Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. For a list of upcoming topics and more about this weekly feature, check out her site!

This Week’s Topic:
Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover

It was super clear to me from the start that there is a particular color that grabs me when it comes to covers: RED

Red is intense. Love. Fire. Blood. Red just brings intensity and passion. It was fun to see just how many of my favorite books feature red on their covers.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

As the only pop of color on this cover, red is prominent and a huge reason this cover was so iconic. I chose to feature this cover for two reasons. One, red is such an essential part of this cover’s design. Two, I watched this video essay on YouTube recently: Dear Stephenie Meyer–I’m Sorry. It’s worth watching, and helps me reflect on language and treatment surrounding chick flicks and romance. The shame, guilt, and bashing of things women enjoy or entertainment aimed at women is commonplace in our society. It’s definitely something I’ve done–called a movie I enjoyed a guilty pleasure rather than just admitting with confidence that I like it. It’s something I need to work on.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I adore this series as well as this cover! All of the books in The Lunar Chronicles feature the color red, but this first book in the series is by far my favorite use of red. The sexy red heel is such a fun twist on the glass slipper. The hint of the cyborg leg hints that this book will have more unexpected twists to the classic tale. And the lettering/font choice for the title is excellent. By far my favorite font from the ten books I selected for this post. The cover designs for the US Lunar Chronicles are up there with my all-time favorite covers for an entire series.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
If you want to learn about cyber security, programming, and cryptography–this book is a fun way to do so! Cory Doctorow does a great job of explaining complicated subjects within fiction in a fun way. His books serve the dual purpose of being entertaining as well as educational. I think the red “X” on this cover helps to create a tone of rebellion that is the core of this story. If you look closely at the “X” you can see rows of code. A perfect subtle detail that hints that the type of rebellion will be cyber in nature. Highly recommend this book for people looking for a cyber-heavy, near-future dystopian read.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
This is the second book in Shannon Hale’s Books of Bayern series, and probably my favorite! Enna’s character has stuck with me years after turning the final page. What was it about her? The way Hale described Enna’s power with fire and the danger of wielding it is what most sticks with me. Drawing heat into her body fills her with power, but that heat can also burn her alive from within. She becomes addicted to the power, and what she can do with it. I’d love to see a fanfic that ships Enna and Avatar’s Zuko. That would be such an interesting crossover! A lot of books with red covers feature fire, but I love how this one shows the fire being on the brink of consuming Enna. So central to the story, and I love when covers reflect the contents of the book!

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This is, by far, my favorite sci-fi book in a long time! The storytelling method is so unique, but perfectly suited to the story it is telling. The cover captures the content and themes of the story: censorship, cover-up, technology. But I think the color red, particularly this fiery orange-red, for the first book accurately captures the intensity and danger of this first book. I see this cover and I prepare myself for a wild rollercoaster ride. Whoever designed this cover did a magnificent job! (I’ve bought Obsidio… and am torn between jumping into it… and holding off… because I don’t want this series to be over!)

Fire by Kristin Cashore
It’s been ages since I read this book (2011? Goodreads doesn’t have a date logged.) But I’ve been meaning to re-read this book and Graceling so that I can read Bitterblue. I remember loving this book for its plot twists. And appreciating that author’s view of the world: That nothing is just black or white/right or wrong. That everything is circumstantial and kind of gray. I’ve read more books, particularly in the fantasy genre, like this since then. But Kristin Cashore was probably the first author to get me thinking morality in a more nuanced way. She definitely inspired me to craft heroes with a dark side and villains you could sympathize with. And because this post is about covers… can we just stop for a moment to say how gorgeous that bow and arrow is?

The Elite by Kiera Cass
This series was a pleasant surprise. I listened to them on audiobook last summer, and really enjoyed the female friendship, romance, and dystopian elements. However, I totally think the gorgeous dresses featured on each cover were a big factor in how this series became such a success. Before even knowing what the books were about, this series was the “books with pretty gowns” series. Admittedly, I think I like the dresses on the other covers better than this red one. But the red is certainly striking! And I love the eerie reflections in the background. I think this cover captures more than the others that there is danger lurking around America, as well as her growing strength.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
I LOVE THIS SERIES. SO MUCH. I think it’s so underrated and more people need to pick it up. This is the original hardback cover, and it captures the steampunk genre. I think it’s a really gorgeous, neutral cover. But I don’t know if it captures much of the story. The later paperback covers give you bigger hints what this book is about, but I still love the gorgeous design of this cover. This book is an alternate history of WWI where gender roles are flipped and battles are waged with steampunk machines and genetically modified beasties. This series is so clever that I was in awe of Westerfeld’s genius by the end of it. I wrote an entire paper on the gender roles in the book for an independent study in grad school. So good. Read it!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
I read this series this past winter to see what all the fuss was about. The fans of this series are intense! While I’m not a fangirl, I was pleasantly surprised with the series as a whole. This first book was not my favorite of the three, but this cover is certainly eye-catching. I love the variety of textures in inky black: lace, scales, feathers, bare tree branches. All of these on a backdrop of red makes for a really sexy and alluring book cover. I’d recommend this series to mature readers who can invest some time. The second book in the series makes the investment worth it with great twists, character growth, and world building.

Fablehaven (Book 5) by Brandon Mull
Another series that I absolutely LOVE!! This is the cover of the final book in the series, which was my favorite. This series is the first fantasy series that I truly enjoyed after Harry Potter. Technically, this series is middle grade, but I think readers of all ages can find something to enjoy. There is a huge cast of characters. A huge magical world that spans multiple continents (yes–you travel around the world in this series)! And tons of unexpected twists. The final book was so satisfying because you saw such growth in the characters, there were high stakes, and a thoughtful resolution. I don’t think this cover truly captures the essence of this series–two kids who strive to protect magical creatures and sanctuaries around the world. The cover looks like some sort of Greek hero story. But if this cover pulls in Percy Jackson readers, I think they’d be so happy with this series. Seriously, these books are underrated fantasy. Everyone should read them!

Some of my favorite books definitely have red covers! Which color covers do you connect with?