The Friday Face Off : Completions
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.
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:
Completions – a satisfying conclusion to a book or series
Firstly, some news. As of the new year the Friday Face Off will be changing slightly which is why I haven’t posted a new list of themes. The FFO has been running for a few years now and I’ve had a lot of fun coming up with themes and finding books with covers that fit, but, I think the idea of themes has run its course and so from the new year the face off will be taking a more general course. This opens things up a little I think so you can choose any book that you’d like to compare the covers of.
This week my book is The Girl and the Moon by Mark Lawrence. This is one of the most enjoyable conclusions to a series that I’ve ever read. Here are the covers:
I like both sets of covers that are available for this series but, on balance my favourite is:
Do you have a favourite?
Here’s the full series together:
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:
From the start of 2023 I will no longer be using themes for the Friday Face Off but will be hoping to use current reads or look at previous books pre blogging, or simply shine a bit of a spotlight on some books that I’ve not looked at previously.
Friday Face Off : “The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow!
17 May 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Catherynne M Valente, Fantasy Beasts, The Friday Face Off, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

(May is the month of Wyrd and Wonder – details here, Twitter: @wyrdandwonder)
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. 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:
“The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow!” – A cover featuring a fantasy beast
Obviously I wanted to go with Tolkien this week but decided not to because I do tend to overdo it – although is it possible to overdo Tolkien? I don’t think so. Anyway, this week I’ve gone with The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making (Fairyland #1) by Catherynne M. Valente. Now, most of the covers are fairly similar and just involve colour variations – but what do you think of the fantasy beast? Anyway, here they are:
I think these are all quite nice, but I’m going to have to go for:
Which one is your favourite?
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 we can all visit and check out each others covers. Thanks
I’ve updated the list and included themes through to the end of 2019 – I’ve also included 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 that let me know in the comments). I also have a list prepared for 2020 and so will set up a separate page soon for forthcoming themes. As always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment.
Next week – A cover featuring ‘magical things’
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ or one of your favourite covers)
2019
(May is the month of Wyrd and Wonder – details here, Twitter: @wyrdandwonder)
24th May – “bibbity, bobbity, boo” – A cover that features ‘magical things’
31st May – “simples” – A favourite fantasy cover
7th June – “One swallow does not make a summer” – A cover that makes you think of Summer
14th June – “Coraline opened the box of chocolates. The dog looked at them longingly.” – A cover featuring something sweet
21st June – Summer Solstice – the longest day of the year – Pagan rituals/standing stones/blazing suns – a cover with your own interpretation
28th June – “And who decided which people wore the striped pyjamas” – A cover that is striped
5th July – “The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe… has been answered” – a cover featuring something/somebody historic
12th July – A wrap around cover
19th July – “You can’t choose between life and death when we’re dealing with what is in between.” – A cover that is grainy or looks like ‘white noise’
26th July – “Ludo ….. down” – A cover that is Upside Down
2nd August – “There are children here somewhere. I can smell them.” A cover featuring children
9th August – “I’m disinclined to acquiesce to your request.” – A cover featuring Pirates
16th August – “The haft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagles own plumes” – a cover featuring feathers
23rd August – A cover that is a movie tie in
30th August – “I wandered lonely as a cloud” – a cover that is predominantly yellow
6th September “Warm September brings the fruit” – a cover that is seasonal for Autumn/Fall
13th September – Friday the 13th – unlucky for some! A cover with ‘curse’ in the title
20th September – “Your hair is winter fire,January embers.” – A cover featuring hair
27th September – Freebie
4th October – “Feed me Seymour” – A cover that is 60s horror
11th October – ““And, though there should be a world of difference between the smile of a man and the bared fangs of a wolf, with Joss Merlyn they were one and the same.” – a cover featuring an Inn
18th October – “It’s your favorite scary movie, remember? He had on the white mask, he stalked the babysitters.” – A cover featuring a scream
25th October – for Halloween – pick any scary cover you like
(I’m hoping that November will once again bring to us SciFiMonth – Twitter @SciFiMonth)
1st November – A cover that is predominantly grey
8th November – “big badda boom” – a cover that features an explosion
15th November – “No thinking thing should be another thing’s property, to be turned on and off when it is convenient.” – a cover featuring a robot
22nd November – A cover that is Futuristic
29th November – “When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.” – a cover that is 60s sci fi
6th December – Now is the winter of our discontent, Made glorious summer by this sun of York” – a cover that puts you in mind of winter
13th December – A cover that features a temple/or religious icon
20th December – Longest Night – a dark and foreboding cover
27th December – the festive season – a cover that is glittery or sparkling
(2020 – January is Vintage SciFi month so I’ll be including possible themes to take that on board.)
‘Yes Hermione, I thinks is going to be exactly like wizards chess’
22 December 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, JKRowling, The Friday Face Off
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. This week’s theme:
‘Oh, we loves games! Doesn’t we, precious?’ – a cover featuring a Puzzle or Game
I had a couple of books in mind this week but decided on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone – I’ve used HP a few times but I don’t think I’ve used this particular book and it came to mind because of the Wizard’s Chess game that Ron takes part in. There are a lot of covers for the HP books so I’ve not posted them all:
The one I’ve picked this week feels like it has a winter vibe:
Which is your favourite?
Next week – a cover featuring a musical instrument
Future themes:
29th December – If music be the food of love, play on – a cover featuring a Musical Instrument
5th January – ‘The seaweed is always greener, in somebody else’s lake.’ – Under the Sea
12th January – ‘More than one meaning have I’ – a cover featuring a Knot/knots
19th January – You know your A, B, Cs – a cover made up only of letters/words
26th January – “The grass is always greener on the other side of personal extinction” – a cover featuring grass
2nd February – Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – a Psychedelic cover
9th February – ‘My what big teeth you have’ – a cover featuring a cloaked figure
16th February – ‘Groovy baby’ – a cover that is: Retro
23rd February – “There are too many steps in this castle, and it seems to me they add a few every night, just to vex me” – a cover featuring a staircase
2nd March – ‘The only true wisdom is to know that you know nothing’ – a cover featuring something from Greek mythology
9th March – ‘…but Icarus flew too close’ – a cover featuring the Sun
16th March – ‘I got no strings to hold me down’ – a cover featuring a doll or puppet
23rd March – “When she was a child, the witch locked her away in a tower that had neither doors nor stairs.” – a cover featuring a Tower
30th March – ‘A little soil to make it grow’ – a cover featuring seeds/spores
6th April – “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” – a cover featuring a family
13th April – ‘lawns and rocks and heather and different sorts of trees, lay spread out below them, the river winding through it’ – a cover featuring a panorama
20th April – Where there’s fire there’s… – a cover featuring smoke
27th April – ‘Those darling byegone times… with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of torture’ – a cover that is positively mediaeval
4th May- ‘A Hand without a hand? A bad jape, sister.’ – a cover featuring a hand/hands
11th May – ‘Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth’ – a cover featuring a dinosaur/s
18th May – ‘Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs;’ – a cover featuring a gravestone
25th May – Trip trap, trip trap, trip trap – a cover featuring footsteps
1st June – clinging and invasive – a cover featuring creeping vines
8th June – Raining Cats and Dogs – a cover featuring a stormy sky
“I have crossed oceans of time to find you.”
27 October 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Clay and Susan Griffith, The Friday Face Off, Vampire Empire
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. This week’s theme:
“Thus with a kiss I die” – a cover featuring a couple
Well, I thought this week was going to be a doddle. How wrong could I be. I found a couple of covers for Dracula (The Count and Mina) and also a couple of covers for Jacqueline Carey’s Miranda and Caliban. But, I decided to go with Vampire Empire (The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1) by Clay Griffith, Susan Griffith). Again only a couple of covers for this one but both so very different:
My favourite – I had to go with the dark vibe:
Which is your favourite?
Next week – a cover in the regency style
Future themes:
3rd November 2017 – ‘Desperate affairs require desperate measures’ – a regency style cover
10th November 2017 – ‘zip it, lock it and throw away the key – a cover featuring a key
17th November 2017 – Snap! – a cover featuring a double image or reflection
24th November 2017 – ‘I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently’ – a cover featuring snow
1st December 2017 – The pen is mightier than the sword – a cover featuring a fancy font
8th December 2017 – ‘Do not go gentle’ – a cover featuring the night…
15th December 2017 – Hubble bubble toil and trouble – a cover featuring a portion/perfume bottle
“..perhaps mortals are not formed for fairy bliss?”
15 September 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke, The Friday Face Off
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. This week’s theme:
‘Checkmate’ – a cover featuring a black and white design.
And I’ve chosen Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
My favourite(s) this week:
I like the simplicity of the above cover
And this one is so unusual – it almost plays a trick on you when you try to read it.
Which is your favourite?
Next week – a cover which is mostly purple
Future themes:
22nd September 2017 – As purple as the heather – a cover which is mostly purple
29th September 2017 – Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady – a cover featuring a heart
6th October 2017 – ‘Then let the crabs be cursed by Odin’ – a cover featuring a Viking ‘
13th October 2017 – You have nice manners for a thief, and a LIAR!’ – a cover with a dragon
20th October 2017 – ‘Me and my….’ – a cover featuring a Shadow
27th October 2017 – “Thus with a kiss I die” – a cover featuring a couple
3rd November 2017 – ‘Desperate affairs require desperate measures’ – a regency style cover
10th November 2017 – ‘zip it, lock it and throw away the key – a cover featuring a key
17th November 2017 – Snap! – a cover featuring a double image or reflection
24th November 2017 – ‘I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently’ – a cover featuring snow
1st December 2017 – The pen is mightier than the sword – a cover featuring a fancy font
8th December 2017 – ‘Do not go gentle’ – a cover featuring the night…
15th December 2017 – Hubble bubble toil and trouble – a cover featuring a portion/perfume bottle