Cover Reveal Roundup (14)

Heya folks! Another week full of covers, although a bit less crazy than the past couple of weeks. Still, there were plenty of gorgeous and hilariously bad covers to check out this week. You ready? Remember that if you click on the cover, you can usually see it even larger. Click on the book title to check out the book on Goodreads!

Cover Battle: Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) - Rachel Caine

US vs. Australia: Based solely on the cover, I prefer the Australian cover. (Sorry it's so tiny; I haven't been able to find a bigger one. This is what was shared by the pub.) However, I've read the first couple books in this series, and I think the cover for the Australian version is misleading. To me, it looks like it's for a historical, and that's not right at all, so I'm declaring the US cover the winner.

Cover Battle: Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) - Beth Revis

Original vs. Redesign w/ Book 2 vs. Redesign w/ Book 3: From a purely aesthetic point of view, I like the first cover, mostly because it looks most like it correlates with the Beatles song. However, I think the cover released to go along with A Million Suns best conveys the book's plot. I also think it's most unique. What the hell is with this new monstrosity? I can't go into this. Just can't. SO ICY!

 Cover Battle: A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) - Beth Revis

Original vs. Redesign: To be honest, I never knew about the second cover for Across the Universe. I hadn't noticed that a redesign took place, mostly because I think this cover matches the first one much more than its partner cover. Whatever. It wins. Look how pretty and spacey! Check out the new one with the stupid font and the series title in hot pink for FUN! Also, I'm pretty sure this was an effort to make boys pick up these books more. If so, what the hell is the hot pink text for? Otherwise, the new covers do look a lot like the first two Artemis Fowl books, as shown here. Notice that since this one has sun in the title all of the ice melted and it's yellow. Great.

Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3) - Beth Revis

Thoughts: Shades of Earth, I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace #2) - S.R. Johannes

Thoughts: I wasn't going to include these, because I wasn't interested, but Twitter kept talking about them, so here they are. Apparently, this week, every cover will remind me of a prior cover, even though I rarely think that way. These remind me a lot of the covers for Scott Westerfeld's Uglies.

The Monstore - Tara Lazar

Thoughts: I don't usually have much of anything to do with picture books, but how freaking cute is this one? I will def have to read at somepoint. This looks like Monsters, Inc! Or I Need My Monster!

Enduring Light (The Afterglow Trilogy #3) - Alyssa Rose Ivy

Thoughts: These are good for small press covers. However, the only one I personally really like is Perilous Light. As for this specific one, you know how I feel about guys on book covers. I just...think they look ridiculous 95 percent of the time, and this one is no exception.

The Stone Demon (The Iron Witch #3) - Karen Mahoney

Thoughts: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. What the hell is that? Oy. I almost don't want to bother analyzing this, but let's go. So, first off, these three covers, whether you like them individually or not, really don't feel like part of a series to me. This one, though is ridiculous. I mean, the others look kind of sweet and magicky, and this one looks like a horror novel or something. Things I think are absurd in this cover: 1) the black rose she's holding that looks like it's emerging from her cleavage in the small version. 2) Her arm positioning. This girl COULD look like a badass, but her pose makes her look weak and wishy-washy. 3) She looks like a burlesque dancer. Is she supposed to? There's no blurb out, so I can't tell. 4) Black lipstick 5) Makeup on ONE SIDE OF HER FACE. She looks like she learned makeup from Queen Amidala. No. NO. NO! 6) They put the series info where it draws your eye to her crotch area. Never a good plan. 7) Then there's that mask that has feathers coming our of her damn forehead. Really guys? It makes me think of this.

Soulbroken (Legacy of Tril #2) - Heather Brewer

Thoughts: I am seriously digging the badassery in these covers. On both, the girl looks ready to kick any ass that comes too close. I like this one better than number one by far, too, because the chain mail over her face looks absurd to me. In this one (which is also awesome for being blue), we can see her eyes, and they mean business. Also, you don't see many braids on YA covers and she's rocking it like a boss.

Pretty Sly (Pretty Crooked #2) - Elisa Ludwig 

Thoughts: (So apparently this one came out last week sometime and I missed it, because I'm a failure. However, I am including it now anyway, because I want to.) This girl REALLY needs to learn how to put money in bags.

Dance of Shadows (Untitled Trilogy #1) - Yelena Black 

Thoughts: YA Black Swan? I could read that. *looks up info* *Reads "from the creators of Lauren Kate's Fallen."* Fuck no. (Unless I read some good reviews of it from trusted reviewers.)

The Explorer - James Smythe 

Thoughts:  This is the UK Cover, and it doesn't seem like there is one for the US yet. I like this. It's very science fiction and very simple. I think it's effective and definitely looks classic.

What the Spell? (Life's a Witch #1) - Brittany Geragotelis 

Self-Pubbed vs. Simon & Schuster: It looks like this is another book that started out self-pubbed and then got purchased, since the first cover I found is from Createspace. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I prefer the indie cover. The only thing I really don't like about it is the author name treatment across the model's stomach. I like the font for the title and the setting. Her red shoes are fun and add glam to a chill outfit, which, while I would never wear that, has the benefit of being unique. On the new cover, I do like the title change, but, otherwise, it's just so vapid. I mean, she's wearing those stupid tights that go to your calf. Ugh. No.

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) - Cassandra Clare

Thoughts: First off, I need to rant a little. This was the worst fucking cover reveal process ever. People tweeted about it like 70,000 times as the cover got revealed pixel by pixel. Twitter went insane. Let's not do that shit anymore, okay? There were going to be a bajillion tweets for this cover without the publicity stunt, so why bother? These covers are WORLDS better than the ones for her first series. They're a bit melodramatic for my tastes but whatever. They are eye-catching, and this new one is perhaps the best of the bunch. However, am I the only one that thinks the proportions on the girl's body look a little off, like the messed up in editing somewhere? Check out the left arm for example. Also, could this girl BE any skinnier?

Cover Battle: Tempest (Tempest #1) - Julie Cross

Hardcover vs. Paperback: Well, I like both, even though I loathe skinny jeans. I'm torn, but I'm going with the new one, solely because, if you look at the larger image, it looks like there might be images of different times in some of the rain drops, which is freaking cool if it's true.

Vortex (Tempest #2) - Julie Cross 

Thoughts: Why are they in formal wear? He's in college. Did he go to prom and some fiery time inferno interrupted it, because of course it did? It looks pretty cool, but it is def ridic.

Doomed - Tracy Deebs

Thoughts: Well, it does look like a dystopia and it definitely looks science fiction-y. But does it look a little 1990s to anyone else?

Magical Mayhem - Douglas Rees & Laurie McLean, eds.

 Thoughts: I WANT THOSE GLOVES. I can has? Otherwise, meh. Don't really care.

Traitor (Bridger #2) - Megan Curd

Thoughts: These are really good covers for indie books. The girl definitely looks weak in these, though. On the first book, she's lying down all curled up. On this one, she's in a hoodie all hunched over. I also didn't get the fairy tale aspect from the covers at all. To me, it looks like horror or something.

Coolest Cover of the Week: Soulbroken by Heather Brewer!