59 Book Covers So Bad They Should Be Illegal (But Somehow People Still Bought These Books)
Alright, here’s the deal: you’re *not* supposed to judge a book by its cover, right? But let’s be real, sometimes those covers are *so* bad, they make you wonder what the heck the designer was thinking! We’ve hunted down some of the absolute worst book covers out there. Some are facepalm-worthy, some are hilariously confusing, and all of them scream, "Why?" Get ready for a wild ride through the world of ugly book covers that somehow made it to print!
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Crime And Punishemt - Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
But... You're A Horse - Jon Bon Pony
Picking a book often means listening to your buddies or spotting something cool online. But if you rely only on the cover, better make it awesome! Turns out, making a cover that actually matches the story *and* looks good is super tricky. If the cover gives off weird vibes, people will be bummed when they open the book.
How To Let Bro Know That You Want To Be More Than Friends - B. J. Nomnom
The Odyssey - Homer
The Annotated Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen
Book cover artists have a tough gig. Imagine a wild party where everyone’s trying to get noticed. That’s what it’s like in a bookstore! If your cover doesn’t pop, it’s basically invisible. Designers have to pull out all the stops to get eyeballs on the book.
La Metamorfosis By Kafka
Gumby 50 Shades Of Clay - Papercut
Told My Spouse How Much I Love Terrible Book Covers And He Insisted I Show My Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Writers, heads up: a killer cover can make you look way more professional and even help find your perfect audience. Certain genres have their own styles, so if you want fans to spot your book from a mile away, don’t mess that up!
Loved The Book But Hated This Cover As A Kid
The Master And Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov
A Hero Of Our Time - Mikhail Lermontov
A good cover isn’t just eye candy — it should match the story’s mood and keep looking good even years later. Oh, and it better look just as cool when shrunk down for your phone. Tech is wild!
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Iliad - Homer
Do You Want To Play With My Balls? - The Cifaldi Brothers
Tip for cover makers: check out the hottest books in your genre and see what they’re doing. Copying is a no-no, but it’s smart to spot trends and avoid accidentally freaking out your readers with wild colors or fonts.
What A Gem
The Brothers Karamazon - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Picture Of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Bold color choices and readable fonts are your best friends. But don’t go wild if everyone else is playing it safe in your genre. You want readers to get what they’re in for, not to be confused by your wild design choices.
The Pig's Head, Part 1 - Demetri Paul
The Dragon With The Girl Tattoo - Adam Roberts
Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen
Lesson learned: sometimes less *is* more. Don’t cram every little thing onto the cover because it’ll get messy when made tiny for phones. Keep it clean and clear so your book doesn’t look like a jumbled mess.
Coplete Works Of Oscar Wilde
Anne Frank's Diary - Anne Frank
Time Swirl (Binky Book 1) - John Pirillo
Enjoying these epic bad covers? Keep your eyes peeled for the ones that make you crack up the most. Got a terrible cover story of your own? Share it, because misery loves company! And if you’re up for more silliness, stay tuned — there’s plenty where these came from.

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