Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature from The Broke and the Bookish. Book covers have been a hot button topic lately with Maureen Johnson’s Cover Flip bringing lots of attention to book marketing. I definitely judge books by their covers, especially with debut authors. It was fun looking at covers this week and seeing the consistencies within an author’s body of work, and the changes with a paperback release.
This week I’m looking at book covers by author since generally I’m a fan of these authors, and it makes me wonder if I’d feel differently about any of these books if they had different covers. Hmm…
Top Ten Favorite Covers by Author:
1. Rainbow Rowell – I hate to pick favorites, but I just adore all of Rainbow Rowell’s book covers. I know authors don’t usually get any input into their cover art, but it seems like Rowell does get to collaborate her cover designs with her publisher, and they have all done a fantastic job. I wouldn’t mind owning prints of all these covers.
2. Sara Zarr – Zarr’s books are simple and pretty, with nice typography and the cover matches the tone of the book. Once Was Lost was recently released with a new title/cover. It’s nice, but I think the original is lovely too.
3. Colleen Hoover – Hoover’s books recently had a re-design, and they are striking and colorful and I wouldn’t mind owning this new set. But there is still something charming about the simplicity of the original Slammed and Point of Retreat covers.
4. David Levithan – Levithan’s covers are attractive and creative and match up well to the story within.
5. Jessi Kirby – All of Kirby’s covers appeal to me and really evoke a summer mood. Just realized I own hardcovers of all of these.
6. Robin Benway – I like the pop of color and vibe of all of Benway’s covers. The bright colors are consistent throughout even though stylistically they are so different. AKA is my favorite.
7. Katie Kacvinsky – I like the symbols used in Katie’s covers and how they relate to the books. It’s refreshing to see books with romance in them without kissing or couples used on the covers, so I was glad that the First Comes Love cover was redesigned with the pb release.
8. Gayle Forman – I’ve always been drawn to the original cover of If I Stay, and I’m not a fan of the later covers of If I Stay/Where She Went. I do like the Just One Day/Just One Year covers though and think they fit the book. I prefer the original cover of Just One Day rather than the pb, but it’s not too bad.
9. Ruta Sepetys – Between Shades of Gray is the rare exception that I like both in hardcover and paperback, though both covers are so different. Love the colors in Out of the Easy and how the style fits the theme of the book so well.
10. Jennifer E. Smith – The typography and style of these covers just make me happy, and these are books I definitely buy in hardcover.
What are your favorite book covers?
I love how you organized this! My favorites were Rainbow Rowell’s covers and Jennifer E. Smith’s covers! 🙂 My TTT list: http://aliceinreaderland.com/2013/05/20/bookcovers/
Alice @ Alice in Readerland
Great approach to this week’s TTT! Rainbow Rowell’s book covers have been fantastic; I’ve only read Attachments (love it!) but I’m looking forward to reading her other titles 🙂
My TTT
i think you and i probably have slightly different cover tastes. but i do agree with rainbow rowell, gayle forman, and jennifer smith. i am not a huge fan of the colleen hoover covers. brenna yovanoff and maggie stiefvater are two authors i can think of whose covers i normally love.
I love the way you did this! So many great covers!
oooo I like the Hopeless cover!
Danielle @ Coffee and Characters
http://www.daniellecromero.blogspot.com
Fantastic way of doing a list. I agree that David Levithan’s covers are always perfect for the story. I remember reading my first by him (I was 13 or so so this was A LONG time ago) and thought the simplicity of Boy Meets Boy was just stunning. The Rainbow Rowell ones are great too. I can’t wait to read Fangirl when it’s released. Great list 🙂
I just adore the Eleanor and Park cover it’s pretty perfect
My Top Ten
I love all your picks. Each grouping was unique in comparison to another, but I definitely saw similarities within the same author. I liked the original Slammed covers too.
I really like Rainbow Rowell’s covers! I love the playfulness and the colours of them! I’ve never read Sara Zarr’s books, but I do like the cover of The Lucy Variations. I would have picked it up, just for the cover lol. Yay for The Lover’s Dictionary. It didn’t make my list, but I love the cover!
I’m impressed that you could narrow your list down like that. I wouldn’t even know where to start.
I have to say–I don’t read much YA/NA but they do have some of the most fantastic cover art 🙂 Great Choices!
I love the way you did your list! There are some great covers here. I think a lot of times when covers are changed, I happen to like the original cover better. Maybe it is just because that is the cover I am used to, but rarely do I like the second cover better. One exception is Shatter Me – loved the second cover! Great picks. My TTT.
Vyki @ On The Shelf
Oh my goodness, Lucky! This list! Your covers! The authors! It’s like you took all of my favorite contemporary authors and compiled their beautiful books into a list. Can I just stare at these all day long? Yes? OK.
I am also appalled that I did not include Rainbow Rowell’s books in my list. The simplicity of the illustrated covers, the consistency between each title even though they are separate stories, are unmatched by any other contemporary novel, YA and adult.
Thanks for sharing! Now I am going to stare at these covers some more…
Jenna Does Books
Such a great idea doing it by author!!
Awesome!
Totally agree with you on Jennifer E. Smith!!
My TTT
Ohh, really great choices! I’m super critical about covers, but I seriously love all of your picks (and we have a few of the same ones on our lists). I hadn’t seen the new Slammed and Point of Retreat covers, so much better than the originals! And I am totally in love with the Losing Hope cover.
My TTT List
I love the fact that you’ve listed the covers by author. I think all the covers you’ve picked are awesome but all three of Rainbow Rowell’s covers look amazing, and I love Jessi Kirby’s too.
I know, Rainbow Rowell has the best covers!!! I haven’t read Fangirl but I do have it from Netgalley. I’m trying to wait closer to the release date, but I don’t know how long I will be able to control myself 🙂
I also love the covers for Statistical Probability and This is What Happy Looks Like!! They’re adorable.
Great choices! I do love Rowell’s covers. I like that you organized them by authors.
Love the way you did this list! I just adore all of Rainbow’s book covers. I don’t know how she always gets such pretty covers. I agree with you on Jessi’s books being summer-y.
I love how you did your list!! All of Sarah Zarrs covers are beautiful! I love the covers for he Hopeless books by Colleen Hoover but I’m not a huge fan of the new Slammed covers.. I like the simplicity of the old ones. Great choices 🙂
Amber @Nala’s Book Blog
Great picks! Rainbow’s books are all SO cute. I wouldn’t mind having them hanging on my wall either! I’m like you… I don’t really like Gayle Forman’s newer If I Stay/Where She Went covers; definitely like the blue one best!
I love the cover of Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and the covers for the books by Laini Taylor: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Days of Blood and Starlight. Rainbow Rowell’s book covers really manage to capture the tone of her writing.
I love many of these, especially Gayle Forman and Jennifer E. Smith and Jessi Kirby’s ones!