Now You See Me

I'm sure you've heard the phrase before: "Don't judge a book by its cover". This basically means that one shouldn't judge something based on its outward appearance. But in this post, I'm going to be doing the exact opposite.

I'm going to be giving you my Top 10 list of books on my shelves that I bought because they have a nice cover. Full disclosure: I haven't read any of these books yet—that's why I've chosen them for this list. I want these books to be chosen solely for their covers alone.

Now, although I will be writing about which books I liked for their covers, you'll have to check out my Instagram to see what they look like. With that being said, here are my top 10 books chosen for their covers.

10: "Hush, Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick

This first book of a four-book series has a plain and simple color scheme. Blacks, greys, and the occasional blood-red, this cover shows an angel with dark wings falling from the sky. To be honest, I bought this book and the other three at a used book store. The other three books have similar covers, all using the same colors and accenting the darker greys with whites and the shock of red. All four of them were staring up at me, their aesthetic glory calling me to complete the set on my bookshelf.

9: "Swipe Right for Murder" by Derek Milman

This cover has multiple different panels on it that all appear to be phone screens. They provide us with a glimpse into what the book may contain: phone-recorded videos of people and places, and a stopwatch with a timer running out. This novel sold itself to me because of its imprint–I love anything from James Patterson Presents, so I was more than willing to buy this book based on the cover.

8: "RoseBlood" by A.G. Howard

This book has a girl with long, curly black hair on the cover. She is wearing bright red lipstick and she has iridescent green eyes. Thorny roses and vines crawl over the bottom of the cover on top of her neck, and she is wearing a bright white mask inspired by the Phantom of the Opera that is cracked on the top. I think I liked this cover because of the emotion I could see from the girl's wide eyes and innocent features which contrasted so starkly with the dangerous-looking vines and roses.

7: "Children of Blood and Bone" by Tomi Adeyemi

Another first book in a series! First of all, I bought this book before there were any sequels, and so I'm only going to review the cover of the first book. This book's cover features a black woman with flowing white hair. Her hair is spread across the top of the cover, pushed to the left as though blown in the breeze. The woman is wearing a head covering that is red and blue, with a blue gem set into a silver band which rests on her forehead. Overall, this cover brought forth thoughts of magic and mystical arts, which drew my attention enough for me to purchase the book.

6: "Once & Future" by Cori McCarthy and Amy Rose Capetta

Another James Patterson Presents novel! Aside from the obvious allure of the JPP imprint, this cover features slender, feminine hands reaching down from above to grasp the hilt of a sword. The rosy pink of the sword's blade and the steely blue of the guard and handle mimic the colors of the armor the hands are wearing. The cover reads: "This time, Excalibur chooses her", which speaks of one of my reimagined novels, telling the tale of King Arthur if Arthur were a Queen.

5: "Crazy House" by James Patterson

Well, I've already talked about a few of his imprints, so here is a book by the man himself! Crazy House by James Patterson is the first of two books in the series that feature gorgeous covers. The scene of this cover is a mansion, lit with glowing purple and pink lights. Above the house, the words: "You can stop waiting for the next Hunger Games" compare the novel to the famous dystopian series by Suzanne Collins. Finally, a dragonfly teases its role in the book, which I look forward to discovering.

4: "Moon Chosen" by P.C. Cast

I bought this book a long time ago. I've had it sitting on my shelf for years now, but because I'm a big believer in reading a completed series in one go, and because I think that Cast intends to write a fourth (and possibly final?) book in this series, I won't be reading it quite yet. On to the cover! This book features the purple and blue colored face of a wolf. The wolf appears to be staring right at the reader, or possibly at something in the distance. Below the wolf's head, a misty green scene shows a lone figure facing away from the reader, staring at a flaming golden orb that makes up the "O" in "Chosen". Overall, the misty, swirling vibes of this cover caused me to pick it up and put it in my cart.

3: "Labyrinth Lost" by Zoradia Córdova

This cover is gorgeous. Even before I read the summary of this book, I knew that it was going to be about death in one way or another. How, might you ask? Well, because of the skull that is engraved in the golden gate on the cover, of course! This gate is delicately carved, with flowers and other intricate designs gracing it. The gate appears to be in the middle of a forest, with dark, foreboding trees lining a path beyond the barrier. The background of the cover has purple hues, which adds to the element of magic that the cover exudes. This cover was intriguing enough for me to buy it then, and I can't wait to get the other books so that I can read the series.

2: "The Bone Witch" by Rin Chupeco

This book, or rather, this entire series, has such a beautiful aesthetic. Yes, there is a skull on the cover, but no, I don't mind. What I love about this cover are the ornate swirls that don the edges and outline the title, author's name, skull, and the girl sitting on the edge of a cliff. The front of the cover reads: "Let me be clear, I never intended to raise my brother from his grave...". Ominous much? The other covers in the series use similar swirling designs and skulls on their covers, which I love. I've always appreciated authors that match their covers. Needless to say, this book was immediately picked up by me in the store. Hopefully, I'll take the time to read it soon.

1: "Last Shot (Star Wars): A Han and Lando Novel" by Daniel Jose Older

How can I put this...I love Star Wars. I watched the original movies with my dad and occasionally my papa, so I basically grew up a fan of the universe that George Lucas created. Now, on to the book. I've always loved the relationship between Han and Lando in the movies, so seeing that this was a novel about them almost made me buy it just off of that information. But then...drumroll, please...I saw that this cover is reversible. Just wow. One side shows Han in black with an orange-red background color, the Millennium Falcon in its beat-up condition seeping through his jacket. The other side shows Lando in a teal color, with a mustard yellow background. The Millennium Falcon in its original, pristine condition reflects on the back of his cloak. Just. Wow.

So there you have it: my Top 10 Books That I Judged By Their Covers list. I can't say that I have picked books solely by their covers, but they have certainly drawn my attention enough for me to want to read their description. This has eventually caused me to buy most of them, yes, but isn't that what a good cover is supposed to do?