Books I Read Purely for the Cover

We’ve all heard the saying: don’t judge a book by its cover. And even though I’m the first person to both agree and at the same time judge a book by its cover, we can’t deny that when we see a beautiful cover its the first thing that draws us into picking it up in the first place. It’s the reason we go into books stores in the first place. Don’t deny it! Why else would you wonder around the shelves at your local books store if it’s not for the sole purpose of looking for a book cover that catches your eye. Which brings me to my second point: the importance of book covers. I know it’s the content that matters at the end of the day. I mean, you’re not going to sit and stare at the cover instead of enjoying the story, but can we just agree that unless you know the author or the book or the genre overall the cover is the only thing you have to go by when you’re deciding to buy it? Especially since most book stores now a days only have wrapped books that you can’t open and read?

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

The historian Elizabeth’s debut novel with over five hundred pages. It tells the merge story of the real life Dracula Vlad Tepes “Son of the Dragon” or “Vlad the Impaler” the king of modern day Romania and the famous character by Bram Stroker (who badges his novel on a castle by the sea in Scotland, not Hungary as is commonly thought). The book follows the story of Paul, a professor and his 16 year old daughter who travel to modern day Romania and Hungary in search for Vlad’s tomb. Little do they know that strange things start to happen along the journey. 

Cover

I picked up this book when I was 16 years old and walked into my favorite books store only to be met by the red dragon that was so characteristic of the Spanish edition cover. Dracula had always been one of my favorite books growing up, and there was just something about that red dragon that drew me in.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

The debut novel by young adult author Beth Revis, Across the Universe is book one of the trilogy: Across the Universe, A Million Suns and Shades of Earth. It tells the story of two main characters Elder and Amy who meet in an unexpected way: Elder, the co-captain of a spaceship that’s bound for a new planet, meets Amy, a 16 year old girl who is traveling with her parents on said ship to colonize the new planet. The mystery of who woke her up and why the ship is broken and whats the meaning of life is explored in this series.

Cover

I came across this cover when my Goodreads feed page recommended it to me. I couldn’t help but double take the fact that this book had stars on the cover. I mean how beautiful is that?

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

This book I just finished today but had to be mentioned in this post. It tells the story of the Los Ángeles Public Library burning in 1986. And you might think to yourself? The fire warrants a whole 300 page book? Yes and no. The author obviously covers the fire and the culprit and the trial, but the book goes even deeper than that. It tells the story of the Los Angels Public Library and the importance of books for a community. 

Cover

I came across this book when I was browsing through the English book section of my local bookstore and the red cover really stood out to me. Sadly, the back of the book offers nothing in the way of summary and the only available copy was wrapped in plastic. But I already ranted about this in my previous post. So what did I do? Buy it of course.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Tells the story of Nora Seed who unhappy with her choices in life decides to commit suicide only to wake up in the midnight library where she is given a second chance to know what previous choices would have lead her life to be. 

Cover

Just like Across the Universe, Midnight Library depict the cover as if it were in an alternate universe. The midnights sky in the background, the blend of colors of the building, the unassuming cat walking a towards it. I just love the blend of colors and midnight blue background. 

Egon: Crónicas de Mittgard by Edgard Westerndorp 

Sadly, only a Spanish book as of the writing of this post, it tells the epic story of this Germanic based society in medieval times in a fictional world in norther Europe and how the unforgotten son of a powerful empire becomes emperor himself after the failed assaination attempts by his brothers. It’s a mouth full and epic story. I have yet to find something that compares. 

Cover

One of the few epic novels I’ve come across that doesn’t depict the main character half naked on a horse with a sword. It was also refreshing to see that the box the duology came in had a summary in the back instead of blurbs. 

And those are my picks for today. What books have you bought solely for a beautiful cover? Do you think covers are important? Would you buy a book with an ugly cover?