This week we have incontrovertible proof that you don’t need mantitty and disembodied torsos to have really really sexy men on the front cover of a book. 4 of our 5 books have definitely brought the mancandy
But have they brought much else?
We’ve definitely got more than eyecandy on this cover (though YUM). We have the sword, the celtic designs, the ongoing theme with the previous books in the story and a really nifty background. It doesn’t exactly going into a lot of detail of what’s there - but there’s more than enough hints but it does kind of fit the Urban Fantasy generic pattern - medieval weapon, ancient symbols. I also like the fact that the cover model is pretty much how I picture Atticus - I always like to see the main character on the cover who positively resembles the characters and doesn’t look generic.
The Seventh Miss Hatfield by Anna Caltabiano
This is unique, interesting and pretty. I’m intrigued. I get the sense of Victoriana and it definitely has class and style. It also looks vaguely like a sewing guide or full of knitting patterns or maybe a particularly refine and old fashioned cook book or historical etiquette guide. The latter seems most likely, full of arcane trivia like how to properly address the third cousin of a marquis. I think I’d examine it simply because it is so different - but it’s so out there the cover isn’t even clear this is fiction.
It goes in my “pretty, but doesn’t do the job” box.
Plagued: The Rock Island Zombie Counteractant Experiment (Plagued States of America #2) by Better Hero Army
Hot guy is injured fighting…. something. But he’s hot. If it weren’t for the title that is longer than some novellas I’ve read, you’d have absolutely no idea what this book was about. Zombies, war, fight club, serial killer, really bad DIY - it involves a hot guy and injuries. Still it’s pretty and darkness of the cover is really good and intriguing. I admit, I’d pick it up and read the back blurb…
...mainly to check if it’s porn. But I’d still pick it up and read the blurb.
Angels? Hey, what gives? Where’s mah angel?! (No, don’t point out the hinted at possibly angel guys - there’s a man with wings on the cover, I want my feathery angels!) Ok I’ll accept the symbolism of it because it is pretty powerful. Also, like Shattered it does a really good job of presenting the characters how they actually look rather than slapping us with blandly pretty cover models who could be anyone. There’s a real effort to get the actual people on the cover which I really really like. Also, eye candy!
Hotter than Helltown (Preternatural Affairs #3) by S.M. Reine
Speaking of - again, that’s Cesar on the cover. It looks so much like the character and pretty much fits how I picture him. Did I mention that I appreciate characters on the covers that are close to the actual characters in the book? And more eye candy!
I also think it was a good idea to ensure the jacket stayed on because with a title like Hotter than Helltown it’s going to be easily mixed up with erotica
I also think it was a good idea to ensure the jacket stayed on because with a title like Hotter than Helltown it’s going to be easily mixed up with erotica
Of course, everything else about the cover is straight from generic Urban Fantasy playbook - medieval weapon, random runes. It’s pretty. It’s nice. You know exactly what you’re getting. But if I put this cover next to the cover for Shattered there’s definitely the same foundation mold going on there. Of course, genre coding isn’t necessarily a bad thing (I know exactly what I’m getting) and both are pretty enough with sufficient personalised elements not to be lost to me.