Cover Crazy: Towering

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Towering, by Alex Flinn

For a change, I am not a fan of the girl-in-a-dress part of this cover. I definitely preferred when Alex Flinn's books all had the red, white, and black flowers and the matching thorny font. The flowers connected the different books in my (and I'm sure other readers') mind(s) with the author and the other books.

However, I do really like the other elements of the cover. It is very clearly a Rapunzel retelling, especially combined with the title, Towering (which does keep the thorny font that I like so much). I like the way the colors play off each other. With the dark sky, the snow, the tower, and the white dress, her hair seems to be nearly the only color in the cover, and certainly pops against all the other elements. I also really like the way that the snow is placed on the cover. I can't quite put my finger on why but it is my favorite part. The tower is also really cool.

All in all, even though I am not such a fan of the girl or the dress, this cover makes me very excited to pick up Alex Flinn's new release.

Want to know more about Towering?

At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Alex Flinn knows her fairy tales, and Towering is her most mind-bending interpretation yet. Dark and mysterious, this reimagining of Rapunzel will have readers on the edge of their seats wondering where Alex will take them next!

Cover Crazy: Handbook for Dragon Slayers

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Handbook for Dragon Slayers, by Merrie Haskell

I love the colors and the illustration style in this cover. It's detailed, but not cluttered or distracting. I would say more, but I'd just be repeating myself. I would definitely pick this cover off a bookstore shelf, and plan to do so when it comes out!

Want to know more about Handbook for Dragon Slayers?

This doesn't have an official description yet, but I am hoping it's a combination of:

That by itself is enough to make me excited. 

Cover Crazy: The Elite

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
The Elite, by Kiera Cass

Am I so very predictable, cover design department of Harper Teen? Apparently so.

We need some more illustrated covers coming out, people! But for now, I am actually enjoying the continuing pretty-dress trend.

Read my review of The Selection!

I don't know if I want to spend my money on this fluff, but I did like The Selection well enough and I actually like the covers for this series a lot more than I should.

Want to know more about The Elite?

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

(Look at all that fluffy nonsense. It's so dramatic that it's ridiculous. I can't wait.)

Cover Crazy: The Goddess Inheritance

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
The Goddess Inheritance, by Aimee Carter

I am so guilty of falling for the pretty-girl-in-dress cover. I freely admit it. But look at the prettiness all together! This series has a great cover design and I love that it has similar pictures and design without each book looking exactly the same.

Other than that, I really like the swirls around the title and the matching colors between her eyes and the leaves and her lips and Aimee Carter's name. I also really like the the background pattern from all the covers, although I am so glad that the cover designer decided not to use the sigmas for e's again, because that would have bothered my to no end.

Also, I am a total sucker for anything mythology-related, so these cover are practically shouting at me to pick them up and start reading. I think I will wait until The Goddess Inheritance comes out before I continue, though (I've only read The Goddess Test so far. Link goes to my review).

Want to know more about The Goddess Inheritance?

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

So what do you think?

Are you falling for the girl-in-dress cover as much as I am?

Cover Reveal / Cover Crazy: Dark Triumph

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Dark Triumph, by Robin LaFevers

I've totally been squeeing over this cover for the entire weekend. I'll have to be brief for now, since I only have a minute to blog tonight, but I seriously love this cover for this next His Fair Assassin installment. I love illustrated covers, although I am surprised that this cover didn't have a photo intstead, since the first one wasn't illustrated.  Also, it seems a little strange that Sybella is illustrated, but the background is not.

No matter. I shall love this cover no matter what. And I so can't wait for Sybella's awesomeness in Dark Triumph!


Want to know more about Dark Triumph?

Summary (from Goodreads):
Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. Naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, the convent views Sybella as one of their most dangerous weapons.

But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dun geons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

Are you as totally excited as I am for Dark Triumph?

Have you missed out on this amazing series? 

Check out my review of Grave Mercy!

Cover Crazy: Renegade

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Renegade, by J.A. Souders

At first glance, the cover for Renegade seems like just another pretty-girl-in-a-dress cover, but there's actually so much more to it. I love the juxtaposition of the flawlessly positioned girl and the tranquility of the garden with the rusted background  and what seems to be cracks down the window in the back, as well as the subtle touch that the rose has stabbed the girl's hand, and there is blood dripping down her fingers onto her dress.

It took me a little while to realize, but this seems like an illustrated cover. As always, illustrated covers get automatic points of awesome, but I really like this particular illustration style with this cover. I love how it looks almost real, but upon close inspection, you realize that it couldn't possibly be a photograph, just as Evelyn thinks she is certain of the reality in her world, but once she looks closer, it is proven to be something else entirely.

Want to know more about Renegade?

Summary (from Goodreads):
Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

What do you think of this cover? 

Do you agree or disagree with my analysis?

What are you crazy about this week?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Cover Crazy - Seraphina

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman

It's no secret that I am a sucker for a great illustrated cover, but I especially love the illustration style on the cover of Rachel Hartman's new release, Seraphina. I haven't yet read Seraphina but I love this cover. There are so many aspects of this cover that draw me in and complement each other. The cover for Seraphina stands out and seems particularly unique among the ubiquitous girl-in-pretty-dress covers (several of which I have featured on past Cover Crazy posts, I admit). The design team for this book definitely knew how to reel in readers like me.



The Font

I love this font. I can't resist script-y fonts like this, and this one is particularly nice. It is easy to read but is stylized and specialized to get a point across. I especially like the style of the E and the way the S loops around the spire of the church, mirroring the action of the dragon's tail. Finally, the gold is eye-catching but it complements the illustration and the red border rather than distracting from them.

The Town
I am so happy the illustrator for this cover (whom I unfortunately do not know the name of) chose to include the town rather than just the castle in the back. From the gothic-style church to the clock tower to even the regular town buildings, this is an interesting place. I wish I could peek around some of the hidden corners or stroll down the cobblestone road. I am excited to visit this town in the pages of the book.

The Dragon
So, there's a dragon on the cover. Need I say more? I'll say more anyway. I love the way that this dragon is illustrated: how its wings catch the air, how you can see its scales and ridges, how its tail is wrapped around the church's spire. It doesn't seem immediately malevolent, but it certainly is up to something important. I want to find out what is going on, and why there is a dragon in this town.

The Quote
There really is no better person to quote for a dragon book than Christopher Paolini. This quote is certainly going to get many reluctant readers to pick this up. Excellent quote choice and placement.

What do you think of this cover? 

Do you agree or disagree with my analysis?

What are you crazy about this week?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Cover Crazy: Boundless

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Boundless, by Cynthia Hand

I am actually not all that taken with this cover. Why am I featuring it on this weeks Cover Crazy, then? Because this series in particular has a way of astonishing me with how wonderful the covers look in person when they are merely pretty online. Also, there are some aspects of this cover that are very well done.

First of all, I like the way that it matches the other two covers. I am not certain but it seems like the same model in all three covers, and there are many repeated elements, such as the font of the title together with the swirls around it, and the feather in all three covers. Not to mention they all feature Clara in a pretty dress (to state the obvious).

I also like the progression between the covers. The cover for Unearthly took place in a very defined setting, the forest. The cover for Boundless takes place in a less defined setting, but Clara seems to be almost floating in the clouds (dare I say angelically). Additionally, whereas the Clara on the Unearthly cover seems unsure of herself and almost fearful, the Clara on the Boundless cover seems more contemplative. Regretful, perhaps, but sure of herself. I am glad that the covers for this series reflects Clara’s character development throughout the series in this way.

I really like the continued use of the single color and I like the way this color looks both on its own and next to the other cover in the series.

Is there any aspect of the cover I’m missing? 

What do you think of this cover for Boundless?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Cover Crazy: Endlessly

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Endlessly, by Kiersten White

Click to embiggenate.

Oh my goodness. This cover is not only so beautiful (I keep forgetting just how pretty it is), but it is also so Evie. I love that she seems almost about to smile. It reflects the books themselves that even though there is a beautiful purple (and pink) image at first glance, there is more going on. There is a storm gathering in the background and Evie is looking at something in the distance. Somehow there is an almost ominous undertone.  Also, the cover fits really well with the other two covers in the series. Each reflects the book inside very well. I'll stop writing here so I can go back to staring at the cover.

Want to know more about Endlessly?

Summary (from Goodreads):
Try as she might, Evie can’t seem to escape her not-so-normal past. And what was supposed to be a blissfully normal school break is ruined when a massive group of paranormals shows up at her house, claiming that Evie is the only one who can protect them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The deadly war between the faerie courts looms ever closer. The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its future rests solely in Evie’s hands.

So much for normal.

With a perfect blend of humor and suspense, Endlessly is everything readers could dream of in a conclusion—and the unexpected twists will keep them guessing until the very last page.

Only a few more weeks until the release! I can't wait! 

What do you think of the cover for Endlessly?
Leave your thoughts in the comments!

What are you crazy about this week?

Cover Crazy: The Mark of Athena

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
The Mark of Athena, by Rick Riordan

Click for giant version.
All covers in this Cover Crazy are giant files courtesy of Rick Riordan's blog.

In terms of the story within the covers, I actually don't like the Heroes of Olympus that much (see my review of The Lost Hero) but the covers for these books are awesome. I am more impressed with every one. If the covers weren't so incredible, it's far less likely I'd want to keep picking up the next book. And the cover for The Mark of Athena is the most epic of the bunch.

I don't even know where to start with all the things I like about this cover. The purpley color in the background is very eye-catching and offsets the other colors in the cover really well, particularly the stripe of gold across the top.

As for the content of the cover, The Mark of Athena is awesome at first glance, and even more so at a closer look. The attention to detail, as always, is excellent. I'm super excited that Percy and Jason are facing off on lightning and water horses. All we need here is Nico with an undead horse from the underworld. Athena's symbolic owl eyes in the background are just the right element to complete the image.

Although I could be more excited about the release of The Mark of Athena (even though Annabeth as the main character sounds pretty darn cool), I am very happy with the cover, and will proudly add it to my shelf.

Want to know more about The Mark of Athena?

Summary (from Goodreads):
Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . . .

What do you think of the cover for The Mark of Athena?
Leave your thoughts in the comments!

What are you crazy about this week?

Cover Crazy: Days of Blood and Starlight

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Days of Blood and Starlight, by Laini Taylor

I was so happy to see this cover revealed. I like the cover for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but I love the cover for Days of Blood and Starlight, and the covers look really great together. The Blood and Starlight cover is "prettier" than for Smoke and Bone, but it still fits the mood of the story. I love the way that the covers are so similar while at the same time so unique.

On the cover for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou's face is hidden by feathers, a metaphor that plays directly to the story. In Days of Blood and Starlight, I'm hoping the cover will once again metaphoically relate to the story. In the Blood and Starlight cover, Karou seems both more threatening and more confident. She seems almost confrontational. Throughout Smoke and Bone, Karou grows tremendously to become more the person on the Blood and Starlight cover. I'm hoping in Blood and Starlight that growth will continue, and the cover seems to suggest that.

Finally, the word "blood" in the title, combined with red as the pervading color on the cover, creates a slightly ominous image. I suspect that this second book will be a little bit darker than the first. Regardless, the cover for Days of Blood and Starlight certainly makes me want to pick up the book as soon as possible.


Want to know more about Days of Blood and Starlight?

Summary (from Goodreads):
In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

What do you think of the cover for Days of Blood and Starlight?
Leave your thoughts in the comments!

What are you crazy about this week?

Cover Crazy: The Far West

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
The Far West, by Patricia C. Wrede

I'm very excited to finally see the cover for the final book in Patricia C. Wrede's Frontier Magic trilogy. There's a lot I really like about it, but there are also a few aspects I'm not quite as crazy about.

I really like how the cover designer decided to keep the cover for The Far West in the same style as the cover for Across the Great Barrier. I wish the publisher would create a new cover for Thirteenth Child to match. The covers for the second two books in the trilogy capture the feel of the trilogy more than the cover for first book (although the  cover for Thirteenth Child does show a different aspect of the story's style). I love the cover for Across the Great Barrier and I think it works really well together with the cover for The Far West.

The one issue I have with the cover for The Far West is the girl on the cover. I can't tell whether the publisher used the same model for the Far West cover and for the Across the Great Barrier cover. If the covers were meant to show different people of course they'd be different models, but I'm fairly certain both covers show Eff. And even if the same person was on both covers, I don't really like the expression of the girl on the cover for The Far West.

On the other hand, there are a lot of elements on this cover that make me very happy. I'm particularly intrigued by the dragon-like creatures in the upper right. I'm pretty sure Wrede's alternate America doesn't have dragons, but it does have quite a variety of other creatures. I really like the placement of the bare trees in the foreground and the mountain range in the back. I love that Eff is holding what looks like a book (is it a magic book??), and my eyes keep going back to the excellently chosen title font and design.


Want to know more about The Far West?

Summary (from Goodreads):
Eff is an unlucky thirteenth child...but also the seventh daughter in her family. Her twin brother, Lan, is a powerful double seventh son. Her life at the edge of the Great Barrier Spell is different from anyone else's that she knows. When the government forms an expedition to map the Far West, Eff has the opportunity to travel farther than anyone in the world. With Lan, William, Professor Torgeson, Wash, and Professor Ochiba, Eff finds that nothing on the wild frontier is as they expected. There are strange findings in their research, a long prarie winter spent in too-close quarters, and more new species, magical and otherwise, dangerous and benign, than they ever expected to find. And then spring comes, and the explorers realize how tenuous life near the Great Barrier Spell may be if they don't find a way to stop a magical flood in a hurry. Eff's unique way of viewing magic has saved the settlers time and again, but this time all of Columbia is at stake if she should fail.

Also, click here to read my reviews of Thirteenth Child and Across the Great Barrier

What do you think of the cover for The Far West?
Leave your thoughts in the comments!

What are you crazy about this week?

Cover Crazy: Bitterblue

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms on Mondays. The idea is to showcase a beautiful book cover each week.

This week, I'm crazy about...
Bitterblue, by Kristin Cashore

I'm a little late with Cover Crazy this week, but I wanted to talk a bit about the cover for the upcoming release Bitterblue, and I had a lot to say. As the release date has crept ever closer, I've realized how much more wonderful this cover is than it first seems - even as great as the first glance may be.

It matches the first two covers in the trilogy really well both in style and content. Each cover shows part of the face of the protagonist together with their weapon of choice. The cover of Bitterblue shows Bitterblue herself, almost hidden in the background. The most visible part of her face is her eye, looking through the key ring almost as if spying through a hole in the wall.

It's clear that keys are important symbolically and perhaps literally as well in Bitterblue. In addition, the keys double as weapons, which again has multiple meanings. The keys themselves may be used as weapons; or perhaps the information that the keys reveal are powerful and dangerous. Another meaning one may derive from the weaponlike keys is that one must use force or arms to unlock the secrets the keys protect. And finally, the keys (and the access, and the information) are Bitterblue's weapon of choice.

I also love the way the cover shows a mix of delicacy and strength. The flowers, Bitterblue's face, and the author's name are all delicate, unobtrusive, and slightly feminine; the keyring and the tops of the keys seem to be a nod to Bitterblue's royal status; and the weaponlike ends of the keys and the boldly placed title are references to the character's strength.


Want to know more about Bitterblue?

Summary (from Goodreads):
Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

What do you think of the cover for Bitterblue?
Leave your thoughts in the comments!

What are you crazy about this week?