How do you feel about cover quotes / blurbs? You know, those blurbs (or quotes) on the cover of books from other authors or newspapers to help sell the book? Still not sure what I mean? Here are some examples. If you scroll over the picture and leave your mouse on the blue circle that on one of the quotes / blurbs, you can find out which book the blurb belongs to.
I have always found cover blurbs and quotes really interesting, especially when I’m browsing around the new YA novel section at my library. While most of the time, whether or not I decide to take a book home with me depends on what’s written inside it’s jacket (if it’s a hardcover) or on its back (if it’s a paperback), or how interesting or pretty its cover is (yes, I know, shame on me), I don’t usually depend of the little blurb on the cover to make my decision (if the book has one…). In fact, sometimes I don’t even notice that the book has a blurb or quote on its cover until after I read the book and when I do, I prefer to ignore them in fear they can somehow influence my perception of the book. But when I do notice it…
Positive
If I do notice the quote on the cover and its from one of my favorite authors (or at least one I respect), I won’t lie, I do feel more inclined to read the book. Especially if they are praising it like usual (“It’s a must read!” “A book everyone will love!” “One of my favorites!” etc.). Blurbs certainly do have positive impacts, but there are negatives too.
Negatives
Blurbs and quotes work against the book when I don’t really like what they are saying or who they are from. For example, the blurb on the redesigned cover of If I Stay compares it to Twilight and says readers of it will enjoy reading If I Stay. Only one problem. I DEFINITELY did NOT enjoy reading Twilight. I definitely would not have read If I Stay if I had saw the redesigned cover. And then there’s the quotes that come from authors I don’t really like and respect. If Stephanie Meyer wrote “I love this book!”, I probably won’t read it. Yeah, okay, I’ll admit I can be a bit judgmental. For this reason, I don’t usually read the cover quotes and blurbs before I read the book.
What about you?
How do you feel about cover blurbs and quotes?
I don’t like them. I don’t believe them really, because other authors are paid to blurb these books. Plus, they rarely really fit the book anyway lately lol.
I always thought that some of the quotes were a bit… sketchy. That being said, I’m not sure all of them are paid, but I do think they certainly are influenced by outside factors. For example maybe it’s a friend’s book or something.
Thanks for stopping by Julie! 🙂
I kind of feel the same way! There are certain times blurbs will work for me, especially when I see it’s from an author whose opinion I respect. But I also do get put off when an author whose books I haven’t enjoyed in the past is quoted. Not enough to make me stop buying the book altogether, but it does make me hesitant.
Another thing – if I know two authors are friends and they blurb each others books (and more than once), I instantly find that their opinions hold less weight for me.
I know what you mean about the author friend situation. And even if the authors aren’t friends but you find out that they have basically exchanged blurbs, it really makes the blurbs somewhat meaningless.
Thanks for stopping by Sam! 🙂
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First off.. what does If I Stay even have to do with Twilight?? I mean really?? In my Stephen King fans group once every other month we do a book that was recommended or blurbed by Stephen King. So it does make a difference to people when they read those blurbs. We have a lot of fun discussing what books he likes.
I totally agree with what you said about If I Stay and Twilight. Besides the fact that they both have “romance” there really are no other similarities between them. I never really thought to look at blurbs as an indication of what kinds of novels authors like. Interesting!
Thanks for stopping by Angie! 🙂
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