Tag Archives: Book Covers

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Favourite Book Covers and Why

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

A bouquet of little white flowers - possibly of the dogwood variety - lying on an antique hardcover book. The book’s cover is brown and looks like it may have once had a floral design on it. There are scratches and little pieces missing here and there on the cover, though, so it’s hard to tell for sure. Honestly, I’m a little picky about how blurbs and the first few pages of a tale are written and what is or isn’t included in them, but book covers themselves aren’t as important to me. There are many different styles I like or even love and only a few that would deter me from giving something a try.

My favourite types of covers are the ones that are just a little jarring or surprising in a good way for the viewer. That is to say, you glance at them and wonder what the heck in going on in that scene.

Here are some examples of what I mean:

Book cover for The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1) by Margaret Atwood. Image on cover shows two women wearing long red dresses and white hats that cover their faces. They are walking beside a tall brick wall in an otherwise desolate scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid’s Tale, #1) by Margaret Atwood

I knew absolutely nothing about this story when I picked it up, but the cover made me feel nervous about their strange clothing and curious about where they were going.

 

Book cover for Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle, #1) by Diana Wynne Jones. Image on cover shows a castle that has somehow sprouted large wooden legs and is walking in a meadow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle, #1) by Diana Wynne Jones

 

This book has been on my TBR list for ages, so all I can go by is the oddly ambulatory castle on the cover that utterly fascinates me.

 

Book cover for A Dirty Job (Grim Reaper, #1) by Christopher Moore. Image on cover shows someone in a grey tunic pushing a baby skeleton in a hot pink carriage. The baby is carrying a scythe and is maybe the grim reaper as a child?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Dirty Job (Grim Reaper, #1) by Christopher Moore

 

While I haven’t read this one and it is not currently on my TBR list, it has such an eye-catching cover. I’d never think to draw a baby grim reaper (if that is, indeed who he or she is).

 

Book cover for Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Image on cover shows the silhouette of a young black woman’s head. Her hair has been braided in dozens of little braids and she’s looking up expectedly at something beyond the viewer’s gaze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

There is subtle foreshadowing on this cover that I found delightful after finishing the last chapter and realizing what hints were shared immediately. (It was an excellent read, too!) If only I could go into more detail without spoiling things. Just know that everything in this image matters.

 

Book cover for Madeleine Is Sleeping by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum. Image on cover shows two young Victorian girls playing dress up. The one on the right is a preteen and is wearing a long white dress and a paper crown. The one on the left looks like she’s about six, is dressed as a knight, and is sitting on one end of a wooden seesaw. There is a leopard pelt - whether real or fake I cannot tell - lying on the floor between them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madeleine Is Sleeping by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum

 

Here’s another book I haven’t read that has such an intriguing cover. I’m guessing these girls were playing dress up, but why is a cured leopard pelt part of their games?

 

Book cover for The Deep by Rivers Solomon. Image on cover shows a black mermaid with dreadlocks who is swimming in the ocean next to a whale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

Once again, this cover has excellent clues about the storyline embedded in it. I appreciated the fact that it lets the reader know immediately that this is about mermaids without giving away the many important differences between Yetu and, say, Ariel from The Little Mermaid. The mythology of and backstory in this tale are of utmost importance, but one also doesn’t want new fans to know too far ahead of time exactly what to expect for spoiler reasons. Hollywood, please hurry up and turn this into a film. The source material has so many little moments in it that would look amazing on the big screen.

 

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books with My Favorite Color on the Cover


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Purple crocuses growing in a grassy field. They are gorgeous and vibrant little flowers. Purple is my favourite colour. Specifically, I prefer the darker and richer shades of this colour, although light purple can be pretty as well.

I originally tried to whittle down this list to books I’ve read that have purple covers, but there weren’t enough of them to continue down that path.

Therefore, I’m including books I have not read yet as well.

If you’ve read any of them, I’d love to hear your thoughts on them!

 

 

Book cover for King Lear by William Shakespeare. Image on cover is dark purple and contains abstract lines that vaguely look like the edges of an antique book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. King Lear by William Shakespeare

 

Book cover for Swoon (Swoon, #1) by Nina Malkin. Image on cover shows a portion of the face of a young white woman who is lying down and looking up at something. Her eyes are shut and her lips are barely parted as if she were about to say something. The top three-quarters of this image shows a leafless tree against a dark purple background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Swoon (Swoon, #1) by Nina Malkin

 

Book cover for Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4) by Charlaine Harris. Image on cover shows a drawing of the main character, a young blonde white woman, being carried through the night sky by a Flying Vampire as a gigantic full moon looms behind them. They are floating over a graveyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4) by Charlaine Harris

 

Book cover for Caribbean Cruising by Rachel Hawthorne. Image on cover shows a drawing of a cruise ship in the distance. There is also a series of white dots that have been arranged into the shape of a heart on the lower portion of the cover. The heart covers most of the space and is the first thing the eye is drawn to when looking at this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Caribbean Cruising by Rachel Hawthorne

 

Book cover for The Alchymist's Cat (The Deptford Histories, #1) by Robin Jarvis. Image on cover show a drawing of a spirit grabbing the shoulders of an irritated orange cat. The cat is looking behind itself in shock that will probably soon turn to grumpiness. Beware, spirit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The Alchymist’s Cat (The Deptford Histories, #1) by Robin Jarvis

 

Book cover for .Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics by Jason Porath. Image on cover shows a drawing of a gold-covered object that has a purple crown carved into it. The edges of the object are curled into loops and swirls. The background of this piece is the same colour as the little crown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics by Jason Porath

 

Book cover for I See/You Mean by Lucy R. Lippard. Image on cover is a drawing of dozens of little golden wavy lines against a dark purple background. They remind me of ripples in a pond or of how some tree branches stick out in various directions from the tree. I do not know if either of these interpretations are what the artist intended viewers to think about, though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. I See/You Mean by Lucy R. Lippard

 

Book cover for The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Image on cover shows a drawing of a young black girl wearing a red sweater and sitting next to a window. Her back is a little hunched as if she were sad or uncertain. She is not looking out the window but straight ahead of her at the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

 

Book cover for Loveless by Alice Oseman. Image on cover is a black and white drawing of a person with chin-length straight har looking down at a heart in their hands. The heart is releasing dozens of tiny little hearts into the world. This is set against a light purple background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Loveless by Alice Oseman

 

Book cover for The Amateurs (The Amateurs, #1) by Sara Shepard. Image on cover shows drawing of two people looking down at the purple ground beneath them. The shadow of a third person looms into the scene as well. The title is shaped to look like fingerprints.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. The Amateurs (The Amateurs, #1) by Sara Shepard

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Top Ten Tuesday: Titles with Things Found in Nature


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Closeup photo of a snail whose shell has a swirl of black, brown, and white on it. The snail is sitting on a large green leaf. This was a cute idea for a theme, Jessica @ a GREAT read

One of the things I like to do when I go out into nature is to keep an eye out for insects, arachnids, and other similar creatures.

Do I touch them? No, never! While the majority of bugs in southern Canada are not dangerous, we do have a few species that could harm a person if you were bitten or stung by them. Luckily, they are shy and so will happily leave humans alone if we leave them alone. (Well, other than the mosquitos).

I have no desire to remove any of these animals from their homes or disturb them from their search for food, water, or shelter. It’s simply cool to crouch down and see what’s crawling around in the soil or sand beneath my feet.

My answers for today’s prompt will include a variety of small animals you might find out in nature.

1. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Millennium, #3) by Stieg Larsson

3.Little Bee by Chris Cleave

4. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema

5. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

6. Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy

7. Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allburg

8. Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn

9. The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante

10. Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce

 

Do you like any of these creatures?

 

 

 

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Purple in the Title

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Purple is my favourite colour, so all of the books on today’s list will feature the word purple or a synonym of it.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker book cover. Image on cover is of a drawing of two african american women. Their lips are drawn but not their eyes , noses or eyebrows

1. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1) by Crockett Johnson book cover. image on cover is drawing of toddler drawing with a purple crayon on a black wall.

2. Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1) by Crockett Johnson

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie book cover. Image on cover is abstract red and brown painting.

3. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Prince- Purple Reign by Mick Wall book cover. Image on cover is of Prince playing a guitar and singing.

4. Prince: Purple Reign by Mick Wall

The Lavender Screen- The Gay and Lesbian Films--Their Stars, Makers, Characters, and Critics by Boze Hadleigh book cover. Image on cover is of two queer women cuddling up and looking at the viewer

5. The Lavender Screen: The Gay and Lesbian Films–Their Stars, Makers, Characters, and Critics
by Boze Hadleigh

The Lives and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton- A True Story of Conjoined Twins by Dean Jensen book cover. Image on cover is of Daisy and Violet playing instruments on a stage.

6. The Lives and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton: A True Story of Conjoined Twins  by Dean Jensen

The Green and Purple Skin of the World by Paulo da Costa book cover. image on cover is of a clear glass container filled with a murky liquid.

7. The Green and Purple Skin of the World  by Paulo da Costa

When the Plums Are Ripe by Patrice Nganang book cover. image on cover is a black-and-white photo of people walking on a dusty road

8. When the Plums Are Ripe by Patrice Nganang

The Sugarless Plum- A Ballerina's Triumph Over Diabetes by Zippora Karz book cover. Image on cover is of a ballerina dancing.

9. The Sugarless Plum: A Ballerina’s Triumph Over Diabetes by Zippora Karz

Purple Dandelion- A Muslim Woman's Struggle Against Violence and Oppression by Farida Sultana book cover. Image on cover is of a photo of the author's face.

10. Purple Dandelion: A Muslim Woman’s Struggle Against Violence and Oppression  by Farida Sultana

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Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers That Make Me Hungry

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Be warned: you may want to grab a snack before reading this post. I won’t be held responsible for any cravings these book covers might encourage.

On a more serious note, I chose these books based on their covers alone as I haven’t read any of them yet. If you’ve read them, I’d sure like to hear your thoughts on them!

Noah Can't Even by Simon James. Image on the cover is of a peeled banana.

1. Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green

Hello Cupcake by Alan Richards and Karen Tack. Image on cover is of cupcakes whose frosting has been piped on to make them look like miniature poodles.

2. Hello, Cupcake by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack

The House of Rajani by Alon Hilu, Evan Fallenberg (Translator). Image on front is of oranges growing on an orange tree. There is a butterfly on orange at the top of the image.

3. The House of Rajani by Alon Hilu, Evan Fallenberg (Translator)

Everyday Food- Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart. Image on cover is of spaghetti with tomato sauce, cooked tomatoes, and shrimp.

4. Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum book cover. Image on cover is of a bumble berry pie that does not have a top crust.

5. The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking byJeff Hertzberg and  Zoë François book cover. Image on cover is of a freshly baked loaf of bread.

6. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking byJeff Hertzberg and  Zoë François

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Food Yoga- Nourishing the Soul by Paul Rodney Turner and Priya Vrata book cover. Image on cover is of many different vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, etc. all piled together.

7. Food Yoga: Nourishing the Soul by Paul Rodney Turner and Priya Vrata

The Adultery Diet by Eva Cassady book cover. Image on cover is of a box of nine chocolates.

8. The Adultery Diet by Eva Cassady

One Bowl: Simple Healthy Recipes for One by Stephanie Bostic. Book cover is of a bowl of hearty vegetable soup. There are two bread rolls, a lime, and a spoon sitting next to it.

9. One Bowl: Simple Healthy Recipes for One by Stephanie Bostic

Book cover for The Bite of Mango by Mariatu Kamara and Susan McClelland. Image on the cover is of someone holding a mango in their hands.

10. The Bite of Mango by Mariatu Kamara

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Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Favorite Books Covers & Why

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Interestingly enough, I have not read any of these books. I chose them for this week’s prompt based on their beautiful covers alone.

My Blood Approves (My Blood Approves #1) by Amanda Hocking

What I like about it:

  • Blue is such an eye-catching colour.
  • The gravestone and bird are making my imagination flutter at the thought of what they might mean.
  • As you’re about to discover, I love seeing plants, animals, and other nature-related stuff on book covers.

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

What I like about it:

  • Wow, this model is beautifully dressed.
  • Not seeing her face means we all get to imagine it for ourselves. I appreciate that.
  • Purple is my favourite colour, and her dress looks like it has lovely purple hues.

Vex (Celestra #5) by Addison Moore

What I like about it:

  • Butterflies are gorgeous creatures.
  • The metallic hue to these wings give this book a nice sci-fi flair.

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

What I like about it:

  • Purple!
  • Not only is it purple, it’s a whimsical purple flower!!
  • I am a creature of habit.

Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies

What I like about it:

  • This shade of blue is so beautiful. It reminds me of  how refreshing that first day of cool autumn weather is after a long, hot summer.
  • I have many relatives who were or are hunters. The deer on the cover reminds me of their hunting trips during what could be chilly, foggy weather as well as the delicious taste of fresh venison when they were successful.

Fate (My Blood Approves #2) by Amanda Hocking

What I like about it:

  • There’s something otherworldly about a sky that doesn’t have a usual colour.
  • At the risk of repeating myself, purple covers always grab my attention.
  • Now I want to know what happened to the bird and gravestone in the first book in this series.

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

What I like about it:

  • I’m fascinated by the fact that the image on the front is both a set of human lungs and tree branches.
  • It leaves a lot to the imagination. In general, I prefer covers that hint at what they’re about and let the audience discover for ourselves what those hints mean.
  • Apparently, I am only capable of adoring covers that are some shade of purple or blue.

I never would have guessed my cover preferences were so specific. This was such an interesting post to put together.

Have any of you read any of these stories? Do our cover preferences match in any way?

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question. The image below is the list of upcoming prompts for this blog hop.

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