Look, I recognize this is basically just another TTT post, but on a Thursday, but I have so many favorite things that I want to scream about, so here we are. I think we’re all also on the same page about my cover love, as well. I 100% will buy something based on the cover alone (I’ll read the summary, too, but I forget pretty quickly what a book is about and am just like yeah damn this was a cover buy), and there were some stunning releases this year.
Since this is just purely for the aesthetic, I’m going to try to do these in rainbow order instead of alphabetically. This is kind of isn’t even a TTT because I’m totally going to just list literally every single cover that I loved from this year (only 2019 releases, though), and briefly talk about why for each, so let’s go!
Have I read Kingsbane yet? No. Do I still love the heck out of its cover? Hell yeah. Red is always going to appeal to me, and especially when it’s combined with a little gold. The darkness swirling in at the edges, the sceptre broken up by a crown, the halved sun medallion thing–all of this is right up my alley.
Again, sunset colors! Diamond & Dawn is probably one of my favorite covers this year. The diamond in the center is really deceptive because it looks so real in person. It’s somehow got that multi-faceted look even though it’s literally one dimensional, and it’s so cool. The tulle and arrows and amber gems scattered across the burning sky is also just so lovely and so fitting for the story.
I already loved the cover for Ink, Iron, and Glass, which had a blue theme, but this??? Mist, Metal, and Ash went hard on letting us know from the damn cover that this was going to be a chaotic, fiery book. I love the gears worked into the edges and Italy overlaid on top. Plus, the way the different words of the title are different materials? YES.
Look, I could probably write an entire essay on why I love the King of Scars cover, but what it really boils down to is the gold. In person, this thing shimmers and shines, and while I’d really love for it to be three dimensional and so bougie, I’m here for it no matter what. The small details throughout are gorgeous, the Lantsov double eagle makes me weep, and it’s just so perfect for what’s inside.
I know, I know, I know–The Near Witch didn’t come out this year, but it was re-released under a new cover, and that cover? Damnnnn. I love minimalist covers so much. (I also love chaotic ones. There is no in between. The only covers I don’t like are ones with people on them.) The different colors braiding through the single tree, the little raven/crow hanging out, the off-white color that makes me think of the moors–all of it is A+ work.
The Whispering Wars was released in the US this year, so I’m counting it! The cover for Bronte Mettlestone might be my favorite cover of all the books I read this year, and its sequel definitely lives up to it. I love the style of artwork so much, and the dozen different colors that still seamlessly blend together into one theme.
Did I buy Wicked Saints based on the cover alone? Absolutely. Did I also preorder Ruthless Gods literally the moment it was available? You betcha. I mean, come on, this is basically my aesthetic. A Russian-inspired town, blood dripping from the word wicked, saints, let them fear her, blue and black bruise-like colors–everything about this speaks to me.
I love every single one of the Ravenspire book covers, and The Blood Spell just about knocked me over. I know I’ve told this story eight thousand times, but it never ceases to amuse me–I accidentally bought the third book instead of the first in this series, and then after I finally read the first one, I preordered the fourth one before I’d even read the second one. I mean, first of all, the snow on the cover looks like glitter, the white pumpkin with icy blue stalk looks frozen, and the Cinderella vibes are off the chart.
These two books fit so well together because they’re both books I had complicated relationships with, but absolutely adored the covers! No matter what, you have to admit that Permanent Record‘s entire cover situation is incredible. When you lift the hardcover flap, there’s a different cover underneath, and all of the details beyond the two covers is just stunning. Even just this cover alone, with the minimalist lines and two very specific colors–ugh. This book may have stressed me tf out, but it’s gorgeous.
Look at these two cuties! Bloom looks so pure and wholesome, and Erin totally handed it to me based on the cover alone, and I totally put it in my cart based on the cover alone, and I regret nothing. The artwork inside continues this soft, blue-hued coloring, and it’s just so lovely and sweet.
The truth is, I like the cover for both The City of Brass AND The Empire of Gold better than the one for The Kingdom of Copper, but since we’re here for 2019 releases, this is the one we’re talking about. However, every time I look at this book, it makes me think there’s a UFO beaming down, and then I think of Star Trek, and it’s very confusing. The vibrancy of the blue halving the copper edges is so enchanting, though, and I love how it ties into the end of the story.
I cannot accurately say how many times I have literally screamed about how much I love literally everything about Once & Future, but in case you’d forgotten, the cover for its sequel is also literally perfect, and I’m just so happy with my blessings this year. I feel like the chaotic nature of hot pink and bright blue really help prepare you for the insanely chaotic nature of this book, and also for the sheer level of gay, and it’s great.
I absolutely could not do this list without talking about Winterwood because not only is the flap visually stunning, the limited edition imprint on the hardcover is truly gorgeous, and I’m so happy I got one. Everything about this is beautiful, though–the bits of snow sparkling between the blue branches, the fact that those branches come off of both the title and Shea’s name, the golden crescent moons, the deep black of the background.
I’m probably never going to get over what a gift the end of Tomb of Ancients was, and how I never expected to be blessed with that epilogue, but here we are, still forgetting there’s a snake on the cover. You know, it’s seriously taken me a long time to notice the creepier elements of this series’ covers, and I keep forgetting they’re there until they give me a bit of a shock. I’ve loved every spooky cover for this series, though, and Louisa’s half-buried body being consumed by roots and faced down by a gravestone is everything.
Hex Life was another cover buy this year, and one I actually went out to the store to get because I’d seen it somewhere online and could not stop thinking about. I knew it was short stories featuring witches, but beyond that, all I knew was that it had a badass black cover with gold and red details of witchy symbols, plus Hex Life as the title, so. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
There are so many nifty versions of Ninth House where the coloring is different, but I really adore my all-black one. This also came out close to Full Throttle‘s release, which has a snake stamped on the inside hardcover, and they’re going in different directions, which was fun to see the authors discover. The way the snake weaves through the title, though, and the pure black set against greyish white lettering is just so good.
Mary and the Words 
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