Monday, May 14, 2012

Shelfmates #5

Some covers just work together...and some, not so much. I've decided to start up a semi-regular feature called Shelfmates to showcase series covers. I love getting the sequel to a novel and putting it up next to the first book so I thought this might be a fun way to do that on my blog! So here are some series covers and my opinions on how they look as a couple (or series...)!

Birthright series by Gabrielle Zevin
This series got a face lift and I'm still trying to figure out if I like it. All These Things I've Done had a rather simple cover before but I thought it was sort of iconic. These covers seem more futurist, almost like the girl is a cyborg. It feels very sci-fi to me. I'm not sure if it is the model's short, blunt haircut or the dark make up but that's all I can think of when I look at these. If that fits the book, well then awesome but I have a feeling it might not. I think these are okay but not my favorite by far.

Croak series by Gina Damico
So I really liked the hard edge of the first novel.To me it feels a little bit punk but I get the feeling that the book is too. I like the second cover even better but I would have preferred a little more variation. Scorch looks like the doctored up the first cover a bit more and added a different title. I think this is a fine line between imitating the same feeling as the first cover and then just imitating the first cover for book two. Thus crosses it. 

Wondrous Strange series by Lesley Livingston
Talk about beautiful covers. The moment I saw Wondrous Strange, I had to have it. I just couldn't walk out of the store without having this gorgeous novel in my hands.The second and third cover are the same way. I like that they use the same model but that she looks different in every picture. I also love how all three covers have that dreamy feel. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be the first though. Just beautiful. 

Wings series by Aprilynne Pike
I really like the concept for Wings but looking at all these covers, I have to say that I think it doesn't fit the same theme as the rest of them. I guess it's because they are petals and not actually flowers. I think these work well together, especially considering how fairies are in these novels. My favorite of the bunch is most definitely Destined because of it's beautiful use of blue in the flower and water.

Firelight series by Sophie Jordan
I was hoping that when I put these three together that I would suddenly "get" Hidden but unfortunately, I just don't. After two amazing covers, I just can't look at Hidden and swoon. This especially stinks since I really love the soft beauty of Firelight and Vanish. But it feels like Hidden breaks from the pattern that works so well. Instead of it being a tight shot of her face, it is farther away and her lips being so bright when in the last two they were subtle bothers me too.

Fire and Thorn series by Rae Carson
I might be one of the only people that likes the original cover for this better. It was of a girl in a purple dress standing behind a darker background. For me it just held more interest. That being said, I think these covers are definitely more boyfriendly and look a lot more like a fantasy novel. I'm just not particularly grabbed by either. I wish there was one thing that was a wow-factor to pull me in but there isn't really. I do think they look nice together though!

Out of all these, my favorite are definitely the Wondrous Strange series. When they decided to do covers for those fantastic books, they decided to all three the right way. They look great together and separate. I think I am most disappointed with the Firelight series because Hidden just doesn't work. It won't stop me from finishing this awesome series but I do wish it was more like the first two!

What are your favorites or least favorites? Any thoughts?

5 comments:

  1. I feel like the facelift for All These Things I've Done was random...the book has only been out like 6 or 7 months right?

    Also the Illusions covers reminds me of "Hana" by Lauren Oliver!

    Great post Amber!

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  2. These look awesome! Some of them are really gorgeous like the Wonderous series! And i also need to start on all of these books they sound really good!

    Great picks! =D

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  3. I agree about All These Things I've Done...she totally does look like a cyborg lol That hair just makes her look really harsh, and she's so pale that she looks even harsher.

    Croak definitely has a bit of punk in it. I know what you're saying about the imitating, but I kind of like that they're so similar. It's like they're showing different sides. The fire on the cover...and the title Scorch kind of represent where the last book left off. But, I agree that they could have made it a bit different looking, although the cover model's outfit kind of has to stay the same...that's their wardrobe for work. :P lol

    I agree that the Wondrous Strange series is gorgeous! I've always loved those covers. :) I'm not sure which is my favourite cover though.

    I really like the Wings covers. I know what you're saying about it not really matching, but I actually think it still goes with it. It's still flower petals...in the shape of wings, which is pretty clever. :) I definitely agree that Destined is the prettiest though! :D

    I agree about Hidden, too...ever since I first saw it, it kind of just seemed weird to me compared to the others. I don't even know how to describe it. It's like it just doesn't fit. I guess they didn't want to get repetitive and have Jacinda all close up again, but I don't really like it compared to the others either. If they'd all been like that...maybe, but nah. It would've been neat if they'd done a close up on Jacinda as a draki...but with her human eyes or something like that! :D

    I completely agree about the Fire and Thorns series. I really don't like these ones. I just find them very blah, and I don't like the girl's face in the gems. I definitely preferred the dress cover, too, but you're right, they do look good together at least. And they are more boy friendly, but I still liked the others better. :P lol

    Great idea for a post, Amber, and I love that you put all these series covers together. I always love looking at the covers of books in a series next to each other...and it's so much nicer when they actually match. :P lol

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  4. I do dislike the redesign of the Zevin cover. They look fine, but the first one was more original. Oh well.

    The Girl with Fire and Thorns' new cover is boring. Definitely. I agree. However, it is WORLDS bettet than the original purple dress cover. Why? Because it's not a lie. The heroine of The Girl with Fire and Thorns is overweight, and the girl on the cover is model skinny. NOT COOL. That's up there with whitewashing in cover evilness in my opinion!

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  5. I think they changed the cover for Rae Carson's book because the model didn't fit the description of the character - the character is overweight, and the girl on the cover was really skinny.

    But I definitely agree about the Firelight covers. The first two are AMAZING, but the third one is just...okay.

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