Friday Face Off : Books with ‘You’ in the title #WyrdAndWonder
27 May 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Friday Face off, Neil Gaiman, The Sandman Series
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.
Wyrd & Wonder is a month long celebration of all things fantasy check out this post for everything you need to know. This month I will be posting predominantly about fantasy books in all it’s guises.
I’ve added themes in below. For information, I’m trying out some new ideas so along with coming up with particular items for book covers I thought we could also look for certain elements contained within the book or that play a large part in the story – this really broadens things out because I have plenty of more ideas with this – I’ve gone for a few of the Tough Travel Themes (so a book with that theme – just choose any book – the theme isn’t necessarily on the cover, then compare covers), also, I’ve thrown in some genres and some colours. Hopefully this will open things out a little and give us some more freedom to come up with new books.
This week’s theme:
Books with ‘You’ in the title
Strangely enough there were fewer books than I imagined with ‘you’ in the title but I did find a few and eventually settled on No.5 of the Sandman Series: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman:
Quite a bunch of dark covers for this week’s choice – but then The Sandman series is rather dark so it’s quite fitting.
My favourite:
Which one is your favourite?
If you’re taking part in this week’s theme feel free to leave your link in the comments below.
If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know. Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions. Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books. If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:
Next Week’s Theme : Under the Sea – anything you like
2022
Friday Face Off : ‘the road goes ever on and on’
28 August 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: American Gods, Books by Proxy, Friday Face off, Neil Gaiman
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future week’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout. This week’s theme:
Dark road – ‘the road goes ever on and on’
I thought I had lots of ideas for this week’s theme but then I spotted this one. I listened to this a few years ago on audio, it was a special edition and it was really good. Unfortunately I didn’t write a review but I thought I’d use this week’s theme to highlight the book:
Believe me when I say there were a lot of covers for this book – which isn’t really a surprise as it’s very popular. I like some of these but my favourite is:
I don’t know why but this cover just works for me – perhaps it’s familiarity.
I’ll be updating the list in order to include forthcoming events that I’m aware of so that you can perhaps link your themes up where possible (if you know of an event you’d like to share then let me know in the comments). As always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know.
Next week – Cold and crisp – any cover that gives you winter vibes
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ or one of your favourite covers) (I’ve added some new themes – some of these are slightly different, in order to avoid too much repetition I’m trying to make the themes more of a suggestion that everyone can interpret how they like.
201
4th September – Cold and crisp – any cover that gives you winter vibes
11th September – A cover with a pattern
18th September – Minimalistic, lacking clutter
25th September – A very busy cover full to bursting with detail
2nd October – A standout font
9th October – Mist/fog – “A thin grey fog hung over the city, and the streets were very cold; for summer was in England.”
16th October – Spider web – “Farewell, Aragog, king of the arachnids, whose long and faithful friendship those who knew you would never forget!
23th October – Ripped/torn – interpret it as you wish
30th October – Forest/jungle – ‘None of the Jungle People like being disturbed.’
6th November – Planets – “You’re on Earth. There’s no cure for that.”
13th November – Bright – ‘The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades’.
20th November – Words only – “Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.”
27th November – Modern sci fi
4th December – Fae – or fairy??
11th December – Lake – the mysterious lake
18th December – Highly Stylised
25th December- Freebie – or day off.
Friday Face Off : ‘There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.’
16 November 2018
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Coraline, Friday Face off, Neil Gaiman
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book, compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future week’s themes are listed below – the list has been updated to help out those of you who like to plan ahead – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. This week’s theme:
‘There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.’ – A scary cover
There are so many books for this week’s theme so I can’t wait to see what everyone came up with. I discarded quite a few – and I know that at the back of my mind I have a particular cover that really scared me but I just couldn’t dredge it up. However, I think that Coraline by Neil Gaiman has some brilliant covers and the Other Mother gives me the serious heebees with all the buttons and needles and eyes *shivers*. There are a lot of covers for this book, as you may imagine, so I’ve selected only a few:
In terms of fitting the theme I’d have to highlight:
I think though that my favourite is:
Like last week I’ve added a Mr Linky here so that you can leave a link if you wish or please leave me a link in the comments so I can visit and check out your covers. Thanks
Next week – A cover featuring a mermaid/man
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ of one of your favourite covers)
23rd November – ‘The child is in love with a human. And not just any human. A prince!’ – A cover featuring a mermaid/man
30th November – “..the children of the night. What music they make!” – a cover with a vampire
7th December – ‘I am Aragorn son of Arathorn; and if by life or death I can save you, I will.’ – A cover featuring a hero
14th December -“Heavy is the head that wears the crown” – A cover featuring a crown
21st December – ‘ho, ho, ho’ – A seasonal cover
28th December – A freebie – choose one of your favourite titles and compare the covers
2019
4th January – A cover that is fresh – New beginnings for a New Year
11th January – ‘I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king’ – A cover that depicts a novel set in the Tudor period
18th January – A cover featuring an Amulet – either in the cover or title
25th January – ‘Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.’ – A cover featuring a monk/priest/person of the cloth
1st February – A comedy cover
8th February – ‘Hi little cub. Oh no, don’t be ssscared.’ – A cover with snakes
15th February – A heart – for Valentine’s day past
22nd February – “Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay; the worst is death and death will have his day.” – A cover with abandoned building/s
1st March – ‘who will buy this wonderful morning’ – A cover featuring a shop or market
8th March – ‘Two little fishes and a momma fishy too’ – A cover featuring a fish/fishes or other sea creatures
15th March – ‘Beware the moon, lads.’ – A cover with a shapeshifter
22nd March – ‘A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse’ – A cover featuring a king
29th March – “I thought unicorns were more . . . Fluffy.” – A cover featuring a unicorn
5th April – ‘nomad is an island’ – A cover featuring a desert landscape
12th April – ‘Odin, Odin, send the wind to turn the tide – A cover featuring a longboat
19th April – ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times – A cover featuring a school
Waiting on Wednesday: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
26 October 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology, Waiting on Wednesday
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every Wednesday we get to highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. My book this week is : Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. Oh my giddy aunt! Norse mythology. Neil Gaiman. Do I really need to say it again. Okay. Third time’s the charm: Norse Mythology – Neil Gaiman. Colour me happy.
Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales.
In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki son of a giant, blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.
Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman, difficult with his beard and huge appetite, to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir, the most sagacious of gods, is turned into a mead that infuses drinkers with poetry. The work culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and rebirth of a new time and people.
Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.
Due February 2017
‘Death, is only the beginning…’
22 April 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Neil Gaiman, The Friday Face Off, The Graveyard Book
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme being hosted by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite books covers. The rules are fairly simple and can be found here. Each week, following a predetermined theme choose a book, compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Simples. This week the theme is:
Dead Men Tell No Tales
A cover which features something or somewhere relating to death
This week I’ve gone for The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and a whole bunch of covers to choose from:
So, from the top-
- Very creepy cover with the two characters
- Not sure about this one – bloody knife with a little toddler running along the edge – I understand why – ‘there was a hand in the darkness… and it held a knife’ – very creepy though
- I really like this one – the whole floating graveyard!
- I really like the simplicity of this cover and the angel gravestone
- This is beautifully illustrated, I admit this cover originally made me think this was a children’s book but I really like it now.
- This is the version I own – and I do love it – plus it’s signed!
My favourite this week is difficult to choose but I think I would probably go with this one:
Next week’s theme:
Like One, That on a Lonesome Road
A cover which features a road
Books and travelling with Lynn 