Book Talk, Etc. – “Books With Covers We Hate and Why We Read Them Anyway”

Podcast with Tina (@tbretc) and Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)
September 23, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores a perennial bookish struggle: Why do we sometimes read (and even love) books with covers that make us cringe? Tina and Hannah, self-described visual (and “mood”) readers, dive into ugly, unsettling, and poorly designed book covers. They share the psychology of what puts them off visually, why they’ll still pick up these books, personal design pet peeves (wings! holes! uncanny faces!), and recommend titles whose covers don’t do justice to the stories inside. They also sprinkle in their latest obsessions and ongoing love for unconventional book content.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Loving Lately: Small Obsessions & Bookish Joys

[01:02-08:59]

• Tina shares her newfound passion for flat back earrings: “I have a total of nine holes in my ears... but I will not be putting nine earrings in every day and taking nine earrings out.” [03:15]
  • Why: Flat back studs allow pain-free sleep—high praise for this “game changer.”
  • Sourced from Amazon and obsessing over cute finds on Etsy.
• Hannah shouts out BookTok creator Earl Gray, please (Aubry): “She reads very widely...a thriller, but also a literary fiction, some short stories, a novella, a big book—she kind of reads all over the place and that's how I read too.” [07:07]
  • Loves Aubry’s creative TBR wheels and vlogs.

2. Latest Reads: Thrillers with Emotional Weight

[09:07-18:37]

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah

(Brought by Tina) [09:07-13:47]

• Legal/psychological thriller about a tragic mistake: Layla forgets her nephew in the rear seat, leading to his death.
• “...It's emotional, but also the courtroom scenes are fantastic. It is not dry, though. I would not call this a legal thriller. I would call this a psychological thriller.” [12:23]
• Explores guilt, familial dynamics, and “the most horrifying thing you can imagine as a parent.”

True Crime Story by Joseph Knox

(Brought by Hannah) [13:55-18:37]

• Fictional “true crime” with the author as a character investigating a missing student.
• “It starts out in December of 2011...Zoe Nolan...was never seen again. And we follow this disappearance through interviews...some glaring inconsistencies and discrepancies...not adding up.” [15:15]
• Mixed media format (interviews, newspaper clippings), full-cast audiobook praised.
• Criticized for an “extensive” cast and off-topic side stories, but “unique” for its metafiction.
• “If you like mixed media storytelling...I would recommend giving the audiobook a try.”
• Memorable aside: “I wonder why he inserted himself like that...Maybe this author has a big ego?” [18:58]

3. Main Theme: Ugly Covers, Design Pet Peeves, and Our Picks

[19:30-58:44]

Opening Thoughts: Design Elements That Repel

• “These are covers that are going to give us a visceral reaction for one reason or another.” [20:09]

• Biggest Offenders:

  • Wings & Holes (Tina): “Butterfly, cicada, wings...I don't like wings where you can see through them and see the segments. It makes me crazy.” [20:22, 21:10]
  • Clusters of Holes (Both): “That's like my recurring nightmare...holes on my body.” [21:32, 21:43]
  • Movie tie-in faces: “I can't read that and see Joe Goldberg any way else other than the actor that plays him.” [22:20]
  • Honorable mention: “The Troop by Nick Cutter” – Hannah: “I hate the red text on the bluish blue...I just really don't like the font.” [25:20]

• Jump Scrape Covers

  • Tina’s choice: The Cut by C.J. Dotson — “...It's a drain...and then you have this freaking worm. It's a parasite. It's not even a worm. Put it away. It's cursed.” [26:53]
  • Hannah’s: First edition UK cover of Twilight — “It looks like a Wattpad version of Coraline.” [28:05]
  • Lively tangent: “Why CGI Renesmee was so unsettling”—a deep dive on uncanny valley, CGI & disturbing baby faces in pop culture. [29:02-30:37]

Inspired Recommendations & Side Content

• Recommendation: BookTok creator “Bridgetish,” a designer who rates ugly covers submitted by followers. [30:48]
  • “It's really funny...some of them are absolutely horrendous.”

4. Books We Read Despite Their Covers: Main Recommendations

[32:11-53:57]

In the Dark by Richard Laymon (Tina) [32:11-38:57]

• 1990s horror/thriller with a dated, “no good” blurry silhouette cover.
• Meta note: “His Wikipedia page...says the poor editing and unattractive cover art also stalled his career in America.” [34:19]
• Premise: Librarian Jane, mysterious envelopes, escalating dares, and a “pervy” tone: “This man is obsessed with breasts. He included a boob in every major scene.” [36:52]
• Despite being poorly written and dated, Tina couldn’t stop reading the “entertaining” and “campy” puzzle. “Did I have fun reading it? I did. And I read the whole dang thing.” [37:58]

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild (Hannah) [39:27-43:42]

• Face-heavy “cross-hatch” drawn cover: “Skin-toned...like they're rotting...they've got like a film on them.” [40:12]
• Family drama: A mother’s longing, tragedy, and ripple-effect decisions that intertwine two women.
• “The drama...made me roll my eyes a little bit. And there were some twists...I didn't love, but I thought the book was going to be going in a different direction...”
• Still, a readable, page-turning story with “potato chip” effect (“you just have to keep reading it”). Wide appeal for fans of family butterfly-effect stories.
• Caveat: “I would say ‘maybe’” for recommending, but saw strong reader engagement.

Redemption by Jack Jordan (Tina) [44:17-49:51]

• Cover: “Ugly yellow, frankly, not a nice yellow...the worst yellow. And it's got a scorpion on it...on the side of the book...one single leg of the scorpion...dripping blood.” [44:17]
• Premise: Grief-driven revenge road trip; parents seek justice for their son’s hit-and-run death.
• “No right answers. Because on the one hand, you can see why Evelyn's so consumed...the author did a fantastic job of getting us to care about Aaron.”
• Hard subject matter, slow reading due to heaviness (and print-only access!).
• “If that's not something you're down with, just know it's pretty prevalent in this one [gun violence].”
• Praise: “Very well fleshed-out story...I really liked it. I am going to read Jack Jordan again.” [48:44]

The Strange Case of Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker (Hannah) [49:51-53:57]

• Cover: Rainbow swirl with blurry face—a “not for me” design.
• Admires author’s previous works (Age of Miracles is a favorite).
• Story: New mother Jane suffers memory loss, hallucinations, and premonitions; links emerge to buried trauma and her psychiatrist Dr. Bird helps unravel her case.
• “This book is told in dual perspective...entries are also very deeply intimate...makes the whole story feel like you are really slowly unlocking this puzzle alongside of our characters.” [51:24]
• Audio narration is “fantastic...such an immersive, really smart story that blended psychology, memory, and new motherhood.”
• “If you love books with a little bit of mystery that make you think...I would really recommend this one. I have a feeling this is going to stick with me.” [53:39]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [21:10] Tina:
  “I don't like wings where you can see through them and see the segments. It makes me crazy.”
• [21:43] Hannah:
  “That's like my recurring nightmare...holes on my body. That's a nightmare I have regularly.”
• [36:52] Tina (on 'In the Dark'):
  “This man is obsessed with breasts. He included a boob in every major scene.”
• [26:53] Tina (on The Cut cover):
  “It's a parasite. It's not even a worm. Put it away. It's cursed.”
• [28:05] Hannah (on Twilight UK cover):
  “It looks like a Wattpad version of Coraline.”
• [37:58] Tina (despite reservations on 'In the Dark'):
  “Did I have fun reading it? I did. And I read the whole dang thing.”
• [48:44] Tina (on 'Redemption'):
  “Very well fleshed out story...I really liked it. I am going to read Jack Jordan again.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:02] – Tina’s “loving lately” (flat back earrings)
• [06:35] – Hannah’s “loving lately” (Earl Gray, please – BookTok creator)
• [09:07] – Tina discusses “Next of Kin” by Kia Abdullah
• [13:55] – Hannah discusses “True Crime Story” by Joseph Knox
• [19:30] – Discussion opens on design pet peeves, “ugly covers”
• [26:53] – Tina’s “jump scare” pick: “The Cut” by C.J. Dotson
• [28:05] – Hannah on the first UK cover of “Twilight”
• [32:11] – Tina: “In the Dark” by Richard Laymon (ugly/dated horror)
• [39:27] – Hannah: “Finding Grace” by Loretta Rothschild (family drama with a “why” cover)
• [44:17] – Tina: “Redemption” by Jack Jordan (“worst yellow” cover, grief thriller)
• [49:51] – Hannah: “The Strange Case of Jane O” by Karen Thompson Walker
• [54:22] – Shelf Additions

Shelf Additions

[54:22-58:44]

• Tina:
  The Bird Watcher by Jacqueline Mitchard – “...a page turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship...convicted of a double murder. She was a brilliant grad student and declares, ‘I may not be innocent, but I am innocent of this.’” [55:00]
• Hannah: One of Us by Dan Shawn – “A darkly playful story about two orphaned twins...who find refuge in a strange traveling carnival.” [56:55]

Closing Thoughts

Tina and Hannah emphasize that while cover design strongly impacts mood readers, a good story, strong recommendations, and curiosity can make them pick up even the most cringe-worthy, “heinous,” or confusingly designed books. The episode blends self-aware banter, design hot takes, and genuine reading joy—even (and especially) when the packaging makes them hesitate. If you’re looking for book talk that’s “fun, deeply nerdy, and honest about first impressions,” this episode delivers.