Today’s category is Best Cover.
My Fair Captain by J.L. Langley, cover art by Anne Cain
Sometimes, naked chests work. They work well. Especially beautiful, slightly hairy chests like this one. Simple composition is often the best choice, and this one offers just enough other elements to stay honest to the story.2nd Runner Up
The Seagrass Whore by Ellen Ashe, cover art by ML Benton
This cover made me stop and stare. I find it sensual and evocative. The red against the black and white grabbed me, hinting at the spookiness the story promised to provide. It even overcame my hesitation at a romance with the word “whore” in the title. That says a lot.
1st Runner Up
Beyond the Night by Sharon Long, cover art by Anne Cain
What do I love about this one? I love the composition, with so many intriguing elements. The contrast of the dark blue, light blue, and earthy tones blend into a very elegant composition. I also love the female model. She’s pretty and looks intelligent without being intimidating. A definite plus for me.
And my pick for the favorite cover I reviewed this year is…
cover art by April Martinez
I think April Martinez is one of the best artists out there right now. Her covers are often achingly beautiful, simple images highlighted and colored in such ways to create something new and original. This cover in particular gives the impression of intricate layers, melded together into a seamless composition. She doesn’t detract with awkward coloring and there are enough elements to intrigue a reader to pick it up and look further.
6 comments:
I love the cover for My Fair Captain. It's just yummy. :)
A few other of my favorites are -- Any Ordinary Day by Laura Bacchi, Dolphin Dreams by Jules Jones, and Fireflies by Ally Blue.
I remember Fireflies, that one was really pretty. Anne Cain is probably my second favorite artist working today.
Another vote for Fireflies.
Also, I find the cover of Lynne Connolly's A Chance To Dream as well as Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain's Silk And Poison very lovely to look at.
I like the composition and coloring of Connolly's book, but her hero looks like Keanu Reeves in Dracula to me. I can't think of that without giggling.
For some reason, I just don't find myself responding to illustrated covers very strongly. Silk and Poison is definitely one of the better ones I've seen, but it makes me feel like I'm about to read a teen romance, which I know is so so so far from the case.
Cover of The Year
Forbidden ~ Lila Dubois
Liquid Silver
Cover by April Martinez
Colorful, fascinating, caught your attention and you had to buy that book just for the pretty cover.
Best Illustrated Cover of The Year
Hell ~ Jet Mykles
Loose-Id
Cover by P.L. Nunn
Consistently beautiful Yaoi style covers. Jet gets Nunn's best work too.
Best Cover I Can't Vote On
My Fair Captain ~ J.L. Langley
Samhain
Cover by Anne Cain
Mantitty with hair and that is how you get people to notice.
But... I got to give input when it was being made.
Most Unexpected Cover of The Year
Highlander's Challenge ~ Jo Barrett
The Wild Rose Press
Cover by R.J. Morris
I have to admit this pretty much the same style as say a Ellora's Cave well less vulgar but you get the idea. Only this cover caught my attention and really got me to buy when I realized it was the best cover on the whole dang Wild Rose web site. It probably still is unfortunately. I had to read it just to find out if the story was any good. Effective.
Oh, and yes all the stories turned out to earn their respective covers which is probably why they got them.
Yeah, Forbidden is some of April's best work. I certainly got sucked into getting the book because of the cover.
You reminded me I need to put Jo Barrett's book on my TBR. Thank you!
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