Ever since I saw the cover for A. S. King’s new book, Ask the Passengers, with its very prominent camera lens flare, I’ve started seeing lens flares on covers everywhere. They seem to be particularly prominent in YA contemporary/realistic novels. I’ve collected several in this post, but considering it took me only about half an hour to gather this amount, I’m sure there are many, many more out there. Lens flares are an element that cover designers seem to be especially fond of.
Links go to Goodreads and descriptions come from WorldCat.
Ask the Passengers by A. S King: Astrid Jones copes with her small town’s gossip and narrow-mindedness by
staring at the sky and imagining that she’s sending love to the
passengers in the airplanes flying high over her backyard. Her mother doesn’t want it, her father’s always stoned, her
perfect sister’s too busy trying to fit in, and the people in her small town would never allow her to love the person she really wants to:
another girl named Dee. We’ll have more on this title, which I really dug, a bit later.
staring at the sky and imagining that she’s sending love to the
passengers in the airplanes flying high over her backyard. Her mother doesn’t want it, her father’s always stoned, her
perfect sister’s too busy trying to fit in, and the people in her small town would never allow her to love the person she really wants to:
another girl named Dee. We’ll have more on this title, which I really dug, a bit later.
Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone: In 1995 Evanston, Illinois, sixteen-year-old Anna’s perfectly normal
life is turned upside-down when she meets Bennett, whose ability to
travel through space and time creates complications for them both.
life is turned upside-down when she meets Bennett, whose ability to
travel through space and time creates complications for them both.
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick: When Samantha, the seventeen-year-old daugher of a wealthy,
perfectionistic, Republican state senator, falls in love with the boy
next door, whose family is large, boisterous, and just making ends meet,
she discovers a different way to live, but when her mother is involved
in a hit-and-run accident Sam must make some difficult choices.
perfectionistic, Republican state senator, falls in love with the boy
next door, whose family is large, boisterous, and just making ends meet,
she discovers a different way to live, but when her mother is involved
in a hit-and-run accident Sam must make some difficult choices.
Dualed by Else Chapman: West Grayer lives in a world where every person has a twin, or Alt. Only
one can survive to adulthood, and West has just received her notice to
kill her Alt.
one can survive to adulthood, and West has just received her notice to
kill her Alt.
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, plus sequels: When three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town of Venus Cove
against the gathering forces of darkness, their mission is threatened
as the youngest angel, Bethany, enrolls in high school and falls in love
with another student.
against the gathering forces of darkness, their mission is threatened
as the youngest angel, Bethany, enrolls in high school and falls in love
with another student.
Gravity by Melissa West: Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander is recruited by arrogant alien spy
Jackson Locke to help him save the Earth because Ari is a military
legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies
and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy like
Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father
and her country, but keeping silent will start a war. (This is possibly the most mangled synopsis ever.)
Jackson Locke to help him save the Earth because Ari is a military
legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies
and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy like
Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father
and her country, but keeping silent will start a war. (This is possibly the most mangled synopsis ever.)
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti: After jilting two previous fiances, Cricket’s mother is finally marrying
the right man, but as wedding attendees arrive for a week of
festivities, complications arise for Cricket involving her own love
life, her beloved dog Jupiter, and her mother’s reluctance to marry.
the right man, but as wedding attendees arrive for a week of
festivities, complications arise for Cricket involving her own love
life, her beloved dog Jupiter, and her mother’s reluctance to marry.
Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown: Seventeen-year-old Kendra, living in the shadow of her brother’s
obsessive-compulsive disorder, takes a life-changing road trip with him. Kelly reviewed this one.
obsessive-compulsive disorder, takes a life-changing road trip with him. Kelly reviewed this one.
The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle: In the aftermath of a car accident that killed her family,
sixteen-year-old Laurel must face a new world of guilt, painful
memories, and the possibility of new relationships. Kelly reviewed this one.
sixteen-year-old Laurel must face a new world of guilt, painful
memories, and the possibility of new relationships. Kelly reviewed this one.
Getting Lost With Boys by Hailey Abbott: When Jacob Stein offers to be her travel companion on a road trip from
San Diego to her sister’s place in northern California, Cordelia Packer
never realized how much fun she could have getting lost with a boy.
San Diego to her sister’s place in northern California, Cordelia Packer
never realized how much fun she could have getting lost with a boy.
Clarity by Kim Harrington, plus sequel: Sixteen-year-old Clare Fern, a member of a family of psychics, helps the
mayor and a skeptical detective solve a murder in a Cape Cod town
during the height of tourist season–with her brother a prime suspect. I reviewed this one, plus its sequel Perception.
mayor and a skeptical detective solve a murder in a Cape Cod town
during the height of tourist season–with her brother a prime suspect. I reviewed this one, plus its sequel Perception.
Where it Began by Ann Redisch Stampler: After she is in a horrific car crash when drunk, Los Angeles high school
student Gabriella Gardiner assumes she stole her rich boyfriend’s car
and smashed it into a tree, but she cannot remember anything about the
events of the evening.
student Gabriella Gardiner assumes she stole her rich boyfriend’s car
and smashed it into a tree, but she cannot remember anything about the
events of the evening.
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson: Eighteen-year-old Kate, who sometimes chafes at being a preacher’s
daughter, finds herself losing control in her senior year as she faces
difficult neighbors, the possibility that she may not be accepted by the
college of her choice, and an unexpected death. Kelly talked more about this cover earlier.
daughter, finds herself losing control in her senior year as she faces
difficult neighbors, the possibility that she may not be accepted by the
college of her choice, and an unexpected death. Kelly talked more about this cover earlier.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han: Belly spends the summer she turns sixteen at the beach just like
every other summer of her life, but this time things are very different. Kelly reviewed this one here.
every other summer of her life, but this time things are very different. Kelly reviewed this one here.
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson: Through letters to his little sister, who is living in a different
foster home, sixth-grader Lonnie, also known as “Locomotion,” keeps a
record of their lives while they are apart, describing his own foster
family, including his foster brother who returns home after losing a leg
in the Iraq War.
foster home, sixth-grader Lonnie, also known as “Locomotion,” keeps a
record of their lives while they are apart, describing his own foster
family, including his foster brother who returns home after losing a leg
in the Iraq War.
Whew. It is a cool effect, but perhaps a bit overused?
You know, when you're photoshopping, it's just so tempting to add a lens flare. I design covers to inspire me as i write and I must confess, several of them have lens flares.
I blame Star Trek.
I was asking my boyfriend for clever titles for this post, and he suggested "You should make a joke about JJ Abrams."
The upcoming Daisy Whitney book's got a lens flare, too: http://www.yabookscentral.com/blog/exclusive-cover-reveal-when-you-were-here-by-daisy-whitney
And Golden by Jessi Kirby, too: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12578313-golden
Ooh, I like this! Maybe a bit overused, but it's such a nice effect. These would make a great display – with multiple types of books represented.
The Au Pairs and Sun-Kissed by Melissa de la Cruz!
I love my lens flare! To me, it's a bit rainbowesque (not in an icky way)and suggests hope in the offing in a narrative in which the protagonist, whom I now think of as the girl on the cover, goes through the wringer.
I don't know that Where It Began would be the same Where It Began without that lens flare on that cover; it puts the reader in a particular frame of mind that I think makes the first page more powerful in contrast.
I mostly hate Lens Flare. If it's obscuring the characters, it irritates me. Thus, I'm fine with it on some of these, but I'm not a big fan in most cases.
Some more with lens flare (and I see Kelly found Golden and When You Were Here):
Right of Way: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260742-right-of-way
My Name Is Rapunzel (maybe?): http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/13641748-my-name-is-rapunzel
Falling for You has a similar effect: http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/13553217-falling-for-you