For the people that only read the reviews: This isn't a review. In case you didn't understand from the title.
Alright. This is my first thing that's not a review/Waiting on Wednesday/ attempt at Teaser Tuesday. So it's probably going to suck. Majorly. And it will probably make no sense whatsoever. This is a warning to you people who expect awesomeness.
So I was looking through Good Reads when I saw this:
(Clicking on a cover will take you to its Goodreads Page.)
Then the next thing I clicked on looked like this:
And then this:
After that, it was this:
Right now, I'm not saying if the books were bad or good. Just that the covers all feature a girl in a dress that you really, really want. As in, break into the person's house and steal it off their closet hanger. I mean, just look at them. The bad part is that most of YA covers have a girl in a pretty dress. Don't believe me?
I really want Grave Mercy's crossbow. And dress. But mostly the crossbow.
So what is it with those dresses? They seem like what most cover artist go to when they want people to buy their book.
There are a lot of reasons. The book usually doesn't have a scene where the main character is actually in the dress, but I just hope for it. I want to know how the author's going to try and write it. Will it be an annoying and long description of how everything fits just right? Will it be a brief mention? Is it going to be the most amazing writing ever when the author describes the dress? That's what I think when I see a book with a pretty dress. Then again, I threaten people's eyelids when they annoy me. But you're not supposed to know that, random reader of my blog.
Normal people's thought process when they look at a pretty book cover are probably like this: Cover = pretty. Therefore, book = good. And I getting normal people mixed up with Neanderthals?
But seriously, I think that's why most YA books have dresses like that. It's what publishers think people will buy. And it's true. So freaking true that it's weird how some people know our though processes better than we do ourselves.
Now, when I see a typical YA book cover, I expect a typical YA book, so I usually don't pick it up. Want to know why I picked up Hush, Hush? Because the cover was different than the ones I usually read. Same with Half-Blood. Fearscape? Same reason.
And why is it that ever since Twilight, there's a high number of scenes where the love interest is captivated by a girl in the dress? The weird part? Most of these books don't have a dress on the cover or the dress doesn't look the same.
The reason of these scenes? All girls want someone to stare at them being pretty. It's as simple as that. Vanity. It's so cool feeling like you're pretty and eyes are on you.
Until you think about how creepy it is that people are watching you. By the way, 3.4 million people get stalked in the US alone. And, random fact, there are around three to twelve million sociopaths in the United States. And some estimate that up to 95% of serial killers are sociopaths. Have fun not freaking out the next time someone looks at you.
So what's your opinion of the dresses on the covers of YA books? Do they call you in like hot chocolate does to me? Do you steer away from them because most aren't very good?
What about the dress scenes? Hot or creepy?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
