Cover Love #21

 Welcome back to another week of Cover Love where we feature eight top voted book covers and give our unbiased opinions on it. Wow, I sound like a talk show host. I found some of these covers from bookstagram (I have started one too @zoellareads), the others were selected by Jordan, Inia and Hira. Even as I write, I haven't yet seen the covers, so my comments will be the first things that come to my mind. Since, others are a bit busy today, It looks like it will be just me and you today.

                                          

Zoella: This is one of those covers that look prettier as a hardcover than an ebook (The Elite by Kiera Cass is another example. As much as aI love the font and the typography, the background isn't exciting enough. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the white blurred outlines over the buildings.

 

Zoella: I found many different versions of this cover. Most of them featured this symbol on a plain red or textured background. That was when I saw this. The addition of silhouttes has made a world of change. I have heard many saying that they loathe seeing people on covers. But in my case, I love covers with people. It adds a kind of intimacy and comfort that you don't find in other covers. And they look pretty. Which way do you prefer your covers *winks*).



                                                        

Zoella: This book has been on my Amazon cart for a long time now. I haven't got around to buying it yet. I don't know anything about the book,  the cover looked interesting and I added it to the cart. Well, that's one way to choose books.
This book would've looked very fantasy-ish if not for the baby pink palette and sunburst effect at the top. I love how the words in the title interact with each other and that addition of the little feather under "A Novel." The picture is cliche, but the extra effect and good font treatment is really helping this book stand out.

                                                         

Zoella: I'm in love with this cover.Now, this is how you design a contemporary book cover. The soft colour palette, city n the background to let us know of the setting, the protagonist with face away from us so that we are allowed to imagine her in whichever we want, the amazing font treatment, even the author's name has been included as an organic part of the title and finally the filter like box effect. This is a book I would definitely buy for the cover and not regret it.

                                                        

Zoella: This cover is umm... weird. The photoshopping of the butterfly onto the apple is good. But this is one of those covers which I will notice but will walk away without a second glance. I'm sorry but I just don't get this cover. Is it about the metamorphosis of a butterfly? Is it about a killer? I get it. It's about a killer butterfly, isn't it?

                                                           

Zoella: A splash of colour on a monochrome cover works.Every.Single. Time. Maybe I should dedicate one week to exploring just those kinds of covers.I love how they have used a feather to hide her face. This way you can have a face on the cover and be free to imagine the protagonist as you wish.The little flourishes at the boundaries are elegant and do not steal away the focus. See the tagline, see how the numbers are going in descending order. This shows me that it has a prominent love triangle(Which I hate, So won't be trying out this book), is set in two worlds; one probably human and other fantasy and one earth shattering secret. The tagline will do an amazing job of reeling the potential readers into buying the books.

                                                             

Zoella: I loved this book. If you like college romance you should read this. That said I'm not a huge fan of this cover. Thematically, I really like it. This image really shows how it is to feel trapped, with no way to escape. That probably is the only thing I like about this cover. I would've really loved this cover if it was in a different kind of book. But, it just doesn't match the genre and the story.

                                                              

Zoella: Now, this is one interesting cover. Smoke coming off from shoes would've made an impact on its own. But by setting it up against a wider background, it gives off the impression that the man owner of the shoes disappeared into a puff of stroke, midstride. See, you can see whole story there( even though my story might be incorrect). This is a cover that intrigues you. I will certainly be reading this book.\

My favourite book this time was Nina Lacour's Everything Leads To You. This probably is the first time I have selected a non-fantasy book. So, which was your favourite? Let me know.
And if you want to nominate a cover to this feature, feel free to so. We will give you credit while posting.

Read more...

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass | Flash Review

The Selection series by Kiera Cass consists of a trilogy centered around the protagonist America Singer and then a duology following it which focuses on her daughter. Today, I will be focussing on just America's story.

The Selection trilogy by Kiera Cass

Something I really loved about this series was how well the love triangle was written and how well the angst was portrayed. I could completely empathise with America, Maxon and Aspen. The first book was where Cass's talent really shone and it's my favourite among the three. The second book was good, the plot progressed and so did character development. But, book three was a huge letdown.

The theme of death was not handled well. Everything was too rushed. The plot just fell apart. The ending and the explanation was so boring, it made me feel betrayed. I felt that all the build up was for nothing. I almost threw the book away in frustration.

If you are looking for a good romance with a strong love triangle, then I recommend this series. But, if you want a lot of action, twists and turns, then this is not the book series for you.

I rate the first two books four stars together and the third book two stars. I gave it two stars because all the characters were well written.

So, average rating for the series is: 3/5

Which as the last book you finished?
For me it was The Confession by John Grisham. Currently, I'm reading The One by Sarah Crossan.

Read more...

Book Nerd Problems #17 | Reader Problems

If you are a book nerd, I'm sure you can relate to this. I can't count the number of times this has happened to me.

I can't stop reading even on the day before exams. I'm at my most organized during exam times. I clean my room, write stories, draw stuff, watch anime, read books everything on the day before exam. Everything except studying. Sigh.

There have been so many times when I've nearly fallen asleep during exams just because I kept repeating to myself "Just one more chapter" the night before. It's a miracle that I've passed all my exams.
What about you? What do you do on the days before an exam?

Read more...

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo | A Review | #reviewfriday

At first, I was going to do a review of just Crooked Kingdom, then I thought why not include Six of Crows too. Since it's a duology it will be easier to compare and review the books(Oh yes, I'm going to compare them).

Title: Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

I am not icluding the blurb of the second book because I don't want to spoil the stoy for you.

Where should I start? The cover? Duh. I design book covers for a living, It's the first thing I notice in a book and often it's the reason why I buy books. Most of the time I buy books falling hard for the covers (despite others warning me that I won't like the story) and end up getting disappointed. But, this turned out to be a different case entirely. The cover was beautiful, the details gorgeous. I love how the cover is so symbolic. 

I am not a big fan of the font, but it's okay. I found the hardcover version with its white font better looking than its counterpart with the red font. As for the book, Six of Crows ended up setting a new benchmark for me. It's hard for me to enjoy other books now, because I know how great a story and its writing could be now. It's like being a peasant after having been a King. 

Leigh's writing is subtle, nothing is in your face, not the emotions, not the characters and definitely not the plot. I feel like the characters are independent and do whatever they want. They do not hold back on account of repulsing the reader. I know I'm talking as if they are real, but the way the six of them are written, they feel very real. I like the fact that they do not do a monologue on how unfair life has been to them, how fate toys with them and how they are being downtrodden by the powerful. They don't curse fate, they bargain with it. They overcome insurmountable odds to get what they want and they use their goddamn brains to do that and are not rescued by some super powerful characters that appear out of nowhere just for that.

The plot is brilliantly crafted in both books. I kept thinking "Oh no, they are done for this time" but they find ingenious ways to sail over that hurdle too. But their victory is never perfect. Someone always sacrifices something in order for them to stay alive. I love how the relationships progress with the story, it makes you root for them so hard. I ended up shipping everyone with everyone *grins*

I'm a very picky reader but Six of rows won me over so completely that now I keep recommending the book to everyone I meet. It's that good. You should definitely try it if you haven't.

I'm going to rate the books independently at the end, because one was stronger than the other.

Crooked Kingdom was my most awaited book of the year along with Magic Binds. I bought it the day it released and inhaled it in one sitting. It was so good and yet so sad. Sometimes I feel like I should have expected the ending, Then again it's Leigh Bardugo, anything can happen.

It took me a while to gather my thoughts after finishing it. Even though I really liked the book I could sense a tiny bit of disappointment in me. I wasn't content. The book was really well-written then why was I so disappointed. Then I realized, it was too perfect. I wanted the characters to suffer more before they achieved their final goal. I am a sadist, I know. Kaz and the others do suffer, and I am just nitpicking on the dtils, but I wanted them to fail more. They were too intelligent. This might probably be the first time, I am asking the characters to do more dumb stuff. 

The writing was really powerful, like the previous book. The descriptions well done (neither rare nor overcooked). And the task herculen as always. I guess I was only 94% satisfied because I was comparing it to Six of Crows, which was so great it ruined me for others.

You would probably understand how I feel when you look at my ratings.

Six of Crows- 5/5

Crooked Kingdom- 4.5/5

I think this the first time I have give a book five stars in this blog. Summing up, this is a duology I would definitely recommend. You will be missing out on a lot if you don;t give it try.

Read more...

Book Nerd Problem #15 | Reader Problems

Have you ever missed an awesome book sale by just a few hours. I have and I tell you the pain is almost unbearable and can only be soothed by buying more books or eating chocolate. But, in my case I had known about the sale and still could do nothing about it. I watched it slip away from me. Why? Well, I had a good reason.

I had bought 15 books from Amazon(yes, in one go), so when amazon had a sale the very next day, what could I do? The books I had just bought were available for like less than half the price. The tragedy of it all. Atleast I had chocolate to console me.

Has anything like this happened to you?

Read more...

Blog Tour: The Sapphire Blade by Dorine White (Spotlight and Giveaway)

Hey Folks, it's Zoella here and we are hosting another blog tour brought to you by Kathy- I Am a Reader. Look out for the giveaway at the end of the post.

The Sapphire Blade by Dorine White

The final journey begins!

Travel with past heroes and a new adventurer to the historical romps of London and the scorching sands of Alexandria. Fourteen-year-old Akmir, raised from birth to sacrifice everything in the pursuit of Cleopatra’s magic gemstones, holds within his hands the secret location of the fifth and final mystic gem: the blue sapphire.

His quest leads him to England, where four other gemstone searchers: Sara, Melanie, Kainu and Claire, are on the hunt. A pawn of the Roman Brotherhood, Akmir must choose his own path, whether to follow in his father’s brutal footsteps or stay true to his mother’s Egyptian heritage. Clues, puzzles, and danger rule the day.

What will happen when the power of all five gemstones are brought together? This is a battle for life and death, and only one side can win.

Author Dorine White 
My name is Dorine White. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Humanities. I am a member of the SCBWI, PNWA, LDStorytellers, and ANWA. I write middle grade and YA fantasy. My first book, The Emerald Ring, was published in May 2013 by Cedar Fort Books. I live in the beautiful, yet rainy Northwest with my husband and 6 children.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/30/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more...

Book Nerd Problem #14

Ok this one time a friend of mine borrowed a book from me. I had recommended it to her and had encouraged her to borrow my copy. That was a time I was persuading everyone I was meeting to read the book. So, fast forward and I give her my brand new hot off the press edition. 

"Take care of my baby." I joked. A week later I visited her home. And to my horror, my book was lying on the table, front page folded back and held under a coffee mug. A round brown stain was emblemed where the coffee mug was placed.

Well, that was the last time I let her borrow my book. I am not scared of ghosts or vampires but what I'm scared of is people mistreating my books. That is one thing I won't stand for.

Do you have any such scary stories to share? Has anyone taken your precious books and accidentally teared or creased it? Share your story below.

Read more...

Cover Love #16 International Version

Hello folks! Did you miss us last week? We are terribly sorry for the small hiatus but we had no other choice. Jordan was seriously sick (send her good vibes, she has been miserable), Inia was running rampant with her exams and work was kicking mine and Zoe's arses. I still can't believe we all survived last week. Personally, I would say all credit to coffee...it saved me from permanent lunacy.

Anyway, we are back and hopefully there will be no more hiatuses anywhere in the near future. And guess what, this week's cover love is special!

IT IS THE INTERNATIONAL COVER WEEK!

Basically, we are going to have covers of books of international authors. Usually the large majority of our book covers are from US Publishers so we decided to switch things up a little bit. And I am so proud to be master brain behind this brilliant idea (I am modest like that). I hope you guys enjoy!

The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi

India

Hira: I should start by saying what a huge success this book was. You think Greek mythology is cool? Wait till you have dabbled into the Indian stories. I seriously became addicted to this stuff after reading this book.

Okay, I should talk about the book cover here. Maybe I will do a book review of this one and fan girl there...tell me if you guys want it.

So, the whole reason I picked the book was the cover. It looked like a fantasy cover but there was something really edgy about this one. The colour palate for one was very very intriguing.  The man with the dreadlocks and numerous scars, the deadly looking trident right behind his spine, the inscriptions at the top...I was captivated by this cover. And let me tell you, this was a book I finished in one go. You just can't put it down.

Zoella: I have nothing much to add to what Hira has said. I like how all the individual elements come together and how everything is centred. This is the kind of cover that captures your attention even in an aisle of overflowing books.

The teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman

UK

Hira: Very innovative, isn't it. The cover looks like loose sheets. I loved this one at first glance but for some reason it feels weird after staring at it for a few seconds. Also it's a bit difficult to read the title. I love over all colour usage, the red, the black, the yellow. It's a nice cover which makes my eyes wobbly after a few seconds.

Zoella: Oooh I love the 3-D effect of this cover. The cover looks very classy. Even the font is getting cut by the panels of red. This cover has a lot going on and even though this looks like a book I won't pick up, I am a sucker for this cover.

L.I.E.B.E hoch drei by Vanessa Mansini

GERMAN

Hira: This is not a Hira-ish cover but I feel this is really a Jordan-ish cover. Seriously she might love it. I won't be surprised if it was she who picked this one. The cover idea is cute I guess, but I have never been a fan of Barbie pink. I like how authentic the chalk marks look.

Zoella: I don't think Jordan will like it. She tends to gravitate towards pastel colours. I picked the cover because the cover managed to use a colour stereotyped as feminine and girly into something edgy without losing sexiness. Is Roman ( the name in one of the columns) the hero or something?

I don't like that because it's just written normally while the other graphics looks like it has been drawn with chalk.

The Twisted Citadel by Sara Douglass

AUSTRALIAN

Hira: Now this is a Zoella Rose cover if there was one. You love this, don't you Zoe?  I personally am very curious about the bubble head like things at the bottom of the cover. It's not rocks...is it helmets? I like the colour palate and the font, but it's too fantasy-ish (I am using a lot of -ish today)

Zoella: LOL. There is so much action going on in the cover, the fairy, the huntsman, the mystic riders. This one looks like an fantasy of epic size. And yes, those are helmets. But one thing I hate about the over is the title font. It's too congested. There should've been more space between the letters.

All that remains by Lauren Dane

US

Hira: This one I love. The font, the colour palate, the girl, everything. Also love the tagline...(my inner romantic swoons) The designs at the bottom are a bit out of place but it doesn't bother me much. 

Zoella: This is a really cool cover and I like those two little flourishes on the bottom. I'm not sure whether it's contemporary because the series name suggests otherwise. But, all in all this is a pretty eye-catching cover.

Unwanted by Kristina Ohlsson

SWEDEN

Hira: Very dark. That's the phrase for this cover and I love it! I have this explainable draw towards  creepy, sad books and this feeds my inner masochist. I want to read this. I want to at least check out the blurb. See the blood inside the shoe? I want to know what this book is all about!

Zoella: Add it to your TBR list Hira because I have a feeling you might like this one. For me the most intriguing part about this cover is the white light around the shoe. to me it looks like a puppy. I'm not sure whether it was intended or not, but I like how it adds another layer of smbolism to th cover. And the bllod on the shoes is the right touch to guide the reader as to what genre this is.

The Seventh Child by Erik Vallor

DENMARK

Hira: Interesting name and cover. The cradles with each alphabet corresponding to it, very innovative. It intrigues me...which means its a good cover in my eyes. But I am not a fan of the overall style of the cover. It's eye catching but somehow not in a good way.

Zoella: I love solving puzzles and this cover makes me want to solve it. Since, I concentrate mainly fantasy I don't come across many covers that play with the title like this. It's a refresshing change. This looks like a dark and intriging story. I m going to read this.

Throne of the crescent moon by Saladin Ahmed

Author is Arab-American

Hira: It's a childish cover and I have never been into illustrations. So I am not gonna say much here, since I can't find anything to say.

Zoella: I love this cover. Everything from the font, colours, the burning skeleton, the crescent moon to the fog hidden palaces. This one looks epic.I love the long haired guy, he looks crazy scary. I'm fangirling over this cover so much now. But, one thing I would wih to change is the old wizard because he is the current focal point of the cover. I want it to the fighters. But, other than that no complaints

Hira: My favorites this week have to be The Immortals of Meluha and Unwanted. 

Zoella: For me, it's hands down Throne of the Crescent Moon. 

Which one was your fav cover. Coment below. And has anyone read Magic Binds or Crooked Kingdom yet? I'm going to start on Crooked Kingdom after I finish fangirling over how good Magic Binds was.

Read more...

What do you think about this?

So, bit of  sad news. We will be going on a hiatus for a week. That means we won't be doing our usual features like Cover Love, Book Review and Book nerd problems. All five of us are really sorry, but sometimes life just gets in the way.

I wanted to ask you something. I was discussing with the others whether or not to start a movie review feature. Should we limit it to just a book blog or expand it to include movie reviews?

What do you think?

Read more...

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden || Review Friday

I was having another one of my insomniac nights. My roommate was out of town and I had even gotten tired of Youtube. That was when I noticed  Memoirs of a Geisha lying on her table. It was not the first time I had noticed the book, but I had always put it in my to-be-read-sometime-in-the-future list. But that night, I took the book and turned the first page. When the sun came up, a golden glory of light on the horizon, I was still reading.

I wouldn't say Memoirs of a Geisha is perfect. I had a few problems with it, which I will list later. But, it is definitely one of the most page-turning books I have read in the past few months. Considering that I'm a fan of fast paced urban fantasy novels, the fact that a non-fantasy book gripped me so hard is a proof of its author's talent.

Title: Memoirs of a Geisha

Author:Arthur Golden

A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable

Notice that I haven't mentioned the genre, there is a reason which I will explain later.

Memoirs of a Geisha is rich in details, has a tight plot and a wide variety of characters that you can hate or empathize with. The writing is not extremely ornamental, but what amazes me is that it manages to capture each emotion, each character quirk, each detail of the kimono so perfectly. 

The author has made Sayuri, the lead protagonist, a character you can root for. Her ambitions, desires, worldview everything is interwoven into the story so deftly, that at no point of time you are left to wonder whether she is real or not.

Remember I had mentioned the genre. It's because when I read the translator's note, it made it appear as if the Arthur was just translating everything for Sayuri. But, in the acknowledgement section, the first line itself is that Sayuri is not real. I had some friends tell me that this is not a real memoir, but others are saying that it is actually based on a real person even though she wasn't credited. Even the blurb itself is confusing, they are saying it's a book of true confessions and in the same page they are saying it's a work of fiction. I am leaning towards the fiction side.

A problem I had with the book was that despite it being realistic in all other aspects, when it came to the hero it ended up being a cliche. He was too perfect. My heart broke for the second lead. I am not mentioning who they are because it is part of the climax and I don't want to deprive you of the suspense.

Excluding that single glitch this novel, for me, was a masterpiece. A novel I would proudly recommend to anyone.

Rating: 4.5/5

Woah, I think that's the highest rating I've given so far. 

So far I am at 58/100 in my reading goals. What about you? Which was the last book you read or is currently reading? Which is that one book you will recommend to anyone?

Read more...

Cover Love #14

We're back with the best feature of the week,  Cover Love! And this week, all of us have pitched in with the featured covers, which is why you might note a world of differences in the covers. Finding these covers was great fun, and critiquing them was even better.So join me, Zoella, as I get this show on the road!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Zoella: I love this cover much more than its predecessor. This cover is much more fiery (forgive the bad pun). It's like they took the earlier covers and gave a badass twist to it. The designer in me approves.

The Night Circus by Erina Morgenstern

Zoella: I love this sort of covers. And by this, I mean covers which look simple at first glance but reveals layers and layers of details upon inspection. The simple colour palette, the intriguing title, the details of the scarf and the bird on the woman. This is the kind of book that would make me by its hardcover, even if I am broke.

Schasm by Shari J. Ryan

Zoella: I am confused about this cover. I know it's set in Paris and is not a kickass fantasy, but other than that I'm lost. Is it a portal mystery and what is she holding in her hand? A rose? A violin? or is it some kind of dagger?

Those aside, I love the treatment of the title, the textures and the colours used inside it. Although it does not look like a book I want to read, the cover is certainly eye-catching.

Lola Rose by Jacqueline Wilson

Zoella: I own the hardcover of the book. And the sole reason why I bought it was because it was a hardcover. I love hardcovers and when this came up in a sale, I couldn't resist. Cover wise, I am not a big fan. It's just not my type. But I have read My Sister Jodi by the same author and I had loved it. So, I have high hopes for this book.

Acid by Emma Pass

Zoella: I love this cover. Everything from the attitude of the girl, the tagline, the monochrome+red colour palette to the destruction in the background. Well, everything except the font treatment. It's a very bleh colour and font for such an amazing cover. I know the purpose of it is to divert maximum attention to the cover, but it is too bland. What do you think?

Dark Siren by Dignam and Martinez

Zoella: This cover is amazing and probably my favourite of the lot. This uses the exact same palette as the earlier one but has more stylistic attachments. All the covers in this series are beautiful, but this one is my favourite. I like  how the elegant style of the font is contrasted with the simplicity of the series name font. The designs underneath it, add an extra oomph factor to it. The monochrome provides the drama while red adds the touch of fantasy. This is the kind of cover that inspires( if you are a Suga fan, infires) me to be a designer.

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

Zoella: This is quite a literal cover, but I like it. While it won't be something I will rave about, I appreciate the detailed white designs underneath the ribbon.

The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern

Zoella: I would've really fallen for this cover if not for the grey buildings. Why did they make it so opaque? It's an ugly mark in an otherwise pretty cover. I love the gradation of colours from red to blue to grey. The patterns on the sky, the two lights hanging on the wire. Everything is beautiful except the grey buildings which resembles rocks jutting out into the city.

My favourite undoubtedly was the Dark Siren. Which was yours?

Read more...