Judging a Book by its Cover: Likes and Dislikes in Physical Copies
Hello lovely readers!
I hope you are doing well. I am very thankful this week for the unusual amounts of sunshine and warmer temperatures. My daughter is getting more confident in her walking so we have been enjoying strolls around the neighborhood and time at the park.
I am thankful to note we have some new subscribers- hello! Welcome to the Lady Bookish readership! For those of you who are new, my name is Kaitlyn aka Lady Bookish and I write about various bookish topics. My main focuses are book related history (author fun facts/appreciation posts, genre deep dives, and literary anniversaries to name a few), book news & opinions, and highlighting small bookish businesses. I do some book reviews and book lists but not as frequently on this blog, though my Instagram (@ladybookishblog) contains more of these.
Speaking of Instagram, If you follow me (and you totally should!), you will have seen my recent reel regarding my thoughts on the 'First Impressions' contemporary covers of Jane Austen books that have recently been released from Penguin. For reference, here they are:
I am not a fan of them. Jane Austen is one of my three favorite authors and so I tend to be a bit more particular in how they are represented. These do not feel authentic to Jane Austen or her stories; they seem to be trying to trick younger audiences to read classics, as if they can only enjoy classics that resemble contemporary novels. This got me pondering about characteristics I like and do not like in my physical books, so I thought I would quickly share some.
Bookish Likes:
-Simple, beautiful covers (think antique books)
-maps included (ESPECIALLY for fantasy and adventure)
-gilded edges (be still my heart!)
-a non spoiler summary on the back or inside flap
-Font that is larger than 9 point
Bookish Dislikes:
-Movie covers on classics (ugh)
-Reviews of a book on the back cover over a story summary- I want to know what I am about to read!
-When only part of a series is available as a physical copy (with continuing series being an exception)
-Pages made of cheap material that easily rip
-too much text on a page caused by using microscopic print
I would love to hear your thoughts- what are things you like and dislike in your physical copies of books? If you prefer audiobooks, what do you look for in a narrator? I cannot wait to hear your thoughts! Comment below or on our Facebook Group (Lady Bookish).
Also, I have a few posts in progress (including a guest for another blog) but I am always open to topics you would like to learn more about in the bookish world! Feel free to comment below, on Facebook, or on Instagram.
Happy Reading!
Lady Bookish
P.S. I was honored to write another guest post for my favorite book blog Tea and Ink Society. Here is the link: https://teaandinksociety.com/small-town-book-series/
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