Top 5 Tuesday || Books With Plants on the Cover

Believe it or not, I used to work in a greenhouse.

Double believe it or not, I had an awesome green thumb at work, and couldn’t keep anything alive at home. Still not sure how that happened, even to this day. Thankfully, plants on the cover of a book don’t need too much care. In fact, I suspect they thrive if you just talk about them, which means that it’s a good thing Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads made this week’s T5T topic just to showcase their green, green glory.

And can I get a round of thanks that book plants are so pretty and allergy friendly? All the beauty, none of the pollen! You can’t beat that!

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig

I almost put this on my post about creature covers simply because of the bees. I love bees with my whole heart, and even had one tattooed on my back. The love runs so deep.

But look at the rest of this cover! That golden glow, the dripping honey, the flowers in bloom… It’s so beautiful, and does an excellent job disguising the unsettling aspects of this book that lie beneath.

 

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

If you’re going to learn anything about me today, it’s that I love florals. If my wardrobe could fit more floral button-up shirts in it (and if my wallet could afford that kind of thing), I’d absolutely make that the main staple of my style.

And if they mostly looked like the cover of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I could die happy.

Seriously, look at the level of detail tucked into these flowers! The keys, the bursts of color, the linework that evokes something similar to botanical illustrations! Plus, it matches the stunning prose within. Everything about this book is flowery, and I love it through and through.

 

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Damsel landed on this list because it sports the enchanting feature of glass flowers. Look at the way they seem to shine and reflect the light of the title! And the bleeding heart flowers curling around the anatomical glass heart? What a detail.

I haven’t read this one just yet, but I suspect this is also a cover that hides many plot secrets within, and I’m growing (ha!) more and more eager to dive into its pages!

 

Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald (Beyond the Ruby Veil #1)

Roses aren’t necessarily my favorite flower ever (that award probably goes to hydrangeas), but I love the way they’re arranged for Beyond the Ruby Veil! The splash of red in the bottom corner leaps out with a punch, and helps disguise the spooky scary spider hanging out on the left side.

 

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

I don’t own Girl, Serpent, Thorn just yet, mostly because I’m holding out for a Fairyloot copy with the blush pink dust jacket. Pink isn’t my favorite color, but this book pulls it off so well that I need to have it on my shelf in that lovely shade.

More relevant to today’s topic, though, I’m head over heels for the way the peonies and thorns wind their way across this cover! Never mind the admittedly nifty way the snakes are arranged. I love the way the peonies seem so delicate, but the thorns lie just beneath, so very very sharp. It’s an excellent contrast, and all that against the pale cover makes it feel even more light and airy. Probably deceptively so for the book’s contents, I imagine.

Really, this is what plant-based cover design is about.

 

Are plants on the cover growing on you?

Okay, okay, I used that one twice, you’re right. Totally fair to be mad at me for that, and I promise that, going forward, I’ll turn over a new leaf. But really, don’t you see why I love these covers? Or did I miss one worth mentioning and manage to make myself a thorn in your side? Whether we’re two peas in a pod or you think I’m barking up the wrong tree, let’s chat! 💚