Cover Trend #2 -- Cutesy Covers

This trend has obviously been around for a little while now, but with the resurgence of paranormal in the last couple of years, there has of course been a flood of humorous paranormal books, all of which seem to be graced (ha!) by these cutesy, cartoon covers. Sometimes they look alright (like the cover of I'm the Vampire, That's Why), but usually they just look goofy, physically impossible, or juvenile.

Maybe I just don't like them because I'm usually disappointed by the humorous paranormal books I read. It seems like everyone online raved about Date Me Baby One More Time by Stephanie Rowe, and though I liked it, I didn't think it was anything to rave about. I guess I just can't escape the feeling that writers often try too hard when it comes to humor.

Dead End Dating
by Kimberly Raye
Ballantine, 29 August 2006
and
Dead and Dateless
Ballantine, 30 January 2007


I'm the Vampire, That's Why
by Michele Bardsley
Signet, 5 September 2006


Sex and the Single Ghost
by Tawny Taylor
Kensington, 6 September 2006


Girl's Guide to Witchcraft
by Mindy Klasky
Red Dress Ink, 1 October 2006


Must Love Dragons
by Stephanie Rowe
Warner, 1 November 2006

Light My Fire
by Katie MacAlister
Signet, 7 November 2006


Bit the Jackpot
by Erin McCarthy
Berkley, 5 December 2006


The Good Ghouls' Guide to Getting Even
by Julie Kenner
Berkley, 3 April 2007

Cover Trend #1 -- Naked Male Chests

I know I've said this before, but one of the most noticable trends in romance covers that I've seen recently is that of the naked male chest. I think it is part of the trend toward more sensual, sexual romance, because they are especially common on the erotic and paranormal novels. I don't mind these covers, but I don't love them either. In some ways, from my view, it's no better than the women with their hair flying and their dresses falling off on the old clinch covers. What do you guys think -- do you hate them, love them, find them annoying?

Slave to Sensation
by Nalini Singh
Berkley, September 2006
I know everyone's already seen this book everywhere else, but I haven't shown the cover here yet, and I am looking forward to it. I didn't see it in the bookstore when I was there last week, but hopefully it will be there tomorrow. So far, the reviews I've read for it have been positive.


Parallel Heat
by Deidre Knight
Signet, 3 October 2006
I have the first book in this series, though I haven't read it yet. I have hopes that it will be good, or at least well edited, because I would really expect no less from such a high-profile agent.


Dark Defender
by Alexis Morgan
Pocket, 28 November 2006
I haven't read the first book in this series, nor have I really heard much about it. Have any of you read her other book?


Midnight Surrender
by Karen Harbaugh
Dell, 28 November 2006
I was wondering if Harbaugh would be an unfortunate loss from the publishers' tendencies to drop non-hot-selling midlist authors because we haven't seen a new book from her since 2003. I really enjoyed her other books, so I'm happy to see this one listed.


Harmony's Way
by Lora Leigh
Berkley, 5 December 2006
Here's another that I have the first book, Megan's Mark, but I haven't read yet.


The Nymph King
by Gena Showalter
HQN, 1 February 2007
Showalter is an interesting author to me because she doesn't rely on series and connected books to write her stories. Every new book is a new story, a new idea. She's not the most literary writer, but she tells a fun story and I don't feel like she's trying to hook me with a minor character all the time so I'll buy the next book.


Legacy of Stone
by Vickie Taylor
Berkley, 6 March 2007
Taylor really has had one of the more original ideas in the influx of paranormal/fantasy romance from the last few years, so I have to follow her for that reason alone.