Judging Books By Their Covers – My Top 10 Favorite Book Covers

 

On Tuesdays I usually participate in the popular Top Ten Tuesday meme, which is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  However, they are officially on hiatus until August, so while waiting for their return, I decided to take the opportunity to go back through their archives to see if any of the topics they had covered prior to my joining were of interest.  I had never given much thought to what my favorite book covers are so I thought that would be a fun topic to explore this week.

I don’t know that there’s any rhyme or reason to covers that I fall in love with.  I tried to determine if there was any kind of pattern and aside from seeing a lot of covers with blue and/or red in them, they all seem to be pretty different from one another.  You’ll also notice an absence of covers with faces on them.  I really don’t know why but book covers that feature close-ups of people’s faces always seem to bother me.  Silhouettes are cool, as are profiles of people, but no giant heads please.  If I ever make a list of my bookish quirks to share, this one will surely make an appearance, lol.

Anyway….on to the covers that I love!

 

Judging Books By Their Covers – My Top 10 Favorite Book Covers

 

1. THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Katherine Arden

 

Both versions of this book’s cover are so gorgeous that I can’t even begin to choose a favorite.  I love the atmospheric quality of the first one, which I think really complements the story itself, but I also love the whimsical quality of the second cover.

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2. THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

 

I much prefer this cover to the one with dominoes on it that I typically see on the bookstore shelves here.  There’s just something about seeing the figure of Death on the cover that really packs a punch for me.

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3.  THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is probably one of the most recognizable book covers out there and it’s pretty unforgettable as well.  All someone has to do is make even just a vague reference to Gatsby and my mind immediately conjures up this striking image.

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4. THE SNOW CHILD by Eowyn Ivey

 

This is another book where both versions of the cover are so beautiful, I can’t choose a favorite.  Each is lovely in its simplicity and I think each conveys the subtle magic that can be found within the pages of this book.

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5. A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING by Ruth Ozeki

I love both the vibrant colors and the unique look of this cover.  I think this is a wonderful story but will freely admit that it was this gorgeous cover that first enticed me to pick up this book at the bookstore.

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6. LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a fantastic book, but yet another that I was first attracted to because of its cover.  I have a thing for water-themed colors anyway, but throw in a man and a tiger in a boat together and a school of exotic looking fish, and this cover is just irresistible to me.

 

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7. SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli

You have to admit that a body with no head is eye-catching.  Throw in that bright red background and a thought bubble where the missing head should be and you’ve got yourself a pretty cool cover.   And that’s not even considering when you flip over to the back of the cover and find Oreos back there.  I love whimsical covers and this one is just perfect.

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8. DOROTHY MUST DIE by Danielle Page

I haven’t even read this book yet but had to buy it as soon as I saw this cover.  It’s similar in style to the Simon cover (bold colors, missing face, etc.), so I guess you could say this is a style I find pretty appealing.  I actually tend to hate actual faces on covers anyway (no idea why so don’t even ask, lol), so it amuses me a bit to constantly find myself attracted to covers that have no face at all on them.

 

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9. SHADES OF MAGIC series by V.E. Schwab

    
How fabulous are these covers?  The figures on each cover are just too fabulous for words and I love the use of the red and black.  Heck, I even love the font that was used.  Judge these books by their covers and you won’t be disappointed because the stories inside are just as magical as the covers.

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10. FLAME IN THE MIST by Renee Ahdieh

Flame in the Mist is another book that I haven’t read yet but it has an absolutely stunning cover that catches my eye every time I see it.  I love the colors used and the flowers, and the flaming phoenix imagery.  It’s just such a gorgeous combination.

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Question: What are some of your all time favorite book covers?  Do we share any favorites?

18 replies
  1. Angela
    Angela says:

    Great list! I love that Life of Pi cover. I really like the Dorothy Must Die cover, it’s very striking, so I was disappointed when I didn’t like the book!

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      I’m curious to see what I think of Dorothy Must Die. I’ll be really disappointed if I don’t like it since the cover is such a favorite of mine.

  2. Di @ Book Reviews by Di
    Di @ Book Reviews by Di says:

    Oh my gosh – so much of the gorgeousness here! I think I prefer the first of the covers of The Bear and the Nightingale – I’m not sure if it just presents more of the book that I’d like to read or just because it’s the one I know…

    The Book Thief – that’s an awesome one! I also prefer it to the movie art (why do they even do that!?)

    I think it’s great that you featured Gatsby, and you’re right! That cover is sooooo well known.

    Life of Pi – I love that cover!

    Those Shade of Magic covers are gorgeous! I’m trying to read the first book right now but I keep getting caught up reading ARCs instead.

    Lovely pics and thanks for the gorgeous post!

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      Right? The movie cover art just looks almost silly in comparison on The Book Thief.

      Oh yay, I’m excited to hear that you’re starting the Shades of Magic series. I hope you enjoy it. Lila Bard is one of my all-time favorite characters.

  3. Elise @ Roaming Reader
    Elise @ Roaming Reader says:

    THAT COVER FOR THE BOOK THIEF IS BEAUTIFUL! And all Victoria Schwab books have GORGEOUS covers and look fabulous on the shelf! One of my favorites is The Raven Cycle books! Those look great on their own as well as on the shelf! They’re some of my favorite spines when put together! Same thing for The Lunar Chronicles!

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      Oh yes, I think The Raven Cycle covers are gorgeous too, as well as The Lunar Chronicles. I love the vibrant colors and unique graphics and fonts.

  4. Sydney
    Sydney says:

    Love the covers for The Bear and the Nightingale. And for V.E.Schwab’s books. Her covers are almost always amazing. I tend to prefer bright but simpler covers. With like an artsy touch? Like The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Idk what it is but I like it! Or any of Emery Lord’s books. They are BEAUTIFUL.

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      I completely agree with you on Emery Lord’s books. I especially love the cover for The Names They Gave Us. So gorgeous!

  5. Crystal Book Snob
    Crystal Book Snob says:

    I love beautiful covers! I especially love the second version of The Bear and the Nightingale. I love when a cover grabs me so that I buy it without even knowing what the book is about and then the story turns out to be just as good as the cover! Great list of covers here!

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      I feel the exact same way. I love it when the story itself is just as beautiful as the cover and vice versa too. I always feel a bit letdown when the cover is incredible and the story ends up being mediocre.

  6. Greg Hill
    Greg Hill says:

    I like The Great Gatsby cover even though I’ve never read it! Something about it… and I love the Life of PI cover too. I love water covers, and that along with the overhead view, the fish underneath… just love it.

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      Water covers are just the best. I love how they can either be soothing and relaxing or creepy and haunting, depending on the book.

  7. Lauren Becker
    Lauren Becker says:

    I really love the Simon Vs. cover. It sounds out in a fun way! I’m also a big fan of the Shades of Magic series. I don’t really have a type of book cover i like more than others, but I’m with you on people’s heads. I’m not a HUGE fan of that. I really love the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy covers.

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