We’ve been told since we were kids that we shouldn’t judge books by their covers. And maybe that’s true. But I’m the sort of book lover who drags my begrudging friends through a bookstore just so I can pick up my favorite book (that I already own) and shove the cover into their faces and say, “Isn’t this the best thing you’ve ever seen???” And then we stay there until they agree with me.

There’s no one single recipe for what makes a book cover great, but when you see it, you just know, this is going to be amazing. And also, I want to hold this in my hands forever.

Covers That Give Us Heart Eyes

1. The Wild Ones by Nafiza Azad

We love how this cover features some gorgeous characters from The Wild Ones, along with beautiful flowers and stars. From William C. Morris Finalist Nafiza Azad comes a thrilling, feminist fantasy about a group of teenage girls endowed with special powers who must band together to save the life of the boy whose magic saved them all.

 2. Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

The gold accents paired with purple make for a striking cover. A book combining elements of magic, mythology and adventure PLUS a stunning cover? Yes, please!

3. The Girl from Shadow Springs by Ellie Cypher

Bring a blanket and get cozy for this chilling wintry read—you will surely need it for the cold trip ahead! This snowy cover with its eye-catching red anticipates an icy adventure.

4. Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

Is it just me, or do Cassandra Clare’s books never fail to deliver stunning covers? The Shadowhunters saga (and collection of incredible Cassandra Clare book covers) continues in Chain of Iron.

5. The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

The interplay of light and shadow on this cover make for a beautiful work of art. But more importantly, a science fiction cover that heavily uses pink? It’s the underrated combination you never knew you needed.

6. We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon

This cover is pretty in purple! We love the two main characters and the wedding cake, a perfect depiction of this wedding-filled story!

7. Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju

Everything about this cover is amazing but can we just talk about that pink?! The colors are so vibrant that this book would practically jump off the shelf and into my open arms.

8. Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

I love this cover with the couple sharing a slice of pie. It’s the perfect introduction to yet another amazing YA romance from Jenn Bennett.

9. Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

WE NEED MORE YELLOW BOOK COVERS! Yes, I know that there is a lot of blue here, too but that yellow just totally pops! I could stare at this illustrated cover all day long.

10. The Cold Is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale

This beautifully illustrated cover totally keeps me captivated! Just looking at it, I get the feeling of softness. I can’t wait to hold it in my hands!

11. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Metaphoric and captivating, this cover has us breathing heavy for the story about the two silhouettes under the pink flowers and starry sky. The lungs look like they’re somehow entrapping the two figures…hmm, I think that’s a hint. Can you love someone you can never touch? Soon to be a major motion picture starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson in March 2019!

12. Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Can you ever go wrong with a dog on the cover? Nope! Morgan Matson always has the cutest covers, we have heart eyes for all of them, especially Save the Date.

13. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

If you’re like me, you’ll read any book with a bird on the cover, just on principle. But even beyond that, the illustrated jacket of this book is just so gorgeous, and the lush colors and details make this a cover I could stare at all day long (and pretty much already do).

14. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

This is another illustrated cover from Charlie Bowater and yet again she’s taken my breath away! I mean just look at the girl’s face, the way the light catches her cheeks and her nose. I can’t wait to have this book on my shelf!

15. City of Bones 10^th Anniversary Edition by Cassandra Clare

True, there’s no longer a shirtless Jace on the cover, but the this revamped 10^th Anniversary cover is fine. The runes and border design give the book an authentically Shadowhunter-y vibe that makes it feel like you could find it on a bookshelf at the Institute (except we all know it would never be on a shelf, because it’s the kind of book that never leaves your bedside table.)

16. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

The first time I saw this cover, I didn’t even know what I was looking at (is it a snake? Is it a dead snake? Is it a crest of some kind?) – I just knew I had to read it. The bursts of light over the darker colors strike just the right tone, and you can easily lose track of time running your fingers over the embossed design.

17. Strange Truth by Maggie Thrash

I love this paperback cover because it tells me everything I want to know about this book. It rocks the Twin Peaks/Riverdale vibe, and the eerie green lettering just pops off the pinkish trees in the background. It’s just genius.

18. The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu

I’m a total sucker (sorry, I love a good pun) for a pink cover. Add in the melting lollipop and I just want to know more!

19. The Empress by S.J. Kincaid

Have I mentioned that I love bird covers? Compared to Diabolic, The Empress is darker and moodier, but in the fiercest way possible. I’m obsessed.

20. Letting Go of Gravity by Meg Leder

Sometimes simple covers are the best. The grey with the added touches of birds in multiple colors makes this a cover that’s hard to pull your eyes from.

21. Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast

So maybe you’re catching on that I like dark, glow-y covers. That doesn’t change the fact that one in particular is its own art form, down to the gorgeous font choice. I’d like to get my hands on a copy just so I can tilt it back and forth in the light. Distracting? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely.

22. The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin

I love this book because it has everything I need to go “wow.” Romance? YES. Fire? YES. Intense font? YES! What’s not to love?

23. Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster

This cover is eerie and hauntingly beautiful. It makes me feel so many things when I look at! Ultimately, IT MAKES ME NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING! Also, that title treatment with the star in the title is just perfection.

24. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

This cover is so glorious and has so many different focal points–the flames, the Scythes, the faces beneath the hoods. The vibrant colors also lend themselves to me absolutely needing to pick up and devour this book right now.

25. Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

This cover has swoony written all over it! The gold-lettering is stunning, the detail is wonderful, and their ever-present phones have us intrigued and excited about the story.