Archive for Covers

Cover Launch: THE GHOSTS OF BEATRICE BIRD by Louisa Morgan

Take your first look at the cover of The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird (US | UK) by Louisa Morgan and pick up your copy in November 2023! Catch the synopsis below.

The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird by Louisa Morgan

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Photographs by Trevillion and Shutterstock

 A woman’s ability to see ghosts draws her into a journey of redemption and unexpected friendship in this unforgettable story from the acclaimed author of A Secret History of Witches.

Beatrice Bird is plagued by ghosts. It’s a gift she’s had since she was a small child. Unfortunately, it’s a gift that has grown more intense, shifting from flashes and feelings to physical manifestations she can’t escape.

In a desperate attempt for relief, Beatrice flees her home, her partner, and a psychology practice in San Francisco for a remote island with only nuns and a few cows for company. She sees as few people as she possibly can. She doesn’t call home. Then she meets Anne Iredale, a timid woman who has lost everything that matters to her.

For the first time in a long time, Beatrice’s gift will be called on to help someone in need. The path to healing awaits both of them—if Beatrice can find the courage to take the first step.

Cover Launch: THE STAR AND THE STRANGE MOON by Constance Sayers

Take your first look at the cover of The Star and the Strange Moon (US) by Constance Sayers and pick up your copy in November 2023! Catch the synopsis below.

The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Photographs by Trevillion and Shutterstock

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.  

1968: Actress Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Unfortunately, she’s on the cusp of slipping into obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has finally changed. But L’Etrange Lune’s set is not what she expected. The director is eccentric, and the script doesn’t make sense.

Gemma is determined to make this work. It’s her last chance to achieve her dream—but that dream is about to derail her life. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet, Gemma is still alive. She’s been transported into the film and the script—and the monsters within it—are coming to life. She must play her role perfectly if she hopes to survive.

2015: Gemma Turner’s disappearance is one of film history’s greatest mysteries—one that’s haunted film student Christopher Kent ever since he saw his first screening of L’Etrange Lune. The screenings only happen once a decade and each time there is new, impossible footage of Gemma long after she vanished. Desperate to discover the truth, Christopher risks losing himself. He’ll have to outrun the cursed legacy of the film—or become trapped by it forever.

Cover Launch: SHIELD MAIDEN by Sharon Emmerichs

Both epic and intimate, Shield Maiden (US) by Sharon Emmerichs is the brilliantly imagined retelling of Beowulf from the perspective of a fierce young woman reclaiming her power. Take your first look at the cover and pick up your copy in October 2023! Catch the synopsis below.

Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs

Cover Design by Stephanie Hess

Fryda has grown up hearing tales of her uncle, King Beowulf, and his spectacular defeat of the monstrous Grendel. Her one desire is to become a shield maiden in her own right, but a terrible accident during her childhood has thwarted this dream. Yet still, somehow, she feels an uncontrollable power begin to rise within herself.

The last thing Fryda wants is to be forced into a political marriage, especially as her heart belongs to her lifelong friend, Theow. However, as foreign kings and chieftains descend upon her home to celebrate Beowulf’s fifty years as the king of Geatland, the partnership begins to seem inevitable.

That is, until, amidst the lavish gifts and drunken revelry, a discovery is made that threatens the safety of Fryda’s entire clan—and her own life. Incensed by this betrayal, Fryda resolves to fight for her people no matter the cost. As a queen should. As a shield maiden would.

And as the perilous situation worsens, Fryda’s powers seem only to grow stronger. But she is not the only one to feel the effects of her new-found battle-magic. For, buried deep in her gilded lair, a dragon is drawn to Fryda’s untamed power, and is slowly awakening from a long, cursed sleep…

Cover Launch: THE BOOK OF GOTHEL by Mary McMyne in paperback

Take a look at the stunning new paperback cover for The Book of Gothel (US) by Mary McMyne. Catch the synopsis below and pick up your copy in September 2023!

The Book of Gothel TP by Mary McMyne

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Illustrations by Arcangel and Shutterstock

Everyone knows the story of Rapunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there? Mary McMyne’s spellbinding debut reveals the truth behind the fairy tale—the truth they never wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it.

Germany, 1156. With her strange black eyes and even stranger fainting spells, young Haelewise has never quite fit in. Shunned by her village, her only solace lies in the stories her mother tells of child-stealing witches, of princes in wolf-skins, and of an ancient tower cloaked in mist, where women will find shelter if they are brave enough to seek it.

When her mother dies, Haelewise is left unmoored. With nothing left for her in her village, she sets out to find the legendary tower her mother spoke of—a place called Gothel, where she meets a wise woman willing to take Haelewise under her wing. There, she discovers that magic is found not only in the realm of fairy tales.

But Haelewise is not the only woman to seek refuge at Gothel. It’s also a haven for a girl named Rika, who carries with her a secret the church strives to keep hidden. A secret that reveals a dark world of ancient spells and murderous nobles, behind the world Haelewise has always known.

Told from the witch’s own perspective, The Book of Gothel is a lush, historical retelling filled with dark magic, crumbling towers, mysterious woods, and evil princes. This is the truth no one ever wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it.

Cover Launch: TRANSLATION STATE by Ann Leckie, plus new editions of The Imperial Radch trilogy and PROVENANCE

2023 will mark ten years since Ancillary Justice published and changed the sci-fi landscape. It will also be the year that Ann Leckie’s brand-new novel, Translation State (US | UK), hits shelves in June 2023.

Take a look at the stunning cover for Translation State, catch the synopsis down below, and take a peek at our new editions of Ancillary Justice (US | UK), Ancillary Sword (US | UK), Ancillary Mercy (US | UK), and Provenance (US | UK), coming May 2023! You can also check out an exclusive first chapter excerpt of Translation State over at io9.

Translation State by Ann Leckie

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto

The mystery of a missing translator sets three lives on a collision course that will have a ripple effect across the stars in this powerful new novel by award-winning author Ann Leckie. 

Qven was created to be a Presger translator. The pride of their Clade, they always had a clear path before them: learn human ways, and eventually, make a match and serve as an intermediary between the dangerous alien Presger and the human worlds. The realization that they might want something else isn’t “optimal behavior.” I’s the type of behavior that results in elimination.

But Qven rebels. And in doing so, their path collides with those of two others. Enae, a reluctant diplomat whose dead grandmaman has left hir an impossible task as an inheritance: hunting down a fugitive who has been missing for over 200 years. And Reet, an adopted mechanic who is increasingly desperate to learn about his genetic roots—or anything that might explain why he operates so differently from those around him.

As a Conclave of the various species approaches—and the long-standing treaty between the humans and the Presger is on the line—the decisions of all three will have ripple effects across the stars.

Masterfully merging space adventure and mystery, and a poignant exploration about relationships and belonging, Translation State is a triumphant new standalone story set in Leckie’s celebrated Imperial Radch universe.

 

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto

Cover Launch: MACHINE VENDETTA by Alastair Reynolds

Take a look at the stunning cover for Machine Vendetta (US) by Alastair Reynolds and catch the synopsis below!

Machine Vendetta by Alastair Reynolds

Cover Design by Alexia Mazis

From the king of modern space opera comes a new adventure in the Prefect Dreyfus series—Machine Vendetta is a thrilling tale of deadly conspiracies and old enemies that refuse to die. 

Panoply is a small, efficient police force, dedicated to maintaining the rule of democracy among the ten thousand disparate city-states orbiting the planet Yellowstone.

Ingvar Tench was one of Panoply’s most experienced operatives. So why did she walk alone and unarmed into a habitat with a vicious grudge against her organization?

As his colleagues pick up the pieces following her death, Prefect Tom Dreyfus must face his conscience. Four years ago, when an investigation linked to one of his most dangerous adversaries got a little too personal, Dreyfus arranged for Tench to continue the inquiry by proxy. In using her, did Dreyfus also put her in the line of fire? And what does Tench’s attack tell him about an enemy he had hoped was dormant?

Cover Launch: THE BLIGHTED STARS by Megan E. O’Keefe

The Blighted Stars (US | UK) is the first installment in The Devoured Worlds, Megan E. O’Keefe’s brand new science fiction trilogy beginning May 2023. Take a look at the stunning cover and catch the synopsis below!

The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Jaime Jones

When a spy is stranded on a dead planet with her mortal enemy, she must first figure out how to survive before she can uncover the conspiracy that landed them there. This first book in a new epic space opera trilogy by award-winning author Megan E. O’Keefe is perfect for fans of Children of Time, Semiosis, and Ancillary Justice.

She’s a revolutionary. Humanity is running out of options. Habitable planets are being destroyed as quickly as they’re found and Naira Sharp thinks she knows the reason why. The all-powerful Mercator family has been controlling the exploration of the universe for decades, and exploiting any materials they find along the way under the guise of helping humanity’s expansion. But Naira knows the truth, and she plans to bring the whole family down from the inside.

He’s the heir to the dynasty. Tarquin Mercator never wanted to run a galaxy-spanning business empire. He just wanted to study rocks and read books. But Tarquin’s father has tasked him with monitoring the settlement of a new planet, and he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Disguised as Tarquin’s new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy the settlement ship before they make land. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man she’s sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot that’s bigger than both of them.

Cover Launch: THE JASAD HEIR by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Heir (US | UK) is Sara Hashem’s debut fantasy coming July 2023. Take a look at the stunning cover and catch the synopsis down below! You can also check out an exclusive first chapter excerpt over at io9.

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Art by Mike Heath/Magnus Creative

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

At ten years old, the Heir of Jasad fled a massacre that takes her entire family. At fifteen, she buried her first body. At twenty, the clock is ticking on Sylvia’s third attempt at home. Nizahl’s armies have laid waste to Jasad and banned magic across the four remaining kingdoms. Fortunately, Sylvia’s magic is as good at playing dead as she is.

When the Nizahl Heir tracks a group of Jasadis to Sylvia’s village, the quiet life she’s crafted unravels. Calculating and cold, Arin’s tactical brilliance is surpassed only by his hatred for magic. When a mistake exposes Sylvia’s magic, Arin offers her an escape: compete as Nizahl’s Champion in the Alcalah tournament and win immunity from persecution.

To win the deadly Alcalah, Sylvia must work with Arin to free her trapped magic, all while staying a step ahead of his efforts to uncover her identity. But as the two grow closer, Sylvia realizes winning her freedom means destroying any chance of reuniting Jasad under her banner. The scorched kingdom is rising again, and Sylvia will have to choose between the life she’s earned and the one she left behind.

Cover Launch: THE MIDNIGHT KINGDOM by Tara Sim

The Midnight Kingdom (US) is the second installment of Tara Sim’s Dark Gods trilogy—“a glorious tapestry of magic and murderous gods” (Buzzfeed News)—coming August 2023. Check out the stunning cover below!

The Midnight Kingdom by Tara Sim

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

In The Midnight Kingdom, each heir walks a dangerous path, attempting to undo the damage the gods have wrought across the four realms. But they live on borrowed time. The divine will have their war—and not all of them will survive it.

A cataclysmic battle to save the city of Nexus has left the four noble heirs scattered across the realms.

Taesia, the shadow-wielding rebel of House Lastrider, and Nikolas, the reluctant soldier of House Cyr, have been cast into Noctus, the realm of eternal night. But they are not alone. The dangerous and unpredictable god of light has traveled with them, and he will do anything in his power to destroy Noctus in his bid for cosmic control.

Risha, the peacekeeping necromancer of House Vakara, must navigate her way through Mortri, the realm of death. But still she cannot help the wayward spirits, nor does she have any idea how to return home. All she knows is that no mortal can survive for long in Mortri. And the creatures that prowl the realm of death don’t take kindly to the living.

Angelica, the stubborn elementalist of House Mardova, is on her own in Vitae, trying to keep Nexus from unraveling. But Angelica secretly suffers from an illness that her god left in her veins. And when she is sent on a delicate diplomatic mission, she knows that any weakness will have disastrous repercussions for her family, her kingdom, and her dreams of the throne.

All will encounter old friends and new enemies as they attempt to restore the balance of the universe. But the gods grow stronger. And their descendants will need more than their magic and their wits to survive the war that is coming…

Cover Launch: THE FAITHLESS by C.L. Clark

In case you missed it, meet the cover of The Faithless (US | UK), the sequel to The Unbroken by C.L. Clark! You can take a closer look at the cover and read an exclusive first chapter excerpt here at io9. This next volume in The Magic of the Lost trilogy is coming March 2023. Read further for a synopsis and a cover comparison!

The Faithless by C.L. Clark

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Tommy Arnold

In the second installment of C.L. Clark’s Magic of the Lost trilogy, soldier Touraine and princess Luca must return to Balladaire to reclaim Luca’s throne and to face the consequences of dismantling an empire.

The rebels have won, and the empire is withdrawing from Qazal. But undoing the tangled web that binds the two nations will not be easy, and Touraine and Luca will face their greatest challenge yet.

Luca needs to oust her uncle from the Balladairan throne once and for all and take her rightful place as Queen. But he won’t let go of power so easily. When he calls for a “Trial of Competence” and Luca’s allies start disappearing from her side, she will need to find a way to prove her might. And she knows someone who can help…

Touraine has found a home in the newly free country of Qazal. But she soon realizes that leading a country and leading a revolution are two very different tasks. And, even more importantly, if Luca’s uncle doesn’t ratify the treaty, the Qazali could end up right back where they started.

Together, the two women will have to come overcome their enemies, their history, and their heartbreak in order to find a way to secure Luca’s power and Touraine’s freedom.

The Unbroken and The Faithless by C.L. Clark