I have a pretty defined and specific set of preferences when it comes to my favourite kind of book covers. And so I made a list!
Book Cover Preferences:
1. Relatively simple. I prefer covers that don't have a whole bunch of different elements going on to draw the eye (with perhaps the exception of detailed illustrated Middle Grade covers). Less is more, I say!
2. Informative. I prefer covers that - even while simplistic - give a general idea or tone of what the book is all about. Covers only featuring a girl in a pretty dress are pretty, definitely, but don't tell me a whole lot about what to expect.
3. No Faces. I tend to dislike seeing faces of real life people (illustrated faces are fine) on my covers. I want to be able to make up my own picture of what a character is supposed to look like and not have it be influenced by any other source.
4. Illustrated. I love illustrated covers, especially in Middle Grade reads. Liesl & Po, the redesigned Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone cover, and Iron Hearted Violet are just a few examples of beautifully animated MG covers.
5. Fonts fonts fonts. I LOVE unique and interesting typography. Why would you go the boring route and use a common, generic font when you could design a font that is specific to the book?
6. Reversibility. Reversible covers are just cool (Example: Across the Universe).
I am so excited for the new HP cover. I'm planning on buying the box set of books. I'm also thinking of buying all the e-books, because it would be so convenient to carry HP around with me.
ReplyDeleteIf I did that, then I'd have 4 full sets of Harry Potter books. American Hardbooks. British editions. New American paperbacks. E-books. Kinda silly but I still want to do it.
Alison, you just made me SO jealous with this comment! I would love to own that many editions of the HP books. Especially those special white edition covers.
DeleteI FORGOT THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE! *headdesk* Gorgeous books. I love all these covers, particularly Shadow and Bone and White Cat. So pretty. And while I will always love and prefer the original HP covers, I kind of love the new one also.
ReplyDeleteGillian @ Writer of Wrongs
Oh my gosh. I am seriously loving that reversible Across the Universe cover. O_O Why did I buy the ebook, I didn't know the hardcover was so amazing! Gah! Wow. Great picks on all of them though - I love the more intricate illustrated covers, too, they're always striking.
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten
Great Picks! Love that of course you have some H.P. in there lol
ReplyDeleteNew BLoglovin Follower
Danielle @ Coffee and Characters
http://www.daniellecromero.blogspot.com
I put shadow and bone on mine too and you just reminded me that I meant to put the liesl and po paperback cover but got distracted while looking for the picture boo!
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten
Ooh, great picks! My fave have to be S & B, Cinder, The Assassin's Curse, and Across the Universe.
ReplyDeleteMy preferences are pretty much similar to yours. I like simple covers, with lovely fonts, and reversibility is a plus! I'm not a fan of models on covers (although I have I have to admit that the covers for Unbreakable and Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris are quite nice.)
Oh gosh, while I do love the new HP covers, there's a part of me that is saddened! the original covers have a special place in my heart simply because they're my childhood! I'll probably end up purchasing the whole new set though anyway haha As for the others on your list, yes, I totally agree with Cinder and White Cat, especially. Fantastic choices, Aylee :)
ReplyDeleteI love the illustrated covers! And I kind of agree with the no faces thing. I am reading the book and my mind will create the MC as it seems fit -- number one reason to hate Movie covers -- but the face is just the tip of the iceburg IMO. I want to feel the cover artist read the book and is creating art based on their expirience. Also the New HP is beautiful, and I kind of just want to stare at it; great list.
ReplyDeleteSHADOW AND BONE AYLEE! That's one of my favorites as well. Siege and Storm is equally gorgeous I think:) I'm with you 100% on illustrated covers, I'm always drawn to those over a photograph. The new White Cat cover is absolutely stunning too, I hugely prefer it over the old cover!
ReplyDeleteThese are all gorgeous! I adore White Cat and The Assassin's Curse, but my favorites are most of Brenna Yovanoff's books: The Replacement and The Space between are simply gorgeous. I really adored Anna Dressed in Blood too! The cover art for her was done by the same person who did The Space Between, so it's no wonder I love them both.
ReplyDeleteI love the re-design of the Curse Workers series (although the originals were fantastic too). That's so awesome how they designed Across the Universe.. will definitely have to check that one out at the bookstore. :) Great picks!
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten Tuesday
I really like simple covers as well. And definitely covers that give off the tone of the book.
ReplyDeleteI actually prefer the original covers for HP. The new one is okay, but it;s kind of busy, in my opinion. My eyes don't know quite where to focus.
Oh my gosh, I love that cover of Harry Potter. So beautiful. And I agree with you on typography. The title of a book is a huge eye catcher, so why not have an interesting and nifty font?
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
SO with you on Across the Universe. I loooooved the map.
ReplyDeleteWhite Cat is pretty, and I haven't heard of it
ReplyDeleteAylee, oh my gosh, HOW DID I MISS THE NEW COVER OF HP? Beautiful. I need someone to sell giant wall length posters of that. I'd give my soul. Love all your picks. I'm buying Across the Universe in hardback just for the reversible cover.
ReplyDeletehehe funny how most of your criteria for book covers match mine :) especially the 'no faces' bit but also, simple, informative, illustrated & fonts - reversible covers are awesome but I don't think I've ever owned any!
ReplyDeleteAnyways moving on to your actual choices, YES to Cinder, Liesl & Po and those new HP books! They are just too perfect ♥ I was a bit worried about new covers but I never should have doubted they'd be awesome. Gah, I just want to own ALL the editions, ALL in boxed sets!! I still need to read White Cat, Across the Universe, Assassin's Curse & especially Shadow and Bone but I love the covers for ALL of those too!
Great Covers all around. I love the one for the Assassin's Curse, I like the font.
ReplyDeleteAnd that Potter cover is pretty.
I got the Spanish and US editons :( and they aren't as pretty
These are cool choices! I especially love Shadow and Bone and The Assassin's Curse
ReplyDeleteCait x
I have to agree with you on typography and illustrated covers, I have a serious weakness for them! These are some lovely examples, especially Beautiful Creatures, Shadow & Bone, White Cat and The Assassins Curse. They're so striking! Wonderful choices, thanks for sharing :-)
ReplyDeleteI love this version of HP. It's so cool. I love the cover for Across the Universe. Great list!
ReplyDeleteNatflix&Books' TTT
LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE that Harry POtter Cover!! Also digging The Assassin's Curse and Cinder! Great pick :)
ReplyDeleteI love the covers of Shadow and Bone, Cinder, The Assassin's Curse, Liesl and Po, HP and Iron Hearted Violet. I don't really like White Cat's though; I'm still partial to the old covers for that series.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because I absolutely love intricate/complicated designs with girls in pretty dresses. I like busy. I really did like redesign for the Curse Workers trilogy, and I liked the cover for Liesl and Po. Although, they didn't make my list. Shadow and Bone was also a favourite.
ReplyDeleteI loved the reversible cover for Across the Universe, even though I was sad that they whitewashed it a little (making the male profile look more generic, and less ethnic) for the final version.
ReplyDeleteHarry Potter really does have some of the best covers, and I love that they are so different from country to country. I do have to say I like the U.S. ones better than the U.K....though the one you have for Sorcerers' Stone is pretty sweet!
ReplyDeleteI can't really think of a lot of books with great covers to be honest (that I've read), which is why I didn't do Top Ten this week.
-lauren
I agree with every one of your preferences! We are book cover buddies. It's official. :P As for your picks, I love them! We both picked Harry Potter! Those books mean so much to me and have a lot of good emotions attached to them. Great picks!
ReplyDeleteI am in love with the Across the Universe cover. I can't believe they changed it to something so boring when they already had perfection! And I didn't even know it was reversible!! How freaking awesome. Great picks :)
ReplyDeleteAmber @Nala's Book Blog
I agree with every single thing you said about covers: simple covers are my favorites (like the UK Vampire Academy books) with the exception of illustrated middle grade covers. I don't like seeing what characters are supposed to look like (*cough* Lola and the Boy Next Door *cough*) and beautiful typography is one of my favorite things in the entire world! The Assassin's Curse has such a pretty cover, Shadow and Bone is just GORGEOUS, and Across the Universe has such a cool cover too.
ReplyDeleteI'm also glad I'm not the only one who put the new HP cover on their list lol. While I already own two HP sets, I'm definitely planning on buying this one, because it's my favorite cover of all!
YES! When I was checking out some of the list earlier this week, I didn't see Peregrines anywhere and I definitely would have had it on my list if I did this meme, so happy to see it here. Also, agree about Cinder and Liesl & Po!
ReplyDeleteALL THIS. You've got excellent taste in covers, Aylee. ;) I love, love, love all of these covers - especially Shadow and Bone's and Harry Potter's! Also, I never knew that the inside jacket for Across the Universe was so pretty and unique. Makes me want to go get the book just for the cover itself. <3 I agree with you: there are too many covers that have faces on them that it's gotten wearisome. Have a little originality, designers. I've also noticed a rise in simple covers, like *cough* Fifty Shades and other BDSM books. I mean, all they consist of is either a pair of handcuffs or a ribbon or string of some sort, with serif writing as the title. Bleh.
ReplyDeleteGreat list!
YES! Beautiful covers you've picked there! Love the Shadow and Bone cover and can't wait to read Siege and Storm.
ReplyDeleteI am totally with you on the no faces and the gorgeous typography. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves the new Curse Workers covers!
ReplyDeleteYes to everything! And a definite YES to reversible covers. I wish more books had reversible covers like the original ATU one - I was so bummed when the sequel didn't have one!
ReplyDeleteReversible covers are definitely cool! I don't think I have come across many though. It's nice to be able to pick and choose like that. I am big on the no faces thing. I prefer to picture main characters myself, without having been influenced by anything beforehand. It's partly why I usually avoid trailers, too.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices here, Aylee! I think Shadow and Bone's cover is probably my favourite.
yes and yes to white cat and harry potter! I agree, no faces please, this is the most cliche cover style other than girls in pretty dresses. Like Sam said, I prefer to imagine what the main characters look like on my own. Also, something that should be known is that covers have a purpose of giving a tiny bit of insight on what the book is, so random covers like faces and girls+boys together make absolutely zero contribution so i find them pointless.
ReplyDeletegreat list!
- Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf