You asked for ugly covers, you get ugly covers! And please note: this post is a work-in-progress. If anyone else has any suggestions, feel free to email me (jessica@rabidreads.com) or tweet at me . . . I am nothing if not accommodating . . . within reason. *winks*
For me, this one wins by a landslide. And not just b/c I recently hopped on the Sanderson bandwagon. I love their faces, I love their attire, I love their HAIR. I just love it.
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This one was a hard call, but ultimately I decided it was creepily fantastic. It helped that Insect Lady kind of reminded me of that weird spider-creature from the first Jim and Dali novella in Kate Daniels. Just don’t look at it too long (b/c nightmares).
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The only way this cover could be better is if it didn’t have German words on Dollface’s lower lip.
1. That’s just weird. 2. I don’t know German, so it’s also annoying.
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The more you know about this book, the cooler its cover gets: fated lovers and reincarnation. That is all.
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I have a thing for covers on which someone is falling. If the someone has long hair and/or clothing that billows, all the better. And even though it makes my head hurt if I look at it for too long, the upside-downness is also cool.
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I wasn’t crazy about this one until I realized that the wolf was a reflection of the guy on the motorcycle. Then I was crazy about it.
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Like falling, I also have a thing for phantom-like masks. That is all.
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I don’t get it. It’s got a kind of Super Sekrit File look, which inspires thoughts of redacted, but everything else makes me think of an upside-down volcano, and . . . I don’t get it.
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This one looks like a Hallmark “Get Well Soon” card. But pretty colors.
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This one seems kind of lazy. It’s not awful, the colors don’t clash, but that’s the best I can say for it. The title might also be a factor. “Gabriel,” “Adam,” and “Salvation,” plus an angel icon that looks like something my grandmother would’ve bought in some Pigeon Forge SALE! SALE! SALE! or AS SEEN ON TV warehouse equals blah.
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I like the idea of this one, and if the hooded-cape thing had been grey or brown it might have rated higher. BUT. Why would an assassin-looking, or at least warrior-looking witch wear a massive white cloak? It’s impractical.
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I can almost see the green screen behind Dollface, and someone please give her a dress that isn’t frumpy. THIS IS THE SOUTH. Southern girls don’t wear frumpy dresses on book covers. They just don’t.
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I love you, Kelly Armstrong, but I do not love this book cover. It’s look amateur, and Dollface’s eyes are freaking me out.
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I don’t know what’s going on here. I can’t make out the right side at all, and that tag line?
1. Haven’t you heard? There is no end to the universe. It’s constantly expanding. 2. If there was an end, why would death be there?
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Most of the time . . . when I see what is clearly an Urban Fantasy anthology called something like SEIZE THE NIGHT, I’m gonna think vampires. And that’s fine. Vampires aren’t my favorite supernatural creature, but I like them well enough. This though . . . this is gross like killing-a-vampire-on-TRUE-BLOOD gross. Ick.
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Which part is worse: the dinosaur Dude is riding . . . into battle, while wielding what appears to be a stainless steel handgun? Or left-corner guy’s mustache? ALSO . . . I really want to know why Dude gets a dinosaur and a handgun, while those other guys just get bayonets? B/c it seems unlikely that guys with just bayonets would go into battle against dinosaurs and handguns . . . just sayin’ . . .
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And that’s all I got. What you guys think? Do you disagree with my assessments? Which is your favorite/least favorite?
My name is Jessica and I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’m trying my hand at writing, but mostly I read. My favorite genres are Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, and the YA versions of those genres, but if there is a book of a different color getting lots of buzz, I’ll read it too, just to be informed. If I’m not reading or writing, I’m probably on Goodreads or Pinterest or baking blueberry pies because I love them.
I’m a sucker for a nice cover & unfortunately none of these work for me at all.
A great post Jessica! Sharon – Obsession with Books
sharon – Obsession with Books recently posted…Review: Shaken, Not Stirred (Last Call #5) by Sawyer Bennett
With a title like Battlesaurus, I don’t know how the cover could let you down. 🙂 Very fun feature!!
Nicole recently posted…Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore – 4/12/15
These covers are truly all fabulous! I love the new Lockwood & Co., kind of creepy!
kindlemom1 recently posted…Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler
I strongly suspect that last one owes its roots to the Billionaire Dinosaur Forced Me Gay. Or anything by Christie Sims. Surely there’s only one individual running around in the world making improbable dinosaur covers.
Erin Burns recently posted…Review – Falling for a Redneck by Eve Langlais
What are you TALKING about, the cover to Battlesaurus is AWESOME!
Mogsy recently posted…Audiobook Review: Disenchanted
Loving the dino one!
blodeuedd recently posted…Carole’s Sunday: Immigrant soldier – K.Lang-Slattery
I really like the cover for Truthwitch and Illuminae, and the Sanderson cover is also fantastic, I feel like I need to catch up on the fantasy books of his!
Pili recently posted…Saturday Song: Wonderful Life by Alter Bridge!
I am in total agreement with you on the Sanderson cover. The characters’ faces, clothes, and stance captured my attention even before the background did. I also really like The Next Together – particularly after you telling me about the reincarnation aspect. And I agree with you about the Stiefvater, Yanoff, Gratton cover…sad since Maggie’s covers are usually so awesome. AND I think it’s funny (strange) that the cover evokes light and happy because I doubt the stories inside do. 🙂
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Blitz Review & Giveaway ~ Say My Name ~ J. Kenner
I have to agree with you, Sanderson’s cover is my favorite. My second favorite is The Next Together, there is something magic about that cover.
BookaholicCat recently posted…Audiobook Review: Stolen by Margaret Windsor
Covers are what catch my eye at bookstores. With so many books around, if I don’t spot something eye catching than chances are i’m not going to read it. While I like some of the covers here I don’t know if any of them would actually catch my eye at a bookstore. I feel like some of them just need that extra ‘pop’ you know?
Lily recently posted…Hit (Hit #1):Review
Brandon Sanderson’s is exquisite, kind of like his writing 🙂 My second favorite is the wolf/motorcycle guy – pure genius! What a great idea for a post, Jessica, I love it 🙂
Ramona recently posted…Zen Monday: Into The Garden
There are a couple of covers in this post that I really liked. The others…not so much.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Happy Raturday!
The Battlesauras cover is BADASS! LOL. The Monstrous cover is so creepy-cool.
Christy recently posted…Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
I agree on all the covers but the last. That stupid dino cover cracks me up so much I want to buy the book. I have no desire to actually read it but the cover is just too funny!
We sure don’t share the same taste in covers Jessica. And that falling cover you like? Her hair should be streaming after her, not in front of her …
Aurian recently posted…Nancy Warren – Kate – The Almost Brides Club – Read for #LLC2015
Some of those covers are just bad! Your blurb for The Next Together kind of sold me on it. 🙂
Cynthia recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – My Favorite Quotes!
I like that you’re worried about the practicality of the white cloak for the assassin/witch. NO CAPES! -Edna Mode, The Incredibles.
Some awesome…and not so awesome covers!
Mary recently posted…Blog Tour and Review: Hard to Be Good by Laura Kaye
Whew! Glad the cover of my forthcoming novel was among the “good” in your list. Not that I had a lot of input into it. The design is all thanks to the wonderful design team at Switch Press, who managed to put together something I think is really great (but of course I’m going to say that). The novel is a mashup of genres — alternate history, parallel worlds, mystery, romance, gothic, etc. Capturing that with a single image is pretty hard, and I give kudos to the designers for coming up with something that is rather intriguing.
I actually like the words in German printed on the model’s lower lip; it very much reflects a key aspect of the novel and adds a little mystery to the image. That it’s in German is actually salient, but if you could see the entire cover (front, spine, and back) you’d have a greater appreciation for what the designers created. (And the words on the girl’s lip are in English on the back cover.) Find me on Facebook and you can see a scan I made of the cover from a copy of the ARC (an uncorrected proof).
Of course, one must remember the old saw: Never judge a book by its cover. I’ve read plenty that have had terrible covers but have been fantastic reads (“West with the Night” is a case in point). On the flip side, I’ve been suckered (more when I was much younger) into buying books that had great cover art and design, but proved to be disappointing and sometimes downright execrable.
Anyway, really happy to see my novel on the plus side of your list!
All the best!
Lindsay Brambles