Friday, September 3, 2010

Book Blogger Hop #5 ~ September 3-6

Click the picture to find out more about the Hop!

This weeks question:
Do You Judge A Book By Its Cover?

As a graphic designer, yes, yes I do.
But let me explain, because it's only true to a certain extent.

In the book store, surrounded by thousands and thousands of choices... so much so that often it's overwhelming... and you kind of start to get that vision where things go fuzzy around the edges and the room starts to spin... if my eye is drawn to a fantastic cover, I am more prone to pick the book up to see what its about.

This is a Bookstore ONLY phenomenon.
I have had books given and recommended to me that have AWFUL covers... but I judge the book by my opinion of the person handing it to me, not by the cover.

Case in point, George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones (or almost any of his books).
They were recommended to me by someone I highly respected, so the fact that it had a mediocre, 'never going to stand out on the fantasy bookshelf' cover was something I didn't even pay mind to. In fact, I didn't really pay that much attention to the cover until after I'd finished the book and realized how very inappropriate the cover illustration was.

The cover I had showed a robust, 20-something, handsome male astride a horse... the character in the book that that was supposed to be... was a child. So that was actually a cover that annoyed me more in retrospect XD

But for a final answer, Yes, and No.
If I'm reaching for something I'm unfamiliar with... then yes, a really well designed cover will make me pick it up... but it won't make me buy it. The first page and the summary on the book jacket have to do that.

Granted, I've run into the occasional cover that was SO COOL I wished I wanted to buy the book... but regardless of the awesome cover... after reading the inside a bit, I still put it back and opted for a less flashy cover choice.



24 comments:

  1. I am hopping in for the blog hop.

    I judge some books by their covers. I just can't help myself.

    I loved A Game of Thrones! I wish Martin would finish the next book in the series!

    If you have time, drop in and say hi at Manga Maniac Cafe

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  2. As fellow graphic designer and YA book lover, I just had to follow you:) Love your blog and your adorable octopus rating system. Looking forward to reading more of your reviews!

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  3. I'm a new follower from the hop :) I love your little squid/octopus rating system. It literally made me go "awww." And good job on the Freefall cover contest! I think yours is so lovely.

    I get what you said about the bookstore phenomenon. I'm sometimes overwhelmed by the amount of books in sight, I never know what to pick up! This is especially prevalent when the shelves are newly-stocked. If only I could have them all... LOL!

    Have a great weekend!

    Erika Breathes Books

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  4. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm a new follower, too. :]

    I must say, I love your rating system. It's adorable.

    Have a great weekend!

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  5. Just hopping on by! That's usually how it works for me too - in bookstores or libraries I'm naturally drawn to pretty/enticing/striking covers. However, the description has to interest me as well or I'm just not going to go for it. Also, if I've heard really good things about a book I will usually disregard the cover entirely and check it out anyway.

    Danya
    A Tapestry of Words

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  6. Happy Friday! Thanks for stopping by Reading Angel! I'm following you now too!

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  7. thanks for stopping by!
    I absolutely love your squid (octopus?) rating! It's so cute!!!!

    Have a great weekend,
    angela Z
    http://thebookbuzzer.blogspot.com

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  8. oh i see now. their squids. hahhaha so cutee

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  9. Hopping by to say hi! Good point about judging bookstores books by their covers, but giving others a chance based on recommendations.

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  10. Thank you for stopping by earlier.
    I think we feel the same with book covers, no matter how pretty, I can't buy it just for the cover!!

    Hurray for Michigan!!

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  11. Hello, I am hopping on by to say "hi"

    Great blog you have here. I love the rating system!

    Black Disaster Fairy

    http://wickedsexybooks.blogspot.com
    http://literarydaydreams.blogspot.com

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  12. Hi, I found your blog through the Hop... and I'm so glad I did! I'm looking forward to reading through your posts, I am one of your newest followers :)

    Feel free to check my blog out in your spare time, www.coffeetalereviews.blogspot.com

    Have a great weekend,
    Ms. C

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  13. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and following me! I really appreciate it.

    I agree that covers really help things stand out on bookshelves and a good cover will make more excited to read a book but it isn't the only deciding factor.

    I saw you wrote a post on the Poison Study series. I really love that series and they have amazing covers!

    I'm a new follower and I hope you have a great weekend!
    Down The Rabbit Hole

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  14. Hopping through. I judge a book by its cover too, but much more when I see it on the Internet than when I see it in a bookstore.
    My Hop

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  15. Hello.

    Happy Hopping to all.

    http://silversolara.blogspot.com

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  16. I'm with you. If someone who I know has the same taste in books as me says I NEED to read a certain book I'll read it no matter what the cover looks like. But I know sometimes I buy books JUST for the cover. This is a more recent thing with all these gorgeous YA books coming out (Shiver started it, really). I guess it has to be something that sounds like I'd be interested in, but a cover can definitely convince me!
    Thanks for hopping by! I'm a new follower!

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  17. Stopping by through the Hop! Great blog design! :) That's an interesting point depending on who gave it to you. I think I'm going to have to agree with it.

    I'm a follower now! :)

    read-a-holic-blog.blogspot.com/

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  18. Hey Heather!

    Thanks so much for stopping by! I really appreciate it. I know what you mean by "yes and no" to book covers. I'm kind of a little bit in the middle myself too!

    Have a great weekend!

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  19. :) I totally understand standing in the bookstore with all the books just begging to be read. Survival of the prettiest I say. I used to look at the fantasy section at Bookmans and rarely pick up a book because pastel unicorns with pasty wizards just didn't entice me enough to read. But on the other hand, all those books with yummy guys on them, I not only picked them up but with great blurbs I bought them all. Hope you have a fun weekend !! I got your email and I'll send you a reply over the next fews days.
    Here's my Hop

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  20. Hi there! *waves*

    Just hopping over via hop to say hello and check out what's buzzing on your blog! I have to say it's really, really cute <3 ! sure to stop over some other time too!

    All the best,
    Lisa (Badass Bookie) xx
    http://badassbookie.blogspot.com/

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  21. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I like your thoughts on this! :)

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  22. Hey! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I really like your answer! Have a great day!

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  23. Thanks for the follow...I am finally getting to finding you. Great blog! And a great answer. I'm looking forward to reading more...

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