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Judging books by their covers

This is a book I bought purely because the cover reminded me of a favourite statue in Central Park in New York - loved the book and bought the sequel.
This is a book I bought purely because the cover reminded me of a favourite statue in Central Park in New York – loved the book and bought the sequel.

According to ancient wisdom – we’re not supposed to… but we do it all the time.

Book lovers will stick with a favourite author and just buy everything they write (hence the groaning noises coming from my bookshelves). But what about finding new authors – people we have never read before?

Personal recommendations count for a lot – but without a recommendation, I think it’s down to the covers.

Whether I’m in a book shop or online, a great cover will make me at least pause long enough to check out the book blurb. At that point – I am on the road to buying the book. A good blurb will have me reaching for my credit card.

So – I thought I would post some book covers I really like – and maybe a few I don’t.

It seems strange to think there was once a time when I had not read Terry Pratchett. Now he’s on my automatic buy list and I’ve visited the discworld many, many times.

For me – the Josh Kirby covers are wonderful. Before I’d read a single word of that first book – the cover had already taken me into the world. I even have a framed, signed poster of one of the covers in my house.

These covers capture the Discworld so well - I was a little annoyed when the publisher decided to give the books different covers.
These covers capture the Discworld so well – I was a little annoyed when the publisher decided to give the books different covers.

The Twilight books are the sort of thing you either love or you hate – but I don’t think anyone can doubt the impact of those covers. I thought they were great… particularly the first one. Obviously the publishers thought so too… there are many copycat covers on the YA shelves.

These covers were real attention grabbers when first released - but now there are so many similar designs, they don't stand out quite so well.
These covers were real attention grabbers when first released – but now there are so many similar designs, they don’t stand out quite so well.

Even more controversial – Fifty Shades. I confess I haven’t read the books. I started, but they were not to my taste. The covers, however, were very striking… and again that style has been copied many many times on similar books.

A brilliant cover design - which no doubt added to the book's amazing  success.
A brilliant cover design – which no doubt added to the book’s amazing success.

I am not a fan of covers that show the faces of the hero and heroine. If that picture is not how I see them in my mind – then my enjoyment of the book is lessened.

These are no bad books - I read these authors - but these are not the people I see in my head as I read.
These are not bad books – I read these authors – but these are not the people I see in my head as I read.

YA covers are great. Do publishers put more effort into those than others? I don’t know, but it seems to me a lot of YA covers are far more interesting than a lot of adult covers. Here are some that really caught my eye.

Y.A. novels - especially fantasy - are an exception to my 'no faces' rule - especially when they are as beautiful as these.
Y.A. novels – and fantasy – are an exception to my ‘no faces’ rule – especially when they are as beautiful as these.

Bu contrast – the modern UK romance cover really doesn’t do it for me. There is a sameness about them. No book seems to stand out – and I’m always looking for the stand-out books.

I have read and really enjoyed each of these books. They were standout books - but I don't think the covers don't stand out. Each cover is fine - but there are too many that are too similar.
I have read and really enjoyed each of these authors. They write standout books – but I don’t think the covers stand out. Each cover is fine by itself – but there are too many on the bookshelves that are too similar.

Also deserving of better covers – the amazing Robyn Carr. Love her books – but the covers leave me cold.

Robyn Carrs' books are wonderful - full of emotion. But I find her covers to be cold and lacking emotion.
Robyn Carrs’ books are wonderful – full of emotion. But I find her covers to be cold and lacking emotion.

Finally – and I guess this comes under the heading of shameless promotion – I love the covers done by Choc Lit – my own publisher. It was one of the things that attracted me to them. The covers fit the genres – but don’t conform to the stereotypes. I love both the covers they have done for me. Here are a few of my favourites among the other Choc Lit titles.

There are so many lovely Choc L:it covers that I could have included here. These are some that really captured my imagination the first time I saw them. Having read the most of the books - I think they embody the stories really well.
There are so many lovely Choc L:it covers that I could have included here. These are some that really captured my imagination the first time I saw them. Having read the most of the books – I think they embody the stories really well.