Cover Snark (18)

Hola! I totally missed two books last week that I saw and just forgot to add, so I'm putting them in this one, because it's my blog and imma do what I want. Standard rules apply: book title links to GR (if the book's there...if not, no dice) and you can probably see a larger version of the cover if you click on it.

Pretty Dark Nothing - Heather L. Reid

Thoughts: Pretty boring, more like. It's okay, I guess, other than the face that it looks like a barbie on a tombstone, but meh. Don't care.

My Sister's Reaper - Dorothy Dreyer

 Thoughts: This model is clearly from the K-Stew school of acting. Stop biting your damn lip. OMG, just noticed the little tiny reaper at the top of the stairs, bahahaha. Also, that is not how people go up the stairs.

Winter Omens (The Last Year #2) - Trisha Leigh

 Thoughts: Ordinarily, I show the newly revealed cover all gigantic, but in this case, I think it's more interesting to compare them like this. Of course, you can see a larger cover image if you click on it. For the most part, I think these work as a set. I wonder if the next covers will be the bottom of her face? That wouldn't work so well individually maybe, but would be cool all put together. My issue with this is that, whether it actually is a different model or not (I think it is?), it certainly looks like it's not the same person, because of the coloring and the hair. Also, random, but it's funny that in Winter Omens, if you look at the full version of the cover, you can tell the model wears contacts.

Wolf Pact (Wolf Pact, Parts 1-4) - Melissa de la Cruz

Thoughts: Why the fuck is this happening? Seriously. From what I can gather, this was originally going to be released as a regular book. Maybe it still is, maybe it's not, I don't know, but here's a cover without parts. It's pretty awful, but at least it's not the same cover 4 times with different colors. It sounds like some marketing genius decided to release this in e-book format only in four parts. WHY? Why not just one book? I'm guessing it comes down to the $$$. Keep in mind that the single volume I see on Goodreads is listed as being 304 pages. This needs to be broken down shorter WHY? Or is this the whole series, like four complete books. If so, why don't we get four original covers? No matter what's happening this is a mess.

Belle Epoque - Elizabeth Ross

Thoughts: Well, this is ALMOST gorgeous. I mean, I love the colors and the font treatment and all of that. However, what is with the model's facial expression. From her face, I expect this to be about a courtesan who is also an assassin. I don't think it is, unfortunately. She looks both bored and pissed off. This could have been better.

Every Day After - Laura Golden

Thoughts: This pose reminds me strongly of that scene in Anne of Green Gables, which makes me like it. I'm not a huge fan of the artistic style used here, which makes this look like a puzzle or something, but it's cute enough. I love the font treatments.

Game (Jasper Dent #2) - Barry Lyga

Thoughts: Wow, that hand is seriously creeping me out. I'm not sure why, but, yeah, seriously freaky. I preferred the first cover, but whatever.

Cover Battle: The Hunt (The Hunt #1) - Andrew Fukuda

First Attempt vs. Hardback vs. Paperback: I could be wrong, but I think the cover on the left was the first one released, but was replaced with the one in the middle. Apparently, they still weren't happy, because we're getting another redesign for a series. The sequel The Prey, shown below, will match the new paperback cover. Personally, I think that the hardback cover is much more unique and visually arresting than the new ones. I also like that you can see how they adapted the concept from the first one. The new cover is boring.

The Prey (The Hunt #2) - Andrew Fukuda

Thoughts: Does this remind anyone else of this cover change? Why change the covers and piss off readers to make the cover less interesting? Sigh.

Cover Battle: Dance of Shadows - Yelena Black

First Attempt vs. Final: So, apparently, they weren't happy with this, because it's been released again. They've added some misty mist and fancy swirls. This one's definitely more eye-catching, as it makes the red flower tutu pop even more.

Nowhere But Home - Liza Palmer

 Thoughts: I have just been charmed. This is fanciful and pretty and silly. I love the pretty clothes, but she's also wearing practical boots. So cute.

Pantomime - Laura Lam

 Thoughts: In what I deem to be a seriously odd move, Strange Chemistry released the art background for Pantomime. The rest of the work remains. Hard to get excited when it's not the finished product. Then again, maybe that means I don't like it. Also, is it just me or does her pinky look tiny?

Cover Battle: Jaguar Sun (Jaguar Sun #1) - Martha Bourke

 Original vs. Redesign: This cover still screams indie, but I like that I get to see a real kitty. So win. Mostly meh, though.

Vanity Fare - Megan Caldwell

Thoughts: Cookies and books! That looks like the best afternoon ever! Also, I love the colors and the play on words in the title. I approve.

Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7) - Patricia Briggs

Thoughts: This girl seriously loves her tats. Also, is this set in the PAST? Because that car is old as hell. This one is probably the one I like least, because the model looks sort of real, but sort of drawn and it freaks me out.

Oath Bound (Unbound #3) - Rachel Vincent

Thoughts: Why do the models keep changing? Are there a bunch of characters? Don't know, so I'll let it slide. Anyway, I like this one best of the bunch, because I think the colors really pop.

The Abominators and My Amazing Panty Wanty Woos - J. L. Smith

 Thoughts: The art looks kind of old school comic book, which is awesome. The title, though, is just too much for me. It's so silly, intentionally so, but more than I can take. If I were five, though, I might be in stitches. Also, that kid is wearing a cummerbund, and apparently likes to wear ladies' underwear. Is this a book about a child cross-dresser? That would be pretty cool.

Unmaking Hunter Kennedy - Anne Eliot

 Thoughts: Awesome work for an indie. I wouldn't necessarily have known it were indie if the cover reveal weren't taking place just barely a month before release. Kissing is a little awkward for a book cover, but oh well. The font treatment is arresting.

 Men Who Wish to Drown (Monstrous Beauty novella) - Elizabeth Fama

Thoughts: This is way more awesome than the cover for Monstrous Beauty. Seriously, this looks like an awesome old school painting. How creepy is this cover? Love it.

Cover Battle: Altered - Jennifer Rush

Thoughts: Well, this is unfortunate. What I liked about the original cover was the bright green. Which is now reduced to just the title. Boo. Plus, we now have the dude's face cut out. Why do designers hate faces? The one thing I do like better is the tattoo being much more like described in the book, rather than the green trying to grab him. However, I'm really not digging the fact that the tattoo runs off his skin on his right shoulder. Ugh. I think a combo of the two with a green strip on the side and the tattoo on his back would have worked.

Aralorn (Aralorn #1-2) - Patricia Briggs

Thoughts: Meh. This is a UK cover of an Omnibus, containing Briggs' Masques and Wolfsbane. Looks like fantasy. Doesn't give me grabby hands though.

This Is What Happy Looks Like - Jennifer E. Smith

Thoughts: I really like that, though they're not related, Jennifer E. Smith's covers match. The colored bubble letters totally bring them together, as well as the color palate. That said, I much prefer the cover for The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Partially, that's because yellow and black aren't my favorite color combo, but I also really worry about how tiny that boat is. They look like they're about to fall into that black water. It's a bit more ominous than cute in my opinion.

Thorns (The Frost Chronicles #2) - Kate Avery Ellison

Thoughts: I actually REALLY like this. The first cover left me kind of cold (see what I did there?), but this one is amazing. I love the snow in her hair and how you can see that her cheeks and nose are a bit flushed with cold, her lips turning blue. It's just lovely.

The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards - Kristopher Jansma

Thoughts: I like it, but it doesn't have any real impact on me. This one's adult fiction, just so you're clear.

Cover Battle: Kings & Queens (Kings & Queens #1) - Courtney Vail

Original vs. Redesign: Indies/self-pubs keep trying to improve their covers and look less like indies. Like with Jaguar Sun, I think this is an improvement, but I'm still really not in love with the cover and would never think it was from a bigger publisher. Honestly, pretty much anything was going to be an improvement over the creepy crown lipstick.

The Lake House - Marci Nault

Thoughts: I believe this is women's fiction, though I'm not sure what it's about. There's no blurb up on GR yet. The cover's pretty, though I expect this is one that would look better in person. It definitely does a capture a sense of days gone by, of idyllic summer days.

The Indigo Awakening (The Hunted #1) - Jordan Dane

Thoughts: Shiny and blue! Yes! I'm not too sure about the glowy wolf creature, but I love the title fonts and colors a lot. Definitely intrigued by this cover. I still hate tag lines, though.

I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Clause: A Breathers Christmas Carol - S. G. Browne

Thoughts: More Breathers? Heck yes! *ahem* By which I mean that this cover is hilarious and colorful, though it's color palate really doesn't match that of Breathers. Although it doesn't seem very accurate, since it looks more like Santa dismembered the zombies and is passing them out to girls and boys. This raises questions.

Maid of Secrets (Maid of Honor #1)  - Jennifer McGowan

Thoughts: So...what they were trying to do is cool, but it definitely failed.  I'm pretty sure my reaction to this was not supposed to laughter; probably it was supposed to be more along the lines of 'le gasp!' Problems: 1)The lighting...why is it so dark? 2) Considering that it's hella dark in there, where is the light coming from to shine off that knife, which the viewer would apparently have been too stupid to see without a damn spotlight. 3) Yellow was a bad choice. 4) It doesn't look to me like that corset fits her properly. 5) He's grabbing her by the poofy sleeves, which, admittedly is politer than grabbing her arm, but sure doesn't look threatening. 6) The series name: probably a misstep to choose a series title that is also a J.Lo movie.

Cover Battle: Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom - Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

 Hardback vs. Paperback: Hmmm, well, I actually really like both. I think the new color scheme and having two girls on the cover make it a slight win for the new cover, even though I seriously miss the rainbow bow tie.

Outstanding Covers of the Week: 
Nowhere but Home
by Liza Palmer  
& 
Thorns by Kate Avery Ellison!