12 x 12: Twelve Titles by Their Covers (Then 12 More)
When Amanda asked if I'd write a guest post, my first thought was to showcase 12 books I'm eager to read in 2012 based on their cover alone. But as I started going through my personal list, I realized some of the books I'm really looking forward to either already have covers or, you know, I wanted to read for less vapid reasons. So instead, I offer 6 in 2012 I'm looking forward to reading based on their covers, then 6 more I'm eager to read just because.
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick (January 28, 2012)
I haven't read either of Bick's other titles yet, but it's this cover that compels me to start. I'm not a fan of the girl drowning cover nor the girl with the messy hair cover, but there's something about the composition here that draws me in. Maybe because it's unexpected. The black profile against the bright blue background totally captures my attention, and the book doesn't at all look juvenile (not that that usually stops me, but it's a huge plus here). Bonus: it sounds like an intense and dark contemporary title, my cup of tea.
Cinder by Marissa Marr (January 3, 2012)
This cover gives off EXACTLY the vibe I want it to – science fiction, slightly creepy take on a well-known fairy tale. It stands out to me because it is eery. I'm not a big fantasy reader, but give me a fairy tale that's being spun into something science fiction, and I'm sold.
Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn (June 12, 2012)
This is a busy cover and it excites and exhausts me when I look at it, and I mean that in the best possible way. This mystery/adventure story takes place in Tokyo, and I kind of feel that vibe is completely appropriate in the cover. And the police tape? Checkmate. This sounds like the fast-paced sort of criminal-filled read I really dig.
Catch & Release by Blythe Woolston (January 28, 2012)
I think this might be one of my all time favorite covers. It's deliciously simple: a few fish hooks and a font that mirrors the idea of moving water. Intentional understatement in a cover works for me, and if there aren't people on the cover, even better. This is a story about a MRSA outbreak – a topic I have not read – and knowing how much I dug Woolston's first title, I have a feeling her sophomore effort will be as satisfying, if not even more.
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers (June 19, 2012)
I think the color du jour this year is this blue green color, meant to represent water without necessarily being water. Alas. This cover has everything I hate on it: the broken girl! The jagged collar bone! The wind-swept hair! But you know what it has that makes me happier than it should? Blood. Not only are there blood splatters at the top, but if you look at the girl's face, it has blood on it, too. The font is splattered, as well. I dig it a LOT. And surprise: this is a zombie book. But really, this one's about the blood splatters.
Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard (March 13, 2012)
Talk about a contrast, right? What I love about Kirsten's sophomore cover is how simple and clean it is. Yes, there's a girl on the cover, but she doesn't look sullen or sad or broken. She looks like a teen girl who is – wait for it – happy. But more than that, what I love is that this cover features Kirsten's art (right there in the “o” of love). The book has her original art within the story, a concept I don't think has been utilized a lot in ya novels marketed to girls. Plus, this novel takes place outside the US and is a travel story and romance. Bonuses all around.
Now that you've seen six I want to read by their covers alone, here are six more I'm eager for (some have covers and some don't):
Survive by Alex Morel (August 2, 2012)
When Jane decides she needs to end her life, she's got a plan. But it doesn't go off quite as she planned and now her desire to end it all might just become a struggle to live.
Through to You by Emily Hainsworth (November 20, 2012)
Camden's girlfriend's died, and he's grieving deeply. But then he discovers she's alive – it's just in a parallel universe. But disturbing the universe might be dangerous. The novel sounds romantic with the right elements that work for me in a fantasy novel.
The List by Siobhan Vivian (April 1, 2012)
Confession: I've read this book already. I'm excited for other people to read it, as it is by far Vivian's strongest work to date. It's a story of 8 girls who find themselves on their school's infamous prettiest/ugliest list, and through each of their voices (all written so, so well), we learn what the repercussions of those labels are. Any girl will relate to these girls – each of them.
Level Two by Lenore Appelhans (Fall 2012)
Felicia occupies Level Two, a space between earth and heaven, and she's happy in it. That is, until she's broken out by Julian, who she'd met on earth. This science fiction title has dystopian elements to it, though it certainly sounds different than a lot of what's out there already.
Live Through This by Mindi Scott (Fall 2012)
There's not too much about this one yet, but, it follows the story of a girl who is finally learning how to fall in love while dealing with the repercussions of being a victim of sexual abuse. Scott's first book impressed me with its strong voice, and I suspect this one will do the same, while taking on another dark topic.
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (June 19, 2012)
I'm a sucker – total sucker – for homecoming stories. That is, the ones about soldiers returning, not the high school dances. Trish's debut follows Travis as he returns home from Afghanistan to a family in pieces and to a girl whose reputation he hurt in middle school. While she carries that grudge, the two of them find out that maybe, just maybe, there's something deeper between them.
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On the streets, Joy finds a new family, but with that sole comfort comes a price. She's dirty, has no money, winter is coming, and the fear of being beaten up, robbed, or raped is an every day reality. A harsh reality that so many teens in Seattle and all over this country, face every single day. 
