Cover Love: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress #1) by Julie C. Dao is an East Asian fantasy re-imagining of The Evil Queen legend, and it has some of the coolest comps ever—The Wrath and the Dawn meets Snow White and the Huntsman! And if all that's not enough to get your blood pumping—check out this cover! ​

There's so much symbolism! Snakes, so often viewed as symbols of evil and treachery, are also seen as depictions of the great power of nature, and that to control a snake, is to control nature itself.

Very interesting......

Add that to the apple blossom—a definite nod to Snow White and a classic symbol of female beauty and peace (while the apple itself represents immortality, temptation, and knowledge).

Yup. This cover screaming epic already!

What's the story? Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

If you're hungry for more, check out these gorgeous novel aesthetics, courtesy of Julie's Pinterest page!

- FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS -

Published by Philomel Books, this fantastical debut goes on sale October 10, 2017, but Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is already up for pre-order to reserve a copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

And be sure to follow Julie as she prepares for the release of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns on Twitter at @jules_writes, or visit her website at: www.juliedao.com.

And as always,