Shelf Candy Saturday No. 254: The Surface Breaks, by Louise O'Neill

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 Surface Breaks
Louise O'Neill
Hardcover, 320  pages
Scholastic
May 3, 2018
Fairy Tale Retellings, Feminist Fiction,
Mythology, Romance,
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This is a very whimsical-looking, lovely cover! And how ironic, too, since, according to the reviews I've read on Goodreads, this book is a rather dark, adult novel, in spite of the references to "The Little Mermaid", and in spite of the "Young Adult Fiction" category. So I would say that this cover is a bit misleading, because it sure looks like something created by the Disney Company!

Well, in spite of my comments above, I do love this cover! It's symmetrical, in a way, but not entirely. The objects on each side do not exactly mirror each other, but there's a sense of unity throughout. I love all of these symbolic objects, too! They each point to an element in the story, I'm sure. I haven't read this novel, so I really don't know, but I would imagine so.

The most salient feature of the cover is actually the mermaid's hair. It flows around the edges, framing the title and author's name. This is a very creative, lovely effect! And the red contrasts very well with the other colors on this cover, too.

I also love those sea plants at the bottom of the cover. Again, the contrast with the young girl's hair is very nice!

The only hint that this book is not a happily-ever-after Disney tale is the mermaid's downcast expression. This is the one discordant element in the whole cover. Perhaps this was meant as a rather sardonic note in the whole composition.

This brings me to the only thing I don't like about this cover: it's much too "Disneyish" for the story being told, which is, as I stated above, much darker. This retelling is actually in keeping with the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, which is indeed a rather sad one. Other than this misleading aspect, though, I am enchanted with the illustration!

As for the font used for the title and author's name, it's fine, as it's similar to the one used for the cartoon movie, and thus, is a reference to it.

Unfortunately, I've been unable to locate any information about this terrific cover artist..... I will do another search later on today, as it's now pretty late. Lol. If I find anything, I'll come back and update the post. Gotta hit the sack now!  :)

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

Can't Wait Wednesday No. 48: Bright Burns the Night, by Sara B. Larson

Welcome to "Can't Wait Wednesday"!

   

This is a weekly event hosted by

Tressa @ Wishful Endings, and inspired by "Waiting On Wednesday", which used to be hosted by

 Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

For more information, please click HERE.

As in the previous meme, this one showcases future releases  we book  bloggers 
are eagerly anticipating!!
There's also a Linky widget, so participating blogs can link up!

Here's my choice for this week!

 Bright Burns the Night

(Untitled Duology, Book 2)

Sara B. Larson

Hardcover, 320 pages

Scholastic Press

     May 29, 2018       

Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult 

Ten years ago, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom Dorjhalon defeated Queen Evelayn and cut her conduit stone from her. Since then, he has kept her trapped in her swan form. With the loss of balance between Dark and Light, winter has descended and the Draíolon of Éadrolan lose more power every day. But once a year, Lorcan transforms her back to her Draíolon form and offers a truce. And every year Evelayn refuses -- for he requires her to Bind herself to him for life.

But now, with an Ancient power bearing down upon them, everything may change. Evelayn will learn that the truths she once believed have shattered, and that she may need her enemies even more than her allies. Lorcan and Evelayn become partners in a desperate quest to return the balance of power to Lachalonia. How far will this partnership go? Can friendship -- perhaps even love -- bloom where hatred has taken root?

Sara B. Larson delivers a thrillingly romantic and hauntingly satisfying end to this extraordinary duology.

Why I can't wait for this one!

I've had the first book on my Goodreads shelves for a while now, and was thrilled to see that there's a sequel coming! This is a beautiful retelling of the story of Odette, first immortalized in the ballet "Swan Lake", by Tchaikovsky. I ADORE fairy tale retellings!!

 I do wish this were at least a trilogy, though.....but heck, I have to read  Dark Breaks the Dawn first! Lol. I LOVE both covers, and the plot of each is also very compelling! And those titles are so poetic......I've just added Bright Burns the Night to my shelves as well!

Here's the previous book in this 

exciting duology!! Click on the

cover for the Goodreads page.

Sara B. Larson is the author of the acclaimed YA fantasy Defy, and the sequels Ignite and Endure. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. 

Sara lives in Utah with her husband and their three children. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day (while mourning the demise of naptime) and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction.

Blog/Goodreads/Facebook
Amazon/Twitter 

What do you think of my
choice this week? 
Please leave a comment and
let me know!

  

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 227: Scepter of Fire, by Vicki L. Weavil

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!

Scepter of Fire
(The Mirror of Immortality, Book 2)
Vicki L. Weavil
Trade Paperback, 272 pages
Snowy Wings Publishing, 2nd ecition
May 16, 2017
   Fairy Tale Retellings, Fantasy,Romance,
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This is the sequel to Crown of Fire, which I featured last week (click HERE), and its design is no less impressive than the design of that other exquisite cover! I do prefer the color scheme in that first cover, but this one has its own fiery beauty.

This book is a continuation of the story in the first one, which is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story, "The Snow Queen". There are some new plot elements, of course, but the story still revolves around the Queen's world.

With this cover, all of the coldness of an ice world has disappeared, and, instead, we have a scene in which a magical portal, surrounded by flames, has appeared in front of a young woman. She seems to hesitate just before she steps into that portal, and heck, I sure don't blame her! I would hesitate, too, if I were that close to flames! However, it looks as if the world on the other side of the portal is a serene one, from the glimpse we get of the bird flying calmly overhead.

There are obvious stylistic similarities between these two covers; we have the same mirror effect, with the frame surrounding the scene. The decorations around the frame are the same ones depicted on the first cover, except that these have a brownish tone. On closer inspection, the frame looks like it's made of old, burnished gold.

In spite of the different color tones, the theme of a lone young woman is also the same, although, in this cover, she's turned completely away from the viewer, whereas on the cover of Crown of Ice, the young woman's profile is partially visible.

The warmth radiated by this cover is almost palpable. The colors are perfect for autumn, too -- orange, brown, gold, with a splash of red near the bottom edge. The young woman's hair is red. Just as the first cover is a winter one, this second cover is definitely an autumn one.

The classic font is just as striking here as it is on the first cover. I especially like how part of the letter "R" extends down in a dramatic "slash" behind the number "2".

Of course, this STUNNING cover is also the work of the BRILLIANT cover artists at "Deranged Doctor Design"! As I mentioned in last week's post, this is a group of cover artists who create covers for self-published authors. I was also unable to find out which one of them was responsible for this second cover, but it's obvious that the same artist who created the first cover also created the one above.  

Be sure to check out the links below for more samples of the work of these AMAZING cover artists! They are already on my list of favorite cover illustrators and designers, of course! And, I will be featuring more of their great covers in future "Shelf Candy Saturday" posts!!

Online Links
Deranged Doctor Design Website

Book Cover Design Portfolio
DDD Team

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

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 226: Crown of Ice, by Vicki L. Weavil

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!

Crown of Ice
(The Mirror of Immortality, Book 1)
Vicki L. Weavil
Trade Paperback, 216 pages
Snowy Wings Publishing, 2nd ecition
April 30, 2017
   Fairy Tale Retellings, Fantasy,Romance,
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This exquisite cover is as beautifully detailed as a fine piece of jewelry, or perhaps an ornate tapestry. At first glance, I thought the predominant color was blue, but, on closer inspection, I noticed that it was really green. There are several shades of the color all over the cover.

There is an ethereal, magical quality to this cover that is perfect for this novel, which is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's famous story, "The Snow Queen". And it's obviously the Queen herself who is portrayed here. She is pensive, perhaps pondering a dilemma or decision. A wolf off to the side is staring at her. They are surrounded by an icy, magical landscape.

I love the star-like glow around the Queen's head and shoulders. It is, I think, the glow of magical power, although it also seems to emanate from the hills in the distance. I love her simple, flowing dress, her long blonde hair that cascades over her back in twisting strands. I also love the fact that the whole scene is framed, as if in a mirror, which also fits in with the novel's theme. The frame reminds me of similar Renaissance designs I've seen in Art History books.

The font used for the title, subtitle, and author's name is a classic one, although it has been slightly altered. One very nice touch is that part of the letter "W" wraps over the "O", effectively forming a crown.

When I opened the Amazon preview for this book, the cover designer was listed as "Deranged Doctor Design". This is a group of cover artists who create covers for self-published authors. I was unable to find out which one of them was responsible for the STUNNING cover above, though. Perhaps all of their covers are created through collaboration. They do have a page on their website titled "DDD Team", and their names are listed there. However, only their first names, or nicknames, are listed, with very scant biographical information about each artist. The main ones seem to be Milo, Marushka, and "Kitten". There are samples of covers they have individually created. The cover above is not shown on this page, although it is included on their Portfolio page, under the category of "Young Adult Fantasy". Still, there's no individual attribution.

Whatever the case may be, the fact is that these artists are just BRILLIANT! A look at their portfolio will make that very clear! I'm bookmarking their website!

Online Links
Deranged Doctor Design Website

Book Cover Design Portfolio
DDD Team

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

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 224: The Amaranth Enchantment, by Julie Berry

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 Amaranth enchantment
Julie Berry
Hardcover, 320 pages
Bloomsbury USA Children's
March 15, 2009
   Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance,
Young Adult Fiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

Beautiful images can be created not only with paintbrushes and canvas, but with the camera and computer, as well. This is certainly one of them! I LOVE this composition! The lighting is perfect, the colors GORGEOUS, the dress BEAUTIFUL, and that flower, so strategically placed, is STUNNING. 

The background colors perfectly complement the ones in the dress, and actually blend in with them. Basically, the image contains tones of green and red, so perfectly and beautifully balanced, the viewer can scarcely tell where one begins and the other ends.

The dress is beautifully designed, as well. I LOVE all the detailed embroidery on it, as well as its medieval-looking design. 

The model also has a wonderfully enigmatic expression which reminds me of the Mona Lisa, and she looks very sweet, although I do see a certain steel in her eyes, as she steadily gazes out at the viewer.

The title has a nice combination of two fonts, and emphasizes the word "amaranth", which I think is very effective. I also like the contrast between this word and the rest of the title, which uses a classical font.

In short, I do think that this cover is a true masterpiece of book design, and I can't understand why this book is not yet in my collection, as I also LOVE the plot!

Who is responsible for this brilliant cover? Well, her name is Donna Mark, and she's the Art Director at Bloomsbury Publishing. I have only been able to find one link for her -- an interview posted on the blog, A Backwards Story. This interview is from June 1, 2012, and you can access it HERE. Now I'm wondering who the awesome photographer was..... there's no information on that person in the Amazon preview....

And here's yet ANOTHER name to add to my list of favorite cover artists and designers!!

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

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 220: A Thousand Nights. by E.K. Johnston

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!!

A Thousand Nights
(A Thousand Nights, Book 1)
E.K. Johnston
Hardcover, 336 pages
Disney-Hyperion
October 6, 2015
   Fairy Tale Retellings, Fantasy,
Romance, Young Adult Fiction
 

My Thoughts About This Cover

Although I usually prefer covers where images are the main feature, I do enjoy highlighting those where calligraphy is the star. This is one such cover. 

The calligraphy here is SO richly ornate, so exquisitely beautiful! I see a slight Art Deco influence here, but it's been embellished by several graceful, sensuous, ornamental curves that give this cover a very feminine feel. 

Especially interesting are the words surrounding the title, which then become part of the design. These words are done in a more ornate style, and are also very beautiful. They are not very easy to read, because of all the curlicues, but that doesn't detract from their effectiveness. They are colored gray, which forms a nice contrast with the gold used in the title itself, which, of course makes the title stand out more.  The overall impression is one of shimmering elegance. The golden tone of the words in the title also contribute to this effect, as well as alluding to the fact that the plot involves royalty, as gold is the color of royalty.

I have to add that, before I finished this post, I looked at the cover again, and was able to make out the words, "She will stitch her own secrets" at the very top of the design. What a poetic phrase! And how very mysterious, as well. 

Something else, in reference to the the words. I have posted a link below to an interview of the artist. In that interview, mention is made of a Star Trek joke in the words that are part of the design. I honestly couldn't make out the words of this joke, lol. It's supposed to read: "Sokath, his eyes uncovered", and it comes from the New Generation episode, "Darmok". Gosh, now I like this cover even more!! 

Another interesting visual element is the figure of the young woman floating in mid-air, surrounded by the golden ribbon that "falls" from the letters in the title. This, of course, is a reference to the book's female protagonist. She seems to be either dreaming, or in a trance. This is a referenee to the fantasy atmosphere she creates with her stories. 

I also love how the ribbon that becomes the title paradoxically seems to flow upward from the palace at the bottom of the cover. It's as if the castle were representing Aladdin's lamp, and the title were emerging like smoke from it. It's an entirely lovely effect! I also LOVE the overall circular shape of this "smoke".

The background colors help the entire design stand out, and the lighter color surrounding the palace also makes it stand out.

I do have a couple of quibbles here, though. The author's name should have been a bit bigger, I think. Furthermore, I wish the writing at the top of the cover had not been included. But that's it. I LOVE this cover anyway!!

The BRILLIANT designer behind this GORGEOUS cover is Marci Senders, the Lead Designer at Disney-Hyperion. Originally from Brooklyn, she is based in NYC. In addition to being a children's book designer, she also likes to crochet, create altered books, and do illustrations. 

Senders attended Tyler School of Art, of Temple University, where she graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design. 

And here's yet another name to add to my list of favorite book illustrators/designers!

 

Online Links

Interview: Diana Sousa Blog
LinkedIn

Twitter
Facebook
 

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