Book By Its Cover - Bound By Sin

Today we'll be judging Jenna MacLaine's Bound By Sin by its cover.


Synopsis:

As the Civil War rages among mortal men, Cin Craven is locked in an epic battle of her own—fighting the renegade vampires whose unquenchable appetites she knows all too well. At her side are the immortal warriors of The Righteous—among them her husband, her lover, her soul-mate Michael. With a passion bordering on possession, Cin’s love for Michael knows no bounds. But when a ruthless plantation owner kidnaps Cin’s cousin, the most terrifying battle of all awaits. Cin is drawn to the irresistible lure of dark magic to stop their enemies, while Michael staunchly opposes it—putting their love and loyalty to the ultimate test.

Helena's Thoughts:

I am finally back from my hiatus!  Figured I would catch up on a couple posts around here, actually earn my keep so to speak ;p.  

Honestly, I find this cover cliche and a bit dull.  The red hair and corset ribbon serve as a pop of color to an otherwise fairly monochromatic scene.  The statue angel is quite neat.  Almost like it is a guardian angel peering over her shoulder, I started looking for a demon on the other side and sadly my amusement did not come to fruition.  As for her weapons...where does she put them when she is not skillfully wielding them?  On the other hand, why would a vamp-witch hybrid even need old fashioned swords?  Can't she just zap them or bite them into submission?  Would a stake seem more appropriate?

Maybe I am just being overly critical; I might pick this up.  Do I feel drawn to the cover?...not really.

Lily's Thoughts:

It's quickly becoming a paranormal book cover cliche to have a fierce woman wielding a weapon (or two) while dressed in all black (bonus points if the black is leather and/or a corset). This one gets bonus points.

Even so, if I were walking though a bookstore, I'd pick up this book based on the cover. What can I say, there are some cliches I enjoy and there are some practices that become cliche because they are effective. There's nothing too unique about the covermodel (red hair, determined expression, wide stance and multiple weapons) alone, but when combined with the setting the overall affect is appealing. She appears to be in a graveyard with mist or fog rising to surround her. The gothic-styled angel statue looking over her is underminded by the bright font proclaiming her "Bound by Sin". The juxtaposition of these images makes what could be just another stereotypical paranormal cover something more. It's provocative and makes Bound by Sin stand out in a flooded genre.

I like it, and I'm enticed to read the book. The cover drew me in and the blurb sealed the deal. Civil War era vampire battles with a strong heroine? Sign me up!