The Friday Face-Off: Spectacular


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme here at Books by Proxy. Join me every Friday as I pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe. Check out Lynn’s-Books for upcoming themes!


The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer


Welcome to the Friday Face-Off where this week we’re comparing covers featuring glasses!

While there are a fair number of obvious choices to go for, or books with only one cover to choose from, it was much more difficult than I thought it would be to find a worthy comparison within the realms of science fiction and fantasy… but I really should have started looking at children’s book sooner!

This week we’re comparing The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer, published by Harper Collins in the UK and Disney Hyperion in the US. Take a look and see which one is your favourite!


Harper Collins UK | Cover #1

Disney Hyperion US | Cover #2

Cover Art by Goñi Montes


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

Both these covers draw the eye. The smouldering sunset of the UK cover, the focal point between the two, staring faces and the overall composition works really well. The typeface is punchy but clean and doesn’t draw the eye away from the illustration.

The swirling colours and chaotic action of the US cover makes for a beautiful piece of artwork where the characters almost leap from the cover. The only negative being the rounded, shiny typeface that distracts a little too much from the overall composition.

I can’t possibly choose between them…

Cover Art for Artemis Fowl by Goñi Montes

Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads


Next week’s theme is:

Hubble Bubble

  A cover featuring potions

Remember to check Lynn’s Books for upcoming themes


| Links |

Lynn @ Lynn’s Books

Steve @ Books and Beyond Reviews

Mogsy @ The Bibliosanctum

Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy

Sarah @ Brainfluff

Mareli and Elza @ Elza Reads

Kristi @ Confessions of a YA Reader

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Teaser Tuesdays: The Ashes of London


Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays – a weekly feature hosted by The Purple Booker. Expect a new teaser every week!


| Teaser Tuesdays: August 11 |

The Ashes of London

Book One of Marwood and Lovett

by Andrew Taylor

Historical Fiction | 496 Pages | Published by Harper Collins in 2016


“Even I could see that the place was a sad tangle of branches and bushes and fallen trees. The air smelled of rotting vegetation. The path we followed was muddy underfoot, and slippery with dead leaves. It looked as if deer and foxes used it far more than humans.

~ Chapter 24 | Page 206 | The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor


| Synopsis |

London, September 1666. The Great Fire rages through the city, consuming everything in its path. Even the impregnable cathedral of St. Paul’s is engulfed in flames and reduced to ruins. Among the crowds watching its destruction is James Marwood, son of a disgraced printer, and reluctant government informer.

In the aftermath of the fire, a semi-mummified body is discovered in the ashes of St. Paul’s, in a tomb that should have been empty. The man’s body has been mutilated and his thumbs have been tied behind his back.

Under orders from the government, Marwood is tasked with hunting down the killer across the devastated city. But at a time of dangerous internal dissent and the threat of foreign invasion, Marwood finds his investigation leads him into treacherous waters – and across the path of a determined, beautiful and vengeful young woman.

Amazon Book Depository | Goodreads


| Join In |

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Please leave a comment with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here!

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