Judging Books by Their Covers
Books to Read Based on Their Covers
Here we have put together a list of our 6 favourite book covers that we think you should read.
Some books you will know of and may or may not have already read.
Whereas others you might not have heard of, but their covers (and synopsis) might just intrigue you to read them as much as they have with us!
1. 'The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman
Most people, if not everybody, have at least heard of this book by now, and those who have brought it know that it is a hysterical read. This colour choice was for the cover was what caught my attention; the colour contrast of the red, black, and white set each other off boldly. They go well together and the red background catches anyone's attention when they see the book amongst other books. It immediately pulls your eyes to it out of all the other books on a display.
However, once I looked more carefully over the cover, the fox standing in the middle of the title became my favourite thing about this book cover.
Synopsis:
'In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?'
2. ‘Us Three’ by Ruth Jones
The turquoise background cover of this book was what caught my eye the first time I saw this. Then the more I looked at it, the more interested I got. The two magpies on the front sitting on the lines jumped out at me due to them contrasting with the black and white writing on the front.
The cover is just a lovely, simple design which is nice compared to other book covers which sometimes have too much going on, or too many colours, and that then takes your focus away from other details, such as the title sometimes, or other minute things which may appear in the book.
Synopsis:
‘Meet Lana, Judith and Catrin. Best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may.
After the trip of a lifetime, the three girls are closer than ever. But an unexpected turn of events shakes the foundation of their friendship to its core, leaving their future in doubt – there’s simply too much to forgive, let alone forget. An innocent childhood promise they once made now seems impossible to keep ...’
3. 'The Lost Book of the White’ by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu
This book cover drew me in straight away. The various symbols shown on the front make it easy to determine what the book will be about (either magic or fantasy, etc.). The way the red highlights the character on the front and also contrasts with the darker background. All of the details in the symbols make you want to look closer and longer at the book just to make sure you haven't missed anything - which I quite like. I also like that maybe some of the details, like the chains I have noticed going around the character, might be a big part of the storyline, so it was clever and very thoughtful of the author to want to add this detail on the front cover.
Synopsis:
‘Meet Lana, Judith and Catrin. Best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may.
After the trip of a lifetime, the three girls are closer than ever. But an unexpected turn of events shakes the foundation of their friendship to its core, leaving their future in doubt – there’s simply too much to forgive, let alone forget. An innocent childhood promise they once made now seems impossible to keep ...’
4. 'The Circus of Wonders’ by Elizabeth Macneal
Of course, I had to include the incredible Circus of Wonders cover in my Top 3. If you think this is incredible, you would have been absolutely blown away by the indie bookshop editions we had with the sprayed edge (all sold out now I'm afraid!).
We had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth Macneal last month on Zoom, and she gave us a real insight into her thoughts on the cover. She loved the way the green and cream circus stripes pulled you in, and how at first, we sell Nell gracefully swinging on the trapeze but then look up to see she's actually a puppet on a string. Super clever and really reflects the plot well.
Synopsis:
‘1866. In a coastal village in southern England, Nell picks violets for a living. Set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin, Nell's world is her beloved brother and devotion to the sea.
But when Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter his very own leopard girl. It is the greatest betrayal of Nell's life, but as her fame grows, and she finds friendship with the other performers and Jasper's gentle brother Toby, she begins to wonder if joining the show is the best thing that has ever happened to her.
In London, newspapers describe Nell as the eighth wonder of the world. Figurines are cast in her image, and crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. But who gets to tell Nell's story? What happens when her fame threatens to eclipse that of the showman who bought her? And as she falls in love with Toby, can he detach himself from his past and the terrible secret that binds him to his brother?
Moving from the pleasure gardens of Victorian London to the battle-scarred plains of the Crimea, Circus of Wonders is an astonishing story about power and ownership, fame and the threat of invisibility.’
5. 'Honeycomb’ by Joanne M. Harris
I'm a sucker for a bit of sparkle and shine, however, this cover felt really unique to me - the copper metallic on a duck-egg, fabric jacket - just beautiful! Upon reading the blurb, I was really surprised that this book isn't what I expected at all!
This beautiful cover holds a collection of 100 individual fairy tales! The perfect escapist read (and perfectly divided into tiny chunks for lunch breaks!)
Synopsis:
‘Long ago and far away,
Far away and long ago,
The World was honeycomb, we know,
The Worlds were honeycomb.
The beauty of stories is that you never know where they will take you. Full of dreams and nightmares, Honeycomb is an entrancing mosaic novel of original fairy tales from bestselling author Joanne M. Harris and legendary artist Charles Vess in a collaboration that's been years in the making. Dark, gripping, and brilliantly imaginative, these magical tales will soon have you in their thrall.
Each original tale is a small piece of the larger picture - a clue or a message, a theme, or a warning - interwoven with the tale of the Lacewing King as he travels the Worlds and encounters a multitude of characters: a toymaker who wants to create the perfect wife; a princess whose heart is won by words, not actions; a tiny dog whose confidence far outweighs his size; and the vengeful Spider Queen, and deadly Harlequin . . .
Turn the page, and be swept up in the adventure.’
6. 'Madame Burova’ by Ruth Hogan (bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things)
As soon as I saw the cover for this book, I was instantly intrigued! I love how there's a real mix of styles displayed, making it hard to figure out what this character might be like. A full length, glamourous leopard print fur coat, next to metallic military boots, next to a crystal ball and palm map. . .
I later learned from the blurb that this novel would follow not one, but two women. Firstly, we have Madame Burova, a Tarot Reader, Palmist, and Clairvoyant is retiring and leaving her booth on the Brighton seafront after fifty years. We also meet Billie, who's needing to make a fresh start after losing her university job, her marriage, and her place in the world.
I'm really excited to get reading on this one and see how these two women's paths interact.
Synopsis:
‘Imelda Burova has spent a lifetime keeping other people's secrets and her silence has come at a price. She has seen the lovers and the liars, the angels and the devils, the dreamers and the fools. Her cards had unmasked them all and her cards never lied. But Madame Burova is weary of other people's lives, their ghosts from the past and other people's secrets, she needs rest and a little piece of life for herself. Before that, however, she has to fulfil a promise made a long time ago. She holds two brown envelopes in her hand, and she has to deliver them.
In London, it is time for another woman to make a fresh start. Billie has lost her university job, her marriage, and her place in the world when she discovers something that leaves her very identity in question. Determined to find answers, she must follow a trail which might just lead right to Madame Burova's door.
In a story spanning over fifty years, Ruth Hogan conjures a magical world of 1970s holiday camps and seaside entertainers, eccentrics, heroes and villains, the lost and the found. Young people, with their lives before them, make choices which echo down the years. And a wall of death rider is part of a love story which will last through time.’
What author will you read next? Be sure to tell us your favourite picks from this list!
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