I Always Judge a Book by Its Cover

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. Although it is not necessarily the visual element one notices first when looking at this cover, I most enjoy the way the titles of the novel are made of colorful gradients—reds, pinks, oranges, yellows all fading together. The typography itself is very elegant and fitting of a story whose words center around a “beautiful girl.” The sparse, elongated curve of a letter, an “N” here, an “R” there, brings something subtle yet dainty to the design—much like the silhouetted woman herself. She is not, however, completely shadowed in, and her side profile manages to emit a sense of vulnerability and strength at once. The stray curls of her hair fall in line with the elegant curled typography. These visuals triumphantly convey the title character, a woman who, though considered “disabled,” finds a way to love and be loved in return.

Readers’ Average Rating: A-

Heart of the City by Ariel Sabar. I love New York, so it’s no surprise I love this cover. Part grunge, part classic Big Apple dedication, the design captures the unique persona of its subject matter: love in a city as anonymous as New York. Anyone can spot the familiar “I <3 NY” logo through use of the American Typewriter font and large red heart. I like that only a magnified chunk of this logo makes its way to the cover, with the red heart encasing the appropriate book title. This part of the cover looks to be a page torn out of an old book, and rests atop what appears to be a peeling, painted facet that could reside in practically any alley in the city. Whether you see it as city grunge or tribute to real-life New York romances, you have to admit this is a design worthy of such a city.

Readers’ Average Rating: B

The Girl With the Glass Feet by Ali Shaw. Since the weather outside doesn’t seem to be letting up, I thought I’d share a beautiful wintery book cover. This design is gorgeous on several different levels. Let’s start with the foreground: No one ever expects to see a white silhouette of something, which is why the buck and crow figures are so jarring—but it a strangely bewitching way. The delicate white orbs of falling snow sprinkle the cover to create a winter wonderland feel. The two trees closest to the foreground are very realistic and compelling next to animal silhouettes. Finally, the misty forest spreading in the background completes the perfectly magical landscape. The subtle blues and browns of the design only enhance the setting for this fantastical romance. To see another beautiful cover design of this book, click here.

Readers’ Average Rating: B