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The Grand Masquerade of Writing Awards thrives on suspense, intrigue, and the thrill of the unexpected! This year, none of it would be possible without the incredible dedication of our esteemed Mystery/Thriller judges!
π₯IAmGayShipper
π₯prekshanagupta
π₯Inked_Krishna
A resounding round of applause for this remarkable panel! Your discerning eyes, your love for a good twist, and your expertise in the genre were instrumental in selecting the most captivating, suspenseful, and heart-pounding novels.
You navigated a labyrinth of thrilling tales β from edge-of-your-seat whodunits to mind-bending psychological mysteries, and explosive action-packed adventures. Thanks to your sharp minds, readers are about to embark on journeys filled with hidden clues, shocking revelations, and characters that will keep them guessing until the very last page.
So, to our esteemed Mystery/Thriller judges, a heartfelt thank you! Your commitment to excellence and your passion for the genre have played a vital role in making The Grand Masquerade a true celebration of stories that keep us on the edge of our seats.
Calling all mystery and thriller fanatics! The Grand Masquerade of Writing Awards is thrilled to reveal the electrifying novels that have risen above the shadows in our coveted Mystery/Thriller category! Prepare to be surprised, kept guessing, and utterly enthralled by stories that will leave you breathless long after the final reveal.
First, let's give a standing ovation to our runners-up who kept us on the edge of our seats!
Second Runner Up: A round of applause for new_erasktaylor, whose novel, CATARACT OF DELUSION, takes home the award! This suspenseful tale throws readers into a labyrinth of secrets and hidden agendas, where nothing is what it seems.
JUDGE: AsherTheKookabura
Total marks: 84.5
β Book Cover Design 3.5/5
The cover is indeed very captivating, it gives the reader a vivid image that they can imagine to remember the story in the future.
β Title: 4/5
The title is very creatively and thoughtfully formed to catch the reader's attention, and due to it being a unique and certainly long title it takes a place in the reader's mind which makes this remember it in the future.
βBlurb Relevance: 7/10
The blurb effectively captures the essence of the story. It gives the reader an image of what's going to happen further into the story, and what will be the journey of the main protagonists.
βPlot & Narrative Structure: 18/20
Each chapter has their own part to it which makes the reader want to keep reading, keeping the tension high. The story has a really nice starting which makes the reader intrigued from the start. The plot flowers smoothly in the story not making any space for plot holes and keep the reader invested into the story.
β Characterization: 14/15
The characters are very nicely introduced to the story with their own parts which make sthe reader intrigued to know more about them as i personally loved mili and Martin's character, despite being side characters I loved them throughout the story the most as they helped Olivia and were very interesting in general in the story. Each of the characters have their own flaws and personalities, all of them are unique on their own, from the start of the story I loved Olivia's character and her on arc in which she hides to find the truth of her past and running away from the officials, Olivia's character has a big development from the past her except how she loved her father from the beginning till the end. The dialogues are really well formed, and makes this tension mire high in those kind of situations.
β Writing Mechanics 17.5/20
The writing is smooth and has a rich vocabulary which makes the reader understand the situation more nicely and make the scene seem more realistic. There a certain amount of grammatical errors such as words like 'wouldn't', 'couldn't' etc these should be placed where they are needed, and it was mentioned alot of times as 'senior officer' it shouldn't always be addressed by their title/position cause it makes the scene seem a bit unrealistic. There weren't really any spelling mistakes or punctuation mistakes so you did good with that. The plot is introduced very nicely into the story not just going in our of nowhere which is good. The author firstly hints at the scene/dialogue that is about to come before introducing it to the readers which is a very good and effective tactic to keep the readers hooked to the story.
β Content & Originality: 13/15
The story plays a really nice role in the chosen genre and trope which makes the reader satisfied of choosing the book from that specific genre or trope. The story delivers a very well defined plot expected within the genre leaving the readers. The story captures a fresh start of its own within the genre certainly making it stand out from the other books in the specified genre, the story gives a hint on many socials/irl events and themes making the readers stop and think about the story for a moment.
β Overall Impression 7.5/10
Firstly let's talk about the cover. The cover is very captivating the only thing that seems lacking is the font used for the title in the cover leaving a funky shot which doesn't match the cover and plot in general. The title is very unique and rememberable, it is very well thought giving the readers a point to remember in the future about this story. The blurb was really good info-dumping wasn't done which is good, it gave a small snippet of what would be the events in the future and the theme of the story also introducing the protagonist Olivia. The plot was very well written and thought, Olivia's adventure to find the truth, the revenge, enemies and others. The characters were really good I especially loved Martin's and mili's character both of them helping out Olivia and their personalities were really interesting to read and know about. The writing was very smooth effectively delivering the plot to the readers without any hurdle, it has a very rich vocabulary which boosts the scene and makes the dialogues seem more realistic and interesting, there were certain places where the words were not fitting as i already mentioned. The writing delivers a very fresh view of the plot and keeping me on the hook to keep the pages turning. Overall the story was worth the read and time.
First Runner Up: Buckle up for CamelliaCarroll'sΒ mind-bending novel, BLOOD BARGAIN. This story delves into the darkest corners of the human psyche, with an intricate plot and chilling twists that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew.
JUDGE: Inked_Krishna
Total Score: 89.5/100
β Cover: 5/5 - Beautiful
β Title: 4.5/5 - Well-fitting
β Blurb Relevance: 8/10 - Well suited to the story but needs some refining
β Plot & Narrative Structure: 19/20 - An intriguing plot that has the perfect amount of twists and turns
β Characterisation: 14/15 - The characters are well-developed as the story goes on.
β Writing Mechanics: 19/20 - Well-versed grammar with proper spelling and structure
β Content & Originality: 12/15 - An original story that hooks the reader after a few chapters.
β Overall Impression: 8/10
And now, the moment you've all been anticipating...
The Winner: Bathed in the spotlight, we are honored to announce the undisputed champion of the Mystery/Thriller genre:Β Ablazeisaleo! Their heart-stopping novel,Β DUNGEON, is a testament to the power of suspenseful storytelling. It masterfully blends genres, keeps readers guessing until the very end, with it's thrilling unnamed antagonist chipping on our nerves.
DUNGEON is a story that will stay with you long after the last page. It's a testament to the enduring power of a good mystery, a genre that thrives on suspense, unexpected twists, and the thrill of the chase.
JUDGE: IAmGayShipper
TOTAL : 91/100
β Book cover [4.5/5] : I liked the book cover, it gives a spooky vibe which increases the mystery of the storyline And the font choice; its size, colour and contrast is also befitting.
β Title [3.5/5] : the title is really short and doesn't reveal the story much but it still produces a ghostly effect and also questions pop up in reader's point about why a dungeon? What does it mean which makes them interested in the story to read it.
β Blurb relevance [9/10] : I like the blurb, it is written in a perfect manner, highlighting the key points and just letting out enough information to make anyone interested in the plotline.
β Plot and narrative structure [18/20] : The plot is intriguing as it is, with the mysteriousness of the killer and the past of the protagonist, Bryan is tangled with it is very captivating. The chapters beginning and ending is always amazing, the end especially always ends with a sentence that makes the readers wanting to read more.
β Characterization [14/15] : I like the characters and I feel they are relatable, even Ethan's behaviour can be seen in a lot of people in real life, the dialogues seems to blend in naturally in the conversations.r
β Writing mechanics [19/20] : The writing style of the author is very clear and to the point, ofcourse not taking the suspense into account because of the genre if the story. The grammatical errors were Also in the bare minimum and the vocabulary is rich and varied.
β Content and originality [14/15] : The story fits the Mystery/Thriller genre perfectly, there are many Elements in the story that satisfies the readers like keeping the killer's identity a secret.
β Overall impression [9/10] : I liked the story a lot. I liked the inner thoughts of the characters the most, they are always fun to read, apart from it the suspense of the story is captivating.
AND...
.
.
.
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kit_landry! Their heart-stopping novel, Cecaelia: Danger in International Waters, is a testament to the power of masterfully crafted suspense. It's a story brimming with unexpected turns, unforgettable characters, and a climax that will leave you utterly breathless. It is a genre-bending masterpiece that will leave you guessing until the very last page. It's a testament to the captivating world of mystery/thriller fiction, where secrets lurk in the shadows, and danger awaits around every corner.
JUDGE: Inked_Krishna
Total Score: 91/100
β Cover: β - Has its relevance but needs to be spiced up
β Title: β - Introduces the plot in a smooth but subtle way
β Blurb Relevance: 10/10 - A delightful entry into a world of mystery
β Plot & Narrative Structure: 18/20 - This tantalizing plot only deepens but the narrative seems a bit underwhelming at times.
β Characterisation: 13/15 - Well-developed characters but the dialogues given to them in a few instances seem a bit out of character
β Writing Mechanics: 20/20 - Enthralling grammar with enticing wordplay
β Content & Originality: 15/15 - A masterful execution of a very original and under-rated idea
β Overall Impression: 8/10
A huge congratulations to all our finalists! Your creativity and talent have pushed the boundaries of suspense and kept us on the edge of our seats. To the winner, a heartfelt congratulations! You've crafted a masterpiece that will leave a lasting impression on the world of mystery/thriller.
To the aspiring storytellers whose chilling narratives didn't take center stage tonight, remember β The Grand Masquerade's stage is still shrouded in suspense!
This year's Mystery/Thriller category was a labyrinth of twists, turns, and edge-of-your-seat tension. Each entry showcased your remarkable ability to weave captivating tales of suspense, craft unforgettable characters with hidden secrets, and keep readers guessing until the very last page. The competition was fierce, and every story held its own unique thrill, making the judges' decisions incredibly difficult.
Remember, the world of mystery/thriller craves fresh voices and pulse-pounding plots. Keep writing the stories that ignite your passion, and don't be discouraged. The next award-winning mystery/thriller might just be yours!
Who knows, next year, your story might be the one taking center stage at the Grand Masquerade! Until then, keep the MOTIVATION burning bright and have a look at what out judges have to say about your works!
JUDGE USERNAME: iamgayshipper
AUTHOR USERNAME: LMNtrix117
BOOK TITLE: Mysteries of riverwood
β Book cover [4/5] : The book cover is pleasing to the eyes, showcasing a unique creature in the cover increases the intriguing of the readers, as to know who that might be.
β Title [3.5/5] : The title is not too unique but it grasps the ingenuity of the story very well, just by reading the title people can tell the story is mysterious which in general case will attract The readers of that genre.
β Blurb relevance [8.5/10] : The blurb is written well with no grammatical error and punctuation mistakes, though it felt like the blurb was quite long and too much information was given out at once.
β Plot and narrative structure [15/20] : The plot of the story is great, I liked how the author pulls the reader in the story right from the start, not Letting out unnecessary information out, and keeping readers hooked. The narrative structure also helps keep the story suspenseful.
β Characterization [12/15] : The characters are all good, the character development is sure to happen later in the story but as far as I can see Alex is a great guy who tried to comfort Lucy and helped her with bullies. And the dialogues seems natural too.
β Writing mechanics [13/20] : The story at the beginning didn't emphasized the fact that a ghost was the protagonist's friend clearly, it seemed like a joke. And it would be better if it was revealed in a good way rather than just saying 'i was friends with a ghost in my childhood who betrayed us in the end', apart from that the grammatical error is non existent, so are the punctuation mistakes.
β Content and originality [12/15] : The story is good, it contains mysteries in it but can't deny the fact that there are some point where the story seems boreing. There are elements in the story which supports the genre Mystery like the fact that people went missing and such.
β Overall impression [8/10] : I liked the story's plotline but sometimes it was like the author's writing style is too nonchalant, taking for example the ghost incident and the bullying.
TOTAL : 76/100
JUDGE USERNAME: iamgayshipper
AUTHOR USERNAME: SSears90
BOOK TITLE: Lies my hyung told me
β Book cover [3/5] : The books cover was a simple one, the font can be changed to a better one and most important its colour and contrast to make it stand out clearly.
β Title [5/5] : I liked the title, it depicts that there are Mysteries in the story and it is quite unique in my sense.
β Blurb relevance [9/10] : The blurb is very well written, it is short and sweet, perfectly capturing the right information; enough to make the reader's curious to know more.
β Plot and narrative structure [13/20] : The plot is not really unique in its sense but the narrative structure makes it pretty intriguing to read, to be honest I had thought that there would be a pairing of Jungkook and Yoongi, even when it was about to end I had anticipated one of them to confess which didn't happened. (I just thought that because of the yoonkook tag).
β Characterization [14/15] : The characters are all very befitting to the story and their characteristics in real life, the dialogues and their emotions are also natural; they seem to fit in the plotline.
β Writing mechanics [15/20] : The author should have kept the secret of Yoongi being a drug dealer a secret to the readers for a bit more rather than revealing it in the first chapter it would have made it more appealing and although there were no grammatical or punctuation mistakes there were some spelling mistakes here and there which doesn't make a lot of difference though.
β Content and originality [8/15] : The story is quite good but it doesn't really adhere to the genre much, like I mentioned earlier it should be kept a secret that Yoongi was working as a drug dealer, it totally disrupted the supposed mystery from it, the story wasn't thrilling either to say the least.
β Overall impression [7/10] : I was quite hooked to the story, I finished it in one sitting, mainly because I was anticipating a couple but nevermind that. Anyway I still liked the story, the emotions were there, certainly.
TOTAL : 74/100
Destined love: a tale of arrange serendipity by @katherinekeller1
JUDGE: prekshanagupta
β Book cover design: 3/5
The book cover didn't much portray the title of the story, but showed some uniqueness.
β Title: 4.5/5
The title suggests what to expect from the book, which is to be pretty much relatable in the story itself.
β Blurb: 9/10Β
The blurb was quite clear and an insight was provided with the characters well.
Β β Plot and narrative structure: 15/20
Plot was pretty much clear from the blurb and the happenings that occured were of a normal known plot, nothing so extraordinary. Engagement was there as the plot was humorously romantic.Β
β Characterization: 10/10
Characters were strongly presented and narrated so that the readers get an idea of their preference and also who they are, how they are.
β Writing mechanics:Β 12/ 20
Β There were several grammatical errors throughout the story which needs to be corrected. Otherwise, paragraph narration was nice.Β
β Content and originality: 10/15Β
Β The plot was of a predictable nature and a common one with nothing extraordinary.
β Overall impression: 8.5/10
The story was good but there is a lot of room for improvement. For example, a sentence shouldn't be broken so much that it loses its meaning and becomes grammatically incorrect , that needs to be kept in mind.Β
Total: 72/100
QUEEN byΒ Taeamo10
JUDGE: AsherTheKookabura
β Book cover: 4.5/5
The cover looks dark which matches the vibe and plot of the book, the fonts are used properly and the placing is done really nicely.
β Title: 2/10
The title is really basic nothing which can attract readers or is memorable enough for the readers, it can be a bit more like the plot and something which suits the story.
β Blurb relevance: 3/10
The blurb isn't very informative other than the basic things that people find out solely from the tags, and the way it is written is also not appealing.
β Plot & narrative structure: 11/20
The plot is very difficult to understand due to the starting of the chapters and the endings, there are alot of plot holes, other missing words which makes the plot difficult to understand, the dialogues are not properly structured which doesn't make the reader feel any kind of tension in the scenes. There is zero to 10 percent which can get the readers hooked to the story due to the messy plotline.
β Characterization: 9/15
The characters are not well formed as their parts aren't focused on them, their aren't any flaws or any plus points about them, their aren't any unique qualities introduced in the story about them. None of the characters have a focused scene on only them which doesn't help the readers to conclude a point about them. There isn't a proper part for the protagonist which doesn't help the readers get to know about them. The dialogues aren't well formed, the words disappear or the sentences are changed randomly.
β Writing mechanics: 9.5/20
The writing isn't the best. There are alot of grammatical and spelling mistakes, such as int he first chapter "then I will eat of you keep your promise" firstly the sentence isn't very well,it would've been a bit better if punctuations were used, "I'm fine no need to go, before completes He falls on the ground and few minutes he lost his consciousness" This sentence isn't structured properly which make sit hard to understand. The author doesn't really have any way of introducing the plot or the scene instead they just go into the scene which makes the reader lose interest and their excitement. The writing is not really smooth the sentence structures are almost incomprehensible, the sentences end randomly and the next part starts without ending that sentence or scene.
β Content & originality: 11/15
The book plays a fine role within its genre and it's choosen trope.
β Overall impression: 5/10
The book is fine it would've been much better than if there were less spelling and grammar mistakes, and the writing was smooth. The cover is good not really creative but it is well edited. The title is really basic nothing creative or attention catching. The characters were hard to understand because of the writing SSO I couldn't tell much but the characters were fine. Overall the book was fine just needs to be written properly
Total marks: 55
Certificates & Badges: These will be delivered digitally in a separate chapter plus via pinterest or email. Other prizes such as special ticket to interview shop, plot shop etc. will be awarded eventually.Until then, STAY TUNED!
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