Top Ten (Or So): Covers of Books Read in 2012

Covers can have a stronger impact on me than I'd like sometimes. It is such a huge effort not to re-buy  several times books I already own, simply because the covers are SO. PRETTY. But I usually manage to resist. And those with bad covers can put me off for years, even though I know the book will probably be amazing.
Thus, here goes the list. In approximate descending order (because I'd never be able to decide an exact order):

Anna Dressed in Blood. This one is my favourite. I love it, love it, love it. Grey and red are two of my favourite colours, and her hair's so pretty, and and...sigh. I dunno. I just love it.

Girl of Nightmares is also pretty high on my list. I liked Anna Dressed in Blood better though, as this one is less grey and the red is a bit too orangey.

Splendors and Glooms. Aaah, just look at that. So creepy and atmospheric. I love the giant hand appearing from underneath that beautifully red curtain. And then there's the back cover... But I won't spoil it for you.

The Humming Room is illustrated by my favourite cover illustrator and written by one of my favourite authors. What an awesome combination. I ended up not liking the book quite as much as Ellen Potter's other books (The Kneebone Boy and Pish Posh were really awesome), but Jason Chan's artwork was as lovely as always.

And speaking of atmospheric, look at The Drowned Vault. It's better when you can see the big version, but even in the small version some of the beautiful colour scheme and suitable strangeness shows up.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. I love covers where the characters are illustrated (as opposed to using a photo shoot, or a simple design), and this one just makes the book look so FUN (which it is, by the way).

Code Name Verity. Simple but arresting. Also black (which is probably my favourite colour for book covers, despite the grey and red of Anna Dressed in Blood) and very suitable for the tone and themes of the book itself.

I'm not sure if I find the cover for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children attractive exactly, but it's certainly mesmerizing and unique. I always noticed it in every bookstore I walked into.

I just think the cover of Loss is pretty. Hunger and Rage are awesome too (Rage is my favourite, being red), but I read them last year so they can't go on this list.