Every year I take a blogging hiatus at the end of the year and inevitably, it always stretches out longer than I plan for. But I'm back!
Happy New Year to all you dear reading buddies 💓
You'll notice that I've changed the name of my year end awards. I wanted to reflect that I include all the books I read in the year, not just romance. (I also didn't want to field the emails telling me that a book I nominated wasn't romance, looking at you Wild Women and Blues winner last year) This year I read 127 books! Less than the 136 I read last year but over the hundred mark I personally set. I'm surprised it's less because I felt like I had a better reading year but maybe I just liked more of the books I read.
To my shame, I did not get a bingo in Halloween Bingo but I participated in SuperWendy's #TBRChallenge and did some buddy reads (I need to do more of these this year!).
The books eligible for my Roms, can be published in any year, they simply had to be read by me in 2022. There will be the usual 9 categories, Favorite Cover; Favorite Secondary Character; Favorite Scene; Favorite Quote; Favorite Leads; Favorite Couple; Favorite Contemporary and Historical, and Favorite of 2022. Again, hopefully reflected in the new awards name, as I participate in Halloween Bingo, some horror books could sneak in there, along with other genres I read; basically any book I rate or discuss on GoodReads is fair game.
Without further ado, let me kick off the award show today with Favorite Cover, I try very hard to not let how much I liked or disliked the actual story affect this one, all visual judging a book by it's cover here :)
Click on the cover for my review if I wrote one and if I didn't, you'll be directed to it's GoodReads page
┏ ┓
The Roms
Favorite Cover
┗ ┛
Nominees:
1. A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman - My one and only historical romance to make Fav covers list, oof. This is why I wait until Jan., even though people are probably worn out by Favs lists, to reminisce about the year. I read this in Dec. and loved it, but we'll talk more about the actual story later. I loved this cover, the darker tint, the uniform, the nighttime sky, the clinch! It pops because of all these elements and it makes me think of secret night escapades, a historical romance element favorite.
2. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury - I'm not typically such a busy cover person but I love all the hidden elements in this cover. It's fun and perfectly encapsulates the frenetic pace of the story inside.
3. Ruthless by Gena Showalter - This year's perv selection, usually this is taken by a cowboy but since HarperCollins refuses to even meet with the striking union, I didn't get to read the cowboy book I know would have made onto this list. I had no idea that shirtless caped dudes did it for me, but here we are. This cover makes me think some dark deeds are about to be done and I'm so here for it.
4. Blood and Moonlight by Erin Beaty - This cover is alluring and, again, even though I try to not let the story influence me, the flower thorns causing that little line of blood is in the story and I love that little Easter egg additive. The beauty and vulnerability with the naked back and light delicate flowers but then the danger and harsh blood draw me into what the tone of the story could be.
5. Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati - I love the bold power of her name across the front and then the two sides facing opposite directions of her profile. Add in the broken/crumbled columns and you have a cover that is alluding to giving you a different side of the story, Clytemnestra maybe not being who you thought she was and breaking down the mythology. This cover is great in it's simplicity.
6. You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi - The title is probably doing a lot of the heavy lifting for me, I'm not sure I've ever said a title was gorgeous before but this title is gorgeous. I also love how the orange color pops and the hint of her golden braids shining in the background, along with the flower and little hummingbird. The cover is brimming with life and for a character that is still dealing with grief, it feels like a cool pairing.
7. Siren Queen by Nghi Vo - Another one where the cooler toned coloring of the cover grabs me. I also can't help that the smoke makes me think rebel and burning down the system. It's really all about the model's expression, they nail the mess with me and find out attitude and made me want to dive into this story.
8. The Legal Affair by Nisha Sharma - The open back dress and the model's finger seemingly directing the other model's face to where she wants it, does it for me. I swear if you took this cover outside in a cold day, it would steam. I feel the heat from this cover and in a year where I wanted more heat in my romance, this cover promised it.
9. Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik - Well, first off, this is purple and we all know how I feel about purple but it also is promising me so many things I want in a space opera, adventure, the running and space setting in background, and romance, the dark silhouette of couple blown up and front and center. It all intrigues me and pulls me in.
10. Season of Love by Helena Greer - I love me a holiday read and this cover is giving off those fun, light, holiday vibes I look for in my holiday stories. Holiday elements dancing on the sides and the string of lights wrapping the couple together is all delightful.
Winner:
9. Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik
This was a battle with A Wicked Game, if the dress is different it might take it, but Eclipse the Moon ultimately won because of the different elements of promised adventure and romance, and maybe the use of purple. It also maybe shows my growing interest from historical rom (what brought me to romance and I've just personally read a ton) and more towards fantasy/space settings. This cover is eye catching in all the best ways.
2021 Winner
What was your favorite cover of 2022?
Stay tuned for Favorite Secondary Character....
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment