Cover Reveal: CassaStorm by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Alex J. Cavanaugh, the power blogger who somehow visits an insane/incredible number of sites a day and is one of the most impressive voices in the blogosphere, is revealing the cover for his next book today. Here it is!

Blurb:

A storm gathers across the galaxy…
     Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.
     After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.
     Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Release date: September 17, 2013 

Other details:
Genre: Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure
Print ISBN: 9781939844002
E-book: ISBN 9781939844019

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Congratulations, Alex! The cover for CassaStorm is amazing.


What's been one of your favorite new covers or books recently? Or, what's one cover you can go back to over and over again and admire each time?


-----The Golden Eagle

Cover Reveal: From the Ashes by Jessica K. McKendry

Jessica K. McKendry has revealed the cover and blurb of her debut, From the Ashes! I'm excited to be part of the reveal, since it sounds like a really good book (and the cover is fantastic):

Blurb:

I'm not sure how it all went wrong.
The concept was simple.
The Trials were made to test us. They were made to challenge our strengths; our bravery.
We were supposed to come out better.
Winning the Trials would make us Superior citizens.
It would bring us honor and demonstrate our loyalty to the Imperial Alliance. I knew exactly what I wanted.
Until I met him.
There was something about him. Something dark. If only I had known the danger it would put us in.
I thought I knew the risks.
But I never imagined the price we'd pay.

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Sound like a book you'd check out? What's an upcoming debut that's caught your eye?


-----The Golden Eagle

Cover Reveal: The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan

Rachel Morgan from Rachel Morgan Writes is releasing the cover for The Faerie Guardian today. The book comes out November 5, 2012 and is comprised of four separate stories published individually which have been brought together into a single book.

Blurb:

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone—she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamour follows her into the fae realm. Now she’s broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion.
     The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he’s discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot—and it’ll take all her training to get out of it alive. 

[This novel was originally published in four separate parts: Guardian, Labyrinth, Traitor and Masquerade. It includes bonus scenes at the end.]

Goodreads link.


Also, because this is a paperback release, there's a full wraparound cover image which is as gorgeous as the front alone:

Giveaway Time!

The bonus scenes at the end of the book are NOT written from the main character's point of view. If you'd like to win a $10 Amazon gift card, all you have to do is guess whose point of view these scenes are written from! Head on over to the cover reveal post at Rachel Morgan Writes and fill in the Rafflecopter form. There's a list of characters there that you can choose from. Good luck!


Read any of the books from The Faerie Guardian: Guardian, Labyrinth, Traitor, Masquerade? Know Rachel Morgan and/or follow her blog?


-----The Golden Eagle

Kismet Cover Reveal + What's Your Favorite Book-to-Screen Adaptation?

First, a cover reveal. Last Tuesday, Beth Fred released the cover for her new book Kismet. I had actually meant to post about it on Tuesday, but managed to forget the date. *facepalm* But without further ado from me, here's the cover!

Blurb:

Tiffany is a hard-working accountant with no time for love. After escaping her sister's too wild Cancun bachelorette party, she meets a local guy, Luke, in the bar. When they're forced to spend time together, Tiffany lets her guard down, but she still has to return to the US in two days. Will the airport be their final goodbye?

Purchase links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

About Beth Fred:

Beth Fred lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their little ELF (Emily Lace Fred). She spends her time bringing her day dreams to life on paper, and blogging about bringing day dreams to life. You can find more about that at www.bethfred.com.

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And second, a question:

Out of all the thousands of screen adaptation of books, which interpretation(s) have you enjoyed the most?

After posting last week about the pros and cons of a recent Sherlock Holmes movie and a TV show, it got me thinking. Personally, I would have to say The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter movies are at the top of my list . . . but what about you? Any classics you could watch again and again?


-----The Golden Eagle

Cover Reveal: Rise Of A Rector

More book news today, everyone! (Three book-related posts in one week and a post on a Friday . . . I must be hitting records here at The Eagle's Aerial Perspective. All in the name of reading!)


Heather McCorkle recently released the cover for Rise of a Rector, which is book 3 of her Channeler series.

Blurb for Rise of a Rector:

With graduation--and the hell of the last two years--behind her, Eren is hoping to finally explore her relationship with Aiden and deepen the bonds with her Society. But it seems there's no rest for a soon-to-be legendary Mayan warrior of the apocalypse.
   From the green hills of Ireland to the jungles of Mexico, and deep into lands unexpected, Eren and Aiden will stop at nothing to discover all they can about their rare power in an attempt to alter destiny. Learning about ancient secrets that no one can remember proves to be more than challenging with Eren seeing old ghosts at every turn though. Worse yet, behind the ghosts lies something darker and far more deadly than any of the trials she has endured so far.
   In the jungles of Costa Rica entire villages are dying inexplicably. Near the carnage live a group of channelers who are hiding a thousand year old secret, one that could change the very fate of the planet. But the ghosts of Eren's past have other plans, plans to seize the thread of destiny--and Eren--and manipulate both.

-from Goodreads

Heather's novella, Born of Fire, is currently free on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She's also giving away two e-book copies of To Ride A Puca; the only requirement is to spread the word about her book. To enter fill out the form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Heather:

Heather is an author of young adult fantasy, in all its many sub-genres. Helping other writers and supporting fabulous authors is one of her many passions. When she's not writing or surfing her social networking sites, she can be found on the slopes, the hiking trails, or on horseback. As a native Oregonian, she enjoy the outdoors almost as much as the worlds she creates on the pages. No need to travel to the Great Northwest though, you can find her on her personal blog four days a week, on her critique group's blog on Wednesdays, and Monday nights on Twitter where she co-moderates the #WritersRoad chat.

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Do you follow Heather's blog? Read any of her books? Do you enjoy reading YA Fantasy?


-----The Golden Eagle

Gravity Trilogy Cover Reveal

Three alien couples in three space fantasy novelettes fall in love in the Gravity trilogy. After a couple months, Cherie Reich decided that her novelettes needed a new cover. She spoke with her cover artist, Aubrie Dionne, and the new covers for Defying Gravity, Fighting Gravity, and Pull of Gravity are now ready to be revealed.

Homesick upon the SS Perseid, Linia, a young linguist, thinks she signed up for a mission of peace, but her crew members have another plan: attack the planet Medusa.
   Bored with his dying planet, Alezandros, a space cruiser pilot, joins the Medusan Army in his quest for adventure.
   When the SS Perseid clashes with the Medusans’ space cruisers, Alezandros and Linia’s lives intertwine. Sucked through a wormhole, they crash upon a post-apocalyptic Earth and are captured by cannibals. In adjacent cells, Alezandros and Linia cast their differences aside for a common bond: escape. But when romantic feelings emerge between them, they might do the unthinkable because for a Medusan and a Persean to fall in love, it would defy gravity.

To Purchase: iTunes  Kobo  Nook  Smashwords  Amazon US  Amazon UK  Amazon DE  Amazon FR  Amazon IT  Amazon ES

Forced into executing Aresia’s people, Phoebus escapes the Aresian Guard by flying his spaceship through a wormhole.
   The only single woman of marrying age, Marissa flees town instead of becoming a third wife.
   When Phoebus’s spacecraft crashes upon an asteroid-ravaged Earth, he is captured by a rogue Earthling youth and thrown into a cellar. Marissa stumbles upon the spacecraft, but it explodes before she can find any sign of the alien. When she awakens, she discovers the alien’s whereabouts and vows to help him. But Phoebus’s Aresians have landed and are searching for him. Phoebus and Marissa must battle against their despair and their peoples in a quest for their freedom. And through it all, an Earthling and an Aresian will find it easier to fight gravity than their love for each other.

To purchase: Apple  Kobo  Nook  Amazon  Amazon UK  Amazon DE  Amazon FR  Amazon IT  Amazon ES  Smashwords

   A no-nonsense Earthling corporal, Nike accepts a mission to destroy the winged-people of Cupidis to give her race a chance at a new life.
   A spoiled Cupidian prince, Edonys gets whatever he wants until his dying father tells him he must choose a mate and take his rightful place as king.
   When Nike’s space cruiser lands upon Cupidis, she’s taken to the royal palace where she crosses paths with Prince Edonys. His arrogance leads her to believe her mission of domination will be easy. Edonys refuses his father’s last request to fall in love, but Nike isn’t anyone. She’s bold and different than any Cupidian female. When he shows her his planet’s delights, Nike and Edonys realize they must discover another way to save their loved ones because it will be easier for an Earthling and a Cupidian to ignore the pull of gravity than the pull of love.

Forthcoming end of July/early August!

Cherie is also giving away the complete trilogy. I'm using Rafflecopter--there's a Facebook login option, but you can also just use your email. There are several extra entry options as well.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, book blogger and library assistant. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies, and her e-books include Once Upon a December Nightmare, Defying Gravity, Fighting Gravity, A to Z Flashes of Foxwick, and The Best of Raven and the Writing Desk. She is a member of the Virginia Writers Club and Valley Writers and placed third in Roanoke Valley's BIG READ writing contest.
   A self-proclaimed bookworm, Cherie received her bachelors of the arts in Classical Antiquities at Missouri State University. She currently lives in Virginia with her family and four adorable pets: Cinderella the cat, Romeo the cat, Abby the guinea pig, and Dash the goldfish. Besides working in a library, she is surrounded by over 1000 books in her room at home. Can anyone say bibliophile?

-----The Golden Eagle

Weighted by Ciara Knight: Cover Reveal

Today, Ciara Knight has revealed the cover for her book Weighted, which is coming out in August:

The Great War of 2185 is over, but my nightmare has just begun. I am being held captive in the Queen’s ship awaiting interrogation. My only possible ally is the princess, but I’m unsure if she is really my friend or a trap set by the Queen to fool me into sharing the secret of my gift. A gift I keep hidden even from myself. It swirls inside my body begging for release, but it is the one thing the Queen can never discover. Will I have the strength to keep the secret? I’ll know the answer soon. If the stories are true about the interrogators, I’ll either be dead or a traitor to my people by morning.

It's a prequel novelette to The Neumarian Chronicles, the first book of which will be released in 2013. Goodreads link.

Congratulations, Ciara!

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Do you know Ciara or her blog? Are there any book covers/book releases you're looking forward to?


-----The Golden Eagle

Book Review: Dragons Of Darkness

Title: Dragons Of Darkness

Author: Antonia Michaelis

Translated By: Anthea Bell

Publisher: Amulet Books, imprint of Abrams

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Page Count: 548

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Cover Rating: 5 out of 5. *cover-induced drooling* You couldn't make a better cover for the book! And besides that, the dragon is simply gorgeous. Not all dragons are illustrated that well! I love it even more than Tiger Moon's cover, the other book she wrote. I would definitely want them doing my book cover . . .

Inside flap: 

Beautiful yet menacing dragons have come out of the mountains . . .

With an appetite as sinister as theirs, nothing--and no one--will be spared.

Christopher doesn't have much in common with Jumar, the prince of Nepal. He's not even sure how he ended up trekking across the mountainous country in the prince's strange company. But one thing is certain: someone must help fight the deadly dragons and other, even more dangerous forces that plague the land.

   The dragons are like something out of a fairly tale, draining all the color from the world and turning anyone caught in their shadows to metal. Defeating the dragons will take Christopher and Jumar on a journey deep into the heart of Nepal, and deep into the secrets of their own hearts. What they find there will make all the difference.

My expectations: Average. I expected an interesting fantasy read, maybe a little more like MG than YA.


This book falls pretty strongly into the YA category, and the mix of what's in this book . . . I seriously have never read anything like it!

About the book: The synopsis does not do this book justice in the least! The book is a wild ride, with invisible princes (yes, invisible!), to Maoist insurgents, to dragons that drink color and turn people to metal, to German boys thrust into the political conflict either by magic or because they traveled there to do aid work, to a queen frozen in time.


I loved it, all except for a few parts that I found a little strange. But there were a lot of good things, too. The political, communist aspect was a surprise--not many books, especially ones in the USA, are written that include Communism as one of its central points. Dragons Of Darkness incorporates the politics into the story well--it's not unrealistic or unbelievable, despite the circumstances that the characters are in.


The overall writing style, while translated, is very good. I love Antonia Michaelis's writing, part of the reason I snatched up this book after having read Tiger Moon. I wonder what it's like in the original German.

• Plot:

Fast, complicated, and little surprising. I didn't expect the characters to do what they did, nor did I ever completely anticipate what was going to happen next. The politics, magic, fantasy, characters, and the setting worked well together, although you might not think they would.

• Characters:

I really liked Christopher as a character. He was determined and a good person, and considering he was thrown into Nepal via magic and ran into an invisible prince without warning, he took everything in stride rather well. I grew fond of him.

Jumar was different, not only because he's invisible. He's also determined, although for different goals--he wants to rescue his kingdom, Nepal, and topple the Maoist insurgents who are attempting to take over the country. I like Christopher better, but Jumar was still an attractive character.

Niya was different from everyone. She was strong, fiery, and had amazing spirit, considering what she'd been through. I liked her sureness, and her strong-as-steel attitude, although some of her decisions made me blink. But she was a good character.


All the other secondary characters are equally as good, with people from all over the spectrum, from kings to monks to the insurgents.

• Setting/Elements:

The military aspect--the Maoists--surprised me at first. The title is Dragons Of Darkness, after all; it sounds like High Fantasy, or something like that. I hadn't expected to read so much of their political ideas, although I have to say that it was an interesting take on their principles and why they do what they do. It was also a glimpse of Nepal, and not many books have their setting in that country.

Other: Violence, and sex. The sex kind of threw me--these people are barely teenagers, yet they're having sex. Good grief.

I would love to see this book made into a movie. There's plenty of action, and with graphics where they are right now, I'm sure someone could do an epic job with the dragons.

Do I recommend this book? Yes!


-----The Golden Eagle

Book Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Page Count: 343

Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Cover Rating: 4.7 out of 5. I really can't see what they should fix. I love it! Though--I have to say--you could call it a little spoilery . . .

Inside flap:

Amy Curry is having a terrible year. Her mother has decided to move across the country and needs Amy to get their car from California to Connecticut. There's just one small problem: since her dad died this past string, Amy hasn't been able to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger, the nineteen-year-old son of and old family friend, who turns out to be unexpectedly cute . . . and dealing with some baggage of his own.

   Meeting new people and coming to terms with her father's death were not what Amy had planned on this trip. And traveling the Loneliest Road in America, seeing the Colorado mountains, crossing the Kansas plains, and visiting diners, dingy motels, and Graceland were not definitely not on the itinerary. But as they drive, Amy finds that the people you least expected are the ones you may need the most--and that sometimes you have to get lost in order to find your way home.

My expectations: that the writing quality would be low, that the plot would be dull, and it would be a rather so-so read overall.

SCRATCH ALL THAT. It was an really good book!

About the book:

I liked the setting and plot better than the characters, actually, which is sort of disappointing, but still results in a great read. I love books on road trips. There are also flyers, emails, report cards, photos, receipts, playlists, and other images scattered around in there, which I loved. I adore alternative content! The places they go to are really cool, too, and it was fun to read about the places they go. (See above synopsis from cover.)

As for the characters themselves, I liked Amy well enough. She took a while to face her dad's death, but she did get over it, and I found her strong resolve, normal-ness, and the way she took on the situations appealing.

Roger was just as good. The main point of his going along on the trip cross-country was to meet up with his (ex)-girlfriend who suddenly broke off the relationship--he wants to know why, and they travel from Colorado to Kentucky just to find her. I find his whole thing about not saying "good-bye" interesting.

Other: Bad word or two here and there, Amy's brother starts using drugs after their father's death, and while it's not directly described, there is some stuff that's beyond kissing.

Do I recommend this book? Yes! It was fun to read.

-----The Golden Eagle