Book Covers I Love (And Despise)

January 1st, 2009 at 12:58 pm by --KALEB NATION--

Ah yes — 2009 is here, and yet another year of even crazier crazyness lies ahead. True to form, I am starting the first day of this year as a person who is drastically behind schedule. In fact, I am so behind at the moment, I shouldn’t even be writing this. I should be writing on the outline for Book Two, which was due to my agent a month ago.  Instead, I am sitting here and trying to think up believable excuses for my lateness, such as:

A) I was kidnapped by a band of zombie head-crabs who took me to their base and forced me to watch Dancing With The Stars until I confess humanity’s darkest secrets (under those conditions, it wouldn’t take long for me to break),

B) Whilst eating a lasagna I accidentally tipped the tray onto my keyboard, causing it to melt into its own insides, thus distorting my keys beyond recognition and severely slowing my thought process,

C) This distracted me.

But none of them will work, because the fact is I’m actually sick again, have been in bed the past two days, and in this condition it is virtually impossible to write a coherent sentence that doesn’t involve ‘AND A BIG BOMB GOES OFF AND THEY ALL DIE THE END LET ME SLEEP NAO’ which I don’t think would please my publishers at all.

perfectly-sound-mind

So, in my half-delirious exhaustion and illness, I stayed in bed today and searched the Interwebs for my favorite books covers (my characters are safest when I’m not contemplating their demises). If you are not a writer, you will not understand this practice. But the fact is, many of us, myself included, go to the bookstore simply to see the new covers, and when I’m sick BN.com works just as well.

But, this time I also have some ulterior motives. Since 2009 is here, that means we have only about 9 more months until Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse comes out! One of the biggest steps in a book coming out is its cover. Most books are defined, at least in the beginning, by its cover — if it’s a good one, it will succeed far better, because people will pull it off the shelf and read it. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of people do judge a book by its cover. And even though I don’t have much direct control over the cover for my book, I still can’t stop myself from hunting about for good artists I like. And thus, I have found

My Favorite Book Covers Of All Time

To begin:

FloraSegunda

The cover for the book Flora Segundais definitely one of my favorites in regards to color. I love how the purples blend into the greens, like some sort of a glow from the center. Also, I love how it all seems to be one color, and then there is this big glow in the center of the green.

Savvy

Savvy by Ingrid Law has one of my favorite covers of all time, done by Brandon Dorman. I really like how there is so much blue at the top that blends strikingly into the golden yellow glow down at the bottom.

11972927

I love how the cover for Tantalize revolves around the color red so much. It seems that the girl in the photo is actually part of the cover, the way she blends into the black below. Also, I love that font for the title :D

twilight_czech

While I love the covers for Twilight by Stephenie Meyer in the US, I especially like this version from Europe (I can’t find which country exactly). The green goes perfect against the black and dark.

13391944

I love all of the Percy Jackson covers, again because of how the artist (John Rocco) focuses on one very strong color and has glowing things in it, like the lightning. This cover is just amazing.

10926669

I am a huge fan of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series. But the best Colfer book cover I’ve seen is this one for Half Moon Investigations. I don’t usually like covers like this, where it isn’t really an illustration, but rather a bunch of fancy design and words — but for this one, it seems to work well (I wonder though, if that device behind the words Half-Moon is an icy batman or a Super Bowtie Noodle symbol).

Tunnels

While I was traveling, I saw Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams at an airport store and bought it on the spot, simply because I loved the cover so much. I don’t know what it is about this, but it seems to be such a wonderful and mysterious cover: from the faces you can’t see, to the glowing green that is actually slightly reflective if you hold the book.

And now for a few covers I despise:

25988905

Yes, that is the cover. It certainly makes you want to tear the book off the shelf, dash to the counter, and pay for it as fast as you can, so you can read what lies between those mysterious, bleached-bumblebee covers. The only reason I can imagine for this cover was that the white was supposed to be a photo, but the designer pocketed the money and left town, leaving his project editor very confuzzled. And:

25347890

Oh hideous boringness of a cover on such a classic.

As for my book cover, I’m not sure exactly how much I’m supposed to say or if they’ll let me name any names yet of who we’re hoping for. But at the moment, the publishers are working on the cover, they have some artists who are interested, and for at least the past few weeks we’ve been discussing different ideas for how it will look. I’m sure many of you who have read the preview chapters might have your own ideas for it as well.

Speaking of the cover for The Farfield Curse, we probably don’t have much longer until that comes out (I am flying to Chicago in February to talk with my publishers, so it could either be ready by then or in the works). I’m trying to think of some cool way to do a big reveal of it. Part of me wants to print the image and do a big thing on 3/3/09 on a live BlogTV show, which would be exactly 6 years after I started writing the book. Another part wants to do that classic reveal on BranHambric.com, where each day for a week I peel away a covering of the book (like that Megan Fox/worst Photoshop hoax of all time).

If my publishers really wanted to be wicked, they would pull this trick on me, chop my cover into little pieces, and give me one piece every time I finish part of the outline for Book Two. That would certainly get it done faster :D

Question for the comments: What are some of your favorite book covers? Link to the Amazon or BN.com images!



Posted in Bran Hambric, Writing
Tags: , ,

67 Responses


  1. Hannah
    January 1st, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    Well, other than the Twilight saga book covers, i very much adore the following:

    - http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Dating-Goodbye-Joshua-Harris/dp/1590521358/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230837462&sr=8-1

    and

    - http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Bilbo-Sarah-Arthur/dp/1414301316/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230837649&sr=8-1

    There are countless more actually that i’ve seen in bookstores but i forgot the titles… hehe XD

  2. Owen
    January 1st, 2009 at 1:29 pm

    Whenever i think of Bran Hambric i think of the color dark blue so am hoping that some shade of blue is on the cover lolz.
    I remember seeing the savvy cover on amazon and thinking it was an awesome cover.
    Can’t wait to read Bran Hambric in all its glory.

  3. Maria
    January 1st, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    I really love the cover for The Legend of Holly Claus:

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Legend-of-Holly-Claus/Brittney-Ryan/e/9780060585150/?itm=1

    It is very detailed and (you can’t tell on BN.com) it really glimmers when you see it in stores. I also really like the artist’s style- it reminds me of royal russian paintings.

    I also really like the Flora Segunda cover you showed. And I’m pleased to know you don’t plan on pulling a Crime and Punishment cover and leaving us all heartbroken.

    Hehe I’m late too. I am at least two weeks behind in my school homework because I keep putting it off. It’s not only you. :)


  4. Bethany
    January 1st, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    I absolutly love all of the Percy Jackson covers. They’re awesome. But I also like The Alchemist’s cover as well as The Magician’s(both by Michael Scott).

  5. Bethany
    January 1st, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    Crap, forgot the links:
    The Alchemyst
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Alchemyst/Michael-Scott/e/9780385736008/?itm=3
    The Magician:
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Magician/Michael-Scott/e/9780385733588/?itm=1

  6. Annie G.
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    Hmm… Lolcat fan?

    Good luck with the cover; can’t wait to see it!

  7. Finch
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:28 pm

    Personally, I still recommend Kirsi Salonen as an artist. Her art is simply beautiful. I believe I’ve noted this on blogtv. My favorite cover would have to be that of Dave McKean’s on the first Absolute Sandman casing: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401210821/ref=s9sdps_c1_14_at1-rfc_g1_si1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1TY6AWEES7E1AXS033V3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383351&pf_rd_i=507846

    Another good one is the Gunslinger cover for The Dark Tower: http://www.amazon.com/Gunslinger-Dark-Tower-Book/dp/0452284694/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841688&sr=1-6

    So…yeah.

  8. Finch
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:32 pm

    I still recommend the beautiful art of Kirsi Salonen. I recommended her shtuff on BlogTV a while back…but I digress.

    Anyway, my two favorite covers would have to be the cover of The Gunslinger : http://www.amazon.com/Gunslinger-Dark-Tower-Book/dp/0452284694/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841688&sr=1-6

    And the cover by Dave Mckean for Absolute Sandman #1 (And yes, I recommend the Sandman comics. Check out preludes and nocturnes. =D)

    Cover: http://www.amazon.com/Absolute-Sandman-Vol-1/dp/1401210821/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841886&sr=1-4

    A note on Sandman: Absolute Sandman is a compilation of the graphic novels. Preludes and Nocturnes is the first few issues. If you like that, you might want to take a look at the others. Most are available at libraries or in library systems. but I digress yet again on crazy book recommendations of DOOM.

    Soo…yeah.

  9. Welcome to 2009 | Twilight Guy - with Kaleb Nation
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    [...] and the book separate, so if you want the news you will have to go to my other site. In fact, the cover for The Farfield Curse is being worked on as I write [...]

  10. Finch
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    Anyway, my two favorite covers would have to be the cover of The Gunslinger : http://www.amazon.com/Gunslinger-Dark-Tower-Book/dp/0452284694/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841688&sr=1-6

    And the cover by Dave Mckean for Absolute Sandman #1 (And yes, I recommend the Sandman comics. Check out preludes and nocturnes. =D)

    Cover: http://www.amazon.com/Absolute-Sandman-Vol-1/dp/1401210821/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841886&sr=1-4

    A note on Sandman: Absolute Sandman is a compilation of the graphic novels. Preludes and Nocturnes is the first few issues. If you like that, you might want to take a look at the others. Most are available at libraries or in library systems. but I digress yet again on crazy book recommendations of DOOM.

    Soo…yeah.

  11. Finch
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    The site is reacting weird to my comments….so here: http://www.amazon.com/Gunslinger-Dark-Tower-Book/dp/0452284694/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841688&sr=1-6

    http://www.amazon.com/Absolute-Sandman-Vol-1/dp/1401210821/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230841886&sr=1-4

  12. Finch
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    Oh shoot. Stupid computer.

  13. --KALEB NATION--
    January 1st, 2009 at 2:50 pm

    @Owen: Exactly, I love the blue (as you can see on the website :D ). I think blue and black with some white glow would do awesome for Bran Hambric. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

  14. Maria
    January 1st, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    I would love a bit of green in the book cover too, Kaleb. Maybe just a few tints of deep green.

  15. emily
    January 1st, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    loving Hamster On A Piano (Eating Popcorn)

  16. Jessica L.
    January 1st, 2009 at 4:12 pm

    I LOVE the cover of Melissa Marr’s “Ink Exchange” just because of the tattoo and how it draws your eyes in. The coloring, as well, dark purple, seems to give an air to the book.
    http://www.amazon.com/Ink-Exchange-Melissa-Marr/dp/006121468X

    And the cover of Libba Bray’s “Great and Terrible Beauty” because the laced up corset gives a view into the time and the way the girl’s face it turned slightly down and her eyes are closed sort of gives her a look that sticks in my head. Sort of one of inferiority or discomfort of some sort, as though she was hiding something. LOVE IT!
    http://www.amazon.com/Great-Terrible-Beauty-Libba-Bray/dp/0385730284

  17. Jessica
    January 1st, 2009 at 4:15 pm

    It won’t let me post my comment for some odd reason, but I love “Ink Exchange” http://www.amazon.com/Ink-Exchange-Melissa-Marr/dp/006121468X

    and “A Great and Terrible Beauty” http://www.amazon.com/Great-Terrible-Beauty-Libba-Bray/dp/0385730284

  18. Vivian
    January 1st, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    Wow, the cover for Savvy, with all the swirls, reminds me of a Van Gogh painting.

    And that cover for Crime and Punishment is TERRIBLE! Luckily the version we read for class had a palatable cover :)

    I just realized I’ve bought a lot of books simply for their covers. For example:
    http://www.amazon.com/Goose-Girl-Shannon-Hale/dp/B001HYRJ2U/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230848447&sr=8-8
    (all of Shannon Hale’s old covers are brilliant).

    I also like this cover:
    http://www.amazon.com/Spacer-Rat-Margaret-Bechard/dp/1596430583/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230848500&sr=8-1

    And this one is cool (cooler than the story inside, unfortunately):
    http://www.amazon.com/Yoss-Odo-Hirsch/dp/0385731876/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230848543&sr=8-1

    I hope they give you a great cover for The Farfield Curse. I certainly can’t wait to see it!

  19. Maureen
    January 1st, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    Well, of course I love the cover of The Catholic Homeschool Companion.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1933184167/catholictreas-20
    Almost as much as I love the design of the accompanying website.
    http://www.catholictreasury.com/
    You really should check into my web designer :-) .
    Have a great 2009 Kaleb!

  20. Stephanie
    January 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm

    Kaleb, you are the reason I don’t get anything done… You know that? lol :) You send me on little hunts like this…

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780312360306

    I adore how the skin of the girl in the picture has a smokey glow to it. The necklace is extremely detailed and the color pops. Also, every book in the series has an entricate design on the cover that you can feel. I recommend checking this book out. Well… Start with Marked. =]

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Evernight/Claudia-Gray/e/9780061284441/

    This one here is not my favorite, but it certainly does catch your eye on the shelf. I found this one in person at BN (I remember it because of the color and the fact that I had a dizzy spell and almost fell on my face without realizing it in the middle of the store), and I picked it up off the shelf automatically.

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780641938207

    I haven’t read this book (or Evernight yet), but I LOVE this cover. I don’t know why. It’s something I would stop and stare at for awhile just because it was pretty. After staring, I’d read the back and a few pages.

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Blood-and-Chocolate/Annette-Curtis-Klause/e/9780440226680/

    I love the cover for Blood and Chocolate! The book itself is… I don’t know how to explain it. Hmm. I want to call it rough, but I know that’s not the best description for it. It has some pretty serious problems faced. The cover itself shows a lot of important factors in the book. Look carefully, and you can see a fire. =]

  21. Tia
    January 1st, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Kaleb I imagine your book to have the dark blue and grayish silver colors…and the moon that you have on the book website. If it’s not on there somewhere (i think it would be awesome on the top of the spine) I might be disappointed in the cover…but never the book. Can’t wait to read the whole thing. :)


  22. Kristen C
    January 1st, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    I really like the HP covers. The colors flow and blend flawlessly. I hope the BH cover had a dark shade of blue like the site’s background. I like the cover you made though. Its brilliant!

    *K

  23. Heather
    January 1st, 2009 at 6:51 pm

    This is hard lol. I of course love all the Twilight book covers, but there is this one book cover I keep seeing in Barnes and Noble that makes me want to pick up the book and read it.

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Million-Little-Pieces/James-Frey/e/9780307276902/?itm=1

    I don’t know why I haven’t yet. I’m sure there are more, I just need to research more, and I really have too much other stuff to do as it is =(

    Hope you feel better!

  24. Stephanie
    January 1st, 2009 at 11:20 pm

    You know I have been at this again for another hour or so? Seriously, Kaleb, stop distracting me! haha =]

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Devouring/Simon-Holt/e/9780316035736/

    This one was next to Evernight on the shelf!

    Oh! I actually got a REAL BOOK SHELF! Now I can actually use my closet… I need to take a picture of it for you. It’s frightening.

  25. KatRin
    January 1st, 2009 at 11:32 pm

    Whenever anyone mentions book covers I always think of the Harry Potter covers by Mary GrandPré. The use of color is gorgeous, as well as the sheer amount of detail. I always liked looking at the covers again after I finished the books and noticing all the things from the story.

    Meg Cabot books always seem to have nice covers. Nothing breathtaking, but certainly cute and colorful. My favorites are the Paul Oakley covers for her Mediator series:

    http://www.amazon.com/Shadowland-Mediator-Book-Meg-Cabot/dp/0060725117/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230873974&sr=8-1

    p.s. that hamster video is oddly mesmerizing and completely adorable :D


  26. Elspeth
    January 1st, 2009 at 11:48 pm

    I’m an English teacher and I do believe that the cover is essential to a book. To a degree if a publisher does not create a great cover, are they that good of a publisher, and therefore must the author be any good? Most of the time I’m drawn to new books for their covers (or a really good book seller’s display) I understand that the author doesn’t have as much control as we readers think, but if i was an author I’d definitely put my foot down over a crummy cover.
    Anyway… I love the cover for the hardback of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine
    seen here:
    http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Robin-McKinley/dp/0425191788/ref=ed_oe_h
    there is a brand new paper back out, but it has a different cover, still good but not as good as the link above.

    And i love the Green Rider book covers. Most straight up illustrations are either too sci-fi, or too romancy, but these aren’t that far
    http://www.amazon.com/Green-Rider-Kristen-Britain/dp/0756405483/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230875153&sr=1-2
    http://www.amazon.com/First-Riders-Call-Green-Rider/dp/0756401933/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230875153&sr=1-3
    http://www.amazon.com/High-Kings-Tomb-Three-Green/dp/0756404894/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230875153&sr=1-1

    There are more, but i’ve written enough :)
    Feel Better!

  27. Johanna
    January 2nd, 2009 at 2:28 am

    I really like the ones you suggested. An other cover I really like is the one for “Life As We Knew It”
    http://wirelessdigest.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/20/lifeasweknewit.jpg

  28. Mizuki
    January 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 am

    Here are my favorite covers. The artist is so talented. I am jealous. I also loved the Artemis Fowl books! He’s so evil and smart. Mehehe….

    http://www.o-love.net/realms/gal_dri.html

  29. Andrea
    January 2nd, 2009 at 5:21 am

    I hate those boring covers too.

  30. Imelda
    January 2nd, 2009 at 8:51 am

    Life As We Knew it is a great book on the inside AND outside. Susan Beth Pfeffer’s really lucky. Also a cool woman.

    My favourite covers are:

    The Gift by Alison Croggon,
    The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix, and Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan (even if I haven’t read that one yet). I tend to prefer things without a solid ‘scene’ depicted on the front.

  31. Katrin
    January 2nd, 2009 at 9:51 am

    i actually love this moon-necklace design that is on the bran hambric homepage… why not use that one? :)
    i really love the terry pratchett covers :D they really match the books.
    but only those from corgi books…
    anyway, i am really looking forward to reading your book… hope i can order it here in germany :P
    happy new year!

  32. Charlee
    January 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am

    I love, love, love all the covers for the “Daughters of the Moon” series by Lynne Ewing.

    Every cover centers around one color, and they’re all very ethereal.

    This is the cover from book 10.

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Talisman/Lynne-Ewing/e/9780786818785/?itm=1

  33. Annie
    January 2nd, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    One of my favorite covers is for the third book in the Inkheart series, Inkdeath.
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780439866286
    I really want to read the series now just because I love this cover so much. When I first saw it, it took me a minute to realize why the overall shape was so familiar, and then I realized it was a skull! Its so eerie, it still gives me chills.

  34. Hanalee
    January 2nd, 2009 at 7:29 pm

    Hello! She’s a rather unknown author, but all of Meg ROsoff’s book’s as well as their covers captivate me.
    How I Live Now
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-I-Live-Now/Meg-Rosoff/e/9780553376050/?itm=4
    What I Was
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/What-I-Was/Meg-Rosoff/e/9780670018444/?itm=9
    Just In Case
    http://www.amazon.com/Just-Case-Meg-Rosoff/dp/0452289378/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230946011&sr=8-2

  35. Emily
    January 2nd, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    I love the covers for the Series of Unfortunate Events books, and, as Annie mentioned, the Inkheart trilogy covers.

    The one time that I bought a book for the cover was this one
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Theres-a/Laurie-Notaro/e/9780812975727/?itm=1
    but that may have been more for the title than the art… I couldn’t resist.

  36. Emily
    January 2nd, 2009 at 9:51 pm

    Oh, and I forgot to say this, but I absolutely ADORE the Gemma Doyle trilogy covers, too. That’s A Great and Terrible Beauty and all that jazz.

  37. Lauren
    January 3rd, 2009 at 1:09 am

    I actually like the Artemis Fowl book covers better than the Half Moon ones (and btw, did you know they’re turning Half Moon Investigations into a tv series?).

    They’re so shiny…they really draw you in. And the books covers are actually objects from the series.

    The first one (http://www.wppl.org/teens/images/colfer_artemis.jpg) is is the fairy Book, the second one follows the whole Arctic technology theme (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n10/n54518.jpg) and the third one is the C Cube (http://www.artemis-fowl.com/images/site_bookcovers/large/book_3/eng_1.jpg).

    And sorry for not linking to Amazon, but the covers were different.

  38. Rachel W.
    January 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    That’s a pretty bad cover for Dracule. I prefer mine–I don’t remember what addition I have, but it has a freaky looking graveyard covered in fog and/or mist. Much more appropriate.

  39. Sam
    January 3rd, 2009 at 7:00 pm

    I know this isn’t about the topic of book covers, but I was just wondering when I would be able to pre-order your book? I searched amazon.com but it wasn’t there (gasp!).

  40. Tatyana
    January 3rd, 2009 at 8:44 pm

    All the covers for Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series:
    http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Mortal-Instruments-Cassandra-Clare/dp/1416914307/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231035842&sr=8-1

    The Ingo series by Helen Dunmore:
    http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Ingo-Adventures-Dunmore/dp/B001E3HISE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231036002&sr=1-3

    The Chronicles of Narnia covers:
    http://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Dawn-Treader-Radio-Theatre/dp/1589972961/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231036325&sr=1-2

    Holly Black’s Modern Faery Tales:
    http://www.amazon.com/Ironside-Modern-Faerys-Holly-Black/dp/0689868219/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231036460&sr=1-4

    The covers for The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0060835796/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

    The cover for Need by Carrie Jones:
    http://www.amazon.com/Need-Carrie-Jones/dp/1599903385/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231036723&sr=1-1

    Evermore by Alyson Noel:
    http://www.amazon.com/Evermore-Alyson-Noel/dp/031253275X/ref=pd_sim_b_13

    Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston:
    http://www.amazon.com/Wondrous-Strange-Hardback/dp/0061575372/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

    And finally, the cover for Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr:
    http://www.amazon.com/Fragile-Eternity-Melissa-Marr/dp/006121471X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231036809&sr=1-1

    Sorry for giving so many links, I just think that there are a lot of beautiful book covers out there.

  41. Alexandra
    January 3rd, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    Ok, here goes. And watch out, I’ve got a pretty long list. Sometimes I can’t help myself, :D

    The Host by none other than Stephenie Meyer: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Host/Stephenie-Meyer/e/9780316068048/?itm=1

    The Riddles of Epsilon by Christine Morton-Shaw: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Riddles-of-Epsilon/Christine-Morton-Shaw/e/9780060728199/?itm=1

    Doctor Illuminatus by Martin Booth: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Doctor-Illuminatus/Martin-Booth/e/9780641869440/?itm=1

    The Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Blue-Bloods/Melissa-de-la-Cruz/e/9781423101260/?itm=3

    The Snow Spider Trilogy by Jenny Nimmo: http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Spider-Trilogy-Jenny-Nimmo/dp/1405220104/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231037860&sr=8-2

    and all the adult Harry Potter covers (obviously written by J.K. Rowling): http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n5/n25044.jpg

  42. » Blog Archive » » Welcome to 2009
    January 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm

    [...] and the book separate, so if you want the news you will have to go to my other site. In fact, the cover for The Farfield Curse is being worked on as I write [...]

  43. Kelsie
    January 5th, 2009 at 4:08 pm

    so ive never read this book, but i love the cover!!
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Lazarus-Project/Aleksandar-Hemon/e/9781594489884/?delay=y&PV=y&cds2Pid=20800&linkid=1312010

    and i llove this one too:
    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Road-Home/Rose-Tremain/e/9780316002615/?delay=y&PV=y&cds2Pid=20800&linkid=1305872

  44. Danielle F.
    January 5th, 2009 at 7:00 pm

    Wow, you like a really wide variety of art styles. I guess this will make it easier for your publicists to find a cover that happens to please you then, huh? Everybody wins!

    Anyway, here are mine:

    Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
    http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ASUkvCdBL._SS500_.jpg
    The cover really captures the quirky sense of humor of the book. It meshes thematically as well.

    Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
    http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0739326228.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
    I like this one for purely aesthetic reasons. The colors are so pure and simple, but beautiful.

    A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
    http://trouble.philadelphiaweekly.com/archives/a%20million%20little%20pieces.jpg
    I haven’t read it, but the cover is so interesting.

    A Wizard Alone by Diane Duane
    http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-sci-fi-fantasy-2006/2987-1.jpg
    You may actually read this, since it’s in the YA fantasy genre. Diane Duane’s books were some of my favorites as a kid, and many of their covers are very surrealist and cool.

  45. Wren
    January 7th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    Though the Tantalize is a pretty amazing cover, I usually go for the books where very little or none of the face is revealed, like the Percy Jackson ones or something like Twilight or Halfmoon Investigations.
    One cover for Hangman’s Curse and Nightmare Academy (both by Frank Peretti) glowed in the dark. It was creepy. Eerie.

  46. Audree
    January 8th, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    I love all the Lord of the Rings covers done by Alan Lee. He’s amazing and really captures the scenes from the books well. I mean, the guy won an Oscar for his conceptual art on set!

    http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618260587/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231446643&sr=8-4

    Of COURSE, The Great Gatsby because of the story behind the development of the cover art.
    http://www.amazon.com/Great-Gatsby-F-Scott-Fitzgerald/dp/1417656638/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231446784&sr=1-5

    And this SPECIFIC cover for Wuthering Heights. I think it captures the atmosphere of the story best.

    http://www.amazon.com/Wuthering-Heights-Penguin-Classics-Brontë/dp/0141439556/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231446832&sr=1-3

  47. josh
    January 10th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    one cover i saw and liked was the cover for the tenth anniversary edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. i don’t have a link or anything though : ( but it looked cool : )

  48. Pash
    January 11th, 2009 at 9:30 am

    Covers? Oh lordie. I particularly like the simple ones–they just fascinate me so much. Those and the Percy Jackson ones. They’re so pretty!

    The Hunger Games is one of my favorite covers: http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231687678&sr=8-1

    Also East: http://www.amazon.com/East-Edith-Pattou/dp/0152052216/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231687709&sr=1-1

    And I absolutely adore The Book Thief cover: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Thief-Markus-Zusak/dp/0375842209/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231687747&sr=1-10

  49. Emily
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:28 am

    Gotta say I love Humphrey Bogart as your editor – usually I imagine him as a private detective in San Francisco with the initials S.S. or in unoccupied Africa muttering something about gin joints and Ingrid Bergman and the world… And something about looking at a kid… Then a bird – nay, a falcon ; )

    This is the cover of Beastly by Alex Flinn:

    http://www.amazon.com/Beastly-Alex-Flinn/dp/0060874163

  50. GG
    January 29th, 2009 at 9:09 am

    Hi! A very nice selection. Just wanted to let you know that there is no such country as Czechoslovakia for something about 20 years. There are two countries now – Czech Republic and Slovakia. I know my English is not that good to correct your mistakes but I just thought that you wouldn’t want that on your website knowing that there are people from Europe reading this. Thanks for your entertaining blog entries!

  51. --KALEB NATION--
    January 29th, 2009 at 9:30 am

    You’re absolutely right GG, my mistake! I actually just copied the country name from the website where I found the photo (it’s hard for me to spell!) so obviously, they need some history lessons too :D

    -Kaleb

  52. GG
    January 29th, 2009 at 9:34 am

    That’s what I thought. Easiest way to learn the names of all those countries in Europe ( I live here but I get confused very often) is just come to visit :)


  53. Ashley
    January 29th, 2009 at 3:54 pm

    Hey. Covers are great and all, but titles are what atract my attention. To me having a great title just makes the book so much better. For example, I read a book that was pretty decent, had great plot and interesting characters. It even had a great cover. However it had the best title I’ve ever seen: “A Great and Terrible Beauty.” I love it. Elegent and forboding at the same time.
    ~Ashley

    P.S. “Looking For Alaska” I think has a great title and cover. I was extatic when i saw that you were reading it. It’s one of my all time favorite books as it has such an interesting outlook on life.

  54. Cat
    January 30th, 2009 at 11:39 am

    I love Kaleb’s comment on how he proposes to end his book, ” and it was all a big dream, kthnxbai!” and his response: I am of perfectly sound mind sir. It makes me laugh everytime i see it and it reminds me of myself, I get people mad because I get off the phone by saying that: kthnxbai! or kbye! Great comment!

  55. Cat
    January 30th, 2009 at 11:47 am

    Let me clarify my last entry.. I know that’s not how he will write the ending.. he was talking about being sick and not being able to write anything coherent.. but it was funny nonetheless….

  56. Sarah
    February 17th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1407109081/ref=s9_subs_c6_s1_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0GYQPM566JJ1GEJK5PCE&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463374953&pf_rd_i=468294

    I love this cover. The one I bought was, erm, was… unique (it’s really sad that this is the best word I can come up with). You could change the person that was on the front cover to who you wanted to support.

    Though I’ll admit it, I didn’t pick up The Hunger Games because it had a cool cover, but because Stephanie Meyer had reviewed it. I’m a Twilight fan through and through…

  57. Dara E.
    February 22nd, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    Ahhhh…book covers!

    That is really how I pick the books I read! I’m either recommended to read them, or I spend a random day in Barnes and Nobles looking at book covers. My friends are the same way too, so for Christmas they asked for books. And when I asked what kind, they said, “the one with an awesome book cover, of course!” And that is exactly what I did!

    As for my favorite book covers, they’d half to be the Harry Potter series. I just reread the last two in preparation for the movie (even though it’s not coming out for months), and I just love to look at their covers, and the way they wrap around and blend perfectly. It’s just so AWESOME!

  58. Leah
    February 27th, 2009 at 8:48 pm

    I really love this book and the cover:
    http://east-jh.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/119577/Image/elsewhere.jpg
    Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin…definitley captures the essence of the book.

  59. Tara.Seanan
    March 5th, 2009 at 3:45 am

    The best cover art I’ve ever seen was for The Plucker by Brom. The entire book is filled with his artwork, which is really dark and macabre while still being beautiful. The art itself makes the book worth it. I actually found it by mistake in a Borders in Madison Square Garden when I went to New York. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Plucker/Brom/e/9780810957923/?itm=1

  60. KatRin
    April 14th, 2009 at 12:27 am

    Whenever anyone mentions book covers I always think of the Harry Potter covers by Mary GrandPré. The use of color is gorgeous, as well as the sheer amount of detail. I always liked looking at the covers again after I finished the books and noticing all the things from the story.

    Meg Cabot books always seem to have nice covers. Nothing breathtaking, but certainly cute and colorful. My favorites are the Paul Oakley covers for her Mediator series:

    http://www.amazon.com/Shadowland-Mediator-Book-…

    p.s. that hamster video is oddly mesmerizing and completely adorable :D


  61. NuttyNetty
    May 6th, 2009 at 2:55 pm

    wow. this was 4 months ago and look :) your cover has blue, black and a white glow! :D


  62. Miajane
    May 6th, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    Kaleb,
    Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment doesn't need a great cover to sell. I have that book, and I bought it as soon as I saw it. The cover isn't the same but it is just cream and orange, no illustrations or anything.

  63. Mich(elle) C.
    May 19th, 2009 at 9:09 am

    I'm a writer. Worried about what my book cover may look like. When picking a book at random, it all goes down to book cover or the title. My target is getting a cover with hearts all over it or something mysterious…and/or a title that has a romance genre. Then, I check the back to see what it's all about. I'm absolutley sure I wouldn't pick the covers with people on them because well, it might offend people by racial. Some of the first books look too relastic & formal when I want to pick up a fiction that will bring you to a different world, .. but, yeah, they're really sophisticated. The one I like the best from your list is “The Lightning Thief”…my brother's ultimate favorite, second to yours xD. I'm gonna try to sneak Bran Hambric into his libary. I'm gonna brb ?& check all the other comments with links.

  64. Juliette
    May 25th, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    I really like your website, the Twilight Book in Europe is from Czech Republic, I have all four of them the covers are awesome. They form a moon and something else.

  65. AshleD
    October 14th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

    I am far behhind trying to read this site but I love the lightening thief cover and I have red all five books.

  66. AshleD
    October 15th, 2009 at 2:54 am

    I am far behhind trying to read this site but I love the lightening thief cover and I have red all five books.

  67. Guest
    August 6th, 2010 at 8:42 am

    ha I remeber these books
    deltora quest by emily rodda
    http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/emily-rodda…
    http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/emily-rodda…
    and The Seventh Tower series by garth nix
    http://www.amazon.com/Fall-Seventh-Tower-1/dp/0…
    http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Seventh-Tower-Gart…
    http://www.amazon.com/Aenir-Seventh-Tower-Book-…

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