Cover-Judgers Anonymous - Black Heart by Holly Black

Never judge a book by its cover.

If you've read my blog, you've probably heard me refer to myself as a shameless (SHAMELESS!) cover-judger. I know, I'm seeking help. But I don't think I'm the only one out there who does it.

So I invite you, readers, to share your opinion, and maybe we can find a cure for this problem together...or not.

Let the (shameless! SHAMELESS!) cover-judging begin!
 
And seriously...you ALL knew this one was coming...
 
 
Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.


But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

If you read my blog, you've probably noticed that I've pretty much been completely ignoring the fact that there is a new cover for this title.


Let's take a closer look at the new cover, just so you can see what I've been avoiding.



I'll be honest. It's a very pretty cover. I like the black and the purple and the font. I like the stylistic swirls making up the faces in the background.


I like it.

However, it's not the cover I fell in love with.

I'm a HUGE fan of this series. If you haven't read it, I really recommend that you do. The worldbuilding here is phenominal. It's very dark and mysterious and kinda film noir-esque. And the original cover for Black Heart fit it perfectly. I loved the red and black and white. I loved the models. I loved the font. I loved that the font was different colours.

I LOVED THAT IT MATCHED MY OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES.  

(I know they changed the first cover when they went to paperback, but it wasn't so big of a change...just revealing the model's eyes and changing the font a little. It wasn't nearly as big a change as this is.)


Now it won't match and this saddens me. 
 
*sigh*
 
-geekgirl

Comments

  1. Arg, I'm so mad they are changing the cover again! I love the old one. Yes the new one is pretty (I would totally pick up a book with this cover), but it won't fit with the old covers.

    Still, I don't think the new cover do justice to the series. I don't see the link between the cover and the story.

    It always saddens me when they change the cover, especially if they make the change for the last book.

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  2. I'm sad that they've decided to change the cover. I was really looking forward to the Cas/Lila cover.


    -Wendy from A Cupcake and a Latte: YA Reviews

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  3. NOOOOOOO they can't change the theme now at book three! Are those magical swirls, can't see how it relates to the book. And where is the black/white/red now? I see a more cute contemporary feel to it OR dare I say it's almost sparkles!!!! *shudders*

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  4. Hmmm...not a fan of it at all. It seems almost as if it is a completely unrelated novel...not one from the series. I prefer the red/black/white flow that has been going on. Disappointing to say the least.

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  5. I, for one, am NOT a fan of the new cover. It looks like someone got fancy with a light-brite. It doesn't fit the feel of the series. And it *shudder* reminds me of my childhood (in the '70s). The old covers were PERFECTION!

    And I'm not even someone who cares that much when the covers in a series don't match. Long series (8, 9 books) usually change somewhere. But 3?! Come on!

    Also makes it more difficult for the students to find / recognize as being in the same series.

    Sigh. I must be getting old.

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  6. no, No, NO! This is a very pretty cover, I will give S&S that, but this is not okay. If I saw this at the bookstore I would walk right by it. It doesn't match, there is no "edge" to it. Holly Black's YA novels are gritty and dark, this just is NOT how I picture this novel. The previous covers were so good. Usually I ignore covers, but the models from the first two books got into my head. Those cover models were my Cassel and Lila. This is such sad news...my future book shelf will look like this...Book one with faceless Cassel, Book two with Lila, and book three jacketless.

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