Feminist Reflections is a feature I created to share my personal thoughts.
Do you cringe when you see a couple kissing on a cover?
I actually do. DON'T LAUGH.
This might seem like a silly post, and maybe I'm one of the few out there who feel this way about "kissing covers" a.k.a couples kissing on them. I'm not really a prude, I don't care much about covers like these, but I get pretty paranoid about them because..
I actually do. DON'T LAUGH.
This might seem like a silly post, and maybe I'm one of the few out there who feel this way about "kissing covers" a.k.a couples kissing on them. I'm not really a prude, I don't care much about covers like these, but I get pretty paranoid about them because..
1) It's not creative. I HATE THEM. Yes, I understand it's a part of life, but I don't see anything special about covers that actually have this type of trend. It doesn't hold my attention. I like it more when the couple is reaching for each other, but there is some distance between them. They're cute enough to make you wonder what happens. What happened to covers with simply holding hands? I think those type I would pick up more at a bookstore.
2) My parents will throw shoes at me if I was reading a book with a couple kissing on the cover.
Well, not shoes but I would get talked about. I actually own just ONE book with a kissing cover that is stashed in my bookshelf. I remember I borrowed one from the library and my little brother decided to announce it to my whole family, boy was I gossiped about. I have parents from the Pakistani culture who are quite conservative and modest. It would have been even a more hard time explaining about the same sex couple kissing on the cover - but that's a story for another day. I still read books with these covers, but I don't buy them in print. I'm clearly a sissy because my family barges in my room all the time, and I would feel weird holding a book like this in public. Imagine the creepy smiles..
Well, not shoes but I would get talked about. I actually own just ONE book with a kissing cover that is stashed in my bookshelf. I remember I borrowed one from the library and my little brother decided to announce it to my whole family, boy was I gossiped about. I have parents from the Pakistani culture who are quite conservative and modest. It would have been even a more hard time explaining about the same sex couple kissing on the cover - but that's a story for another day. I still read books with these covers, but I don't buy them in print. I'm clearly a sissy because my family barges in my room all the time, and I would feel weird holding a book like this in public. Imagine the creepy smiles..
I despise these covers.. they annoy me just by looking at them.
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These are my favorite couple type covers. Across The Universe has such a beautiful and creative cover,it doesn't even look like two people from far away.
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Anybody else has this problem, or do you guys just ignore the cover? Anybody like them?
P.s There is a problem with blogger and it has a bug that doesn't showcase the thumbnails on the homepage.. which is rather depressing & annoying:( I've contacted google but let's see. Now I wish I had transferred to wordpress..
P.s There is a problem with blogger and it has a bug that doesn't showcase the thumbnails on the homepage.. which is rather depressing & annoying:( I've contacted google but let's see. Now I wish I had transferred to wordpress..
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” —Nora Ephron
I actually don't mind kissing covers, even covers with half naked people, but I do agree, some are just cringe worthy. The covers for the YA genre are cute and creative enough, but have you seen book covers of erotic romances? Some are really sexy, some are bearable but some are just... ew. And I totally get you. I come from a conservative family too, so I had to break it to my parents gently that I read romance novels and run a blog that features most of it. And my mom nearly hyperventilated at the idea that her only "baby girl" reads "adult" books, lol. (I'm not an only child btw, but it's just me and my brother, so technically, I really am her only girl, lol.) Fun post, Benish! :D
ReplyDeleteBlessie @ Mischievous Reads
Looool I laughed out loud at your post. I've seen your blog posts and they're mostly focused on adult novels, I'm glad you share the same story of conservative parents as well - someone I could relate to! Thank you for sharing your thoughts Blessie <3
DeleteI used to have this problem when I was younger .. not cause I had an issue with them, but because of the parent trouble ;-)
ReplyDeleteNow I rarely read with such covers .. am more into murder mysteries and serial killers .. no kissing photos there for sure!
http://everythingthatclicks.blogspot.com
Yeah kissing photos just bother me, I don't even like seeing them of actual couples.
DeleteI do not hate kissing covers per see, but I do think that most of time they are cheesy and not very original. I prefer abstract covers with no models to be honest.
ReplyDeleteYes I like abstract covers as well ♥
DeleteKissy covers make me roll my eyes. Wow, so original. *sarcasm* It just looks overly staged and not unique in the least. I like the anticipation of a kiss in the book, I don't want to see it on the cover!!
ReplyDeleteRachel @ A Perfection Called Books
Lool I so agree with your last line! I like the anticipation as well, I would rather not see pictures of couples making out.
DeleteI come from a conservative family, too, and I used to care but now that I am an adult (or close to one as I'm about to be 20) I have started to care less and less. You can't change who you are or what you like to make others happy - even family - so they know what I read and that sometimes my books have sexy covers. *shrug* I agree that they could be more creative, although when you think about ADULT romance, sexy covers are what sells. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah that would be a great, I'm still 21 so probably that's why I still worry what my family will think. I think as you get more into your late twenties to thirties, you become more of your own person ultimately. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! ♥
DeleteI have never thought about this before. I have to say that I don't really hate them but like a commentor above I do think they are cheesy and unoriginal.
ReplyDeleteThe cover on "These Broken Stars" that you pictured above is beautiful.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Jessica ♥
DeleteI am someone who isn't attracted by kissy covers at all. I don't mind buying them, but I do mind buying the covers of boys without shirts on the most because well >> As you said I would never hear the end of it from my family and it seems a bit weird for me as well. I don't mind them, just word gets around :P I like a more unique book like the hand holding you mentioned or the space inbetween. These Broken Stars has a gorgeous cover!
ReplyDeleteYes, I would agree with you. I believe young adult covers are more original and creative than probably any other genre. Thank you for sharing your thoughts ♥
DeletePfft. I hate kissing covers. It's obviously not creative, and it just screams romance at me. Not my thing at all. I wouldn't hear the end of it from my mom - she would actually think I'm reading adult, or even worse, erotica (in her phrasing, another word). Across the Universe is a GORGEOUS cover. I didn't think it was a couple until I looked at closely. :p
ReplyDelete~Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts
Across a The Universe is one of my all time favorite covers ♥ I'm happy to read that you hate kissing covers as well. Erotic novels covers are usually are even worse than some NA books. Thank you for sharing your thoughts ♥
DeletePersonally I don't have a problem with the kissing on the cover, BUT I am kind of self conscious of reading a book with a couple in public. I mean as long as the cover is nice, then I don't really mind. If it's cheesy, then I'm not okay with it haha
ReplyDeleteLool I think you can handle books with kissing covers better than I do ♥
DeleteI LOVE THIS! I LOATHE kissing covers. How did they become a thing!? It's like watching a never-ending PDA! Nope nope nope. I agree with you completely- the covers you showed are perfect examples of how to show romantic intent without having the couple making out on the front of it!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think part of it is because I KNOW those two people on the cover doing the kissing do not know each other, and it is probably extremely awkward. Maybe I am overthinking this ;) Either way, I am with you 100%!
Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight
Yaayy! ♥ I'm really happy to read that you could agree with this post Shannon, along with so many others :) & I agree with your point, the kissing on the cover usually looks quite weird and it I'd probably awkward between the actual couple. I like a little distance as well, it's just much more cuter. Thank you for sharing your awesome thoughts! :)
DeleteI'm with you on this one, girl. I don't really like kissing covers, either! There is so much more tension and mystery and intimacy when couples have a bit of distance or are reaching out for each other. It's like you know there's a story between them, you know what I mean? That's what intrigues me the most than a couple kissing on the cover. Those tend to shoo me away.
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
I'm really glad you could agree as well Faye! ♥ A little distance between the couples is much better in my opinion, it leaves you guessing & it looks more creative as well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts :)
DeleteTotally get why you don't, especially with your parents, I'm the same though (though mainly, I guess, I get embarrassed about it, and I don't read them in public, especially these days and with people who don't read, so it's like they'll see the cover and think, oh, you're reading erotica, which, no.) But yeah, they are pretty generic, an I think I own one or two, but I do prefer covers like The Fill-In Boyfriend and the others because it keeps you guessing, and they look more prettier anyway.
ReplyDeleteLool NA and erotica books have some of the weirdest covers, I get some of them can be artistic but they're usually unappealing for the most part. I'm glad you could agree though, the cover of The Fill In Boyfriend is soo gorgeous though! ♥
DeleteI don't mind the kissing covers - but they get kind of old, ya know? There are SO MANY. One thing I don't like though? Are half naked people on the cover!
ReplyDeleteYes half naked people are just ick too most of the time.. It's really not my thing at all.
DeleteI don't cringe at them nor am I embarrassed about them but I do wholeheartedly agree, that there is so much more you can do with a cover than have the couple kissing. I don't like shirtless covers either. They do make me cringe, no matter how nice the six pack is or how handsome the guy on the cover is. I just don't love them.
ReplyDeleteYes, shirtless men on covers just annoy me, I only like a couple if the cover designer can pull it off. I usually prefer creative covers ♥
DeleteI feel the SAME.WAY. It's so unoriginal and clichéed, it's been done to death and well I wish they'd just retire that idea altogether^^ To me it also screams that the main focus of the book will be the romance, and as much as there's nothing wrong with that per se, it often means that other aspects like world-building and character development get ignored as a result. I don't mind at all when it's more creative like the ones you featured here, but if it's really just two people kissing, it's a turn off for me as well. xx
ReplyDeleteAaahh yes I'm so glad you can relate to this post! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us ♥ I like creative approaches more to kissing covers, I feel more innocent covers in YA are rather better than NA books.
DeleteI don't mind kissing covers, but I do like more of a creative approach like you do. A lot of books that look like romance, I'd rather read on my kindle too. I feel awkward when people ask what I'm reading, if it has a couple kissing or half naked!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Yes, creative approaches are much better than cliche ones & I'm glad you could agree! ♥
DeleteI don't think I'm particularly fussed about kissing covers, but as I'm always out and about when I'm reading, it I don't really want to be seen reading these sort of covers in public, hence the reason I go for the Kindle version instead. But I think out of all the covers you've mentioned, your favourite ones would probably be the ones I would go for in a bookstore too. Great post Benish!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you could agree Jasprit! ♥ I buy kindle books for kissing covers as well, I would never buy it in print edition. Thank you for sharing your thoughts :)
DeleteKissing covers are very cheesy to me, it makes me feel awkward watching people kiss in real life, let alone in a book! I also don't really feel comfortable reading in public with those covers.
ReplyDeleteYes, the kissing book covers are quite cheesy. I feel it does depend on the pose, some can be executed well but most of them are just blah.
DeleteI read a lot of romance novels, and sometimes those covers are embarrassing to read out in public in certain crowds. But kissing/romantic type covers don't bother me really. That said, some of them are pretty cheesy or just creepy. I think it all depends on the pose.
ReplyDeleteDreams @ Once Upon A Dream Books
I read many romance books as well, however, I would never read a print book with this kind of cover in public - it's just so awkward in public.
DeleteI don't really have anything with or against kissing covers,but I agree with you that they overdone and some certainly make me cringe. And yeah some of those covers I rather buy them as an e-book to not be seen with that cover. I also think that covers with couples that aren't kissing are better often, sometimes it's better to have the hint of connection without it being in your face. I love the cover for These Broken Stars, it's shows it's about romance, without them even kissing.
ReplyDeleteYes, the cover of These a Broken Stars is beyond beautiful - I feel those type of covers are more interesting and it gives off a better perspective for the novel. ♥
DeleteHahaha I am SO with you on this. My parents (who are also kinda conservative) would get pretty mad at me for having books with it (well they used to get quite mad, now they kinda comment but don’t go on about it). But yeah, just in general, sometimes the kissing cover thing works but for me not all of the time. Across the Universe and These Broken Stars both have such beautiful covers <3 Love this post! :D
ReplyDeleteLOL I try avoiding reading print copies in front of my parents so they don't say anything at all. I'm glad you could agree Rabiah, thank you ♥
DeleteNot laughing- I know EXACTLY what you mean. I won't even consider a book with a kissing cover. They say don't judge a book by its cover but I imagine a book with such a shallow outside probably has shallow/uncreative insides, too. I actually also have something (though I'm not sure what, really) against books with full faces on the cover (not books like The Summoning where eyes are hidden, love those). Something about it just.. I don't know.. shatters the illusion of the character for me? Or something. I don't know. You getting me at all?
ReplyDeleteI agree, you have to judge a book by it's cover - there are so many books out there and usually the first thing you notice is the cover or title. Sometimes, the inside of the book can be amazing though! I understand what you mean though, sometimes I like books with characters on them but most of my favorite novels have abstract novels.
DeleteToo bad Shelf Candy isn't really a thing anymore! Someone should start a cover meme. I'd put "Hold me like a Breath" (someone should start a title meme, too, because that'd also be on it) and "Magnolia" on it.
DeleteI agree - there should be a meme on beautiful covers though or even titles :)
Delete*raises hand slowly* I have the same problem as well. I myself don't mind couples kissing- or worse things- on the covers, but I am a Sri Lankan tamil, and my friends and family don't approve of such covers!:) When I read these kind of books, I mostly stick to ebooks, because if I have a physical copy, I can never take them out to read in public.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Benish!
LOL at your first words in the comment ♥ I prefer ebooks as well with kissing covers, it's just not my thing to read the print copies in public.
DeleteYesss, my Pakistani parents would burn any book if it had a skimpily-clad kissing couple on it haha. But apart from that, I just don't feel comfortable reading books with those covers in public and I feel embarrassed recommending the book, which kinda sucks if I really loved it because people give me judging "ehh looks cheesy" expressions (and understandably so). I tend to skip over them myself unless it has good reviews and if I ever do buy them, it's 200% likely to be in ebook format.
ReplyDeleteBut then there are books like the NA Addicted series by Krista and Becca Ritchie and I love that series so much that I desperately need physical signed copies! But they have naked people on the covers and I have no idea how I'm going to explain that to my parents if they ever happen to be the ones to check the mail. (Spoiler: I'd probably get a juta to the face haha not really but maybe. You never know)
Aww yess another Pakistani member! That actually makes me excited :) I can understand what you mean though, so many judgey people out there. I loved the Addicted Series as well, I would love to own it in paperback, I will buy them after I get married though then no one will barge in my room beside my husband. lol at juta, I get gossiped about the most. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Juwairiya ♥
DeleteWhen books have covers like this, I tend to buy them in e-book format more often than not! I do not need people to judge what I'm reading (I always judge books by their covers lol)
ReplyDeleteLol so true, I prefer ebook formats as well ♥
DeleteI just prefer covers without people on them. I want to use my imagination as to what the characters will look like and I hate having the cover model in my head. And yes the kissing ones are a bit cringe, they make me glad I read on my kindle a lot!
ReplyDeleteHmm, sometimes I like cover models so I can imagine what the characters look like, but most of my favorite covers are pretty abstract.
DeleteI don't really mind kissing covers nowadays - I read lots of romance, both on Kindle and in paperback and I used to be SO embarassed when I was reading them on the bus, for example, or at a cafe waiting for someone. But I guess you get used to it after a while and learn to ignore the smirks people send your way :)
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, I get why you'd want to keep this from your parents - my mother still says: "Another romance, huh?" if she sees me reading something with a half-naked lady on the cover (historical romance covers are THE WORST!) and I haven't lived at home for four years!
LOL that's actually cute ♥ I think by the time I'm married and away from home, I'll feel slightly better but I probably will still get super paranoid in public as well.
DeleteI totally understand what you mean. The kissing covers are just kind of awkward to look at, I feel like? It just never really looks natural. And they hardly ever look like good covers either, haha. I love romance in my novels, but the covers are just TOO WEIRD. And I will totally admit that I would feel too embarrassed holding one in public.
ReplyDeleteAha yes awkwardness as well, and the covers are just pretty generic. I have yet to have a kissing cover that wows me. I'm glad you could agree Zoey!
DeleteSome of my favorite covers are almost smooching shots. I don't like full face shots since I like to imagine the character as the author describes them and 8 times out of 10 the cover is wrong.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's one way to have a perspective, I didn't prefer full face shots either.
DeleteI am not really fussy whether the couples are kissing or not, they still look good!
ReplyDeleteNaomi @ Naomi’s Reading Palace
Atleast you still enjoy them :)
DeleteI get you, this is how I feel over the 'insert half naked oily guy' on covers. Come on, can you try a little harder???? I love creative covers although I don't mind kissing covers as much as you do.
ReplyDeletePS - WP rocks!
Ohh, naked guys on covers annoy me as well, but not as much as kissing covers.
DeleteI definitely understand your point! And you're right, they're not very creative -- if I see a cover like this on the shelf my eyes usually pass right over it, because I've come to know that this isn't usually the type of book I love to read anyway. But Across the Universe is definitely an exception -- I think the pose really creates a certain kind of emotion (like anticipation or something) that really draws me in and represents some of the feelings in the book perfectly!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lina ♥ & I agree, I believe it mainly depends on the distance and the pose of the characters as well. Across The Universe is really gorgeous!
DeleteI think it asses me a little less, you know? I mean, it bothers me, but I'm not fussed on how it looks. I'm reading a book and people will judge me no matter how the book looks you know? This is a great topic Benish, focuses a lot of trends too, loved it!<3
ReplyDelete