Monday, June 20, 2011

THE ONE THAT I WANT by Allison Winn Scotch & THE ORPHAN SISTER by Gwendolen Gross

WINNERS:

The Orphan Sister:
Qweska8402

The One That I Want:
JDSTEC

Please email me your addresses at stephanieelliot@gmail.com so I can get your books to you! Congrats!





TWO separate winners will win ONE book each. However, you only have to post ONCE and you will have the chance to win each of the books.

Allison is one of those authors who takes the time to connect with her fans, and is also willing to help other writers. She's on Facebook and Twitter - she's very fun to follow, if you haven't connected with her online. She's had the opportunity to interview some very hot celebs, and has freelanced for years as well as written NYT bestsellers. Her latest, The One That I Want is out in paperback next week, but you can win it here THIS WEEK!

The premise:

Tilly Farmer is thirty-two years old and has the perfect life she always dreamed of: married to her high school sweetheart, working as a school guidance counselor, trying for a baby. Perfect.

But one sweltering afternoon at the local fair, everything changes. Tilly wanders into a fortune teller's tent and meets an old childhood friend, who offers her more than just a reading. "I'm giving you the gift of clarity," her friend says. "It's what I always thought you needed." And soon enough, Tilly starts seeing things: her alcoholic father relapsing, staggering out of a bar with his car keys in hand; her husband uprooting their happy, stable life, a packed U-Haul in their driveway. And even more disturbing, these visions start coming true. Suddenly Tilly's perfect life, so meticulously mapped out, seems to be crumbling around her. And as she furiously races to keep up with - and hopefully change - her destiny, she faces the question: Which life does she want? The one she's carefully nursed for decades, or the one she never considered possible?
I'm also very excited about her fourth book, which will be out early 2012 called, The Song Remains the Same! Sneak Peek HERE!

And for all you writers out there with any kind of questions at all, don't forget to check out Allison's blog, Ask Allison, where she is always available to answer your writing questions! It's a great blog, very helpful and inspiring!

The Orphan Sister
By Gwendolen Gross
The next book to give away is one that Allison personally recommends, The Orphan Sister, by Gwendolen Gross, which I am completely engrossed in right now. Allison calls it “a gorgeous portrait of life, love, loss and sisterhood.”

I read five chapters while getting my hair colored today and cannot wait until later tonight when I can escape into some quiet time to continue reading. Gwendolen has written three other books, her most recent was The Other Mother, which I also loved and devoured. Her writing is so fluid and full of imagery, and The Orphan Sister is already so suspenseful and such a page-turner.

Here is the book’s premise:

Clementine Lord is not an orphan. She just feels like one sometimes. One of triplets, a quirk of nature left her the odd one out. Odette and Olivia are identical; Clementine is a singleton. Biologically speaking, she came from her own egg. Practically speaking, she never quite left it. Then Clementine’s father—a pediatric neurologist who is an expert on children’s brains, but clueless when it comes to his own daughters—disappears, and his choices, both past and present, force the family dynamics to change at last. As the three sisters struggle to make sense of it, their mother must emerge from the greenhouse and leave the flowers that have long been the focus of her warmth and nurturing.

For Clementine, the next step means retracing the winding route that led her to this very moment: to understand her father’s betrayal, the tragedy of her first lost love, her family’s divisions, and her best friend Eli’s sudden romantic interest. Most of all, she may finally have found the voice with which to share the inside story of being the odd sister out. . . .

To enter to win either one of these awesome books, tell me if you think you can judge a book by its cover? Is there a certain book cover you love? Personally, I love both these book covers. I love the book covers where you can't tell what the character looks like. I always like to imagine for myself who the character is.

Thanks for reading and being a part of June Blast-O-Books.
I also blog at SheKnows.com Real Moms Guide. Please take a look at my posts over there if you get a chance!
Don't forget to enter for any of the previous books that you may have missed. AS LONG AS A WINNER's NAME is NOT posted at the top of the blog post, then that means a winner has NOT yet been chosen so you can still enter to win that book but ONLY ONE TIME per book entry PLEASE!
If you're new here, check out the rules and other stuff for the June Blast-O-Books there under that highlighted link back there, or feel free to leave me a comment always and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There. There's my new mantra!



116 comments:

ludy2288 said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its cover, but I am always attracted to covers with bright colors or pictures of people on them. Both of these books have been on my list to read!

Margie said...

Some books have obvious clues on the cover...eg., vampires, etc., and I know it isn't my genre. But other times the book can be very good, and you don't expect it from the cover. I am always attracted to covers with dogs.

Laura Kay said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover, but I've been known too :D I happen to love covers that almost tell a story itself...if that makes any sense at all...one that tells a story.

Tiffany Drew said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its cover, but I admit that I am guilty of doing so. Some covers just put me off, while others make me desperate to get my hands on them. I would LOVE to win The Orphan Sister, it's on my wish list. I already own and have read The One That I Want, so I don't want to win it and not give another reader the chance to enjoy it as much as I did :)

Lisa Bakewell said...

I agree, Stephanie. I like the fact that both of these covers leave the character to the reader's imagination. And, to answer your question, it may not be possible to judge a book by its cover 100%, but I'm guilty of doing that all of the time. If the cover catches my attention, then I'll read the premise of the story to decide if I want to read the book. ☺

Emily said...

I have actually been thinking a LOT lately about whether I am a culprit of judging a book by its cover. I think I am. I like bright colors or a little pattern or something that catches my eye, and I always spend a significant amount of time looking at the covers of books in determining which one(s) I want to purchase. Although...that's all changed a bit since I got a Kindle for Christmas.

Emily116

your invisible pixie said...

i feel like most of the time you can't judge a book by it's cover, but so many of us are guilty of doing it anyway! there are some covers that will just catch your eye and some that will be completely the opposite of what you're looking for.

Literary Chanteuse said...

No you can't tell a book by it's cover but I have to admit I get sold if it's a cover I like instantly. both of these would excellent examples.

Margaret(singitm)

SweetMelissa said...

I would LOVE to read "The Orphan Sister"!, I already read "The One That I Want" and it was fabulous!
I love both of the covers, they are so different. I think sometimes people DO judge a book by it's cover, but maybe unintentionally. At least I hope so, because I have read some great books with not so great covers. You just have to give them a chance.
I like covers that have scenic pictures.

Tina B said...

I do believe that u can judge some books by their covers....not all of them!

Jennifer said...

I dont think it's easy to judge a book by its cover, or right...but it does happen.
I would LOVE to win The Orphan Sister, it's on my wish list. I already own and have read and loved The One That I Want. If I win it, I will donate it to the library.

Homestead Jen said...

As a librarian, I shouldn't admit this, but I totally choose books (for me) by their cover. I know that the authors can't choose the covers, but it still influences me. Some of the best books I own were bought because of their covers: Outlander being the first that comes to mind.

Melissa said...

Didn't you have a post about books by men up today? Where did that go?
I sometimes judge by covers. I like books with people and girly colors or items.

Melissa A from CLC.

Christine in NJ said...

Can't judge a book by its cover... BUT I do get attracted to books BY their covers! Both of these books have fantastic covers!...

I loaned The One That I Want to a friend (I bought it after your March review!) who has YET to return it!!! I am sooooo going to call her now and get my book back cause I HAVEN'T READ IT YET!

Orphan Sister sound fabulous!... Thanks again MaNiC for all the great recommendations and the fun contests!

Christine

Joelle said...

I truly try not to judge a book by it's cover (though I have and passed on what actually turned out to be a great book...after I finally got over it and read it) as I want to just go with it and see what lies beyond the cover...a lot like how I try every day not to judge a person by their appearance and get to know them for who they are.

Books & Reviews said...

I admit it, I tend to judge a book by its cover, however if I don't like the cover but someone recommends it, I'll read it!

Carly said...

I'm sure that you can't judge a book by it's cover but I always do. When I am browsing in the store for new authors I will purchase books solely based on the title and cover.
Case in point, I bought the Aqua Net Diaries just because it has a shiny blue hairspray bottle on the front.
Authors need to make it appealing because sometimes that's all you have to grab a reader.

Carly said...

Okay, I just read other posts and someone said that authors can't choose the cover?! I didn't know that. That's awful.

Megan said...

You typically can't judge a book by it's cover. However, I usually am drawn to covers that are colorful, clean and a bit modern. Both of these books look amazing! megc.

Kristi said...

You can't judge a book by its cover. Some look horrible but have great stories and others look great and bore the socks off of you.

I've read Allison before, but never Gwendolen. Looking forward to a new author.

Kristi Marie W.

Nanette said...

I tend to go for books that have an interesting title rather than a cool cover. I don't think you can really judge the book just on what the cover looks like...it's the title that grabs MY attention! Nan :)

kathygold9778 said...

Actually, I always judge a book by it's cover (in a literary sense...not in a life sense) for some reason I really need a cover to be interesting and aestheticlly (sp?) pleasing for me. I know it's not right but I tend to like books that have a cover that I like over covers I do not like.

I really enjoy the covers for Kriten Higgins' books. They are super adorable and fun....just like her books.

kathygold9778

Ally said...

I judge a lot, mostly because when I am in the library or the bookstore I have kids with me and not much time. I usually pick books that just look fun.

Terri said...

You can't judge a book by its cover, but I am definitely drawn to to some books I read by a good-looking cover. I can't think of any specific books, but I have always thought the books you talk about in your blogs have great covers.

Terri M.

Joansey said...

I also do not think you can judge a book by its cover. Some great ones have meh covers, but if I am looking for a beach read I will go for the ones with the bright, girly covers. The one that I want sounds like a fun beach read.

Hally said...

You know what's funny? I never thought about the picture on the front, but I TOTALLY judge on the font type. If it's that scrolly/fancy/elaborate = romance
typewriter/tall/narrow = men's fiction
all lower case skinny script = chic fiction.

Thanks for the giveaway Manic!

Dolly said...

I think people DO judge books by their covers (if they didn't, marketing people would be out of jobs!), but it's not an accurate way to judge a book; you may get an idea of the genre if the job was done correctly, but you can't judge the quality.

I've been known to pick up a book because of the cover, but I still read about the plot before I buy.

Carie Casey said...

I always like books with just words on them but it a fancy way.

Carie

Anonymous said...

I am so guilty of judging a book by its cover. I will browse the library or bookstore picking up books solely based on what the cover looks like. I have read many fabulous books with unappealing covers based on recommendations from others, but I never would have found them on my own!

~Colbey J

Jonessa said...

If it's an author I don't know I am usually drawn to the cover. I love the cover of Good Enough to Eat by Stacey Ballis. I like that you can't see her face. I too like to imagine for my self what they look like.

Philadelphia said...

I try not to judge books by their covers... However I have in the past. Particularly I do not like when books become movies and they use the movie poster as the cover.

AisforRandom said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover but it's what I do. I pick up a couple pretty books (or dark or brooding or intelligent looking) read the firs couple sentences, walk around the store with them, and then choose by price. So initial judgement- looks final decision- Financial (which is usually printed on the cover!)

Anonymous said...

I say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but when i'm at the bookstore and have unlimited possibilities I quickly scan and see what catches my eye. I have found great new authors that way, yet I've also missed a few so know I try harder not to - although it doesn't always work!
RebeccaE

karenk said...

i do like cover art...and i confess, sometimes i do buy a book (by a unknown author to me) for the cover

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

erinb said...

I am so guilty of picking up a book by its cover...I do love when you cant see their faces too so I can imagine that character how I want to. One of my favorites is Sarah Pekkanen's book covers- gorgeous!

Karen said...

For me, I take in everything...colors chosen, the title, fonts, photos, the feel of the book...even the way the author's name appears on the cover. I judge whether or not care went into the choices...or not. Every writer's work is a "child" so to speak...so I want to see if I like how that child is "raised" before I even pick it up. Sometimes I know I'll like it on sight (Jen Lancaster's titles crack me up) and other times I have to flip it over to see what it is about. With people...same thing applies. I don't discount anyone...but I do gather information from the presentation...but I don't decide on sight whether I like them or not! Both of these books sound great. Would love to win either one. :) ktmixon315

Logan Collins said...

I agree I love those covers. You definitely can't judge by the cover though. I like the cover of A Million Little Pieces

Hemmingwayscat said...

I would buy "The One That I Want" Just for the cover. I love the cover of this book! It makes me want to read it right now! It makes me think of the woman secretly hiding behind a bubble glass door. Quite mysterious!

Hemmingwayscat said...

I would buy "The One That I Want" Just for the cover. I love the cover of this book! It makes me want to read it right now! It makes me think of the woman secretly hiding behind a bubble glass door. Quite mysterious!

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I tend to judge books by their cover. If I don't like the cover I end up hating the book.

ekosha said...

Cover always catches my eye first, but not usually able to judge a book this way.

Nicole Marie said...

You really can't judge a book by its cover... but I find myself doing it so much! I'm attracted to pretty pictures and bright colors :)

Dani In Chicago said...

I like covers where you can't see the character too. I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I do. If a cover has any military reference, I won't pick it up. Same with a couple embracing (romance).

Maureen said...

The only thing covers do for me is leave a lasting impression, or not, after I finish the book. I tend to be attracted more to the titles, as you can never tell off the bat what a story will be about. But even more so after I read the first paragraph on the inside cover will convince me whether to get the book or not,

Jeryl M. said...

Sometimes, if the cover of the book looks boring, the book is boring but other times you can be pleasantly surprised. At other times the cover looks interesting but the book is boring. So I don't think you can always judge a book by its cover.

Lilianarenee said...

You definitely can't judge a book by its cover. Figuratively or literally. I picked up a book recently and bought it purely because I liked the cover. Ive been trying to read it for weeks now and its kinda boring. And I cant just stop reading it and move on to something new. I also would rather not have a picture of the character because what I envision is always so much better.

Ronit said...

An interesting cover can get me to look at a book that I may have otherwise passed by. But it's the blurb on the back/flap that make me want to read it.

B said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover. There are times when a cover really disappoints, but other times, it really makes you want to read it. I like covers that make you imagine what the book will be about.

Kizzy Preston said...

I do not think you can always judge a book by its cover, but often book covers do evoke a certain emotion. Like with "The One that I Want" the woman in the rain gives off a romantic or whimsical vibe. "The Orphan Sister" cover feels more sad and isolated.

Emma S. said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its cover, but if I see a bright or pretty cover, I pick up the book to see what it's about. Some of my favorite books have "boring" covers. My favorite book covers are the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty.

Juliet Farmer said...

i don't think you can judge a book by its cover--but you can by its length! ;)

Katy F said...

I don't always judge a book by its cover but I will pick up a book and ready about it just by looking at an attractive cover! I have bought books before just because I got sucked in by the cover. Sometimes they are as interesting as the cover, sometimes they are not!! lol

MonaLisa said...

I judge a book by its cover sometimes. If I am just browsing for my next read , but have nothing in particular in mind I will pick something that catches my eye. It doesn't always work out. I have ended up with some I didn't enjoy that way. Sometimes reading the jacket is enough to convince me that judging a book by its cover is not always good.

jdstec said...

I am as attracted to book covers as I am to wine labels. Neither is always a good indicator of what is held inside.

absolutahnie said...

i don't think that one can judge by the cover. i do find that an intriguing cover will make me pick it up and read the first few pages to see if it's intresting to me!

Crystal said...

I know I definitely judge a book by its cover. As a relatively "new" reader I'll go to book stores and just skim the shelves and if I see something out of the ordinary (whether it be a hot pink cover or really pretty print) and I'll pick it up and read the sleeve to see if I think I'll be interested.

Crystal717

Kimmi said...

Sadly, a flashy, eye-catching cover does influence whether I buy or not. I guess that makes me shallow. :)

Colleen Turner said...

I love a beautiful book cover! Even though I don't think it can tell you the quality of the story inside it definitely helps me reach for it and read the synopsis in the first place. I love covers with people turned ever so slightly so you can't see their features...it also needs to have pleasing colors (greens, blues, pinks) to really catch my eye!

BrendaL71 said...

I love the cover for The Orphan Sister and covers in general where you get to feel the emotion of the character. YOu can tell from the picture and title she feels secluded and alone.

Krystal said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover, but I am guilty of doing so.

Amy Nichole G said...

I don't judge a book by its cover, but I do sometimes judge it by its title.

Amy Nichole G

Erin T. said...

I know that you can't tell a good book from a bad book by the cover but it's hard to want to read a book you know nothing about if the cover doesn't attract you first.

Lynn B said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its cover, per se; however, I do think with a little intuition, you can get an idea of what's going on.

buttah said...

As far as books go, no I can never judge the book by the cover...people on the other hand...yes, sometimes I can. Book covers that I love, Jen Lancaster's covers are always fitting for her books.

Anonymous said...

My favorite book cover is for Ten Beach Road. I feel I can judge a book by its cover.

jenceyg msn.com

Jenn3128 said...

I think you can judge a book by its cover. A crappy, slapped on cover to me says we are getting this book out as fast as possible without much thought. I like swirls, bright colors and no faces!

As always, thanks for being such a great & giving host!

Lindsay Elizabeth said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its cover. There are so many that look beautiful and the books are awful!

That being said, when I wander around Borders on my lunch hour its generally books with pretty covers I gravitate towards!

I've also looked for Allison's books in my local Boston Borders and have had trouble finding them! sadness.

The Jagow Family said...

I have to admit, I am drawn to a book by the cover, but it doesn't mean that I can judge the book by the cover alone.

"The One That I Want" was one of my first reads of the books that I won in your March giveaway....it is mainly because of the cover. :) I was happy that it was a good book too.

thanks again MM!

michelle jagow

Carol N Wong said...

Sometimes you, sometimes you can't. I have had it both ways. I entered a contest for a book that had a cover that I loved but wasn't too sure that I would like the story.

Another time, I loved the cover, found that I loved the book so much that I want to read all of the books by the author.

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its' cover! Some of my favorite books did not have impressive covers!

Me said...

Awesome contest!! I hate to admit but I definitely judge books by their covers but unfortunately I've learned the more I read and the more I find out about the publishing industry, you really CANNOT judge a book by its cover. In fact, more often, its the books and authors who already have a tremendous following who get the best covers; when unknown books who could use a boost from a fabulous, bright or creative cover, often go overlooked and looking plain and unnoticeable:( I love cartoon, candy covered covers. They are just so inviting to me; like the UK I Heart series by Lindsey Kelk. cgraceh@gmail.com

holly wohle said...

I do judge books by their cover, especially when I'm at the library and have no idea what I am in the mood for. I usually pull random books off the shelf and decide. I don't think it's necessarily fair. :)

holly wohle

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I probably initially judge a book by it's cover. That is what first draws me to a book, hopefully after that it ends up being a great story as well. I wonder how many great stories I have missed because the cover didn't grab me?

I love the covers of both of these books and I am drawn to read them. I think right now the cover I love the most is Violets of March by Sarah Jio. Love it!

Amy R. said...

Most of the books that I buy are ones that are either recommended by friends, other authors, and blogs (like this one! :) But, if I'm out browsing in the store, I judge a book more on its title than I do the cover. Having a pretty cover is a major bonus. For example, I don't really want a book sitting on my shelf that has the picture of a bloody stump or something :-p

val said...

i totally judge books by their covers, i like abstract covers or covers that tell me what the story will be like.

Becki**** said...

I find that while a book cover wont tell me if I will love a book, it will often clue me in on if I wont like a book!!!

faithspage said...

I do judge a book by it's cover. Although, lately i've been judging by the reviews (then the cover)
I couldn't wait to read "the book" because of the cover and once I started reading it I was really bored and didn't finish it

kyfaithw at aol dot com

EBrowning said...

I don't think you can always judge a book by it's cover. My favorite covers are the ones that Emily Giffin, Jenifer Weiner, Jane Green and Marian Keyes do...I think the covers are what sucked me into reading all of those authors and now I'm hoooked! Oh and Sophie Kinsella...I love her shopaholic covers, they are so girly and fun! :)

Anonymous said...

I shouldn't but I totally judge books based on the cover. If I am at the library and in search of a book, I tend to go for the interesting covers or by the title alone. You have to hook me visually, before I will read the jacket to see if it is for me. LeslieGC

Leah B said...

While I don't think you can judge a book by its cover ... I will admit the more interesting the cover the more likely I am to pick it up!

Kristi said...

I'm definitely drawn to new authors based on the cover. That's what gets me to stop and pick it up to read the back. I tend to love simple covers (like Emily Giffins) and love the way they look on my bookshelf!

Kristi Hooke

Nancye said...

I know that you really shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, however, if a cover is unappealing I probably won't even pick it up. A cover has to catch my attention, then I will read more about it to see if I might like it.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Ronda in Bham said...

I don 't think you can judge a book by its cover. I amalways rushed when i go to the library and uaually always just grab a book where the cover grabs my attention. I am smetimes diappointed but often surprised and find new authors that i love.

DaphneSFL said...

You can't judge a book by it's cover, but, I definitely do! I gravitate toward book covers with bright colors and thick paper..i know, so strange. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cover of Jay-Z's "Decoded."

michelle m said...

I am guilty of liking a pretty cover, i know its wrong but i cant help it....

Alice said...

I don't think you can, but I have to admit that I do. I also hate when they change the covers to the movie poster. Most recent book I was lulled into by the cover was Shiver. It was okay, but not as good as it's cover. I love all of Alison's covers.

Nearl said...

I don't think you can completely judge a book by it's cover. However I do choose books with pictures on the front. I don't normally pick up books where it just shows the title. It's like clothes, it has to capture my attention before I will try it on.

Lesley Davis, Esq said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover but it's nearly impossible not to. I usually like Jodi Picoult's & Jen Lancaster's covers.

A.C. Morris said...

I must admit, I do judge books by their cover. Well, at least I tend to pick them based on the cover. I'm more likely to pick up a fun bright pink cover rather than something with dull colors. That doesn't mean that I won't read it if I don't like the cover, but I'm less likely to grab it at the bookstore.

Anonymous said...

I think you can tell a huge amount about the cover of a book. It has a lot of information like the title and author. That may tell you if you may like the it or not. Also there is usually a picture. A picture is worth a thousand words. It could indicate if it's a kids book, romance or a war novel. I totally think you can judge a book by its cover.

-Donna W.

lucy872 said...

You can't judge a book by it's cover, but it's always the ones that are "obscure" that catch my attention. I tend to like titles first and then look at whether the cover goes with it. I usually like ones that are sort of funny. Would love these books!

Bethy said...

I don't believe you can judge a book by its cover or by its title some times! I have read some books, like Water For Elephants, that the name and cover both wouldn't have made me pick it up and read it. But, it turned out to be a very good book.

Melissa said...

I honestly don't think you can judge a book by its cover and yet I always seem to pick based on the cover when I'm browsing in the library if I've ran out of my favorite authors.

-tmd636

Lizett34 said...

I do not think you should judge a book by it's cover. HOwever, with that being said, I do pick the books I read by their cover =(. Thankfully I no longer need to do that as you are providing me with an amazing reading list =)!

girllovestoread said...

definetly don't judge a book by it's cover! some of my favorite books have terrible covers and i love to hunt for different version that have better covers so I can avoid squerming when i pick it up!

Stark Raving Shannon said...

I always judge a book by it's cover. And, I'm with you I love the covers where you can't tell what the characters look like.

BuffyDee said...

Definitely can't tell a book by it's cover, but a beautiful cover definitely draws me in!!

Ready To Be A Momma said...

I do judge books by their covers, I know I shouldn't. Any covers with bright colors and people on them are the ones I seem to be drawn to.
qweska8402

The Poty's said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover but, it can certiantly influence the one you pick. I'm with you I like to imagine the characters so I like covers without people.

Erica said...

I absolutely can judge a book by it's cover. Colors, fonts, pics -- all give clues to the genre and mood.

Anonymous said...

I don't think you can judge a book but it's cover, for so many reason! Although, my fave book cover is probably all of Jen Lancaster's books. jenniferb75

Erin Goff said...

I think sometimes you can, and sometimes you cannot. The cover is sometimes the first thing to catch your eye though.

Meg said...

I totally do judge a book by its cover, which probably means I've missed out on some good books - but what can you do when faced with millions of them? The book cover is probably what I miss most about using a Kindle - sure it's there, but not unless I seek it out whenever I pick up the book to read.

And I HATE the covers for books turned into movies. I may love the book, but I'll go seek out its original cover - that tells me so much more than what Cameron Diaz looked like as the main character, et.

Anonymous said...

It all depends on the cover... but most of the time it's a no, you can't tell.

Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree are my favorite covers... they will forver be in my mind from childhood.

~Nattygirrl

Liz said...

I think you can *sometimes* judge books by their covers. I love Jen Lancaster's book covers - the bra and panties (Such a Pretty Fat?) and Pretty in Plaid are my favorites.

TinaPow said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover, I love covers that intrigue me. I too don't like to see the character on the cover, my imagination is always better.

CAnative said...

I always try not to judge a book by its cover. But having said that that is how I discovered Jen Lancaster. The first book I read of hers was "Such a Pretty Fat". I have been hooked on her books ever since.
Nicole

LeslieB83 said...

While some amazing books have awful covers, you won't pick it up because it doesn't look nice. In library school we were taught to replace children's and teen books with newer copies every few years because kids won't read books with boring covers.

The same is true for adults. We are a visual society!

lizzybethdj said...

I don't think you can judge a book by its cover. I've learned that time and again - great cover and I can't get into the book. :(

I like books with a hint of what the story is about. But, like you, I don't want to see the characters. I would rather imagine them myself.

CChristyW said...

I have always loved sci-fi and fantasy book covers. My favorites are on Anne McCaffery's books and my favorite of those is the first book of hers that I read, The White Dragon. It still catches my eye.

Anonymous said...

My mama taught me you should never judge a book by it's cover..... :)

SPepper22

Katie said...

I have been both very pleased and very disappointed by judging a book by its cover! But more often I am pleased. I am attracted to bright colors and anything with a dog on the cover!

Jessica said...

Yes, I definitely think you can judge a book by it's cover. I like the fun covers that have people on them. I prefer girly books so I like covers that have a bunch of girlfriends hanging out on them.

Kristin said...

I don't think you can judge a book by it's cover, however I am drawn to some books more than others because of the way they look. And when it comes to picking out books for my kids - if they cover doesn't catch my eye, it may be a while until I pick up the book.

IandSsmom said...

Oh I'm a sucker for a good book cover! If it is a good cover then I'll look and see what the book is about! I love covers with beach scenes and I love the covers from Nora Roberts Bride series those are really pretty covers!! So many gorgous covers lately!!
shannonjean14(at)gmail(dot)com

contactos en barcelona said...

To my mind everybody have to glance at it.