In a world full of visual noise, The Sound of Violet hits a flat note. And then tries to pass it off as a love song. Let’s start with the most glaring element — the bridge. Not just any bridge. This is the Bruce Banner of bridges, hulking its way across the entire top...
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A Ferry Long Way To Go – Misty Simon
Sometimes a cover tells you exactly what you’re in for — in this case, it’s a long and bumpy ride down the river of cut-and-paste design, with no ferry in sight and a whole lot of visual turbulence. A Ferry Long Way to Go is meant to be a cozy mystery, but this cover...
A Pilgrimage of Whispered Truths – M. Jayne Ladow
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a conspiracy theory wall met a PowerPoint presentation from a nervous substitute teacher, look no further than A Pilgrimage of Whispered Truths. The cover promises mystery, depth, and whispered secrets... but visually...
Building Romance – S.E. Rose
“Building Romance” looks less like a steamy rom-com and more like a warning poster for OSHA violations in a dating app office. If graphic design is your passion, this cover is the part where your passion calls HR and files a complaint. Let’s start with the background:...
The Faery & the Hafling – TJ Bell
There are book covers that whisper magic. Some that murmur romance. And then there’s The Faery & the Halfling, which loudly announces: “I just discovered Photoshop layer masks, and I’m not afraid to use them poorly.” Welcome to the visual masquerade that is Fae in...
Wolf in the Fold – Christopher G. Nuttall
Some covers whisper their genre. Some scream it. Wolf in the Fold grabs a megaphone, yells twelve genres at once, and then throws a giant eyeball squid at your face for good measure. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to get smacked by a steampunk...
Love Under Christmas Lights – J.C. Ballard
Nothing says “holiday romance” like a toolbox full of tangled wires and a tree that looks like it came from a PowerPoint slide in 2005. Love Under Christmas Lights is a festive fiasco of poorly chosen fonts, confused clipart, and zero spatial awareness. It’s like...
The French Effect – Patricia Sands
Ah, The French Effect. A title that promises love, charm, and maybe a little wine-fueled whimsy. What we actually get is Paris by way of PowerPoint—a cut-and-paste parade of vector clichés tossed onto a blue background with the precision of a baguette cannon. Let’s...
Passive Attack – Jorgia Yates
When you hear the title Passive Attack, you might expect psychological warfare, cold stares across a boardroom, or maybe a slow-burn espionage plot. What you don’t expect is a leather-jacketed cowboy model glaring at a thunderstorm like it owes him money, slapped onto...
Turn Invisible – Renee Conoulty
Ah yes, Turn Invisible—a title that sounds like a magical adventure but visually looks like it was designed during a particularly chaotic kindergarten craft session. If this cover’s goal was to disappear into obscurity, mission accomplished. Let’s start with the...
Demanding Discord – Carrie Pulkinen
In the crowded world of paranormal romance, it takes a special kind of bad to stand out—and Demanding Discord rises from the digital ashes like a phoenix made entirely of stock photos, poor lighting decisions, and an overwhelming scent of Axe body spray. Let’s start...
Jim Brady, Able Seaman – J.E. MacDonnell
Jim Brady, Able Seaman is a book cover that sails directly into disaster—and forgets to deploy the lifeboats. It’s not just bad. It’s a full-scale naval design emergency, the kind of layout that should come with a foghorn warning and a prescription for sea-sickness....
A Note to Authors Featured Here
The purpose of Horrible Covers is not only to critique but also to highlight how much cover design matters to a book’s success. Many authors set out with the best intentions but end up with covers that don’t reflect the quality of their writing — sometimes because they tried to do it themselves, sometimes because they relied on someone who wasn’t a professional cover designer.
We understand how frustrating that can be.
Our aim is simple: to help writers put their best work forward with cover art that does justice to the story inside. If you’ve been featured here and are ready to level up your presentation, reach out through our contact form and mention “Horrible Covers Author.”