Cover Concepts = This Week's Releases

Like I mentioned in the last Cover Concepts of 2014, I decided I was going to change up how I do these posts in the new year. For starters, it is no longer going to be called Cover Concepts because there is a very good chance that I won't be just talking about the covers (I hope to have a new title banner by next week, but first I have to figure out how to make one that looks good!). Instead, it's going to be called This Week's Releases from now on, and it will be every Sunday instead of Monday as it was in 2014. I just did not love writing the Cover Concepts posts anymore, and since it's something I should enjoy, I decided to switch it up. Now, I am going to discuss the releases of the week that I am super excited about, and why. Some weeks there may be a dozen books, sometimes there may be two or three, and sometimes there may be none at all. That's alright though, since it's just about books I am actually interested in! So, here we go, the first This Week's Releases post!

Week #1: January 5 - 10

 1. The Ghosts of Heaven by Marcus Sedgwick 

Release Date: January 6

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 336

Why I Want to Read it: This book sounds unlike anything that I have ever read before. It sounds like intertwining stories that go through different decades and time periods, so that is an interesting concept. Along with that, I have heard wonderful things about Marcus Sedgwick and his books, so I really do want to give this a try. The cover definitely is pretty, too.

Synopsis:  

A bold, genre-bending epic that chronicles madness, obsession, and creation, from the Paleolithic era through the Witch Hunts and into the space-bound future.
Four linked stories boldly chronicle madness, obsession, and creation through the ages. Beginning with the cave-drawings of a young girl on the brink of creating the earliest form of writing, Sedgwick traverses history, plunging into the seventeenth century witch hunts and a 1920s insane asylum where a mad poet's obsession with spirals seems to be about to unhinge the world of the doctor trying to save him. Sedgwick moves beyond the boundaries of historical fiction and into the future in the book's final section, set upon a spaceship voyaging to settle another world for the first time. Merging Sedgwick's gift for suspense with science- and historical-fiction, Ghosts of Heaven is a tale is worthy of intense obsession.

 2. Frostfire by Amanda Hocking

Series: The Kanin Chronicles #1

Release Date: January 6

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 321

Why I Want to Read it: I have been hearing about this book for awhile, so it has been on my radar. I am always intrigued by strong female characters who want to prove themselves, and this story seems to be just that. It's a start to another series, and I love series, plus I heard wonderful things about Amanda Hocking's previous series. Also, again, the cover is really pretty.

Synopsis:
Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes.
Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royal family. She's not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden.
But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero she once loved – begins kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?

 3. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Release Date: January 6

Publisher: Knopf

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 384

Why I Want to Read it: I have heard so much talk about this book, and apparently it is going to be amazing. It has been compared to The Fault in Our Stars, which made my top ten books in 2014. I just really like the premise, and it seems like the kind of story I would enjoy. I definitely love the line in the description that goes: "a beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die." That line is beautiful, and I already have this book on pre-order.

Synopsis:
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

4. There Will be Lies by Nick Lane

Release Date: January 6

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 464

Why I Want to Read it: I actually did not know anything about this book until yesterday as I was looking through the upcoming releases. I was initially struck by the bright cover, but then I was intrigued by the title as well. From the synopsis, it seems like it's going to be a bit of a thriller, and I really enjoyed the ones that I picked up last year. It may have been a bit of a whim, but this one does sound very intriguing, so I pre-ordered it as well.

Synopsis:
In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car.
Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.
All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.

What releases are you excited about this week?

Cover Concepts | December 28 - 31

Happy Monday! Welcome to the feature Cover Concepts on my blog. Every Monday I am going to create a post with all of the young adult book covers that are releasing within the week. I will then tell you all what I think about the covers; If I love them, or if I think that they could be better. At the end of the post, I will give you all a chance to vote on your favorite cover of the week. As I pick a lot of my reads based on their covers, this seemed like the perfect feature for me to begin on the blog. Feel free to leave comments with your opinions of the covers as well, and we can discuss them! :]

This Week: It is the last Cover Concepts of 2014! While I am going to continue the idea in 2015, you are going to see some changes to the posts as well. I will wait to share those during the first CC post of 2015, though! As this week only covers four days, there will not be too much to talk about, just like last week, but I did still want to share. 

1. After Us by Amber Hart - December 30

Before & After #2

 Thoughts: Well, it certainly goes with the cover of the first book in the series, so that is a good start. It is not nearly as creepy as the cover of book one, either (go look at it, their faces look pretty creepy, and I don't really understand why). I don't love cover models, as you know, but at least they're pretty dark and not quite kissing. It could be worse. I do like the font and color of the title.

2. Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass - December 31

Thoughts: I think that this is actually pretty nice for being so simple. Sometimes simple can be better, in my opinion. I think that the colors are great and go well together, and the different fonts look cute together. I think that the heart with all of the pins is an interesting idea too, and gives us some insight about what sorts of things the book might contain (pain, anyone?).

3. Hidden by Donna Jo Napoli - December 30

Thoughts: This definitely looks like a historical fiction, which I guess is probably a good thing since that is exactly what it is. The colors work really well together, and make the book look very pretty and classic. Everything works together, and the only thing I really don't like about it is the symbol behind the title. I am not sure why everyone thinks they need to do that.

Which of the three covers is your favorite this week?

Cover Concepts | December 21 - 27

Happy Monday! Welcome to the feature Cover Concepts on my blog. Every Monday I am going to create a post with all of the young adult book covers that are releasing within the week. I will then tell you all what I think about the covers; If I love them, or if I think that they could be better. At the end of the post, I will give you all a chance to vote on your favorite cover of the week. As I pick a lot of my reads based on their covers, this seemed like the perfect feature for me to begin on the blog. Feel free to leave comments with your opinions of the covers as well, and we can discuss them! :]

1. Transcendent by Lesley Livingston - December 23

Starling #3

 Thoughts: It seriously looks like the shirt is painted onto the model, so that is really strange. Her face makes her look completely unimpressed and unfriendly too, so I'm not sure if that's good or bad. The colors do not seem to go together at all, either. The background is bright and beautiful, and she looks so out of place. The cover does match the other two in the series though, so there is that.

Unfortunately, this is the only book listed for this week on the list I use. :/ I am sure that things will pick up as the new year begins! What do you guys think of this cover?

Cover Concepts | December 7 - 13

Happy Monday! Welcome to the feature Cover Concepts on my blog. Every Monday I am going to create a post with all of the young adult book covers that are releasing within the week. I will then tell you all what I think about the covers; If I love them, or if I think that they could be better. At the end of the post, I will give you all a chance to vote on your favorite cover of the week. As I pick a lot of my reads based on their covers, this seemed like the perfect feature for me to begin on the blog. Feel free to leave comments with your opinions of the covers as well, and we can discuss them! :]

This Week: Welcome back to another week of cover round ups. I am pretty excited about this week because there are several awesome books releasing (at least, I've heard that they are awesome!). I cannot believe how close we are to 2015, and I do plan to continue this feature into the new year. Would you guys be interested in seeing these posts with the new year? Let me know in the comments. 

1. For Real by Alison Cherry - December 9

Thoughts: This cover is fairly cute, though I don't quite understand why this summer book is being released in December. It doesn't seem to match the current mood most readers are in, but to each their own. I don't usually like cover models, but these are okay for a light contemporary book. I do think that the font and color of the title is great, though.

2. Little White Lies by Katie Dale - December 9

Thoughts: From what I could figure out, this book is either releasing in the US for the first time, or they are re-releasing it with a new look. I can't be quite sure. Honestly, I hope that it's not just a re-release because the other cover I found was much better. This is okay, I suppose, though the colors are a bit strange and dull. Nothing really stands out very much on this one.

3. Now That You're Here by Amy K. Nichols - December 9

Duplexity #1

Thoughts: This is one of the worst ones I have seen in awhile, if I'm being completely honest. It's way too busy and random, and I just don't get the idea of it. It tells the reader nothing about the story. I don't like how the people are in the letters, either. It looks weird having their arms hanging out like that...I just don't like it.

4. Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay - December 9

Thoughts: I really, really want to like this cover because I have already heard so many great things about this book, but I can't say that I like this cover very much. The girl looks really awkward in the pose, and the font is a little too literal for my taste. I think that they probably could have done a lot better on this, so it's disappointing.

5. No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown - December 9

 Thoughts: I have been in love with this cover ever since I first saw it, and I think it's easy to see why that is. First of all, no cover model, so that is a wonderful start! I love the map and the heart marking a spot on it. I don't even mind the tagline, even though they have never been my favorite thing. I do enjoy the font and color of the title as well.

6. Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas - December 9

Thoughts: I LOVE this cover. I love how they managed to put a model on the cover without it being the same old thing as usual (and I love that we can't see her face. Is that awful? Probably). I think that the background color is very pretty, and the black pops perfectly on it. I think that all of the colors look wonderful together, in fact. I really want this book for my shelf.

7. Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes - December 9

Falling Kingdoms #3

Thoughts: I have been hearing a lot about this series lately; everyone seems to own the books or has already read them. I guess I am behind. I am surprised that I didn't know another book in the series was coming out this month. This cover is pretty nice, just like the other two in the series so far. I'm not sure that I love the purple color, but everything else looks wonderful. I mean, look at the knife thing he's holding. Crazy!

8. Zodiac by Romina Russell - December 9

Zodiac #1

Thoughts: I think that this cover is pretty interesting; there is a lot going on, so it takes a few moments to take it all in. Sometimes this can be a bad thing because it means things are busy, but I think that it actually works here. I think that the colors are great, as are the constellations. It gives an idea of what the reader can expect with the book, which is always great.

Which cover is your favorite this week?

Cover Concepts | December 1 - 6

Happy Monday! Welcome to the feature Cover Concepts on my blog. Every Monday I am going to create a post with all of the young adult book covers that are releasing within the week. I will then tell you all what I think about the covers; If I love them, or if I think that they could be better. At the end of the post, I will give you all a chance to vote on your favorite cover of the week. As I pick a lot of my reads based on their covers, this seemed like the perfect feature for me to begin on the blog. Feel free to leave comments with your opinions of the covers as well, and we can discuss them! :]

This Week: I skipped a couple of weeks of Cover Concepts in November because there were not a lot of books being released during the month. It seems like we might have a few more being released in December, so I plan to start these posts up once again! Leave some comments telling me what you think about this weeks' covers! 

1. Vicious by Sara Shepard - December 2

Pretty Little Liars #16

 Thoughts: I feel like book fifteen released this year as well, right? I can't believe they are already on book sixteen, that seems crazy. There is not much to say about this cover; it looks just like all of the others in the serious, and is incredibly simple. I am not a fan of the odd looking doll girls, though the font is fine. I'm not in love with the black background, though I suppose it's better than some of the annoyingly bright colors they usually go with.

2. Black Knight by Christopher Pike - December 2

Witch World #2

Thoughts: It looks like this series has already gone through a cover change. Sadly, this one is actually better than the original cover, so that should tell you something about it. This cover is not great at all. The images are cropped together oddly; the hand looks strangely bigger than it should, and I'm not sure why they made it look like she is kissing the crystal ball. I do like the purple color, but that's about the only plus for me.

3. Seduction by Molly Cochran - December 2

Legacy #3

Thoughts: Here is another series that seems to have gone through a cover change, though these ones are certainly for the better. In fact, the new covers make me want to buy the whole series despite not knowing anything about the actual books. They dropped the cover models (thank goodness), for pretty objects instead. Book one has a ring and book two a book, and this third cover fits perfectly together with them. It's simple, but very pretty.

4. Diamond Boy by Michael Williams - December 2

Thoughts: This book cover really is quite intriguing, especially after reading the synopsis of the book. It's very interesting (and a little creepy) that the diamonds seem to make up a face of a skeleton. I suppose that is probably the point, though. I think that the colors are perfect, and I do like the title font as well. 

5. Boundary by Heather Terrell - December 2

Books of Eva #2

Thoughts: Oh no, awful cover models! I do believe that this was another cover change for a series (wow, they sure do that a lot, don't they?). This is another one that I do not understand, though. Book one looked just fine with scenery and a symbol instead of people, so I'm not sure why they needed to change it up. The people look creepy, and it tell the reader nothing about the story. This is completely unsuccessful and unattractive.

6. Valley of Fires by Barton Mitchell - December 2

Conquered Earth #3

Thoughts: I do think that this cover is pretty well done, though I would say that book one and two in the series look much better than this one. I am a purple fan, so the color is pretty good, though I still think the other two are better. The scenery and title symbol are pretty cool, though I think that it would have been okay to leave off the people or fade them into the background a bit more.

7. The Boy with the Hidden Name by Skylar Dorset - December 2

Otherworld #2

Thoughts: This one certainly goes with the first book in the series, though I'm not sure how I feel about that one quite yet either. I do think that the idea is interesting, though where his arm is going through the ripple looks a bit off. It doesn't look like it's actually in the reflection. This one is fine, but I have seen much better covers.

Which cover is your favorite this week?

Cover Concepts: November 2 - 8

Happy Monday! Welcome to the feature Cover Concepts on my blog. Every Monday I am going to create a post with all of the young adult book covers that are releasing within the week. I will then tell you all what I think about the covers; If I love them, or if I think that they could be better. At the end of the post, I will give you all a chance to vote on your favorite cover of the week. As I pick a lot of my reads based on their covers, this seemed like the perfect feature for me to begin on the blog. Feel free to leave comments with your opinions of the covers as well, and we can discuss them! :]

This Week: It seems like we have another huge release week for YA books. There are a lot of books coming out this week that I have already heard a lot about, so they must have quite a bit of hype. Because of the number of releases (about 21) I probably will not provide every single cover, but I will include several of them. Enjoy! 

1. Dangerous Deceptions by Sarah Zettel - November 4

Palace of Spies #2

Thoughts: Compared to the first book in the series, I definitely prefer this cover. The first one had the model really close up, and I am not a fan of that. Still, this is not even close to being a favorite cover of mine. I don't like how the cards look; it looks like she was not actually holding them, but instead they were added in later. The font is okay, though I am not in love with the angle of it.

2. Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers - November 4

His Fair Assassin #3

Thoughts: The covers of this series are absolutely gorgeous! I have heard so much about this series lately, and I do think that some of it might have to do with how great the covers are (maybe that's just me, though). This cover does make me want to pick up the whole series, though.

3. Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - November 4

The Naturals #2

Thoughts: Lots of sequels seem to be releasing this week, which is awesome. Once again, I think that this cover is way better than the first one in the series. I think that the playing card is really neat, and the bloody fingerprint is a great touch. Along with that, I think that the title font is really cool.

4. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray - November 4

Firebird #1

Thoughts: I am in LOVE with this cover. I have been since I first saw it released, actually. I think that the colors are gorgeous, I love how it looks watercolored. I also think it is very interesting to have the two different cities reflecting one another. I think that this is really well done.

5. Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little - November 4

Thoughts: I must be honest, red is not a favorite of mine, so my initial instinct is to look passed this book. However, the cover is quite pretty once I stop to look at it. The only thing that really bothers me is the gold down the side that makes me think of those old Disney books with the gold spines...now that's all I can think about when I look at it.

6. Crashland by Sean Williams - November 4

Twinmaker #2

Thoughts: Is this the first release of this book? I feel like I've seen it before, but perhaps I'm just crazy (that's likely). It does match the first one in the series, but I think the first one looks better. Perhaps I just like this effect better in the black shades than in the white/red like this. The tagline is over used, and the blurring makes the girl look pretty strange.

7. Empire of Shadows by Miriam Forster - November 4

Bhinian Empire #2

Thoughts: This cover is just as wonderful as the first book in the series, and it makes me wonder why I still haven't picked up said first book so that I can read this once when it releases this week. I think that the colors and details are beautiful, and I'm sure that those symbols at the bottom have some sort of meaning...

8. Visitors by Orson Scott Card - November 4

Pathfinders #3

Thoughts: Well, it matches the first two books in the series...almost exactly. I think they just change the angle of the sword/knife and change the background color and call it done. I can't say that I'm a fan of them.

9. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - November 4

Mara Dyer #3

Thoughts: Once again, it definitely matches the other books in the series. I know that tons of people are looking forward to this one. I think that the cover is fine, though the first one in the series is still my favorite. I do think that it's interesting, and we can't see their faces, so it has those things going for it.

10. The Walled City by Ryan Graudin - November 4

Thoughts: I am actually really disappointed with this cover. I think that it had a different one before that I preferred much, much more than this one. This one is just way too bland, and I think that the title is much bigger than it needs to be. There just isn't anything exciting here since it's all the same colors and mostly words.

11. Waistcoats and Weaponry by Gail Carriger - November 4

Finishing School #3

Thoughts: These covers are all spectacular. I want them on my shelves ASAP. This one isn't my favorite of the three, but it's definitely still amazing.

Which covers are your favorites this week?