This week the Cover Art comment change-ups continue, as Kristina subs in for Abigail.  We’re eager to make it to Wordpress so all three of us can post together!  In the meantime, our constellation of commenters continues to change from week to week.  Though only THE SHATTERED DARK made it as my favorite this week, the cover reveal for Patricia C. Wrede’s THE FAR WEST reminded me that this was a beloved series that I was way too far behind on (and sparked an order and pre-order).  I hope these titles bring as many happy reminders to your own To Be Read list, enjoy!

 

  

Immortal Defender by Lisa Hendrix 

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Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Immortal Brotherhood #4 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Berkley Release Date: August 7, 2012 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I usually hate subliminal “horse” references, but that fits the other covers in the series.  Something about this guy’s outfit (the half that he has on) reminds me of The Princess Bride, so he gets a thumb up just for making me imagine Wesley shirtless *happy*.	I like this too surprisingly.  I think because it doesn’t feel exploitative like so many shirtless covers do.  And who doesn’t love The Princess Bride?

 

Previous Covers in This Series

      Bound by Desire by Jaymie Holland 

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Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: N/A Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Release Date: March 13, 2012 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
The placement of the tiger face is just too odd.  My mind wants to make it a tattoo, but the image just seems to be floating there.	Yep.  It looks a little creepy which I’m sure is not the look they were going for.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

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     Acquainted with the Night by Piper Maitland 

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Description: The pages of history are written in the blood of the undead… A woman’s quest for the truth… A medieval icon that holds the clues… An ancient book with the power to shake Christianity—and humanity itself… Caroline Clifford’s bland life as a London tour guide flips upside down when her beloved uncle is brutally murdered at a Bulgarian archeological site. While traveling to recover his remains, she meets a man who corresponded with her uncle. Jude Barrett is a biochemist on a mission—to eradicate the world of vampires… At first, Caro is dismissive of Jude’s beliefs, but she can’t ignore the signs around her—the human bites on her uncle, the strange men following her, the anguished cries after sundown. More… No Author Comment Available.

Series: N/A Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Berkley Release Date: November 29, 2011 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
The style of this cover relies too much on the description in the upper left corner to mark this as “urban fantasy.”  I missed the shadowy figure all together until I really studied the image.  I would like less text, more mood.	I would have expected this to be a thriller not an UF based on the cover.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

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      Hold me if You Can by Stephanie Rowe 

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Description: Stephanie Rowe is an acclaimed author whose high-octane romances are attracting a growing readership. The third in a paranormal romance series packed with danger, sensuality and clever twists features Nigel Aquarian, a warrior with an artistic bent, and Natalie Fleming, a chocolatier who has a new lease on life. But her freedom comes with a dangerous gift she doesn't want. Nigel and his fellow warriors have only just escaped imprisonment when an even worse threat emerges. Natalie is the only woman who can help Nigel—but she's also the one most likely to bring him down.   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Soulfire #3 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Release Date: January 1, 2012 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
The title ruined this one for me.  Aside from the distracting thought “Hey, if the guy can hold fire, he can hold anything,” that font is entirely out of place.  I know they were following the style of previous covers in the series, but that shade of yellow and the vines on the capital are very distracting with this image.	I’ve liked the previous two covers in this series, but this one seems almost feminine by comparison.  I don’t know if it’s his pose or what.

 

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     Bedeviled by Sable Grace 

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Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Dark Breed #2 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Avon Release Date: December 2011 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I was on the fence with this one, but the artwork tipped me towards a thumbs up. The title font and colors are terrible, however, even it gives the cover an oddly child-like note.  A shame to splash that on top of such an intriguing image.	Love this.  I really liked the cover from the first book, but this one is even better.  She looks fierce and the background has me very intrigued.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

      Lure of Song and Magic by Patricia Rice 

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Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: N/A Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Release Date: January 1, 2012 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
Oh, if only laughter equals a thumbs up.  Where to start with this one.  His posture?  His wig-like hair?  The fact that he’s standing in a butt-level, lavender cloud of what I presume is his own “magic”?  The only nice thing I can think to say is that I applaud his wrist-watch, it’s the most unique cover model accessory I’ve seen in a long time.	You are killing me, Julia LOL.  The hair is wrong.  The expression on his face looks confused, and the colors are way too soft.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

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      Vampire’s Kiss by Veronica Wolff 

Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: The Watchers #2 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: NAL Trade Release Date: March 6, 2012 Source: Author’s Blog
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
The female cover model and the background are ok, they give a sense of the story and compliment the title pretty well.  The male cover model looks like he’s CGI, I found that distracting enough that I couldn’t focus on anything but trying to figure out what’s wrong with his features.	Honestly, having just read book 1, I’m so excited to get my hands on this one that I’m not noticing any of the problems that bugged you.  It looks good to me.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

      Angel’s Flight by Nalini Singh 

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Description: In Angel’s Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court. In Angels’ Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all... Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT In Angels' Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless... And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED In Angels’ Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.   “My love for this cover is boundless.  I utterly and absolutely ADORE it!!!!” – Nalini Singh

Series: Guild Hunter #0.5, 1.5, 4.5, 4.75 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Berkley Sensation Release Date: February 28, 2012 Source: Author’s Blog
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I agree with the author, this cover is lovely enough to stop me in my tracks in a bookstore.  The artwork is gorgeous, and the title copy does a great job of complementing it and not disrupting the sense of movement.	Yes!  We can now forget about the unfortunate cover on ARCHANGEL’S BLADE.  This is just so many kinds of pretty.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

     Ashes by Estevan Vega 

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

Description: N/A   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Arson #2 Artist: N/A Goodreads: N/A	Publisher: N/A Release Date: N/A Source: A Good Addiction
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I love the progression from book one.  The battered, numbered mask on the cover of ASHES is wonderfully creepy and ominous.	See I think this takes creepy too far.  It’s unsettling for me.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

     Oracle’s Moon by Thea Harrison 

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Description: N/A   No Author Comments

Series: Elder Races #4 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Berkley Release Date: March 6, 2012 Source: Wanton Thoughts & Wicked Scribes
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
I enjoyed reading DRAGON BOUND so much, the rest of this series could come wrapped in brown paper bags and I’d be pre-ordering.  This cover is much, much better than STORM’S HEART but not quite as delicious as SERPENT’S KISS.  Applaud the continuation of the t-shirt, though sorry we’ve regressed back to partial faces.	You read it? Write us a review :) I think one of the reasons I haven’t read them yet is because of the lackluster covers.  SERPENT’S KISS is the best of the bunch, but None are great.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

      The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova 

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

Description: Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king. When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all. In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.   No Author Comment Available.

Series: N/A Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Release Date: March 2012 Source: Pirate Penguin’s Reads
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
This premise sounds interesting enough to put on the TBR list, but this cover is way too busy for me.  The title font is good, but when coupled with the bleeding effect on both title and her lips, her eye shadow and scales and hair flying everywhere… it’s all just too much.  One or two of these effects would have been much more effective.	Love the title font. Love the underwater floating hair.  Love the shimmery scales.  Love them all together.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

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      The Guardian by Sherrilyn Kenyon 

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Description: Dream-Hunter Lydia has been charged with the most sacred and dangerous of missions: To descend into the Nether Realm and find the missing god of dreams before he betrays the secrets that could kill her and her kind. What she never expects is to be taken prisoner by the Realm’s most vicious guardian… Seth’s time is running out. If he can’t hand over the entrance to Olympus, his own life and those of his people will be forfeit. No matter the torture, Seth hasn’t been able to break the god in his custody. Then there’s the beautiful Dream-Hunter Lydia: She isn’t just guarding the gates of Olympus—she’s holding back one of the world’s darkest powers. If she fails, an ancient curse will haunt the earth once more and no one will be safe. But evil is always seductive...   No Author Comment Available.

Series: Dream-Hunter #5 Artist: N/A Goodreads: Link	Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Release Date: November 1, 2011 Source: Michelle’s Book Blog
Julia’s Thoughts	Abigail’s Thoughts
This cover is a big departure from the previous books in the series, and has a completely different feel to it.  On it’s own I like it quite a bit, and wonder if a cover art reboot is in the works for books 1-4?	I like this cover, but unfortunately all of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s new covers all blur together for me.

 

Previous Covers in This Series

    

And our picks for Best & Worst…

Best	Worst

Which are your Best and Worst?