There’s something poetic about a book called The Lost Journal of Robyn Hood – Outlaw because this cover looks like it’s been lost — not just to time, but to logic, anatomy, and the basic principles of design. If this truly were Robin Hood’s journal, it’s safe to...
There’s haunted, and then there’s Haunted — a cover so visually cursed that it looks like the spirit world tried to make its own digital self-portrait and ran out of both art supplies and emotional bandwidth halfway through. This isn’t so much a book cover as it is an...
Every once in a while, a book cover comes along that captures the raw, unfiltered power of ambition — and then gently smothers it in a haze of bad gradients and design confusion. Reach for the Moon by Tuan Ho is that cover. It’s a celestial cautionary tale, reminding...
Every once in a while, a book cover comes along that doesn’t just whisper “bad design” — it kicks down the door, throws itself on the floor, and wails it at the top of its lungs. Signed Confessions by Tom Walker is one of those covers. It’s part visual confession,...
There are bad book covers, and then there’s I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse, a watercolor fever dream where fashion meets the end times and neither one survives. This cover looks like it was painted on the back of a diner placemat during the world’s most confusing art...
There are book covers that make you curious, book covers that make you smile… and then there’s Bobby Massey and Team Bazzare, a cover that makes you question reality itself. It’s as if someone challenged a high school art class to illustrate a fever dream using only...
Some covers quietly miss the mark. Others vault over it, do a backflip, and land somewhere deep in the uncanny valley. The Temptation of John Haynes belongs in that latter category—a fearless hand-drawn journey into whatever happens when ambition, crayons, and...
Some book covers whisper romance. Some scream passion.And then there’s Love Laws, which sort of mumbles “I made this in art class, and my teacher said it had potential.” This isn’t just a bad romance cover — it’s a full emotional journey rendered in watercolor and...
There are bad fantasy covers, and then there’s Voluspa: A Magical World — a fever dream painted in gradient orange and existential regret. It’s the kind of cover that makes you stop scrolling, not because it’s good, but because your brain needs a moment to process...
Every so often, a book cover comes along that perfectly captures the spirit of its title — just not in the way it intended. Unity in Service is a shining example of what happens when patriotism and PowerPoint get a little too cozy. Let’s start with the star of the...
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. That’s why we’re introducing a standing offer: any author whose book cover is featured in Horrible Covers may apply for a professional design package from MMT Productions at a preferred rate.
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.”