The phrase “Never Judge A Book By Its Cover” has a lot of negative connotations to it. It’s related to not judging someone or something based on their outward appearance but on how they are inside.
However it goes the other way too, especially in the literary world. Book covers are essential. They are the first thing a potential reader sees. If you’re standing in the “What’s Hot!” section in Barnes & Noble with 50 different books to look at, you will start judging the books by the cover and look at one that intrigues you. Book covers play a crucial role in attracting readers and sparking curiosity.
In this monthly article, I will judge books by their covers. By that, I mean I will highlight 5 of the best book covers from books releasing in June. These are the types of books that I see at a bookstore, and they immediately draw me in for a variety of reasons.
For The Love of Summer by Susan Mallery (June 4th)
View on Amazon.com It’s that time of year again; when book covers are fighting to be one of the top “Summer reads”. Looking at all of the books this month, For The Love of Summer is the one that stood out to me the most.
The colour choices of blue and dark yellow are perfect. The yellow gives a nice warm feel, just what you want when you think of Summer.
It shows a female relaxing on a bench in front of the ocean, staring off into the distance wistfully, relaxing but thinking on a hot Summer afternoon.
It’s something that we can all visualize doing. Taking a break from life, and just letting the world go on around us. Who doesn’t want to be that girl right now? Sitting on the bench with all the time in the world. That’s why this one drew me in.
“For The Love of Summer” is a standalone novel by the New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery. It’s about friendship in unlikely places, and an unbreakable bond between daughters and their mothers.
Murder at the Rusty Anchor by Maddie Day (June 25th)
View on Amazon.com I don’t read cozy mysteries that often, but I can’t get enough of their book covers. There are a lot of great cozy mystery covers this month, but this one really stood out to me.
The art style initially draws me in. It’s illustrative and somewhat whimsical. It’s very colourful and looks like a hand-drawn illustration. It also gives a nostalgic approach and is the sort of book cover you immediately feel comfortable with.
However, beyond all of that, there is some mystery to it. Obviously, the title of the book intrigues me, but I’m referring more to that open door. I immediately have questions and want to know why it’s open and what happened here.
That’s the sort of thing I like – when a book cover captures my intrigue immediately, even over something as simple as a door left open.
“Murder At The Rusty Anchor” is the sixth novel in the “Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery” series by Maddie Day. Maddie is the author of various other cozy mystery series, and her “Country Store Mysteries” series is her most popular book series on Book Notification.
A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas (June 25th)
View on Amazon.com What I really like about this book is that it screams “historical fiction” right off the bat. If you’re browsing the bookshelves and are a fan of historical fiction, this one will jump out at you as soon as you see the stone walls and cobblestone streets.
Even more so, it gives you that mystery vibe, which is perfect because it is a historical mystery.
The art style is very well done, and the use of shadow and light really enhances the sense of mystery to it. As does the alleyway being illuminated by the single streetlamp.
I’m also a big fan of the font usage. The font gives a classic, timeless feel to it. And with many Sherlock Holmes fans out there, stating “The Lady Sherlock Series” at the top is a nice touch. Right off the bat, it explains to potential readers it is part of a series and captures attention with the word “Sherlock” in it.
“A Ruse of Shadows” is the eighth novel in the ‘Lady Sherlock’ series by Sherry Thomas. This is her most popular series on Book Notification. The first novel in the series is “A Study in Scarlet Women”, published in 2016.
View on Amazon.com One thing I like about a book cover is when you can tell what genre it is from a quick glance. One look at this one, and I know it will be in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Genre.
There’s just something about this book cover that draws me in. I love the artwork and the mystical and futuristic ambience to it. All of the details in the tendrils and the face. This is a beautiful cover. When I see the time spent just on the cover alone, I’m going to trust that this author is very passionate about their work.
That’s something that always stands out for me and is important: detail. When I see a lot of detail in a cover, it really indicates the work and care that the author has for the book. The striking central image of the face on the book and the turquoise hue make it stand out.
I’m also a big fan of the clear fonts and the colour choices for the book title and author name.
“Mirrored Heavens” is the third and final book of the the ‘Between Earth & Sky’ trilogy by Rebecca Roanhorse. This book is an Amazon Editor’s pick in the Sci-Fi & Fantasy category. The first novel in this series, ‘Black Sun’, won the “Best Book” at the Alex Awards in 2021.
Middletide by Sarah Crouch (June 11th)
View on Amazon.com To close this article out for this month, I wanted to focus on the mystery / thriller genre. This is my favourite genre, and I love going to bookstores, looking at all the covers, and noting which book covers draw me in.
After picking Middletide, I was impressed to discover that this is a debut novel by Sarah Crouch. That’s an excellent sign from a new author, and I’ve pre-ordered this one based primarily on that.
A cover in the mystery genre must draw you in, and that’s precisely what this book cover does. The tranquil, misty forest creates an atmospheric and mysterious mood as soon as you see it. I do not know what happened in that forest, but it’s usually never good!
“Less is more” really comes into play here. I don’t know anything about this book based on the cover, but it has drawn me in and intrigued me—and that’s the important thing. I’m looking forward to giving that book a try come release day.
“Middletide” is the first novel by debut author Sarah Crouch. The author Patti Callahan Henry describes it as ‘a riveting mystery….immersive and richly drawn’. Sarah is a professional marathon runner, and the book is based in the area which she was raised, the Pacific Northwest.
What covers have you seen this month that have really jumped out at you? Let us know in the comments below!