What is it that draws you to a book? For me, it is the cover. I know, I know, we are told from the time we are very little to never judge a book by its cover. But those of us who read a lot know that sometimes, out of sheer necessity or simply to shake things up, we need to veer away from our favorite authors and try something new.

So, the question becomes how does one chose. Well, I say look for a snazzy cover and a captivating title.

Ultimately, with books, as with life, it is what’s on the inside that matters. But sometimes judging a book by its cover – allowing yourself to be snared by a color or artwork that tickles your subconscious – leads to excellent literary discoveries.

I have managed to uncover some truly great books based on nothing else.

Take these for example:

“Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress” by Susan Jane Gilman

If the title alone doesn’t grab you then the picture of a pouty little girl in big black combat boots and a fluffy white dress on the cover definitely will! It is a memoir about growing up in Manhattan in the 1970’s. It is full of one liners that will definitely make you chuckle, like “Boys might be fighters but girls could be terrorists.”

“The Darwin Conspiracy” by John Darton

Seriously, anything with conspiracy in the title is immediately intriguing and the cover is genius in its simplicity; a brown background with a lone top hat in the center. The book, as the title suggests, is about a conspiracy surrounding Darwin’s theory of evolution and whether it truly is Darwin’s theory.

What are you reading?

– Natalie  

Have book suggestions or want to see what else I’m reading? Friend me on www.goodreads.com or e-mail me at BookTalk@HooplaNow.com