New Paperback Covers: Throne of Glass, Beneath a Meth Moon, Anna and the French Kiss and more

THRONE OF GLASS

(US hardcover, US paperback, UK paperback)

So much better than the first cover! I'm so glad they went with the UK cover. Although I still prefer the way the UK cover looks. I'm not fond of all that purple. 

VENOM

I loved the hardcover, so this is a bit sad. I think I would love the new cover if the couple on the front was gone or incorporated better.

SERAPHINA

The font is wicked (seriously, look at the "S" and the last "a"!). I love that it has color, but wish it wasn't purple. 

GILT (revised, thanks to Katie's comment!)

(Hardcover / Original paperback design / Actual paperback design)

Whoa. The original paperback cover is one of those book covers that would make me feel very awkward in public. I like that it doesn't have the same pale-as-death skin tone as the original cover. As for the new paperback cover (and the one that will be printed), I like it. The warm colors, the background...it looks great! 

RIPPER

I prefer the old cover. It's sleek, attention-getting. The new one is a bit too chaotic for me. 

RIFT

This is actually really close to the original cover...I kind of like the bright blue. I think I like both equally. Does her hair look less red? 

BENEATH A METH MOON

I like the change. The new cover makes me very curious about the story, while the first cover didn't capture my interest at all. 

DEVILISH

I'm not really fond of either cover, but I can't stand the original, so I'm glad they're changing it. The new cover captures the darker side of the story in a more obvious way. But the original captures the bursts of humor, too. Darn. 

CRANK

Definitely the original. It's simple, and it makes me curious. The new one makes me want to look away, the font is so distracting. 

Just revealed on SHELF LIFE

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS 

I used to hate the original Anna cover (and probably never would have read that book if I hadn't received an ARC), but the adorableness has grown on me. The new cover is less embarrassing to read in public, but it wouldn't catch my eye if I was wandering around in a bookstore. 

 LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR

Yet again, the original cover has grown on me, so I prefer it more. I like the new LOLA cover better than the new ANNA. I love the warm colors. 

Bonus: ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER

It's okay. I'm not a big fan of font that takes over the cover, unless it's integrated in a unique way. I hope that they at least do something fun with the font for all three books (emboss, engrave, foil, something)! 

All in all, while I love some of the new covers, I'm starting to think that I'm not really a cover-change fan. Sometimes they are absolutely incredible, but other times...not so much. 

What are your thoughts? 

Waiting on Wednesday (103): JUST ONE YEAR and THE BROKENHEARTED

JUST ONE YEAR by Gayle Forman

October 2013 from Dutton Juvenile

Companion to JUST ONE DAY. It will be in Willem's POV. 

"Can you fall in love in just one day? Can you become a new person? How about in just one year? In JUST ONE DAY and its companion novel JUST ONE YEAR, sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey and easygoing actor Willem De Ruiter are about to find out against a guidebook-worthy array of foreign backdrops. Equal parts romance, coming-of-age-tale, mystery and travel romp (with settings that span from England’s Stratford upon Avon to Paris to Amsterdam to India’s Bollywood) JUST ONE DAY and JUST ONE YEAR show how in looking for someone else, you just might wind up finding yourself."

Eeeek! I'm so excited for JUST ONE YEAR!! I loved JUST ONE DAY, so I can't wait to read from Willem's POV and find out what happens next.  

THE BROKENHEARTED by Amelia Kahaney

October 8th, 2013 from HarperCollins

"A wealthy ballerina living in a heightened, Gotham-like version of Chicago, has her heart broken - literally - and receives a dangerous bionic heart, transforming her into a superhero."

Very short summary, but it's enough to intrigue me! It sounds great.

What are you waiting on?

Review: OUT OF THE EASY by Ruta Sepetys

Title: OUT OF THE EASY
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Published: February 12th, 2013
Genre: YA, historical, mystery
Publisher: Philomel
POV: 1st person
Pages: 352
Format: Advanced Reader's Copy
Source: Unsolicited from Publisher

It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

I highly enjoyed Sepetys's debut novel, BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY, so I was naturally curious and nervous when it came to her sophomore novel. Could Sepetys bring a different time and place to life with as much emotion as her debut? I was skeptical, so I kept putting off reading this story until I finally read Christina's (Confessions of a Book Addict) review and was convinced that I needed to give it a chance. Fortunately, all of my worries about this novel were soothed and erased within first few chapters. Sepetys depicts New Orleans and this story's characters richly and vividly. OUT OF THE EASY is one of those stories where you find yourself eagerly flipping the pages as the mystery unfolds. This book even proves itself to be a touching, memorable story, largely because of the exceptional characters. 

I never thought I would love a book involving murder, brothels, terrible mothers, gangsters, and love triangles, but I was obviously wrong. The characters all prove themselves to be fully developed, and not quite the people you initially expect them to be. While there is a mystery to be solved within the story, I found Josie's growth and interpersonal relationships to be more fascinating. She's growing into herself, trying to decide who she is and where her future will take her. Despite everything that holds her back, she's one tough cookie and I was on Josie's side from the beginning. All in all, this is such a challenging story to review simply because it was incredible. If you love authentic historical novels, wonderful characters, coming of age moments, and a touch of mystery and romance, then you need to read OUT OF THE EASY. You won't regret it. 

Highlights: The characters, the setting, the writing....Sepetys portrays everything vividly and with the right amount of authenticity. She gives readers characters to love¹ and hate ², along with settings that burst to life with each and every word. These characters make this story something special. Even the love triangle is expertly written. Plus, Josie works in a bookstore and she's a total bookworm, which makes her instantly awesome. 

Lowlights: I want more? 

Cover: I like the shades of green that are used, since I don't usually see too many green covers. The symbolism is nice, too. It's a good cover, but it's not the best one I've ever seen.

1 Jesse! Josie! Cokie (what a sweet guy)! Willie! I could go on and on and on...
2 Oh my gosh, Josie's mother. I want to slap her.

GIVEAWAY: NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN + THE BUTTERFLY CLUES

Thanks to Media Masters Publicity, I have the opportunity to host a wonderful giveaway for one lucky reader to win a copy of both NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN and THE BUTTERFLY CLUES by Kate Ellison! Check out the summaries below to learn a bit more about both books!

NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN

Goodreads / Amazon / B & N

"They say first love never dies...

When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it's only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death.

There's a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there's a good chance she's losing her mind completely--just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn't really there?

With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It's the only way she can save herself."

THE BUTTERFLY CLUES

Goodreads / Amazon / B & N

"Seventeen-year-old Penelope "Lo" Marin has always collected beautiful things. Since her brother's untimely death, her collection has become an obsession. When she finds an antique butterfly necklace that belonged to a murdered girl at a flea market, she impulsively steals it and becomes fixated. As Lo delves deeper into the life of this girl she feels an otherworldly connection to, she finds herself in the middle of a violent underworld of crime, drugs and sex. But the more questions she asks, the more danger she is in. Can Lo uncover the killer's identity, or will she become the next victim?"

(US and CANADA only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author: Kate Ellison is the critically acclaimed author of The Butterfly Clues. She spent a lot of time as a child, in Baltimore, pretending to be things she wasn't: a twin, a telekinetic, a benevolent witch with a box full of magical stones, a spy, a soccer player. She trained as an actor in Chicago and has walked across the entire country of Spain. She is a painter and jewelry-maker, and has at least one artist friend who really does keep his true name a secret from the world. He told her, but don't ask her to tell you—she's not gonna do it. Kate lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her online at www.kateellison.com.

Images and info from Media Masters Publicity

Waiting on Wednesday (102): NOT A DROP TO DRINK and 3:59

NOT A DROP TO DRINK by Mindy McGinnis September 10th, 2013

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water. 
Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.
Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.
But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

Love the sound of this book, the cover rocks too. Why can't it be September??? I need this book! 

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil September 17th, 2013

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.
Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.
Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo. 
Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.
But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.
By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

This one sounds a bit eerie. I like the simple cover, it makes me even more curious about the story.

Looks like September 2013 is going to be a fabulous book month ;)

What are you waiting on this week ? 

Mini-Reviews: BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY and PARTIALS

BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY by Jaclyn Dolamore

Point-of-View: 3rd person

Source: Netgalley

Format: ARC

Refreshingly unique, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY tells a tale of a girl willing go to any lengths to save her sister. Unable to give up on her sister, Esmerine trades her fins for legs and ventures painfully onto land. Esmerine is incredibly endearing in this respect, because she has to withstand intense pain in order to search on land for her missing sister. While the story becomes more predictable as Esmerine draws closer to realizing the truth, the story remains enjoyable and captivating as Esmerine searches for her sister and for her own future. I was so fascinated by the world Dolamore created and how she used her mythology, from the mermaids to the winged people. Overall, an enjoyable story, despite some flaws.

PARTIALS by Dan Wells

Point-of-View: 3rd person

Source: Purchased

Format: Kindle

PARTIALS is a gripping start to what will likely be a fascinating series. Sci-fi fans might feel like they've seen beings like Partials (human-like robotic beings) before, but it doesn't keep this survival story from being thoroughly engrossing. The world building is top notch, as are the characters. There are some issues, like the overly wordy descriptions that feel like a bit too much, and also how everyone thinks Kira is an idiot when it comes to her idea for finding a cure for RM (it's a logical idea, so it seems like the author had everyone disagree for the sake of the plot). But in the end, PARTIALS is one fascinating sci-fi story that left me curious for so much more.

COVERS: Star-Swept Seas, Dream Thieves, and Tandem

I'm pretty much obsessed with book covers (especially reveals!), and these past couple weeks haven't disappointed with the reveals of so many new covers. Check out some below:

         ACROSS A STAR-SWEPT SEA                            THE DREAM THIEVES                      

Like the first cover, and love the Stiefvater cover!! 

INFINITYGLASS                                                 TANDEM

That red pops! And I adore the cover for TANDEM! So simple yet intriguing. 

INHERITANCE                                                        ICONS

 

INHERITANCE looks okay (nice, but not eye-catching). ICONS is fascinating. 

          SNAKEROOT                                       THE DISENCHANTMENTS

 

I hate SNAKEROOT's cover. I adore the new one for LaCour's novel - it fits the story perfectly!

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE 

(Image from USA TODAY)

I have mixed thoughts (it looks great, but am I the only one who thinks Hagrid's head looks unnaturally small for his body? He just doesn't quite look right...I love all the details, though). I'm curious if the font will actually be white, or if they're using some sort of foil....

What new covers have you spotted?