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I was blanking for this week’s freebie topic, until Steph from Cuddlebuggery suggested failed cover redesigns. OH YES. I am prepared to talk about iffy cover redesigns all day erry day. (Though in making this, I’ve discovered there are far more redesigns I’m actually okay with.) Let’s go!
1. Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
These covers were SO perfect! So whimsical and cute and now we’re left with blahhhhh. I am not amused. I haven’t bought the first book yet but now I am not at all tempted anymore.
2. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
This cover was BEYOND perfect. The naked spine as well is all metallic red and awesome. Why… shattering… statues? Why? I mean, I haven’t read the book and I’m much less tempted, but okay.
3. The Diviners by Libba Bray
The Diviners had excellent covers in the US and the UK, and yet BOTH are redesigned for the sequel. And they’re awful. What am I supposed to do with this???
4. Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre
WHYYYYY, MACMILLAN, WHYYYY? The original was so simple and haunting and awesome. Whyyyy stupid ugly faces with awkward lipstick??? Whyyyy???
5. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
I’ve spoken about my hatred for this cover change more times than I can count. It’s unforgivable.
6. The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
Honestly, I thought the original cover was PERFECT. It was so cute and whimsical and really communicated the contemporary-like feel of this paranormal book. The redesign is a mess of colors and just wut even.
7. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
This one’s only a slight change, but seriously, the original was PERFECT. I loved the color palette, the muted tones and everything… It made it a bit more unique imho. Now it’s just… meh.
8. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
So beautiful and witchy, and then so awkward and bright and =/
9. Crewel by Gennifer Albin
To be honest, I’m not completely in love with the original anymore, but it sure as hell was a lot more unique than the redesign. When the redesign was announced, I actually rushed out to buy the original. I regret nothing.
10. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
The only change here was the colors, but WHY. IN GOD’S NAME. The original had a classic fantasy/medieval look. Sophisticated. Beautiful. PURPLE AND GREEN?!??! I have the purple monstrosity on my shelf and I’m not happy about it.
I hate bad cover redesigns! Across the universe by Beth Revis is the worst I’ve seen!
Ugh, YES to all of these! Especially Unspoken, I just cannot with that cover change, the original cover was perfection and now it’s just so… uninspired.
And Crewel… *sad sigh* I just can’t bring myself to buy the one with the new cover.
I don’t know why they change the covers and make them into ugly betty!!
I am totally with you on The Art of Wishing! I loved the first cover; it was adorable. (Not to mention this series is totally underrated and more people need to read it)
I wish they would let readers vote before doing a redesign… Like, does ANYONE really want this? Even if the cover is slightly better, I hate when they do it mid-series. I do not understand the mind of book marketers. I was upset after The Art of Wishing cover change. THAT COVER WAS BEAUTIFUL D:
I haven’t read the Perfect Ruin series either, but these new covers make no sense to me. How is that supposed to draw a reader to buy it?!
I HATE the new cover for The Diviners. It’s even more annoying because I already own the original. When the rest of the series is published, I’ll have to decide if they are worth buying. Non-matching covers make me crazy.
Speaking of non-matching covers, Holly Black’s Curse Workers Trilogy (US edition) also fell victim to that. I have the first two covers, but they changed them all with the third cover. The new covers are terrible. So, so terrible! I hate them so much that I never did buy the last book…
Great topic for a post!
The Diviners is such a shame and it’s frustrating that they messed it up 🙁
Mortal Danger, CRAP, it’s the first time I see the redesign and what happened here o.O
Crewel went from unique to one-of-a-kind. I hate those floating girls.
Most of those covers don’t look too bad to me, hahah:P Nice post;)
I actually heard the Born Wicked covers were changed because they weren’t YA enough. People thought it was more of an adult cover in the original. But I’m with you, I like the original much more.
Awful redesigns. Especially ‘Seraphina’. That colors hurt my eyes. :/
Honestly I do not why do they try, I usually see more bad than good redesigns…
I really dislike the new covers for the Perfect Ruin series!!! They are just odd and I don’t get them. The original was so pretty!!!
I will never understand why The Diviners at the Mortal Danger covers were updated. They look HORRIBLE. So HORRIBLE.
Who decided this?? Did they get some sort of write up?? they better be glad that didn’t do those the first time around, because I would have NOPED them right off my reading list.
I love this topic! I can’t really think of any others, but that’s probably because I read mostly e-books so I don’t notice cover redesigns.
I agree!!! the Unspoken one is the worst! I don’t get why they changed it in the first place.