Cover Coveting (12)

 
Cover art is found from Goodreads, Wicked Scribes, ATUF, social networks, and other sources.
***All cover art may not be final.***

Movie talk. So while at the Redbox I ended up in a talk about great movies with some people. Where so far there movies of the year happened to be Finding Dorie, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and You Before Me. However, none of those would have even made my list by default. I was baffled that these fellow "movie buffs" hadn't even heard of The Nice Guys. A movie I fond to have phenumial writing, acting, and visually stunning. It was action packed, moments of horror, sexy times, and plenty of brilliant humor.

They hadn't even watched The Shallows.

Movie snooting aside, I started to wonder why people don't branch out from the block busters more? I enjoy them, but most of the time I kind of end up more bored than entertained anymore.

Random thought done. Let's look at some lovely covers.

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Shimmer and Burn by Mary Taranta

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: N/A  Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: So stunning. I love that she's shimmering up! Ah! what a beautiful cover. The title design is just as lovely. I love the touch of pearls at his neck.

Snared by Jennifer Estep

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Elmental Assassin, book 16 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Urban Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: Every time a new cover drops for this series I'm blown away! I find there's something off with her body . . . over posing. However, I still love it and she's fully dressed. Yeah! Though I think I'd wear something even warmer in winter gear.

Souljacker by Yasmine Galenorn

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Lily Bound, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Urban Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: I'm a huge fan of Galenorn's Indigo Court, Otherworld, and Fly by Night covers. They're stunning. I like that even though she's going self pub she's been delivering fairly solid covers. Even Fury Unbound books are pretty awesome.

Sparks of Light by Janet B. Taylor

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Into the Dim, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Time Travel Shera’s thoughts: What a stunner! After that initial reaction I thought it didn't fit well. but it does and I again love the typography for the title! Bravos.

Split the Sun by Tessa Elwood

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Inherit the Stars, book Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/Dystopian Shera’s thoughts: So now she gets to wear pants! Yeah! The covers fit well.

Swear by Amanda Hocking

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: My Blood Approves, book 5 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Fits the series well. A throw back to the vampire book cover time of heads and overlays.

The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Loom Saga, book 1  Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Steampunk Shera’s thoughts: Wow. Kova always has great covers. This one makes me want to forget the Air Awakens books happened. Gosh this is so gorgeous. Yes. I think I will forget about the Air Awakens series.

The Allure of Madness by Jessica Sorensen

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: N/A  Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: I do think this is a self pub title. Hats off to a really awesome cover. The Photoshop job is well done and the affects are blended nicely.

The Apocalypse Guard by Brandon Sanderson

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Apocalypse Guard, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Shera’s thoughts: Sci-Fi covers are really bringing it! Totally awesome. I love how action packed this cover is.

The Burning World by Isaac Marion

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Warm Bodies, book 3 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Huh, so do the other books have new covers too? Cool cover though. I like that it is a couple cover. Look at the shadows holding hands.

The Chosen by J.R. Ward

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, book 15  Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Romance Shera’s thoughts: J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series is a testament of horrible covers, not being able to hold back awesome writing. Or story. While great books may not always be able to escape bad covers, it's nice to know the publishers are confidant enough in this series to keep going with them.

The Continent by Keira Drake

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Continent, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: What a simply lovely cover. It takes my breath away. The title just blends in a bit too much, but maybe that's the affect they wanted.

Review: Labyrinth Lost

**Review copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.**

Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas, book 1) by Zoraida Córdova

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Edition Reviewed: ebook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Labyrinth Lost (1)

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

I fall to my knees. Shattered glass, melted candles and the outline of scorched feathers are all that surround me. Every single person who was in my house – my entire family — is gone.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange markings on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…

Beautiful Creatures meets Daughter of Smoke and Bone with an infusion of Latin American tradition in this highly original fantasy adventure.

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Review:

“I'm not the encantrix everyone thought I would be. Right now, I'm just a girl, and there is also magic in that.”

The instant the synopsis dropped I was obsessed with this book. When the cover dropped I stalked Netgalley waiting for it. Thank goodness I did and that I was approved! The writing, world and characters stole my heart from the first page. Unfortunately things didn't quite keep my reading high going.

Alex is a very interesting lead. The idea that she's afraid of her powers and the consequences of using them was spot on. As the story went it became frustrating that she wasn't just hiding from the truth of her powers, she was willfully thinking that it was all nonsense. Despite all of the proof saying otherwise. She ignored her powers until she finally used them, and be of damned the “consequences” when she was meddling with scary things. Common sense says is scary as she never studied using them to suddenly think she could pull off big magic.

Alex was frustrating. I understand wanting to deny such scary powers and things. Yet to actually try and make yourself believe it isn't real, and then to turn around and play with dangerous powers that you've ignored. Alex is supposed to be the smart girl. Even after she made the mistake she actually became this bully. It was a bit unsettling.

Thankfully after all that drama Alex goes on adventure to Los Lagos and I was again enchanted. The magic of Bruja's, not witches, and their beliefs is so fascinating. Bruja's aren't that common in paranormal titles and are usually reserved as side character roles. So I was intrigued by the rich history and the rules of the magic. The close relation to death.

“Death is the most sure but unexpected part about life. It's almost up there with love. It's bound to happen, but how and when—now that's the tricky part.”
“Tricky isn't the world I'd use.”

In essence Labyrinth Lost is a coming of age story. One in which Alex not only have to face the reality of her powers, how she feels about her family, her father leaving, and who she is. Or basically facing the reality that she's trying to be someone else and isn't happy in it. Alex essentially becomes a hero trying to fix the horrible mistake that she made. It's realistic.

Labyrinth Lost is filled with other amazing characters. Alex's mother and sisters are amazing. Not to mention the relationships she had with both her older and younger sisters. What was most refreshing is the love triangle. I have yet to see such a one in a mainstream release. I love that Alex is just as conflicted about love and that her story does not rely on her choosing or being in love. Instead her heart and feelings are something that grow along with her discovering herself. The love triangle isn't wrapped up in this book. Alex has a journey ahead with regard to both, and still has to explore the degrees and types of love one can have for another person.

Overall I wouldn't say that the plot is terribly original. It's the basic story of a young girl having to face reality and to quit having a pity party. Oh, and getting over lots of denial. It works though and I think this is a fun introduction to Brooklyn Brujas. A series I hope to see more of. Now that the tiring drama is out of the way maybe the future books will be even better! Oh, and I am so in for this love triangle.

Content Warning: Kissing, minor homosexual theme, sexual humor. This is a title that the girl is exploring love . . . I don't want to spoil anything. Nothing graphic, and I think it does a beautiful and natural job.

Dead things people. Corpses. Despite dark themes, this book is pretty "light" hearted.

 
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back. 

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Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW:	Amazon:	Goodreads:
Labyrinth Lost (1) Untitled (2) Untitled (3)	Labyrinth Lost (1) Untitled (2) Untitled (3)	Labyrinth Lost (1) Untitled (2) Untitled (3)

Cover Coveting (12)

 
Cover art is found from Goodreads, Wicked Scribes, ATUF, social networks, and other sources.
***All cover art may not be final.***

You know I'm noticing more and more authors going to self pub lately. Thankfully it seems to be to keep beloved series going.

Random thought done, lets look at some covers.

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Night Magic by Jenna Black

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: sequel to Nightstruck  Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult UF  Shera’s thoughts: Honestly I thought this was a sequel to Nightstruck. So that's what I'm going with as it has "night" in the title and the art matches Nightstruck spot on. Cause look, this time the dog is actually on the cover!

Now I Rise by Kiersten White

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: And I Darken, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Alternate History Shera’s thoughts: It always seems like swords are the only things that are glamorous and sexy on covers. Well I think spears are going to be the next hot item! Ha-ha! Maybe not, but I do like how lovely the covers in this series are. Adding these magical touches around the spear and then incorporating the typography to interact as well.

One Blood Ruby by Melissa Marr

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Seven Black Diamonds, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Soooooooooooooo much better than the first cover. This is so lovely.

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Monsters of Verity, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Again, I love the title font! The silhouette of the violin is nice, but odd. At first glance I thought it was a cello. There's just something off about the shape. The boy looks right.

Rendezvous With Yesterday by Dianne Duvall

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Gifted Ones, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Romance Shera’s thoughts: My first thoughts upon seeing this cover was to wonder if it was a time travel. So mission accomplished for the cover.

Reunited by Colleen Houck

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Reawakened, book 3 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: These covers just do it for me! So dramatic and I love the subtle, yet beautiful changes to the eye design.

Roar by Cora Carmack

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Stealing Storms, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult High Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: Lightning=Valkyries! Then I remembered the synopsis. Anywho, I think this cover is all kinds of bad ass! I just love her swords and I'm not annoyed that she's in a dress. Because all of the other parts of the cover are done just as well.

Seeker by Veronica Rossi

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Riders, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Smoke horse! So cool.

Shades of Honor by Sandy Williams

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Anomaly, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Science Fiction Shera’s thoughts: Oooo, a fantastic science fiction cover! You know sci-fi covers tend to be really boring. This one is so action pact! And has a bit of everything.

Shadow Run by Adrianne Strickland, Michael Miller

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Kaitan Chronicles, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Shera’s thoughts: Okay, I am so excited for this book. The colors are really muted, but I love how well the artwork makes me think of a door on a spaceship.

Shadowcaster by Cinda Williams Chima

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Shattered Realms, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult High Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: This is how inanimate object covers are supposed to be! I've always loved how the book sin the Seven Realms series match, and now this spinoff.

Shadows Seduction by Kresley Cole

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Dacians, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Romance Shera’s thoughts: I hate the covers that are coming out for this series, AND the makeover/new covers for Immortals After Dark series. However, I do understand that Cole is going self pub. The Arcana books are still getting amazing covers! I just hate the smoke and head look. *shrugs*

Review: Indelible

**Review copy provided through Goodreads Giveaways for an honest review.**

Indelible (The Twixt, book 1) by Dawn Metcalf

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Indelible (1)

Some things are permanent.

Indelible.

And they cannot be changed back.

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future...and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.
Somewhere between reality and myth lies…

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Review:

Indelible was such an odd and yet familiar read. My feelings are so mixed about it. On one hand I didn't care for the lead and I felt like the romance was off. However, that “off” feeling that I felt about the romance is what made it so unique. Young Adult Fairy reads tend to have a very dream like quality to them. Which is something Indelible used to its advantage. Even masking it's lack of plot.

Almost. Indelible kind of wanders around and then sometime after the half way mark kind of goes “oh, bookworms I've got to tell a compelling story!” So enter the trying, and tiring, girl-saves-the-entire-world because she's special. Even though her having the sight only felt like a small catalyst, one in which leads to her getting a boyfriend. Let alone the real special talent she uses to save the world . . . isn't touched on. She's just extra special. Apparently that needs no explaining.

Indelible Ink and his sister where very unique characters. Clearly not human and him falling for Joy was interesting. However, that's where the dream like quality of the book kind of backfired. I felt like the whole story from the romance and the actual plot felt clouded. Like I was watching everything from afar. It was nice, but I couldn't fully get involved in the story.

Indelible was a growing up story about Joy not wanting to grow up and think of others. That people change and you can't throw your life away and pout just because things are changing. At one point I found her inner dialogue rough to handle. Boo-hoo the world isn't going how I want it to, so I'm gonna show everyone by being miserable and failing. My bad attitude isn't enough to prove how distraught I am.

Sure Joy grows, but I never really got over my initial dislike of her. Points to the author for letting the girl save herself and her man.

Indelible kind of borrows from other YA fairy stories and then tries to make its own way. The whole time I felt like the fairy mists where keeping me at hands length from the story. The first half of the book was so ponderous and then suddenly we're “saving all mind kind!” in a blink. The build up and execution actually ended up being dull. The parts that were unique such as Joy and Ink falling in love and learning about the Twixt (they're not called fairies here) felt like after thoughts. Honestly I can't even imagine where a series could be born from this.

In all I feel mixed about Indelible. The parts that annoyed me really annoyed me, including the lead. The parts I liked I REALLY liked, however they were not explored nor developed enough. Too much of Indelible was borrowed and the original parts not explored enough. Okay, I'm rambling on and repeating myself. In the end I won't deny that I did enjoy Indelible. To be quite honest I'm curious about the other books.

Content Warning: The lead is transported into the after math of an orgy. I felt like this was supposed to be humorous, but much like the lead all I felt was awkward. (And I like my orgies in books. ^_-)

Plenty of sexual humor and some frank discussions between two teens talking about sex and their views.

 
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.

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Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW:	Amazon:	Goodreads:
Indelible (1)  Invisible (2) Insidious (3) Invincible (4)	Indelible (1)  Invisible (2) Insidious (3) Invincible (4)	Indelible (1)  Invisible (2) Insidious (3) Invincible (4)

Cover Coveting (12)

 
Cover art is found from Goodreads, Wicked Scribes, ATUF, social networks, and other sources.
***All cover art may not be final.***

It hit me while gazing upon all the lovely-lovely covers that I collected for my Cover Coveting posts that there were quite a few lovely-lovely lovelies.

So just a heads up that I won't be doing a Wednesday Wishes post this week. I need to catch up on covers and reviews!

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Red Winter by Annette Marie

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Red Winter trilogy, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Wow, the cover release and then the book release happened so fast! Talk about a roller-coaster ride! I knew that Marie's new series was supposed to come out soon, but I was out of the loop so long that this came out of know where! LOVE it.

Dark Tempest by Annette Marie

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Red Winter Trilogy, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: The release day newsletter for Red Winter also featured the next cover! Yeah! It fist beautifully into the series and Looks so good. Not to mention it's not too much of a wait for book 2!

Avenged by Amy Tintera

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: N/A  Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult High Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: Fits the series well. I just think that it's too much smoke covering the title. It's really hard to read the font expecially since the title is silver and so are the blades. The smoke just blurs it all together.

Brave New Girl by Rachel Vincent

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: N/A Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Shera’s thoughts: Huh. She's in a dress. How about pants? Why does it always have to be a dress? All of these girls are in smock dresses. I remember my mom venementally telling me how dresses and skirts were used to make women feel unequal. Despite that she was doing the work of a man, she had to toil in "lady like attire". Brave=pants.

Dreamfall by Amy Plum

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Dreamfall, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Shera’s thoughts: Ooooo, I love the blur/smear affect on the title font. So pretty! Not to mention hat it's done on the rest of the cover to pull it all together. This cover makes me want to do everything but sleep. Like run for the hills.

Deadmen Walking by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Dark-Hunter's: Deadman's Cross, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Romance Shera’s thoughts: This is such a long running series! To be honest this is kind of a nicer twist in the cover art. This is a historical prequel book.

Hexbound by Bec McMaster

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Dark Arts, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Steampunk Shera’s thoughts: Fits the first book well. Still a bit tacky, but fun.

Just Dreaming by Kerstin Gier

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Silver Trilogy, book 3 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: Oh, wow! I just love the US cover releases for these books! Just stunning. Love the consistency with the keyhole.

Lady of Silver by Shona Husk

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Blood and Silver, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Romance Shera’s thoughts: Um. I think someone is getting carried away with their hands down there. Come on. Look at her face. She's up to some funny business.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Dark Artifices, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Shera’s thoughts: This is a cover holder. AKA the image that is up while we (un)patiently wait for the real cover to come up. I just thought it was so pretty! Some of the cover holders have been so stunning, a few times even better than the actual cover.

Midnight Jewel by Richelle Mead

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: The Glittering Court, book 2 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Shera’s thoughts: This one feels more natural. I love how well it fits the series. Gorgeous.

Moonshadow by Thea Harrison

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon

Series: Moonshadow, book 1 Add it: Goodreads | Amazon Genre: Paranormal Romance Shera’s thoughts: Just when you thought tacky romance bared chests were done. I bring you the not so subtle unbuttoned shirt. Really I think it would have been way more sexier buttoned up with a disheveled tie or something.