My Top 10 Covers of April 2024
Fantasy reigns supreme
*rubs hands* Ohhh, this April has some GOOD covers (and novels too)! Usually, I’d try and do a little quick paragraph easing us into April but you know what? I don’t have any good puns for April so let’s get started!
Note: presume that I have not read any of these books unless I’ve indicated as such. Any observations made about the story the covers represent and its quality are only based on the synopses and the cover.
#1
Book Cover Designer: Aurora Parlagreco (Website)
Knock knock: Aurora’s covers are here to claim your heart because she has also designed:
Descendant of the Crane (Roaring Brook Press version) by Joan He
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
Book Cover Illustrator: Kuri Huang (Instagram | Website)
You might have seen Kuri illustrate…
The Celestial Kingdom duology by Sue Lynn Tan
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Liu
Pretty sad Crow boy *send tweet*
Okay okay, in all seriousness: the cover is both calming and majestic because of the complementary palette, albeit executed like a monochrome palette with yellow/peach accents, and Kuri’s signature glittery layered style. It parallels the preceding novel’s cover’s inclusion of arrows, being water-based to complement Book 1’s fire theme and spotlighting the male deuteragonist instead of the female protagonist (of course, for plot reasons, not just visual yin-yang reasons).
But as someone who has read the novel, MAN, being reminded of water is…painful.
#2
Book Cover Designer: Rich Deas (Instagram | Website)
Holy moly! Rich has also worked on:
Fire Keeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink
Into the Sublime by Kate A. Boorman
Book Cover Illustrator: Sija Hong (Instagram | Website)
Whimisical, pattern-filled, dynamic—Sija created a captivating cover that sets us in a field of butterflies with her iconic visual style. She uses swooping flowing lines to lead us in a spiral towards her focal point. We are entranced by the peculiar composition, much like how the Duke of Dreams enchants Xue. It’s no mystery that Xue’s adventure will transform her, if the butterflies are any clue.
#3
Book Cover Designer: Alice Coleman (Instagram | Website)
Alice has also designed:
Evocation by S.T. Gibson
Rebel Gardening by Alessandro Vitale
Drive Your Own Darn Bus! by Julia Kristina
Book Cover Illustrator: Ilya Nazarov (Instagram | Website)
The frame is unique in its resemblance to a forest, which helps to expand the piece and ties in the title’s gold treatment so it doesn’t stand out so much. The shape language and bright, bold colours are reminiscent of traditional Thai art. Yet, the great Phi that looms over our titular hunter may just be a shinier distraction than the real threat looming behind, beyond the forest. The vibrancy of the cover suits the story’s rich mythology.
Having read an e-ARC/DRC of the story, I’d say the cover’s a good representation of it!
#4
Book Cover Designer & Illustrator: Tom Roberts (Instagram | Website)
Tom also created the covers for:
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
Three BIG reasons why I love this cover:
It’s blue!
The symmetry and depth make the library look grand (which accurately matches how the library is depicted)
There’s a sneaky little raven in there! Anyone who read the first novel will know the relevance of a raven to this universe’s library.
#5
Book Cover Designer: Regina Flath (Instagram | Website)
Regina has also designed:
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
Book Cover Illustrator: Sija Hong
So I even need to say anything? Sija illustrated it! There, done.
Okay okay, breaking it down a bit more: the bright multitude of colours is borderline jarring but pleasantly impactful, imparting a chaotic energy. The twirling MC may be held up, trapped in rope, but she is about to snap them with a downward swing of her arms. When she steps into her power, she won’t be held back again; she’ll drag the world down with her if she does. That’s the vision I’m getting. With the amount of moving objects and overlaying elements of the beautifully stylised title, the cover looks like an action scene, frozen in a critical moment.
#6
Book Cover Designer & Illustrator: unknown (cri)
Hilarious and cheeky incorporation of the title! It’s a good example of a creative, intriguing text-centered cover. It balances the story’s mysterious and baffling atmosphere while conveying the need to pay attention to what the story has to say through…well, the text.
ALSO: this husbands generator by Holly’s team is such a creative marketing idea? WHY ISN’T THIS TAKING OFF?
#7
Book Cover Designer: Kerri Resnick (Instagram | Website)
You’ve seen Kerri’s work on these books:
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
You’ve Reached Same by Dustin Thao
Book Cover Illustrator: Kelly Chong (Instagram | Website)
Kelly brought to life the covers of:
The Witsec series by Ashley N. Rostek
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen
The flowing lines, the analogous pink/purple/teal palette, the moon, the castle, OH! It looks epic and devastating and absolutely magical. I love this specific style of drawing fire and it’s how I can recognise this as a Kelly work. This cover is a win.
#8
Book Cover Designer: Katie Anderson (Instagram | Website)
Did you know that Katie also designed:
A Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden
Iris Kely Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
Book Cover Illustrator: Lisa Perrin (Instagram | Website)
Get ready because Lisa casted a spell over these books:
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber (UK)
Ahh, I love pink! It feels cozy, whimsical and romantic all at once! As much as I love the vague cottagecore vibes of the cover, my favourite detail is the skeleton chicken! It should be creepy but because it’s a chicken it contributes to the coziness and the eccentricness. I’d imagine this meets the brief perfectly.
#9
Book Cover Designer & Illustrator: Elizabeth Turner Stokes (Instagram | Website)
It’s punchy and the overwhelmingly monochromatic palette with some analogous accents complements the title. Using the gumiho’s tails to frame and guide the viewer’s eyes to the girl is smart and also uses up space.
#10
Book Cover Designer & Illustrator: Litarnes (Instagram | Website)
This cover is a lesson in stylisation, impressionism, clear silhouettes and balancing saturation. It’s intimate, slightly dreadful but hopeful all at once. The rundown setting and touches of surrealism set the tone of a dystopian world.
Well! As a fantasy fanatic, I’m positively made delirious by April’s overflow of fantasy releases. What do you guys think of these covers? What are the books you’d put on your top 10 for April?
As always, I always try my best to find out who designed and illustrated what; did any of the designers or illustrators mentioned surprise you? If you enjoy any of their work, please go support them!
Anyways, that’s all I have for this month’s top 10. Until next time~