Today’s post is sponsored by Maria Z. Medina and Mistress of Bones!
Title Mistress of Bones
Author Maria Z. Medina
Intended Target Audience Young Adult
Publication Date August 5th 2025 by Wednesday Books
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon ● Chapters ● Blackwell’s ● Barnes & Noble ● IndieBound
An epic and romantic debut adventure fantasy, where a necromancer trying to resurrect her sister gets embroiled in bigger, world-ending plans instead
Necromancer Azul del Arroyo only wants one thing: to steal her sister back from Death by reclaiming her sister’s bones. But the Emissary of the Lord Death will do anything to stop her, no matter how alluring he finds her…
As their paths collide, they’re drawn into a deadly game of pawns and power with a scheming court, a faceless witch, and the fate of the lands hanging in the balance.
For long ago the gods raised the continents, binding them with their own bones to keep humanity alive. But in an era when the gods’ sacrifice has been forgotten, Death might not be the only resentful god Azul must defy.
Swashbuckling, grand, and tragically romantic, Mistress of Bones is a can’t-miss debut about love, loss, and, of course, death.
Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which I pay tribute to some of the best and brightest the publishing world has to offer in the way of book cover design.
Please Note: As always, I’ve done my best to credit the designers and artists responsible for the stunning covers below, but was unable to find this information for a number of those listed. If you know of an uncredited designer and/or artist responsible for any of these book covers or if I’ve credited someone incorrectly, please let me know and I would be happy to include proper attribution in this post. Their work is important and deserves attribution.
01. The Last Tiger by Julia Riew and Brad Riew
Cover design by Theresa Evangelista, Cover art by Yejin Park
02. Yuli by S. Jae-Jones
Cover design by Kerri Resnick, Cover art by Sija Hong
03. A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid
Cover art by Christin Engelberth
04. The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan
Cover design by Kelley Brady, Cover art by Kelly Chong
05. Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue
Cover art by Deb JJ Lee
06. Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray
07. Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman
Cover design by Sylvia Bi, Cover art by Eliot Baum
08. A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco, Cover art by Valentina Remenar
09. The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire
Cover design by Patrick Hulse, Cover art by Allison Reimold
10. Salvación by Sandra Proudman
Cover design by Michelle MacMillian and Kerri Resnick, Cover art by Roxie Vizcarra
11. Make Me A Monster by Kalynn Bayron
Cover art by Sasha Vinogradova
12. Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olson
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco and Abby Granata, Cover art by Lorena Lammer
13. Between These Broken Hearts by Lexi Ryan
Cover art by Charlie Bowater
14. A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford
Cover art by Vera Drmanovski
15. For No Mortal Creature by Keshe Chow
Cover design by Casey Moses, Cover art by Iris Lei
16. Celestial Banquet by Roselle Lim
Cover design by Karina Granda, Cover art by Sija Hong
17. A Fiery Spirit by Kate Chenli
Cover art by Sija Hong
18. Mistress of Bones by Maria Z. Medina
Cover design by Kerri Resnick, Cover art by Kelly Chong
19. Witchlore by Emma Hinds
Cover design by Kerri Resnick, Cover art by Gilded Ruin
20. Grave Flowers by Autumn Krause
Cover art by Welder Wings
21. The Blood Phoenix by Amber Chen
Cover design by Lily K. Qian, Cover art by Kelly Chong
22. The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang
Cover design by Liz Dresner, Cover art by Kelly Chong
23. Steel & Spellfire by Laura E. Weymouth
Cover design by Deb Sfetsios, Cover art by Fernanda Suarez
24. Cruel Is The Light by Sophie Clark
Cover art by Mona Finden
25. Snow White: Fair & Sinister Heart by Lauren Blackwood
26. Wendy’s Ever After by Julie Wright
27. Predatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith
Cover design by Trisha Previte, Cover art by Dawn XT Yang
28. Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone
