Happy Mother’s Day!  While it’s true that most urban fantasy heroines tend to fly solo, there are a handful that manage to balance supernatural smack downs and motherhood. 

Top 5 Urban Fantasy moms

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a cover show up on both the Best and Worst side of our wrap up, but the vibrant SOUL TRADE cover has divided opinions here at ATUF.  Over all, I’d say this is a darker than average crop of covers.  I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to use the adjective “creepy” so much in one post. 

 

 

*This title will be released on January 24, 2012*

Title: Horizon Author: Sophie Littlefield Series: Aftertime #3 Cover Art: N/A Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Urban Fantasy Excerpt: Yes Source: Netgalley Reviewed by: Abigail Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Luna; Original edition (January 24, 2012) ISBN-10: 0373803427 ISBN-13: 978-0373803422 Sexual Content: References to sex. A scene of sensuality. References to child molestation Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

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*This title will be released on October 11, 2011*

Title: Unforsaken Author: Sophie Littlefield Series: Banished #2 Cover Art: N/A Genre: Paranormal YA Excerpt: Yes Source: Author Reviewed by: Abigail Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (October 11, 2011) ISBN-10: 0385738544 ISBN-13: 978-0385738545 Sexual Content: Kissing. References to rape Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & put this author on your watch list.

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Several luscious paranormal covers were revealed this past week including brand new looks for a few old titles, vampires who want to bite you who you’d probably let (I’m looking at you Laurie London’s vampire), and the cover for my favorite zombie series looks even better than the last two.  - Abigail

  

Tempted by Blood by Laurie London 

(Click to enlarge)

Description: N/A   “I’m loving this cover!!!” – Laurie London

Series: Sweetblood #3 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: HQN Books Release Date: January 24, 2012 Source: Author’s Blog
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
A great call back to the cover for book one, these two in particular fit well together.  Interesting lighting, and it’s striking how intently he’s staring at us.  I can’t decide if that’s a “I wish she was you” look or a “Back off I’m busy” look… either way, it makes an impression.	This is my new favorite for the series.  The lighting is stunning.  I didn’t love the cover for EMBRACED BY BLOOD nearly as much as BONDED BY BLOOD because he wasn’t looking at us.  There is a thrilling question that this cover makes us ask: What is he thinking?  Can’t wait to find out.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

      Horizon by Sophie Littlefield 

(Click to enlarge)

Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Aftertime #3 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Luna Release Date: January 24, 2012 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thought
I need more thumbs to show how much I love the progression of these covers.  The colors cool, the barbed wire disappears, and the clouds and smoke fades away.  This works so well with the title, too, it definitely has me thinking Cass’s horizons are opening up.	Julia, you are so right about the story these covers tell.  The increasing clarity of Cass and the setting are very revealing about her as a character.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

     Switched, Torn, & Ascend by Amanda Hocking 

(Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge)

Description: Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy... When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.   Torn - the second book in the Trylle Trilogy... Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her. She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is going to lead.   Ascend... The final chapter in the Trylle Trilogy. With a war looming on the horizon, Wendy’s fate seems sealed. But everything she sacrificed might be in vain if she can’t save the ones she loves. Her whole life has been leading up to this, and it’s all coming to an end. No Author Comment Available.

Series: Trylle Trilogy Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Release Date: Jan 24, Feb 28, & April 24, 2012 Source: A Cupcake and a Latte
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I think these are a beautiful look for this series, though less of a panoramic picture than the three previous covers (shown below).  This series starts out strong, with SWITCHED and TORN being my favorite of the three.	really pretty.  I was never taken with the originals, but these new versions have a whimsical quality and such beautiful colors.  SWITCHED and ASCEND are my favorites.

 

Previous Versions of this Series

     Sex, Lies, and Vampires by Katie MacAlister 

(Click to enlarge) Compare to 2005 Cover:

Description: Amongst the Dark Ones there is one they call The Betrayer, one who is doomed to hand his own kind over to a demon lord... for eternity. But now a small boy’s been kidnapped, and it’s up to Nell Harris – a Charmer – no, literally, that’s her job – to rescue him. Problem is, she can’t help but find The Betrayer a teeny, tiny bit attractive... is it possible he is not as soul-less as he seems, or has her penchant for bad-boys just gone into overdrive?   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Dark Ones #3 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Release Date: August 30, 2011 Source: Author’s Blog
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I’m torn on this one.  Though infinitely better than the dated 2005 cover, the framing of this new cover looks a little off to me.  I love the colors, the way their skin glows, but her neck seems to be floating out there and her giant earing is visually distracting (I kept thinking it was a neck tattoo).  Has anyone read this, is the earing from the book?	I agreed it is better than the original, but this couple doesn’t look human (or vampire).  They look more like video game characters.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

      Entangled, by Edie Ramer, Misty Evans, Michelle Miles, Lori Brighton, Dale Mayer, Nancy Haddock, Michelle Diener, Cynthia Eden, Liz Kreger, Jennifer Estep, Allison Brennan 

(Click to enlarge) Not Yet Available for Pre-Order.

Description: Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal stories from authors Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, Michelle Miles, and Edie Ramer, plus a novella by Allison Brennan. Proceeds from the sale of this paranormal anthology will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).   No Author Comment Available.

Series: N/A Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: N/A Release Date: September 2011 Source: Author’s Facebook Page
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
The title font seems to jump off the page a bit too much, but I adore the cover image.  Definitely take a look at the enlarged version, it looks even more fabulous up close.  Her hair seems to melt into spider webs and feathers and frost… gorgeous.	I do like this, but the web over her face is a little weird.  I thought it was features at first.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

N/A

     Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick 

(Click to enlarge)

Description: Have you ever had the feeling that you've lived another life? Been somewhere that has felt totally familiar, even though you've never been there before, or felt that you know someone well, even though you are meeting them for the first time? It happens. In 2073 on the remote and secretive island of Blessed, where rumour has it that no one ages and no children are born, a visiting journalist, Eric Seven, and a young local woman known as Merle are ritually slain. Their deaths echo a moment ten centuries before, when, in the dark of the moon, a king was slain, tragically torn from his queen. Their souls search to be reunited, and as mother and son, artist and child, forbidden lovers, victims of a vampire they come close to finding what they've lost.  More…   No Author Comment Available.

Series: N/A Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Orion Children's Release Date: October 6, 2011 Source: The Book Smugglers
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
This is another tough one for me.  I like how the drawn figure reminds me of Edward Gorey illustrations, but it seems out of place on a realistic background.  The knife and the cloak remind me of the SCREAM franchise, and I really don’t get that heart… just feels like elements are out of sync, something needs to change.	I really like the illustration style and the knife and heart make me very curious about their significance to the story.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

N/A

    

And our picks for Best & Worst…

Best	Worst

Which are your Best and Worst?