TGIF at GReads! is a weekly feature for Fridays created to re-cap the week's posts and to propose a question to followers.
The question for this week is:
Book Appeal: When you're browsing Goodreads, the library, or
another blogger's reviews, what grabs your attention to make you want to
read it?
This question is very easy for me - book cover! It doesn't matter whether I am at the library, searching through Goodreads, or through other blogs, the first thing that has to catch me is the cover. If I don't find the cover the least bit intriguing, it is not very likely I even bother to read the summary. I know I probably miss out on some great books because of it, but the cover is a huge factor for me.
In some cases, even if a cover doesn't draw my attention right away, but I know from a friend or another blogger, whose opinion I trust and value, that said book is definitely worth reading, I will pick it up, and at least give it a try.
Next is always the summary. Even though you can get lucky by just picking up a book with a stunning cover without even reading the back cover, it can also backfire. I always, always read the summary because even when some books' covers practically scream at me to "pick them up and read them", there have been books where I absolutely adored the covers, but could not connect to the plot at all. So, even though I tend to do it quite a bit, I probably shouldn't judge a book solely by its cover.
Speaking of covers, here are a few of my favorites from last year:
When I first saw this cover, it gave me the creeps. I could feel chills running down my spine without even knowing what it was about. All I knew was I had to read it.
I haven't read this book yet, but this is another one of those covers which drew me in the second I saw it. There is something about this, that just will not let me go.
Another gorgeous and haunting cover. The story fit the cover very well.
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ReplyDeleteIt's right here :)
Well, the book cover is the first you see from the book and of course it calls your attention. But I always reed the summary, especially since I'm a Kindle reader because ebooks also have a cover but in black-white. So the summary has more importance to me. In addition, I think that German or Spanish books have different covers (type, color,...) than English ones. Don't you think so? Hm, I don't know...(because the books don't have always the same covers in different languages...well the most famous yes...)
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right, most books have different covers, depending on which country you're living in. Take the cover for Lockdown for example. The cover I posted here is the US cover, but if you look at the UK cover, it is completely different. I'm not a fan of the UK cover at all, to be honest.
DeleteAny idea why there are different covers in different countries?¿?¿?¿?¿
ReplyDeleteI think it's mainly because there are different publishers in different countries. I actually just googled it, and someone said part of it is because of cultural differences, part is because stories get interpreted in different ways. Plus, part of it is because of sales numbers too. Some covers sell better in certain countries than others, I guess.
DeleteOh, I'm sooo happy you put the Soul Screamers series on your wishlist!!! Together with the Escape from Furnace series it's by far my favorite series at the moment!!! I really hope you'll fall in love with characters and their world too. :D "My Soul to Take" is the first actual book, but there is a short novella called "My Soul to Lose" which is a prequel to "MSTTake". You should be able to get the novella on amazon. I'm so excited!!! You have to tell me what you think when you're done reading them, you just have to!!! :D
Oh, and "Anna Dressed In Blood" is an amazing book!!! I wasn't sure whether I would like it, but I actually ended up loving it. I can't wait for the second book to be released. :)
Hahaha, you're so cute, Ina! Well, these two books are together with other 200 "could-be-interesting"-books on my wish list. And the ebooks on my Kindle are also waiting...so, have a little patience ;-). But first of all, I have to finish the last book of Vampire Acadamy. I love it sooo sooo sooo much! It's really sad that's the last part. Hope to finish this weekend between excursion, carneval, meeting friends,...
DeleteAh! According the book cover I think it's a little bit strange because we have different cultures but on the other hand side it's "just" a cover. The most important thing is the plot/ story which you can't change only for another culture or country. Hm.
DeleteThat's the thing though, for publishers - and authors I would think - it's not "just" a cover. Often times, it's covers that help sell books even more. An intriguing cover catches attention, so readers will get drawn to have a closer look at it and check out what it is about. If it's a really boring cover, some readers might just ignore it without a second glance. You have to cater to the right group of readers of want to attract, I guess. :)
DeleteBy the way...put "Anna dressed in blood" and "My soul to take" on my wish list! Sound interesting! Which is the first book of the "Soul Screamers"-serie? (because this one isn't the first, isn't it?
ReplyDelete