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50 Examples of the Best Book Covers 2019

Team Superside
Team Superside16 min read
50 Examples of the Best Book Covers 2019 - Superside

2019 is set to be a dynamic, exciting year for design. As technology advances and designers get bolder in their pursuit of high-end, whimsical, or thrilling looks, we get to be surprised and delighted by what they put out. That is true also for book covers.

Book covers need to be eye-catching. Their very purpose is to attract a perusing reader to pick it up and read the back (or inside cover). From there, the hope is the reader will be enthralled, purchase the book, and enjoy the story. But it all starts with that cover.

At the turn of the 20th century, when book production became cheaper and faster, book cover design grew. Some of the very first radical designs were by avant-garde artists in the 20s. Since then, publishers have acknowledged the need to stand out on the shelves. But like all design, trends have come and gone. What catches the reader’s eye today may blend in tomorrow.

So, designers, writers, and publishers are constantly adapting concepts. Sometimes it is bringing back a style. Or being the only book on the shelf with sans serif font. Or it could be as simple as picking a shocking color. We’ve combed through more than 50 book covers to predict the top trends for 2019. Check them out below.

Trend 1: Bold Typography

Typography is an excellent way to interest an audience. And bold, lively typography is stealing the show in 2019. While this trend has been used in the past, its steady growth has proven it is still on trend for the new year. Expect to see dynamic new fonts, alternative ways of presenting old fonts, and cool brush strokes, shaping, and edge transformation.

Book Covers Following the Trend

447edad21c8258fbf3709d6eca62d7648c85bdf5
A Woman is No Man
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The Dreamers
981da05a4477e9e3b1ed460a33a5f88663714cb9
On The Come Up
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Two Can Keep a Secret
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The Outsider

Trend 2: Minimalism

There’s no doubt minimalism has had a tremendous impact on design. It has permeated fashion, interior design, graphic work, and photography. In 2019, we expect to see this element take over book covers in exceptional numbers. Minimalist covers can evoke a myriad of emotions: serious, scary, thrilling, histrionic, or intellectual. This trend, combined with bold typography, tells a reader exactly what they need to know about the book.

Book Covers Following the Trend

725d10d0c80c8562f90b89e6806d3914e6c53567
Maid
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Inheritance
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Becoming
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All We Ever Wanted
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Where Reasons End

Trend 3: Going Old School

The retro trend is hot, hot, hot right now. It all started with hipsters and their desire to go back to old school, natural ways. The pull away from industrial, corporate feelings has led to some really neat design methods. Book covers are feeling this too, though the trend is just starting. We can expect to see more old school covers that emulate the feel of decades long past in 2019 as nostalgia grows and longing for simpler times increases.

Book Covers Following the Trend

0c9487dbe8b53e5823f6faeb0f3fd65ecc85e36d
I Owe You Once
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Still Me
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The Age of Light
6530a4ad696f4783524850f58b71e12fbc1a6b40
Golden Child
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Nomadic Homes

Trend 4: Think Pink

Pink is a power color. For too long it was relegated to the pastel pink of little girls’ bedroom walls or Easter dresses. But daring, vibrant pinks are all about strength, confidence, and energy. Softer pinks emote romance, dreaminess, and whimsy. In 2018, pink book covers began their ascent, and we expect that to peak in 2019.

Book Covers Following the Trend

3524ab38053eee3b440156efa4eeb46acba553ec
Ginger Bread
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The Only Woman in The Room
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Severance
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Where The Crawdads Sing
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The Source of Self-Regard

Trend 5: Works of Art

Have you ever looked at a book cover and had your breath taken away? If not, wait for it…(and also, look at more book covers!). Artists and designers have been creating masterful works of art for decades, and we expect to see more digital masterpieces in 2019. Vibrant colors, elements of classical art, dramatic collages, and layered pieces will sweep through book design, and you’ll want to be watching so you can see the best.

Book Covers Following the Trend

4827d9a1018f58df1af85b3d1e3c1536234c5003
King of Scars
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A Curse So Dark and Lonely
209bbc8ecac2d901a9e97503b31f22df64c9310b
Circe
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Educated
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The Winter of The Witch

Trend 6: Sans Serif Fonts

Serif fonts have long been the calling card of book design. Based on decorative book lettering from time immemorial, serif fonts denote the sophistication and majesty of books (yes, we love books enough to describe them that way). But more than a century before minimalism emerged, there came a simplification of fonts to remove the extra flourish. Sometimes called “grotesque” fonts, sans serif is finding a home in design as a bold choice and we expect to see this increase in 2019.

Book Covers Following the Trend

559a1319a15d97e3889be90f18d32c7082737fa1
When All is Said
0e5eaba81bad7fff07ca81683f3a086debb4b3f1
An Anonymous Girl
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The Killer Collective
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Sugar Run
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The Forgotten Hours

Trend 7: Big Book Design

“Big book” design is a fairly new trend that varies, but primarily uses the following elements: vibrant colors, a large title with equally large or more prominent author name, few additional elements (so no big, complex designs). This look was typically reserved for authors who were well-known (hence featuring the author’s name more significantly—for fans specifically looking for that author). But in the last year, indie authors and other smaller publications have adopted the trend, so this will grow even larger in 2019.

Book Covers Following the Trend

2d31131f8af3bc8d3e10ff16399fd36a17eb6d1e
The Priority of The Orange Tree
015049c7b41d250b725ed2571b295c13e734a633
Cemetery Road
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The Lost Girls of Paris
8c97104f0d434a177c433956c3f1581246eb027f
Fire & Blood
1dda8d62c6f5986079cdd4d9fff4f0e4a4f7bab1
My Lovely Wife

Trend 8: Floral Patterns

Floral patterns aren’t just for grandma’s couch anymore. The whimsical pattern says a lot about the book—maybe it is fun or quirky or menacing or quixotic. Best of all, floral patterns are no longer just for feminine books. The pattern is being adapted for all types of books, and it is crafted to allude to what’s within. Expect the upward swing of floral to continue in 2019.

Book Covers Following the Trend

bdb7f3cb0e82111e064d7e28cbf2a20e1d6ade89
The Gilded Wolves
fbd99d2884baeeac6c17830e0ab98f2da0b1be60
The Last Romantics
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The Island of Sea Women
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The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
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If You Leave Me

Trend 9: Covering Up

Traditionally, it is a huge no-no to cover up the title of the book, but 2019’s book titles are a bit more modest than they used to be. Designers are having a great time creating stylish looks that integrate text and imagery. Part of that is the coverup trend in which a part of the title will be obscured by design. It’s a skillful showing of book cover design, and one of our favorites for 2019.

Book Covers Following the Trend

198580419a2f295f9abcd9242d7c3329fc4b75d6
The Old Drift
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The Wicked King
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Queenie
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Black Leopard Red Wolf
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The Woman in The Window

Trend 10: Lydian

Move over League Gothic and Baskerville! Lydian is the new girl on the block, and she’s taking over all the names. Lydian has actually been around for a while, but it is seeing a resurgence in book cover design as a gender-neutral, lighter sans serif option for fiction and non-fiction alike.

Book Covers Following the Trend

539dc09b72d691dd9ec62fd0f394b9a76a0f9d8d
The Silent Patient
7971d93df6a2c0debbdeaa80298805639c5ec324
Forest Bathing
4e08cc98ecc219f2df9706925df758b9741bc3a7
Early Work
2c3b3922aa2167c84a2b1d274cb0070ec5adf934
Homer Price
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Against Everything

Book design is critical to the success of a book. It is the first impression you will give your audience, so it’s important it projects the right message. And it’s equally important that it is professionally done. Superside has built a unique global community of experienced designers that have completed more than 12,000 projects over the last three years, including book cover designs. Our team of project managers is on standby 24/7 to help you match with the right designer for your book. They take end-to-end responsibility for the project’s quality and execution. So, when you’re ready for the all-important step of book design, reach out to us.

Published: Apr 2, 2019
Team Superside
Written by
Team Superside
Team Superside is comprised of writers from all over the globe. We love making stuff, telling stories and sharing fun, nerdy ideas with the world.

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