Yesterday, I commented on books whose covers and titles I really felt captured the essences of the books their were trying to sell.
Today, I rant about covers that aren’t accurate.
Note: Every book posted here is really good. Follow the links in the titles to read the synopses and buy them. I’m just complaining about inaccurate covers, not bad books.
There are a few types of inaccurate covers.
Most of the problems I have with covers share a common denominator: though they draw me in, they don’t sell me the book they’re protecting. They are interesting by virtue of a pretty model or drawing on the cover, not because they represent the story they are supposed to.
When a publisher acts like a pretty girl or a dramatic dress is enough, no matter the plot of the book:
Since a large portion of this book is people camping in the woods, I think it is a safe bet that she never breaks out a fancy dress and a wind machine.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
It looks like a badly done selfie.
Born at Midnight by C. C. Hunter
Why is she standing in a tree?
Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
That dress is now ruined.
This dress isn’t even pretty.
When a physically strong female character who spends a large portion of the series in fight scenes is depicted in a way that makes her look like a model and eliminates any hint of warrior spirit:
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
She becomes a BAMF, not a confused girl in a lacy dress.
The amount to which this cover does not match the protagonist is astounding.
When the cover designer just chooses a random dramatic object and runs with it, acting as if it as something to do with the series:
Shatter Me
She doesn’t do magic with her eyes. Seriously.
(This book shows up twice. Neither cover was good.)
Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
There might be one scene with a flower in it.
When the cover of the book just doesn’t match the inside aesthetically:
She’s an awkward high school student dealing with ghosts. Not whatever this is.
When the image on the cover DID NOT HAPPEN. EVER.
Out of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Neither of these.
Are there any books I missed? Feel free to suggest more in the comments.
52 Letters in the Alphabet 
[…] to the cover designer. They are really accurate, and if I’d read these books when I was judging books by their covers, this definitely would have gone in the good […]
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This is hilarious…and insanely true.
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Thanks 🙂
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