Friday Face Off Cover Reveal: Unravel Me

Friday Face Off is a meme hosted by one of my favorite book bloggers Misty over at The Book Rat.  Usually this meme focuses on different cover designs for the same book and decides which is better for the story.  I wanted to take this meme and add a little twist to it today by discussing a cover reveal!

 

This week I want to talk yet again about my bookish pet peeve.  We have another series cover re-design, oh boy! (there's a lot of scarcasim in the sentence).  This one is a pretty huge change too.  I want to discuss Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series. 

 

 

So this is the original cover (the one I have) and while it in itself is a common theme (girl in a pretty dress) there's a certain fierceness to it.  I also really like the title font with the slash and how reflective it is in real life. 

 

But of course, with the second book in the series, Unravel Me, they had to go changing the design.

 

These are pretty terrible.  First, I really hate floating body parts on covers, especially eyes (and feet).  I like the color scheme, but the eyes are creepy and as far as I know have nothing to do with the story.  It would have been a lot better to just have the trees/ice and to skip the eyes all together. 

 

What do you think, do you like the new covers more, or would you have liked them to stick with the original design?

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Published June 3, 2010 by Hodder Children's Books
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
The story of Scarlett and Rosie March, two highly-skilled sisters who have been hunting Fenris (werewolves) -- who prey on teen girls -- since Scarlett lost her eye years ago while defending Rosie in an attack. Scarlett lives to destroy the Fenris, and she and Rosie lure them in with red cloaks (a colour the wolves can't resist), though Rosie hunts more out of debt to her sister than drive. But things seem to be changing. The wolves are getting stronger and harder to fight, and there has been a rash of news reports about countless teenage girls being brutally murdered in the city. Scarlett and Rosie soon discover the truth: wolves are banding together in search of a Potential Fenris -- a man tainted by the pack but not yet fully changed. Desperate to find the Potential to use him as bait for a massive werewolf extermination, the sisters move to the city with Silas, a young woodsman and long time family friend who is deadly with an axe. Meanwhile, Rosie finds herself drawn to Silas and the bond they share not only drives the sisters apart, but could destroy all they've worked for.


Review:  I came to Sisters Red with high expectations.  I loved the concept of this re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, and I loved the addition of hardcore werewolf hunting sisters.  It's such an interesting spin on the fairy tale, and I love the girl power behind the idea.  I thought the sisters, Scarlett and Rosie, have well developed voices and the mythology behind the werewolves was strong and made a lot of sense (I loved the reasoning behind the red cloaks!), but there were some shortcomings.

The best part of Sisters Red is the werewolves.  They are ferocious and frightening, and I really love the sexual predator aspect (I know that sounds creepy, but it totally works with the story).  Everything the girls do, from their red cloaks to their demeanor to their hatchets, is to lure the werewolves in.  I love how they take the wolves sexual nature and turn it back on them and use their sexuality as a weapon.  It makes for an evocative read.

I had two major problems with Sisters Red.  The first was the pacing.  I thought many aspects of the story became redundant, with the characters doing the same exact thing just in a different location without any growth.  The story really didn't pick up until the final 100 pages. 

The other problem I had was the lack of growth with the sisters.  Rosie got a bad case of insta-love which was about as far as she developed.  Scarlett is a fantastic character and starts off so interesting, but she really doesn't grow.  She starts off very jaded, and while some people have claimed her attitude as slut-shaming, I understand where she's coming from.  I think she's extremely bitter about the fact that her innocence, her change to be a silly girl, was taken away from her.  She's scared, both physically and emotionally.  I would have loved to have seen some of her scars heal, but I just didn't get enough which was really disappointing. 

Overall Sisters Red is an excellent start and though it has some flaws there is so much potential.  I am definitely going to be reading more of Jackson Pearce's fairy tales and I'm looking forward to more creative re-tellings!

Friday Face Off Cover Reveal: Boundless

Friday Face Off is a meme hosted by one of my favorite book bloggers Misty over at The Book Rat.  Usually this meme focuses on different cover designs for the same book and decides which is better for the story.  I wanted to take this meme and add a little twist to it today by discussing a cover reveal!

 

I really love the covers for Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series.  I think they're beautiful and in real life they are super shiny and look really great together.  The Third book in the series, Boundless, will be released January of next year.

 

I really like series that have a color scheme, and I love how one book is purple, one is blue, and the newest one is red.  There is such a great cohesiveness to this series.  I love the swooping font and the feathers.  This is a beautiful series and I'm going to be reading them so soon! 

 

Off the Shelf #18

  Hello everyone and welcome to Off the Shelf!  This is my way of sharing any new books I receive or buy as well as let you all know what my reading plans are for the week and what I hope to get off my TBR shelf.

Oops I'm a day late this week!  I am back from work and I was so zonked but I did manage to read quite a bit for being away from home.  I finished two books this week, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and Butter by Erin Jade Lange (this is an egalley that comes out in September).  I had mixed feelings about Shadow and Bone but ultimately really enjoyed it and Butter was very good and really hit close to home.  There will be a review a little closer to release date, so keep an eye out!

To Read This Week

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

I started Graceling by Kristen Cashore for the C book in my A-Z challenge and I love it so far.  I'm already half done, so I'm sure to finish this week.

Here's Hoping

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (of course).  This is my book after Graceling, and then if I'm lucky enough to finish that, I'll start The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting which is the D book for my A-Z challenge.

Pure by Julianna Baggott

#1 in the Pure Series
Published February 8, 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it’s his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.


Review:  Pure is a gut wrenching post apocalyptic novel.  The world building is fantastic, with rich descriptions that don't skimp on the horror of what has happened.  Pure has a unique concept that, while bizarre, is engrossing.  Pure paints a vivid picture of bodies fused to objects, the ground, other bodies, and the shock of how these people came to be disfigured really punches your heart.  

Pure is unlike the majority of other YA apocalyptic novels, both in the pacing and characterization.  Most YA apocalyptic stories are told at a blazing pace, often sacrificing explanation of the plot (like here, and here) but Pure is definitely not the norm.  There is lush descriptions and atmosphere which give a fantastic world set up, but also moves at a much slower pace.  If you like a more literary approach to your science fiction, such as The Road, you will enjoy Pure.  Another aspect of Pure that differs from the normal YA fare is the romance, or lack there of.  There is a hint, but it is not the major plot point which is a welcome relief.  

Pure is told from multiple perspectives, and I found myself really enjoying half of them.  I really liked Pressia and El Captain, the two perspectives that were outside the dome.  Their world was so interesting and horrific, I was completely drawn into their lives and how the world had changed.  I found myself not as connected to Partridge and Lyda, the two characters in the dome.  I don't think the political structure and history of the dome was clear enough for me to understand fully why it existed and how it failed as a society. 

Pure's strength lies in the atmosphere.  The world is frightfully disfigured, but the fact that human life perseveres on and adapts to their mutations creates a disconcerting tone  that is unlike the other YA dystopians out there.   I would recommend this to anyone who loves apocalyptic novels but is tired of the same old formulas.

Friday Face Off Cover Reveal: Shadows in the Silence

Friday Face Off is a meme hosted by one of my favorite book bloggers Misty over at The Book Rat.  Usually this meme focuses on different cover designs for the same book and decides which is better for the story.  I wanted to take this meme and add a little twist to it today by discussing a cover reveal!

This week we have the cover of Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton, the third and final book in her Angelfire series. 

I really like all of these covers.  I like how there is continuity between all of the covers.  She has the same weapon, same hair color, and same font, which really creates a great flow.  I also like how they easily convey the urban fantasy feel and really draw me in.  But mostly I LOVE how they picked a theme and stuck with that design for the whole series.  No cover re-dos YAY!

What do you think?  Post in the comments!

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

#1 in the Grisha Trilogy
Published June 5, 2012 by Henry Holt and Co.
4/5 Stars

Goodreads Review
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Review:  Shadow and Bone is really hard to rate and review. It was nothing like what I expected, which is good and bad. There were many aspects that I found extremely frustrating and unoriginal, but even with my grievances I could not put this book down. Shadow and Bone was a read until 2am, sneak pages during work, and walk around doing everything one handed because it is just that compelling kind of a book. 

The story of Shadow and Bone starts off totally awesome, but then slides into very typical YA fare. There are mean girls and boarding school antics and a sexy dark mysterious hottie OMG!!!! It was so frustrating because there is a very interesting foundation for Shadow and Bone but it is just buried under trite YA carp. The story does turn back to the awesome later on, but the aspects of the story that lead our character to make changes felt forced and extremely convenient. 

The main character Alina has a bit of a Bella Swan syndrome. She is told she is special, she has a destiny, but she just constantly denies it because the magical Grisha are “beautiful and striking” where Alina is “plain and awkward.” It’s definitely a case of “I’m so ugly, I’m so plain, there’s no way I’m special!” mentality which is completely annoying. And of course the first thing they do to her is give her a super magical makeover! Too much time is spent focusing on physical attributes that ultimately give very little to the overall story. 

I also had some pretty major issues with parts of the writing. Alina and her friends sounded like modern American teenagers. They say things like "you guys" and "you're crazy" and "that's his problem" and other expressions that modernize the narrative and took me out of the story. In my opinion, when you write a fantasy that has a historical feeling to it, you can't use modern expressions or culturally specific ones that don't match the culture of the characters. 

Speaking of culture, I know that this is just based on Russian history and the author has taken creative liberties (obviously, there's magic and whatnot) but the basic linguistic structure should still be the same. Doing research to make sure you don't completely change the definition of an existing word or name a girl the Russian equivalent of "Kevin" is really important, and I feel like this did not happen.

Also I think when you write different cultures with different languages, anyone from the same country should have the same speaking style (ie Baghra speech is broken, but as far as we know she was born and raised in the same country as Alina, who speaks perfectly. Botkin, being from a different country, is ok speaking in broken English because he wouldn't be fluent in their native tongue). I realize this is more of me nitpicking, but I really liked where the author was going, it just didn’t quite get there for me.

Now based on this review you might think that I would be giving Shadow and Bone a two or even one star rating. I chose to give it a four star rating because even with all of my complaints, I still really enjoyed this book. Despite its faults Shadow and Bone is completely enthralling and has so much potential to grow. I think a lot rides on the second book of the series, but I’m really hoping the author will take the fantastic history and word she has built and leave the overdone plot devices behind. 

Off the Shelf #17

  Hello everyone and welcome to Off the Shelf!  This is my way of sharing any new books I receive or buy as well as let you all know what my reading plans are for the week and what I hope to get off my TBR shelf.


This week I'm traveling for work, so I'm very pleased that I finished Pure by Julianna Baggott.  I still haven't started Code Name Verity (I just have such a hard time with kindle books!) but I did buy and start Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and it's fantastic.  Seriously, I just love Russian people (*cough* Dimitri *cough*) and there is so much awesome potential in this book, I'm pretty sure I'll finish it quickly.


To Read This Week


Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

I've been on a bit of a book buying ban the past couple weeks, but I had to make an exception for Shadow and Bone because everyone I know (including Veronica Roth) has been gushing over it.  And so far they're totally right.

Here's Hoping

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Yeah, this has been on my list forever, but with being out for work I don't know if I'll be able to read it this week.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

#1 in the Blood of Eden series
Published April 24, 2012 by Harlequin Teen
egalley for review from netgalley
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


Review:  The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is the YA Vampire book I've been looking for.  It has fantastic world building, compelling characters, and an overall story arch that is exciting and interesting.

First off, I have to say that FINALLY we have vampires that are legit vampires!  There's no wussy sparkling vampires here, they are frightening demons of the night that hunt humans like deer.  There are two kinds of vampires, one that are more or less human like even if they think that humans are blood bags, and the other are horrific "rabids", mindless mutants that attack humans and vampires alike (kind of like the movie Daybreakers, did anyone else see that?).  The vampires are cool, how they came to be makes sense, and how they function makes sense.  There's also a really cool apocalyptic aspect to this book that also makes sense so yay!  Science in my science fiction FTW!  The world building and setting is lush and definitely the high point of the book.

Another high point of The Immortal Rules is the action.  Allison is a kick-ass warrior and there is so much awesome fighting!  One of the characteristics of Kagawa's writing is that she does not shy away from violence.  She has an excellent balance where you get a clear (and yes that graphic) picture of the fight without it crossing into gratuitous.  You see this throughout her Iron Fey series and it crosses over very well into Blood of Eden.  There is some romance, but it is very minor in comparison to the main story line which is awesome.  I really hope in future books the romance (aka angst) won't take over like we see so often in other dystopian books.

Overall I really enjoyed The Immortal Rules and would recommend it to anyone who liked Kagawa's Iron Fey series or readers who like action packed dystopians.  It is thrilling addition to the YA vampire selections and should not be missed!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

#2 in the Divergent trilogy
Pubished May 1, 2012 by HarperTeen
4 stars

Goodreads Review
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Review:  Insurgent is more like 3.5, but I'm going to round up. While there was some interesting development toward the ending, Insurgent sadly has a bad case of middle book syndrome. It felt like a transition book, not a unique story. 


My biggest problem with Insurgent is there's absolutely no refresher on who people are and what they're doing at the end of Divergent.  We literally just jump straight into the story without any background.  This would be fine if I had just read Divergent, but for the many people who read the book a year ago when it first came out, it is very difficult to remember all of the side characters.  I kept thinking, "Wait, who was that again?" and so I really had a hard time connecting to the characters.

Insurgent moved a lot slower than Divergent.  I got half way through the book before anything with the main story arc actually happened.  Insurgent got too hung up on the relationship angst, which was handled much better in Divergent.  When it comes to dystopian I prefer more action/science books, and Insurgent focused way too much on Tris's inner monologue.  Also the transitions between scenes were extremely choppy and hard to follow. There seemed to be a lack of editing in terms of continuity and flow.  This became more noticeable toward the end of the book as the action got more intense and thus made the story hard to follow.

However I still really enjoyed this book.  Some of the action scenes are great and I really like the concept of trying to force people into certain social constructs and how that society will ultimately crumble because all people are really divergent.  But overall the parts that I did enjoy weren't enough to draw me in to the story and ultimately I just didn't care as much as I did in Divergent.

Off the Shelf #16

  Hello everyone and welcome to Off the Shelf!  This is my way of sharing any new books I receive or buy as well as let you all know what my reading plans are for the week and what I hope to get off my TBR shelf.

 Well this week I did ok.  I finished an audio book of Stephen King's Cell (which started off awesome and then went really weird really fast) and finished Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules (very good vampire story, almost perfect but just a little lagging in the middle).  I've also started Pure by Julianna Baggott and I'm about 100 pages in, thanks to a 3 hour layover in the airport.  I didn't get to Code Name Verity, but I did finish an almost 500 page book, so that has to count for something.

I also didn't purchase any new books this week, which is good considering I have way too many books that i haven't read yet.  I think I'm going to go on a bit of a book buying ban until I knock those numbers back a bit.  I did borrow an audio book of Misery by Stephen King from my dad, so I'll probably be starting that in a couple weeks.

To Read This Week

Pure by Julianna Baggott

 

This is the B book for my A-Z challenge, and I've already started it so I'm pretty sure I'll finish it.  I know it's June and I'm supposed to be up to E already, but oopsies!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Gosh dang it I just cannot seem to start this one!  It's an egalley on my kindle and because I'm stuck in a hotel for work for the next 2 weeks, I HAVE to read this!  It's supposed to be so good, what is wrong with me!?

Here's Hoping

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

  

Don't you Wish by Roxanne St. Claire

If I get Pure and Code Name Verity finished, I'd like to work on these two egalleys.  We'll see how far I get!

June 2012 New Reads

Hey everyone, here are some of the YA books and debuts set for June 2012.  This isn't a complete list, just some of the ones I'm interested in.  I hope this list will help feed your readers!

June 5

All These Lives by Sarah Wylie
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  Yes this is a cancer book, but it looks like a really interesting take on how siblings are affected when one of them has cancer.  I hope it will make me feel all the things.

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Why I'm Excited:  I haven't read any of Kody's books, but every premise sounds fan-freaking-tastic, and A Midsummer's Nightmare is no exception.  It sounds a bit like a teen dramady and I'm excited to see how the main character grows over the course of the book.

Tempest Unleashed by Tracy Deebs
#2 in the Tempest series

Why I'm Excited:  First off, this cover is beautiful!  This series sounds really cool, and while I don't have much experience with mermaid books, I think the Tempest series would be a great place to start.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
#1 in the Grisha trilogy
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  Shadow and Bone may be one of the most hyped debuts of 2012.  I've only heard rave reviews (hell, even Veronica Roth recommended it).  I know this is one of the June books I'll be picking up for sure.

Arise by Tara Hudson
#2 in the Hereafter series

Why I'm Excited:  COVER.  Plus I really like the premise for this paranormal romance, and even though Hereafter has a mixed bag I'm still very curious to see what I'll think about this series.

Surrender by Elana Johnson
#2 in the Possession series

Why I'm Excited:  Hummm, this series seems dubious to me.  I'm a little worried this series is a love triangle set in a weak dystopian setting, but it also seems interesting. 






June 7

The Glimpse by Claire Merle
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds like a crazy dystopian!  I really hope it focuses on the world building which has so much potential.  I love the idea of segregating a society based on potential for mental illness, but at the same time it does worry me that there won't be much science in this science fiction.  We'll have to wait and see!





June 12

Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt
#1 in The Lost Souls series
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds a little bit like what would happen in Children of Men if that girl didn't have a baby.  I am worried this will be another case of romance trying to be science fiction, but yet again I hold out hope there will be some science in my science fiction.

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Why I'm Excited:  I love Italy.  I've been there twice and I know I will be going back as soon as I possibly can.  I love the culture and the history and the amazing landscapes.  This sounds like an adorable summer romance book, and I can't wait to read it.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Why I'm Excited:  You guys, this cover.  Look at it.  It is stunning.  The concept sounds great too.  A re-imagining of Jane Austen's Persuasion set in a crazy science fiction future world?  YES PLEASE.

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
#1 in the Lies Beneath series
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  I really like this cover, even if it is a bit misleading (the main character is actually a boy).  This story sounds awesome though because they are BAD mermaids, and I like a little murder with my mythical creatures sometimes.

Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  Ah, a drama filled road trip.  This sounds like a really cute concept, and I hope it will be as fluffy fun as I think it will be.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
#2 in the Bloodlines series

Why I'm Excited:  I effing LOVE the Vampire Academy series, so a spin off with some of my favorite secondary characters?  YES PLEASE.

Timepiece by Myra McEntire
#2 in the Hourglass series

Why I'm Excited:  I've heard mixed reviews about Hourglass, but this series sounds crazy.  The concept is pretty wild, so I'm interested to see how it will play out.






June 14

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds like a cute summer romance.  I'm hoping for lots of steamy make out scenes in this one!







June 19

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  I havn't read too many war books, but Something Like Normal looks like an excellent take on a young soldier trying to come back into normal life.

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Why I'm Excited:  I haven't read any of Courtney Summers's books, but I really appreciate how she is stepping away from her usual genre of contemporary to try her hand at a zombie novel!  I've also read many reviews about how fantastic this zombie novel is, so of course I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on it.






June 21

Stolen Night by Rebecca Maizel
#2 in the Vampire Queen series

Why I'm Excited:  This series sounds like a pretty cool paranormal romance and I really like the synopsis of the second book.  I also really like this cover, it's very pretty.






June 26

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
#1 in the American Fairy Trilogy
DAC

Why I'm Excited:  This sounds like an interesting take on the fae.  Usually we see fairies in lush forest settings, so the dust bowl setting is very interesting.  Plus that face on the cover is freaky!

Before I wake by Rachel Vincent
#6 in the Soul Screamers series

Why I'm Excited:  This series has some rabid fans, and I want to get in on it.  There are soon to be six books and I have yet to read the first one.  I will soon.

Friday Face Off Cover Reveal: Days of Blood and Starlight

Friday Face Off is a meme hosted by one of my favorite book bloggers Misty over at The Book Rat.  Usually this meme focuses on different cover designs for the same book and decides which is better for the story.  I wanted to take this meme and add a little twist to it today by discussing a cover reveal!

You guys may remember that I LOVED Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone and I still stand by my stance that it's the best paranormal romance I've read.  And I've been anxiously awaiting the second book, Days of Blood and Starlight.

I really like these covers together, but Days of Blood and Starlight is leaps and bounds better.  I love the color, I love how you can see her eyes more, and I love how it still matches Daughter of Smoke and Bone in title font and overall color scheme.  I'm so extremely excited for this book, can it please be November already?