The Best and Worst of Covers (11)

Every Saturday, I post book covers I love and dislike from books I've read or currently reading. I include the information for each book: the edition, summary, publisher, number of pages, reading level, and my thoughts of the cover. This week I only have a cover I love...again. The cover I love is Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I just reviewed this amazingly fantastic book, and you can find the review here.

The Cover I Love: 
Title: Beautiful Creatures
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 1, 2009
Pages: 576 
Edition: Hardback 
Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary (from Amazon):
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Thoughts of the Covers:

The cover of Beautiful Creatures is gorgeous and very mysterious! When holding the actual book in your hands, the purple font is raised up and is nice and shiny. The background is really cool also with the trees and black background that has a hint of glimmer. This great cover is so perfect for such an amazing book. The font of the title is very pretty and goes perfectly with the background of trees. I really love this cover and want to read the sequel so badly! I highly recommend buying this book, so you can see for yourself the fantastic cover and read a great story.

What are your thoughts on this cover?

The Best and Worst of Covers (10)

Every Saturday, I post book covers I love and dislike from books I've read. I include information for each book: the edition, summary, publisher, number of pages, reading level, and my thoughts of the cover. This week it's Twilight saga themed because the New Moon movie is coming out next weekend, so the covers I love are Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. I like all the covers but those two are my favorites. Once again I don't have a cover I dislike, but oh well they're just so many great covers lately. I'm going at midnight on Thursday to see the movie, so I'm really excited! Also, I just found out from my swim team coach he changed the first day of swim practice to Friday the 20th instead of Monday, so I'm going to be kind of tired that day...

The Covers I Love: 
Title: Twilight and New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 2005 and August 2006
Pages: 544 and 608

Edition: Hardbacks
Reading Level: Young Adult

Twilight Summary (from Goodreads):
Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife-between desire and danger.Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

New Moon Summary (from Goodreads):
Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

Thoughts of the Covers:

I really love the beautiful covers of the Twilight saga! New Moon's flower is so pretty and elegant, it just is my favorite cover. I also really like the apple and the idea of "forbidden fruit" on the Twilight cover. The big, black covers of the books are instantly recognizable to any Twilight junkie, and the font Zephyr is has become the "Twilight font." I just love the story and characters, and I know everyone is basically sick of the Twilight phenomenon, but I still love the books. I hope the New Moon movie will a lot better than the first!

What are your thoughts on these covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (9)

Every Saturday, I post one book cover I love and one cover I dislike of books I've read. I include information for each book: the edition, summary, publisher, number of pages, reading level, and my thoughts of the cover. This week the cover I love is Liar by Justine Larbalestier, and the cover I dislike is nothing haha. I didn't not like any covers, so it I will only have a cover I like : ) The book summary is from Amazon.

The Cover I Love: 
Title: Liar
Author: Justine Larbalestier
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Publication Date: September 29, 2009
Pages: 384
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary:
Micah will freely admit that she’s a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she’ll ever tell you. Over the years she’s duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she’s always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them—and herself—that she’s finally come clean, Liar is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.

Thoughts of the Cover:

The cover of Liar is fantastic and goes so well with the crazy story. I love how her mouth is covered like she's trying not to lie. It's very messed up that the ARC cover has a white female when the main character is black. I'm so glad the cover it was changed to the amazing cover it has now. It's very cool to think we have a say in those kinds of things because it was all the controversy that made the publishers change the cover. Anyways I love the bright green because it goes well with what she is wearing. The title is nice, big, and bold too!

What are your thoughts on this cover?

The Best and Worst of Covers (8)

Every Saturday, I post one book cover I love and one cover I dislike of books I've read. I include information for each book: the edition, summary, publisher, number of pages, reading level, and my thoughts of the cover. I've decided against using the word "hate" because it's a very strong negative word. Since I don't really hate the covers, I dislike some of them, so I'll be using "dislike" instead. This week the cover I love is Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran, and the cover I dislike is The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. The book summaries are from Amazon.

The Cover I Love: 
Title: Cleopatra's Daughter
Author: Michelle Moran
Publisher: Crown
Publication Date: September 15, 2009
Pages: 448
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: Young Adult/Adult

Summary:
After the death of their parents, twins Alexander and Selene and younger brother Ptolemy are in a dangerous position, left to the mercy of their father's greatest rival, Octavian Caesar. However, Caesar does not kill them as expected, but takes the trio to Rome to be paraded as part of his triumphant return and to demonstrate his solidified power. As the twins adapt to life in Rome in the inner circle of Caesar's family, they grow into adulthood ensconced in a web of secrecy, intrigue and constant danger. Told from Selene's perspective, the tale draws readers into the fascinating world of ancient Rome and into the court of Rome's first and most famous emperor. Deftly encompassing enough political history to provide context, Moran never clutters her narrative with extraneous facts. Readers may be frustrated that Selene is more observer than actor, despite the action taking place around her, but historical fiction enthusiasts will delight in this solid installment from a talented name in the genre.

Thoughts of the Cover:

The cover of Cleopatra's Daughter is just so beautiful! I love the way the woman looks and how she's dressed. All the colors go so well together, and the bottom gold border is very nice and shiny when you see it physically in your hands.. The reds and golds make the cover look so perfect and very royal. It is the perfect cover to such an amazing book. I'm so close to finishing and can't wait to know the ending! My review should probably be up sometime tomorrow. The paperback doesn't come out for a while, actually it doesn't even have a release date yet, but it's cover is so gorgeous. All the gold is what makes these covers so great and beautiful. I highly recommend reading it!

The Cover I Dislike:
Title: Sisterhood of the Traveling of the Pants
Author: Ann Brashares
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 11, 2003
Pages: 336
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
 
Summary:
They were just a soft, ordinary pair of thrift-shop jeans until the four girls took turns trying them on--four girls, that is, who are close friends, about to be parted for the summer, with very different sizes and builds, not to mention backgrounds and personalities. Yet the pants settle on each girl's hips perfectly, making her look sexy and long-legged and feel confident as a teenager can feel. "These are magical Pants!" they realize, and so they make a pact to share them equally, to mail them back and forth over the summer from wherever they are. Beautiful, distant Lena is going to Greece to be with her grandparents; strong, athletic Bridget is off to soccer camp in Baja, California; hot-tempered Carmen plans to have her divorced father all to herself in South Carolina; and Tibby the rebel will be left at home to slave for minimum wage at Wallman's.

Over the summer the Pants come to represent the support of the sisterhood, but they also lead each girl into bruising and ultimately healing confrontations with love and courage, dying and forgiveness. Lena finds her identity in Greece and the courage not to reject love; Bridget gets in over her head with an older camp coach; Carmen finds her father ensconced with a new fiancée and family; and Tibby unwillingly takes on a filmmaking apprentice who is dying of leukemia. Each girl's story is distinct and engrossing, told in a brightly contemporary style. Like the Pants, the reader bounces back and forth among the four unfolding adventures, and the melange is spiced with letters and witty quotes.

Thoughts of the Cover:
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book cover could have been a lot more attractive. The pants used on the cover are actually pretty ugly and very plain. Also, the colors aren't really the greatest either; they are pretty dull. The book, however, is a great read and very funny. The only thing I really like the about the cover is that the background has all their names in this shiny color which looks pretty cool when you pick it up. The movie paperback cover is pretty cute, and a lot better than the original cover. The movie is really good, and the actresses who played the best friends were perfect. I wish the cover could've been almost as great as the book.

What are your thoughts on these covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (7)

Every Saturday, I will post one book cover I love and one cover I dislike of books I've read. I include information for each book: the edition, summary, publisher, number of pages, reading level, and my thoughts of the cover. I've decided against using the word "hate" because it's a very strong negative word. Since I don't really hate the covers, I dislike some of them, so I'll be using "dislike" instead. This week the cover I love is Read My Lips by Teri Brown, and the cover I dislike is You, Maybe by Rachel Vail. The book summaries are from Amazon.

The Cover I Love: 
Title: Read My Lips
Author: Teri Brown
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: June 3, 2008
Pages: 256
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult   

Summary:

Popularity is as easy as a good secret.

Serena just wants to fly under the radar at her new school. But Serena is deaf, and she can read lips really well-even across the busy cafeteria. So when the popular girls discover her talent, there's no turning back.
From skater chick to cookie-cutter prep, Serena's identity has done a 180...almost. She still wants to date Miller, the school rebel, and she's not ready to trade her hoodies for pink tees just yet. But she is rising through the ranks in the school's most exclusive clique. With each new secret she uncovers, Serena feels pressure to find out more. Reading lips has always been her greatest talent, but now Serena just feels like a gigantic snoop...

Thoughts of the Cover:

Read My Lips's cover is very pretty. The colors, the girl, and title all go very well together. I love the purple font of the title! The girl on the cover looks like she should according to the book's description, and she looks like she has a secret which she does... The book is a good and fun read. Read My Lips is one of the books I'm giving away for my contest, so if it sounds good go enter if you haven't already!

The Cover I Dislike:
Title: You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School
Author: Rachel Vail
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 26,2007
Pages: 224
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
 
Summary:
Josie is an independent, self-assured sophomore who doesn't care what anyone thinks about her–until Carson Gold, senior and hottest guy around, suddenly shows an interest. Neither Josie nor her best friends quite understand why she tentatively indulges his attention. At first, she makes out with both Carson and Michael, her neighbor and longtime best friend, following her own philosophy of not getting too involved with one person. Though her friends discourage the relationship, pointing to Carson's fame as a heartbreaker, Josie still finds herself falling for him and his lifestyle. She begins to dress to impress and alters her behavior to fit in with the Beautiful People. Pleased to see Josie taking an interest in her appearance, and also impressed by Carson, her mother approves Josie's request to go on a trip with him and his friends. Several traumatic events during the weekend lead Josie to rediscover what is really important to her. Ultimately, she proves that she is the bright, secure person her friends have always admired. Throughout her first-person narrative, confident vs. insecure Josie argues with herself about all of her relationships, giving readers a true glimpse of her confusion. Her friends are realistically portrayed and their reactions to her romance add to the story's development. Josie shows what often happens to a smart, young woman when a charismatic young man starts paying attention to her.

Thoughts of the Cover:
You, Maybe's cover is kind of weird looking and very plain. I like the title but the cartoonish drawing is not very appealing to me. Also, the colors aren't very good. The cover does depict what the book is about, but it should have been a little more attractive. If I hadn't liked the summary, I wouldn't have picked this book up at the library to read a while back. The book is a good, quick read that's about of course love and the drama surrounding high school.

What are your thoughts on these two covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (6)

Every Saturday, I will post one book cover I love and one I hate from books that I have read. I will post information on the edition of the book, the summary, and my thoughts of the cover. This week the cover I love is Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz, and the cover I hate is Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen. Summaries from Amazon.

The Cover I Love: 
Title: Masquerade
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
Pages:336 
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult   

Summary:
Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help--her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city's wealthy, powerful, and unhuman--a true Blue Blood affair. But it's at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

Thoughts of the Cover:

This cover is amazingly stunning! I love the big masquerade mask and the title font. This cover is my favorite out of all the Blue Bloods covers, even though I really like them all. This cover goes perfectly with the story, which is very good. I love this series and can't wait for the Van Alen Legacy!

The Cover I Hate:
Title: Lock and Key
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Pages: 432
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: Young Adult
 
Summary:
What happens when your past is not just past, but wiped clean entirely? How do you figure out where you're going when you can't even claim where you've been? These were the questions that inspired Lock and Key. It's the story of a girl named Ruby who is abandoned by her mother and determined to make it on her own, even---and especially---when she is sent to live with her long-lost sister in a whole new world of privilege, family, and relationships. As Ruby learns, there's a big difference between being given help and being able to accept it. And sometimes, it takes reaching out to someone else to save yourself. 

Thoughts of the Cover:

This cover is very boring, kind of like the book. I really love all of Sarah Dessen's covers and books, but this one is probably my least favorite. The beginning of the story line starts off pretty boring, but once it gets going it starts to become good. The hardback cover could've been much better, like the paperback cover. The paperback is so mysterious and very pretty.

What are your thoughts on these two covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (5)

Every Saturday, I will post one book cover I love and one I hate from books that I have read. I will post information on the edition of the book, the summary, and my thoughts of the cover. This week the cover that I love is Evermore which I'm about fifteen pages from finishing so expect the review very soon! Summaries from Amazon.

The Cover I Love: 
Title: Evermore
Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Mary's Griffin
Publication Date: February 3, 2009
Pages: 320
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult   

Summary:
This opening book in a new series, The Immortals, will thrill many teen fantasy-suspense readers, especially fans of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Seventeen-year-old Ever survived the car crash that killed her parents, younger sister, and their dog. Now she lives with an aunt in Southern California, plagued not only by survivor guilt but also by a new ability to hear the thoughts of all around her. She tries to tune out all these distractions by keeping her hoodie up and her iPod cranked loud, until Damen, the cute new boy at school, convinces her to come out of her shell. Damen, however, is frighteningly clever—and has the strange ability to produce tulips from nowhere and disappear himself at critical moments. Noël (Saving Zoë, 2007) creates a cast of recognizably diverse teens in a realistic high-school setting, along with just the right tension to make Ever’s discovery of her own immortality—should she choose it—exciting and credible.

Thoughts of the Cover:

This cover is so pretty! I love the picture of the girl, she looks a lot like the girl I imagined Ever to look like. The blue tint is really pretty and the slighted raised up red tulips just puts it all together. Also, the glowing white title adds a nice touch. Evermore only came out in paperback, so  I can't compare the different covers. This cover is so good, I'm glad this is the only cover! I really liked the book so far, and I can't wait to see how it ends and read the next book in the series!


The Cover I Hate:
Title: The Midnight Charter
Author: David Whitley
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Publication Date: September 1, 2009
Pages: 336
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: 11-14
 
Summary:
Welcome to Agora, a secret and closed-in city where anything can be bought and sold – goods, people, thoughts, ideas and even emotions are traded in the market. A place without money, where selling is the only way of life and debt is death. The successful merchants rule, plague festers in the pitiless slums and children are possessions until their twelfth birthday.

In the ancient tower of Count Stelli, the city's greatest astrologer, two children meet, both of whom have been sold as servants. One, Mark, an emotional, imaginative boy who was sold by his father to the Count’s grandson in return for medical treatment. The other, Lily, a reserved and thoughtful orphan girl, now owned by the count. At first, threatened with being thrown out to die on the disease-ridden streets if they displease their masters, their only goal is to work and survive. But gradually, as they begin to understand that they can shape their own destiny, they each find their path – Mark within the system, trying to learn the secret of the powerful Libran Society and gain the security it brings; and Lily, rebellious, dangerous and determined to change the city forever.

How will they survive? Can their plans succeed? And why is the shadowy ruler of Agora, the all-powerful Director of Receipts, watching them from afar…? 

Thoughts of the Cover:
I really don't like this cover! The cover is really creepy looking, but the background is kind of cool. The book was pretty good but this cover is not the best. I received the ARC for review from Henry Holt, so I don't have this cover. If I would've seen this in a book store, I probably won't have even thought of reading it. The main reason I don't like this cover is the guy who takes up practically the entire cover, I really don't understand who he is even supposed to be in the book. Even thought the cover is ugly, I would recommend reading the book because it is pretty good. The sequel is coming out next summer, so I'm looking forward to that.

What are your thoughts on these two covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (4)

Every Saturday, I will post one book cover I love and one I hate from books that I have read. I will post information on the edition of the book, the summary, and my thoughts of the cover. Also, it seems now that I've been doing these for a couple weeks I find I like either the paperback or hardback better, so I will put both of the covers from now on. Also, weirdly both of these books were published on the same date says Amazon. Without further ado the covers:

The Cover that I LOVE:

Title: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Author: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 28, 2007
Pages: 192
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult   

Summary (From Rachel Cohn's Website:
It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who's just walked in to his band's show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you'll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

Thoughts of the Cover:

I really love this cover because it's purple (my fave color), the headphones in a heart shape (very cute and clever), and the city in the background; altogether I very awesome cover! I don't like the second cover at all though because the picture is just weird and blurry. Nick and Norah is a really good and fun to read book. The chapters in the character's different perspectives is so cool, and since there was two authors it's pretty interesting to read. The book was just made into a movie which stars Michael Cera and Kat Dennings who are the perfect people for Nick and Norah.


The Cover that I HATE:

Title: Hero
Author: Perry Moore
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: August 28, 2007
Pages: 43
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
 
Summary (From Perry Moore's website):
Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a high school basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League-until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast.

The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: First is that he's gay. The second is that he has the power to heal people. Initially, Thom had trouble controlling his powers. But with trail and error he improves, until he gets so good that he catches the attention of the League and is asked to join. Even though he knows it would kill his dad, Thom can't resist. When he joins the League, he meets a motley crew of other heroes, including tough-talking Scarlett, who has the power of fire from growing up near a nuclear power plant; Typhoid Larry, who makes everyone sick by touching them, but is actually a really sweet guy; and wise Ruth, who has the power to see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes. Along the way, Thom falls in love, and discovers the difficult truth about his parents' past. This is moving, funny, and wonderfully original novel shows that things are not always what they seem, and love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Thoughts of the Cover:
I actually don't hate this cover, I just don't really like it that much because it is really plain. The paperback cover is a lot better in my opinion because it goes perfectly with the story. I have an ARC of the first cover, and I got it at a book sale for very cheap. I'm so glad I did because the book was quite amazing. The main character is gay and kinda a superhero, but not let that scare you off because this is a must-read!

What are your thoughts on these two covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (3)

Every Saturday, I will post one book cover I love and one I hate from books that I have read. I've seen other bloggers do cover memes, so I put a different spin on mine. For each cover, I will post information on the edition of the book, the summary, and my thoughts of the cover.

The Cover that I LOVE:

Title: The Truth About Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: April 6, 2006
Pages: 400
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary from Sarah Dessen's website:
Macy's summer stretches before her, carefully planned and outlined. She will spend her days sitting at the library information desk. She will spend her evenings studying for the SATs. Spare time will be used to help her obsessive mother prepare for the big opening of the townhouse section of her luxury development. But Macy's plans don't anticipate a surprising and chaotic job with Wish Catering, a motley crew of new friends, or ... Wes. Tattooed, artistic, anything-but-expected Wes. He doesn't fit Macy's life at all--so why does she feel so comfortable with him? So ... happy? What is it about him that makes her let down her guard and finally talk about how much she misses her father, who died before her eyes the year before? Sarah Dessen delivers a page-turning novel that carries readers on a roller coaster of denial, grief, comfort, and love as we watch a broken but resilient girl pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together.

Thoughts of the Cover:
I really love all the newer covers of Sarah Dessen's paperback books. This one especially is my favorite because the flower is so pretty and the colors are really nice. I also love the story, so the cover really wraps everything together nicely. If you haven't read any of her books, I would strongly recommend it because most of them are really good.

The Cover that I HATE:

Title: Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything
Author: E. Lockhart
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 13, 2007
Pages: 192
Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
 
Summary from E. Lockhart's website:
Enter Gretchen Kaufman Yee.
Collector of plastic Chinese food.
Art student.
Spider-man fanatic.
Gretchen’s in search of a big life. A superhero life.
Enter the Art Rats, a group of guys at her NYC art school.
They’re loud. Sweet. Annoying. Confusing.
Gretchen can barely look at them, goes mute whenever they’re near.
Especially, Titus.
Delicious and smart. Absolutely on the radar.
Gretchen wishes she could be a fly on the wall of the boys’ locker room, just to see what these guys are like when they think no one’s watching.
And then… there she is.
A fly.
 On the wall of the locker room.
She sees…EVERYTHING.
And nothing is what she thought.

Thoughts of the Cover:
Fly on the Wall's cover is just plain weird and not very pleasing to look at. The book isn't the greatest either but it's much better than the cover. Fortunately I have the hardback, so I don't have this ugly cover on mine. The book is pretty fascinating because she turns into a fly and then lives in the boy's locker room, so she sees all that happens in there. This book is definitely not as good as E. Lockhart's other books.

What are your thoughts on these two covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (2)

Every Saturday, I discuss one book cover I love and one book cover I hate from past books that I have read. Many bloggers host cover memes, but I put a new spin on mine. For each cover I post: information about the book, the summary, and my thoughts of the cover. The book summaries and info are from Amazon.

The Cover I LOVE:

Title: Living Dead Girl
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Pages: 176

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: September 2, 2008
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary:

Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was. When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends--her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over. Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she wants. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her. This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

Thoughts of the Cover:
I just love the cover of Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott so much because I think the dress laying on the leaves is very elegant and beautiful. The fall colors and the message of the dress laying alone on the leaves describe the general mood of the sad story. The book is very powerful and moving, so this cover combined with the plot altogether make it an amazing book. My only compliant is I wish the cover had a more elegant and curvy font for the title, but other than that I wouldn't change anything. Living Dead Girl's cover is not the only beautiful part of the book, so I highly recommend reading it right away!

The Cover I HATE:

Title: Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Author: Dyan Sheldon
Pages: 272
 Publisher: Candlewick 

Publication Date: August 26, 2002

Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult

 

Summary:

Mary Elizabeth, a.k.a. Lola, is accustomed to playing the starring role in the fascinating production that is her life. Her pottery-making single mom and bratty twin sisters are merely bit players in Lola's dramatic existence. But all this changes when she is forced to move from her beloved Manhattan to the boring suburbs of New Jersey. According to Lola, "living in the suburbs is like being dead, only with cable TV and pizza delivery." The worst part is that someone has already snagged the coveted Drama Queen of Suburbia title--and that someone is Carla Santini. Carla, who is "sophisticated, beautiful, and radiates confidence the way a towering inferno radiates heat," isn't about to let anyone take away her hard-earned crown. Undaunted, Lola tries out for and wins the lead in the school play, a role much desired by Carla. In retaliation, Carla makes the entire student body give Lola the silent treatment (and in addition scores tickets to a sold-out concert of Lola's favorite rock band). Can Lola crash the concert, crush Carla, and still have enough energy to wow everyone in the school production of Pygmalion? It's all in a day's work for Lola, Teenage Drama Queen.

Thoughts of the Cover:

The cover of Confessions is very ugly and truly unappealing! I don't know what the cover designer was thinking when designing this cover, and I doubt anyone would want to read it with such an unattractive and uninteresting cover. The edition I have is the movie tie-in book, so I'm glad I didn't have to deal with looking at the other extremely ugly cover. The cover looks like a child designed it, plus the colors are very dull and plain. The cover does relate to the book, but the cover is just so weird, it's hard to want to read it with that cover. The book however was actually pretty good, but the sequel is horrible and unfortunately has another hideous paper mache cover. I hope if you pick up a copy, you select a different edition with a cuter, more attractive cover.

What are your thoughts on these two covers?

The Best and Worst of Covers (1)

Every Saturday, I will post one book cover I love and one I hate from books that I have read. I've seen other bloggers do cover memes, so I put a different spin on mine. For each cover, I will post information on the edition of the book, the summary, and my thoughts of the cover. Summaries are from Amazon.

The Cover that I LOVE:

Title: Wicked Lovely
Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: June 12, 2007
Pages: 336
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary:

Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries. Aiislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention. But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in this 21st century faery tale.
Thoughts of the Cover:

I love this cover because of the colors and the font/vines. The vines are so pretty, and the picture is just very unique. The blues are interesting and make the cover eerie like the story line. The cover goes very well with the book, and the book is fantastic.

The Cover that I HATE:

Title: Promise of the Wolves
Author: Dorothy Hearst
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: June 3, 2008
Pages: 352
Edition: Hardback
Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary:

Promise of the Wolves begins 14,000 years ago in what is now southern Europe, and follows the adventures of Kaala, a spirited young she-wolf who is destined to bring wolf and human clans together. Born of a forbidden mixed-blood litter and narrowly escaping the fate of her executed brother and sisters, the orphaned Kaala is allowed to join the Swift River wolf pack where she must fight to prove herself and survive against the odds. But when Kaala rescues a human child from drowning, she risks expulsion from her pack and banishment from her home in the Wide Valley. Unwittingly, she has set in train a series of events which threatens the very survival of her species.

Thoughts of the Cover:

I received this book from Simon and Schuster's old program PulseIT. When I opened up the package I instantly hated the cover and didn't want to read the book at all. The colors, the wolf, and the crows were just so ugly to me. However, I forced myself to read it and actually started to really like the book. I know the saying "Don't judge a book by the cover," but I do that all the time. When I don't like the cover, I usually don't read the book which I probably shouldn't do. I'm glad I read this book because it turned out to be quite good. The cover does describe what the book is about, but I think the cover could have been a lot better.

What are your thoughts on these two covers?