Everyone knows the age-old idiom "Don't judge a book by its cover," which usually refers to not judging a person based on their appearance. But how often do we take it literally? Don't judge a real book by its physical cover. As ironic as it is, considering where I work, I am constantly judging real books by their covers. Gorgeous artwork, popping colors, and unique fonts are just some of the traits a cover can have that pique my interest. Here, I have compiled a list of books I judged by their covers and really enjoyed. -Aubrey
Bride
by Ali Hazelwood
Anyone who knows me knows I am an absolute sucker for vampires (pun not intended). This book cover features our beautiful vampiric bride, Misery, and her alpha wolf husband, Lowe. The gorgeous artwork paired with the eye-catching red text drew me in while shelving books one day, and I am so glad I checked out. The book centers around Misery as she tries to adjust to living in a house full of Weres. She is absolutely certain that everyone in the house hates her, including her new husband, as their two species have been at each other's throats for years. And did I mention this is a marriage of convenience? This slow-burn was so hard to put down and will absolutely be in my top five books for 2024.
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Cryptid Club
by Sarah Andersen
I first found this book while perusing the shelves of Books-a-Million, unaware that we had it right in our library. The first thing that caught my eye was the unique font with its glossy/shiny pink finish. Once I saw the cute little creatures on the cover, I was sold (more like the book was sold; to me). Not only does Andersen make the cryptids adorable, but she also gives them cute personality traits that are surprisingly relatable. These comics constantly made me smile and I recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, light-hearted read.
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everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too
by Jomny Sun
I love space, so when I saw this insecure-looking alie(b)n paired with a starry background, I knew I had to read it. This graphic novel is set, however, primarily on Earth. Our protagonist alien has been sent to observe Earth, and while he is there, he finds acceptance, friendship, and love. While there were many moments that made me smile, this book also had some hard truths that made me stop and think for a while. Although there are no humans in this book, I found myself relating to some of the creatures throughout.
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My Roommate is a Vampire
by Jenna Levine
As previously established, I love a good vampire book. The first thing that caught my attention on the cover was the contrasting colors. Of course, my eyes were then drawn to the upside-down vampire Frederick and his human roommate Cassie. There are so many little details on the cover that represent the characters well and highlight their glaring differences. This rom-com-esque slow-burn follows Cassie and Frederick as they learn more about each other through shared notes and infrequent meetings.
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Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo is my favorite author, and I have never been disappointed by one of her books. I first read Shadow and Bone 7 years ago, and it still has not lost its beauty for me. I picked up this book from the teen section (before it was its own room) when it had its original cover (pictured to the left). I was very intrigued by how dark and mysterious the cover was: a foreboding palace, white deer antlers, and wispy shadows coming off of the unique font. And, as you can probably tell, I found the story even more intriguing than the cover. Alina Starkov has always been mediocre at best, until one day, she reveals a dormant power that could save her entire country. She is then taken away from all she knows and the only person she truly cares for to master her new gift. As tension continues to rise, Alina discovers something that could put the whole country in danger. Shadow and Bone has been combined with another one of Bardugo's series to create a Netflix original show of the same title.
About the Author
Aubrey is a circulation clerk and has been working at EPL since 2022. Her ideal reading environment is either curled up on the couch or sitting on a rocking chair outside in the sun. When she’s not reading, she’s working on her music education coursework or playing her trumpet.