Tag: cover design

Have you read books where you disliked the cover?

Bookish Question #276 | Have you read books where you disliked the book cover?

I’m sure you’ve all heard the old saying:

You can’t judge a book by the cover.

And I’m equally sure we’ve all judged books by the cover. In fact, savvy authors and publishers go to a lot of effort to design covers that will appeal to their target reader. They know we judge books by the cover, and they expect us to do so.

(I suspect the old saying dates from the time when all books were hardcovers with nothing but the title and perhaps a little gold leaf around the edges.)

If the publisher and cover designer have done their jobs well, readers will look at a cover and want to buy the book. That works in a paper environment like a real-life bookstore where the book cover (or spine) is the first thing you see.

It doesn’t work so well in an online environment which places more emphasis (in terms of space) on the book description and reviews than on the cover.

The result is that yes, I have read books where I didn’t like the cover …

Perhaps because it was already an author I wanted to read, or because I’d already been drawn in by the book description.

The other reason I might read books where I don’t like the cover is when I’m reading an older book. Cover design has trends. The older the book, the less likely the cover will follow the latest design trends … which is why authors and publishers will often republish books with new covers, to capture new readers.

For example, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers has been topping bestseller charts for close to thirty years. Here are some of the cover designs I found:

Cover images - Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

The oldest cover does look somewhat dated. The newest cover is the movie tie-in version, and I have to say it’s my least favourite.

But it’s the same book.

So yes, I have (and do) read books where I dislike the book cover … but they are typically books by authors I already know and enjoy, books I find on an online store such as Amazon, or books recommended by a friend.

In these cases, the book description is more of a selling point than the cover.

What about you? Have you read books where you disliked the book cover?

Do you Like Illustrated Covers?

Bookish Question #235 | Do you Like Illustrated Covers?

Illustrated covers … some readers love them, and some readers loathe them.

Which are you?

I always think a book’s cover should clearly show the potential reader the genre.

Illustrated covers are part of that.

One genre that uses a lot of illustrated covers is fantasy. I guess it’s hard to find a real elf or dwarf or dragon to photograph 😉

Science fiction tends to use illustrated covers for the same reason. But they are a different kind of illustrated.

Fantasy can be detailed paintings. It can be detailed symbols or emblems. Both tend to be hand-drawn feel (or at least look hand-drawn), and both clearly say “fantasy”. In contrast, science fiction tends to use computer-generated illustrations of spaceships or far-off planets.

Another genre that uses a lot of illustrated covers is rom-com.

These are my favourite, because I like the genre most. They tend to feature bright colours and hand-drawn fonts, and always strike me as amusing and cheerful—just the emotion I’m looking for if I choose a rom-com.

I have also seen contemporary romance novels with illustrated covers, as well as some Young Adult novels. In both cases, I think the illustrated cover gives the novel a slightly quirky feel, perhaps suggesting a novel that’s a little offbeat.

The best part about illustrated covers is that they are original.

I’m not going to see the same illustration on another title, in the way I sometimes see multiple covers using the same stock photograph. That’s an advantage for the author, as it means readers are less likely to mix up their book with one from another author.

Authors who use illustrated covers also tend to use the same illustrator for the series, so it’s easy to see the books are connected … which is an advantage for readers looking for the next in the series.

What about you? Do you like illustrated covers?

Will you buy a book if you don’t like the book cover? Why or why not?

Bookish Question #156 | Will you buy a book if you don’t like the book cover?

Will you buy a book if you don’t like the book cover? Why or why not?

Maybe …

When it comes to ebooks, I’m not picky about what the cover looks like, because I don’t have to look at it and no one else has to see it.

I’m more likely to be picky when it comes to paperbacks. Mostly because they’re more expensive. But also because I have to look at it 🙂

A book’s front cover is one of the main selling tools, so there needs to be something else about the book to draw me in if I don’t like the front cover. Perhaps it’s a book someone recommended to me. Perhaps it’s from a favourite author. Perhaps it’s an older book, and the cover hasn’t been updated in line with modern trends.

In those cases, I’ll read the back cover description and the opening pages. If I’m interested, I’ll buy it … but I’m much more likely to buy the ebook than the paperback if I don’t like the cover.

What about you? Will you buy a book if you don’t like the cover?