Cover Reveal Roundup (10)

Hey everybody! Welcome to this week's roundup of covers. My focus is primarily on YA covers, but I also post others that catch my interest from time to time. Just a reminder that if you click on a title, you will be taken to Goodreads, so you can add the book if so inclined! Also, click on a cover if you want to see a larger image!

The Cadet of Tildor - Alex Liddell

 Thoughts: Yawn. The background is cool, but mostly this is just typical fantasy cover stuff. Nothing strikes me as very original. Also, the weapon seems a bit short for a sword and a bit long for a dagger. My other issue with this is that the blurb is about a woman, but I'm not sure if that's a woman's arm; it looks more like a man's to me.

Cover Battle: Sean Griswold's Head - Lindsey Leavitt

Hardback vs. Paperback: Here's the deal. The new one is definitely more my style. It says romance, and that kiss on the forehead is completely sweet. I am much more likely to pick up this cover, mostly because this one says YA to me and the hardback says middle grade. Not loving the title treatment on this new one, though. I do have to say that I think it's really awesome that the guy's hair is the same, even if they do have a different model. My guess is the redesign was a good call, because this will definitely bring in a different set of readers.

Guardian/Avenger (Halflings #2-3) - Heather Burch

 

 Thoughts: These covers are pretty lame. The model's very pretty, but the posing and the colors just do not move me. I am grateful that there are no halos on anything though. They work well as a series, except that I am really bothered by the fact that only book two has other characters on it, and also by how creepy they look. Why is that one different? What makes these covers fails for me is the fact that she has wings on her head. WHY ARE THEY ON HER HEAD? It looks so freaking stupid. Maybe it's supposed to be because her guardian angels are behind her watching over her or something, but it just looks like she has wings on her head. Whatever's going on, it's not working.

Stung - Bethany Wiggins

  Thoughts: Whoever made this cover hates me. This must be the case. Two of the things I am most terrified of are bees/wasps/hornets and needles. Thank you, designer for combining these two things. If I have a nightmare about this, I am going to be so mad. I literally cannot look at this cover without shuddering. I definitely will not be starting on Wiggins with this one. If I read something else of hers and like it, I'm going to have to tape something over this cover to read it. AHHHHH.

Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy #4) - Jennifer Estep

Thoughts: Well, it fits into the series as a whole for sure. Too bad they didn't know where they were going to want the title in the first cover. Also not sure why the author name and title are the same color in the third book, but oh well. Also, the model for 1 and 3 definitely appears to be the same, but the other two look different. Why? Now, focusing on Crimson Frost, I am curious about the dragon, although I think it could have been better done. The purple eyes are worrisome...seriously, authors, we're not fans of the purple eyes thing. I give this a rating of meh. 

The Reece Malcolm List - Amy Spalding

 Thoughts: I really like it. I like that she's clearly been drawing, and I love the quirky dress. However, I take issue with what they've done in every instance of writing. The title's kind of okay, but it would be better if it had been done in her handwriting, I think. The author name treatment doesn't seem to fit with the vibe of the cover at all. The blurb by Courtney Summers, which is totally what makes me want to read this book, is seriously not working in the yellow. That's where my eye is drawn first and it just does not look nice.

North of Nowhere (Timeslip #1) - Liz Kessler

Thoughts: Guys! My judgmental heart actually likes this one! I looked up this author, and I love that all of her covers look like a set because of the font treatment, even though they're not all part of a series. I love the colors and the way they're apportioned here so much. The yellow leaves and font make a wonderful accent to the darker background colors. I know nothing about this, but the cover got it added to Goodreads! 

The 13th Sign - Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Thoughts: While this book doesn't really sound like my thing (astrology), I do think the cover's pretty cool. Just now I noticed that the one is a key. That's neat. I like covers that are ornate and drawn like this.

The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart (Magic Most Foul #2) - Leanna Renee Hieber

Thoughts: I've seen this one around, but the cover has now officially been released. There really isn't a series element to these two at all. I don't really care though, because look how freaking gorgeous they both are! I think this new one is definitely a bit more Hieber's style, although, again, I love both covers. This one's just a bit more gothic and corset-y!

Mind Games - Kiersten White

Thoughts: This is really cool. From a distance, it's just another face on the cover, although the coloring is working really well. I you look closer, though, there are all of those images in the background which are playing mind games with me, because I can't figure out what's going on back there! The end result is totally psychedelic and sci fi. I am SO excited for this now! 

Inferno (Chronicles of Nick #4) - Sherrilyn Kenyon

  Thoughts: When you're going to do a cover reveal, how about releasing a large image? That would be nice. Oh well. This cover is pretty cool, although it does bother my sense of order that the circle has been moved off center. Other than that, I think I like this one the best. These covers also do a nice job of having a boy on them but not looking like a romance novel.

Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version - Philip Pullman

 Thoughts: I. AM. SO. THERE. Fairy tales + Philip Pullman? Hell to the yeah! This cover is pretty great too. You've got the sleepy, stupid children in the foreground, a creepy forest on the left and some crows that look like they're straight out of The Birds. Win.

Tiger's Destiny (The Tiger Saga #4) - Colleen Houck

Thoughts: It fits with the series, although I like the covers that actually have tigers on them the best. Kitties! I don't have much to say about this cover, other than that the bird's eye creeps me out.

Lullaby (Watersong #2) - Amanda Hocking

Thoughts: You can say whatever you like about Hocking's books (seriously, I don't care, especially since I haven't read any), but her covers are pretty. The one for Wake, I actually think is a little bit lame, but the colors and the font make it okay. This one I really like. The splashes of color (punned) really draw the eye and make this cover rock (punned again!).

The S-Word - Chelsea Pitcher

 Thoughts: Somewhat reminiscent of a scarlet letter, no? While this cover isn't beautiful, it is very much achieving its stylistic goals. The S looks like either paint or lipstick, which might have been used to draw insults on a locker. Behind are etchings of various s words, like skank and slut, which is helpful, since I wasn't sure what 'the s-word' was. Apparently there are many s-words being referenced here.

Nobody But Us - Kristin Halbrook

Thoughts: The lighting's a bit weird and the blue a bit startling, but I'm seriously loving this cover. What's great is that the pose is so natural and slightly awkward. The models look like real people, and they're wearing totally normal clothes. I love that the girl appears to be wearing his hoodie. Color me intrigued. 

Soul Screamers, Volume 2 - Rachel Vincent

Thoughts: These covers are totally pretty dress porn. And I LOVE it. The organization is also pretty great. I got the ARC of volume one at BEA, and, if I like the books, I'm definitely going to need this pretty.

Coolest Cover of the Week: Mind Games by Kiersten White!!!