Current Favorite Book Covers (Hard Cover)
As a designer and illustrator, I'll be the first to admit that I judge a book by its cover. Obviously, I love book covers. Here are some of my current favorite covers of hardback books that I own and why.
"I Hope This Doesn't Find You" by Ann Liang: I love a good digital illustration, and you can feel the animosity between the two main characters. The overall cover is simple, though I would have chosen a different font.
"You, Again" by Kate Goldbeck: I'm not a giant fan of the way Josh and Ari are illustrated, but I love how the leaves contrast with the yellow in the cover.
"Permanent Record" by Mary H.K. Choi: I'll be honest: I didn't mean to buy this book. I didn't like "Permanent Record," and I got it confused with "Emergency Contact," which I loved. But I'm glad I bought it because it's such a cool cover. Not only is the art beautiful, but it's also an interactive cover. The book jacket itself is really cool, but when you open it, you can see that the right side of the jacket is actually part of the book's cover. It's such a compelling cover that perfectly captures the vibe of the book.
"Love Off the Record" by Samantha Markum: Since this book is about two student journalists, "Love Off the Record" is special to me. But it's also got a really great cover. Besides the illustration itself, which is cute and very much journalistic, I love the cooler tones contrasted with Three's sweater and the title text. Personally, I would have gone without the doodles, but overall, it's a great cover.
"The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley: This cover is possibly one of the coolest I've ever seen. When I saw it, I instantly recognized it as Andrew Footit's work. As usual, Andrew's lettering/illustration is incredible, and I would absolutely buy and frame this cover as a poster.
"Not in Love" by Ali Hazelwood: I think this is my favorite Ali Hazelwood cover. I love how the dark blue contrasts against that light pink, and the pops of red. I also love the way the cover is laid out. One thing I'm not crazy about, though, is that little squiggly tube at the bottom right. I know why it's there, but I still don't like it.
"Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands" by Heather Fawcett: This cover feels like a book that you would find on a shelf in the world of Emily Wilde. The typeface choice is perfect and fantastical, and I love how it flows. I also love that the entire thing is framed by a border of illustrations from of things from the book.
