It's like a disease, I swear...

The result of an evening 'browsing' on Amazon, with a glass of wine in my hand...

Still, Fran seems to approve! (Though it might just be the box she's after)

Judging a Book by its Cover

I've always thought 'Don't judge a book by its cover' was a pretty crappy analogy for anything because, well, what else are you supposed to judge a book by if not its cover?

I'm not talking about books you've read, re-read, the ones you've given up on halfway through - I'm talking about the shiny new books on the bookshelf, the ones with clean uncracked spines - the ones that whisper buy me buy me as you walk past...

But assuming you also need to pay your rent this month and can't spent your entire salary on books what do you base your decision on?

If you care about the opinions of strangers you might check out some reviews. If you trust your friends taste in books you might listen to their recommendations. You might have some favourite authors - I'm on a Darren Shan kick at the moment (demons, vampires, zombies - he's not let me down yet!) But if you're hanging round a bookshop, killing time on a rainy lunch break what have you really got to go on Yep, that's right, the cover.

Here are a few books I have bought lately based on nothing but the front cover:




'Just your average boy-meets-girl,
girl-gets-sucked-into-Hell story'

Who is this girl? What's with the weird lava demons reaching for her feet? Why does she not look remotely scared by her surroundings. And if I take her hand will she lead me out of this Hell-hole or will she rip my face off. Judging by the look on her face and the fact that her name is 'Anna Dressed in Blood' it could go either way. Awesome. Buying it!

  

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, one night a ghost appears from the darkness.
It is Po, who comes from the Other Side.
Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

 This picture doesn't really do the book justice. The writing and the spine of the book are gold, as is the keyhole around image - and as for the illustrations inside...

These had me reaching for my pencils and dusting off the sketch pad - beautiful!

This is the year Blue will be drawn into the strange
and sinister world of The Raven Boys.
And the year Blue discovers magic really does exist

 I'm not normally one for romance, even the doomed and torturous kind, but I was swayed by the Poe-esque ravens and mention of magic!

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 Seraphina hides a secret - the secret
 behind her musical gift -
and if she is found out, her life is in
 serious danger . . .

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September is a twelve-year-old girl,
Somewhat Grown and Somewhat Heartless,
 and she longs for adventure.





 
One word... DRAGONS!

Yep, sometimes that's all it takes.

It goes both ways though. There's a particular book I ignored for about four years because the front cover was so rubbish. It wasn't until the fourth in the series came out with a Dragon on the front that I thought it might be worth a read...

I mean come on... What were they thinking?

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!