Friday, May 13, 2016

Of New Pretty Book Covers

Time for my familiar post of lovely new book covers! *grins* What think you of these intriguing covers? Which books are you most excited to read? Comment away! ^_^


The Silent Songbird {Hagenheim #7} by Melanie Dickerson

From New York Times bestselling author comes The Silent Songbird!
Evangeline is gifted with a heavenly voice, but she is trapped in a sinister betrothal until she embarks on a daring escape and meets brave Westley le Wyse. Can he help her discover the freedom to sing again?
Desperate to flee a political marriage to her cousin King Richard II’s closest advisor, Lord Shiveley—a man twice her age with shadowy motives—Evangeline runs away and joins a small band of servants journeying back to Glynval, their home village.
Pretending to be mute, she gets to know Westley le Wyse, their handsome young leader, who is intrigued by the beautiful servant girl. But when the truth comes out, it may shatter any hope that love could grow between them.
More than Evangeline’s future is at stake as she finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue that threatens England’s monarchy.Should she give herself up to protect the only person who cares about her? If she does, who will save the king from a plot to steal his throne?

Purchase HERE


The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof

Two worlds collide when the circus comes to Victorian-era Virginia.

Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it’s away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet—freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.

As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella’s own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl—boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.

Just then a child in the row behind Ella cried out, “Look, Mama!”

Charlie, dressed in his center ring finery, strode into the arena, as strong and strapping as ever. Face powdered and painted with two jagged teardrops under his eyes, he walked with stoic authority, tall boots forging a fresh trail straight toward his audience. Ella didn’t know a single man could hush a packed house with no words, but …then there was Charlie Lionheart.

Purchase HERE


Defy {The Blades of Acktar #3} by Tricia Mingerink

The war for Acktar has begun.

With his betrayal revealed, former Blade Leith Torren flees into the Sheered Rock Hills, pursued by King Respen’s vengeful Blades.

Left behind at Nalgar Castle, Renna Faythe tries to find her purpose, yet that purpose isn’t what she expected.

Brandi Faythe has been torn from her sister, and that isn’t all right. If Leith can’t rescue Renna, Brandi will take matters into her own hands.

War demands sacrifice. Courage falters. Who will find the strength to defy King Respen?

Acktar rests on one hope:
The Leader is ready.

Purchase HERE


Spindle by Shonna Slayton

From the author of Cinderella’s Dress, a brand-new standalone novel that retells the story of Sleeping Beauty, this time set during the Industrial Revolution.

Sleeping Beauty's happily ever after isn't the end of the story ...



The evil fairy's magic is still trapped in her unfulfilled curse, and the only way to release it is to see a girl to the death. But the spindle has been hidden away for centuries, until a peddler offers it to an unsuspecting mill girl during the Industrial Revolution.


Briar Jenny had planned to escape her life of poverty and hardship with Wheeler, an ambitious young man who plans to leave the valley and start his own business. Trouble is, he no longer cares for her, fancying the new girl who just moved into town to work at the cotton mill. When Briar tries to use the spindle to win back Wheeler's heart and secure her future, she has no idea the power she has unleashed.

After pricking her finger on the magic spindle, she falls under a sleeping sickness that slowly claims her body bit by bit. It will take all her strength, to not only survive, but also break the curse and defeat the evil fairy for good.

Purchase HERE



Paper Crowns by Mirriam Neal

Ginger has lived in seclusion, with only her aunt Malgarel and her blue cat, Halcyon, to keep her company. Her sheltered, idyllic life is turned upside-down when her home is attacked by messengers from the world of fae. Accompanied by Halcyon (who may or may not be more than just a cat), an irascible wysling named Azrael, and a loyal fire elemental named Salazar, Ginger ventures into the world of fae to bring a ruthless Queen to justice.

Purchase HERE


Newton and Polly by Jody Hedlund

About John Newton, author of the song, 'Amazing Grace', I believe.

Purchase HERE


Briette {The Nine Princesses #4} by Anita Valle

Briette never asked for any of this. She wasn’t meant to be a princess. She refuses to wear a crown, doesn’t care for fancy dresses, and going to balls is a punishment. If she hadn’t been adopted by the king, none of this would have happened.

Then she discovers that the Duke of Merridell is in need of a chambermaid. And though it seems crazy, Briette decides to disguise herself as a servant and take the position. It will give her a chance to try life as a commoner, a life where she can be invisible. She doesn’t tell a single soul, not even her eight sisters.

But as Briette adjusts to heavy chores, rude remarks, and prickly straw beds, she is shocked to learn that someone else is working undercover. And his plans are much more sinister. Furthermore, she is troubled by a haunting dream that seems to come from her childhood. All Briette wanted was a vacation from being a princess. But if she doesn’t act soon, she may never be a princess again.

Purchase HERE 


Sparrow {Defier #2} by Mandy Fender

The fight has only just begun ... As an army rises so does one girl's faith. Lennox defied the odds and stood when everyone else bowed. Now, she must train to become a Sparrow and learn how to fight against the very men who destroyed her world. When the attacks against Christians continue to strike close to home, she must defend the friend she loves most, which means she might have to go against the authority she respects. With the enemy approaching and her faith hanging in the balance, Lennox must make the hard choices that only a soldier can make. Will the girl who stood still stand in the blazing fire?

Purchase HERE


A Branch of Silver A Branch of Gold by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

A Ghost Trapped in a Tower. A Peasant Girl. A Curse Six Hundred Years Old ...

For six hundred years I have dwelt in this prison. Trapped. Helpless. Unliving and undying. 

For six hundred years I have watched as cursebreakers come and go. Brave young women all, gifted with powers beyond mortal understanding. 

I have watched them die. I have watched them wish to die. 

Once again the Family of Night invades this country to claim its dues, and this generation’s cursebreaker has her chance to break the endless chain of torment. To save me. To save her sisters. 

But how can a peasant child scarcely fourteen years of age discover the three-part key and liberate the captives? Will she too be doomed to join the Death Dance binding us all to the Family of Night?

Purchase HERE


Dawn of Liberty by Amber Schamel

Liberty comes with a price. Can a fledgling nation bear the cost?
British forces advance upon a struggling colonial army. The time of decision has come. Declare independence, or give up the fight. The weight of a nation rests on Samuel Adams' shoulders as he joins the delegates of the Second Continental Congress. Can he raise the cause of Liberty above the fear of the King's wrath in the hearts of his countrymen?
Three riveting short stories follow Samuel Adams as he struggles through the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence and evokes the Dawn of Liberty.

Purchase HERE


Summer of Dreams {From This Moment #0.5} by Elizabeth Camden

The daughter of a powerful army general, Evelyn vows she will never marry a man in uniform. Which is why Clyde Baxter, a West Point cadet on the verge of graduation, presents a problem. Their attraction is instantaneous, but it threatens Evelyn's lifelong dream of going to college. 

Clyde's brilliance in the new field of electrical power has him poised for a promising career in the Army's Corps of Engineers. The one thing he never anticipated was Evelyn , a woman whose soaring ambition matches his own. 

As they fall in love over the course of one magical summer, they believe dreams are enough to weather any challenge. But when they are tested by forces neither saw coming, will the fragile bonds forged during those dream-filled summer days be strong enough to survive the storm?

Purchase HERE


King's Blood {The Kinsman Chronicles #2} by Jill Williamson

Jill Williamson's Fantasy Saga Continues!
 
In the second volume of Jill Williamson's Kinsman Chronicles, a remnant has escaped the destruction of the Five Realms and now lives on several hundred ships adrift at sea. As a flock, they sail north into the unknown in hopes of finding land that might become their new home. 
As the king's illness worsens, Sar Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, and dark magic endanger his life. 
One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is this Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?

Purchase HERE


Within the Veil by Brandy Vallance

They never should have met. But they might be made for each other.

Feya Broon, a Scottish half-gypsy, knows what it is to go hungry. Trapped in the Edinburgh tenements with a father lost to his past and only the faded memory of her mother's faith, Feya is desperate to provide for her siblings. When an ill-conceived plan leads to thievery, she finds herself in the last place she'd ever want to be -captured by an English palace guard. But there's something about this man that tears at every preconceived notion she's ever had. 

Alasdair Cairncross never dreamed he'd be forced to transport a gypsy woman halfway across the wilds of Scotland. The timing is disastrous, considering his fiancée's imminent arrival and his father's political goals. Not only that, but the fiery young woman threatens to lay bare secrets Alasdair would rather keep hidden. And the farther they travel together, the more conflicted he finds himself with duty - both to the crown and to the plans his family has for him.

As their walls begin to crumble, Feya and Alasdair must fight to survive a decades-old feud, a Highland kidnapping, and the awakening of their own hearts.

Purchase HERE


Liz and Nellie by Shonna Slayton

New York City, November 14, 1889. Young newspaper reporter Nellie Bly sets sail on the Augusta Victoria for a trip around the world. She plans to beat Jules Verne’s fictional record from the novel Around the World in Eighty Days. She thinks she can circumnavigate the globe in under seventy-five days, and prove that a woman can do what no man has even tried. 

Hours later, and unbeknownst to Nellie, another writer, Elizabeth Bisland boards a train going in the opposite direction attempting to beat Nellie back to New York. Elizabeth is a reluctant player in this high-stakes publicity stunt, but financial needs outweigh her pride. 

Neither woman is prepared for what will happen on this trip, or how the race will change her.

Purchase HERE

21 comments:

  1. Melanie's and Joanne's are beauties of their own class. Very well done and complimentary to their respective genres. Fun post, Shantelle. :)

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  2. Oh my! So, many gorgeous covers!!!! I didn't know Shonna Slayton was coming out with another book! I totally need it! I loved Cinderella's Dress! And Defy...Oh, I just need it on my shelf. It just needs to be there with the other beauties! And Sparrow!! Oh my goodness! I love Sparrow's cover. I'm haven't gotten around to reading Defier yet though. Newton and Polly sounds like an amazing books as well! :D

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    1. I know, Hannah!! They're amazing! Yep! Another fairytale retelling (Spindle), and a historical (Liz and Nellie)! I love Cinderella's Dress too! ^_^ Have you read the sequel, Cinderella's Shoes?

      I KNOW! Hurry up and release, Defy, so you can come join my other books! ;D

      I hope you enjoyed Defier! I'm looking forward to Sparrow! ^_^

      Yes! Reading novels based on real historical figures is cool! :)

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    2. Woot! I'm working hard on Spindle edits this weekend *grin*

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    3. I absolutely adore fairytale re-tellings! I have read Cinderella's Shoes! It was awesome! :D So, I need Spindle so I can get another fairytale re-telling book on my shelf. I don't have many paperback copies of re-tellings on my shelf. So Spindle will be a welcome addition. :)

      So, many books I'm looking forward to the release date for... *sighs* I wish it was just click, and BOOM. I would have the books I wanted that are to come out. But I guess waiting is a bit of the fun cause I get to fangirl.

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    4. Yay, Shonna!! :) :)

      Me too, Hannah! Fairytale retellings are simply fantastic!! ^_^ Yes, there is something about fangirling while we wait ... ;) But it can be hard sometimes! Hang in there! :D

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  3. Can I just look at gorgeous book covers all day?! ESPECIALLY the new Melanie Dickerson and Jill Williamson. Just stunning. <3 Also thank you for sharing new exciting books I haven't heard about yet!

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    1. Of course, Stefanie! That's what I do! Haha! ;D Yes, both of those made my heart skip a beat ... ;) I'm so excited for them! You're welcome! :)

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  4. Within the Veil and The Silent Songbird are my favorites of these covers. They're so lovely! :)

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    1. They really are gorgeous, aren't they, Natasha! ^_^ You should read Melanie Dickerson's books!! :)

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  5. Wow, so many GORGEOUS covers! I would have to say that my favorites are Sparrow and Newton & Polly. They're both so pretty! <3

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    1. Yes!! Those are both lovely covers, Emily! Good choice! ^_^

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  6. First off, I guess I should introduce myself. So hi! *waves* My name is Jonathan and I found your blog through My Bookcase and I. :) I'm also a sucker for book covers, and THESE ARE SO AMAZING EEK. I love all the blues in King's Folly, but I think Sparrow is my favorite. *nods* :)

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    1. Nice to meet you, Jonathan! *waves back* So cool! How could anyone not like book covers?? ;)

      Sparrow is quite epic, I agree!! So excited to read it! :D Great choice!

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  7. These are some amazing covers! Thanks for including mine in the bunch :) I've been noticing typography lately in cover design.There are some fantastic examples here.

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  8. Ahh! These covers are so pretty! They make such a difference to a book! ;)

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  9. EEEK PRETTY COVERS!!!!! :D Love these posts of yours, and this one is a particularly delightful selection! O_O

    Isn't The Silent Songbird just GORGEOUS?? AAHHH. <3 Have you seen the summary for it? I think it's on Amazon? It makes me even more excited about it because I love the characters' names (Evangeline and Wesley) and the heroine is King Richard's cousin/ward! How cool is that! :D

    AAHH PAPER CROWNS. I love that book SO much! :D I beta-read it ages ago but I just bought my own copy and reread it and <3333333 Plus that cover is amazing. :D

    I sooooo want to read Briette and especially King's Blood!!! :D

    WHOA. *is knocked backward by Within the Veil* Hadn't seen that one before! Looks really interesting, I'll have to look it up! :) Also really love Summer of Dreams -- so airy and pretty! ^_^

    Awesome post, Shantelle, thanks for sharing! ^_^

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    1. I KNOW!!! :D Glad you've enjoyed them! I simply love sharing new covers. :)

      Yes, it is!! Melanie Dickerson always has such beautiful book covers! EEP! That is SO cool! I hadn't seen the summary yet, but now I'm even more super excited to read The Silent Songbird! :D

      The cover is intriguing, and charming! I've heard about Paper Crowns from your blog time and again, so I'm quite looking forward to giving it a try!!! :)

      KING'S BLOOD!!!!! I can't wait! :D

      Yeah, I haven't read by Brandy Vallance before, but her books sound intriguing! And yes, what a cover!!

      Perfect description of Summer of Dreams ... I really want that dress! :D

      You're welcome! Thanks for discussing!! ^_^

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