This plugin gives the look of a magazine-style website with thumbnails and excerpts in a clean layout. Thumbnails are generated automatically, and there is a settings page to set an unholy amount of options. (Really, it’s out of control and I’m sorry.) The latest release also has a “featured post” add-on so you can specify any post you want or just the most recent one to be put in the featured post box. You can also add a css popup for the image that includes the post title and 
Are you using Thesis from DIYThemes.com? Easily place your Recent Visual Posts by simply inserting your desired Thesis hook on the settings page. No code changes needed.
This plugin uses a slightly modified version of the excellent Image Extractor plugin found at <a href="https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/image-extractor/" rel="ugc">wordpress.org/extend/plugins/image-extractor/</a>.
<h3>I need more help!</h3>
Make sure you check out the <a href="http://oktober5.com/visual-recent-posts-plugin/" rel="nofollow ugc">plugin homepage</a>. If you need my help, check out the <a href="http://oktober5.com/forums/" rel="nofollow ugc">plugin forums</a>

Visual Recent Posts

Displays your recent posts with auto-generated thumbnails and excerpts; also includes a featured post and popup box option.

Kapil Chugh

mediology

This allows you to mark the selected post as featured post and hence enables editors, publishers, bloggers etc to feature relavent content on the site.
In most content publishing scenarios, where there are a large set of contributors, certain posts require to be featured in relevant content sections of your WP site, so that they draw the maximim attention span from the readers. This Plugin allows the editors or administrators to mark a set of posts as featured posts. Then using a simple functional call in your theme, you can dynamically display the featured posts. if you want to place it separatly.
Select Featured Posts plugin is also available as a widget.
We would be keen you hear your feedback and requests for any enhancements. Please send your feedback to wordpress@mediologysoftware.com.

Select Featured Posts

A plugin which allows you to select/unselect posts and updates the same using Ajax.

Visual Recent Posts vs Select Featured Posts