TTT: Covers that Worked, Covers that Didn’t

Maybe I should change my TTT image to showcase my reorganized bookcases…but I’m a little attached to this one, so it’ll stay!

This week’s Top Ten talks about cover redesigns. I’ve previously talked about this ways back when it came to cover redesigns I wasn’t a fan of, but I’m going to go with a number that I liked. Thing is, this is really an aesthetic choice on my part, and my choices tend to go to “I like actual designs” versus “let’s slap a teenager/realistic-ish face on the cover design and call it a day.”

I also just did seven because I got way too picky XD.

Seven Book Cover Redesigns That I Enjoyed

Before: Two characters on a bench with an overview of the Eiffel Tower. The characters’ hands are palms down on the bench, fingers almost touching, with the cover title “Anna and the French Kiss” embossed on the bench rungs.

After: A shadow cityscape with the Eiffel Tower with a grainy texture in gradient pink, red, and orange. The text “Anna and the French Kiss” is largely imposed over the background image, with a sketch of a heart next to the word “kiss.”

I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve always liked the cover of the latter image, from the color gradient of choice to the font used. It’s simpler and doesn’t give me any idea of what any of the characters look like, which is fine by me.

Before: Two profile silhouettes, one in yellow, the other in blue, are facing off against each other. The picture of a school on a hill is placed in black at the bottom. The author “Rainbow Rowell” and title “Carry On” are stylized and take up the top and bottom of the cover.

After: A fanart of the two characters, Simon Snow (brown-haired holding a sword) and Basilton Grimm-Pitch (black-haired holding a wand), standing behind the coiling shape of a purple dragon. The text “Rainbow Rowell” and “Carry On” are stylized and placed at the bottom half of the cover.

Honestly, I loved the first cover as is, but I could never say no to imagined fanart, and I fell in love with these illustrations, which showed up in Fangirl.

Before: The background of a forest brush and tree surrounding the corners, behind is a castle covered up in mist. At the center is a round blue gemstone with the half-face of the main character. The title “The Girl of Fire and Thorns” is placed on the top half of the cover.

After: Simple styling of vines surrounding the title, “The Girl of Fire and Thorns.” In the bottom half middle is a castle placed atop the drawing of a rose.

I love the simple rendition of this cover. I have the original three that came out, and it’s pretty, but I can see the connection of the title and the cover image much better in the redesign.

Before: An illustrated version of Sabriel herself, in her blue Abhorsen surcoat, with the seven bells strapped to her bandolier. Behind stands a menacing shadow spirit. The title “Sabriel” is at the top.

After: A charter sign that looks like a bold T inscribed in a circle is placed in the middle of the cover. The image of Sabriel journeying in the distance is at the bottom of the cover. The title “Sabriel” is stylized at the top, and the author name “Garth Nix” at the bottom.

The older cover I’ve always loved (I don’t think it’s the original), but the new set is also just as good, and I do love that the charter signs are different, yet consistent in each of the new redesigns of the Abhorsen series.

Before: A young woman in a flowy white ballgown stands at the middle. The background is grainy white on one side and black on the other. The text “Shatter Me” is cut through the middle, and beneath that is the author’s name, “Tahereh Mafi.”

After: An illustration of an eye with a blue iris. Over the eyelashes is a shadow rendition of a forest, birds flying above. Instead of tearing up, the eye is releasing a waterfall underneath. At the bottom half, the words “Shatter” is in white, and “Me” is in blue. Underneath that is “Tahereh Mafi.”

I cannot tell you how happy I am they changed the cover of this book, not that I even knew there was a redesign! I always thought the eye-covers were the original, but I was wrong. Still, much better as eye-covers than ballgowns.

Before: The image of a blonde young lady facing the front, with a knife strapped to her shoulder. Behind is a silhouette of a blue castle in a black backdrop. The text “Throne of Glass, Sarah J. Maas” is at the bottom half of the cover.

After: The illustration of the long, platinum-haired main character walking forward, hands down and away from her hips, clenching two swords on each side. The text “Sarah J. Maas” is at the top, and the title “Throne of Glass” takes up the half bottom part of the cover.

Again, there’s my preference! Fanart > realistic depiction of characters in books. I love that the entire series is rendered in the new redesign, so at least there’s also that for collectors (like me) who would go crazy having to match her books.

Before: An illustration of a white-haired (or blonde) man in a black trenchcoat looking over the city atop a balconyThe man stands with his back to the reader, and he is holding a wine glass. The rest of the image is awash in bright orange colors, and the word “Vicious, V.E. Schwab” is at the top half of the cover.

After: The cover has the word “Vicious” in the center of the book, the text white amid a deep red background. There is a shadow of a man in a black trenchcoat standing behind the letter “I”, his shadow behind him is a triangular illustration of skulls and bones. At the bottom is the author’s name, “V.E. Schwab” also in white.

Honestly, I have no problems with either cover. I have the original one, but I’m thinking of getting a second copy just so I can complete my set of Vicious and Vengeful. In any case, I do love that the second cover has a bit of a Shades of Magic feel to it. It’s lovely, really.

Phew. That was a lot to talk about! How about you? What cover redesigns did you absolutely love?