Chatting about Cover Design for THE COURT OF MIRACLES by Kester Grant and WHERE DREAMS DESCEND by Janella Angeles

Love fairy tales and mythology?
Fans of mermaids, dragons, unicorns, and other mythical creatures?
Enjoy when a beloved classic tale is retold?
A Twist in the Tail Thursdays features all this and more!

I'm flailing, my friends, flailing. For two reasons. Both dealing with retellings -- retellings of classic novels that have been turned into a few of my favorite Broadway musicals.

One is a cover reveal for a book that is a hybrid of Les Misérables and The Jungle Book. The other is just me being a braggy-brag because I was screaming all over the house yesterday when I saw how gorgeous and SHINY an early review copy of another 2020 Most Anticipated arrived that mashes-up two more favorites, Moulin Rouge and The Phantom of the Opera is, and want to give you a sneak peek at how it's going to look next year!One of my most-anticipated novels of 2020 is THE COURT OF MIRACLES by Kester Grant!When I first saw the cover reveal for AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White, I thought it was really, really pretty! I liked how it was both hard and soft, pretty and lethal, all at once. And the colors popped so gorgeously!

First, the BIG Reveal!

I can't remember if the first musical I ever heard was Les Misérables or The Phantom of the Opera. They were the only two musicals my mom listened to, and TBH, I was young and I didn't appreciate either. We were always like, "What are you listening to!?" and running away. But much later, when I actively began getting into musicals, Les Misérables was one of the very first shows I ever saw, thanks to a tour that came through town. And I fell in love with the show in a way that wasn't just, "Oh, this is the song Katie Holmes sang in Dawson's Creek and wasn't she so good?" (And also, No, no she wasn't. LOL. But, FUN FACT,  I was overly obsessed with "On My Own" before loving this musical!)

I don't know if it's because of that "On My Own" connection or because she truly is the best, but Éponine has always been my favorite character. Her story destroys me every time. I've always wanted more for her. I've even contemplated re-writing Les Mis with her as a central character and twisting her fate.

And can I tell you that When I first heard about THE COURT OF MIRACLES by Kester Grant and knew nothing about it other than that it featured Les Misérables, I already wanted it with no summary. And when I SAW that summary, and it ended with the paragraph:

For fans of the gritty criminal underworlds of Six Of Crows, The Lies Of Locke Lamora, fierce alternate histories like The Gilded Wolves, And I Darken …and anyone who knows that Eponine deserved so much more.

If I hadn't been sold before, I would be now. Because, yes,  Éponine deserved SO much more. And those comps? I have read and enjoyed all of those books. GIVE THIS TO ME NOW, PLEASE!!!

Are you ready to see the newly-revealed cover?

Summary below!

(And yes, you're welcome if you now have the song "The Court of Miracles" from Victor Hugo's other book-turned-musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, now stuck in your head. But hey, you're not alone; I do as well! ^.~)

An Up-Close Look At...

You may recognize this cover, because I recently posted it in a Can't-Wait Wednesday /  Waiting on Wednesday post, but review copies just went out for WHERE DREAMS DESCEND by Janella Angeles, and when I unexpectingly opened up my package from UPS, I was instantly pumped with adrenaline. Do you ever get that feeling, when you are finally able to hold something you desperately want, and it is even better in person, and you're instantly filled up?

As I mentioned earlier in this post, The Phantom of the Opera was a fundamental building block for me, even though I didn't appreciate it until later in life. It was one of the first musicals I ever saw when it came through on tour as I started getting into musicals, too. And my #1 all-time favorite movie is Moulin Rouge so a tale that combines the two of these is an instant win in my book.

What the computer CAN'T tell you is how stunning this book looks in person.

Can I have a close-up of the title treatment? Since it's, you know, EMBOSSSED GOLD and really glittery and shiny? (Also, the way it creates grit in some of those letters?? *chef kiss*)

What's REALLY funny? I just looked at my previous post, and one of the things I said was,

I already am obsessed with the starlight woven behind the title if you look closely. 

The fact that I am again talking about this element, but that it's even BETTER in person, means that it was absolutely, 100%, the element that truly knocks this cover out of the ballpark and makes you stand up and take notice.

I mean, if the advance copy has that glitz and glamour, and I saw a hint of it through a computer screen, how much prettier is the finished hardcover edition going to look? (Also, I am hoping against all hope that this book will have a secret embossing beneath the jacket because Wednesday Books has been on a roll with these lately -- THE GILDED WOLVES, SKY IN THE DEEP, SADIE, WICKED SAINTS, and more! I need this book to have that extra flair as well. This is a book that relies on spectacle, so it should also be as eye-catching as possible, right? ^.~

Keep on reading for a summary!

O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title:  THE COURT OF MIRACLES
Author: Kester Grant

Release Date: June 2, 2020

Publisher: Knopf Children's

SUMMARY:

A diverse fantasy reimagining of Les Misérables and The Jungle Book. 

 In the dark days following a failed French Revolution, in the violent jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, young cat-burglar Eponine (Nina) Thenardier goes head to head with merciless royalty, and the lords of the city's criminal underworld to save the life of her adopted sister Cosette (Ettie). 

 Her vow will take her from the city’s dark underbelly, through a dawning revolution, to the very heart of the glittering court of Louis XVII, where she must make an impossible choice between guild, blood, betrayal and war. 

 For fans of the gritty criminal underworlds of Six Of Crows, The Lies Of Locke Lamora, fierce alternate histories like The Gilded Wolves, And I Darken …and anyone who knows that Eponine deserved so much more.

Title: WHERE DREAMS DESCEND
Author: Janella Angeles

Release Date: May 12, 2020

Publisher: Wednesday Books / Macmillan

 

SUMMARY:

"[A] spellbinding melody of a book, and the true magic is how Angeles puts all the best parts of an enrapturing theatrical performance onto paper and ink. From the gripping twists in the first pages all the way to the final, heartbreaking crescendo, Where Dreams Descend will surge you to your feet in a standing ovation.” —Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

“Lavish and opulent in a way that feels warmly familiar yet demands your attention. There are secrets upon secrets, a girl who’s boldly ambitious, and truly riveting stage magic. I didn’t want the show to stop.” —Emily A. Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Saints

What do you think of these covers? 

Will you be reading either debut???