Book Wars!: The Winter Witch By: Paula Brackston (5)

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 UK, 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! Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick is..... The UK 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: The Winter Witch
Author: Paula Brackston
Publisher: US -St Martin's Press, 340 Pages, (January 29th 2013), UK - Constable and Robinson, 416 Pages, (September 19th 2013),
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

Synopsis: Fledgling witch Morgana must defend her love, her home, and her life in this enthralling tale perfect for fans of Discovery of Witches In her small Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana. She has never spoken, and her silence as well as the magic she can't quite control make her a mystery. Concerned for her safety, her mother quickly arranges a marriage with Cai Bevan, the widower from the far hills who knows nothing of the rumours that swirl around her. After their wedding, Morgana is heartbroken at leaving, but she soon falls in love with Cai’s farm and the rugged mountains that surround it, while slowly Cai himself begins to win her heart. It’s not long, however, before her strangeness begins to be remarked upon in her new village. A dark force is at work there—a person who will stop at nothing to turn the townspeople against Morgana, even at the expense of those closest to her. Forced to defend her home, her love, and herself from all comers, Morgana must learn to harness her power, or she will lose everything.

About the author: Paula Brackston lives in a wild, mountainous part of Wales. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. Before becoming a writer, Paula tried her hand at various career paths, with mixed success. These included working as a groom on a racing yard, as a travel agent, a secretary, an English teacher, and a goat herd. Everyone involved (particularly the goats) is very relieved that she has now found a job she is actually able to do properly. When not hunched over her keyboard in her tiny office under the stairs, Paula is dragged outside by her children to play Swedish tennis on the vertiginous slopes which surround them. She also enjoys being walked by the dog, hacking through weeds in the vegetable patch, or sitting by the pond with a glass of wine. Most of the inspiration for her writing comes from stomping about on the mountains being serenaded by skylarks and buzzards. In 2007 Paula was short listed in the Creme de la Crime search for new writers. In 2010 her book 'Nutters' (writing as PJ Davy) was short listed for the Mind Book Award, and she was selected by the BBC under their New Welsh Writers scheme.

Find Paula Online: Website | Blog

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.

Paula I love both the USA and the UK covers for The Winter Witch, but (since I'm being asked to choose!) my favourite has to be the UK version. It has a wonderfully expansive feel to it, with the central figure positioned in the landscape in such a way that she looks both part of it, and yet apart from it. Her stance is dynamic, and powerful, even though her form is slight. There is an enigmatic quality to the whole image, which has to do with the sense of space and the subdued colours, I think. For me, this is the cover that best suggests the story of my main character, and that, surely, is what every writer looks for.

Lisa This is a tough choice this week. WOW! Can I pick them both? Each are beautiful in their own way. I LOVE the colors in the US version yet there are hints of it in the UK copy. And the snow falling in the UK cover and the woman make me feel more like what’s really going on with the main character Morgana. I think that the UK cover is much more fitting for the story and while I love the colors in the US one, it’s a bit hard on the eyes after awhile, so this week the UK cover wins my vote!

Michelle This has to be the hardest choice so far in the books we have picked for Book Wars. I love the cover of the US version, I don't usually like books with dresses/cloaks on them but I do like this one.  However I love how lonely the person on the front of the UK one is.  From reading the synopsis the cover fits it perfectly.  I also love how it has snow falling on it, I'm a sucker for snow. After much deliberation I am going to pick the UK cover for my choice this week. Check out my review - HERE.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of The Winter Witch NOW!

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