Top 5 Saturday: Fire on the Cover

Top 5 Saturday is run by Mandy @ Devouring Books. Every week showcases 5 books that share a common theme. This week’s theme is Fire on the Cover.

I don’t read a lot of books that involve fire, so I was kind of afraid I wouldn’t even find 5 books with fire on the cover. It ended up actually being a little difficult since I managed to only find 6 or 7, but it was also fun to look at all the covers! Since I primarily read on my Kindle, I don’t often even see the cover of the book I’m reading. I’d forgotten how beautiful some covers can be. And maybe a little strange, too.

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Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward

A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic.
Ruling families — once protectors of justice and democracy — now plot against one another with sharp words and sharper knives. Blinded by ambition, they remain heedless of the threat posed by the invading armies of the Hadari Empire.
Yet as Tressia falls, heroes rise.
Viktor Akadra is the Republic’s champion. A warrior without equal, he hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic.
Josiri Trelanis Viktor’s sworn enemy. A political prisoner, he dreams of reigniting his mother’s failed rebellion.
And yet Calenne Trelan, Josiri’s sister, seeks only to break free of their tarnished legacy; to escape the expectation and prejudice that haunts the family name.
As war spreads across the Republic, these three must set aside their differences in order to save their home. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. And victory — if it comes at all — will demand a darker price than any of them could have imagined.

This was the only cover that actually came to mind right away. Mostly because I was assuming a title with the word ash would probably come with fire.

My review

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Daja’s Book by Tamora Pierce

Outcast Trader Daja, along with her fellow mages-in-training, journeys from Wining Circle to the Gold Ridge Mountains, where drought threatens wide-spread famine. There, Daja creates an astonishing object: a living metal vine. A caravan of Traders covets the vine, and Daja’s dealings with her former people reawaken a longing for familiar ways. Daja must choose–should she return to the Traders, or return with the Winding Circle folk who have become her family?

The Circle of Magic is my favorite childhood fantasy series, so I’m kind of embarrassed I forgot each book is tailored to one of the four elements, including fire. Or maybe I try to forget about it because we get wildfires every year where I live and this one strikes a little too close to home. As you can probably tell, this book is well-loved.

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The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz

Discovered as three notebooks in an antique store in Rome at the turn of the millennium, The Reincarnationist Papers offers a tantalizing glimpse into the Cognomina, a secret society of people who possess total recall of their past lives.

Evan Michaels struggles with being different, with having the complete memories of two other people who lived sequentially before him. He fights loneliness and believes he is unique until he meets Poppy. She recognizes his struggle because she is like him, except that she is much older, remembering seven consecutive lives. But there is something else she must share with Evan—she is a member of the secretive Cognomina. They are, in effect, immortals—compiling experiences and skills over lifetimes into near superhuman abilities that they have used to drive history over centuries.

Poppy invites Evan into the Cognomina, but he must face their tests before entering this mysterious society as their equal.

This one has been sitting on my NetGalley shelf for way too long, so I don’t actually have any idea of what it’s about. Though I am intrigued about the idea of people having total recall of past lives. Hoping it’s a fun read, and what a plus it has fire on the cover! Just wondering what that fire has to do with anything…

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Miram Dur by George A. Holland

Miram Dur is an epic fantasy tale set in a world dominated by the forces of evil. The black dragon god Kalpetha rules the land with an iron claw. For thousands of years the forces of good have hidden in the shadows, doing what they could to survive and bide their time until they might rise up and oppose the dragon queen. Elves were exiled thousands of years before in a diaspora known as The Shattering. They now live far away in the Sea of Sand. The sylvan people have learned to survive in that harsh land where they harbor a deep hatred for Kalpetha and her human allies. In a divine accident, two elves are catapulted across thousands of miles into the strange land of Miram Dur. These two bitter enemies must bury their hatred of one another, forge new friendships, weather the whims of the gods and heal ancient religious schisms if they are to survive in their quest to return to the elven homeland.

From traditionally published to childhood favorites to self-published, fire is really getting around! Miram Dur is a fun fantasy that freshens up traditional fantasy from the 80s and 90s a bit. Plenty of magic and magical creatures, as well as distrust that’s always fun.

My review

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The Mermaids Melt at Dawn by Grendolyn Peach Soleil

The Mermaids Melt at Dawn is a whimsical collection of kindred yarns. On the surface, the yarns have the appearance of innocent childhood dreams, but the swamp hags and sea witches of old remind us that appearances can be deceiving. Infused with Cajun folklore and Greek mythology, each yarn dives deeper into the supernatural where mysteries abound and strange things happen.On the bayou, a rowdy boy hunts monsters and craves magic. From the cradle, Rok Lejeune remembers hearing the legend of Barbiche Island where mermaids surf the seas and grant human wishes. Rok’s obsession with Barbiche Island steers him on a nautical adventure where he battles the most powerful mermaid, but Rok is not the only creature with a story to tell.Barbiche Island is home to a pair of warring mermaid sisters, power-hungry Poseidon, petulant gods, and other mysterious monsters. The mermaids of Barbiche Island sing of love, survival, and betrayal, but will they answer the burning question? Why do the mermaids melt at dawn?

This self-published book is just incredible. Written as a series of 10 yarns, it reads more like a dark fairy tale. I may be cheating a little with calling the erupting volcano fire, but, hey, fire is fire, right? I was also running out of options and really, really love this book so couldn’t pass on the chance to talk about it again.

My review

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Whew! I made it! Fire is really not my element, but it does look good on a cover. What are some of your favorite covers with fire on it?

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