Book cover designs look great this year. I loved the book covers from early 2020 compared to mid-2020. I loved Jaya Miceli designs this year. I also thought the republished books by Bernardine Evaristo look stunning in the new covers designed by Karan Singh. Here are 24 best book covers of 2020 so far.
Best Book Covers of 2020 So Far
This year the trend seems to be bold lettering on a background. We see a similar style in covers of Long, Bright River, Godshot, Moustache, Children of the Land, and The Art of War in terms of titles standing out bold and clear on a background. Also I am drawn to all the eyes on book covers which seem to be a popular choice. These eyes mesmerize, hypnotize. Onto the delicious book covers of early 2020.
1. The Art of War by Sun Tzu, translated by Michael Nylan
Publisher : W. W. Norton (January, 2020)
Cover design : Jaya Miceli
Such a minimalistic, striking cover that made it to my heart and the list of best book covers of 2020 so far, quite early. It brings to my mind every emotion associated with war. Like a close up shot in a war movie. I can feel the dust, taste the blood and I want to dive into the book.
2. Follow Me To Ground , by Sue Rainsford
Publisher : Scribner (January, 2020)
Cover design : Jaya Miceli; Collage by Toon Joosen
This is a book that hypnotizes me with the cover and the bold lettering of the title. The title makes me think of things growing out from the ground and that cover guides my eyes from bottom to the top, the bright flowers from the woman’s head. Are they placed there? Are they growing out? Why are her eyes closed? I need to know.
3.Long Bright River by Liz Moore
Publisher : Riverhead (January, 2020)
Cover design : Gregg Kulick
Clean clear, sharp. It makes me think of rain, water droplets on glass surfaces, and sends chills through my body. I feel cold. I need something warm. But I want to peer closer to see what is happening. Quite a fitting cover for a thriler.
4. The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao
Publisher : Simon and Schuster (January, 2020)
Cover design : James Iacobelli; Artwork : Jospeh Lee
Look at the gorgeousness. One of my favourites among the best book covers of 2020 so far. The bright yellow, the striking colours make me fall in love. Why is she faceless, dabbed with paints? And excellent use of butterflies (you will know when you read the book). The Majesties was an excellent and fun book for me about rich Indonesian-Chinese families.
5. Oligarchy by Scarlett Thomas
Publisher : Counterpoint (January, 2020)
Cover design : Kelly Winton
Those eyes! It is the kind of cover that’ll find its way into my shopping bag if I am at a bookstore. This book is about rich girls in boarding schools, eating disorders and pretentious people. I like that the cover gives off a ‘don’t-care’ attitude. Definitely one of the most striking among the best book covers of 2020 so far.
6. Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo
Publisher : Harper (January, 2020)
Cover design : Milan Bozic, Art: Moonshake Studio
I love the colours in this cover. And the messy leaves growing out of everywhere—over and under the bold lettering. It makes me eager to know more about growing up undocumented in the US. The untamed leaves—they make me curious.
7. A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabell Allende
Publisher : Bloomsbury (January, 2020)
Cover design : David Mann
I have a soft corner for David Mann designs because they always look so good. The gold foil lines and the pale blue cover with slightly darker tones is more stunning in physical form (though I could not capture its entire beauty even in photographs). It makes me think of the sea, waves and an escape. Essentially what the book is about
8. Topics of Conversationby Miranda Popkey
Publisher : Knopf (January, 2020)
Cover design : Sinem Erkas
A very serene cover. The symmetry lures me to take a second look. And then I see the reflections, the slight variations in the shadows and the squares of the tiles behind the women. I think there will be much that the book wants to convey to me. And even more to reflect upon. I long to have a conversation
9. Timeless Tales from Marwarby Vijaydan Detha, translated by Vishes Kothari
Publisher : Puffin (January, 2020)
Cover Design : Akangksha Sarmah; Art : Meghna Menon
The art, the peacocks and the bright pink scream folktales. It makes me think this collection of folktales from Marwar will be as thrilling as the cover (and yes, I wasn’t mistaken)
10. Moustache by S. Hareesh, translated by Jayasree Kalathil
Publisher : Harper Perennial (January, 2020)
Cover Design : Amit Malhotra
Moustache follows a man who sports a moustache in a play and irks the upper caste men who think people of his Pulayan caste should not be allowed to grow their moustaches. The cover with hair bristles is perfect and the bold, white lettering on the grey background stands out. The coconut tree and the snake make me curious. Maybe there is more to this hair story.
11. Too Much by Rachel Vorona Cote
Publisher : Grand Central Publishing (February, 2020)
Cover Design and lettering : Jenny Carrow; Art : Anthony Frederick Sandys
Why is her expression like that? It makes me mimic it when I see the cover. Is she frustrated or frowning? Is she furious?Or is she feeling grumpy and sad with the constraints? What is going on in that head?
12. The American Fiancée by Eric Dupont, translated by Peter McAmbrideg
Publisher : Harper Via (February, 2020)
Cover Design : Stephen Brayda; Art : Kai McCall
I am in a spell by the woman’s eyes. What is she doing? Where is she riding off to? Why is her expression similar to that of the stag she is riding? The cover has the beauty of a painting and the intrigue of a modern story within. The book follows three generations of a rich family and that cover makes it a very tempting one
13. Oona out of Order by Margarita Montimore
Publisher : Flatiron Books (February, 2020)
Cover design : Anna Morrison
The novel follows a woman who lands in a different age of her adult life on her every birthday. The disjointed pieces of the face makes me think of young and old. Her wide open eyes and mouth makes me gasp thinking ‘if that happens in real life, what do I do?’
14. The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart by Margarita Montimore
Publisher : Gollancz (February, 2020)
Cover design : Anna Morrison
The cover for another edition of the same book—with a different title—is just as brilliant. The clock is ticking. It is very close to midnight signalling Oona’s birthday. Which means her life is going to be turned upside down, conveyed by the upside down letters in the title. Such a well thought out cover—claps to Anna Morrison for creating such different covers for the same book.
15. The Regrets by Amy Bonnaffons
Publisher : Little Brown (February, 2020)
Cover Design : Julianna Lee; Illustration : Mio Im
I love the mustard yellow look. Is she hugging the ghosts of her past? The legless ghost (but with shoes) makes me more curious than ever.
16. Chats with the Dead by Shehan Karunatilaka
Publisher : Hamish Hamilton (February, 2020)
Cover Design : Eranga Tennekoon; Illustration : Lalith Karunatilaka
I love the black and white doodles. I cannot make sense of it. There are skulls, people bound by chains on their neck, ghosts, eyeless men, cameras and plants. The tangle of it all makes me want to pick up the book as soon as I can. (PS: Excellent five star read and a favourite this year.
Also Read : 10 Best Books of 2020 So Far
17. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan
Publisher : Soho Press (March, 2020)
Cover design : In-house
I love the bright colours merging into one another. But it makes me think there’s something sad about the book and Sumida’s perfect world. (There is)
Other Books by Clarissa Goenawan
Cover design : Sukutangan (2020)
I adored these Indonesian editions of Clarissa Goenawan’s books—Rainbirds and The Perfect Life of Miwako Sumida. The colour palette and the illustrations capture the melancholy and grief that is evident in both the books
18. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Publisher : Penguin (March, 2020)
Cover Design : Karan Singh; Art design : Richard Bravery
I love how bright, bold and striking the book is. Girl, Woman, Other follows twelve characters and the presence of a single woman on the cover points to the universality of experiences
Other Bernardine Evaristo books
Publisher : Penguin (2020)
Cover Design : Karan Singh; Art design : Richard Bravery
Penguin has republished the older Bernardine Evaristo books and they look super gorgeous. If you buy one, you need all on your shelves. I love how Karan Singh has paid attention to a single element on the cover.
19. Godshot by Chelsea Baker
Publisher : Catapult (March, 2020)
Cover Design : Nicole Caputo
The gold glitter is blinding and yet the title Godshot stands out. It makes me think of gold. But also makes me curious what the book is about. I know it follows mother-daughter relationship and the leader of a religious cult who promises fertility of the land. But the cover is bold, golden and dolled. It makes me crave a physical copy of the book
20. A Luminous Republic by Andrés Barba, translated by Lisa Dillman
Publisher : Granta (April, 2020)
Cover art : Luke Bird
Those luminous eyes in the backdrop of night and overgrowth—perhaps in a jungle—is really the perfect cover for a story about children who appear, stab and rob, then disappear into the night. Where are they hiding and what are they hiding?
21. Little Eyes by Samantha Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell
Publisher : Oneworld (April, 2020)
Cover Design : Ben Summers
Such a perfect cover of creepy toys using which strangers can spy on your life (with consent). The cover makes the toys look like they are stacked at a supermarket, ready to grab. It also makes me feel a bit uneasy—the panda eyes. Another favourite book of 2020 which gave me nightmares.
22. Strange Hotel by Eimer McBride
Publisher : FSG (May, 2020)
Cover Design : Rodrigo Corral; Photograph : Franck Juery
I love the simplicity of the cover. It makes me think of hotels that feel like homes. It is sunny outside. I wonder whether to peep through the curtain or close it and peer back into the dark room
23. The Dragons, the Giant, and the Woman by Wayétu Moore
Publisher : Graywolf Press (June, 2020)
Cover design : Kimberly Glyder
I love that the illustrations literally spell out the cover. Also excellent choice of superimposing yellows, reds, blues and oranges.
24. Night, Sleep, Death, the Stars by Joyce Carol Oates
Publisher : Fourth Estate (June, 2020)
Cover design : Jamie Keenan
This cover requires nothing more to stand out amidst a million other covers on a bookshop display. It is clean, minimalist, in a winning colour combination. The boxed letters tell me what I need to know.
24. Destination Wedding by Diksha Basi
Publisher : Bloomsbury (June, 2020)
Cover design : Elena Giavialdi
The cover promises a fun, entertaining read. I love how the bride takes centre-stage in an unusual colour combination (love the purple hair) and I find my eyes straying to the small aeroplane at thr corner of the cover.
24 BEST book covers in the first half of 2020—bold titles and too many EYES Click To Tweet
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Love The Majesties cover (for the thick paint strokes and the bright yellow) and Moustache (for the sense of texture there).
I love them too. Very striking, both
I love the Evaristo reprints and it does make me want to collect them all, although I have Mr Loverman already (and loved it). Great post!