Discussion Challenge: Cover Markings

Brace yourselves, this discussion post will be mostly ranting! Lol. But it's a topic that I feel like is important to booklovers. I'd say all, but that isn't necessarily true since I don't know exactly how many booklovers/readers feel about covers. Prior to this I had me a mini rant on twitter because I thought I was ordering the new paperback of Libba Bray's The Diviners, only to receive the old one. They pictured the new one, but gave me the old one. Needless to say I was not a happy book collector.

Back on topic though...this is about covers and markings. I can't stand when publishers think it's a "good idea" to put these circles or as I call them "irremovable stickers" smack dab on the cover, in the middle of things or whatnot and ruin the art!!

The Curse of the Irremovable Sticker!!

Truly, it's the above even that got me in such a mood! Ironically I had this post planned before that episode happened. But that's a separate rant for another time. Needless to say I won't be doing online shopping when it comes to buying new cover art any time soon!

The best example I can use for this topic is my one of my favorite series, The Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones. Which I am now 4 books behind in. Sigh. It all started with book 5 when there was a new cover concept. Wasn't a big fan of that change either, but what can you do? I actually grabbed book 7 because it was closer but the concept is the same. Observe:

The offender is right there on the right. That little circle. It's sooo annoying and detracts from the cover art. But I will admit, this one isn't that bad. It's not as obtrusive as what I am about to show you is. This one at least has some of the same colors going on to help blend in. It's small, it's not touching any objects or letters. It's an eyesore, but it's harmless.

Brace yourselves...I'm going to get really, really ranty!

This one makes me cringe every single time I see it. Granted, the publishers had a nice idea. All first edition copies of the hardcover would come with a signed page. Not quite the original title page, but one of those extra ones they use for signed editions. No big deal really.

That circle? BIG DEAL! I admit. I'm a little bit OCD with my books. The few books I traveled with before that have been slightly damaged due to inexperience with packing do make me cringe, but it was learning experiences. It can't be helped. I know better now. But this? This is not something to be ignored!!

That circle is about the same size as the previous one. Fine. But it's ON TOP of the shoe!! It's INTRUDING into the cover art!! It's unacceptable!! And it's WHITE trimmed in GOLD! This cover is clearly a silver combo with some gray going on. There is no white. There is no gold. This circle stands out. I get it. They want people to know it's signed. I might have been okay with the poor color choices if it wasn't right SMACK DAB ON TOP OF THE SHOE!!! It's so wrong!!

I've tried to look for "unsigned" copies, but they don't seem to exist. I keep finding this one. it reminds me of an elf's shoe with the little bells or cotton ball right on top of the toe! It looks wrong!! This is not a shoe Charley would wear. You would've thought the cover art department would've done a better job at placement. There are words in white right about it, saying "a novel" or something like that. But seriously?! What was wrong with the top left corner? You know that big blank space of gray nothing?

Okay, I ranted enough. But tell me, am I alone in this? It doesn't have to be this series, but how do you feel about covers with this "irremovable stickers", those annoying little shapes that look like a sticker but won't ever ever ever ever EVER come off and will forever MAR the cover art?

Sorry. I thought I was done, but I still had that last bit in me! ;)