It’s always fun to put these posts together, especially where a long awaited cover is revealed!
Rachel Hauck’s cover for her second Royal Weddings novel has been highly anticipated in the blogging world. I love the dress and tiara, the motion and bare feet ~ I adore the continuing themes from the first book, Once Upon A Prince. I have one ‘but’ – the red background of the heart just interferes a bit for me and upsets the balance of the rest of the cover. Rissi & Lydia ~ you have a great eye for covers, what say you both?
None of the other covers stand out in good or bad ways for me. That said, I have a thing for themed covers in a series so I like Don’s and Robert’s for that reason, but I’m not sure about the Thoene cover ~ while the child is eye-catching I’m not seeing the connection with the story immediately.
Pitch in, my friends, and don’t forget to register your questions for me to ask your favourite authors/publicists, or publishers while I am at ACFW in September. I’d love to take your cover art questions directly to the publishers!! You can register as many questions as you like here.
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Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck
February, 2014
Mark of Evil by Tim LaHaye & Craig Parshall
Ethan March, Jimmy Louder, and Rivka Reuban have been left behind in a world that is rapidly coming under the influence of the Antichrist. Technology is being used to control and dominate those who resist the Antichrist’s reign of evil, with BID-Tag implants, robotic police units, and drone-bots flying overhead. Each day, as more and more biblical prophecies are fulfilled, Ethan and the others in the Remnant struggle to survive in a world of ever-increasing chaos and desperation.
When the forces of evil attempt to use the world’s most powerful information system for increasingly sinister purposes and eliminate everyone who gets in their way, it’s up to Ethan and the Remnant to subvert their purposes and instead use them for the glory of God.
February, 2014
Destination Unknown by Amy Clipston
It’s senior year, and Whitney Richards is tired of the constant pressures to be perfect. When she gets a D in Calculus, her mother immediately hires a tutor, worried Whitney won’t get into the ‘right’ college—her alma mater—with imperfect grades. Her tutor, Taylor, is a quiet, mysterious boy who is unlike anyone Whitney has met before. But Taylor’s rougher upbringing has her mother and friends discouraging any type of relationship.
Tired of having to play a part for everyone else, Whitney quits the cheerleading squad that once defined her social identity, and begins spending more time with Taylor. Her mom and friends worry Whitney is making a huge mistake, and even Taylor begins to show concern for some of her choices. But for the first time, Whitney is in the driver’s seat of her life. Will she be able to find her identity—and God’s plan for her life—before she throws everything away?
February, 2014
Storming the Black Ice by Don Brown
When British geologists secretly discover the world’s largest oil reserves under the desolate, icy tundra of Antarctica, Britain and Chile form a top-secret alliance against Venezuela, Argentina, and Russia for control of resources that will rival the economic power of OPEC. But the secret of the discovery is soon uncovered by an Argentinean intelligence officer using highly sophisticated monitoring equipment. When a Venezuelan surprise-attack against a secret British research station in Antarctica triggers a shooting war between the great nations, Chile and Britain ask America for help.
For two couples separated by the raging battle, the outcome will be either love reunited or devastating heartbreak. There is no in-between and no turning back. For a young boy living with his mother in London, the life of the boy’s father and mother’s long-lost love is on the line. And for an American sub commander detailed on a special military assignment to his father’s homeland of Chile, any hope of a future is in danger. But will his fate be a crushing death under the icy-cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean, or a fate of life, light, and a second chance for love?
February, 2014
Season of Fire by Lisa T Bergren
After tackling her first mission and coming to terms with her power of empathy, Andrei and her fellow Remnants discover their first battles were only a taste of what is to come. As the Sons of Sheol continue their assault on the world, planning to keep all hope dead, the Remnant finds itself battling within its ranks.
With everyone pursuing what they feel is the best course of action, trouble mounts—and Andrei finds herself in terrible danger at the hands of Kellach. The Remnants must travel to Italy and find a way to fight as one before it is too late.
February, 2014
Distortion by Terri Blackstock
When Juliet Cole’s husband of fifteen years is gunned down in a dark parking lot before her eyes, she thinks it was a random shooting. Devastated and traumatized, she answers hours of questioning. When she’s finally allowed to return home to break the news to her boys, she hears a voicemail that takes the situation from a random shooting to a planned, deliberate attack. ‘Mrs. Cole, we know you have access to the supply and the money. If you don’t turn fifty million over to us and give us the codes, then you’ll be burying more family members.’ Suddenly, Juliet realizes that she and her children could be in danger. She teams up with her sisters and PI Michael Hogan to dig into the sham Bob has been living for years. The more she learns, the worse the betrayal. A drug trafficking history, a fortune in cash, and a secret family all emerge to turn Juliet’s belief system on its head, and threaten the things she loves.
Are she and her sisters skilled enough as sleuths to get to the truth?
March, 2014
Take this Cup by Brock & Bodie Thoene
Nehemiah, the young son of a Jewish woman, a weaver from Jerusalem, is born and raised among the Jews who didn’t return to Jerusalem from the Exile. Educated by Rabbi Kagba, one of the magi present at Jesus’ birth thirty years earlier, Nehemiah grows up with the expectation of a soon-coming Messiah. Could the Yeshua of Nazareth, who is walking the earth, reportedly doing miracles, be that Messiah?
When young Nehemiah must travel the long caravan road to Jerusalem, he is charged with an unusual mission—to carry a mysterious object back to the holy city of Jerusalem . . . an object whose reappearance heralds the Messiah’s arrival. Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem just as the final events of Jesus’ earthly ministry are coming to a climax: the Feast of Dedication, the Triumphal Entry, the last cleansing of the Temple, and culminating at the Last Supper in the Upper Room. Only Nehemiah understands the true sacrifice that is to come as he makes the cup worthy of his Savior.
March, 2014
Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman
Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright can see profits in sight for her collection of Amish artisan shops—until she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a single hole in the front window and Mr. Gray dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register. Hannah Troyer takes over the shop’s duties, and she and Amber become fast friends as well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Gray’s death to be a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah aren’t so easily convinced.
Old Testament clues that don’t add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and blossoming romance—all will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to solve a mystery and bring peace to the Amish community.
March, 2014
Merlin’s Nightmare by Robert Treskillard
Arthur, now eighteen, is missing, and Merlin must find him before a shadowy pursuer catches him first.
With the High King and his kingdom caught in a trap of sinister deceit, Merlin has to find a way out before all is lost. Having everything to fight for, and almost nothing to fight with, Merlin and Arthur must rally Britain’s warriors against three overwhelming enemies: Saxen hordes in the south, Picti raiders in the north, and a chilling new enemy that has arisen in the west. At the same time, Morgana brings Merlin’s deepest fear to life and sets a horde of werewolves loose to destroy Britain. But when the secret purpose of this nightmare is finally revealed, will Merlin and Arthur find a way to survive—without unleashing an even greater evil?
March, 2014
The Kissing Bridge by Tricia Goyer
Rebecca is an Amish woman whose pained past compels her to leave everything to become a nurse—abandoning her family and community. Caleb is an Amish man who is counting down the days until hunting season. At a crossroads in his own life, the excitement of hunting game is all he looks forward to. All the while he wonders what to do with the rest of his life. Even though he likes the Amish lifestyle, what good is an Amish man without faith in God?
An unexpected meeting pushes them together, and they embark with friends on a two-week-long wilderness wagon journey. Hardship tears down the flimsy walls of protection they’ve placed around their hearts, and as their friendship grows they open up to each other and eventually reveal their deepest secrets. While on the outside they appear to be traditional Amish people, inside they both know they are anything but that.
Will their secrets pull them together or draw them apart? And will their faith in God grow? There is a bridge to cross at the end of the journey. Will true love take them across?
April, 2014
July 26, 2013 at 2:08 pm
As always – LOVE these, Rel.
Amy’s is pretty in a very simplistic way. Yet it makes its point and “suits” the story line beautifully – or seemingly so. Terri’s also goes well with the series – book one was unassuming (the design) in my humble opinion though I liked the blurred look of the rain. Must say, the stories sound FABULOUS (must read ASAP!).
As for Rachel’s… LOVE the bare feet (that theme being carried through lends charm) as well as the model clutching her dress (or the motion) but yes, must 100% agree with the one thing you mention Rel; that red background needs to be softer. Perhaps white or a navy blue… or just a different shade of lighter blue? What says you, Lydia?
Thanks for these fun posts!
July 27, 2013 at 9:09 am
Rissi » I love the simplicity of Amy’s, too. You always have great thoughts and I appreciate you sharing them!
July 26, 2013 at 3:06 pm
I love feeling of Princess Ever After with the bare feet and clutched tiara but I agree that the red background of the title doesn’t fit. Perhaps cream or a gradient of blue would work better. I’m really excited for this story.
Destination Unknown is an interesting cover but it doesn’t quite fit the book description. It has a Southern feeling and suggests that the heroine is leaving him, but the synopsis appears to be more of a coming of age novel.
I like the continuity between Distortion’s title and image. I’m not sure why they picked a picture of traffic…
Take This Cup has too much going on at once. It would have been more impacting to have the child as the focal point and remove the landscape.
The other covers are okay but no standouts for me in this batch.
July 27, 2013 at 9:07 am
Lydia » Always insightful, Lydia – the Distortion title and image link is great, I agree.
July 26, 2013 at 3:49 pm
AHHHHHHHHHH THIS IS SO EXCITING! Love the cover for the next book by Rachel Hauck…agree that the red doesn’t go perfectly, and I might prefer another color…but I don’t hate it. I really need to read the first one! This fall, hopefully. 🙂
So excited to see the one by the Thoenes too! Looks like a good one, as does the Blackstock book. The Chapman sounds interesting, and of course I’m TOTALLY PUMPED for the next one by Bergren!
So much goodness here…and a few to add to my to-read list! 🙂
July 27, 2013 at 9:06 am
Charity U » Love your enthusiasm, Charity! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
July 26, 2013 at 3:57 pm
I have to say, believe it or not, Rachel’s is my favorite cover of the group. It is very charming, and I actually like the red, too. It really pops for me. I think Tricia’s is a nice picture, including the background. I like the concept of Amy’s with the title, but I think the elements of the cover need to be shifted “up” a bit. (I will admit to this being nitpicking.) Robert’s does fit with the others in the series and is OK. Vannetta’s cover is standard Amish, but there is nothing mysterious about it. They are definitely going more for the Amish audience, which is probably smart marketing wise. The Thoenes’ cover is a bit strange to me, too. The child’s face seems not to go with everything else, almost as if it were “shopped” in. As for the others, they are standard suspense covers to me. Admittedly not my genre, they all seem the same to me, too nondescript to stand out. I love Terri’s writing. I also know she doesn’t like people on her covers, and it has certainly worked for her. Thanks again for sharing this, Rel.
July 27, 2013 at 6:37 am
Thanks Aaron!
🙂
Rachel
July 27, 2013 at 10:20 am
Your welcome. Rel knows I don’t usually care for “decapitated” covers as someone on this blog in a comment once referred to them as. However, I have really liked the covers in this series of yours. I do really like this one, but I absolutely LOVED the first one. It really captured a look and a mood that was just perfect. Congrats! Oh, and I look forward to seeing you at ACFW!
July 27, 2013 at 11:48 pm
Aaron, I wasn’t keen on the decapitated heroines either, or partial decapitation but it words for this series.
The heroine in Princess Ever After is so beautiful to me. I had a picture of a beautiful auburn haired beauty as my “model” and it would’ve been cool to see Regina’s face or the tip of her hair.
But covers are tricky and there’s a temptation to add too much. I think the tiara is a great place to focus. 🙂
See you soon at ACFW!! Appreciate your comments!
R
July 30, 2013 at 6:17 pm
Rachel Hauck » Yes, the tiara is a lovely focal point, Rachel. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts – so appreciated xo
July 27, 2013 at 2:45 pm
Oh my! An English professor, a writer, and an editor said, “Your welcome.” I meant “You’re welcome!”
July 30, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Aaron McCarver » I smiled a lot when I saw your initial comment with “your”! Made me feel a whole lot better about my typos, Aaron ;-D
July 27, 2013 at 9:06 am
Aaron McCarver » I love it when a chopped off head cover appeals to you, Aaron 🙂 As always, I appreciate your cover comments.
July 26, 2013 at 3:59 pm
What is this Merlin book?! It looks VERY interesting! The cover makes me want to change my tune and read some Christian fantasy!!! I really must say that this is the best batch of covers I’ve seen all year. There aren’t any that I don’t like!
July 27, 2013 at 9:04 am
Renee C. » It’s the third in his YA Merlin Spiral series, Renee. You can check them out here.
July 26, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Thanks for the sneak peak of these books. Looking forward to the continuing series by Hauck, Blackstock and Treskillard. My book club read book 1 in Blackstock’s latest series; looks like #2 will be up for discussion next year.
July 27, 2013 at 9:00 am
Beckie B. » Terri knows how to write, doesn’t she? Have you read any of Treskillard’s books, Beckie? I haven’t yet.
July 27, 2013 at 10:20 am
I read/reviewed Merlin’s Blade (book 1). It was excellent. Book 2 is due out this fall I think — Merlin’s Shadow.
July 30, 2013 at 6:21 pm
Beckie B. » Good to know, Beckie
July 26, 2013 at 11:24 pm
Rachel’s cover is so cute! I think I like it better than Once Upon a Prince. The colors really pop for me. And I don’t read Amy’s fiction, but the cover is captivating. I love the empty dirt road and the lone figure. Love to see what the upcoming titles are! 😀
July 27, 2013 at 8:59 am
Casey » Love sharing these with fellow book lovers like you, Casey…makes me feel a little more sane 😉
July 26, 2013 at 11:28 pm
Oh my goodness, Rachel’s is so beautiful!! I thought Once Upon a Prince couldn’t be topped, but I don’t know…I might like this one even more…love that blue dress…I WANT that blue dress. 🙂
July 27, 2013 at 6:38 am
Thanks MTagg! Can’t wait to see your cover.
Rachel
July 27, 2013 at 8:58 am
Melissa Tagg » Yes, there’s just something about the blue dress, isn’t there?
July 26, 2013 at 11:32 pm
Of course–I love Rachel’s cover. That series rawks some awesome covers!
Don Brown’s fits with his other titles in the Pacific Rim series, but I think they missed the mark with the stark white font. It seems off. The story sounds great!
Treskillard’s second book in that series looks much better than the first, which felt pretty cartoonish, though still keeping some cool factor.
I thought LTB had said Remnants (the first one) wouldn’t release till the spring now, due to some issues (deadlines? something? LOL). Is the second one still coming out that soon after?
July 27, 2013 at 8:58 am
Ronie » I’m with you on the font for Don’s cover, Ronie.
Mmmm…not sure about Remnants – I just run off the what’s Amazon says so things are bound to change.
July 27, 2013 at 12:34 am
I agree, Rel, the red heart diminishes the beauty of the cover which would be stunning without it.
The only read I’m looking forward to is Don Brown’s, but the cover is nothing to shout about it for sure.
I really love the cover of Destination Unknown but probably won’t read a “coming-of-age” story.
Not sure if the cover of Distortion is supposed to be bullet holes through a rainy windshield?
Anyway, Don’s story sounds intriguing as usual. The rest of the covers and stories aren’t my types. 😉
Thanks again, Rel, for all you do. It would be worth it to go to ACFW just to meet you.
July 27, 2013 at 8:57 am
Nicole » Aww, you are too kind, Nicole. I would love to meet you! Don writes great stories, doesn’t he?
July 27, 2013 at 2:24 am
I love your cover previews, Rel!
I love Rachel’s cover — especially the motion of it. I think a blue background would have blended in too much. And I love this story — cannot wait to read it from page 1 to the end! I also like the title and the cover of Amy Clipston’s book — and it sounds good, too!
July 27, 2013 at 6:38 am
XO, Beth!
Rachel
July 27, 2013 at 8:56 am
Beth K. Vogt » I love the motion in both her Royal Weddings covers – sets them apart, I think. Love having you visit, my friend!
July 27, 2013 at 9:03 am
I can’t wait to read Terri and Rachel’s.
I’ve never read any of Amy’s books, but I like that cover a lot.
July 27, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Thanks, Laura!
July 29, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Oh! I love Princess Ever After! I was hoping they would do as good a job as with her first one and they did! I might even like it better. Hmmmm. 😉
I also really like Amy Clipston’s. It’s quiet and understated but I’d definitely pick it up off a shelf. It just strikes me somehow.
Terry Blackstock’s is pretty great as well. It’s different. Yet it fits the title really well. I say well done, design team!
The rest are pretty straight-forward and nothing spectacular. But I really, really like Rachel’s and Amy’s! Really, really! 😀
July 30, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Kara » Always love your enthusiasm, Kara! I agree with you about Amy’s – I didn’t mention it but it’s simplicity is very appealing, I think.
October 3, 2014 at 11:46 am
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