad the Impaler) past as we're introduced to the biggest mistake of his earlier life: the Diva of Evil, Madam 'Blood Countess' Erzsébet Nádasdy - yet another villain from true history!

Causing as much destruction as she possibly can, vampiress Erzsébet calls upon the services of a witch to destroy the one thing that Vlad holds dear - Julia. While Julia embarks upon a very traumatic and horrible adventure of her own, Vlad must confront the woman he wishes he'd never met in order to save the love of his life, all the while powering through all the dreadful memories of his past with Erzsébet.

Jacky continues to wow with her artistry of both historic research and fictional writing as she paints a beautifully vivid picture of not only the characters, but the Romanian landscape. Taking us through historic sites and true-to-life haunted forests, readers will be sure to feel as though they're a part of the story, too. If you haven't already read the first two books (FOREVERMORE and ETERNITY), please save them to your reading list NOW! This series will take you on a wonderful rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows, tugging at your heartstrings as you champion Vlad through his struggle to overcome his horrific, evil past and become the good person that Julia has come to know and love!

Book 4 will be out in Winter 2021!!

Ebenezer Scrooge meets Harry Potter meets Marty McFly

Jo Abrigo gives us a unique story about finding and loving yourself in this one-of-a-kind coming of age story!

Mari Greene is a teenage version of Ebenezer Scrooge, living life without feeling for those around her, using and abusing relationships to her advantage. She has everything, yet is a shallow shell of a person. But when life throws her a curveball and she faces certain death, the 23-year-old is suddenly whisked into her 15-year-old self where she has a second chance at the relationships she had back then. In Harry Potter-like fashion, her journal allows her to communicate with the mysterious 'soul' who helped transport her to the past.

The technical portion of this story needs a lot of work, with lots of tense issues and some misspelling, among other grammatical issues. Characters could also be better developed, but if given a chance, these technicalities do not overshadow the beautifully deep and heartfelt message presented.

Jo does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing, throwing in some twists for good measure. Warning! The ending may require tissues!

I would definitely like to see where Jo takes this story as she grows and develops her writing skills! I truly hope she continues to massage this story to its full potential! Please give this budding author a chance and read "A Taste of Heaven."

The Possible Cure for Writer's Block

Stuck in Writer's Block? Need something a little different to write/read? Looking for a good laugh?

Shattered Dreams just might be your ticket. This book is written by YOU, the authors of Inkitt, giving you a moment to reevaluate your writing and go completely wild by ripping your own story.

As a Shattered Dreams contributor myself, I found this little exercise to be quite cathartic. I could openly make fun of my own work and myself, while evaluating my story on a whole new plane.

Join the growing number of authors who have participated in this experiment and show us just how 'terrible' your story is! Your dreams may be shattered in the process (not really), but your morale will definitely be boosted!

A Genuinely Good Read!

Will takes us on the emotional roller coaster of Andy Sharpe's life as a 1990s Senior in High School, as she not only tries to survive her final year of school, but is determined to end the feud that has plagued her father's life for twenty years after meeting the boy who's father happens to be on the opposite end of said feud. This entails jumping on the opportunity to direct the school's rendition of "Romeo and Juliet" with many memorable characters in tow! Reminiscent of "Romeo and Juliet" in itself, this tale leads our mostly-fearless (sort of) protagonist onto her own quest to conquer her inner insecurities and outward obstacles, all while learning about love (and other life lessons) as she falls head over heels for the one boy she shouldn't!

A few parts feel a little drawn out, but overall reasonable to the storyline. If you're looking for a quality story by a talented author, this one is a must! Readers, expect to form an emotional attachment to the characters, especially Andy, and to laugh, smile, be surprised, outraged, and yes, maybe even cry! Well worth the read!

Not My Favorite in the Series

Ancientt is one of the more popular authors here on Inkitt, and like many newcomers to the app, I gave her first book in this series a try not long after activating my account, and thoroughly enjoyed it! Book #2 was great as well, as we followed the characters into further development.

This story though, while having some great moments, didn't quite envelope me into the plot as much as the others. There were a few instances where I felt the characters weren't really living up to the standards set for them in the previous books, and while heavy issues were addressed, it felt lacking in complete resolution. The women off came off as air-heads and the men as dumb brutes. That's not exactly what they were in the first two. The end felt a bit rushed, and not because it was a short chapter...

I find that while I enjoy Ancientt's overall writing style, there are several grammatical issues throughout ALL the books in the series. In general, they aren't so horrific that they ruin the story. But these three books (and the other non-Inkitt published books in the series) are all touted as being available for PURCHASE on the author's website, so that for a fee, readers can read chapters not yet published on Inkitt or read books not published here.
Are readers purchasing un-edited stories?! The whole point of Inkitt is to read such stories for FREE. Ethically, selling unedited work seems wrong, especially with how difficult it is to get published traditionally. Perhaps, I am mistaken and Inkitt is getting a less-edited version, but I somehow doubt it. What would be the point?

I have enjoyed the series, I just beg readers to be aware of what you may be paying for if you are enticed by the offers to read ahead/get more by paying into the author's Wix site. In this case, I just don't think you'll get what you pay for...

Ancientt, you are a very talented author and I don't mean to be harsh. I apologize if I'm wrong about your Wix books. Please enlighten me if so!
I do ask that you continue your talent and please edit your stories until perfection! Your needed editing isn't so extensive that it would take long for someone with as much talent for storytelling as you have to fix!

Best, Gwen

Well Put Together

Having been in several competitions on both Inkitt and Wattpad, I thought the DEA was quite well put together. If hiccups occured, our wonderful host ensured things continued to flow as smoothly as possible!
I also prefer contests where multiple rounds occur and your work is subjected to multiple judgings/scorings. This shows a whole other level of competition and professionalism on behalf of the team of judges.
Well done @yiona771!
I await your next competition sometime in the future! 😊

Be Prepared to be Sucked In

One Chapter?! My first thought was, "Oh no, this is going to be one of those looong, drawn out stories that needs to be chopped up into smaller chunks, seriously... Or, it's going to be too short to be worthy of calling a story."
But, as they say, "Never Assume!"

Brian brings us a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat 'zombie' thriller as told through the eyes of quick-witted Evan, who is writing his account down hurriedly as he's not sure whether or not he's going to make it out alive, hoping that his tale will help someone else out there. He begins the story with an apology for his writing, knowing that he's rushed. Here we note that Brian does an excellent job with dialogue, reminding us every now and then that Evan is telling us his story, all the while reliving the events of his story in vivid action. *As a side note, there are some punctuation and technical errors, though I purposefully neglected to mark it down in my rating, as Evan did warn us from the get-go! ;)

Evan, as the protagonist, may be no saint, but is closer to the 'average Joe' than the other characters, making him very relatable and likable. I found myself very much wrapped up in his account, hoping that he was going to pull through this ordeal. The overall plot gives you a bit of the stereotypical cheesy zombie feel, but it's usually countered with a much more reasonable action. This is evident when the group attempting to make their way to the boat suddenly finds themselves with just the right amount of various weapons, and you're sure the group is going to be free and clear easy-peasy. At first glance, you'd say this was too perfect, yet we're brought down a notch when more zombies appear unexpectedly on the boat! The end of the story is another nod to eroding the stereotypical. No, there will be no spoilers from me here! But, it was pleasantly unexpected!!

While I'm not a huge horror or zombie fan necessarily, I felt that Brian outdid himself with bringing the zombies and gory scenes to life. Said scenes were inserted appropriately and not overly done. Normally, gory scenes (blood and flesh tearing) can put me off, Yet, Brian has already sucked you into the story so well at this point, that there's no way you're going to put it down - not now!

Humor - this story is on point in this department! It's not overly done and is utilized in just the right places - mostly in what Evan is thinking in the spur of the moment. This makes the story more believable, and I was pleased that he never became an omnipresent narrator, trying to tell us what the others are thinking when he wouldn't know.

Evan's narration instantly reminded me of Marvel's Antman's friend, Luis (Michael Pena), who hilariously recaps what had happened by taking us through an extended, sped-up visual monologue. This factor is what I think made this story appropriately ONE CHAPTER long! There's no way to have broken it down, and at the rate the reader is carried away, a chapter break would have ruined the moment! As a warning, make sure that you have a fair amount of time to embark on this tale, for it will be extremely difficult to put down!

If you're into zombies, you should enjoy this one a lot. If zombies aren't your thing, you might want to give it a try anyways! I'm glad I did! I look forward to reading more of Brian's work in the future!

A Love Story of Historic Proportions

As Valentine's Day comes to a close, I find it a perfect time to talk about a novel (and series) that truly speaks to the heart! ETERNITY is book #2 in an ongoing series by fantastic author, Jacky Pringle Velasquez. If you haven't read the first in the series, FOREVERMORE, then I beg you to stop now and download it to your reading list asap! Only then can you can enjoy the second installment.

ETERNITY picks up where FOREVERMORE left off, with the budding relationship and understanding of two individuals, who at first glance would never be suited for one another. The intimidating and emotionally scarred Vladimir (i.e. - Count Dracula) and young, innocent mortal Julia. Yet, together, they find out what true love really is - and it's just begun!

If you are truly into vampires and have an interest in history, this series is for you!
If you're NOT into vampires, but love a GOOD love story, this series is for you!
Not the everyday 'campy' vampire story, Jacky has built up historical facts about Vlad the Impaler and blended them beautifully with Bram Stoker's Count Dracula to create her own extremely vivid and realistic character - Vladimir Drakyla! Not only can the reader envision him, but Jacky has reached deep down inside his mind and past to shown us his very soul - though he may deny having one!

As the story progresses, she shares how his horrific trials in life created the monstrous man history knows as Vlad the Impaler. Yet, she brings him down to Earth by sharing his fragility and vulnerabilities to the point where the reader finds themselves rooting for him! That feat in itself truly shows how well written and thought out these novels are!

On the other hand, Julia (our other protagonist) starts out in FOREVERMORE as a 16-year-old teen who, as most teens are, needs to mature in many ways. Though despite the horrific things she's subjected to, she digs deep within herself to really evaluate not only herself and her own insecurities, but those around her. By ETERNITY, she has matured into herself over time and is even more caring and loving, though not perfect - which makes her just that much more vivid and realistic as well!
Together, they make a perfect pair - a couple that is truly out for one another and strives to understand and love the other despite their imperfections - or maybe because of their imperfections...

Behind the love story, we also find plenty of interesting tidbits of real historic facts and locations, while also engaging in the fantastical world of the vampire and werewolf governments and societies. We find friends and foes, who bring us laughter and smiles, and also edge-of-your seat suspense.

Jacky's writing style and technical skill is exceptional and makes her novels difficult to put down! Her tone makes the reader feel like they are listening to the protagonists' points of view, and her descriptions details paint realistic pictures in the mind! It is evident that she's put a lot of work, heart, and soul into these books!

I highly recommend both ETERNITY and it's prequel, FOREVERMORE! And I can't wait for the third installment, ALWAYS to come out soon!

A Series Starter with Lots of Heart!

All the hard work, research, heart, and thought Jacky has put into this book over the years of its fruition more than shows through all 45 chapters! Not the average vampire tale, this edge-of-your-seat and heart-wrenching story gives readers a taste of both Bram Stoker's Dracula AND historic Vlad the Impaler all in one - both of which create a very much alive character, with so much depth you want to hate him, but end up feeling deeply for him yourself! The other characters - Julia, Roland, Lelagul, Emilie, and Ginger, etc. - are each so distinct and add to the depth of Vlad's character and the overall plot.

Jacky's writing style is beautiful! Technically, it's spot on, while she builds her scenes and characters with elegantly done flashbacks and poetry. If you are interested in history, vampires, fantasy, and want a seriously good read, I highly recommend "Forevermore!"
I can't wait to continue the saga next with "Eternity!"

Nice work, Jacky!

Excellent!

Thanks for hosting these awards, Coalition Awards Community! It was a great experience and while I wasn't a judge, I was given the opportunity to read several of my fellow authors' works, which I may not have found otherwise!

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to all the judges!!

Kept me on my toes

I'm not really a huge fan of the wolf shifter genre, but this one was well worth the read! This book had it all: emotions, romance, action, and quite the plot!

I did get quite frustrated with the MC at times. I would have left Derek to burn long before and her complete disregard for her mate and the doctor... She could have averted half of her problems if she just listened. I had a hard time feeling sorry for her. But, you know that the character is well-written when you're talking out loud to your phone telling them not to do such-and-such! :)

Very few grammatical errors, nothing a quick run-through wouldn't fix.
Excellent story!!

A lot of fun!

This was a ton of fun to read! A lot of laugh out loud moments! The characters were loveable and real. The plot flowed well and I had a horrible time putting it down! Nice work!

Excellent Book and Loveable Characters

This was a wonderful story! Loved the development of the characters - they really came to life! Had a difficult time putting this one down!! Will begin #2 tomorrow!! 😍

Great plot!

I really liked the premise of this story and could see it being expanded in more detail. A beautiful storyline that kept the reader interested, so much that I couldn't quit reading despite the fact that the grammar and punctuation needed quite a bit of work. Some inconsistencies with details and sometimes the personalities of the MC and her uncle felt confusing. With some tweaking this could be a really, really good story!!

Intriguing

So far this is quite intriguing! The way the thief regards the jewelry is really well done! A couple sentences could use some reworking, but great grammar and writing style! Can't wait to read the rest!