Shelf Candy Saturday No. 243: Into the Fire, by Elizabeth Moon

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!

Into the Fire
(Vatta's Peace, Book 2)
Elizabeth Moon
Trade Paperback, 400  pages
Orbit
February 6, 2018
Science Fiction, Space Opera,
Military SF, Thrillers

  

My Thoughts About This Cover

I first came across this absolutely STUNNING cover on one of my favorite blogs, Brainfluff, created by British SF writer S.J. Higbee. You can check out the post featuring this book HERE. It's an EXCELLENT review of the Kindle Edition of the novel! (Of course, I would be interested in acquiring the paperback edition instead!)

This cover makes me want to catch the next starship heading out of the solar system! I would LOVE to do some exploring of the planet so beautifully depicted on this cover!  I wish that I were the one standing on that hill, looking out over this beautiful valley, while various kinds of spaceships whizz by....

I don't think it's a coincidence that the author's last name, Moon, is placed almost directly over the moon rising on this alien planet. It might strike some viewers as too contrived, but I would have to disagree. I think it's quite effective. And I like the simple font used, too, as it does not distract the eye from roaming over the whole scene.

Of course, I LOVE the main color scheme here. It's such a gorgeous shade of blue-green! And the mist over the valley gives the scene a very lush, romantic feeling, too. I'm using the word "romantic" in the sense of the 19th-century literary movement -- Romanticism. This cover brings to mind the novels dealing with John Carter's adventures on Mars, in the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This is a type of SF that's highly adventurous and fantastical. This particular novel, though, is classified as "space opera", as well as "military science fiction".

The cover artist has also captured a great sense of atmospheric as well as actual perspective. The hills and mountains in the distance do look as if they're farther away. Furthermore, the young woman staring out at the valley gives the viewer a sense of the scale of the various objects depicted. 

I also love the contrast between the detailed parts of the illustration, and the misty areas that are not so highly detailed. This, along with the other aspects of the cover I've already mentioned, gives the reader the feeling that they're actually looking out a window -- perhaps in one of those spaceships whizzing by -- and seeing this scene. Thus, this brilliant cover artist skillfully places the potential reader of this book right in the middle of the action!

I wish I could include some information about whoever created this incredibly AWESOME cover, but I have been unable to find out anything at all..... The Amazon preview was no help in this case, either. When I clicked on this cover in order to access the book's copyright page, the cover of the hardback edition of the book appeared instead. I tried again, this time with the Kindle edition, and the same thing happened..... Very frustrating, to say the least! We will have to content ourselves with simply admiring this beautiful cover, if only for now. When I buy this book, as I probably will, then I can come back and put in some information about the artist. (Or perhaps S.J., if she visits, can give me that information, which I will then immediately add.)

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

Can't Wait Wednesday No. 55: The Brink of Darkness, by Jeff Giles

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!

 The Brink of Darkness

(The Edge of Everything, Book 2)

Jeff Giles

Hardcover, 400 pages

Bloomsbury YA

     July 3, 2018      

Fantasy, Romance,

Young Adult Fiction 

About the Book

 Things have changed for seventeen-year-old Zoe ever since the otherworldly events that brought her together with the mysterious bounty hunter she calls X. In order to save Zoe and her family, X has done the unthinkable - he's given up his freedom and returned to captivity in the Lowlands.

X is determined to break the lords' hold on him once and for all, but being stripped of his power pushes him toward a darkness he's never experienced and a past he's never known. The secrets that surface could be the key to reuniting X and Zoe... or they could mean the destruction of everything they have been fighting for.

Gripping and full of heart, this epic continuation of Jeff Giles' series - which already has rave reviews from New York Times bestselling authors Kami Garcia, Melissa de la Cruz, and Cassandra Clare, among others - will bring readers right to the edge of everything.

 

Why I can't wait for this one!

Well, of course, it was these STUNNING covers that first caught my eye! But the plots (of both novels; see below) also sound exciting and very compelling! Besides, I LOVE the combination of fantasy, romance, and YA!! I've just come across this series, and only have one book to catch up on. Lol. And when I saw which YA authors were recommending this author, BOOM, I was SOLD on these books!!

This is the BESTSELLING first 
book in the series!!
Click on the cover for the 
Goodreads page!

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

  

Book Tour/Giveaway!! Riley's War: Phase 1, by Kiersten Jackson

Welcome to the tour for 
Riley's War: Phase 1,

sponsored by 

YA Bound Book Tours!!

This tour includes a giveaway!!

Riley's War: Phase 1

Kiersten Jackson

Kindle Edition, 142 pages

Published by Kiersten Jackson

December 4, 2017

Diverse Reads, Fantasy, Science Fiction, 
Young Adult Fiction

ABOUT THE BOOK

The​ ​year’s​ ​2027.

Humanity ​ ​has​ ​split​ ​into​ ​two​ ​halves:​ ​First​ ​World,​ ​the​ ​floating ​ ​plate​ ​above​ ​that​ ​covers​ ​⅓​ ​of​ ​the planet​ ​built​ ​with ​ ​futuristic​ ​technology​ ​and​ ​home​ ​to​ ​56​ ​million​ ​First ​ ​Class​ ​citizens, ​and Second World,​ ​the​ ​Original​ ​Earth​ ​below, ​ ​running​ ​to​ ​ruin​ ​from​ ​war,​ ​famine,​ ​and​ ​poverty.

Recruited ​ ​by​ ​Second​ ​World​ ​from​ ​jail,​ ​Jukebox​ ​is​ ​taken​ ​to ​ ​their​ ​Base,​ ​discovering​ ​files​ ​with dragons,​ ​mythical​ ​shape​ ​shifting​ ​snakes​ ​from​ ​China—even​ ​the​ ​ghost​ ​from​ ​his ​ ​past.​ ​And​ ​when the​ ​dragons​ ​actually​ ​show​ ​up,​ ​threatening ​ ​to​ ​destroy​ ​humanity​ ​within​ ​three​ ​days,​ ​it​ ​doesn’t​ ​make it​ ​any​ ​better.​ ​Not​ ​even​ ​the​ ​androids​ ​and​ ​cyborgs ​ ​that​ ​are​ ​sent​ ​to​ ​kill​ ​him​ ​on​ ​an​ everyday​ ​basis. Maybe ​ ​it’s​ ​because​ ​they’re​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​his​ ​dad​, who​ ​holds all​ ​the​ ​original​ ​secrets​ ​and​ ​truths behind​ ​their​ ​world’s​ ​ destruction,​ ​like​ ​him.

And​ ​when​ ​​it is learned that a comet will hit​ ​both​ ​worlds​ ​soon,​ ​Jukebox​ ​is​ ​faced ​ ​with​ ​the​ ​decision​ ​of fighting​ ​for​ ​his​ ​race​ ​or​ ​himself ​ ​when​ ​the​ ​meteor​ ​is​ ​established​ ​to​ ​contain​ ​a​ ​power that ​ ​could grant​ ​mankind​ ​renewed​ ​life,​ ​or​ ​instantaneous​ ​death—​ ​​his​​ ​power.​ ​Both​ ​worlds​ ​are in competition ​to get​ ​to​ ​ him​ ​and​ ​the​ ​comet​ ​once​ ​learning​ ​Jukebox​ ​can​ ​stop ​ ​it—at​ ​the​ ​price​ ​of​ ​​dying,​​ ​deeming​ ​this battle​ ​as a ​ ​Second​ ​War—Riley’s​ ​War.​ ​And​ ​Jukebox​ ​doesn’t​ ​even​ ​want​ ​ to​ ​​stop​​ ​it.

Riley's​ ​War:​ ​Phase​ ​1​ ​is​ ​a ​ ​powerful,​ ​explosive​ ​sci-fi​ ​YA​ ​fantasy​ ​and​ ​action/adventure complete​ ​at​ ​38,600​ ​words​ ​with​ ​undeniable​ ​series​ ​potential​ ​ that​ ​would​ ​appeal​ ​to​ ​fans​ ​of​ ​diverse POC with​ LGBTQIA+ ​main​ ​characters​ ​and​ ​supporting​ ​cast.

BOOK EXCERPTS

I smirked. Obsidian froze, then began to grin, letting me go. “I like your style.” he leered. “You’re a nice kid. Nice hair. What’s your name?” 

“Jukebox.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Huh.” He nodded his head a couple times, placing his hand underneath his chin. He whipped his head around to face me. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” I answered.

***************

“What phase is this in?” I asked him. 

“Phase 1.” he answered. “Time is running out. Make your decision.” 

“I’m not coming back.” 

A blade slammed down on top of me.

Purchase Links
Amazon US/Amazon UK/Amazon CA


GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kiersten Jackson is an African-American author born in the United States, from Florida. She is very active in BLACKLIVESMATTER and LGBTQIA+. She currently likes to sleep, eat, and nap as long as she can. Her talents include drawing, writing, and being the Best at what she does. Greatest of All Time. Forever.

Website/Goodreads



To access the complete tour schedule, just click on the button below!

 

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 242: Dark Souls, by Paula Morris

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!

Dark Souls
Paula Morris
Hardcover, 304  pages
Point
August 1, 2011
Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, 
Young Adult Fiction

  

My Thoughts About This Cover

I think this week's cover caught my eye for a number of reasons, one of them subconscious. I have just become aware of it, too, and it's this: that there's definitely a Harry Potter vibe here. This narrow street reminds me of Diagon Alley!  

Before this realization hit me, I felt immediately attracted to this cover. Now I know why! But even before that, there were other things, too. There was the mist swirling around the man, the woman who appears to be following him, thus hinting at a mystery. And there was the title itself, which looks like it's an actual archway placed between the buildings on either side of the street. The font is a beautiful one, too, and one of my favorites -- an Old English type of font. 

The man is walking on, apparently oblivious to the woman following him. He's leading the reader right into the story. Where is he going? Why is the woman following him, if that's what she's doing? Inquiring minds -- especially mine -- want to know!

So I am actually feeling as if I'm being pulled right into this novel. Well, that's the job of a great cover, isn't it? It should make the reader want to pick up the book and plunge right in! This cover certainly does that for me! 

And the cover artist is.....Becky Terhune, Art Director and Senior Designer at Workman Publishing since 2012. She has also worked at Scholastic and Abrams, as well as doing freelance Art Direction and Graphic Design for various clients. She has a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Design from the University of North Texas, and also attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she's currently based. Kudos to her for this fascinating, beautiful cover!



 

Online Links
LinkedIn
Facebook




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

Book Blogger Hop No. 125: Book-Related Mouse Pads?

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,

hosted by Billy @

Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer!

This Week's Question

Off the book topic.....do you use

a mouse pad? If so, what is on it?

(Submitted  by Elizabeth @ 

Silver's Reviews)

My Answer

Wait a minute! Off the book topic? ME?! I don't think so! LOL. I am always on the book topic!! :) :) :)

Just take a look at how I never fail to have something around me related to books. The mouse pads below are the ones I used in my last office job. Totally true! 

These pics are not of the actual mouse pads, as those are somewhere in storage. But I found the images online, and they are the same ones on the actual pads.

I don't use mouse pads anymore, as I blog on a laptop, and I'm no longer working at the company where I used the ones shown here. Besides, I don't have my own computer at my current, part-time job. 

I teach ESOL to adults at night, and the classroom I use is occupied by a high school teacher and her students during the day. She and I share a computer, just as we share a desk. This computer has no mouse pad, and I'm not about to bring in one of my own, as I'm sure it would quickly disappear, lol. There are no mouse pads for any of the student computers in this classroom, either.

So here are two mouse pads that I used during "my office days". And, of course, they ARE book-related! Lol.

What are your thoughts on

this topic?

If you're participating in this hop,

I'll go comment on your 

own BBH post.

If not, I will then comment on one 

of your blog posts!

Thanks for visiting!!!