I Always Judge a Book by Its Cover

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. This UK design flawlessly illustrates the many charms behind every family’s history. The deep night sky of the background brings out the simple white details, the entirety of the color scheme. A glowing bracelet sits in the sky like a constellation, surrounded by a multitude of cute and unique charms: a kitten, a hummingbird, a butterfly, a cupcake, and hearts and flowers, all of which undoubtedly represent some facet of this inter-generational story. The cover uses the title of the novel in a literal sense, depicting a young girl who points toward the moon. A sprinkling of luminous stars and comets add the finishing touches. I’m not normally a fan of subtitles for fiction covers, but the simple description here really speaks to the design and the special story behind the art.

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

True Confections by Katharine Weber. Like a candy shop filled with dazzling colors, patterns, and scents, this cover grabs viewers and doesn’t let go until they’ve satisfied their interest. The swirling candy cane stripes of the background bring classic “confection” to mind and elevates the design to a new level. In fact, the stripes are almost hypnotic. The centered chocolate candy piece creates a perfect display for the title and author. The fact that the typography sticks with what could only be called “candy bar fonts” makes the display seem authentic, and therefore even more clever. One can only hope the offbeat story of love and life is just as sweet!

Readers’ Average Rating: B-

An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin. When I think of Steve Martin, I don’t necessarily think of a classy work of art. Sure, he’s a good actor, maybe even a good author. But when I see the cover of his latest book, I find myself surprised and impressed. The sleek white background is a bold choice that most designers don’t utilize. One could argue that there is nothing to focus on except for the title and author, but that argument would be moot. It is the creative structure of the title and author that provides such a classy design—the typography is thick, almost finger-painted, and overlays a colorful, indistinguishable painting. What these letters slyly reveal, anyone could fathom. This cover perfectly matched with the artiste motif in the novel.

Readers’ Average Rating: B