Country vs Country - Study and Glass (Chronicles of Ixia) by Maria V Snyder

This week is a little different. I've decided to combine both the Study and Glass series since they're both part of Chronicles of Ixia and I've also included the Australian covers since I saw them and thought they were so pretty.

The order of Study is UK, US and Australian

Julie-Anne: I like all the covers but I don't like US as much. I don't understand why there was a random UK cover (it's the one I've got so kinda mad that they changed it) but I prefer the 1st over the 2nd/ The US is nice and pretty but a bit boring. And the Australian one, while could be described as plain, is actually gorgeous - it's the colours. I think Australian wins for me.
Danielle: I think you've said every single thing I was thinking here. I agree on every aspect. Australia definitely wins for me too. Popped right out immediately for me. I love the colours, I love that it looks like poisonous flames. Beautiful. US is pretty, but makes me think more of a historical novel. I don't really like the 2nd UK cover much. It's all right, if it were the only one I wouldn't pass it over, but it doesn't stand out like the others. It almost reminds me of those books that get re-covered for the movie. I like the butterfly around the door in the 1st UK cover. Aussies win.

J: Again, I think US is my least favourite here. It's not as boring as Poison Study, the greenery saves it from that. I think I'm going to pick Australian again. I have noticed that the UK covers of all these series seem to follow the same theme - I like that. The blue in the Australian is really nice and stands out.
D: I like the US one here. I like the greenery. The UK again seems like it's re-covered for a movie. Aussie's win again for me. I love the colours and the pattern the colours make. Really beautiful.

J: US has went back to boring on this one. And as nice as the Australian one is, I prefer the UK one for this book. As soon as I bought this book, I thought it was very pretty - my favourite of all the UK covers for sure.
D: This is my favourite of the UK covers too. It looks far less like a movie cover. I still don't love it though. I agree that the US is not as nice. Boring, and again, they seem to have gone back to the historical look to me. I still love the Australian cover. Yes, it isn't as sharp as the previous two, but I still think it's really pretty. I pick Australia here again.

Julie-Anne: I really love this series. Yelena and Valek are a great leading couple, and happily Snyder just brought them back for another series. I'd recommend this series to any fantasy reader that's looking for a new series.
Danielle: This is a series I haven't read yet. I keep meaning to, but have never gotten around to it, even though it is so highly rated by my peers. Everyone I know who has read this series has loved it.




The Glass series is in the order of UK, US 1 & 2 and Australian

Julie-Anne: I really like all four of these! I'm having trouble picking a favourite - I may actually just try and remove my least favourite until I have one left. 2nd US with the face is my 1st least favourite. UK is my 2nd least favourite - not sure why, I just prefer the remaining two. 1st US is my 3rd and final least favourite so I guess Australian wins this one for me.
Danielle: I think I agee with you again. Australia definitely wins out for me without having to eliminate. It just really jumps out for me. I think I just don't like the hood on the UK covers. I haven't read this series though, so maybe the MC wears a hooded cloak, and this really fits in. I like the US the least as well, though I do love the (I'm assuming) glass design on it. Very pretty. But as I've said before, I really dislike full faces on covers, so that is a big strike against this one. I like the US probably second in this one. But Australia wins.

J: Again, I love all of these. And again I'm going to list them backwards. In fourth place is 2nd US again - it's the big face thing. In third place is UK again. In second place is Australian. Purely because I really like this image on the 1st US cover.
D: I'm torn between Australia and the first US here too. I really love all the Australian covers, but I do really like the US one here. Least favourite is definitely US#2 (full face, blah), and third place goes to UK. It just seems a little boring next to the Australian and 1st US cover. I think I'll pick the first US cover for this one, though I really did have to think on it.

J:Once again, I'm going to list them backwards because I really like them all. Fourth place is 2nd US again - her face is taking up too much of the cover. Third place is UK. 2nd place is 1st US - I think it's the colour. First place is Australian again.
D: Australian wins here for me. 2nd US is definitely last, and I actually like the UK better than the first US here. At least the first US has her face covered enough that it doesn't put images into your head. It does look like the models from the last book and this one are different. Are they not about the same girl? Australia wins for me. Though of the Aussie covers, this one is my least favourite.
J: Yes, different MC in this series. Although a lot of crossover does happen with characters.

Julie-Anne: This may be a first for me - a series that I like all the covers for all the books. Plus we have 2 US ones and Australian in there so there's more covers to choose from. Snyder's publication companies are good at covers! I love Snyder's work, I've still to finish this series but it's purely laziness on my part.
Danielle: Again, I have not read this series. I'll steal JA's words and say that it is pure laziness on my part as well. I really should read them, as everyone I know loves them. I also agree that this is probably the first time I've like all the covers from each of the countries.

Country vs Country - Midnight Breed

Danielle: I can honestly say, I'm not a fan of the covers for this series at all. Not in either country. They're kind of cheesy with their couples in various "throes of passion". Blergh. I really don't like the two-covers-in-one of the US style. I do like the bottom half of the US cover, and wish the whole book had been that. I do like the "glyphs" on the UK cover. Those play an interesting part in the series, so I like that touch. I really don't know what to pick here as I don't care for either. I'll pick UK, just because I don't like the two-tone of the US.
Julie-Anne: I agree the covers aren't great and I feel like they could have merged the two colours better, or at least used colours that went together in the US cover. The solid line is a little off putting and the colours too different. I'm also not a fan of the UK cover colour and the pose the couple are in, but it's the lesser of two evils so I'm choosing UK.

D: Again, not really a fan of either. I really like pink, but the UK cover is a lot of pink. I really dislike the colour combo of the US. Again, I think I would like it better if it was just the bottom picture on the whole cover. I think I'll pick UK, just because it's the lesser of the two evils here. I don't care for either.
J: Holy pinkness, Batman! (Also, spooky that you used the same term as me for your choice). But the US one isn't really any better, the two tone thing just isn't working. I don't want to choose, do I have to choose? Can I choose this one instead?

D: Yes! I choose the little Scottie! Look at his little bendy ears!

D: More dislike from me here too. I really wish the US publisher would have just chosen the bottom halves of those covers and just went with those. I think I'll choose UK here again, even though I don't really love it.
J: I haven't read this series but I'd guess erotica based on the covers and wouldn't look twice at them if I was perusing for new books. The awkward kiss on the UK cover is horrible. And not only are the colours in the US one so different but they're also both horrible on their own. Purely for the colour, I guess I'll pick UK (but I'd still rather have the Scottish fold kitten!)
D: Also, the cover models on the UK cover look African American. This couple is most definitely not. They’re both blonds I believe.

D: Why is the dude in the UK cover so angry? Sheesh! He reminds me of Christian Bale in American Psycho there. I'm picking UK again, despite the "hero" being so angry. If the US was just the bottom half, it would have won. Though I like this cover better than the previous US covers. The colour difference isn't so contrasting.
J: Haha, the guy does look pretty pissed off. Maybe he's just discovered she's a smoker after sniffing her hair? The two colours on the US aren't as bad as previous colours but I'd still rather they tried to soften the split. I don't like the colour or either of their facial expressions on the UK one so I'll choose US here.
D: Nothing like a smoker to turn you off! I'd be pissed too.

D: Okay, we've finally gotten away from the split cover. These two are almost identical, though you'd think they'd have the same city scape, since they're the same book. I think I'll pick US here actually, just because I don't like the guy's mouth in the UK. It looks like he's talking or something. It's just weird.
J: Woohoo to one colour covers and I have no arguments with black - it goes with everything. These are so similar in style that it's hard to pick a favourite. I'm going to go with US just because I like the little symbol behind the title better than the UK one.
D: And black is so slimming!

D: These are really red/orange. I've liked covers that are bright colours before, but I don't know. Maybe this series just feels like it should have darker colours. The previous book fit more in my mind with the greyscale. I think I'll pick UK here because the guy is kind of cute.
J: These are both a horrible colour. The woman in the US cover looks like she's in pain. For that, and that alone, I'm going with UK.

D: The US has kind of gone back to the two-tone, even though it's not as defined. I don't like the colour choices though. That's a lot of yellow. I'll pick UK here I think.
J: Wow, are those US colours ever horrible! At least they've finally stopped with the solid separating line, although they should've stayed with the one colour like the last two covers. I like this shade of blue in the UK cover, although the couple look awkward - she almost looks like she's not looking in his eyes but off to the side a little. Saying that, I'll still choose UK over US.

D: I don't really care for either cover here, again. I don't like the little drip of blood on the girl's mouth. I love facial hair, but I don't like the scruff on the dude. Also, the hero in this book is African American. That dude is white white white. I think I'll go with the US cover, just because I like the blue.
J: And US have switched from the two tone again! I prefer the colour of the UK cover and the image at the bottom over the US one so I'll choose UK.

D: I really don't like the bite marks on the UK cover. We know they're vampires by this point. I don't think we need that. If she didn't have the bite marks, I'd pick UK, only because the US is cheesy with the couple. I think I'll still pick UK, actually.
J: The bite marks are a bit crap, they're too fake looking. I prefer the colour of the UK cover and the lack of cheesy couple pose, although the woman on the UK cover doesn't have a nice pose either.
D: She looks rather awkward really.

D: This is the same model from the last cover. Not sure why it would be the same girl. Regardless, I'll pick UK, even though this model is exactly how I pictured Renata from Veil of Midnight.
J: Maybe they were shooting both covers on the same day? Or the photographer just had a bunch of going images that they chose from. I hate the couple on the US cover but I like the colours more. Saying that, I think I'll still choose UK.

D: This was my favourite book of this series, actually. This is where the series starts kind of anew. This book is set 20 years after the end of Darker After Midnight, and starts featuring the younger generation of the other books. I really liked the turn the series took here. Now, the covers. On the UK cover, I do not like Kellan having fangs here. They look ridiculous and fake. Even though it's cheesy, I think I'll pick US here, just because I really dislike those fangs.
J: Wow, that green is disgusting! And those teeth on the male model are even worse. Even though I still hate the cheesy couple theme on the US cover, I prefer the colour and I really hate the fake teeth on the UK one so I choose US.

D: Again with the bite marks. I don't like it. I really don't care for either of these covers again. The kiss in the UK cover looks awkward, but the pure cheese of the US is such a turn off as well. I'll pick UK because I like the colour better.
J: I like the purple-y of the UK cover but I kinda like the blue of the US as well. Both have cheesy-pose couples. I don't like that the author name in the US one is so much bigger than the title (although as I scroll up, I realise the last book was the same). I vaguely prefer the pattern on the US over the UK so it ekes the win.

D: This is a series I've read (except for Crave the Night), and really enjoyed. I will say, they are extremely similar to JR Ward's BDB series. Extremely. I thought it would bother me more than it did though. I read through this series rather quickly. The characters are engaging enough to keep you interested. The covers suck though. Someone should really fix that.
J: I haven't read this series and I wouldn't even pause to look at them in a bookshop with those covers. This is a series I'd only read based on a trusted recommendation.

Country vs Country - Daughter of Smoke and Bone

The layout for the following is confusing. The first two books go (from left to right) UK, UK hardback then US. The third book is where it gets confusing - it's UK, UK hardback/US (same cover) then UK kindle (seems to be separate for some reason)

Julie-Anne: The UK paperback cover is very boring. Is that a door to an underground bunker? On the other hand, the hardback cover is very pretty, I like the feathers. And the US cover seems to follow the feather theme with the mask, I like the flash of blue on an otherwise plain cover. I think I have to go with the US cover for this one, I like the blue and and the typeface is better than the UK ones.
Danielle: I actually like the red door on the first one. Not the best of the three, but I like it. I find it intriguing. I love the colours on the UKHB. The purples and blues and greens. Really pretty. I like the blue on the US cover too, but I think I like the middle one best. This is a set I actually quite like all three covers on. But I choose #2. I really love the colour combination.
J: I agree that they're all pretty, even if I find the UK one boring.

J: The two UK covers are obviously following the same theme but with slight differences, and again we seem to be on a door theme with the knocker. I like the flame on both but I prefer the hardback over the paperback. I really like the flash of red on the US one and her eyes are fantastic. US wins this one for me.
D: Again, I like elements of all three. I like the lion in the knocker on the first one. I always wanted a house with a really cool knocker. The red mask on her eyes in the US is really striking too. Really pretty concept, and different from all the YA books out there that always seem to be the same these days. I was going to pick the first one as my choice, but I think for a YA book, #3 is better. If it were an adult book, I’d choose #1.

J: Another door theme for the UK paperback cover and the hardback has the same cover as the US one. Which is annoying in that it will now not fit in with the rest of the series. I do like the UK kindle cover but it’s a bit boring. I prefer the UK/US cover in the middle, again the focus is on her eye and I like the flash of colour (even if it is yellow).
D: I like all three of these. I agree, the Kindle cover is a bit boring, but I do still like it. #1 seems to combine the colours from the other two books together. I do like the UK/US, but I dislike the antlers. Why antlers? The other two both had beautiful masks of sorts, and this one is antlers? I’ll choose #1 here.

Julie-Anne: For me US is an overall win on this. Which is surprising because I do usually prefer UK covers, these UK covers are quite boring though. I like the sound of the series and think I'll give it a bash at some point.
Danielle: This is a series I have not read. The UK covers have made me curious with their door themes. Why doors? Is there something about doorways in the series? And with the US covers and their masks. Is it doorways to masked balls? I'm interested enough to also put these on my list. I've heard very good things about this series. Overall, I think I chose mostly UK covers, but I did like aspects of all of them.
J: I looked up the series and the first book says something about handprints on doorways so that kind of explains the door theme.