Happy Tuesday everyone! TTT is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
You know I love my beautiful book covers. I have written several posts here highlighting some of my favorites and how I’ve been suckered into buying a book for the cover alone. The struggle is real to keep that from happening now. But with the good, comes the questionable. This Top Ten post focuses on the covers I think are the more bizarre, what-is-going-on-here? variety.
A few disclaimers: All of these opinions are my own. Most of the time, authors do not have creative control over their covers. Some of these might be considered a little risque as well–another disclaimer will be posted for the covers I use for that part.
Enjoy!
Lovely War by Julie Barry
I like the premise of the book very much. The cover…leaves little for me to desire. I don’t like the way the girl’s face is cut off or the soldier perched on her shoulder like a parrot.
As Many Nows As I Can Get by Shana Youngdahl
I think the color schemes for this cover are great. However, the juxtaposition of the boy and girl’s faces, separated by the road, I’m not a fan of.
Sisters by Daisy Johnson
There’s something truly disturbing about this woman’s image being cut up and reassembled the way it has. *adds to To Read list immediately*
Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer
This is a symphonic, technicolor blast of psychedelic wonder is there ever was one. What is going on?
Who Stole the Hazelnuts? by Marcus Pfister
I don’t know about you, but this cover illustration makes me want to run away from this picture book. Why does this squirrel’s ear have what looks like a hand growing out of it? Why does this squirrel’s paw look like a slightly human hand, a la Cats?! I have so many questions but I’m scared of the answers.
Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon
I saw this in a bookstore when I was a kid and thought this was really scary. What’s with the face? Now I kind of want to read it for the campy cover, although the reviews for the contents say this is pretty scary.
Summerwood and Winterwood by E.I. Chen
I don’t know which is more strange, the screaming, floating, bleeding stag head on the left, or the floating disembodied head on the right.
Risque covers ahead! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
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Gray Hawk’s Lady by Karen Kay
Ah, bodice rippers back in the day were all about the hunky shirtless guy and the demure woman usually in a flowy gown. Although, now that I think about it, that still happens. Hm…
Beneath a Midnight Moon by Madeline Baker
I felt so grown up when, as a fifteen year old, I bought a money order (props to you if you remember those) and ordered this from the publisher because the plot sounded cool. I was not expecting this cover with its scantily clad cover models. I don’t think I could have purchased this at a bookstore. I put a book cover on this and would sneak it to school to read.
What are some book covers that made you ask questions?
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- {Mini Reviews} Lair of Dreams; Before the Devil Breaks You - March 26, 2020
Twitter: Lauren Always Me
80s horror novels have some wild covers!
Lauren @ Always Me
They certainly do!
I laughed aloud when I saw that bunny on the cover. I thought he was hilarious
I’m glad he made you laugh. 😄
‘Lovely war’ looks kind of lovely, I hasn’t notice the soldier when I saw this cover in a youtube video, so now it doesn’t look as lovely.
‘As many nows as I can get’ does have such a wonderful color palette, I don’t mind the road though I have not noticed it before.
I don’t read picture books but that one with the rabbit is a bit scary looking.
That ‘swan song’ cover is creepy, I definitely would run away if I see this cover.
That ‘gray hawk’s lady’ cover makes me laugh. I think there’s a joke here that needs to be told.
Have a lovely day.
Thanks, Lissa, have a great day as well.
Twitter: TorontoLydia
Who Stole the Hazelnuts sounds like a cute story, but I thought the creature on it was a rabbit instead of a squirrel!
My TTT .
I thought it was a rabbit too until I read the synopsis! What a bizarre squirrel.
Twitter: LASReviews
Swan Song has a very scary cover.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
It definitely scared me as a kid.
Those half head covers have been a publishing staple for a while now. That is definitely an example of one that doesn’t work.
I saw a few while I was looking for covers for this list but that one stuck out to me.
Twitter: Miss
Hahaha great twist on this week’s topic! That Who Stole the Hazelnuts? cover is very creepy – it reminds me of that mentally scarring adaptation of Watership Down from the ’70s. I do quite like that Dead Astronauts cover – I’m drawn to bright colours like a magpie, though.
I’ve only seen clips of Watership Down but I have a good idea what you mean.
Twitter: ChocolateLady57
Sister has a really cool cover, but I’m afraid I don’t like any of the romance covers – they turn me off. But I know lots of people love them so enjoy!
Oh I’m personally cringing about those romance covers. I ran across from more that I could have used for the list but we would be here all day.
Twitter: RissiJC
I’ve never noticed some of the details you mention (i.e., the soldier) for that first book. At first glance, it’s kind of pretty, but look closer, and yeah, I’d agree, it’s not the best. Fun twist on the topic! 🙂
Thanks, Rissi!
Gray Hawk Lady looks really creepy and out of proportion. Sisters is very creepy, too. Are the girls all tangled up together? I modified this week’s topic, though you can see my favorite books with their covers! My favorite YA Books of the decade with covers.
There is something weird about the way the covers models are proportioned.
I have no idea what’s going on with the Sisters cover.
Ha! I love this post! I used to sneak and read my mom’s romance novels. But I would just have to read fast before she got home. 😉
Ohhh, the stealth attack! 😆
Twitter: Greg L Hill
Sisters IS kinda weird. Wow don’t like that one at all lol. And Summerwood/ Winterwood are interesting!
Love the risque ones haha!!!
Isn’t it just freaky? But I’m curious about the synopsis so I’m going to read it eventually. 😁 Gotta have those risque covers here!