Category Archives: Cover Crush

Cover Crush: Hostage to Fortune by Sarah Hawkswood

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While this cover isn’t outstanding-in my opinion-it’s extraordinary and jumped out at me. I feel like that is a bit of a contradiction statement I made. Ha! There is a bit of abstract imagery to this cover that shows a bigger picture to the story. The latter is why I chose this book as this week’s cover crush. -Stephanie.

Hostage to FortuneHostage to Fortune by Sarah Hawkswood

Allison & Busby

Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 12 Mar 2020

Description

January, 1144. Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote does not want his betrothed travelling on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Edgyth. The Archbishop of Canterbury’s envoy and his entourage of monks seem perfect as escorts, until they are captured by a renegade who kills for pleasure.

Against a backdrop of a hard winter and frozen River Severn, Bradecote and Serjeant Catchpoll are struggling to rescue the captive before a psychopath does his worst, the lord Sheriff loses patience, and Bradecote cracks under the pressure.

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated by Erin at Historical Fiction Reader 

Other book bloggers who participated in the great cover crushes series. 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Cover Crush: Death of an American Beauty by Mariah Fredricks

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Y’all I just had to bring back the Cover Crush Series because I am a sucker for cover art! I am not a book cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover. This latest one just really popped out to me due to the colors and the Lady’s dress and hat I believe.  

Death of an American BeautySt. Martin’s Press/Pub Date 14 Apr 2020

 

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated by Erin at Historical Fiction Reader .

Other book bloggers who participated in the great cover crushes series. 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Cover Crush:Girls on the Line by Aimie K. Runyan

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

Girls on the LineGirls on the Line by Aimie K. Runyan

Lake Union Publishing

Pub Date 06 Nov 2018

Description

“A moving tale of female solidarity and courage.” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network

December 1917. As World War I rages in Europe, twenty-four-year-old Ruby Wagner, the jewel in a prominent Philadelphia family, prepares for her upcoming wedding to a society scion. Like her life so far, it’s all been carefully arranged. But when her beloved older brother is killed in combat, Ruby follows her heart and answers the Army Signal Corps’ call for women operators to help overseas.

As one of the trailblazing “Hello Girls” deployed to war-torn France, Ruby must find her place in the military strata, fight for authority and respect among the Allied soldiers, and work to secure a victory for the cause. But balancing service to country is complicated further by a burgeoning relationship with army medic Andrew Carrigan.

What begins as a friendship forged on the front lines soon blossoms into something more, forcing Ruby to choose between the conventions of a well-ordered life back home, and the risk of an unknown future.

My Thoughts:

Wow! This cover alone makes me want to read the book. Then when I read the description, I downloaded the book immediately from NetGalley to review. Lately I have been mostly listening to audio books because of my schedule and so forth but I’m slowing getting back into reading print books. Hooray!

I love reading stories that take place during this era and the cover really gives you the vibe of the story. One can tell this will be a wonderful story. Well, not because of the cover per say but because the author is a great story-teller.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

 

Cover Crush: The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig , Karen White

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

The Glass OceanThe Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig , Karen White

From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.

May 2013
Her finances are in dire straits and bestselling author Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. Desperate, she breaks the one promise she made to her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother and opens an old chest that belonged to her great-grandfather, who died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. What she discovers there could change history. Sarah embarks on an ambitious journey to England to enlist the help of John Langford, a recently disgraced Member of Parliament whose family archives might contain the only key to the long-ago catastrophe. . . .

April 1915
Southern belle Caroline Telfair Hochstetter’s marriage is in crisis. Her formerly attentive industrialist husband, Gilbert, has become remote, pre-occupied with business . . . and something else that she can’t quite put a finger on. She’s hoping a trip to London in Lusitania’s lavish first-class accommodations will help them reconnect—but she can’t ignore the spark she feels for her old friend, Robert Langford, who turns out to be on the same voyage. Feeling restless and longing for a different existence, Caroline is determined to stop being a bystander, and take charge of her own life. . . .

Tessa Fairweather is traveling second-class on the Lusitania, returning home to Devon. Or at least, that’s her story. Tessa has never left the United States and her English accent is a hasty fake. She’s really Tennessee Schaff, the daughter of a roving con man, and she can steal and forge just about anything. But she’s had enough. Her partner has promised that if they can pull off this one last heist aboard the Lusitania, they’ll finally leave the game behind. Tess desperately wants to believe that, but Tess has the uneasy feeling there’s something about this job that isn’t as it seems. . . .

As the Lusitania steams toward its fate, three women work against time to unravel a plot that will change the course of their own lives . . . and history itself.

My thoughts:

Just looking at the cover you must know the story takes place on a cruise liner. There is really nothing spectacular about the cover but knowing that the cover depicts the setting of the story and leads me to investigate further…Yeah, this is a good cover.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

 

Cover Crush: Saving Phoebe Murrow by Herta Feely

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

Saving Phoebe MurrowSaving Phoebe Murrow by Herta Feely

Upper Hand Press

Pub Date 02 Sep 2016

Description

Inspired by the tragic story of Megan Meier, who committed suicide following a cyber-bullying incident, Saving Phoebe Murrow follows DC lawyer Isabel Winthrop as she struggles to balance work and the responsibilities of being a mother and wife. She does everything in her power to keep Phoebe safe but fails when the mysterious Shane appears on Facebook and flirts with her teenage daughter.

This novel, which has won three separate awards (most recently a 2018 National Indie Excellence Award), explores the devastating impact social media can have on teenage girls along with the difficult, yet delicate relationship between mothers and their teenage daughters through five different points-of-view.

My thoughts:

I really can’t pin point why I’m drawn to this cover so much. Maybe it’s the rain on the widow effect and how the butterfly is up against it and the colors of the wings seem to be bleeding…? Does that make sense or does it sound totally morbid! *laughing* Yikes! Anyhow, the cover is great and I think it draws one in to find out more about the story.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

 

Cover Crush: The Deserving by Efren O’Brien

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The DeservingThe Deserving by Efren O’Brien

BooksGoSocial

Historical Fiction, Romance

Pub Date 16 Aug 2017

In early 1862, General Henry Hopkins Sibley and his Confederate Brigade rode across the West Texas desert from San Antonio to El Paso and followed the Rio Grande north into the New Mexico Territory.

Their goal was nothing less than to conquer the entire Western US for the Confederacy. During this time a young New Mexican named E’mile Deschampes who was only eighteen years old, enlisted in the Union Army to oppose the Confederates in New Mexico.

A prolific battle takes place at Valverde Ford near Socorro New Mexico in February of 1862, and E’mile is nearly killed there. He is rescued from the battlefield by a local villager Carmen Reyes. Together, at Valverde they begin their relationship and strange odyssey with a brutal Confederate Lieutenant, Aubrey McGrath.

Their conflict with McGrath will last nearly twenty years and almost cost them their lives. And as luck and fate play a part in life’s events, the couple encounter McGrath after the war in Santa Fe in the late 1800’s. McGrath tries again without success to kill E’mile. E’mile prepares for one final battle against his longtime rival as Carmen is kidnapped in Santa Fe by McGrath and his gang.

Will Carmen and E’mile survive to tell the tale of their ordeal with their former Civil War enemy? Or in 1881 will they both become victims to Aubrey McGrath and his evil gang?

My thoughts:

The premise of the story is of interest to me and I really like the dramatic feel to the cover. The layout definitely gives the reader an indication of what the book is about and the period the story is written in.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at HISTORICAL FICTION READER

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Cover Crush: The Rain Watcher by Tatiana De Rosnay

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

The Rain WatcherDescription

Pub Date 23 Oct 2018

The first new novel in four years from the beloved superstar author of Sarah’s Key, a heartbreaking and uplifting story of family secrets and devastating disaster, set against a Paris backdrop, fraught with revelations, and resolutions.

“Hypnotic, passionate, ominous and tender—unforgettable.” —Jenna Blum, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Those Who Save Us

Linden Malegarde has come home to Paris from the United States. It has been years since the whole family was all together. Now the Malegarde family is gathering for Paul, Linden’s father’s 70th birthday.

Each member of the Malegarde family is on edge, holding their breath, afraid one wrong move will shatter their delicate harmony. Paul, the quiet patriarch, an internationally-renowned arborist obsessed with his trees and little else, has always had an uneasy relationship with his son. Lauren, his American wife, is determined that the weekend celebration will be a success. Tilia, Linden’s blunt older sister, projects an air of false fulfillment. And Lindon himself, the youngest, uncomfortable in his own skin, never quite at home no matter where he lives—an American in France and a Frenchman in the U.S.—still fears that, despite his hard-won success as a celebrated photographer, he will always be a disappointment to his parents.

Their hidden fears and secrets slowly unravel as the City of Light undergoes a stunning natural disaster, and the Seine bursts its banks and floods the city. All members of the family will have to fight to keep their unity against tragic circumstances. In this profound and intense novel of love and redemption, de Rosnay demonstrates all of her writer’s skills both as an incredible storyteller but also as a soul seeker.

My thoughts:

I like the sound of rain and the thought of being in Paris with that view of the Eiffel tower…well…I’ll take it! I like the title as well because I like watching rain to. This is a great cover and I think sets the mood for the story.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

 

 

Cover Crush: Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

Darkwater SecretsDarkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll

Gilead Publishing

Christian, Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 17 Jul 2018

Description

A murder investigation uncovers sordid secrets and haunting mistakes

The Darkwater Inn stands tall and proud in the French Quarter, the hub of New Orleans. Bourbon Street is bustling, and General Manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with a hotel at capacity. She, along with everyone else, is shocked when a body is found: a hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife.

Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide’s childhood friend, is on the case. As Beau digs into the victim’s past, he unearths a shocking connection between Adelaide and the murdered guest. Beau is hurt that his friend—the woman he’s quietly loved for years—kept the truth from him. To make matters worse, the stress of the investigation has sent Adelaide right into the comforting arms of her coworker Dimitri. But Beau can’t press Adelaide too hard . . . he’s keeping secrets of his own.

Can Adelaide and Beau afford to hide from the truth with a killer on the loose?

My Thoughts:

It’s been a while since I’ve featured a cover crush! What’s up with that? Crazy I know. Let’s do this.

The title and colors of the layout caught my attention and then I looked closer and saw underneath the layers of colors, New Orleans buildings. Oh, yes…how cool is that?!

Great cover and I love thrillers so I am curious about this one!

Stephanie M Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Cover Crush: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester FoxThe Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication: October 2nd 2018 by Graydon House

An astonishing debut from an exciting new voice in historical fiction, The Witch of Willow Hall delivers memorable and atmospheric witchcraft themes, resulting in an addictive story about strange powers, fierce love, family secrets, and how the past haunts us in ways that demand to be seen.

Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman (The Rules of Magic), Susanna Clarke (Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell) and Deborah Harkness (A Discovery of Witches), readers will devour this immersive historical novel and root for a heroine who must struggle to come to terms with her place in the world, and the surprising doors a newfound power can open.

Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences, but those around you, as well.

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.

The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

My thoughts:

I love the design and tones of this cover and how the woman’s dress flares out a bit to give a dramatic feel. The house behind her looks haunting and atmospheric that you want to explore or can tell holds many secrets and hiding places. Great book cover.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

 

Cover Crush: The Shanghai Wife by Emma Harcourt

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

The Shanghai WifeThe Shanghai Wife by Emma Harcourt

Paperback

Publication: June 18th 2018 by Harlequin Enterprises (Australia)

Forbidden friendship, political conspiracy and incendiary passion draw Australian woman Annie Brand deep into the glamour and turmoil of 1920s Shanghai.

Shanghai, 1925: Leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past in country Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920s. Journeying up the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship’s captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband decides the danger is too great and sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed. Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgmental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. Sick of salacious gossip and colonial condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants who work at her husband’s Club. But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands and unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate and forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far–reaching consequences…

My thoughts:

What is not to love about this cover design? This cover draws a reader in to find out more about the story and from what I read of the book description above, I am adding this story to my wish-list!

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired