Many have called book blobs the trend in book cover design. And it’s true — we’ve certainly seen a lot of the so-called blobs popping up on book covers across categories. A lot of the analysis is interesting, but it overlooks one of the reasons we’re seeing this and will continue to see this: these covers pop when at the thumbnail size and they pop in images on social media. Given the challenge of getting a book to stand out anymore, the chance to shine on a screen makes a difference. Some of the best book covers of 2021 will look like the book blob. But many will look much different. This array of book covers stand out among the crowd this year for any number of reasons, as the below explanations will enumerate. What goes into determining a good book cover is both subjective and objective. It’s subjective in that it’s going to appeal to some readers more than others, especially if those readers have a proclivity for certain aesthetics: illustrated vs photographic, single images vs montages, stark covers vs busy covers, covers which are font driven vs those which aren’t. It’s also objective: good art is good art, and for books particularly, good art makes a book come off the shelf. It sells the story, and objectively good art both stands out and fits in. Readers who like a certain type of story can use cover art to find their next read, as much as those covers can help elucidate a book’s genre, tone, and mood. All of the covers below include credit to the design team, as best as finding that information is possible. This is the annual reminder that information should be easily available on author websites, publisher websites, and other ready sources for readers.
The Best Book Covers of 2021
—Kelly Jensen —Alison Doherty —Susie Dumond —CJ Connor —Kelly Jensen —Rachel Brittain —Cassie Gutman —Erika Hardison —Isabelle Popp —Erika Hardison —Leah Rachel von Essen —Susie Dumond —Alison Doherty —Kelly Jensen —Chris M. Arnone —Megan Mabee —PN Hinton —Leah Rachel von Essen —Jamie Canavés —Jamie Canavés
