Shelf Candy Saturday No. 272: Freya, by Matthew Laurence

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

Here's my choice for this week!

Freya
 (Freya, Book 1)
Matthew Laurence
Hardcover, 352 pages
Imprint
March 14, 2017
Mythology, Paranormal Fiction,
Urban Fantasy,
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

What an incredibly STUNNING cover!! I found it while browsing on Goodreads, and it totally floored me! Talk about "girl power"! (Btw, it should REALLY be called "female power", or "woman power".) The young woman on the cover just radiates power and confidence! 

I love how the photographer posed the model in front of a graffiti mural, right between those beautiful wings! I happen to LOVE graffiti, too, but the kind that is actually ART, not the type that's just a bunch of sprayed squiggles. THIS particular mural certainly qualifies as real art. (Sadly, the graffiti artist is not credited. But a lot of these artists do tend to remain anonymous.) It's dynamic and vivid, with gorgeous, bright colors. The feathers on the wings are so beautifully detailed, too! 

Another thing I LOVE about the mural is the circle right behind the wings. I ADORE circles!! And this one gives the overall composition such a sense of harmony and wholeness. Well, of course, since it symbolizes how this young woman -- who is in reality the Norse goddess mentioned in the book's title -- is totally in control of herself, and won't allow ANYBODY to mess with her!

All of the colors used on this cover also harmonize very well. Two of them are favorites of mine -- aqua and hot pink. I also love the yellow accents that shoot out from the circle!

The font used for the title is bold and GORGEOUS, as well. It's not really a font, though; this is the type of lettering used on graffiti. Of course, I LOVE it, too!! And the color used on this title is also GREAT! It's a dark green, with aqua borders around the letters. The joining of the letter "e" with the letter "y" is also very effective.

Last but definitely NOT least, are those AWESOME spears that shoot out from behind the goddess's back, as well as the winged helmet that seems poised to come down on her head.

In short, this cover packs a LOT of visual punch!!

The brilliant designer is Ellen Duda, an illustrator and book designer currently based in New York. Before establishing her own freelance business, Duda-Day Illustration & Design, she was a Senior Designer with Imprint, a part of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

I've just added another great artist to my growing list of book illustrators and designers!

And one more thing: this book has GOT to become part of my personal library!! YAAAAASSSS!!!!  :)

Online Links

Website

Interview: Children's Illustrators

LinkedIn

Twitter

 

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!

Shelf Candy Saturday 271: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

Here's my choice for this week!

A Christmas Carol
 Charles Dickens
Christmas Fiction, Classics,
Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This has got to be one of the most LUSCIOUS, STUNNING editions of this timeless classic I've EVER seen! The design is influenced by that most beautiful of 19th-century design movements, Art Nouveau, which has been an obsession of mine ever since I first encountered it, as an Art Major in college. Heck, if I had the money I would live in a house -- it wouldn't have to be a mansion, though -- totally surrounded by furniture, posters (especially those by Alphonse Mucha), lamps, and, of course, books, done in this style!

Although my favorite color is, and will always be, blue, it is at Christmastime that I gain a new appreciation for the color red, especially in a rich, velvety, wine shade. The background of this cover is done in this precise shade. (Interestingly, however, when I tilt my laptop screen at a certain angle, the background color looks brown.... Whatever shade it is, I LOVE it!!) Then there are those GORGEOUS, golden roses..... I can't get over the effect of this combination! The roses really stand out against this beautiful background, and the way they interlace is just.....sheer genius, not to mention exquisite.

In short, I'm in "Book Heaven" just now!!! BLISS!!! Beautiful things have also always attracted me, but when I see a beautiful BOOK, the visual delight I get is like a total.....RUSH. It's not necessary to be on drugs to feel such a thing, either. I get this feeling when something touches me deeply, especially in an aesthetic sense. This book certainly does that!

In addition to all of the above, this book cover totally exemplifies the beauty of the Christmas season. Although the font is a classic one, it's perfect for this cover. It's simple, yet, with the wine-colored background and those interlacing golden roses, it conveys the elegance of this, the loveliest time of year.

And now for my bibliophile's dilemma..... I COVET this book. I WANT this book. It HAS to be mine. You might have noticed, though, that I have not posted any information about this particular edition. I came across this cover on Pinterest, but have absolutely NO idea what publisher it's from, or who the BRILLIANT cover designer is, or how much it costs.... NOTHING. 

What to do?! Well, maybe this book is a rare edition. It certainly looks that way, unfortunately..... I need to check out Alibris and Abebooks. I REALLY need to find this book!!!!

Meanwhile.... I am pining away for this book..... Santa, can you hear me? I'm DESPERATE here!! LOL.  

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 270: Let It Snow, by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

***Late Edition***

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

Here's my choice for this week!

Let It Snow
 John Green, Maureen Johnson,
Lauren Myracle
Trade Paperback, 352 pages
Speak
October 2, 2008
Anthologies, Christmas Romance,
Contemporary Romance
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This is a beautiful cover precisely because of the simplicity of its design. It's also bold and bright! Additionally, it has a touch of whimsy to it, due to those snowflake-shaped paper cutouts. The cover artist also very cleverly included each author's name inside each paper cutout. 

The look of this cover is very clean and uncluttered, as well. The main visual impact is delivered by the paper cutouts, but the font used for the title is great, and very much in keeping with the overall playful feeling of the design. I just have a little quibble about the title; I wish it had been a bit bigger. The red font color would have popped much more, placed against that lovely, gradually shaded, mint-green background.  However, I'm very happy about the fact that those paper snowflakes take up most of the cover! It just makes it SO memorable, I think! 

One more thing about the paper snowflakes: each one is totally unique, which gives the cover some visual variety. Interestingly, the snowflakes are somewhat similar at the same time. The result is, paradoxically, a unified, cohesive design.

Well..... I have been unable to find any information on this cover artist, whose design, in my honest opinion, is not only fun and upbeat, but also brilliant! I do own this book, but alas, have looked for it all through my shelves, and have not found it.... (I need to look through the books that sit BEHIND other books, too, but that is SO time-consuming....lol.) Heck, I have SO many books already crammed into this apartment that I am not sure exactly where many of them are, when I need them at a moment's notice! Lol. On several occasions, I've even bought the same book TWICE, having forgotten that I already owned it.....only to come across the first copy a few days after buying the second one!! LOL, LOL, LOL. Oh, the woes of a die-hard bookworm!  :)

  
 

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!

Surprise Shelf Candy Saturday Favorite Cover Giveaway!!!!!.

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!!
WELCOME TO THE CHRISTMAS
SEASON!!!!

You can WIN one of these YA books from The Book Depository!!

Just let me know which cover is your favorite, and WHY!!

This giveaway starts at midnight

today, 11/24/18, and ends

at midnight on 12/16/18!!!

Before you enter, make sure 

TBD delivers to your country!

Just click HERE.

Also, be SURE to leave a

meaningful comment!

Each entry will be verified!!

You MUST be at least 13 yeas old

to enter this giveaway, and will have 

48 hours after

my email notification to

claim your prize!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!!

Shelf Candy Saturday/Sci-Fi Month!! Electric Gardens, by M. Black

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

***Late Edition***

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

This week, I'm also linking up
to Sci-Fi Month!!

This is an exciting event, hosted by 

Lisa @ Dear Geek Place 

and imyril @ onemore.org!!

For more information, and to 
join in, please refer 
to my Announcement Post
for this event!!

 

Here's my choice for this week!

Electric Gardens
 (Electric World, Book 1)
M. Black
Trade Paperback, 277 pages
Creativia
March 24, 2018
Dystopia, Fantasy,
Science Fiction
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This cover totally fits the theme of its title! The entire image is full of crackling energy, not only from the sharp, ice-blue patterns of light that are reflected in the cracked glass, but also from the young woman's defiant stare.

Even if I had not known beforehand, I would have guessed that this is a dystopian novel. The young woman seems to be a prisoner who has managed to break free, but apparently, has been caught in the act. Either that, or she is being observed by someone whom she is trying to put into the category of friend or foe.

I love how the pattern of light on the cracked glass effectively frames the young woman's figure, how the cover artist has made the viewer focus on her, to the exclusion of all else. 

I also love how her weapon, which is some sort of crossbow rifle, is pointed upward, thus leading the eye to the title, which is done in an appropriately "electric" font. The illusion of metal on what would otherwise have been a very boring font is quite effective! 

Additionally, it seems to me that the cracked glass is a metaphor for a futuristic society that has started to fall apart; the facade of a perfect state of affairs has, in fact, cracked. So, this young woman is quite possibly one of the first rebels. Oh, I LOVE that!!

When I opened the Amazon preview for this book and went to the Copyright page, the only name I saw for the cover art was "Cover Mint". I then went to Google and searched, coming up with a website for an e-book design company -- Cover Mint Design. The cover artist is also the owner of this company. He is Dan Van Oss, a graphic designer based in Solon, Iowa, USA. He specializes in covers for science fiction, fantasy, and thrillers, and is also an author himself. This cover is absolutely brilliant, and Mr. Van Oss has a very impressive portfolio. How interesting that he's also an author!

Online Links

Cover Mint Design

Goodreads

Portfolio

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 267: The Chaos of Stars, by Kiersten White

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

***Late Edition***

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

Here's my choice for this week!

The Chaos of Stars
 Kiersten White
Hardcover, 277 pages
HarperTeen
September 10, 2013
Mythology, Paranormal Fiction,
Romance, Urban Fantasy
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

My first reaction, upon coming across this cover, was that it looked as if thousands of lapis lazuli stones had been strewn all over it! Some are lighter, some are darker, but they are all a lovely shade of blue, my favorite color. This has created a very beautiful, grainy background that perfectly sets off the cover's design.

The contrast between the background and the design superimposed on it is amazingly GORGEOUS! The gold tone of the design really stands out. I love all the detailed artwork depicting typical Egyptian flora and fauna. It's so delicately done! 

The font used for the title and author's name contributes to the delicate, detailed look of this cover. Although a classic one, it has been altered in very interesting ways. First of all, the letters have been made taller and thinner. Next, some of them have "grown" these graceful little loops that hook some of the letters together. Last, the ending strokes of the "A" and the "R" of the word "STARS" have been extended to blend into the flowers and branches located at the lower right-hand corner. The same thing has been done with the word "The" and the word "CHAOS". In additon to this, the word "CHAOS" also links up with the word "of". What a lovely touch! 

In short, this is a STUNNING cover with a rich, jeweled look -- totally fitting for a book about Egyptian mythology! 

In this particular case, I have been unable to locate any information about the highly talented cover artist who created this luscious cover..... The Amazon reading preview has been no help at all, and a Google search has also failed to yield any information. I guess I'll just have to wait until I actually own this book to see who the cover artist is.....


 

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 266: City of Heavenly Fire, by Cassandra Clare

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

***Late Edition***

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

Here's my choice for this week!

City of Heavenly Fire
(The Mortal Instruments, Book 6) 
Cassandra Clare
Hardcover, 725 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
May 27, 2014
Paranormal Romance,  Urban Fantasy
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

I really should feature the covers of this entire series, because they're ALL GORGEOUS! I'm referring to the original hardback covers, though. The newer ones, for the paperback edition, are not quite as nice. And the thing is, I happen to own all six books of this series, too -- the original hardbacks!! (I've only read the first one.....)

I featured the very first cover of this series -- City of Bones -- in a previous SCS post. And it's been much TOO long! That post is dated September 29, 2012!! OMG!! I was still "a baby blogger".....LOL. You can access that post HERE.

As you will see, if you compare that post with the one you're reading now, I've changed quite a few things in this meme format. One of the most important changes is the font color. I no longer color-code my post text to a color from the cover I'm discussing in the post. I think this change now makes these posts much easier to read, lol. 

But on to this LUSCIOUS cover! The composition is a simple one. What really stands out is the strange, glowing tattoos on the young woman pictured on the cover. She is Clary, the female protagonist of this series. When the series starts out, she doesn't seem all that important, but, as it progresses, it turns out that she is a very powerful person. This really shows in this incredibly BEAUTIFUL illustration! The tattoos allude to this power, and this is emphasized by her clenched left fist, as well as the dagger she firmly holds in her right hand. Her bright red hair, billowing out before her, also seems to allude to her power. 

I think that her male companion is Jace, her love interest in these novels. He is a Nephilim, one of the winged descendants of angels who fight the villains in the series. Interestingly, he is portrayed in shadow, and is staring intently at Clary. I think this is a veiled reference to the fact that he is a Shadowhunter. (However, so is Clary.) The contrast between the two is very marked. His attention is focused on her, as if to see what she's going to do next. She, however, is staring out at the city -- New York, in the novels -- and her mind seems to be focused on how to beat back the evil that has taken over, or is threatening to take over, the city. 

The dominant colors on this cover are the bright red and the soft lavender and purple. What a striking combination! This presents a very dynamic contrast, as well. 

The font is a classic one, but has been slightly enhanced. It fits in very well with the rest of the cover, and does not distract the viewer from the large image. 

I do have a slight quibble, though. I wish the line, "Prepare to be hooked", had not been placed on the cover. It just makes the cover a bit too busy.

The absolutely BRILLIANT cover artist is the AMAZING Cliff Nielsen! I LOVE this guy's art for book covers!! His command of a realistic, yet fantastical, style is nothing short of awe-inspiring. His characters seem alive and vibrant, and his compositions are dominated by very dynamic colors and contrasts.

Nielsen is not only a book illustrator (he specializes in digital art), but a comic book artist, as well. According to the Internet Speculative Fiction Database, he has created cover art for more than 500 covers for books and magazines published since 1994. Nielsen is best known for his work on Star Wars, The X-Files, and The Chronicles of Narnia. (Source: Wikipedia)

A 1994 graduate of the ArtCenter College of Design, in Pasadena, California, Nielsen is now a teacher there. The courses at this school are geared to fine artists and graphic designers.

Nielsen's work has been acclaimed by the Society of Illustrators, as well as Print and Spectrum magazines. Nielsen himself has served as a judge for the Society of Illustrators. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.

Online Links

Wikipedia 
Urban Fantasy Wiki

Star Trek Wikia

Behance
Facebook

Illustration Portfolio

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!