My Top 10 Covers of February
*rubs hands* Oh, this is a magical list, indeed!
February, oh, February. Romantic, finicky and oh shorter than the rest of the months of the year, February flies by quickly. Spending that time looking at book covers is not a bad way to do things. Just like the magical, rare February 29th, my picks this month are dominated by fantasy novels with rich and whimsy illustrations.
Note: I have not read any of these books unless I’ve indicated as such, so any observations made about the story the covers represent and its quality are only based on the synopses and the cover.
NOW, February, here we come!
#1.1
Book Cover Designer: Ellie Game (Instagram)
Book Cover Illustrator: Jason Chuang (Instagram | Website)
Jason also did the other UK editions of the Celestial Kingdom series
I love how Jason’s art takes cues from traditional Chinese art motifs of flowers and fruits to inform the cover of Sue Lynn’s Chinese mythology series. Peaches are mythologically tied to immortality in Chinese mythology. Its presence here in a spinoff collection of short stories likely following the immortal characters of the main series is not unusual. The same goes for the dragon and phoenix. As for the swallows…well they are tied to love and it’s not a mystery we’ll get an update on Xingyin’s love story.
#1.2
Book Cover Illustrator: Kelly Chong (Instagram | Website)
You might have seen Kelly illustrate…
The Blood of Stars duology and Six Crimson Crane duology by Elizabeth Lim (UK editions)
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
Is it unfair that I put both standard edition covers of TOTCK here? Maybe. But LOOK— The colour palette? The celestial imagery? The cherry blossoms? This cover is ABSOLUTELY up my alley. I’d frame it if I could. Like the horizon on the cover, the book will open us up to new perspectives and lead us to new stories beyond our knowledge. While it doesn’t tell us anything specific about the stories it harbours (yet) or characters, it does immerse you in a magical world.
#2
Book Cover Designer: Ella Laytham (Instagram | Website)
Book Cover Illustrator: Eleonor Piteira (Instagram | Website)
It’s a beautiful balance of linear and circular motifs leading to the character’s face. The colour palette and range of values make it magical and calming. The way the hair is shaped reminds me of old relief carvings where flowing hair is carved as a single, wavy shape. The decorative motifs are echoes of the book’s Norse influence.
#3
Book Cover Designer: AD Emily Smyth (Instagram)
Book Cover Illustrator: Holly Ovenden (Instagram | Website)
Holly also did:
Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun
The Wolf Den trilogy by Elodie Harper
The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed
Now this one, I’ve read! It’s a beautiful gothic fantasy with enticing mysteries, tragic backstories and a banger of an ending (in my opinion…) The cover beautifully emphasises the magical, chilling forest (Driada) while letting the Leszy, who in the novel wears a giant stag mask, lurk in the background, his presence always felt.
#4
Book Cover Designer: Ella Garrett
Book Cover Illustrator: Kelly Chong
I’ve also read this one! The symmetry and complementary tones create a very harmonious cover that draws you in by the title before allowing you to slowly rake your eyes over each detail of the mermaids and creatures. It goes well with the general vibe of Tiankawi: a place posed as a modern utopia for peaceful co-existence between humans and fathomfolk. That is, at the beginning.
Hm…could the next cover in the series lean more blue and yellow? We’ll see!
#5
Book cover designer/illustrator: Unknown (if you know please let me know!)
I believe this cover is an adjusted version of the original, which was set in the daytime and washed with soft, warm, neutral beiges. This version, while shrouded in the blues and purples of night, is cozy with its warm orange glow. It’s intimate and personable. It makes me want to curl up on a good beanbag with a blanket and tea to read it.
This book was originally published in January 2022 but the English-translated version by Bloomsbury is out this year.
#6
Book Cover Illustrator: Valentina Remenar (Instagram | Website)
Speaking of tea—here’s a cover featuring one! If you’re gonna mention something with a clear visual like tea (or feature a tearoom in your novel), you best put it on your cover! The double exposure look but drawn is creative. It gives us an idea of the setting and the character at the same time without being too literal and straightforward in execution. The curled steam and how it obscures the character’s left eye creates mystery while tying together the teacup element.
#7
Book Cover Designer: Meryl Sussman Levavi
Book Cover Illustrator: Patrick Leger (Instagram | Website)
Patrick also illustrated the covers of:
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Up Home by Ruth J. Simmons
Its simplicity in composition and contrast doesn’t mean it lacks atmosphere or intrigue. The large amount of space in the composition and minimal background detail allow the title to breathe without fighting for attention and guide us to hone in on the red woman. Our curiosity about her is what fills up the space. What is she thinking? Where is she going? Who is she? Following her gaze, I reach the book’s edge to open it.
#8
Book Cover Designer: Esther S. Kim (Website)
Book Cover Illustrator: Chris Sack
The composition is simple but the dramatic under lighting captures the illicit vibe of the synopsis. The rich plum and vermillion add mystery, energy, and that oh-so-familiar sense of danger. The triangular frame nicely keeps the attention on the conjuring hand, letting you know “Hey there, there’s magic here!”
#9
Book Cover Designer: Russell Trakhtenberg (Website)
Book Cover Illustrator: David Seidman (Instagram | Website)
Get ready because David spooked your eyes with the books:
Horror Hotel series by Faith McClaren and Victoria Fulton
Grave Things Like Love by Sara Bennett Wealer
It’s creepy, it’s surreal, it’s creative. A horror story about looking featuring a direct, horrified gaze? Brilliant. Something about the illustration style and the font type gives off a retro horror movie poster feel. I’m so curious whether Seidman found that it was tricky to position the hands since it has to hold the face and the crow! Regardless, the concept and execution are phenomenal.
#10
Book Cover Designer & Illustrator: Micaela Alcaino (Instagram | Website)
The Secrets of the Nile duology by Isabel Ibanez
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
The ARC cover of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
It captures and evokes the silhouettes and shape language of Mesoamerican reliefs. The bold colour palette, especially the vivid red, implies a story of fierce internal stalemate. With snakes representing rebirth and black panthers, power, in Mesoamerican and Mexican cultures, we could expect power struggles and a reformation of the MC’s self.
What do you guys think of these covers? Do you agree (or disagree) with my opinions? What are the books you’d put on your top 10 for February?
For further reference, I can’t promise that all the covers shown in these top 10 of x-month lists are versions of a book’s literal debut, as in the case of Welcome To Hyunam-dong Bookshop or even January’s The Davenports. However, I don’t think it’s a bad thing, do you? Backlist books getting another print run deserve another round of applause and recognition. It’s always nice to bring back an older beloved book.
That’s all for this post so, until next time!