It’s hard to believe that 2008 is officially over and that 2009 is here. Did you make a New Year’s resolution? If so, have you stuck to it? My New Year’s resolution is to be more organized and I’m trying to get into that mode — slowly, but surely. And speaking of new, this year I’m going to try something a little different with my new releases blogs. Each month I’ll blog and solicit opinions about a certain part of a book or book/reading habits and such.
This month’s topic is COVERS. A book’s cover should represent the book and it’s the first thing we see at the store. Some covers have a clinch scene, some have either a man’s chest or a woman’s back, some have an object or a landscape and some have just eyes or a mouth. I prefer all types of covers as long as it fits the book. My biggest pet peeve is when something doesn’t, like when the person’s hair color doesn’t match. Perhaps I’m being petty, but it bugs me.
So, my questions for you are: What kind of cover do you prefer? What is your favorite cover of all time? Do you mind if a publisher changes the style of the covers in the middle of a series? And do you have any pet peeves when it comes to covers? Tell us and one random poster (living within the United States) will win a book!
Until February, happy reading!
HISTORICAL
Ransom My Heart by Meg Cabot
Tempt the Devil by Anna Campbell
Seduced at Midnight by Jacquie D’Alessandro
The Wild One by Denise Eagan
Texas Ranger, Runaway Heiress by Carol Finch
The Highland Groom by Sarah Gabriel
To Seduce a Texan by Georgina Gentry
Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath
Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly
Rachel and the Hired Gun by Elaine Levine
Kiss of a Traitor by Cat Linder
Wild by Margo Maguire
Heart of Courage by Kat Martin
High Seas Stowaway by Amanda McCabe
The Warlord’s Bride by Margaret Moore
Desert Prince by Constance O’Banyon
Border Moonlight by Amanda Scott
The Viscount Claims His Bride by Bronwyn Scott
Wanted: The Texan by Bobbi Smith
Warrior of the Highlands by Veronica Wolff
CONTEMPORARY
Lone Star Woman by Sadie Callahan
A Coventry Wedding by Becky Cochrane
Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl
Better On Top by Delilah Dawson
The Girl Most Likely To… by Susan Donovan
Look Both Ways by Joan Early
After Dark by Wendy Etherington
Mayhem in High Hells by Gemma Halliday
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
Everything but a Wedding by Holly Jacobs
Smart Girls Think Twice by Cathie Linz
Hot Mail by Janice Maynard
The Spy Who Wants Me by Lucy Monroe
The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke
Singing a Song by Crystal Rhodes
In Love with a Younger Man by Cheryl Robinson
Every Breath You Take by Hope Tarr
Winter Heat by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Jade Lee & Anna DeStefano
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Star Bright by Catherine Anderson
Terms of Engagement by Kylie Brant
The First Cut by Dianne Emley
Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Whisper No Lies by Cindy Gerard
Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz
Stolen Fury by Elisabeth Naughton
Breakneck by Erica Spindler
Find Me by Debra Webb
PARANORMAL/URBAN FANTASY
Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Dawnkeepers by Jessica Andersen
Real Vampires Don’t Diet by Gerry Bartlett
Witch Heart by Anya Bast
Goddess of the Rose by P.C. Cast
Bedeviled by Maureen Child (UF)
Savage Retribution by Lexxie Couper
Murder Game by Christine Feehan
Ecstasy by Jacquelyn Frank
At Grave’s End by Jeaniene Frost (UF)
Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn (UF)
Just Another Judgement Day by Simon R. Green (UF)
The Devil to Pay by Michele Hauf
A Witch’s Beauty by Joey W. Hill
Alpha Wolf by Linda O. Johnston
My Favorite Phantom by Karen Kelley
Princess of the Sword by Lynn Kurland
Echoes in the Dark by Robin D. Owens
In the Blood by Adrian Phoenix (UF)
One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin (UF)
The Vampire Agent by Patricia Rosemoor & Marc Paoletti (UF)
Primal Needs by Susan Sizemore
Love Without Blood by Raz Steel
Stay the Night by Lynn Viehl (UF)
Wild Thing by Marjorie M. Liu, Maggie Shayne, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brook
Mean Streets by Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Simon Green & Thomas Sniegoski (UF)
EROTIC ROMANCE
Six by Opal Carew
Wolf Tales VII by Kate Douglas
Stranger by Megan Hart
Mortal Temptations by Allyson James
Only Pleasure by Lora Leigh
Drive Me Wild by P.J. Mellor
Mona Lisa Darkening by Sunny
Lord of the Forest by Dawn Thompson
A Red Hot Valentine’s Day by Jess Michaels, Lacy Danes, Megan Hart & Jackie Kessler
Masters of Desire by Layla Chase, Myla Jackson & Shayla Kersten
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LornaMoon
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 3:07 am:
Big pet peeve is seeing the same cover on more than one book. Ugh! Why do they do that?
Opal Carew
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 3:47 am:
That happened to me with my book BLUSH… or, at least, it almost happened. I received my cover from the publisher, then later we noticed that the same picture was used on Shayla Black’s book, Wicked Ties. Hers was done in red and mine in pink, but it was the same photo. The problem is that a lot of publishers are using stock photos in their cover designs now. Luckily, my publisher realized the problem several months before the book was released and they redesigned the cover with a different, but similar, photo.
Opal
cyclops8
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 4:21 am:
I love stepback covers. Some of my favorites include Stephanie Laurens’ Bastion Club series, Jacquie D’Alessandro’s “Never A Lady,” Anna Campbell’s “Tempt the Devil” and Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflower series. I also like the shadowy covers that are used on many romantic suspense books, like Cindy Gerard’s “Show No Mercy” and Geralyn Dawson’s “Never Say Never.”
Marisa
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 7:09 am:
Wow, first let me say there are a whole lot of paranormal romances out once again! I’m really liking the covers on the urban fantasy novels. The tough and street wise heroine standing/crouching/leaping in a back alley or over flames – gets my attention.
I’m not fond of the clinch covers and this month WILD has a SERIOUS clinch cover! YIKES.
The erotic romances always get my attention – they have that ‘bordering on’ kind of moment that makes me want to open the book.
Some of my favorite covers are of the solitary figure like Blue Eyed Devil or Broken Wings. I also enjoy the body parts – like a hand or an eye – I find them intriguing.
Andrea
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 8:34 am:
Good morning, ladies! ITA about using the same cover. I don’t mind if they use part of a cover and maybe switch it up a bit, but when it is the EXACT SAME COVER it bugs me too.
**Oh, and I also wanted to add that on the UF book by Simon R. Green, I spelled “Judgement” the way it is on the cover . . . I’m not sure why it has an extra E . . .**
Andrea
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 8:40 am:
Woo-hoo!! Fantastic video, Marisa and Maria! You ladies ROCK!
Gannon
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 9:01 am:
So many new books! I’ve read a couple and have many more in my TBR pile!!
I really like stepback covers, and I’m really attracted to red covers. Of course, if the yummy Nathan Kamp is on the cover, I’m instantly attracted.;)
My pet peeve is when the people on the cover don’t look the h/h described in the book. It may be a minor thing to some people, but how hard is it to get the hair color right!
Kati
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 9:21 am:
I already did my shopping for this month, although I was aggravated because I checked two book stores for Six by Opal Carew, and I ended up having to order it. Miss Kati does not like to wait for her books.
I’ve read three of the books I bought, with mixed results. Loved Just the Sexiest Man, Loved Veil of Midnight, did NOT love Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl, which I thought was well written and very sexy, but I had a peeve with the heroine that I couldn’t get past.
Anyway, I’ve still got Ecstasy by Jacqueline Frank, Six by Opal Carew (which should be on my doorstep when I get home – woohoo!), The Girl Most Likely To…, and Tempt the Devil by Anna Campbell left. I should get some good reading done this weekend which makes me happy!
I’m really, really looking forward to February releases too, in particular the new In Death book and the new Kristan Higgins, who was one of my favorite finds of last year.
Kati
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 9:24 am:
Oh! And I totally didn’t answer the question. I take very little notice of covers unless I don’t know who the author is.
But there are some authors who I think consistently get terrific covers, JR Ward is one. But for the most part, I don’t take much notice, unless the cover is particularly bad. That’ll make me notice.
Also, I’m not a fan of the naked chest on a cover. Mostly because I think they’re cheesy. Um, except Erin McCarthy’s books. THAT naked chest seems to totally work for me.
What can I say, I’m a mystery all wrapped up in an enigma.
Stacy ~
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 10:20 am:
I’m concentrating on my TBR pile so far, and I’m on my 6th book of the year. I’ve been having a great experience reading, and I don’t want to let it go quite yet.
As for covers, I’m not too picky, but I hate the computer-generated ones that you see for a lot of ebooks. The characters look so fake, ugh. Like from a video game. I’ll take a bare chest any day
Donna
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 10:25 am:
My favorite cover was the original cover of Fancy Pants by susan elizabeth Phillips of the back of her hot pants it got my attention don’t know if I would have picked it up to read the back of the book if the replacement cover would have been on it then …I loved the book….
Hey did you girls know that Robin Schone had a massive heart attack???? she seems to be doing better but she is still very sick….
Donna
Laura
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 11:22 am:
Because I have young children in the house, I prefer the covers to be no picture. It’s hard to explaine to my six year old why that man looks like he’s taking a bite out of that women! I always read the back covers to see what kind of story it will be and make my decision from that. The cover has nothing to do with wether I will read it or not.
Keira
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 12:06 pm:
I enjoy a good photo realistic cover that’s been sent through the computer (or maybe to an artist!) to look like a painting. It makes the feel of the novel more like a fairy tale. Conversely I hate ones that look painted with blurry parts of the figures where quick brush marks took over the carefully defined strokes from the rest of the cover. I also really hate novels that have the wrong coloring for the characters. Really, it’s not that hard to change a few things like hair color or skin color in photoshop through layers or careful highlighting and the hue/saturation balance.
Keira
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 12:07 pm:
*I hate the blurry painting types because they always manage to render the clothing nicely and the faces are done shadowy without definition.
Buffie
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 12:17 pm:
Why do I have to be broke when soooo many good books are out??!!
I’ll be the first to admit that I like a good man cover. Face, chest, full length, really doesn’t matter to me just as long as the hero is featured.
Maureen
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 12:52 pm:
I like a cover that hints at the story and I liked the body part covers when they first came out but now I’m bored of them. I don’t pay too much attention to covers but I have to say that Candice Hern had some beautiful covers on her series with widows.
Karin
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 1:55 pm:
I like pretty much any cover unless the coloring on it is too garish. I’m a monochromatic type girl when it comes to giving a cover a color other than that of the picture. Other than that, and the covers that are inconsistent with the story they’re supposed to represent, I’m not too fussed about the cover.
PJ
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 3:22 pm:
Ahhh – so many books, not nearly enough money.
I’ve read four on the list and have a few more on my TBR. Looks like it’s going to be another terrific year for romance!
It drives me nuts when the people on the cover don’t look anything like the characters in the book. If the heroine is a hoydenish auburn-haired beauty from Scotland why in the world would I want to see a sleek, sophisticated blonde on the cover? Same goes for the hero. I see a black-haired, muscle-bound guy on the cover and that’s the image of the hero that’s imprinted on my brain. Then I start reading the story and all of a sudden he’s turned into a lanky blonde and I’ve turned into a very unhappy reader!
mindy
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 4:16 pm:
i like a cover that is not too busy and does not have too much going on. i also prefer that the cover be kept the same thanks for the contest
DIANE
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 4:28 pm:
I hate it when the people on the cover don’t match the people in the book. Recently there was a book that had a baby wrapped in a pink blanket with a pink bow in her hair and the baby in the book was a boy.
kim v
on Jan 9th, 2009
@ 9:50 pm:
I like a romantic couple on the cover. kimspam66 at yahoo dot com
Marie
on Jan 10th, 2009
@ 1:32 pm:
I prefer cover that give you a hint about the story and characters in the book. And that’s sexy but still classy. From the video above I really like Ransom my Heart and Breakneck. Gorgeous colors!
azteclady
on Jan 10th, 2009
@ 5:13 pm:
Funny, I rarely think of what I like about covers (I love to complain about back cover blurbs, though
)
Without examining too much, I would say that if the cover is overtly sexy yet the actual book is dull or straight laced (in other words, the cover promises things the novel doesn’t deliver) it may annoy me if that cover/promise is the only or main reason I bought the book. However, if I bought the book through a recommendation or because of a review, then the cover is pretty invisible to my consciousness.
If that makes any sense *chuckle*
Andrea
on Jan 10th, 2009
@ 8:32 pm:
My son picked a number and congratulations to mindy!! mindy, if you’ll please send your address to alphamail@romancenovel.tv , we’ll get your book in the mail! Thanks to everyone who posted!
azteclady
on Jan 10th, 2009
@ 9:55 pm:
Congratulations, mindy!
Thank you, Andrea and Romance Novel TV ladies!
Tanya
on Jan 13th, 2009
@ 1:54 pm:
My biggest pet peeve is a great story with a bad cover, that is an ice breaker for me. The cover art should be artistic that is one of the 1st things that draws my eye and then the content. I don’t like when they have a good series with amazing cover art and they change the illustrator (noooooooo)
it ruins the collection will I stop buying it, no..because I’m already commited to the series. Do I like it “big no”…
I also dislike small paper back books …ex. I love patricia briggs series Mercy Thompson series the cover art is great I just the series was offered on bigger paperback it would look amazing.