Top Ten Books Whose Covers/Titles Made Me Want To Buy Them

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. There is a new subject each week and this week's topic is "Top Ten Books Whose Covers/Titles Made Me Want to Buy Them".


Though I haven't purchased all of the books on my list, I did decide to read them partly because of their covers or titles.

1. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon


I wanted to read this book from the moment I saw it featured on the cover of the fantasy issue of Booklist in 2009. I could tell right away by the cover that this is a fantasy novel with a strong female heroine. I also loved the pink color and the power that is captured in the image. Sadly the paperback has a boring generic YA paranormal cover but the hardcover is still available through online retailers. I still don't own a copy and I need to remedy that because it is worth a reread!

2. The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen


Though I don't wear dresses very often anymore I am still a sucker for a gorgeous dress on book covers and this series is full of them. Thankfully the stories drew me just as much as the covers did and I was not disappointed. My favorite cover from the series is Rumors with  that vivid red dress and the way it captures Penelope's bold attitude. A close runner up is the cover of Envy with Diana in a white gown with scarlet trim. It kind of fits her personality perfectly!

3. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray


I think I was drawn to this book by the cover and title in equal measure. I remember finding an ARC of the book in a box of ARCs we received at the library and deciding to read it on the spot. I think the corset on the cover does a good job of reflecting the restrictions placed on young ladies in that time period. It screams "this is historical fiction" but the story is a historical/paranormal book. The covers suggest that the girls are innocent and not so innocent at the same time.

4. Matched by Ally Condie


I just loved the image of a girl trapped in a bubble as well as the green color. It stands out really well against the plain gray background. The dress Cassia is wearing is of course her dress from her Matching banquet and a major moment in the book. I thought the book was excellent and well represented by the cover. Sadly while the sequel shows Cassia breaking free from the bubble, the cover of Crossed just looks awkward. 

5. The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross


This is another one of those beautiful dress covers. I love the color of the dress (though I never wear red myself) and the clockwork images in the background to suggest steampunk.  I was just drawn to find out more about this book and I did really enjoy it.

6. Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel


I just love this cover image which looks historical and modern at the same time. Plus it has that great parasol! The cover  suggests sadness, death, and mourning and I think it does go well with the book though the story has plenty of action and lighthearted moments too.  I much prefer this to the British cover which would have made me decide against reading the book!

7. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman


I love hummingbirds and this cover is just so lovely. It made me pick up the book to find out what it is about and I though the story was really good as well (plus it is set in Savannah, one of my favorite cities). 

8. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain


I think this cover is really striking with the swirls of purple color and the creepy pale legs on the dark background and the movement of the image. That is really what drew me to find out more about the book and I decided to read it. The covers from this series don't really reflect the plot but they are eye-catching.

9. Graceling by Kristin Cashore


I think this cover really appealed to me because of the medieval looking sword and the eye reflected on it. I also like the title and the font that suggests medieval fantasy. 

10. Juliet by Anne Fortier


This pretty cover caught my eye and made me want to read this book just as much as the description. I love the color of the flower and the picture of historic Siena. 

11. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer


While this book triggered a trend in covers as well as plots for YA fiction, I do like the use of color to make the apple stand out. The red/black/white imagery for this series is visually striking.

12. The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare


I prefer these covers to the covers from the Mortal Instruments series. I love the muted colors and the historical/steampunk feel. I don't own the books yet but I will soon!

13. The Dowry Bride by Shobhan Bantwal


This is a case where the book does not live up to the cover! I really liked the cover and the title but unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book. Thankfully, unlike my sister, I did not purcharse The Dowry Bride but got it from the library instead.

14. For Matrimonial Purposes by Kavita Daswani


I was drawn to this book both by the title and the cover. I really enjoy Indian fiction and I thought this was pretty good.

15. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder


I really like the original cover of this book. I still haven't read it yet but I've had it on my TBR list since 2009 when I first spotted it at the library. I even spent more money to get this version rather than the one with the new cover (which I don't like).