Believe it or not, just like last week's topic of circus, this was one I had been planning to do whether it was an official topic or not. I talked recently on Daniela's blog about how much I've always loved not just circus but carnivals in general because they're so fun and beautiful with all their bright colored lights and laughter and happiness... but they're also so inherently creepy. They're almost kind of fantastical and magical just on their own, and it feels like anything can happen in that setting. And this relates to Ferris wheels because they're most often found at carnivals (in case you didn't make the connection). I also seem to come across a lot of book covers with Ferris wheels, and I guess they just stand out to me.
Anyway, I've once again tried to stick to SFF as much as possible. It's kind of limiting, but it's what I like :-)
Cover Characteristics is a weekly meme hosted at Sugar & Snark. This week’s topic is:
Books Covers featuring Ferris Wheels
Pin the Collage!
Ringmaster by Trudi Jaye
It seems many book covers with Ferris wheels are just a person in the foreground and a wheel in the background, so this is kind of the first of many on this list. This cover also has a nice circus vibe, but I unfortunately I can’t recommend the book.
Talented Series
I think this isn’t *technically* a Ferris wheel? But it’s close enough because I like it and want to use it lol. It’s pretty much just a simple silhouette, but it still looks nice.
Steampunk Carnival by Cassandra Leuthold
Another person-in-front-Ferris-wheel-in-back cover, but still nice.
Crimson Psyche by Lynda Hilburn
I like the black, white, and dark pink coloring, plus the whole background looks interesting with the moon and everything. And the font is nice.
The Traveling Man by Jane Harvey-Berrick
I like how sparkly and glittery everything looks in the background. It kind of portrays the magical feeling of carnivals and all the lights.
The Wolves of London by Mark Morris
The silhouette melting or spider-webbing or whatever it’s doing down into the text is a neat effect, and it looks all creepy.
Mark Park and the Flume of Destiny by Brian Olsen
Nothing particularly exciting about this one, but it’s decent, and the text is bold.
The Ending I Want by Samantha Towle
This is so not my typical kind of book or cover, but I think it’s so pretty and love the whole look of it from the colors to the layout.
The Undertow Trilogy
Both of these are amazing little pieces of cover art, and they really tell a story and make the books seem interesting.
My Favorite:
Four by Veronica Ross
It’s just so pretty with the Ferris wheel AND the fire all around it!
Gorgeous covers, Kristen. I didn’t realize how many covers used ferris wheels! I think my favs are Michael Buckley’s! 🙂
The Buckley ones were a close second for me! There is a surprising amount of covers with Ferris wheels though.
I agree, carnivals sort of have a dual nature- they are fun but they also have a seamier underside. At least to me. You’ve got some good ones this week- Undertow is my favorite with the tents and the wheel in the background. It’s got a certain ominous feel to it. I like the Wolves of London for the creepiness factor, and the red and black.
Crimson Psyche isn’t bad, I like the moon, and steampunk Carnival is nice. Funny how you can get a steampunk vibe just with a certain hat and cover design- add a few gears lol. I like it though.
That’s why carnivals make the best setting for fantasy and horror. The Undertow covers were my second favorite, almost chose those. And of course I love the red and black of Wolves of London lol. Crimson Psyche is kind of simple, but I like it too. And it is funny about the steampunk. Seriously, just some gears and the right hat is all you need, haha.
I had no clue there were so many with ferris wheels on the cover! I like the cover for The Traveling Man, but really overall I’m not a fan of covers with ferris wheels. 😡
Haha do you just not like Ferris wheels in general? I’ve always been a carnival-loving, thrill rides person, but I can understand why some people aren’t. And I actually have Traveling Man but I’ve been too busy with others books to read it yet :-/
Oh no I don’t mind them and I love roller coasters and other rides. Just for some reason I don’t like the look of them on book covers. Isn’t that odd? Lol!
Oh, that is odd actually lol. I like how they look on covers I guess because they make me think of carnivals and all the lights and rides and whatnot.
I agree Ferris Wheels are pretty and romantic and I like seeing them, there was even a time I dared go into them. I went from finding them scary to liking them and now I don’t dare go into Ferris wheels anymore, I blame my fear of heights.
And yes Carnivals and circus have such a mysterious and magical feel, but also are creepy somehow. I never noticed a lot of Ferris Wheels on covers, but I do recognize two of these, the one for Four and Undertow. I know I’ve seen those before. The Amy Hopkins covers are pretty. I like silhouette’s and skylines on covers. I think of these The Traveling man is my favourite because I like the Ferris wheel on that one and the glittery/ magical effect. I also like the Four cover, but for some reason i thin it looks weird the Ferris Wheel is on fire and hovering in the air like that. I also like the Undertow cover as it’s creepy and the Ferris Wheel is really prominent on them and I wonder what’s the significance.
I’ve never had a fear of heights, but I did eventually develop a kind of fear of traveling carnival rides. The way they’re so quickly assembled and disassembled all the time… I’m pretty sure someone literally died at my local fair once when a ride broke (though it was a different ride, not a Ferris wheel). I like thrill rides, but I’m not quite looking for THAT much of a thrill.
I do love that combo magical/mysterious vibe. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks The Traveling Man looks magical! And I like the Undertow ones because they’re so well done, the artwork, and yeah, I wonder if the Ferris wheel has any significance since it is so prominent in both. That’s kind of funny to me that you don’t like the cover of Four though because the wheel is on fire and hovering the air lol. I like fantastical, unrealistic type covers I guess. I just think it’s pretty 🙂
I never realised there were so many book covers with ferris wheels :’) BUT OMG I love Undertow and Raging Sea. So beautiful.
Right?! I love covers that are legit little pieces of artwork. Those are often the most beautiful!
haha I’m not doing this on purpose! I SWEAR! but I’m terrified of Ferris wheels. That is fairly recent and I have no idea why. I’m ok with highs as long as the don’t move. 🙂 HOWEVER, they DO make the MOST gorgeous covers EVER. I always loved the Undertow covers. I have no idea what those books are about and they are on my TBR list just because of the covers [yeah I’m THAT silly :)] . Four is a very close second. I’m a sucker for anything on fire. 🙂
WHY MUST YOU BRING DOWN EVERYTHING I LOVE???? I’m just kidding lol. I’ve just never had a fear of heights, moving or not, but carnival rides can be dangerous, so I can understand that particular fear. But at least you still agree they’re pretty!
I don’t know what the Undertow books are about either (other than I think they’re post-apoc?), but I also have them on my TBR because of the covers, haha.
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