by Kay | Jan 15, 2011 | Shelf Analysis |
A word of warning. This post is going to be completely and utterly devoted to book covers that freak me out. Scary, scary covers that make me want to hide under my blanket.
I’ve noticed that a few UF/YA covers have taken a bit of an edge to them. Sure, there are still lots of pretty guys and kick-ass girls, but there are more and more that seem to have use stills from horror films as their cover images. Perhaps we’ve just gotten darker and love the goosebumps when get when we see a scary book cover.
0.4 by Mike A. Lancaster
Eep! There are wires plugged into his veins. Seriously, icky icky icky. Reminds me of that scene in the Matrix when Neo wakes up covered in goo. Also, the cover reminds me a little of tentacles. Scary stuff.
The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle
OMG those eyes! I really can’t look at this one too long without feeling like the girl is acccusing me personally. Talk about wanting to run and hide.
The Evil Within by Nancy Holder
Another nightmarish girl on another nightmarish cover. This practically exudes The Exorisist!
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
The Replacement cover is probably the scariest on here. This is so effective at unsettling people because it deals in binary oppositions – the safety and comfort of a baby carriage vs. the danger and cruelty of sharp instruments. Add to that the spooky fog and dead tree: you’ve got the scariest cover known to man. Whoever made this thing was a disturbed genius, and the UK publishers must have been out of their mind when they replaced it with the blah-cover they’re using now (albeit, less likely to make people want to cry when they see at Waterstones).
Rot & Ruin and Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
I adore these covers – at least in the sense that they seriously freak me out. They both have that edge to them that screams horror film to me.
So, which is your favourite (i.e. which ones make you want to hide under the covers!)? Or better yet, have I missed out any truly spooky ones from my list?
by Kay | Nov 19, 2010 | Cover Alert, News |
My GOD, I know it has been an age and a half – but I have been hit by my annual case of reading slump. Usually happens this time of year (seriously, it is clockwork – this must be my 5th annual reading slump?) as this is when I get back into the groove of studying – in this case, working!
Anyhow, I needed to share the awesome news I saw on twitter… the cover to Simone Elkeles’s third book in the Perfect Chemistry trilogy: CHAIN REACTION.
I really like it – albeit not as much as the covers for Rules of Attraction and Perfect Chemistry. I have a feeling it is going to be quite a, er, steamy book… friggin awesome. Anyhow, it will fit perfectly next to the two on my shelves! Super exciting!
Chain Reaction will be out on May 24th, 2011…. So what do y’all think?
by Kay | Oct 26, 2010 | Shelf Analysis |
You might have heard that the Vampire Academy books in the UK are to be re-released with brand new covers. Very exciting, of course, as it is bound to attract more readers – hopefully by the masses. And despite how lovely the new cover is, I can not say that I am a fan. Why? Well, take a look.
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead – New Edition
Finding Sky by Joss Stirling
This book has suffered from its cover, at least on my behalf. I saw it in the store and thought it was Claire de Lune! It wasn’t until I saw The Bookette’s review that I remembered that I had seen this book on the shelves… that said, really want a copy!
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
One of the few times this cover is applicable. Hello, incestuous relationship? Certainly merits a barbed-wire heart.
Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
Not quite as hearty as some of the other covers, but it is still clear what they were going for!
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Love this cover, but my goodness gracious is it ever the same as the cover of Forbidden!
The Fortune of Carmen Navarro by Jen Bryant
This is the US cover, but I think the UK cover will be the same. Lovely ghost-smoke effect… but, er, yeah.
I noticed the glaring similarities between The Dark and Hollow Places and Forbidden a couple of months ago, but it seems that publishers have gone crazy with this new trend. When is unfortunate is that, unless you are really focusing, these covers blur together. Unlike the Twilight-effect on YA covers – which, at least, resulted in some vaguely distinguishable book covers – I have a feeling all of these books will just blend together and then no one will end up buying any of them. *frets* Is no one else worried?
by Kay | Oct 2, 2010 | Cover Alert, News |
Here are a few new book covers that you may or may not have seen about the blogosphere – loads seem to have just come out, but these are the ones I have been waiting for! Some aren’t that fantastic – actually, I’d say most are a bit bland – but what do y’all think?
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson – May 5th 2011 by Orchard Books
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater – July 12th 2011 by Scholastic Press
Bite Club by Rachel Caine – April 2011 by Signet
Defiance by Lili St. Crow – April 2011 by Penguin / Razorbill
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder – UK Cover – January 1st 2011 by Mira Books
by Kay | Aug 28, 2010 | Cover Alert, News |
OMG there is a new cover for The Gathering! Apparently the UK publishers, in their infinite wisdom (and no, I am not being a smart ass this time), decided to revamp the cover for Kelley Armstrong’s first book in her new YA trilogy Darkness Rising. The US cover (which I flailed about here) was all well and good, but I think that this cover is just brilliant.
Isn’t it just lovely? I think there might be a revamp of this version before it comes out, but I am extremely excited nonetheless! Kelley Armstrong wrote about the new UK covers on her Darkest Powers blog, and kindly put up a very high quality version of the cover.
So… what do you think!?
