Bewitching Book Covers: Seven Deadly Thorns

Wow, it’s been a while since the last time I did this post! Let’s admire another Bewitching Book Cover!

(Erggghhh… This was supposed to come out this past Sunday, and I just noticed that it didn’t post and I accidentally had it scheduled for this coming Sunday. I fixed it though. Ughhhh…)

For anyone who doesn’t know, Bewitching Book Covers (formerly Tasteful Tuesdays, and before that, Majestic Mondays), is a series where I highlight an awesome looking book cover and talk about what I like about it. That’s it, that’s pretty much the point of this post.

This week, the book cover that I’m highlighting is Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton!

Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton

LENGTH: 369 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury YA

RELEASE DATE: 4 November 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The Cruel Prince meets Powerless in this dark academia romantasy that will tattoo itself onto your heart

In the cursed Kingdom of Aragoa, the punishment for magic is death.

Even the students at Vandenberghe Academy aren’t spared. When Viola Sinclair’s deadly shadow magic is discovered, the queen gives her assassin a new assignment and a new cursed tattoo: seven-thorned rose on his arm for the seven days he has to hunt Viola down and kill her. If he doesn’t, he will be the one to die.

The assassin is Roze Roquelart–entitled prince, arrogant fellow student, and the one person Viola hates more than anyone. Roze should revel in the chance to end her life, but he desperately needs something from Viola and her magic. And he’s willing to spare her life–and fake their engagement–to get it.

Forced to work together, Viola and Roze must contend with deadly threats, dangerous secrets, and an impossible attraction. Will they give in to their deepest desires, even if it means destroying Aragoa–and risking both their lives?

HER WORST ENEMY. HIS ONLY CHANCE.

Be swept away by the sizzling, irresistible enemies-to-lovers romantasy with magic more destructive than your darkest nightmares.

Book Cover Rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹 • 4 roses covered in thorns

Once again, here’s another gorgeous book cover. There’s just so many things to love about it – the colors, the contrast, the font. I just enjoy a lot of things about the art here.

The first thing that jumps out to me about the cover of Seven Deadly Thorns is probably the colors. I know, it’s so obvious, duh. But blue is one of my favorite colors, and gold always looks good when put up next to it intermingled with it. It’s just a fact.

Another thing that I really like is the font used for the title. It’s really pretty and I think it really fits the vibe that the cover art is going for. All of the words on the cover being in white is also great, because they really stand out against the bluish background, as well as the golden rose that’s the centerpiece of the whole thing.

Speaking of the rose, it’s absolutely my favorite thing about the book cover. Not only is it a lovely shade of gold, but I love how hand drawn it appears. Having a ring dangling from one of its long, sharp thorns is also a nice touch. But the thing that I adore the most about this part of the cover is definitely how the rose itself interacts with the rest of the cover. The thorns of the rise are actually interwoven with the text of the book’s title itself and I love it. I really enjoy it when parts of covers interact like this – it really makes the cohesiveness of the book cover art come together. And the book cover of Seven Deadly Thorns does it well.

So yeah, here’s yet another beautiful book cover. What do you think about this cover art? Have you read Seven Deadly Thorns? If you have, what did you think of it?

Anyway, as always, thank you for reading, and I hope that you have an excellent day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 11/21

Happy Friday, everybody! Wow, it’s been a couple of months – I didn’t mean for that to happen!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here’s the first line:

I never liked visiting my sister Mara, though I loved her so desperately that sometimes I found myself convinced the feeling was not love at all, but something much fouler: guilt, bone-crushing shame, a confused, defensive revulsion.

Know what the book is? If not, here’s another couple of hints…

Still have no idea? Here are some gorgeous photos of books to look at while you think about it a little more…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand!

(Didja guess it?)

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand

SERIES: The Middlemist Trilogy #1

LENGTH: 553 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Casablanca

RELEASE DATE: 27 June 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, makes her stunning adult debut with A Crown of Ivy and Glass, a lush, sweeping fantasy-romance series starter that’s perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She’s young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin – embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family – often forget Gemma exists.

Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.

Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d’Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She’ll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families’ blood feud – slay the demon, end the feud.

But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her – or show her the true strength of her power at last.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: The Sleepless

Happy Wednesday! Here I am again, participating in Can’t-Wait Wednesday. Two weeks in a row – one more and it’ll officially be a streak!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

The Sleepless by Jen Williams!

The Sleepless by Jen Williams

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Wednesday Books

RELEASE DATE: 30 September 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Godkiller meets Powerless in this epic gods-and-monsters romantic fantasy from British Fantasy Award-winning author Jen Williams.

Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth…

Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous monster forest. Saved from the brink of death by a god, her skin will poison anyone she touches.

Artair is on a mission – one that takes him face-to-face with Elver at her most ruthless. But her defenses are useless when she discovers he’s the only human impervious to her deadly gift. For Artair isn’t human: he’s one of the Sleepless, cursed to share his body with an evil spirit.

Lucian inhabits their body while Artair sleeps, and he is hell-bent on manipulating Elver for his dark purposes. But Elver is harbouring secrets too, and she has her own reasons for feigning an alliance with these two souls.

Caught in the crossfire of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand, it is only a matter of time before the paths the three of them choose to take will set alight the very foundations of their world.

With a love triangle like you’ve never seen it, incredible world-building, brilliant writing, and high-stakes swoony romance, The Sleepless will have you spellbound.

Are you looking forward to The Sleepless? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 8/22

Geez, what is going on with my scheduled posts?! I guess I just keep forgetting to change something, lol.

Anyway, it’s time for another First Line Friday! It’s been like four weeks. Ugh. Whoops? But hey! New graphic!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

They told her not to be afraid. That it wouldn’t hurt.

Who’d believe that propaganda bullshit? Of course it was going to hurt. She hid her protests, bitter like ice behind every forced smile

Know the book? If you don’t, here are another couple of hints…

Still have no idea? Here are a few awesome photos of books to look at while you think about it a little longer…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean!!

(Didja guess it?)

Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean

SERIES: Beasts of the Void #1

LENGTH: 592 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Orbit

RELEASE DATE: 19 August 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark.

Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient – free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal’s immortal species for centuries.

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing – and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi’s home caught in the crossfire.

She’s always known the dangers of her trade – and of the power she’s wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she’ll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

A revolution.

And a temptation – for how sweet the monster’s fangs might feel.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: The Enchanted Greenhouse

Here we are again. Another Wednesday, another new book to get excited over.

This week’s book is:

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst!

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bramble

RELEASE DATE: 15 July 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

Are you interested in The Enchanted Greenhouse? What other books have come out lately that you’ve enjoyed or are looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Behooved by M. Stevenson | Book Review

Virtue of Mercy. I was married to a horse.

Behooved by M. Stevenson

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bramble

RELEASE DATE: 20 May 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A charming slow-burn romantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment.

Bianca knows her duty comes before her heart. So when the threat of war looms, she agrees to marry the neighboring kingdom’s heir. But not all royal weddings are a fairytale, and Prince Aric, Bianca’s betrothed, is cold, aloof, and seems to hate her on sight.

To make matters worse, on their wedding night, an assassination attempt goes awry—leaving Aric magically transformed into a horse. Bianca does what any bride in this situation would do: she mounts her new husband and rides away to safety.

Sunset returns Aric to human form, but they soon discover the assassination attempt is part of a larger plot against the throne. Worse, Bianca has been framed for Aric’s murder, and she’s now saddled with a husband who is a horse by day and a frustratingly attractive man by night.

As an unexpected romance begins galloping away with their hearts, Bianca and Aric must rely on each other to unravel the curse and save the throne.

My Review

In any case, whoever my betrothed proved to be, I would learn soon enough, and I would match him. Blade for blade. Move for move. Perhaps even heart for heart – though I knew better than to count on the last. It didn’t matter. Noble marriages were built on necessity, not love. And this was the right choice. The only one. I had to see it through.

Behooved is a new romantasy novel by M. Stevenson. It has a fairytale-esque quality to it that I really like, and pretty good world building with an interesting take on the various ways ri channel magic. And, of course, the cover is absolutely gorgeous – one of the best book covers I’ve seen in a while.

🏵️ Bianca of Damaria 🗡️ is our point-of-view character here, as well as our leading lady. She’s a fierce fighter tainted in several different weapons, inwardly compassionate and takes her duty to her country very seriously. Bianca was a great protagonist to follow, and I enjoyed following her story. I also liked the portrayal of Bianca’s chronic illness.

📚 Aric of Gildenheim 🐎 is our deuteragonist, as well as Bianca’s love interest. Gildenheim’s heir and prospective king, he’s kind, but very reserved and socially awkward. He’s more soft-spoken than Bianca, but no less determined than her, even if he prefers the library over weapons. It was fun to watch these two fall in love.

I thought that 🖊️ the story 📄 was also pretty good, even if the plot really slowed down once or twice. It was definitely one of the stronger parts of Behooved, however, and it kept me pretty engaged for the most part. This book also didn’t let a lot of the things that hold other romantasy books back do the same for it. For example: sacrificing plot and logic and well-written characters for (often poorly written) romance and smut.

“I’m afraid,” I said, releasing a truth. Revealing my deepest weakness. “I’m afraid of wanting what I know I can’t have.”

A muscle flickered in Aric’s jaw. “What makes you so certain you can’t have it?”

Speaking of 💕 the romance 💞 aspect of this novel, it also wasn’t egregious (unlike most romantasy I’ve read). The characters end up falling in love in a way that makes sense, they have clear reasons they’re attracted to one another aside from looks and the situation the two are trapped wherein they end up bonding doesn’t feel forced. I will say that I found the chemistry to be pretty lacking between Bianca and Aric, and I definitely wouldn’t consider this book to be the slow-burn the book description/summary professes it to he, but the romance is fine as a whole. There’s also a few spicy scenes for those who enjoy them.

🖌️ The artwork 🎨 on the cover, as I mentioned previously, is stunning. It’s definitely one of my favorite things about this book. The cover is originally what got me interested in reading this book, actually. I love how it’s literally split day and night, and how the colors contrast on both sides. The paperback edition of Behooved also has pretty pink sprayed edges that really matches the rest of the outside of the novel. I’ll stop gushing now, though I could go on. (I think I might end up doing a Bewitching Book Covers on this one.)

-Strength isn’t about what your body can do,- Aric went on. -It’s about how you respond to adversity. And I’ve never known someone so determined to do the right thing, no matter the personal cost.-

So yeah, Behooved was a pretty good book, and a phenomenal addition to the romantasy genre. I definitely recommend it to people who like romantasy, but also like a plot that generally makes sense, likable characters and an awesome magic system.

Anyway, as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

The Most Interesting Looking New Books of June 2025

Hey there everybody! Another month, another bunch of new books that are coming out! Yep, it’s The Most Intriguing New Books of June 2025.

This used to be a quarterly post, but I’ve recently decided to do it monthly instead. Also, even though this post is about new releases, it’s primarily focused on fantasy and science fiction, as those are the genres I tend to prefer to read. (Not to say other genres won’t ever appear on these lists – it just isn’t super likely; it’s likely to be a very rare occurrence if it happens at all.)

If you’ve seen this post by me before, you know the drill; I’m only interested in these books – there’s no guarantee that I’m gonna read all of them. There’s not even a guarantee that I’m gonna read even half of them. We shall see. Anyway, let’s get going! This month there are four books that have caught my eye.

RELEASING: June 3rd

Beauty and the Beast meets Six of Crows in this romantic fantasy about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms….

RELEASING: June 10th

Status is hereditary, class is bestowed, trust must be earned.

When an arrogant prince (and his equally arrogant entourage) gets stuck in Orledder Halt as part of brutal political intrigue, competent and sunny deputy courier Elen—once a child slave meant to shield noblemen from the poisonous Pall—is assigned to guide him through the hills to reach his destination.

When she warns him not to enter the haunted Spires, the prince doesn’t heed her advice, and the man who emerges from the towers isn’t the same man who entered.

The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Can a group taught to ignore and despise the lower classes survive with a mere deputy courier as their guide?

The Witch Roads is the latest epic novel by fan favorite, Kate Elliott.

RELEASING: June 10th

A sweet and savory YA romance, this modern-day Japanese-Canadian twist on Emma is just the recipe for fans of Jenny Han, Jane Austen and Gilmore Girls. A busybody foodie avoids questions of her own future as she meddles in the love lives of those around her. Has this matcha-maker met her match?

Self-declared matchmaking GENIUS Emiko Kimori has already found success by helping her aunt find true love, so when the new girl in town becomes her new BFF, it’s only natural for Emiko to help set her up for social success with a suitable love match.

Emiko lives with her Ojiichan in a small town on BC’s West Coast surrounded by friends and neighbors, including her childhood friend Kenzo Sanada, who wishes she’d spend less time playing matchmaker. But Emiko can so clearly see who belongs together, even when her targets don’t know it themselves. She simply has to meddle — for the sake of true love!

RELEASING: June 17th

I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.

The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.

It will take magic and cunning—cold iron and Realm silver—to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.

Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine.

So yeah, these are all of the books releasing in the in June 2025 that I’m at least a little interested in. What books are coming out soon that you’re looking forward to? Do we share some of the same ones?

As always, thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 5/23

Huh. It’s been like a month since the last time I participated in this post. Well, let’s get started!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

I stood at the door to my parents’ chambers, staring at the metal sigil adorning the dark wood and willing my stomach to settle. The enameled insignia, crafted by a master Adept’s hand, depicted a riot of lilies with thorn-bearing vines woven between. Gilt paint coated the petals, shimmering in the pale light from the magically forged lanterns lining the walls.

Know the book yet? If you don’t, here’s another couple of hints…

Still have no idea? Here are some lovely photos of books to look at while you think about it a bit longer…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Behooved by M. Stevenson!

(Didja guess it?)

Behooved by M. Stevenson

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bramble

RELEASE DATE: 20 May 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

As an unexpected romance begins galloping away with their hearts, Bianca and Aric must rely on each other to unravel the curse and save the throne.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Behooved

Hello and Happy Wednesday everybody! There’s a lot of books coming out lately that I’ve been interested in!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

Behooved by M. Stevenson! 🐎🏰

Behooved by M. Stevenson

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bramble

RELEASE DATE: 20 May 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

As an unexpected romance begins galloping away with their hearts, Bianca and Aric must rely on each other to unravel the curse and save the throne.

Are you looking forward to the release of Behooved? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Bewitching Book Covers: Five Broken Blades

Hey everybody! Hope you’ve been having a good weekend! Mine’s been somewhat busy, personally, which is why the book review I had been planning on isn’t quite ready. But I thought how it’s been quite a bit since I’ve posted a Bewitching Book Covers, so I decided to squeeze it in!

This week the book cover I’m highlighting is Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland!

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

SERIES: The Broken Blades #1

LENGTH: 512 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Red Tower Books

RELEASE DATE: 7 May 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

It’s the season
for treason…

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness—from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers—each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal—it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.

Book Cover Rating: 🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️ • 4 unbroken blades

So, as much as I like this book cover art and would love to give it a rating of five unbroken blades, I still don’t love it that much. Even with the addition of the lovely sprayed edges, though the edges are still buffing this cover up for me. (Actually, I think without the colored edges, I’d have given this cover art three unbroken blades.)

Anyway, even though the sprayed edges are definitely the best part of the cover for me, I’m gonna talk about the other stuff I enjoy about the book cover of Five Broken Blades before that. Firstly, I really like that there are actually five swords on the cover. I feel like some books I’ve seen that have a number of something in their titles don’t manage to have the same number of the thing on the cover art. So I’m giving this cover props for having the proper amount of the thing in its title.

Next, I really like the shade of red used for the base color of the cover. It’s just such a perfect shade, which is why I think a lot of red book covers tend to use it. Especially with the thorns wrapped around the swords on the cover, there’s a bit of A Court of Thorns and Roses energy going on here. The swords do look a bit short, however, even though I think they’re supposed to be katanas? I dunno, though – I’m not really super well versed in swords.

Now I’d usually discuss the title and author font here, but I honestly don’t have a lot to say about it. It’s fine, I guess, and I like the contrast, but nothing about it especially pops out to me. So I’m gonna talk about the pretty sprayed edges instead. I love how the colored edges solely incorporate only the colors already used on the cover itself. That’s a really cool detail. The red sky looks amazing, and I love how black is used to make the character and foliage on the side of the book to look like they’re made of inky shadows. And the golden sun just tops everything off.

So yeah, here’s yet another beautiful book cover. What do you think about this cover art? Have you read Five Broken Blades?

Anyway, as always, thank you for reading, and I hope that you have an excellent day/night!

See ya ~Mar