Hey guys *waves* So I know we haven't been participating in any memes lately but nothing actually caught our eye until this one. We have been thinking of doing more discussion posts (I don't even remember the last one we did) and thought we would join the meme Ashley @ Wholly Books started: That Awkward Thursday. Every week there is a new topic, anyone can participate if you want to join in the fun! This week's topic is:
oh boy, I am sure every one of us has suffered from this problem. I (juhina) am twenty two years old. Imagine me carrying a book with a kissing cover out in public. imagine this:
Me at my university, I am a fourth year chemical engineering student, I pull out Losing It by Cora Carmack (A book which I ADORED btw) and then my professor passes by and sees that cover or better yet some guys in my class. The mortification and embarrassment I would have felt make me blush so hard thinking about them now.
So what are some embarrassing covers I would never take out in public?
1. Every kissing cover ever made
2. Covers with half naked guys and girls
3. Covers with a guy and girl model cozying it up
4. Covers with very childish or embarrassing titles
So I have nothing against the books included, hell some of those are all time favorites for me while others I haven't even read. Heartbreak River is an all time favorite while I highly enjoyed Onyx. I think the reason why I am embarrassed to carry these covers are self explanatory? I just think I am a person who gets embarrassed too easily and because so many people I know think of me as this smarty pants and top of her classes, they don't expect me to read fiction, let alone YA. Yes it is true, I have actually been laughed at by some friends when they saw some of the books I read so this is sort of a sore point for me.
Also, don't get me started on paranormal books and how somehow the focal point of the cover is the romance. I might get why contemporary novels have covers like that because they center on the romance, but that isn't usually the case for paranormal novels. Yes, some are heavy on the romance but there still is another major plot line.
Ok so Finale.. reminds me of Romeo and Juliette with the way the guy is standing. As for The Dark Light, where is that girl's hand creeping to?? As for Onyx and Awaken, I don't like the touchy feel of the models, I would totally be embarrassed to display those covers out in public.
So what do I do? There are two ways for me to avoid any potential future embarrassments and they are:
1. Buy the hardback and remove the jacket when reading the book and taking it out in public. However this doesn't solve the problem of the childish of girly title such as "Anna and the French Kiss" or "Just Flirt"
2. Buy the ebook and read it in public. If you love the book so much then buy the paper version and covet it and add it to your bookshelf. This way you can admire it at home, away from any prying eyes.
Also, Publishers could change the way they design their covers. Not every contemporary/romance book has to have such embarrassing covers. They should relate it more to the plot of the story and not slap a girl and guy on a cover just because it is a romance. hello? most YA books (99%) have a romance! Below are some of my favorite contemporary covers!
These covers are so original and eye catching. I would definitely pick up those books at the store before the cliche guy/girl one because these covers aren't just eye catching but actually make a statement. The Probability of Miracles has to be my all time favorite contemporary cover. Yes it is simple, but it got me to buy the book and read it!
As I already said, my favorite covers are the ones that actually relate to the story, not just the romance, but the actual plot, most of those are found in dystopian, post-apocalyptic, fantasy, and mystery novels. Unfortunately most paranormal novels have the typical guy+girl together or girls in dresses (which aren't embarrassing but just used exhaustedly)
Insomnia is amazing, the whole play on the eye totally conveys what the title is about. The Forsaken and Divergent are some of my favorite dystopian covers. The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die has such a scary cover, but the plot itself is creepy so it tells you exactly what this book is about.
What do you guys think? do any of the covers that embarrass me also embarrass you? do you agree or disagree with my solution, have you actually done any of them (I am guilty of the jacket and even ebooks from time to time). What about some of the covers that you find embarrassing to take out in public? I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic!