I can’t do this! I can’t choose just ten covers!
Ok fine, I can. But there are A LOT of book covers with only the backs of people on them. Like, A LOT. And when I realized this, I told myself I wasn’t going to freak out, I was just going to find some and choose ten without worrying whether I was missing other amazing ones or that I was choosing the “wrong” ones from the ones I had compiled. BUT THERE ARE JUST SO MANY GREAT ONES. AND I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
Anyway, after compiling together like 30 covers, all gorgeous, I finally just forced myself to stop and to choose and to stick with those choices. *pats self on back* But maybe I’ll do a Part 2 in the future 😉
Cover Characteristics is a weekly meme hosted at Sugar & Snark. This week’s topic is:
Books Covers featuring Only the Backs of People
The Storm Siren Trilogy by Mary Weber
These are just so pretty, and I love all the swirly tails in the font.
Illusionarium by Heather Dixon
The colors, the clothing, the background, it’s all just pretty.
Afterlife Series by Terri Bruce
I just love these cover because the photos and editing are so pretty, and of course I also love the red in them 😛
The Marked Series by Bianca Scardoni
I especially love the first cover since it’s got the red dress and black hair and graveyard background.
Saint Sebastian The Rose by Michael W. Glover
I don’t know, I just really love this cover, what with the graveyard and the fog and the billowy black cloak…
Untaken by J.E. Anckorn
I may have cheated a bit since it’s kind of the side of one character, but I love this cover too much not to include it. The editing with the fire and stuff is so cool, and the characters fit with the ones in the story perfectly.
Towering by Alex Flinn
This is just pretty and magical-looking.
Threshold Series by Christa Kinde
I like all the detail and especially like the cover for The Broken Window.
The Lost Heir by Allison Whitmore
That dress is gorgeous and the background, the lighting, really it’s just gorgeous.
My Favorite:
Alice Takes Back Wonderland by David D. Hammons
Honestly, I’m not even sure this is my favorite since I like so many of these, but I’ve always been drawn to this cover. It’s so pretty and whimsical.
So many beautiful looking covers, it’s so hard to choose just one fave. I think mine would be between The Lost Heir and Saint Sebastian The Rose. Great pick! 🙂
Thanks! Honestly I think I like both of those just as much as I like the one I chose, haha. They’re both so pretty!
There ARE a lot like this. I was just commenting about this not too long ago, because there are a few I get mixed up.
Seriously, so many! But yeah, any covers that are too similar run that risk. I often have that problem when two or more books use the same stock photo or cover model.
“choosing the wrong ones” lol. So true- when there’s a ton of good ones it’s hard to pick the *right* ones. Siren’s Song is my favorite for the green (yeah I know) but I like Storm Siren too- the white hair and yes the font works. Saint Sebastian the Rose has the mysterious vibe going with the trees and snow- I like a wintery scene. And I like Untaken too for the chaos happening in that scene- makes me want to read it.
Towering is nice too though again with a wintery scene.
Haha I seriously have a problem. It doesn’t even matter what I choose, it’s a random blog post, but I still get crazy about it lol.
It’s all good, you are with green the way I am with red. I just love the Saint Sebastian and Untaken covers. I’ve read Untaken though, and it’s not all that chaotic. It’s super character focused. I wanted to review it, but I kinda forgot to ever jot down any notes or anything, so now I think I’ve forgotten what I liked and disliked :-/
I really like this theme on covers, probably just as with the silhouettes you get a feel for the character, but you can still fill in certain details yourself. Some of my favourites with this theme you didn’t list here are Beyond Reach and Saven Disclosure by Siobhan Davis and City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong.
I like them best if you don’t see any part of their head, but fully from the background. I think the cover for Saint Sebastian The Rose is my favourite of the ones listed here, with the billowing cloak and how he seems to be walking towards something and the dark creepy feel of the rest of the cover. I also really like the cover for Broken Window and with how the character is sitting there instead of standing or walking like you normally see with this theme.
I actually don’t mind having a person’s face on the cover as long as it’s not a stock photo or someone who’s on any other book covers. But sometimes I like when there’s no face so I can make my own, so just showing the back is a good solution, like you said. I completely forgot about Saven Disclosure! I love that cover! I totally would’ve used that one lol.
Gah I absolutely love the Saint Sebastian cover. I’m starting to think I should’ve put it as my favorite 😛 And you’re right, you don’t see a lot of sitting people in this topic, so that is another way The Broken Window stands out!
I like the Marked series covers. I don’t think I’ve seen those before. There really are a TON of covers with the backs of people on them. I love that theme though! Great picks here!
There really is as ton! Which is always both a good and bad thing for me with cover posts because of my indecision lol. And I really like those Marked covers too!
That makes sense! I bet it would make it harder to choose which covers to pick. Have you read that Marked series?
No I haven’t read it, but I want to!
I like the Alice takes back Wonderland cover! I’ve never heard of any of the books you featured… I’m seriously bad at fantasy novels. But they all look beautiful!
Yay, someone else also likes that cover! Lol thanks. Fantasy is what I read, so it’s what I always find when I look through my books and lists 😛
I think The Lost Heir and Illusionarium are the ones that standout to me. They both have that pick-me-up-and-read-me quality.
It was funny that you posted this today because I just received Unbreak my Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn for review and it features the back of a woman and it made me wonder how many covers have this feature.
I get what you’re saying! The Lost Heir was on Netgalley once and I was so tempted lol, but I read the little preview on Amazon and it just wasn’t quite what I was looking for.
What perfect timing 😀 It’s funny how you don’t notice how many covers have a certain thing on them until you start looking.
I love all of your covers! I’d probably pick the Broken Window as my favorite. You can check out my covers in the link below!
Thanks! That one is such a pretty one 😀
Oh, this is a trend I like too! The Storm Siren books are really pretty but I’m totally drawn to characters with white hair. 🙂
I really like this one too! Even more than silhouettes, I think. And characters with white are always kind of interesting, aren’t they?
Pingback: Cover Characteristic - Only the back of people - Sugar & Snark
I agree with Untaken! That cover is amazing and I can’t believe I have never seen it. Looks like a movie poster!
Thanks for joining in last week 🙂
Sugar & Snark
It kind of is like a movie poster, I didn’t even notice that. I love it though, and I’m glad someone else does too!