Virginia wrote: "Have you guys seen the Cover Cafe's slate for this year's contest? Very little beefcake in the Alternate Reality category this year, but some gorgeous covers. And the Worst Covers ballot is a hoo..."

Hah! That was fun.

Karen wrote: "OH, i finally got home and checked out the beefcake and then the beautiful mag and then remembered this link:

http://www.veronicachadwick.com/eyecandy...

what a way to start the week off!"

I have just been on this site::OMG!! who are the last two::in the desert::in combats::brings to mind those BDB boys J M and Qhuinn::i think i like it cos the picture isn't posed::*fans self goes to make coffee to stop hyperventilating::

Adrienne wrote: "I have just been on this site::OMG!! who are the last two::in the desert::in combats::brings to mind those BDB boys J M and Qhuinn::i think i like it cos the picture isn't posed::*fans self goes to make coffee to stop hyperventilating::"

The two in cami's have to be on a beach and i would guess it's posed. living close to a marine base in CA, i've never seen a military dude look that good without trying. well, except for my hubby, but he won't let me take pix and post. ;)

I'd say my fav is the b&w of the wet abs. YUM.

I recently found some fun commentary on cover art over at smartbitches - http://tinyurl.com/d7htab - they love to rip up the old style covers.

I will say that a cover is what gets me to pick up the book, if it's not an author that I already know. Although, sometimes I'm afraid to pick up the ones that are basically nekkid dude with blanket. I live to close to work not to worry that a co-worker will see me with a manmeat cover. :D

World leader cover art: http://www.hulu.com/watch/69173/the-dail... about minute 5:23

Who knew Obama and Chavez would look so good on cover art??

is is just me, or did they highlight the building with a vertical line on purpose??

I used to do a lot of judging a book by it's cover- when I saw Patricia Briggs in the book store- I didn't buy it. I didn't like the tattooed chick on the cover.
I also didn't go for books with meaty man's chests on them-
I got my start reading paranormal romance with a book called Unusual Suspects Stories of Mystery & Fantasy nothing too unusual about the cover there- I liked the Charlaine Harris story- so I read all of Charlaine Harris' southern vampire series- nothing wrong those covers- but then I progressed to Laurell K Hamilton- I'd them in the store and wasn't attracted to them- But I got my first from Amazon.com I didn't get to handle the book so the cover didn't bug me- it was a tiny postage stamp size picture on the computer- than I downloaded the rest- after that if I got a cover I was pleased-
I seldom see a book's cover anymore. Oh, and I LOVE Patricia Briggs.

Karen wrote: "Adrienne wrote: "I have just been on this site::OMG!! who are the last two::in the desert::in combats::brings to mind those BDB boys J M and Qhuinn::i think i like it cos the picture isn't posed::*..."

Ha Ha of course you're right Karen i think i meant to say the picture was quite natural rather than staged:) anyway i realized afterward that this pair haven't got dog tags on:: over here take your dog tag off and you may as well hand your notice in:: think they'd make a nice pair for book cover tho' and i'm going to save them somewhere for future reference.

I work close to the book store too::altho i sometimes find i get funny looks from the bookstore staff:: especially the nerdy guys::who seem not to be able to handle hot or erotic book covers without getting embarrassed::

Karen wrote: "

is is just me, or did they highlight the building with a vertical line on purpose??"

LMAO, yeah, that looks pretty intentional

Irene wrote: "I used to do a lot of judging a book by it's cover- when I saw Patricia Briggs in the book store- I didn't buy it. I didn't like the tattooed chick on the cover..."

I hear you own the Patricia Briggs covers. I think they've improved as the Mercy series has progressed, and I actually really like the one for Bone Crossed, although I still own the British versions instead. Another of my favorite series that I would never have picked up had my friend not lent me the first one was Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. They're not good covers, but the books are amazing.

I'm just catching up on this thread and just about choked on my coffee when I read the below post:

Ann wrote: " No chest hair. Sorry, I'm not into hairy men. I want to be able to SEE him, not have to dig through a pelt..."

OMG! "...dig through a pelt..."

I like a little chest hair and then that little trail in to the pants, but not, hmm, a pelt (thank you, Ann!).

LOL. Well, that's one way to kill one's appetite. Egads. I should have eaten before.

Ok, Smart B******, Trashy books are at it again with the cover art - http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/i...

I thought the original cover was bizarre enough, but the new one! What the heck?

Maybe the artist was chaneling Klimt?

Ha! Love that site and wow... what to say about those covers? I don't think word can accurately express...

They're positively indescribable.

I am all for the eye bleach, too.

I would say that pretty covers definitely make me look twice at a book. I may not buy a book solely based on the cover, but at the library I've taken quite a few home based on their covers. A lot of my favorite covers come from YA books and I'm a big fan of the metallic covers right now. My favorite cover right now, which also happens to be one of the simplest is for Fire by Kristen Cashore

It's metallic and all those reds, pinks, purples, and bronzes are covered by a metallic dusky rose tint.

When I have time I will be looking up Virginia Kantra's books at the library because I absolutely love the covers.

I think I agree with the first post... if the cover looks like one of those trashy romance novels from my grandmother's era, I am not even going to pick it up. I guess I tend to be drawn to novels that have simple (Twilight), cute (Minda Webber, or modern (MacAlister, Bardsley) covers.