My Top 10 Covers of October 2024
It may be spooky season but these covers don't scare me!
We’re entering the last quarter of the year, y’all (what? Where has the time gone?) So many beautiful book covers and stories have been released thus far. Will this month’s batch continue to impress or will we be scared witless at the design horrors?
Let’s dive right in!
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: Zareen Johnson (Instagram | Website)
Oh hello, old friend! Zareen also worked on:
Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hanan Mikuta
The Undead Truth of Us by Britney S. Lewis
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting by Roseanne A. Brown
Book Cover Illustrator: Zipcy (Instagram | Website)
Zipcy has also illustrated for:
XOXO by Axie Oh
You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao
Just…oh my god. The customised letting, the typhoon of gory imagery. The aura is simply immaculate. It reminds me of the covers of the Singaporean horror novel series True Ghost Stories, any kind of antique illustration of supernatural creatures, and even Malaysian/Singaporean horror posters. The title treatment is especially fitting and raises the dangerous atmosphere the cover emanates.
#2
Book Cover Designer: Joel Tippie (Website)
ANOTHER LEGEND? I’ll let his covers speak for themselves:
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (2014 cover redesign under Delacorte Press)
The Jackaby series by William Ritter
The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
Book Cover Illustrator: Kuri Huang (Instagram | Website)
Give it up, ladies and gents, for the one and only Kuri Huang, whose portfolio consists of gems such as:
The Celestial Kingdom series (Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Heart of the Sun Warrior; US edition) by Su Lynn Tan
Kingdom of Three duology by Joan He
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Listen, I know a Kuri cover when I see one. The complementary colour scheme interspersed with bright minty accents makes for a calming introduction to the book. Vaguely and strangely (affectionate), Huang’s signature style of glittery layered shapes and organic lines, the prominent brown-gold of the love interest’s robes, and their intimate pose remind me of The Kiss by Glint Kustav. Whether that makes sense to you or not, the cover doesn't shy away from showing off the romance.
#3
Book Cover Illustrator: Deb JJ Lee (Instagram | Website)
A familiar contemporary illustrator, she has graced the covers of:
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf
In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee
I feel like I’m looking into the Mirror Dimension from Doctor Strange, sooo I’m already hooked with the surrealism. The gothic architecture rising from the bottom juxtaposed with the Brooklyn Bridge ruling from above parallels the secret magical world shedding its shadowy cloak to become known again. The tiger paw, snake tail, and cloudy dragon are fierce hints at what creatures of the Chinese Zodiac may be focused on in this instalment.
I want to shout out the title treatment because it fits SO well and seems to be manually bezeled (aka hand-drawn with guides) so that the reflections aren’t overly shiny and incorporate the colour palette with precision.
#4
Book Cover Designer: Natalie Chen (Instagram | Website)
I’ve seen you around, Ms Chen! Did you know she has made the covers of:
Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao
And So I Roar by Abi Daré
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
Book Cover Illustrator: Jeff Langevin (Instagram | Website)
I did not know of your power, sire—do you recognise these titles he has done?
Game of Thrones series (French; J’ai Lu) by George R.R. Martin
Hideki Smith: Demon Queller by A.J. Hartley with Hisako Osako & Kuma Hartley
Marvel’s What If? series (Penguin Random House)
I’m biased—I like the colour palette. But beyond that, I’m appreciative that this cover stuck as an illustration because it could’ve also be done as a photobased, photoreal cover and become tacky. Instead, the clean illustrative style allows your eyes to notice the shattered mirror without becoming distracted by it and eventually settle on the view of a character facing away from us.
#5
Book Cover Illustrator: Kuri Huang (Instagram | Website)
Oops, another Kuri cover! Hopeful, energetic, and with the vigour of spring—this cover looks like a breath of fresh sea air. The teal scales of the curving dragon around the MC make it look like they are rising from the ocean. The red string of fate is a nice touch, connecting the author’s name to the characters.
Halfway over—whew! It’s a lot of work compiling these lists and hunting down all the credits, so a subscription always helps spread the word about these artists’ work!
#6
Book Cover Designer: Ervin Serrano
While there isn’t currently a source collecting all his works in one place, some Google searches and a peek at the captions and tags show Mr. Serrano might also have had a hand in these covers:
Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin
The God Game by Danny Tobey
Backdropped by a golden moon, the main character gains a supernatural presence that looms over cities and palaces, rivalling the power of nature…sounds about right for a story retelling a famous beauty from China’s mythology!
#7
Book Cover Designer: Christine Foltzer (Instagram | Website)
Haunting and vintage, Christine’s style has appeared on the covers of:
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers
The Fourth Island by Sarah Tolmie
Book Cover Illustrator: Cristina Becina (Instagram | Website)
Cristina has also done:
The Dark Tower series (The Ultimate Storyteller editions under Hodder & Stoughton) by Stephen King
You’d think it’s just a view of a city on fire, with its reflection rippling on still lake water…until you notice it’s in a reverse colour scheme and untouched by ash. Framing it is a gateway guarded by our named demon and angel, who welcome readers into the novella, yet are busy glaring at the other, lost in their unspoken grudges.
#8
Book Cover Designer/Illustrator: unknown
Doesn’t this just scream epic and dangerous? The winding dragon with its multiple eyes and souls in its stomach makes for an ominous figure. The use of golden circles emphasises each subject while imitating those photo stacks of the sun in various positions in the sky. The brushed texture allows it to feel like an old-school painted illustration, allowing it to feel less modern and more grand. I love the little people with halos hidden amongst the scales of the dragon, evoking the image of people trekking up a mountain.
#9
Book Cover Designer: Charlotte Strick (Instagram | Website)
A prolific designer, she has designed for multiple books, including:
Nobody is Ever Missing by Catherine Lacey
The Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer
The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane
Book Cover Illustrator: Dan Funderburgh (Instagram | Website)
Well, Mr Funderburgh, you seem to be flying under the radar! Do you recognise these titles?
Here I am O God by Dujie Tahat (Poetry Society of America Chapbooks)
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Doubleday)
The Strangler Vine by M.J. Carter
Playing off standard playing cards’ mirrored designs, this cover does wonders in conveying how the two characters are intended to be foils of each other while linking to the story’s coverage of court politics. A clever design!
#10
Book Cover Designer: Theresa Evangelista (Instagram | Website)
Renowned in the book cover design space, Theresa has designed:
The Beautiful series by Renée Ahdieh
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
Book Cover Illustrator: Pablo Hurtado de Mendoza (Instagram | Website)
ANOTHER artist I wasn’t aware of! Pablo, your game is top-notch. I bet you’ve heard of at least one of these books he has done:
Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison
Arch Conspirator by Veronica Roth
Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
An arresting visual and a succinct but gorgeous way of conveying time travel while firmly anchoring it in the romantic connection between the two leads. I mean, the light engulfing their clasped hands makes that very clear. The subtle shadow on the title text gives the impression the cover is made up of two planes.
And so there you have it: my roundup of October’s top covers! Of course, this list is highly subjective, as all things art are.
What do you guys think of these covers? What are the books you’d put on your top 10 for October 2024? If you like any of these covers, maybe others will too!
Anyways, that’s it for this month’s list! Until next time!
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