Welcome to Cover Awe! This is where we discuss covers that catch our eye. In this edition, several of the covers break with convention on what we typically see. Let us know what you think!
Elyse: I’ve talked a lot about thrillers and the commodification of female bodies, but this woman looks strong and powerful to me
And I like that her stomach isn’t perfectly flat.
Sarah: That’s really interesting. I dislike the pose and the objectification in the framing. I agree with you about her strength and the way her abdomen isn’t airbrushed to impossible smoothness.
Amanda: I don’t know if it’s a cover I’d be drawn to, but I do like Elyse’s point about the woman’s body. Also, her arms are amazing.
I do like the color scheme of black, purple, and this shiny green/teal color.
CarrieS: I don’t like the implications of it being for a thriller.
Amanda. I kind of love the way he looks at her.
Sarah: Wow that’s a cover
Elyse: It conveys intimacy in a way a lot of covers don’t.
I find it interesting how often the hero/heroine aren’t looking at each other on cover art.
Amanda: Yes! The eye contact on this is extremely important.
CarrieS: I like the color scheme – it glows.
Amanda: This cover gives me the spooks in the best way.
Elyse: It’s creepy, but striking
CarrieS: I like that it communicates what the book is (I assume). Some people love grimdark fantasy and some don’t, so you know right away whether you should pick the book up or not.
Elyse: Omg a cover that features people who are not 22. And look genuinely pleased to be with each other.
Amanda: Yeah, they’re not in a weird embrace where it looks like the heroine is struggling to get away.
Elyse: Or needs chiropractic care. Romance heroines: vertebrae optional.
Love the smile lines around the eyes of that last couple.
The last one is my favorite — now THAT looks like love.
The guy’s hairdo in “The Governess Game” is two hundred years ahead of its time (anachronistic much?), but the gaze is fabulous.
Beneath the Citadel is an awesome cover. I love the cover of When Love Calls and after reading the book blurb I bought the book.
@Qualisign
I agree, because of the guys haircut it makes the cover look more like a contemporary romance.
I am on the fence about the gaze. I think the young woman has the cutest expression but the hero’s expression is a bit off. He does have some nice guns on him though. 🙂
Wow! I love the cover on Sharon Cooper’s novella. Anyone read it? I hope the story is as great as the cover. Shared humor, affection, maturity aren’t often shown on cover plus a couple of color.
Just one clicked Sharon Cooper’s book on the strength of that cover alone! Catnip.
The cover for “Buried in Lies” – looks like there is glitter on her thigh, emanating from the mighty V.
Sharon Cooper’s novella cover is lovely! I like that it features an older couple and also looks classy. Sometimes a lot of these tend to have cheesy, self-pubbed looking covers that unfortunately detract from whatever may be inside. I’m reading a book by Dee Ernst right now that’s got a 26 year old guy with a 45 year old woman and I have to say, it’s nice to see older women having a sex life, alone with all the stuff that can happen as we age!
I love the cover of “Knight’s Curse” by Karen Duvall. It was one of the Luna imprint’s books. So pretty.
Love the “When Love Calls” cover. LOVE IT.
The Tessa Dare cover is very nice except the guy’s hair is all wrong. In the age of governesses, guys did not wear their hair like that.
Hate hate hate nude women, even strong, normal-looking women, on thriller covers because I reckon there’s a 99% chance at least one woman is being brutalized in the story and I’d hate that anyway, quite apart from the objectification issues.
Recently been getting a spate of BookBub notifications for women-in-jeopardy thrillers and wondering why. I never buy them.
Imagine my surprise when my editor informed me that my book cover for WHEN LOVE CALLS made your “Cover Awe: Not the Usual” list! This is awesome!
Thanks so much for the mention!
Click on Sharon’s name (just above this comment) and see all the amazing covers — this is clearly not an exception. THERE IS A WOMAN IN A HARD HAT!
Just thought I’d share my excitement for the covers.
HUGE thanks to Selestiele Designs (Noelle Pierce) for capturing my vision and creating the book cover – WHEN LOVE CALLS (and most of my other covers)! http://www.selestieledesigns.com/
Buried in Lies cover makes me think the lady on the cover is the one being buried.
Love love love the When Love Calls cover, and one clicked it!
Re #1
I love the weird glittery forest floor – colours like a stained-glass cathedral. It’s grand enough for fantasy, not only mystery. Maybe a mixture, an ent detective story…
Also very refreshing, the way the title takes second place to the model – despite the sinister placement of the over- and underlays and them echoing the creepy title. I just hate the ‘slap title on top’ formula so much, and love something more poetic, like this.
Guess I skim-read physicality, though, I’m only seeing strength in her neck , because it’s quirked and she’s otherwise reclining. …There are happier positions for dynamic neck display. Like dancing. All those historicals with ballroom scenes, but not on the cover.