August had plenty of exciting new releases in store, from inventive literary fiction to an inside look at the world of professional tennis. Here are five cover designs that especially caught our eye last month.
Etna by Paul Yoon
Cover design by Oliver Munday (Scibner, 4 August)
The combination of pink and olive green, paired with the melancholic drawing of a dog wandering away, makes Etna the kind of cover that makes you linger in a bookstore.
The Cruelest Game by Matthew Futterman
Cover design by Oliver Munday (Doubleday, 4 August)
There’s something about a good tennis-themed cover… The minimalist colour palette lends The Cruelest Game a neat sense of balance, and the warped racket at its centre adds just enough tension and intrigue.
Unprecedented Times by Malavika Kannan
Cover design by Sara Pinsonault & artwork by Shyama Golden (Henry Holt, 18 August)
The watermelony colours, the gorgeous painted artwork, the strange mask that immediately raises questions about the story behind it. What’s not to love?
Life of M by Rachel Cusk
Cover design by Rodrigo Corral (Faber & Faber, 27 August)
Cusk covers never disappoint, and Life of M is no exception. A woman’s eyes caught in what appears to be a set of crosshairs immediately draw the viewer in, while the positioning of the title and author’s name anchors the design.
Sunrise by Téa Obreht
Cover design by Adriana Tonello (Random House, 11 August)
The warm ombré from yellow to red feels instantly comforting, which makes the skull at the centre all the more intriguing. There’s something autumnal about this one, arriving just as the season begins to turn.
