Q: Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book that you’ve read and loved?
When you first start reading in any new genre or sub-genre, you often ask others who already read in that genre for recommendations (or at least I do…). So when I first dipped my toes into reading m/m romance, almost 3 years ago, I did just that. There were several authors names that routinely started to come up in recommendations, as well as book titles. One of these was Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield
Now theoretically, I guess, the cover could be a lot worse – I’ve seen them. But at the same time, this cover really put me off reading the book for the longest time. The individuals on the cover made me think that there was a huge age gap between the main characters, when really there was only like 8 years, and it was kind of skeevy in a way. It wasn’t until this book showed up as a group read that I actually picked it up and read it. I don’t ever remember laughing as hard as I did in a few scenes in this book and Z.A. Maxfield has become a favorite author of mine (in fact, I just finished reading one of her books last night before I went to sleep).
Runner-up: It Had To Be You – Susan Elizabeth Phillips and the boob cover…which they have thankfully since replaced…
Dee's Book Blog 
Sydney
August 24, 2012 at 11:39 am
I don’t like the font of Crossing Borders too much. It’s kind of hard to see from here. New Follower.
Dee
August 24, 2012 at 11:46 am
the font didn’t bother me as much, but I can see what you mean.
thanks for the follow
Mary Fisher aka mommie
August 24, 2012 at 11:55 am
I think the worst book cover I’ve seen is for a book called Deadly Unna by Phillip Gwynne. it’s a young adult novel sold here in Australia about the relationships that have developed between a young aboriginal boy and his white team mates. the book cover is of a young aboriginal boy grinning and it was really off putting looking at it. However, when I read the book it was a great story, lots of interesting characters – I enjoyed it so much I tortured my students with it later in the year.
Dee
August 24, 2012 at 12:01 pm
that’s an interesting shade of green they used….http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1770187.Deadly_Unna_
Samantha
August 24, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Lol. Dee, that first cover is creepy. I remember seeing it pop up in threads on GR. Not the most attractive cover.
Dee
August 24, 2012 at 12:16 pm
i know…almost seems skeezy…
Samantha
August 24, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Well when I first saw it, I thought the young guy was a girl because the pic was small and his hair blended into the guy’s hand. Then I clicked on it and it was still a werid pic. LOL
Brittany
August 24, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Right! Thankfully they changed that cover for It Had To Be You! I had a copy of it with the different cover but the boob cover kept showing up on GR and it was really annoying lol
Dee
August 24, 2012 at 2:12 pm
I read it on my kindle, so never saw the cover – but the boob one is the one that shows on my GR’s too
setaian
August 24, 2012 at 2:09 pm
lol. I don’t know…”It Had to Be You” kind of works for me. The cover for Liberating Lacey (by Anne Calhoun) and Sheltered (by Charlotte Stein) were both good books with awful covers. Elizabeth Lowell could probably teach a master class on rubbish cover art…refer Death Echo and Innocent as Sin. Personally I think the worst covers art I have seen were on the original releases of R.L. Mathewson’s books. But she’s in indie author and her writing is sublime so I’ll forgive her if her books look like a free religious book some strange man hands you on a street corner.
Dee
August 24, 2012 at 2:12 pm
lol about R.L. Mathewson – i haven’t read any of her stuff, or Kristin Ashley who is another indie people seem to rave about
setaian
August 25, 2012 at 10:35 am
I’ve only read one Kristin Ashley which was kind of cool. Although be warned, the way she writes reads like a stream of consciousness. There were parts of that book I had to read 3 or 4 times to figure out what she was actually saying. I’m not quite there yet. I’m gonna read another of her books and then decide if I’m a KA fan.
ReadingRenee
August 24, 2012 at 2:51 pm
First I will say I am on a Jaci Burton kick and she has THE hottest covers. The RL Mathewson covers are blah but she is Indie so the inside is what counts. Think the worst was The Joy Luck Club but now on Kindle I dont see the cover so it is easier that way.
Dee
August 24, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Jaci does have some hot covers, unfortunately, I don’t actually enjoy her books that much…I can’t explain why though – it just seems like something is missing…
Gwynneth White
August 24, 2012 at 3:26 pm
The boob cover? what were they thinking? Someone actually said ‘yes, let’s do it’. *shakes head* I do like your blog and I’m glad I found and followed you through FF. I ma at: http://todayinshenaya.blogspot.com/
Dee
August 26, 2012 at 10:50 pm
i stand by my logic that it was designed by a guy…who else would think a boob picture like that would sell…
Liesel Hill
August 24, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Yeah, that second one is especially awful! 😀 New follower via GFC. I have two blogs with (different) FFs on them. They’re at LKHill and Musings on Fantasia. Happy Friday! 😀
Dee
August 26, 2012 at 10:50 pm
thanks for the follow 😉 I’ll check your blogs out
Elle
August 24, 2012 at 5:58 pm
This is not the first time I see It Had To Be You’s cover today! LOL
I’m glad they replaced it though. That one is really.. yeah xD
I’m a new follower, please follow back if you can.
My FF
Dee
August 26, 2012 at 10:50 pm
lol, great minds think alike on bad covers??