Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the US, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for City of Ashes (The Mortal instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare is.....  !  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Last Mile

Series: (Vicious Cycle #3)
Author: Katie Ashley
Publisher: US - Signet, 336 Pages (May 3rd, 2016) UK - Headline Eternal, 384 Pages (May 3rd, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

NOTE: This is a "Adult/New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: Katie Ashley, the New York Times bestselling author of Redemption Road and Vicious Cycle, returns to the dangerous and seductive world of the Hells Raiders motorcycle club…

After her father was murdered in the line of duty, ATF agent Samantha Vargas is determined to take down the scumbags of the drug trade. When her partner takes on a case to infiltrate the Hells Raiders MC, Samantha agrees to go undercover as his old lady but is surprised to find herself drawn to the very man she is investigating.

Benjamin “Bishop” Malloy has worked hard to carve a place for himself both in and out of the MC world. Working days as a mechanic, he spends his nights rebuilding motorcycles with the hope of one day owning his own shop. After taking one of the club’s new hang-arounds under his wing, Bishop is conflicted over his growing attraction for the man’s girlfriend.

Even though she’s determined to bring down the Raiders, Samantha discovers their world isn’t as black-and-white as she thought. And as the stakes grow higher, she’s in danger of losing more than her heart.

About the author: 

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

Find Katie Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa It's no secret that I love a great MC book and I have to say these covers, both US and UK are pretty hot. I love the fonts used on both. I love the colors selected and I love that you can't see the full models face. It gives you just enough to get your imagination going.

But, there's been something pretty amazing about the UK covers that I like a bit more. I think I picked the US cover for the first book and then the UK cover for the second... While I really want to choose the US cover because there's a bike in it, I can't stop looking at the UK cover.

It's simple yet somewhat stunning. So, yep... it's a UK win for me this week.

Which is your favorite? Share with us below!

Michelle This is the first time I am seeing both of these covers, and it was quite clear to me which cover gets my vote this week.

Let's start with the US cover...to me it just looks fake. I love the whole concept and the idea behind it, but it does nothing for me. I think if the background image would have been different then it might not have been so obvious, but to me this cover looks photo shopped, and I really don't like how the two images have been put together.

The UK cover however is very, very nice. I love how it's just one clear image of the model, how it's focused on him alone...and let's not lie to ourselves, he's a very hot cover model. I like the tattoos, the font style, basically everything about this cover wins for me.

It's a UK vote from both of us, which one gets your vote?

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Last Mile (Vicious Cycle #3) NOW!

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the US, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for The Rest of Us Just Live Here By: Patrick Ness is..... the  Cover!!!  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Redemption Road 

Series: (Vicious Cycle #2)
Author: Katie Ashley
Publisher: US - NAL Trade, 336 Pages (October 6th, 2015) UK - Headline Eternal, 336 Pages (October 6th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: The New York Times bestselling author of Vicious Cycle plunges readers into a world of danger and desire in her newest in the Vicious Cycle motorcycle club romance series.

Looking for a walk on the wild side, Annabel Percy, the daughter of a powerful politician, starts dating a biker she knows is completely wrong for her. But she finds herself living a nightmare when she’s kidnapped and transported into a hell on earth she never could have imagined.

Born and bred into the Hells Raiders MC, Nathaniel “Reverend” Malloy lives and dies for his brothers. But when he becomes the unexpected savior of a rival club’s captive, Rev makes it his personal mission to nurse Annabel back to health—and to shelter her from the nightmares that torment her.

Once Annabel heals, she’s stunned to realize she is falling for the seductive man who saved her. Faced with their impossible attraction, can she accept the life he leads, or will Rev walk away from the only life he’s ever known for the woman he was never supposed to love?

About the author: 

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

Find Katie Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa So, this week I've picked another MC book. I mean you won't see me saying no to an MC book, why not two awesome covers to go up against each other again this week?

I haven't read this one yet, but I do have it to read I hope soon and am really looking forward to it. And when I look at these two covers.. wow! I kind of like them BOTH!

For the first book in the series I had voted for the US cover and this time around while I DO like the US cover a lot I'm leading more to the UK side this time around. I like the text a bit more, I like the colors and the color treatment that the UK cover has this time around... and I'm liking the model a bit more too. ;)

All around I really like the look of the UK cover and I can't wait to see it in person!

With the UK getting my vote this time around, which one gets YOURS? Let us know below.

Michelle This is the first time I have seen the US cover for this book. The UK one is currently on NetGalley so I've gotten a glimpse or two of this very nice cover.

Looking at both of these covers side by side it's easy for me to see which one I prefer. The US cover is very eye catching, and I like how we get to see more than just the cover model. The UK cover though is the one that I'm drawn to. I like how dark it is, and that we get a very up close and personal shot of the cover model. Like Lisa, I also like the styling of the text and how it's laid out, even down to the addition of the wings at the side.

It's a UK vote for me this week, don't forget to leave your vote below.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Redemption Road NOW!

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the US, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Zeroes (Zeroes #1) By: Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti is..... the US Cover!!!  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Vicious Cycle 

Series: (Vicious Cycle #1)
Author: Katie Ashley
Publisher: US - NAL Trade, 336 Pages (June 2nd, 2015) UK - Headline Eternal, 336 Pages (June 2nd, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Katie Ashley revs up the danger and sexual tension in her brand-new Vicious Cycle romance series.

Deacon Malloy’s life is dedicated to the Hell’s Raiders motorcycle club. Tough, hard, and fast with his fists, he serves the group as sergeant at arms. But his devil-may-care approach to life is thrown for a loop when the five-year-old daughter he never knew existed lands on the club steps.

Alexandra Evans is devoted to all her students—but there’s always been something about Willow Malloy that tugs at her heart. There’s an aura of sadness about her, a girl in need of all the love Alexandra can give. When Willow stops coming to school, Alexandra’s search leads to a clubhouse full of bikers…and a father hell-bent on keeping his daughter always within sight.

The moment Deacon sees Alexandra, he has to have her in his bed—and he’s never met a woman yet who couldn’t be persuaded. No matter how attracted she is to Deacon, Alexandra refuses to be just another conquest. But it’s Deacon himself who could be seduced—into a brighter future for himself, his daughter, and the woman he’s falling for against all odds.

About the author: 

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

Find  Online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This week we have Vicious Cycle which is the first book in author Katie Ashley's new series with the same name.

And the great thing about this cover is there's things that are kind of similar with each of them. And they both have an Motorcycle Club vibe going on with them too. The US one more so than the UK cover, but there's still a vibe with the UK one.

And I like the guys on the cover and their tattoo's and both the red and yellow colors look great too... so if I'm honest this is hard for me to choose this week.

Hmmm... I really like both of them!!! Well, I really like certain things about both of them. I'd pick them both up in a store to check them out too. I think I'll have to choose the US cover just for the fact that it has a guy on a bike. Yeah, I'm totally choosing the cover with the guy on a bike.

Since the US gets a vote for me, which will you be voting for this week? Click on the cover below to cast your vote!

Michelle On first glance at these covers I found it hard to really pick my favourite. I usually love covers with biker guys on them, but the US cover just  doesn't do anything for me. It feels too busy. The UK cover has a similar hot guy on the front,but it's pretty simple compared to the US cover. This makes the cover model easy to look at (and by look at I mean stare for hours at), and the font and layout used for the title just works better.

It's a UK vote for me this week, don't forget to leave your vote below.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Vicious Cycle NOW!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Romancing the Dark in the City of Light
Author: Ann Jacobus
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 288 Pages (October 6th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: A troubled teen, living in Paris, is torn between two boys, one of whom encourages her to embrace life, while the other—dark, dangerous, and attractive—urges her to embrace her fatal flaws.

Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unforgettable young adult novel.

Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.

When Summer's behavior manages to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that'll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.

Title: Perfectly Imperfect
Author: Harper Sloan
Publisher: (2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "Adult/New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: Mirror, mirror … who’s the fairest of them all?

I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’

And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.

The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.

The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.

Well, that’s definitely not Willow Tate.

No. That will never be me.

Because I’m completely imperfect.

And … I hate myself.

I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.

Title: Redemption Road (Vicious Cycle #2)
Author: Katie Ashley
Publisher: Headline Eternal, 336 Pages (October 6th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "Adult/New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: The New York Times bestselling author of Vicious Cycle plunges readers into a world of danger and desire in her newest in the Vicious Cycle motorcycle club romance series.

Looking for a walk on the wild side, Annabel Percy, the daughter of a powerful politician, starts dating a biker she knows is completely wrong for her. But she finds herself living a nightmare when she’s kidnapped and transported into a hell on earth she never could have imagined.

Born and bred into the Hells Raiders MC, Nathaniel “Reverend” Malloy lives and dies for his brothers. But when he becomes the unexpected savior of a rival club’s captive, Rev makes it his personal mission to nurse Annabel back to health—and to shelter her from the nightmares that torment her.

Once Annabel heals, she’s stunned to realize she is falling for the seductive man who saved her. Faced with their impossible attraction, can she accept the life he leads, or will Rev walk away from the only life he’s ever known for the woman he was never supposed to love?

Title: Irresistibly Yours (Oxford #1)
Author: Lauren Layne
Publisher: Loveswept, 236 Pages (October 8th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "Adult/New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: Meet the men of Oxford magazine! In the first captivating spin-off of Lauren Layne’s Sex, Love & Stiletto series, a not-so-friendly battle of the sexes turns into a scorching office romance.

Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes—and write circles around them, too. Cole usually likes his women flirty and curvy, but he takes a special interest in his skinny, sassy rival, if only to keep an eye on her. And soon, he can’t take his eyes off her.

Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys. Since she’s learned that wanting more usually leads to disappointment, Penelope’s resigned to sitting on the sidelines when it comes to love. So why does Cole make her want to get back in the game? The man is as arrogant as he is handsome. He probably sees her as nothing more than a barrier to his dream job. But when an unexpected kiss turns into a night of irresistible passion, Penelope has to figure out whether they’re just fooling around—or starting something real.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

*covers are always subject to change.

Title: Seduced By Fire (Partners in Play #1)
Author: Tara Sue Me
Publisher: Headline Eternal, 307 pages, (March 4th 2014)
From: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is an Adult novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: Julie Masterson craves a taste of danger, but she's never given in to her curiosity about putting her body in someone else's power - until a chance meeting with Daniel Covington, the irresistible Senior VP of Weston Bank, draws her into a seductive new world of sexual experience.

Daniel is highly respected within his community, but he hasn't had an exclusive relationship for more than two years. Yet Julie's eager innocence is making him rethink his feelings about commitment.

As their sizzling connection heats up, Daniel is ready to take Julie fully under his command. And Julie will have to decide if she trusts him enough to surrender completely - if she should escape before she gets burned... 

Review: 3.5 stars - Adult content title. Review contains spoilers.

I received Seduced by Fire through the post from the UK publisher. I will say honestly that when I saw the cover I nearly didn’t read it. I hadn’t to that point read any BDSM books, and hadn’t really wanted to, thinking that they would all be crude. I was pleasantly surprised when I did read it. It was well written and there was more to it than just sex.

Julie Masterson runs her own floristry shop with her friend Sasha. She lives a pretty normal life, until the day when dishy Daniel Covington visits her store to buy some flowers. They feel an immediate attraction that neither of them can seem to ignore. After being invited by Daniel to a charity event organised by Weston Bank where he works, Julie gets to know Daniel better, finding out he is more than just a pretty face but has hidden talents.

Julie has always wondered about BDSM and attends a meeting with her business partner, to quench her curiosity. That’s when she discovers who Daniel really is. He’s a Dominant (Dom) at the local BDSM group.

Julie decides that a relationship with Daniel is possible. This leads her into discovering her submissive (sub) side in the bedroom, and also rethinking how she perceives their relationship. She needs him, he is all she thinks about, and her body yearns for him.

After Julie’s friend is injured in a BDSM scene gone wrong, she starts to wonder if all of the time she’s spending with Daniel is actually worth the risk. Daniel himself is a restrained and respected member of the BDSM community. He makes sure rules are followed; that Doms and Subs have a limit list to which they both agree on, safe words. Can they make a success of their relationship?

I have to thank Tara Sue Me, for writing about the instruction, training and rules of BDSM. I feel that the reason I haven’t read any books in this genre before is because I have feared that it would just be non- stop sex. While although obviously it is a huge part of the book Tara Sue Me also covers the psychological side of the lifestyle as well- Julie’s uncertainty about Daniel and Sasha’s feelings after her injury. She’s showed the positive and negative things with the lifestyle.

One thing I did think while I was reading; was that Julie seemed very open to BDSM; yes she’s wondered about it and her friend follows the lifestyle but I think personally I would be a bit conflicted as to what to do. Should she continue the relationship with Daniel or not?

Another thing that struck me was that for all the BDSM group members try to keep their involvement within the group secret, so as not to breach confidentiality, apart from people at Daniel’s charity event and his Grandma, everyone in the book is involved with BDSM. Not that it’s in any way detrimental to the story.
A quick read and a good introduction for me to the genre. I will be interested to read more in this series in the future.

Proof that you should never judge a book by its cover.