Top Ten Tuesday: Best and Worst Book Cover Changes

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a cover freebie, so I decided to highlight books with cover changes. Not all cover changes are bad, so I wanted to point out a few that are awesome. But I also want to make note of some that are really awful as well.

Best

An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir

I don’t hate the original covers, but they’re kind of bland compared to the new ones. I usually don’t like covers with people/faces on them, but I make an exception for these because 1. they’re so freaking cool and 2. POC rep on covers is so important! I am so glad book 4 is purple-y. I need more purple books!

The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

Again, I don’t hate the original covers for this series, but the new ones are so epic. Look at those details! Look at the gold shine! Ahhh, I wish they had them all in hardcover.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

The original cover(s) of this are okay, but they aren’t that unique. I adore the new one to match the sequel. The colors really make the cover pop and the details give it it’s own charm for the story.

East and West by Edith Pattou

The original cover is okay, but the new ones are so freaking gorgeous. I love the artist who does these covers, and I really like how East and West mirror each other. So beautiful.

Blood of Kings by Jill Williamson

Photos from Jill Williamson’s Instagram

Know how I mentioned that I don’t like people on book covers: this is why. The new covers for the special edition hardcovers just include the world map and I think they look sweet.

Worst

We can all agree that movie poster covers are probably the worst cover change ideas ever. So beyond that, here are books that I wish had kept their original covers.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Something about the “faces” on the covers lose the appeal for me with this duology. It makes it seem more steampunk instead of “altered history.” I really like the wolf shadow alongside the motorcycle on the original cover, too.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Again with the people on the cover thing! Why change something that looks sweet with all the steampunk gears and details and make it look like that? Plus the people on these covers don’t even look real. Ugh.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

I don’t know about you but gigantic lips on a cover is a huge turn off for me. The middle one isn’t awful, but it’s not as compelling. Plus, the original back and red vine aesthetics with the little hearts is so much more appealing than a face.

Warcross by Marie Lu

I still have no idea why anybody would change it from the awesome rainbow aesthetics to just plain silver. So boring.

Emma Mills books

This is one of the saddest changes for books. I understand why they decided to change the covers because the new ones are more appealing for the YA contemporary look. But I absolutely love the uniqueness of the original covers, especially since the naked hardcover usually had a parallel design printed on it as well. *Sigh* (Plus, they didn’t even bother to make a new cover for First & Then, which is my favorite of her books.)

What book cover changes do you love? Hate? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to join the link-up!

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