How long has it been since we did Cover Awe? Too long!
Cover artist: Monique Aimee
Amanda: I know illustrated covers are a hot button topic, but I love the art style on this one.
And the series name is a pun.
Carrie: I LOVE IT. The colors, the combination, the way those two are checking each other out – and of course anything with books makes me happy.
Aarya: The color scheme seems… ambient? Is that the right word? I feel relaxed when I look at it.
Amanda: It definitely creates a sense of place rather than just having two illustrated figures floating in a colorful void.
Sarah: I totally agree. The background makes such a difference. I’d buy a notebook or card with this image on the front. Mad applause to the artist.
Elyse: My husband and I met in a bookstore and I want to get a print of this and frame it.
Catherine: I agree with Aarya – it just looks so comfortable and cosy, and I feel more relaxed just looking at it.
Lara: I want to live in that world.
AJ: It does such a great job of telling you why you would want to read the book! To wit: bookstore, flirting, light and soothing Wes Anderson-y colors, puns. Also it involves a con of some sort? Yes. I’m SOLD.
Sarah: She’s on the list of people I will not fuck with. Not that I make a habit of such things.
Elyse: I like that she has armor on that’s not a push up bra made from chainmail.
Sarah: Functional armor. Who knew it was a thing?
Catherine: I love the expression on her face.
AJ: I’m digging that she has a protective layer on underneath her battle corset. I’ve been watching a lot of historical costuming YouTube lately and I learned that corsets aren’t supposed to go on bare skin. A+, cover lady, well played.
Cover artist: Feifei Ruan
From Mandy: Hello! I wish to recommend a book for the next Cover Awe: Descendant of the Crane by Joan He.
Sarah: Wow.
Aarya: It’s a work of art. Like it should hang in a museum somewhere,
Carrie: What Aarya said!
Amanda: I just loved the juxtaposition of a woman wandering with a lamp and this huge ass bird.
Catherine: Utterly gorgeous, and makes me think of a Tiffany window.
AJ: Yes. Just, yes.
Cover design: Letitia at RBA Designs | Romantic Book Affairs
Cover model: Forest Harrison
Dog model: Ella
Amanda: Now this is an A+ dog cover
Look at that schmoopy dog face!
Sarah: Here for the dog. Don’t give a flip about the dude, though I hope that puppy has had her (?) nails trimmed because puppy claw + nips = OWIE.
And finally, using the muscles for good things: snoogles.
Elyse: I second Sarah. 110% here for the pupper
Catherine: …but also, HOT.
Lara: He loves that pupper just as much as he should. Which is to say, all of the loves.
AJ: I think they made a great choice to go icy instead of flame-y with the color scheme! The world didn’t need another dude with a fire crotch. Give me cool blues and puppy snuggles any day.
Take a look at feifeiruan.com to see more incredible artwork and covers. Totally blown away!
What’s better than hot dudes? Hot dudes with puppies. It’s just science.
As a cover-model maven, thanks for naming the cover model too. Forest is on a lot of covers—this is one of the best. Although the tag line—“Puppies and fairy tales weren’t the only thing Prince Charming gave her”—could lead to a bit of raunchy speculation…if one were so inclined.
I love the cover of “By The Book”. It gives me the same cozy happy feels that “You’ve Got Mail” does (and why doesn’t someone do a novelization of that movie? I need it.). I’m looking forward to getting my hands on that one – I tried for a NetGalley ARC, but no such luck.
I’d be obliged to read By The Book as soon as possible for that “prose and cons” pun alone, but the pretty cover seals it. It’s also science.
According the description of “From Ice to Flames”, the dog in the book weighs 160 pounds! However, due to the sheer wonderfulness of the cover, I will let it slide.
(Apparently the guy is a veterinarian, so maybe that cute pupper is a side character?)
Those are all excellent covers indeed. The ‘Crane’ one reminds me of a children’s book I’ve hoarded for years (because the art was so beautiful) called ‘The Weaving of a Dream.’
<digression>
Yay! Upvotes are back!
Sarah, you rock.
</digression>
Is it just me-but does the cover model of Blood and Blade look like Debra Messing?
@AJ I’m so happy to know that others are also deeply into historical costume videos on YouTube.