Book by @High_Priestess_Elena

Chapters read: 15
Category: Fantasy
Total points awarded: Undisclosed

SCORES WIPED BECAUSE OF JUDGING

Technical Aspects
Almost all of your grammar is on point, especially throughout your main book. The only thing I saw was, in the prologue, you should probably capitalize titles like the High Priestess. Other than that, grammar was stunning. I only picked up on maybe one or two words that were just used in the wrong tense (ie. hid instead of hide), but it was overall good.

Writing Quality
Your voice and style are pretty good. You have a marvelous blend of dialogue and description, each helping the story along in its own way. Neither takes the stage from the other. I also noticed you don't overuse dialogue tags, like I tend to. I usually get paranoid that no one will know who's talking, but you effortlessly slide them in and out, and when there are dialogue tags you weave them in so they don't feel awkward and don't make them too long. It really helps enchante the experience and keep us immersed in the story.

Plot, Pacing, Storytelling
Your pacing is amazing. It's not too slow, not too fast, right in the Goldilocks zone of pacing. It's easy to follow the story, but not so easy that it's devastatingly simple. Your plot structure is good (though that's an area I struggle with deciphering), and it helps keep the story structured in a way that fits the genre and feeling of your story. I like the different POVs of Zoe and eventually a bit of Felix, it helps provide the clarity and emotional impact of both sides of the story. You also snag your readers attention from the start of the story, and maintain it throughout (or at least the beginning).

Character Development
I unfortunately didn't read far enough into the story to experience much character development, just because of time purposes, so for that I apologize. I did notice, however, that you've planted the seeds for some marvelous development in both Felix and Zoe as the potentially grow closer together (really rooting for them, I'll definitely finish reading this book in my free time).

Emotional Impact
You do a really good job of spiking the emotions of readers, especially since I was reading still in the earlier chapters, when it's harder to do so. It's not just happiness or sadness to match Zoe either, it's outrage at the characters doing wrong by Zoe, and feeling both Zoe and Felix fall for each other.

Originality & Creativity
There's so many things you can do with the fantasy genre, and I love the way you've spun it. The premise of things like a cursed main character or enemies-to-lovers may not be super original, but you've twisted them upside down and backwards to create an amazing story about Zoe and her journey, and I, for one, admire that. It's absolutely fantasy, but not necessarily the typical dragons, wizards, witches fantasy. Yes, you have witches, but they're a lot different from the standard green-skinned black-robed witches. I also liked the way you incorporated the history of the sites you include in your story.

Themes and Messages
I don't excel in finding and interpreting theme and messages at all (one of the things I struggle with most in school), but I can tell there's strong themes here. I do know what they are, but also don't... if that makes sense. I know but I can't find the words to formulate what they are, but they're noticeable and you did a good job weaving them into the story (I'm sorry I can't be as descriptive in this section, I just don't want to give an impression that I don't want to, but also don't know how to say).

Overview
I really enjoyed reading and judging your book, and I will be coming back to it when I have free time. You excel in nearly every category, and I can tell you've gone through and really tried to make this the best book you can make it, and you've done so wonderfully. The emotional impact, writing voice, and plot pacing and storytelling are what you excel in in my opinion, and I hope every other judge who's read your story thinks highly of it.