Cover Reveal: The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Publication Date: March 2013
Publisher: Scholastic

Four hundred years ago, the world ended. And now, on the coast of what was once called Brazil, women rule in the legendary pyramid city of Palmares Três. The city's Queen only cedes her power to a man once every five years -- to a Summer King, whose story will grip the city like a fever.

For June Costa, art is everything. Her brilliant creations -- from murals and holograms to a delicate pattern of lights in her skin -- have impressed (and irritated) her classmates and teachers alike. Her dream is to win the prestigious Queen's Award, and the instant fame and success that come with it. It's a dream she never questions -- until she meets Enki. Enki, the newly-elected Summer King, is the hottest thing in Palmares Três. But when June sees Enki, she sees more than piercing amber eyes and a lethal samba: She sees a fellow artist.

Together, June and Enki will create art that Palmares Três will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government's strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, tragically in love with Enki.

Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.

Mmm... and there's the punchline. I like all these exotic settings, and I do hope that Johnson pulls off this strange hybrid of a book (Is it dystopian? Fantasy? Sci-fi?) You've got to like the green undertones. And the glowing pattern on her arm? Woooow. I thought they were snowflakes at first, but anyway, I'm definitely intrigued now!

What do you think of this book and the cover? Let me know!