Since I pointed out covers I hated, it’s only fair I point out covers I loved. And there are quite a few of them.

YA

The Raven Boys (2012) Maggie Stiefvater

Grave Mercy (2012) Robin LaFevers

Romance

Midsummer Moon (1987) Laura Kinsale

I absolutely adore the hedgehog.

Scarlet Sails (2013) TS Rhodes (short story)

In general, I don’t like headless models, but it works here, and more impressively, this is for a short story.

I complain a lot of female cover models, so here are some well done covers for stories with female protagonists.

Fantasy : Female Covers

Chimes at Midnight (2013) Seanan McGuire

Seanan McGuire almost always gets marvelous covers for the Toby Daye series.

Magic Rises (2013) Ilona Andrews

I’ve not cared much for many of the earlier covers in the Kate Daniels series, but this is marvelous and gorgeous.

Blood Trade (2013) Faith Hunter

Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock covers are always good, and this was no exception.

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne (2011) Kady Cross

This is a short story cover, and I really like the lack of a cover model here. And it’s quite clear this is a steampunk story.

Graveminder (2011) Melissa Marr

Again, no model on the front, but I really like this cover. Some combination of the font and the colors and the title drew me in and made me look at this book.

 

Fantasy : Male

Slashback (2013) Rob Thurman

I love the covers in this series almost as much as I love the stories. This is Cal.

Libriomancer (2012) Jim C. Hines

I love the tone of this cover, and how it describes the story. I just wish I’d love the story itself, more.

Thieftaker (2012) D.B. Jackson

This is another cover that perfectly nails the story.

Midnight Riot (2011) Ben Aaronovitch

I really like how the model is a mere outline, but you can still tell he’s a man of color.

Fated (2012) Benedict Jacka

No people at all on this cover. I just think it’s gorgeous.

Fade to Black  (2013) Francis Knight

This is another cover that is very different from what else I generally see out there, but represents the book very well, and is what drew me to consider the book in the first place.

 

Fantasy : Other

Here are the rest of the covers I loved, including what might have been my favorite cover of the year.

The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination: Original Short Fiction for the Modern Evil Genius (2013) John Joseph Adams

This is fun, goofy cover that matches the tone of many of the stories

Heaven’s Net is Wide (2007) Lian Hearn

All the covers in this series are beautiful. There are alternate covers out there that I don’t like at all, and can’t understand why anyone would have changed from this.

River of Stars (2013) Guy Gavriel Kay

I believe this is my favorite cover of the year.

Simply gorgeous.