Today I have author Christina Gaudet on the blog. I love book covers so I thought I would ask Christina to do a guest post on her favorite YA covers. Check out Christina's choices below and look out for a giveaway of Christina's book The Box below!
Favorite YA Covers
My favorite YA covers? Hmm. That’s such a tough question since there are so many wonderful ones out there. I’m also a graphic designer and illustrator as well as an author, so I have a special love for beautiful covers and am always interested in seeing something new.
10. Sabriel – Garth Nix
This is a fairly old cover, and I don’t know if it would actually make it to my top ten any more if it weren’t one of my favorites from when I was a teen. This was one of the first covers that I sat down and studied and thought, “I want to do that.” I love the characters outfit and the line of bells across her chest. The colours are also lovely and set the dark tone of the book.
9. Seraphina – Rachel Hartman
From old to brand new, Seraphina is another wonderfully illustrated cover. While illustrations for YA covers have gone out of style in the past few years, this cover shows that it can still work. The etching style of the gorgeous medieval village evokes a certain tone that no photograph would be capable.
I have a bit of a thing for swords, as you might see in the sequel to my new release The Box (hint hint), so Rampant definitely has to make my top ten list. Combined with the stare of the model and the unicorn reflected in the blade, I know everything I need to about this book, and it makes me want to read to find out more. Though I must admit I was surprised when I read it and discovered unicorns are evil, but that’s a whole other matter.
7. Linger – Maggie Stiefvater
Illustrations will always have a place in my heart, especially monochromatic simplified images such as the cover of Linger. I just love the simplicity of the design and yet it tells so much. Every time I see this cover, the graphic designer in me becomes envious of the clever design.
6. Nobody’s Princess – Esther Friesner Have I mentioned I like swords? Well the same goes for daggers. Haha. I love the textured green background with her simple, yet gorgeous outfit in the foreground. And her hair! Who wouldn’t be envious of hair like that? The hands on the hips give her just the right attitude.
5. Death by Bikini – Linda Gerber
Death by Bikini shows just how important the font choice and layout is for a cover. I absolutely love the way the title of this book is the main design element. Add a few very simple, perfectly positioned shapes, slap on some great patterns and wham! One cleaver and eye catching cover. I also love how the strip of pattern to the right is actually on the page beneath the cover in printed versions. It gives the whole thing an extra layer of depth.
4. Illuminate – Aimee Agresti
I’m going to say something that may get me shunned from the YA community. I’m not a fan of the fad of putting pretty girls in ball gowns, get them to look sad and using that as a cover. They are pretty photos, but the look is so overdone at this point, I can’t even tell the difference between the covers anymore. What set Illuminate apart are the gorgeous typography and the clever use of shadow to create wings.
3. Dark Souls – Paula Morris
Oops, another ball gown. Oh well, the mysterious street, the guy walking away and the great use of fog give this cover so much intrigue. I want to know what’s going on, and want to know RIGHT NOW!
2. Eyes Like Stars – Lisa Mantchev
Alright, I’ll admit it. A pretty dress can win me over. But what really caught my eye with this cover was the blue hair. I love it. I want it! The fairies look like so much fun, and so much trouble. I have to say, I’m not as much of a fan of the font choices as I was with the others, but the illustration on this cover is too pretty to ignore.
1. Red Riding Hood – Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
Such a classic. The illustrator and designer in me simply won’t let me stop looking at this cover. I love the flow of the illustration, the use of colours, and the energy of the whole thing. It’s simple and beautiful and the splashes of blood and the axe in Little Red’s hand shows there’s more to the story than what you heard as a kid.
So, there you have it. My top ten YA book covers. There are so many beautiful and inspiring covers out there, it really was difficult to pick. Of course, I’m also in love with the cover of my own novel, The Box, but thought it might be a little egotistical to add it to the list. Haha. I hope you enjoyed my choices and I’m curious to know which ones you agree with, and which you’d replace
Blurb:
Some gifts should be left unopened.
When her gran passes away, the only item left to Lou is a small wooden box. Although it’s not the car that her sister, Cindy, receives, Lou knows it could have been worse. She could have gotten Gran’s collection of toenails. When Lou opens the box and a guy the size of a stick of gum falls out; she changes her mind – the nail clippings would have been better.
Not a day goes by that Lou doesn’t wish she could shove that guy back in the box and pretend she’d never laid eyes on him. Because of him, she discovered Gran was a sorceress and Cindy is a witch and all these years they have been keeping Lou’s magic locked away “for her own safety.” Without the magic she’s vulnerable to whoever, or whatever, is after her. With it, she’s a target for a fate worth than death.
When her gran passes away, the only item left to Lou is a small wooden box. Although it’s not the car that her sister, Cindy, receives, Lou knows it could have been worse. She could have gotten Gran’s collection of toenails. When Lou opens the box and a guy the size of a stick of gum falls out; she changes her mind – the nail clippings would have been better.
Not a day goes by that Lou doesn’t wish she could shove that guy back in the box and pretend she’d never laid eyes on him. Because of him, she discovered Gran was a sorceress and Cindy is a witch and all these years they have been keeping Lou’s magic locked away “for her own safety.” Without the magic she’s vulnerable to whoever, or whatever, is after her. With it, she’s a target for a fate worth than death.
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Check out the rest of the tour stops!
24th September: Book exerpt & ebook giveaway @ http://readinglittlebitofeverything.blogspot.co.uk/
24th September: Review @ http://www.nightowlreads.org/
25th September: Author Interview @ http://thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.co.uk/
26th September: Fave 10 YA covers & ebook giveaway @ http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk/
28th September: Promo post with book excerpt & ebook giveaway @ http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/
28th September: A review via http://ljduett.blogspot.com/
I love the covers on Ann Aguirre's Razorland Series books,
ReplyDeleteAll those books look amazing!
ReplyDelete