I think everyone agrees, book covers are important. An attractive cover catches the eye whether you’re shopping in a brick and mortar store or browsing your favorite online book store. If it’s pretty, you’re more likely to click or pick it up right?
For me, not as much. I tend to buy books based on recs from friends, Twitter and blogger buzz, etc. But I am not immune to the draw of the gorgeous cover. Case in point:
Jaci Burton’s Play by Play series is cover gold. This is one of the few series where I eagerly anticipate the next cover reveal. These covers are beautiful…and HOT. I made the decision to read this series based on recs from friends but I’m not going to lie to you, I got grabby hands when the first one arrived on my doorstep for review.
Another series that I look forward to the cover reveals is Lauren Dane’s Phantom Corps series:
Are you seeing a pattern here? 
On the other hand I’ve read some amazing books with unfortunate covers.
Sheltered by Charlotte Stein was a great book but if I was browsing I would have passed this one over quickly. I bought it because a trusted friend promised me the read was much better than the cover, and it was. Thank goodness for recs.
Some series I anticipate the cover reveals because I’m excited about the next release and any little tidbit I get is exciting and appreciated.
J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series doesn’t have especially great covers but I’m always so excited about the next release, I practically turn inside out when the new cover is revealed. (Is it March 26th yet? I need Lover at Last!!!)
But while I appreciate nice covers, I’m not much of a cover stalker. I have a fairly short list of series I watch for new covers and I enjoy browsing around the book store looking at the pretties, but I just rely on my Twitter buddies and blogger friends to point out the stand out covers.
What series do you stalk for the cover reveals? Is there a particular cover that took your breath away? What book did you love but had to hide the cover from yourself because it was THAT bad?
About FV Sophia
HA! My eight year old daughter saw me reading The Perfect Play (paper version not ebook) and she literally stopped in tracks, grabbed the book out of my hands and told me that was one nice looking man. 8 YEARS OLD! She even asked if she could have it when I was done. So yes, I am teaching my daughter the finer points in book selection.
LOL That’s funny. I love that she asked for it when you’re done LOL
I actually don’t anticipate cover reveals ‘cos, honestly, I never thought to do so. I’m very visual so I tend to pick up books with eye-catching covers – artistic or just plain hot. However, I also learned many times over that gorgeous covers don’t necessarily = well-written books. Sometimes, I forget that lesson.
The covers on the Play-by-Play and Phantom Corp series took my breath away when I first saw them. Everything else around me disappeared when my eyes glommed onto the covers. It was just me and the men. Forget the books, just give me the covers. Life-size. Sigh. Btw, don’t get me wrong, the Play-by-Play series were good too. As for Phantom Corp series, I’m still struggling through Insatiable. I don’t know why I’m not into it. Every now and then, I return to it to try to make it through. I’m still trying cos I love the cover that much.
Bad Covers:
I love Joanna Wylde’s Reaper’s Property but really hated that initial cover that came with it. U.G.H. I tried to not see it each time I re-read the book. Nope. Doesn’t exist. For me, Horse would look like the guy on the cover of “How To Draw Fallen Angels” by Mike Butkus and Michelle Prather… minus the wings and blood, of course.
Charlotte Stein’s Sheltered was really good. The cover ruined it for me though. It was that bad that I couldn’t get it out of my mind.
Covers I wish were better:
Adrian Phoenix’s Maker’s Song series.
(I’m sure there were a few others, but I can’t think of any right now)
Oh I forgot about Reaper’s Property. That is another one I would have passed by if not for friends recs. I’m glad they gave that on a new cover.
I agree that a great cover can catch my attention. I also follow the reviews and my favorite author recommendations. But I mostly fall in love with an author, then I will read EVERYTHING they have ever written and then stalk them waiting for the next book – lol.
y favorite series TBR List:
Reckless by S.C. Stephens,
Too Far series by Abbi Glines,
Rocked Series by Cora Hawkes
Metamorphasis Series by Erin Noelle
Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day
The Edge Series by J.A. Redmerski
The Storm Series by Samantha Towle
The Hopeless & Slammed Series by Colleen Hoover
That’s enough for now, I could go on, and on, and on…
I tend to glom up an authors backlist if I’ve read a couple of books I really like.
I don’t generally have a visceral reaction to covers but the Jaci Burton Play by Play series is an exception! The first couple of cogers were shocking they were so well done. But my favorite cover ever is Karen Marie Moning’s Shadowfever hardcover cover. When I took it out of the shipping package I just stopped and stared at it. I have never seen another cover that has a clear cello outer cover. Bad covers? There are so many! I think A Mermaid’s Kiss by Joey W. Hill is up there among the worst ever.
What do those you like covers have in common? Aside from model Paul Marron? Cover artist Claudio Marinesco, of course. See his site http://www.iclaudio.com, click on “Books” and “Set 2″. You’ll be glad you did.
http://www.iclaudio.com/#/client/template.xml?aaa=portfolio/66514 (don’t know if the link will work)
Verra nice. Thanks for the link.
Jaci Burton’s Play by Play series definitely has the best covers. I had trouble actually getting past the cover in the first book, The Perfect Play. Couldn’t stop staring long enough to open the book. Lol. And while reading book two, Changing the Game, my hubby grabbed it, looked at the cover and said, “Baseball players don’t really look like that.” and walked away. Lol.
Covers really do it for me, which I’m ashamed to admit. Honestly, if it doesn’t have a great cover, I’m probably going to put off reading it. For example, I’ve heard wonderful things about the Colorado Mountain series by Kristen Ashley, but I just can’t get down with the covers, which means I keep putting off the books.
By the way, I’m right their with you, the 26th needs to happen ASAP, can’t wait for Quinn and Blay!
Lol, I do love watching covers with hot men on them especially, but I don’t anxiously await a cover release day. A series with very very lovely step covers, is the Sisters of the Heart series by Christine Feehan. Those men took my breath away!
I also have some old romance books with 3D covers, and I have to admit, I once won a book with such a scary cover, I never will pick it up.
Covers aren’t that huge a deal for me – my e-reader is e-ink, so they don’t look so wonderful. That being said, I still pay attention because, to me, they set the tone for the book as they’re publicized pre-release. The Jaci Burton and Lauren Dane covers you showed are the very top of the list of stunning covers, to the point that I even got the cards from Jaci (because I couldn’t pin my e-reader up on my office bulletin board). And wow, are they droolworthy.
Conversely, I hate pink covers; especially in historicals, which always have that “valentine-shop-exploded” look. OMG, they give me hives.
Yay, love this post. I wasn’t a fan of first cover in Play by Play series-he is too bulky for my taste, but the last one is amazing. That man is pure perfection. .. I love covers for Lori Foster’s MWWTEOH series:
Cover that took my breath away:
Bad covers: first that comes in mind is actually latest Kresley Cole: MacRieve. I really don’t like it…
Hmm, image didn’t work for me…