Cover Art Coverage: 18 new titles & LAST DAY to vote in the UF Cover Art Awards

Voting ends tonight at midnight!   Click HERE to vote

*Cover Art may not be final*

Click author names to visit their webpages & click titles to pre-order from The Book Depository or Goodreads if it isn’t available for pre-order. 

Shadowflame by Dianne Sylvan

Series: Shadow World #2 Date/Publisher: July 26th 2011 by Ace Cover Artist: Gene Mollica Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: I’m quite thrilled to officially show off the final version of the cover art for my second novel, Shadowflame.  The book will hit shelves July 26, 2011 (and trust me, you’ll be hearing plenty more about it before then). Judging from how excited I already am, by July my head will have exploded…of course by then I’ll have finished principal writing on Book 3, so maybe I’ll be too busy for ‘splodey goodness. My Thoughts: Love this!  I adore all the flaming hair we’ve been seeing lately and this one is stunning with the green shadows too.  I predict another nomination for this series in next years UF Cover Art Awards (You can still vote for the first book in this series HERE)

Description:

It’s been three months since musician Miranda Grey became a vampire and married David Solomon, Prime of the South. As Queen, Miranda must quickly come to terms with her new role and learn how to negotiate the treacherous waters of Signet politics, inevitably making dangerous enemies along the way.

As if complicated vampire politics and a rising music career weren’t enough, an enigmatic but powerful force from David’s past appears, leaving a wake of chaos and uncertainty for the Pair’s fledgling relationship. Miranda begins to realize how little she really knows about her husband. But when an assassin begins targeting her friends and allies, the Pair must track down the killer, even as their lives hang in the balance…

Previous Book in the Series:

It Happened One Bite by Lydia Dare

Series: N/A Date/Publisher: March 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Casablanca Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: The title is cute, but the actual cover is forgettable.

Description:

Blaire Lindsay's been warned that her ancestral home is haunted. But it will take more than tales of a ghost to frighten Blaire, a battle-born witch with supernatural strength and the ability to make sparks fly from her fingertips. Hearing spectral wails, she decides to search for their source, and is surprised to find a handsome young man chained to the dungeon wall. But when Blair frees James from his bonds, she quickly discovers she's unloosed far more than she could ever have imagined...Soon the castle is overrun with vampires whose perfect manners and compelling blood lust make for some very awkward moments, and Blair and James are joined in the fight of their lives to save everything they hold dear from the forces of evil.

Original Cover:

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

Series: N/A Date/Publisher: June 1st 2011 by Scholastic Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: This sounds awesome!  The cover itself is desolate and yet hopeful because the characters aren’t alone.  I’m thinking there could be a paranormal twist based on the description.

Description:

A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

Previous Book in the Series:

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The Council of Shadows by S. M. Stirling

Series: Shadowspawn #2 Date/Publisher: May 3rd 2011 by Roc Hardcover Cover Artist: Chris McGrath  Cover Source:   Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: The trademark McGrath grittiness is here.  I don’t like this as much as the previous cover (I think the clothes are throwing me), but there is a James Bond vibe that I like.

Description:
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Previous Book in the Series:

Shadowborn by Alison Sinclair

Series: Darkborn Trilogy #3 Date/Publisher: June 7th 2011 by Roc Trade Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: The glowing skin on all three covers in this series is so beautifully ethereal and yet the austere expressions add a perfect edginess.  LIGHTBORN  is my favorite cover of the three, but they are all gorgeous.

Description:

From the author of Lightborn, the third book in a Regency-flavored fantasy series of magic and manners.

Magic dies with the mage, or so the Darkborn believe. That's why Lady Telmaine Hearne has been condemned to death for sorcery. She's escaped but is now bound with her mageborn allies for the Borders and war. Meanwhile, her husband, Balthasar, has learned of his family connection to the Shadowborn—and is fighting for survival and sanity as magic turns him against everything he holds dear.

Previous Book in the Series:

Darkness Descending by Devyn Quinn

Series: Vampire Armageddon #1 Date/Publisher: August 2, 2011 by Signet Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: A Great Book Is The Cheapest Vacation Author Comments: It’s gorgeous… I’m thrilled. It is the best ever. But that’s what I think about the debut book in the VA (no, not Vampire Academy, LOL) series. The book’s slated for an August 2011 release and I’ll be posting some excerpts soon. My Thoughts: UF often gets the dark and sultry covers, but what I like so much about this one is the lightness (especially the white web tattoo on her back).  I really hope I get to read this one.

Description:

The first seal has been broken, signaling the end of days. Fallen angels in the form of vampires are infecting humans one by one, creating an army fit for Armageddon. Of the few who survive the infection, one stands alone above all others…

For one year, Jesse Burke has been suppressing the beast within, driven by vengeance to destroy the vampiric fallen angels terrorizing New Orleans. But a war of biblical proportions is too much for one girl to handle, and she must turn to slayer Maddox deValois for training, though it threatens her fiercely-guarded independence. But the sinister demon Queen Amonate is doing everything in her power to lure Jesse to her side to fulfill her destiny as the mother of the devil’s child.

Before this war is over, everyone will learn that hell hath no fury like a woman possessed…

Previous Book in the Series:

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Dark Taste of Rapture by Gena Showalter

Series: Alien Huntress #6 Date/Publisher: August 23rd 2011 by Pocket Star Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Wow.  Every think works here from the posture, the murky gold/brown colors and his hair mingling with smoke.  Gorgeous.

Description:

Beautiful Noelle Tremain has just completed AIR training and successfully navigated her first mission. Life is perfect. Until her best friend is turned into a vampire, destroying her day life, and she’s partnered with Hector Dean, destroying her nightlife. He’s the sexiest, most powerful man she’s ever met, able to atomize his arms and punch through anything – but he’s also emotionally distanced, determined to remain alone. So, to stay on top of their case, she might just have to find a way on top of him.
Oh, the naughty things a girl will do for her job . . .

Previous Book in the Series:

The Darkness Beyond by Alexis Morgan

Series: Paladins of Darkness #8 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Please stop with the shirtless vest look.  It’s dated and never looked good.  So many books do this. Why? Am I the only one who doesn’t like this?

Description:

Between fighting the Kalith and honing his hacking skills, D.J. Clayborne’s life has become predictable. But lately, someone—the mysterious “Reggie”—has been breaching his firewalls to leave him messages. Reggie Morrison is part of a federal cyber-crime unit investigating top hackers and finding out how they do it. But as she looks into D.J., she finds herself admiring the way his mind works. When she discovers that he has some classified information of his own, someone will stop at nothing to keep it under wraps. And soon, the two must fight both their mutual enemies and the powerful attraction that erupts between them.

Previous Book in the Series:

Demon by Kristina Douglas

Series: The Fallen #2 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: So pretty.  Not quite HUSH, HUSH, but the pose and falling feathers is definitely evocative of that cover.

Description:

Once the Fallen’s fearless ruler, a grieving Azazel must find the legendary siren meant to take his lost lover’s place . . . and kill her.

He’s a devil of an angel.
Azazel should have extinguished the deadly Lilith when he had the chance. Now, faced with a prophecy that will force him to betray the memory of his one true love and wed the Demon Queen, he cannot end her life until she leads him to Lucifer. Finding the First is the Fallen’s only hope for protecting mankind from Uriel’s destruction, but Azazel knows that ignoring his simmering desire for the Lilith will be almost as impossible.

She’s an angel of a demon.
Rachel Fitzpatrick wonders how Azazel could confuse her with an evil seductress. She’s never even been interested in sex! At least not before she set eyes on her breathtaking captor. And now she can’t think about anything else—besides escape.

Angels and demons don’t mix.
Rachel stirs a carnal need in Azazel that he never thought he’d feel again. Falling for a demon—even if she has no idea she’s the Lilith—means surrendering his very soul. But if he lets her go, he risks abandoning his heart, his dangerous lover, and possibly all of humanity, to Uriel’s deadly wrath.

Previous Book in the Series:

Concrete Savior by Yvonne Navarro

Series: Dark Redemption #2 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: ? I loved the first book in this series but I took issue with the cover (the tone was completely off).  This cover is better, but not quite there either.  She looks like Godzilla about to destroy the city.

Description:

Once an irresistible, soul-destroying seducer of men and women through the ages, fallen angel Brynna Malak has fled Hell to seek redemption. But is such a thing possible? While dodging the brutal Hunters sent to retrieve her she must also save the life of a teenaged girl fathered by an angel and whose destiny is to complete a preordained task. At her side is a Chicago police officer who fights his undeniable attraction to her. And Brynna has made up her mind: she will die for eternity rather than return to Hell or give up her quest. Yet to continue, she must begin the long and difficult journey of learning to love and appreciate both the joys and the tragedies of being human.

Previous Book in the Series:

Mystical Warrior by Janet Chapman

Series: Midnight Bay #3 Date/Publisher: June 28th 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: I swear I’ve seen this guy on at least a dozen other PNR covers this year.  I can recognize even just half his face. Not good when you want a book to stand out.

Description:

Fiona Gregor is having a terrible time adjusting to being human again, mostly because she’s an eleventh-century Scottish lass who suddenly finds herself dealing with life in the twenty-first century. And according to her brothers, forcing her to live on her own in this scary new world is exactly what she needs. Tricked into renting his upstairs apartment to Fiona by her brothers, Trace Huntsman is less than thrilled to have the opinionated beauty around, especially when stray animals—and suitors—start following her home. When the wizard Macmillan Oceanus shows up in Midnight Bay, Trace reaches the end of his rope. But he can’t ignore the powerful magic that’s threatening his heart.

Previous Book in the Series:

Black Heart Loa by Adrian Phoenix

Series: Hoodoo #2 Date/Publisher: June 28th 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: Steve Stone Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Even better than the previous cover.  The hoodoo bag and the swamp setting perfectly convey the important elements of this series.

Description:

While searching for her missing bayou-pirate cousin, Kallie Riviere, a fiery Cajun hoodoo apprentice with a talent for trouble, finds out the hard way that someone’s undoing powerful gris gris down in the bayou and changing the very nature of magic. Suddenly working magic is like rolling a handful of dice—random and definitely not what you planned.
Now the wards woven by conjurers to protect New Orleans and the Gulf coast are in danger of unraveling, leaving the city and the coastline vulnerable just as the deadliest storm—an unnatural storm—in a century is born. And aims for the heart of New Orleans.
As Kallie races to uncover the random magic’s source and restore the wards, she learns a dark and unsettling truth: she might be the source. And she and everyone close to her—including a certain sexy nomad who can wear wet boxers like no other man—are being hunted.
Then Kallie steps right into the most dangerous trap of all, a trap set just for her in the form of a tall, dark, and grumpy loup garou designed to steal her heart. Literally

Previous Book in the Series:

Lord of Shadows by Alix Rickloff

Series: Heirs of Kilronan Trilogy #2 Date/Publisher: June 28th 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: And here ‘He’ is again.  I like him better in this cover (I really like the old Wolfman feel), but we need to give the other models some work.

Description:

Who is working the demon arts . . .
Was it her murdered father? Her fugitive brother? It has been seven years since Lady Sabrina Douglas cloistered herself with the Sisters of High Danu, but the questions remain. She is Other—a mixture of Fey and mortal—quietly using her powers to heal. That is, until she saves a half-drowned man, his soldier’s body a roadmap of scars, his fathomless eyes filled with heartbreaking loneliness. The inexplicable connection overwhelms her defenses, touching her heart, mind . . . and body.
. . . and to what end?
A man with no memory, Daigh MacLir seeks his past, even as unknown threats fill him with monstrous rage and inhuman abilities. But as a desperate game of hunter and hunted is played out from ballrooms to bedrooms, what Daigh discovers is more chilling than anyone could possibly imagine. Defying death was only the first step in the task he has been set, and Sabrina his last hope. But dare he risk involving her? Daigh has been summoned to find an ancient king, and even the powers of love may not be enough to win the battle against the powers of darkness

Previous Book in the Series:

Shadow Fall by Seressia Glass

Series: Shadowchasers #3 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: This is a new look for this series and I like it. The weapon is front and center and Kira looks fierce.

Description:

In a job like this, one mistake can cost you everything.
As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her.
A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces.And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a power she can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.

Previous Book in the Series:

Let It Bleed by Jeri Smith-Ready

Series: WVMP Radio #4 Date/Publisher: August 1st 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: *DON’T’ READ THE DESCRIPTION IF YOU’RE NOT CAUGHT UP* Very cool, like the previous covers. Interesting that Ciara is holding a stake for the first time.

Description:

Former con artist Ciara Griffin hopes to settle into a normal un-life as a fledgling vampire, with the help of her fiancé, grunge DJ/guitarist Shane McAllister. But when the WVMP crew reports that hippie vampire DJ Jim has murdered a pair of humans—humans who happen to share Ciara’s last name—that’s when trouble rolls out the red carpet. To redeem her past and pay back her most wounded victim, Ciara plans one final triple-crossing con game—with her own “miracle blood” as the bait. And as Ciara clings to what’s left of her humanity, she’ll need her new vampire strength—and old con artist cunning—now more than ever.(less)

Previous Book in the Series:

Enemy Mine by Karin Harlow

Series: L.O.S.T #2 Date/Publisher: August 30th 2011 by Pocket Star Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: I feel like he’s just cockily laying back and saying, ‘You’re welcome ladies.”  It’s a bit much for me.

Description:
(Series description)

A group of rogue cops, their lives destroyed, rise from the ashes like the mythical phoenix...

Caught acting outside the law, they are given a choice by the enigmatic Mr. Black: Spend their lives in prison. Or break all ties with their past, assume a new identity, and become part of an elite crime fighting team unofficially sanctioned by the U.S. Attorney General’s Office.

Their sole purpose is to close the cases that normal law enforcement channels cannot touch. What they discover is there are no rules--not for them and not for the Others.

L.O.S.T. operatives are the hunters, the cleaners, the end of the road for the bad guys. Immortal. Or not.

No boundaries.

No laws.

No compromises.
When the balance of humanity is in jeopardy, failure is not an option.

Semper Invictus, Always Invincible.

Previous Book in the Series:

Night Falls On the Wicked by Sharie Kohler

Series: Moon Chasers #5 Date/Publisher: August 30th 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Can you see that he has her shirt fisted in his hand?  Like he can get her close enough?  That the little detail that sold me.

Description:
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Previous Book in the Series:

Blood Sacrifice by Maria Lima

Series: Blood Lines #6 Date/Publisher: August 30th 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: The color palette works well, but nothing really stands out.

Description:
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Previous Book in the Series:

And my picks for Best & Worst…

Best Cover: SHADOWFLAME

Worst Cover: IT HAPPENED ONE BITE

So any new to you covers? Which are your Best & Worst picks?