The power of covers or do you judge a book by its cover?

Now this post is inspired by a conversation I recently had with a friend I love chatting with over books and their covers.

She is a big fan of shirtless men on book cover. Yes “M”, it’s YOU I’m talking about! But don’t be ashamed it should apply to more than 70% of my friends as well as… me I must grudgingly confess.

So let’s talk about cover and their power on us readers.

With more than 200.000 books being published every year it’s a hard battle for writers to attract readers.What’s the reader’s decision process? Well of course your friend’s recommendations, advertising, past experiences with an author etc.

But when you see a book none of your friends has read, by an author you’ve not read yet, the cover plays an important role. If the cover is plain, the chance is great you won’t even read the blurb and give the book a second look. I’m no different honestly.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it’s true! The cover has to embody what the book is about.

If you’re a fan of smoky hot romance and dominant males, you won’t buy a book sporting that kind of cover

 except if you’re into shifters maybe…

No you would look after this kind of book 

and I’m sure you would only notice his deep, deep blue eyes…or not.

Because it seems seeing the guy’s eyes is not what’s important if we base our opinion on such covers :

Who said eyes are the mirror of the soul?????

So these were all lickable covers right? “M” get your fill I chose them just for you as we aim to please.

But there are other lickable covers, the ones that are just so pretty and colorful they remind me of sweets.

Here are some of the “candy covers” masters:

Amelie Fisher

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And one of my favorite cover and book as well (stack up on tissues) A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

If you’re into “the dark side of the force” and want some dark and twisted story, you should go after this kind of cover 

and you would not be disappointed as it’s been an incredibly sick, twisted but oh so compelling story (review ).

Regency romance fans would buy in a heartbeat covers like these :

Scoundrel, I love that word it’s like historical p@rn right alongside rogue, rascal. They’re all synonyms for bad boys but with so much poise and panache. Hell I’m all swoony reading these words and I’m not even a fan of the genre!

And when you’re a fantasy/PNR fan like me, someone loving stories for teens/YA filled with kickass heroines, epic adventures, quests and incredible sidekicks you go for these covers:

Click for the reviews: When I Darken ; Lady Midnight, Empire of Storms , King’s Cage

Or these covers too

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It’s just to name a few because they’re like “my personal brand of drug” (famous retort from Twilight)

Now all that is assuming the cover is matching the book…

In other words that you can judge a book by its cover. But have you ever bought a book based on its cover and blurb just to be sooo disappointed?

Well it’s happened once or twice, the most epic failure being .

As I’m more a “half full glass” kind of girl and would rather speak about great surprises than bash books I’d like to share with you two book covers that I found plain or even a little “ugly” (gasp! I said ugly speaking of books!!! ) but that turned out two of the best books I’ve ever read.

If you don’t know them already please give them a chance if you’re either:

* in teen /YA for (review: The Serpent King ) because that book is just fantastic!!!!

*in gorgeous romance

Now I would really, really like to know more about your most gorgeous covers and even better, unassuming covers that turned out fantastic reads for you. Go on, the floor is yours.