As a reader, I always tell people not to judge a book by its cover. But unfortunately, that’s what we all do, even if we’re doing it subconsciously. Our eyes are always drawn to intriguing designs that stand out on bookstore shelves.
If you need help creating such an outstanding book cover, you’re just at the right place! This article contains 25 book cover design ideas that’ll surely leave you inspired to craft your own masterpiece. Let’s just dive right in and explore some creative concepts.
25 Book Cover Design Ideas
We have categorized all the book cover ideas based on their genre. You can skip to your preferred category or explore them all – you’re guaranteed to find inspiration in every design.
Let’s explore some amazing book cover design ideas in each genre.
Science Fiction
Books in this genre explore speculative concepts that are often rooted in science and technology. It delves into themes such as time travel, parallel universes, space exploration, etc. Therefore, the book covers in this genre contain more futuristic imagery, abstract shapes, striking color schemes, and modern fonts.
1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
This cover screams sci-fi. It has an Interstellar vibe with a backdrop of deep cosmic darkness and the silhouette of an astronaut. The color palette also offers a striking contrast that enhances the overall appeal. It’s a cover that’ll immediately draw you into the world of space exploration.
2. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The funky and futuristic typography on this book cover makes it stand out on the shelf. Plus, the use of different colors and a 3D effect against a dark black background is highly effective in making this design visually striking and memorable.
3. Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
This sci-fi book cover design is all about attention to detail. It features an illustration of our protagonist with one wreck of a world. The yellow borders and the author’s name add a vibrant touch that catches the eye. It’s also notable how the book title is rendered in a different color, white, which stands out prominently against the darker background.
4. Pattern Recognition by William Gibson
This book cover design looks like a screenshot of a Netflix murder documentary. Everything about this, from the color choices to images and layout, is different from a typical sci-fi novel. But this works in its favor as the unconventional design immediately intrigues and sets it apart on the shelf.
Fantasy
This is a very popular genre that revolves around imaginary worlds with magical or supernatural elements. Therefore, their book covers often feature mystical imagery, elaborate illustrations, or fantastical creatures. Even the color scheme consists of dark and rich hues with whimsical and decorative fonts.
5. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
The cover design for Legendborn focuses on a detailed illustration of our main character. It depicts her hands ablaze with flames—one red, one blue—making the reader immediately intrigued about the nature of her powers.
When it comes to color scheme, it revolves around dark blue and red hues. Even the title name has a gradient effect with these two colors, enhancing the overall visual impact of the cover.
6. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
This is a perfect example of a minimal fantasy book cover design. It is dominated by a dark background and shades of gray with a striking, coiled serpent around the text. The typography is also clean and bold. It all comes together to set the tone for the dark, thrilling journey.
7. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
This book cover design is the opposite of minimal. It features richly detailed illustrations of a dragon coiled around a towering castle. The attention to detail with the intricate scales, destroyed tower, and orange flames in the background truly brings the scene to life.
When it comes to the color scheme, the blue and yellow-orange contrasts beautifully to create a dynamic effect.
8. Gilded by Marissa Meyer
We’ve discussed minimal designs and elaborate ones, but if you’re looking for something in between, this is the perfect choice for you. The central theme of the cover design revolves around a crown that covers an entire city – possibly implying the city is ruled by the one who wears the crown.
The concept sounds simple, but the details, whether it’s the person’s face in the background or the water at the bottom, add another layer to the visual narrative. Plus, the gold and red color scheme brings everything together.
Literary Fiction
The literary fiction genre focuses on complex character development and intricate narratives that often explore deep themes and social issues. It’s a diverse genre; thus, the book cover designs also vary significantly, reflecting the unique tone and style of each individual story.
9. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
A beautiful book cover for an equally beautiful story that waits for its readers. The design is adorned with a lush green garden where daisies bloom abundantly under a clear blue sky. It has a delicate vibe against a soft color scheme of greens that adds to its timeless beauty.
10. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Who says we can’t be minimal yet bold at the same time? This cover design is simply genius as it uses the color yellow to signify a powerful statement on racial identity. When paired with a simple font and a pair of intrigued eyes, the whole book immediately stands out on the shelves.
11. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
I believe this is everyone’s favorite book because of its heartbreaking story. But the cover is equally intriguing. It features the Orgasmic Man by Peter Hujar. The colors are subdued, and the typography is minimal, which emphasizes the narrative of the book and adds a quiet intensity.
Mystery/Thriller
We have grouped these two genres together since their plots can often overlap. They delve into themes such as crime, investigation, and psychological tension. That’s why their book cover designs feature dark imagery, shadowy figures, bold typography, and stark color contrasts to evoke a sense of intrigue and danger.
12. A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
The cover of this book incorporates wordplay through the visual depiction of flames in vivid colors. You can even see the hints of oranges and deep reds in the name of the book and the author. This works well to tie everything together, promising a burning narrative.
13. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
This is an example of a book cover that uses typography to convey the theme. It contains a simple yet bold font that has an added effect of blurred ends. This is a great nod to the uncertainty suggested by the title itself.
Additionally, the cover features an intriguing visual technique: an image of a town at the bottom, mirrored and repeated at the top. This adds further depth, inviting the readers to unravel the mystery.
14. I Have Some Questions for You Rebecca Makkai
Talking about typography, we have to mention this amazing book cover that focuses solely on words. The title is presented in a shaky, handwritten font, with each word casting shadows that descend. However, the background is simple, featuring a gradient of blue and red hues. It’s great for people who want to avoid images or illustrations on the book cover.
15. How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
This book cover design exudes a classic, almost antique feel reminiscent of the 90s. It features a large house with intricate details, surrounded by trees and a woman on the verge of entering the house. It perfectly sets the mood for a suspenseful narrative.
The color scheme of subdued blue and orange also evokes a sense of timelessness. At the same time, the typography is what stands out for me. The simple rounded effect with the presence of ravens perched on the words adds a sinister touch.
Romance
This genre needs no introduction. It’s one of our personal favorites as it explores the complexities of love and relationships and gives us emotionally satisfying endings. When it comes to their book cover design, you can expect romantic imagery with bright and soft color palettes.
16. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
This is what an ideal romance book cover looks like. It has a fun, cheerful, summery color palette, with an illustration of a cute couple and their goodest boy. This features every bright color you can imagine, with a simple yet striking typography.
17. Good Material by Dolly Alderton
Another quite colorful yet distinct book cover design comes from the Good Material. It incorporates a mosaic pattern, where each box contains either text or an image. The idea sounds simple, but the execution is strikingly effective.
18. Forbidden King by Laura Pavlov
Stock images are commonly used in book covers, especially in the romance genre. It’s effective in conveying the narrative in one glance. This book cover, in particular, features a beautiful image of a couple against a soft background. The whole vibe with the color scheme and fonts is subtle yet evocative.
Nonfiction
This is a genre that provides information about the real world. Their theme can vary from cultural developments, significant past events, scientific principles, personal development, business strategies, etc. Typically, their cover designs consist of photos or illustrations that directly relate to the book’s content.
19. Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
The cover of this book features a striking black design that goes well with the theme. It uses gray colors for the title and author name to blend everything together. However, the words “By America” are subtly highlighted, making it stand out against the dark background.
20. But What If We’re Wrong? Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past by Chuck Klosterman
If black doesn’t go with your book theme, try white. And if straight typography is too boring, turn it upside down. That’s what this book does! The unconventional design choices immediately catch the eye and encourage the readers to engage with the content.
21. ADHD is Awesome by Penn Holderness and Kim Holderness
Illustrations and bright colors are not restricted to the fiction genre. They are quite popular in non-fiction, particularly in self-help books. This book, for example, uses many bright but soft colors, amongst which the white typography stands out prominently.
The various illustrations scattered around the text – keys, a suitcase, and even a squirrel munching on a pizza add a playful touch. They invite the readers to delve deeper into the context of the book.
22. Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap
If you’re writing a non-fiction book that revolves around your personal experiences, you can use your own image on the book cover. Like this book by Tori Dunlap features her picture. The color palette of this cover consists of shades of pink and purple, which are typically considered feminine colors, making it clear that the book is targeted towards women.
Memoir
Memoirs are part of the nonfiction genre, but we decided to highlight them separately due to their deeply personal and reflective nature. These books provide intimate glimpses into the author’s life, and their cover design often features personal photographs or illustrations.
23. Finding Me by Viola Davis
Finding Me, by Viola Davis, features a close-up black-and-white image of herself. You’ll see that adding your own image is a common practice in this genre. It helps the author to establish a personal connection with readers and also adds a layer of authenticity.
24. They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta
If a self-portrait doesn’t feel right with the story, consider an illustration that reflects your journey. Like this book by Prachi Gupta does a great job of adding illustrations and text, yet maintaining a minimalistic approach.
25. Educated by Tara Westover
The cover of “Educated” might look simple at a glance, but there are many layers to its design. It features a sharpened pencil with the silhouette of mountains inside, symbolizing the author’s journey. All of this is placed on a predominantly white background, which makes the image even more striking.
26. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Similar to the previous example, this book cover design also features a single object that symbolizes the author’s story. The worn and weathered hiking boot represents Cheryl’s hiking journey. It’s presented on a stark white background, allowing the image to stand out more vividly.
Final Thoughts: Best Book Cover Design Ideas
Phew, that took a while! We listed the best book cover design ideas we could find in every genre. These will surely help you find inspiration for your own book cover. However, the next step is even more crucial – we need to turn these ideas into reality.
This is where you’ll need to get help from a professional. Don’t worry, just sign up for our unlimited graphic design services and let us bring your dream book cover to life.
