The 52 Book Club: 2025 Challenge discussion

38. Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover!


This is one of those prompts that everyone is going to interpret in a different way — and we can’t wait to see what you come up with. For this category, you could take this saying literally and choose a book with an ugly cover. You could also interpret this as a character who is complex or misjudged, or perhaps a title that is misleading. Sometimes, after reading a book, you may find that it wasn’t marketed as it should have been and might decide to use that as an option for this prompt. Get creative and have fun!

Check out our Goodreads List for examples

The Netanyahus

Where the Crawdads Sing seems to fit this category perfectly

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts

My #1 recommendation for this prompt (I may do a reread for this one because it's fantastic) is The Risk by S.T. Abby. It's book one of a very short 5 book series (the longest book is 176 pages). The covers make it look like smut but it's not. It's a thriller and it's so good! But, fair warning, it deals with some graphic, sensitive subject matter so check trigger warnings before diving in. Subsequent books could also be used for the indie prompt, author with Y in their name, from the villain’s perspective, involves a second chance, and author who has published in more than one genre (she also used the pen names CM Owens and Kristy Cunning).

I am reading The Drowner

I read Nazareth Hill: Gates of Hades for this prompt.

Another book I picked up from one of those little library exchanges on campus was Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter. So, obviously it had to be my pick for this entry.

I read Apples Never Fall. The cover does not make one think it would fall under the mystery/thriller category at all!

I'm reading Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire. I love her but the cover is really hideous lol

In Fahrenheit 451 a member of the group the main character meets up with comments ‘never judge a book by its cover’, which is highly appropriate given the situation they’re in…

matrix by Lauren Groff. I would have never guessed what the book was about based on the cover and title

So Lucky by Dawn O'Porter, because the cover has a picture of a pink frosted donut with the phrase, "Don't Judge a Woman By Her Cover." I can't NOT read this book for this challenge category.

@Toni- I have purchase it. Thanks for the recommendation.

The Honey-Don't List - Christina Lauren

Milk Fed - Melissa Broder

I read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

I read The Bluest Eye

For this one I listened to The Getaway by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen.

The cover is meh.. but this one is from the betselling duo that wrote The Woman between us, which I enjoyed a lot!
However, this one isn't an extraordinary story, but it's enjoyable.

This cover told me nothing about the content of the novel, and still seemed not to fit after I'd finished reading Writers & Lovers.

I read The Secret of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur.

I read Sistersong by Lucy Holland, 4.5 Stars

I read At Risk by Patricia Cornwell

Matrix by Lauren Groff

This cover was a bit strange but the book was an amazing historical fiction.

The Honeybee Emeralds by Amy Tector 4/20/22

https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for this prompt. Thought that it was fitting literally (not a great cover) and thematically with the duality of man, good and evil aspects of the book.
Not a fan of the book but not bad 3 stars.

It Devours! By Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor. Their books all have unusual, minimalist covers that would not grab my attention if I wasn’t a Night Vale fan. If I wasn’t in the know, I’d walk right past it in a bookstore. It is, however, quirky and enjoyable in the best Night Vale fashion.

The Heart of the Deal by Lindsay MacMillan. https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2022...

A person would think that with a title like Eat Cake, there would be cake on the cover, not a woman carrying several hat boxes and a shopping bag.

Sweetbitter - Stephanie Danler

I read Shatter Me for this prompt because the front cover did not connect with me. This book has a lot of great reviews, *not by me unfortunately*

I read Beastars, Vol. 1 by Paru Itagaki.

I read "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows" by John Koenig

House of Stone by Zimbabwean author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma is an award-winning novel covering the history around the decades of the formation of Zimbabwe as a new nation, in particular the Gukurahundi massacres which followed. ⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
Venezuela:
Blue Label by Eduardo Sánchez Rugeles is literary fiction set in Venezuela about teenagers on a road trip, trying to find a way to deal with the collapse of a country around them. I found it well-written and engaging. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Patrick Haddon

The Angry Women's Choir by Australian author Meg Bignell is an empowering feminist read about Tasmanian housewife Freycinet Barnes who joins a choir of women which meets to sing out their anger and heartache. She meets a cast of zany characters who help her deal with the curly challenges life throws her way and band together to promote freedom from oppression. Here is my review

Mr. Darcy's Bluestocking Bride by Rose Fairbanks

Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

Star Mother by Charlie N Holmberg