I love wandering in bookshops and I visit bookshops every week. It gives me a chance to grab a signed first edition sometimes and peek what’s hot off the press. So on Frantic Fridays is all about judging books by their covers. I pick up&shoot the books which catches my eye and I will share:
- Books that I see for the first time & if I add them to my to-read list or not
- Books I’ve bought!
Feel free to use this meme and please include the banner above 🙂
The Room by the Lake by Emma Dibdin
My shot isn’t doing a favour to the book cover, it’s really eye catching. That bleak look of the lake immediately draw my attention. I’ve never heard about this author or the book before. Let’s see what it is about:
When Caitlin moved from London to New York, she thought she had left her problems behind: her alcoholic father, her dead mother, the pressure to succeed. But now, down to her last dollar in a foreign city, she is desperately lonely. Then she meets Jake. Handsome, smart, slightly damaged Jake. He lives off-grid, in a lakeside commune whose members practise regular exercise and frequent group therapy. Before long, Caitlin has settled into her idyllic new home. It looks like she has found the fresh start she longed for. But, as the commune tightens its grip on her freedom and her sanity, Caitlin realizes too late that she might become lost forever…
GoodReads rating is 3.5
Verdict: I am not buying it, but adding it to to-read list!
The Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan
What a beautiful cover! I love the authentic design and the colours. I have never seen this book or heard of this author before.
A dark power known as the Talisman has risen in the land. Born of ignorance and persecution, it is led by a man known only as the One-Eyed Preacher. A superstitious patriarchy, cruel and terrifying, the Talisman suppresses knowledge and subjugates women. And it is growing.But there are those who seek to stop the oppressive spread of the Talisman. A resistance formed of the Companions of Hira – a group of rebels versed in the power of ancient scripture, a magic known as the Claim – believe they have discovered the key to destroying the One-Eyed Preacher and his fervid followers: The Bloodprint.Finding this dangerous manuscript that the Talisman has tried to erase from the world promises to be their most dangerous undertaking yet: a perilous journey deep into Talisman territory which may prove to be their last.
Goodreads rating is: 3.36
Verdict: I am normally really sceptical to anything with a lower score than 3.5 on GR as people tend to be quite generous with their ratings. And the blurb didn’t really get me with this one, so I’m giving this a miss. Sorry!
The Word for Woman is Wilderness by Abi Andrews
I love this cover design. It’s simple but so elegant. Looks like a quirky book! Like the others, never seen this book or author anywhere else. Let’s see the blurb.
Erin is 19. She’s never really left England, but she has watched Bear Grylls and wonders why it’s always men who get to go on all the cool wilderness adventures. So Erin sets off on a voyage into the Alaskan wilderness, a one-woman challenge to the archetype of the rugged male explorer. As Erin’s journey takes her through the Arctic Circle, across the entire breadth of the American continent and finally to a lonely cabin in the wilds of Denali, she explores subjects as diverse as the moon landings, the Gaia hypothesis, loneliness, nuclear war, shamanism and the pill. Filled with a sense of wonder for the natural world and a fierce love for preserving it, The Word for Woman is Wilderness is a funny, frank and tender account of a young woman in uncharted territory.
Faithful by Alice Hoffman
I have obviously heard of Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic & DoveKeepers!) but never read her actually. And first time seeing this book I am immediately drawn to this beautiful cover. Let’s see what’s it about:
Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl growing up on Long Island until one night a terrible road accident brings her life to a halt. While her best friend Helene suffers life-changing injuries, Shelby becomes overwhelmed with guilt and is suddenly unable to see the possibility of a future she’d once taken for granted.
But as time passes, and Helene becomes an almost otherworldly figure within the town, seen by its inhabitants as a source of healing, Shelby finds herself attended to by her own guardian angel. A mysterious figure she half-glimpsed the night of the car crash, he now sends Shelby brief but beautiful messages imploring her to take charge of her life once more . . .What happens when a life is turned inside out? When you lose all hope and sense of worth? Shelby, a fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookshops, and men she should stay away from, captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding oneself at last. From the bestselling author of The Dovekeepers comes this spellbinding, poignant and life-affirming story of one woman’s journey towards happiness – and the power of love, family and fate.
Goodreads rating: 4
Verdict: I am unsure. Will wait to stumble upon any reviews from my fellow bloggers, and decide after seeing their reviews.
Excuse My Reading 
Such pretty covers. You visit bookshops every week! That’s amazing.
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Yes, I know I am very lucky to live in somewhere with a couple of bookshops and work near them!
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I love this meme Ova, as a person who buys books looking at covers. It’s funny we went for the same cover today 🙂 I also loved Alice Hoffman’s cover. Happy bookshop hopping!
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i really like the one with the lake. Not only the cover, but the description is really intriguing as well
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Yes, completely agreed 🙂
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The Abi Andrews book looks really good! I’ll probably try and get that when the paperback comes out. Hardbacks are heavy as well as expensive!
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