Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Shiver is... the US Cover!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: The Wolf Princess
Author: Cathryn Constable
Publisher: US - Scholastic Inc, 320 Pages, (September 24th 2013), UK - Chicken House Books, 288 Pages, (October 4th 2012)
Add to Goodreads: The wolf Princess USA | The Wolf Princess UK
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository (UK cover) UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Alone in the world, Sophie dreams of being someone special, but she could never have imagined this. On a school trip to Russia, Sophie and her two friends find themselves on the wrong train. They are rescued by the beautiful Princess Anna Volkonskaya, who takes them to her winter palace and mesmerises them with stories of lost diamonds and a tragic past. But as night falls and wolves prowl, Sophie discovers more than dreams in the crumbling palace of secrets.

About the author:

After reading Theology at Cambridge University, Cathryn Constable went on to work in magazine journalism, writing for Vogue, W, Elle Decoration, Elle, The Independent, Tatler and The Sunday Times, before realising her dream of blending a love for all things Russian with a story for children. Her magical and enchanting debut novel is called The Wolf Princess. Cathryn is married with three children and lives in London.

Find Cathryn Online:

Website | Blog

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Cathryn I love both the British and the American covers for The Wolf Princess: although very different in tone, they both do an effective job of describing the elements of the story. The British cover gets admiration for being purple and sparkly (I haven’t met a girl who hasn’t loved it). But the wolf on the American cover is so fluffy and wise, I can’t imagine that anyone could walk past that book and not want to pick him up! There was a very beautiful cover for the hardback edition with a wonderful paper cut out detail which made me think of an old-fashioned fairy story. I loved that one, too.

Lisa This week’s book is new to me and when looking at them side by side they have some similarities to them. The girl, the snow, the wolf... This is a hard choice this week but I think I'm going to choose the US version only because it looks a bit more ethereal, more fantasy and as Michelle mentions dreamlike as this title projects. US cover has my vote.

Michelle This is such a difficult choice fro me this week. I have the UK version and what you don't see in this picture is the purple edging around the pages which fit the cover perfectly. However I do like the US version for the more mystical feeling it gives off and how more dreamlike it feels, like what you see doesn't feel real. After much deliberation I am going for the UK cover this week, and that is purely because I own this copy and know how amazing it looks in real life.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of The Wolf Princess NOW!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Hey, everyone out there in the wonderful world! I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a wonderful holiday and long weekend and to everyone else, I hope your weekend was a great one!

Today I'm here to say that there will be no Book Wars this week. Sadly, my good friend, co-host and fellow blogger - Michelle from Much Loved Books is taking some time away to be with family after the death of her father. I know you'll all understand us taking the time off from our feature while she is away. 

We do have many dates planned for future "Wars" and we'll be back soon. Not sure if it'll be next week or the week after - I'm letting Michelle lead the way right now, but we will be back to resume the "Wars" soon. 

Thank you for understanding.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier! Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Delicate by Steph Campbell is.... the US COVER!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1)/Witches of the East
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: US - Disney-Hyperion, 272 Pages, (June 21st 2011), UK - Sphere, 288 Pages, (June 21st 2011)
Add to Goodreads: Witches of East End | Witches of the East
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

About the author:

Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.

Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

Find Melissa Online: Website | Tumblr Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This is an easy pick for me this week. Without a doubt the US cover. The UK cover seems almost thrown together in just a few minutes. There's really nothing special to the UK cover and while the US one isn't THAT much better, I love the leaves. So, US wins for me this week. How about you? Don't forget to VOTE below!

Michelle This is a tough choice for me.  While I actually own the UK cover, it does nothing for me.  All I see is the model on the front and if the title didn't say 'Witches' I would put it down as a romance book.  The USA one is mysterious and want you to pick up the book to discover more about this cover, and what's inside the book, but again I don't particularly think there is anything special about it. This vote goes down to another shelf apeal, and out of them both I am more likely to pick up the USA version over the UK version.  So it's a USA vote for me.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Witches of the East NOW!

survey service

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions. We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent is.... the UK Cover!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Delicate (Grounding Quinn 0.5)

Author: Steph Campbell

Publisher: US - Self Published, 186 Pages, (June 2012), UK - Simon & Schuster UK, 208 Pages, (May 9th 2013)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Sydney Pierce has just met the guy of her dreams…just don’t tell her psycho boyfriend, Trevor.

With a gorgeous boyfriend, a thriving gymnastics career and a stellar academic record, anyone would assume that Sydney has it all. That's precisely what the seventeen-year-old perfectionist wants you to believe, and she works hard to keep up the pretense. Especially now that there are cameras following her for a documentary on Olympic hopefuls.

When Grant, the charming new student, disrupts her carefully crafted routine, the cracks beneath her perfect façade begin to rise to the surface and despite Trevor's objections to their friendship, she can't stay away from him.

As her connection to Grant pulls her closer to him, the once lighthearted relationship with Trevor takes an intense and dark turn, forcing her into a position in which not only her happiness, but her safety is at stake. Can Sydney learn to let go of everything she is clinging to in order to gain everything she has ever wanted, or will she realize her breaking point too late?

About the author:

Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, but now calls Southwest Louisiana home. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession.

She blogs at stephcampbell.blogspot.com Stop by and say hello! facebook.com/authorstephcampbell Twitter: @stephcampbell_

Find Steph Online: Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Steph If I'm honest, I prefer the US version. I think the UK version looks a little young, and doesn't pop as well as the US version. I think seeing just the back of the cover model works so well, because Sydney, the main character was all about shying away from attention.

Lisa Hmmm, this week is such a hard choice for me. I've been thinking about it, looking at these two on and off for a few days and it's so hard to pick which one I like better. However, in all Book Wars there must be one winner so I think I'd have to go with the US cover. The US cover for me looks a bit more polished. If I was going to choose the story by cover alone I'd be sold on both so that's not an issue at all for me. Very hard choice this week, but the US cover just eeks out a win for me this round.

Michelle It's times like this that I really wish we didn't have to pick our favourite cover. I love them both for different reasons. I like how the USA cover makes the girls feel like she is alone and has no one.  But I also like the UK cover, it seems to fit better with the New Adult theme than the USA one in my own opinion.  I really am torn between the covers, so I am going to go with Shelf Appeal. If I saw both of these covers in a shop on a shelf I would be more likely to pick up the UK version over the USA version.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Delicate NOW!

survey service

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loves Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions. We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for The Winter Witch is.... the UK cover!  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Right: US - Left: UK

Title: My Soul To Take (Soul Screamers, #1)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: US - Harlequin Teen, 279 Pages (August 1st, 2009) UK - Mira Ink, 345 Pages (January 1st, 2011)
Add to Goodreads: USA Version | UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

About the author:

A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

Find  Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa The US cover has a graceful feel and the UK cover is more edgy and is more of a literal take on the whole "Soul Screamers" series title. I can see people loving both for different reasons and while the US version is just the beginning of for the covers in this series it's set up for a theme for all the future titles which I like. I like how they all pretty much match sitting on my shelves. So I guess I'll have to choose US for this round. While I love the edgy feel of the UK version I just can't get past seeing the whole series and how amazying they look up close and person.

Michelle This is another tough week, we really don't seem to be making this easy on ourselves to pick a cover :). The USA covers were what initially drew me into this series, and while I do love these covers and how they all follow on, getting more amazing as the series continued, I have to pick the UK covers for this one. Like Lisa, she can see how the covers all match when they are together, which I can also do for my own UK covers.  Each one has a different colour and focus image on each one, and I love how they catch your eye. It's a UK vote for me this week.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of My Soul To Take NOW!

panel management

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions. We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier! Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick is..... The UK cover!  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: The Winter Witch
Author: Paula Brackston
Publisher: US -St Martin's Press, 340 Pages, (January 29th 2013), UK - Constable and Robinson, 416 Pages, (September 19th 2013),
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Fledgling witch Morgana must defend her love, her home, and her life in this enthralling tale perfect for fans of Discovery of Witches In her small Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana. She has never spoken, and her silence as well as the magic she can't quite control make her a mystery. Concerned for her safety, her mother quickly arranges a marriage with Cai Bevan, the widower from the far hills who knows nothing of the rumours that swirl around her. After their wedding, Morgana is heartbroken at leaving, but she soon falls in love with Cai’s farm and the rugged mountains that surround it, while slowly Cai himself begins to win her heart. It’s not long, however, before her strangeness begins to be remarked upon in her new village. A dark force is at work there—a person who will stop at nothing to turn the townspeople against Morgana, even at the expense of those closest to her. Forced to defend her home, her love, and herself from all comers, Morgana must learn to harness her power, or she will lose everything.

About the author: Paula Brackston lives in a wild, mountainous part of Wales. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. Before becoming a writer, Paula tried her hand at various career paths, with mixed success. These included working as a groom on a racing yard, as a travel agent, a secretary, an English teacher, and a goat herd. Everyone involved (particularly the goats) is very relieved that she has now found a job she is actually able to do properly. When not hunched over her keyboard in her tiny office under the stairs, Paula is dragged outside by her children to play Swedish tennis on the vertiginous slopes which surround them. She also enjoys being walked by the dog, hacking through weeds in the vegetable patch, or sitting by the pond with a glass of wine. Most of the inspiration for her writing comes from stomping about on the mountains being serenaded by skylarks and buzzards. In 2007 Paula was short listed in the Creme de la Crime search for new writers. In 2010 her book 'Nutters' (writing as PJ Davy) was short listed for the Mind Book Award, and she was selected by the BBC under their New Welsh Writers scheme.

Find Paula Online: Website | Blog

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Paula I love both the USA and the UK covers for The Winter Witch, but (since I'm being asked to choose!) my favourite has to be the UK version. It has a wonderfully expansive feel to it, with the central figure positioned in the landscape in such a way that she looks both part of it, and yet apart from it. Her stance is dynamic, and powerful, even though her form is slight. There is an enigmatic quality to the whole image, which has to do with the sense of space and the subdued colours, I think. For me, this is the cover that best suggests the story of my main character, and that, surely, is what every writer looks for.

Lisa This is a tough choice this week. WOW! Can I pick them both? Each are beautiful in their own way. I LOVE the colors in the US version yet there are hints of it in the UK copy. And the snow falling in the UK cover and the woman make me feel more like what’s really going on with the main character Morgana. I think that the UK cover is much more fitting for the story and while I love the colors in the US one, it’s a bit hard on the eyes after awhile, so this week the UK cover wins my vote!

Michelle This has to be the hardest choice so far in the books we have picked for Book Wars. I love the cover of the US version, I don't usually like books with dresses/cloaks on them but I do like this one.  However I love how lonely the person on the front of the UK one is.  From reading the synopsis the cover fits it perfectly.  I also love how it has snow falling on it, I'm a sucker for snow. After much deliberation I am going to pick the UK cover for my choice this week. Check out my review - HERE.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of The Winter Witch NOW!

customer survey

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions. We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier! Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi is....the US copy! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Note: The US cover of Ashes has changed, however we agreed that for this event we'd be talking about the books original covers, unless otherwise mentioned.

Title: Ashes
Author: Ilsa J. Bick
Publisher: US -Egmont USA, 465 Pages, (September 6th 2011), UK - Quercus UK, 465 Pages, (September 29th 2011)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: It could happen tomorrow . . . An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human. Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling post-apocalyptic novel about a world that could become ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

About the author: Among other things, I was an English major in college and so I know that I'm supposed to write things like, "Ilsa J. Bick is ." Except I hate writing about myself in the third person like I'm not in the room. Helloooo, I'm right here . . . So let's just say that I'm a child psychiatrist (yeah, you read that right)as well as a film scholar, surgeon wannabe (meaning I did an internship in surgery and LOVED it and maybe shoulda stuck), former Air Force major—and an award-winning, best-selling author of short stories, e-books, and novels. Believe me, no one is more shocked about this than I . . . unless you talk to my mother.

Find Ilsa Online: Website/Blog | Twitter

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa  Both covers of Ashes have a haunting feel, however the US cover is a bit more creepy. The story is haunting and there are parts of the story that did in fact have my heart pounding with what I could only describe as fear. I think the US cover fits the story more so than the UK and I'm a lover of books that have a creep factor to them. This week it's a vote for the US cover for me. The UK just doesn't carry the same weight as the US version. Check out my review.

Michelle Hands down there is no competition.  What drew me to this book in the first place was the USA cover on netgalley, if the UK version would have been released first I doubt I would have read it. I am a creepy/spooky/scary cover type of person and the USA cover is perfect for me.  I love the creepy face with the lines going horizontally across the cover.  It's another USA vote for me. Want to see what I thought of Ashes?  Check out my review here.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Ashes NOW!

survey tools

Book wars is a weekly feature co-hosted by A Life Bound By Books and Much Loved Books. It's a place where readers can discuss the differences that we sometimes see in book covers here in the US vs. the UK. At the bottom of each post readers are encouraged to VOTE for their favorite! For more information please check out the first post.

Week 1, August 19th, 2013 - Divergent By: Veronica Roth
My vote: US Cover | Michelle's vote: UK Cover
Which Cover Won -

Week 2, August 26th, 2013 - Shadow and Bone/The Gathering Dark By: Leigh Bardugo
My vote: UK Cover | Michelle's vote: UK Cover
Which Cover Won -