Unpopular opinion: I 💜 the new ACOTAR book covers
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- Опубліковано 24 тра 2024
- With the cover reveal of Sarah J Maas's second fae fantasy series A Court of Silver Flames (ACOSF), there's been a lot of hate over the new ACOTAR book covers. In this video, I'm giving you a closer look at each new Bloomsbury hardcover version.
Maybe my minimalistic tendencies are getting the best of me, but I find the new ACOTAR books quite stunning. They're gorgeous in a simple, understated sort of way-though understated does NOT mean the tattoo artist + cover designer didn't pour a lot of thought and detail into the series' all-new look. Give the tattoo artist some love on IG here: / happypetsink
The Nesta book (Nesta and Cassian... yay!!), ACOSF is now available, so grab your copy! Team Nessian.
Side note: Apparently, there's something called the Unpopular Opinions Book Tag (originally created by The Book Archer), so there you have it! Thank you so much for watching!
• • • • • • • • • • Timestamps:
0:00 Intro about SJM books
3:27 A Court of Thorns and Roses new covers
4:31 A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF)
5:25 A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOWAR)
5:49 A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS)
6:03 A Court of Silver Flames (ACOSF book cover)
🎵 Secret Garden by Eugenio Mininni
🎵 Trap Hamza by Arulo
• • • • • • • • • • About me:
I'm Sandra Gibbons. Japan-born American. Half Filipina. 35. Mother. Minimalist. INFJ. Story Darling. Here for the stories, and that means books and adaptations of books. I publish a new video every week.
"I was never really insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched." Edgar Allan Poe
Where to find me:
📚 goodreads: / sandragibbons
🐦 twitter: / sandragibbons
📷 instagram: / sandra_gibbons
🌐 website: storydarlings.com
#StoryDarlings #SarahJMaas #ACourtofSilverFlames #ACOTAR
Not a book review-just sharing some love for SJM’s new ACOTAR book covers. Here are my other ACOTAR/ACOSF videos:
Spoilery ACOSF Review: ua-cam.com/video/cppIL3zogyU/v-deo.html
Spoilery ACOSF/Throne of Glass/Crescent City discussion: ua-cam.com/video/gzJ4_cepxkE/v-deo.html
If you don’t have US Amazon, you can still copy/paste the below hardcover ISBNs into Waterstones, B&N, Booksamillion, Book Depository, or wherever you purchase books:
ISBN-13: 978-1635575552
ACOTAR: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575559/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ISBN-13: 978-1635575576
ACOMAF: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575575/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ISBN-13: 978-1635575590
ACOWAR: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575591/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ISBN-13: 978-1635575613
ACOFAS: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575613/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ISBN-13: 978-1681196282
ACOSF: www.amazon.com/Court-Silver-Flames-Thorns-Roses/dp/168119628X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=R6XW7X5PAM36&dchild=1&keywords=a+court+of+silver+flames+sarah+j+maas&qid=1604978311&sprefix=silver+flames%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-3
For me, it’s not that the new covers are ugly, it’s that they were changed mid series. I have been reading them as they are published so it’s frustrating that my editions will be different if I purchase them.
I totally hear you on this! As someone who is particular about books, having the odd-covered book would probably give me anxiety. It'd be cool if they released a special/throwback edition for readers like you... but who knows!
Ikr. I just got into the acotar series and oh my lord the pain of trying to find them with the old covers. It’s so damn hard for me to find the second book. I got the first an third in old covers
@@heyimjuno7293 Exactly. The place where I usually get my books has the second book in the old cover, but it's unavailable, and I found it at another place for something like 30 dollars. Ridiculous.
I like them too... they look a bit older... I have never liked the old covers... lol
I did not like the old covers at all. These really are so pretty in person, especially the hardcovers, but I’m more minimalistic in my tastes! I finally went to the tattoo artist’s Insta page to give them some love from all the hate they’ve gotten. Their work is so beautiful!
The strong color contrast in each book is beautiful. I personally didn’t like the previous editions’ cover either. Hence it made me stall in getting the books. However now that they’ve made nicer covers, I’m all for it!
I totally agree! They're really striking, and I love that they fit with how Feyre views the world... in bursts of color and visions for her paintings. Happy book-buying, dear!! 💕
I've never seen the new hardcovers before, only the softcovers which I don't like, but this ones WOW! I'm definitely going to buy them.
They’re seriously so beautiful! I truly think they fit the series and Feyre perfectly!
@@SandrasLibrary hey, I have a question, why acomaf seems more huge, but acowar is the biggest one?!?!?!?
@@ramirez4630 I believe they had to change to thinner paper for the bigger books, which is why they’re less thick. If they would have kept the thicker page, the later books (ACOSF included) would have been ridiculously thick and probably cause the price to be higher. For the novellas like Frost and Starlight, I think they need to keep the thicker page, otherwise those would be super thin!
I haven’t read the series .. I’m here for help to decide which cover to buy! lol
I personally love the new covers! If you prefer the old ones and you’re looking to buy new, you’ll run into issues finding copies-maybe try eBay, but I think the new covers are spot on for the main character Feyre. She’s a painter, which explains the bright, bold colors used on each new book, and the cover art is from an actual tattoo artist who does stunning work-this plays an important role in the story’s plot!
I totally agree that the ACOTAR cover for both the hardcover and paperback covers are amazing and awesome💯‼️these covers make me want to get buy this series💯‼️💖
I was hesitant to read the series as there have been so many mixed reviews on booktube but after my friend convinced me to pick up the series, I found out the covers had completely changed (for the worst for me) and couldn't find them anywhere else, at least at an appropriate price.
But! Your showing of the hardback made me order the first book. Personally, I think the second cover looks the best but that isn't out yet :(
I’ve really enjoyed this series! The romance and adventure is so much fun! And the covers... the new designs really speak to my personal tastes. A lot of people don’t like the bright solid colors of the new paperback versions, but on the hardcover ones, the gray adds the perfect balance to them. I really do think these books are so pretty! I’m dying for the next book which drops in February!
I do agree that the new ACOTAR covers are so pretty 💯‼️🩷
I've only ever seen the paperback version of the new covers, and I admittedly hate them. I don't vibe with them, and I think it's mostly because of the bright yellow text. The hardcover designs are a lot better, and I'm glad you made this video because I had not seen them before. Still, one of my design pet peeves is inconsistencies across a collection (if that makes sense).
I have some experience as a professional designer, and keeping the details consistent for a clean, cohesive look has been beaten into me. So while I much prefer the colored text over a dark background (a much prettier look than the paperbacks imo), I can't stop looking at the inconsistencies across covers. Again, it's the text for me! I don't understand why the alignment of text changes across every cover: one is center-aligned, one is right-aligned, and some follow more of an S-curve. I don't see the reason for that change on each cover, and it gets me. I also don't like the sudden change in A Court of Silver Flames where it's the illustration that has color now versus the title. These inconsistencies throw off the harmony when I look at all the covers together, which sucks because it distracts me from just how cool the illustrations actually are.
Sorry for the minor rant, I just have a lot of feelings about book covers and design in general 😂 I'm always ready to talk about design, and I loved hearing your thoughts on the covers!
What is UA-cam if not for the occasional rant? Hahaha. The text alignment didn’t bother me as much as the Nesta book breaking the pattern of “A Court of...” [1 syllable word] “and” [2 syllable word], but A Court of Silver Flames is still pretty. I justified it by reasoning it’s Nesta-centered rather than Feyre, so it’s okay to break pattern. My partner is also a designer so the text alignment bothered him, too. I just find the new covers much cleaner overall!
What I really want is ToG redone. I’m going to keep wishing on that one lol
@@SandrasLibrary I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one nitpicking 😅
I honestly don't mind the ToG covers (the white UK covers specifically). It's so classically YA, and I get why people may not like it. It's not stunning, but I find the classic YA covers kind of nostalgic.
@@VerityBooks Ooooo... I like the UK covers! Why are their versions always (not ALWAYS, but, you know)?? Like Mistborn, I loved the UK versions more than any of the Vin depictions I saw.
i don't really like people on cover much anyways. haha
I agree with this completely. I was enlightened last year to SJM as well, binged all her books and have already reread ACOTAR in lieu of ACOSF. I bought the books right before the new covers came out. I plan on buying the new series and gifting my older versions to a friend. I think the new covers hit so much deeper with the story because of the symbolism.. which has me trying to guess what the newest cover could be about. Not only that but they are designed like traditional tattoos, and since tattoos are a huge part in these stories I think it’s fitting. And like you mentioned how they look more adult.. I agree and think the books should be more targeted to that audience. The whole drama really rubbed me wrong as an artist, for people to show such disrespect to another talented artist like that.. it was gross. Ok rant over! Great video! && it’s always nice finding more SJM fans 🙏🏻 She is a Queen indeed 😅
I love EVERYTHING about your comment. The tattoo styling of the cover art is something I did not even realize until now-and wow-you completely bumped my already high esteem of the series’ new look even higher. Thank you for bringing that up! Love love love SJM’s books so much!
I’m so excited for her new book I already have it pre ordered it and I love crescent city as well I have to wait to finish it cause I don’t know when the next book will come out
I’m so excited, too! And sometimes it’s better to just wait. When I read all the ToG and ACOTAR books last spring, I was so happy I didn’t have to wait a long time between books. So while I LOVE Crescent City, it’ll suck to wait 1-2 years between! 😩😩😩
I never read those books, I always wanted them. But I didn't like the old covers so I put other books before them again and again but now I LOVE THE COVERS so so much It looks amazing in my opinion. I need more money to buy them all right now :3
The bright colors and details to each cover have SO much meaning in the story! I first read these by borrowing them from the library. It’s worth it!
I need to read the series. Love the video
It’s soooo good! I read the Throne of Glass series first and adored that one, but I can’t decide which series I love most. A Court of Silver Flames was so fantastic on its own it might be my favorite of all of SJM’s books!
I should totally get to SJ Mass soon. Hearing so much about it.
If you don’t mind explicit love scenes, yes! Totally. I love her stories-I especially love the overarching theme of friendship that develops through the Throne of Glass series.
Please tell me where you got the new hardbacks from?! I can’t find them anywhere and they’re absolutely stunning 😍
Oh gosh-great callout! I didn't even link them! Here they are. I had to go find the exact ISBNs on each, but these should be the same whether you use B&N, Amazon, Book Depository, etc. (I purchased from Amazon, so I've linked those below) If you don't use Amazon, you can still copy/paste the ISBN into another online retailer!
ACOTAR: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575559/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ACOMAF: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575575/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ACOWAR: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575591/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ACOFAS: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635575613/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ACOSF pre-order: www.amazon.com/Court-Silver-Flames-Thorns-Roses/dp/168119628X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=R6XW7X5PAM36&dchild=1&keywords=a+court+of+silver+flames+sarah+j+maas&qid=1604978311&sprefix=silver+flames%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-3
What is the writing font size like? I’m particularly sites do I hope the font size is a medium size at least if not the large print because I’m thinking to get the box set for my birthday.
Sorry I meant I’m partially sited sorry typo.
Hey Telsa! I'm not sure what the exact font size is, but it looks a _bit_ bigger to me, at least in these hardcover versions. I just compared the new ACOTAR books' font to the hardcover Throne of Glass series and Crescent City, and it does seem _slightly_ bigger than those, or at the very least, it's the same size. I think the line height or spacing between each line on the page looks a little taller. I can't say whether the paperbacks have bigger font, but to me, the hardcovers have a more comfortable reading experience! I'm very near-sighted. I hope that helps somewhat!
And *happy birthday* in advance!! I hope you have a wonderful day 🖤
AAAHHH SO PRETTY 🥺🤍
So pretty! And I can’t wait to get my hands on ACOSF. .....!!! Eeeeeeee it’s almost HERE!! 🧡
I definitely don’t hate them either! I think the art is beautiful. To be fair, I’m definitely not picky about matching covers or like having all paper back or hardcover
I’m kind of the same way! I’ll mix US/UK editions.... paperback/hardcover...used/new. Let’s call it a bit of character to your collection!
I agree, I love the new covers much more :)
Totally agree! Everytime I walk into a bookstore and see them, I think how gorgeous they are! 🤍
I also love the new covers
They are seriously so pretty! 🎨
I honestly didn't understand the whole drama with the book covers. I read the books in 2019 and just finished ACOFAS a few days ago. The original covers never really spoke to me nor did I care about them. It was always what was inside that counted I've seen some gorgeous covers of books but the content inside sucked. Having a half faced feyre on the cover doesn't matter to me and made it look childish. What were they gonna do with ACOSF have nesta on the cover but hey you would never knoe because hald her face would be missing and it would just look like feyre in another dress since nesta always has her hair up. There's nothing distinct on Nesta like there is on feyre which is the tattoo. When they got to elains book you would still think its feyre. So Im glad they did the cover change although I dont like the paperbacks the hardbacks look really nice and would be something I'd be willing to buy but later on when the price drops because I cant sit around spending 28 bucks for each book. Each symbol on the front of these books have meaning towards the story so I dont know why people are sitting around saying it has nothing to do with the cover.
I saw some girl literally crying about it on tik tok saying that sarah was gonna put no effort into Nesta as a character because of how the cover looked. Then we have people claiming this cover has nothing to do with Nesta when they havent even read the book. I know when I started ACOTAR I had no idea what the tattoo meant on Feyre's arm until the end. People are like it looks like luciens booka and why does it look aquatic? Like sis none of us know whats gonna happen in the book but it'll all make sense at the end. So I wish people would stop assuming so much about the character and how this book is gonna be garbage all because of a cover change like people are doing the most. Like I get being mad at the cover changing mid way through the series but then again this book is a spin off it's not supposed to look like the originals. So if people wanted to keep these books seperate they could. There bookshelves are not gonna implode because they dont look alike. Hell my book shelf is gonna be half paperback with the OG covers and my acofas is hardback of the og then we go straight into the newcovers and they'll all probably be Hardback since I'll end up buying all the new books on preorder.
I'm with you-I don't understand people crying about the cover art, especially when they have NO idea what will happen in the book. ...And complaining about no effort in Nesta? I'm fairly certain Silver Flames, page-wise, will be the longest book in the series to date.
I'm like you in my feelings toward the YA-geared covers with Feyre. Those did nothing for me. I've seen guys comment they prefer the new covers too, because they're interested in reading them and if they carry the book somewhere, they won't feel like they're being judged because of the girl on the cover. I know, I know-it seems like something silly to be self-conscious over, but this is the world we're in. So I'm good with making the book more accessible regardless of age or gender.
I really liked your thoughts on this! Like you, I'm looking forward to the next book, and major kudos to SJM for cranking these books out (especially as a relatively new mom). That has to be a balancing act!
I really wanna buy these ones, even though I already got the entire series (in german), but i cant help, but be bothered that the spines dont look uniform 😅😅
I have noooo idea why they would change the title font to white for Nesta's book, and then to right-align the title whenever the rest are center-aligned and black...Maybe because it's a different POV book? I agree the spines look a bit off, so I'm curious what they do on the next one. I kind of wish all the text was white because you can just see it better!
I didn't care for the old covers, I even went back and found my post when the cover for book 1 was released, the mix of real/generated didn't work well for me. But I don't like these new covers either, for more than the fact that my series won't match. I haven't seen them in person, but the background looks like it's one solid colour, and that's it. Sure, the image is pretty good, but they look plain and I don't like them. But I didn't really like the originals, and I still bought them and read them and loved them. The covers really don't have anything to do with the story. But if I didn't know I enjoyed Sarah J. Maas' writing, I wouldn't pick up these books with these covers. Or the old ones. I do like the spines though, those were cool!
Yes! It’s the weird real/generated mix that throws me off. And you’re right-it’s the story and writing style that matters. Aesthetic is aesthetic and people will have their preferences!
Same. And my aesthetic is pretty colours, like a sunset, so I only have a few favourite covers, vs. favourite books :)
I don't hate the new cover, I just had all three of the original covers and they changed it before I could buy frost and starlight, so the Feyre part of the series has ONE odd book in my collection! But I really do love the new covers! I also wish they kept the original colour themes but it's not a deal-breaker
First off, love your name! So pretty. I'm glad you like the new covers because I love them too :) I can understand how odd it would be mixing the old with the new-sometimes I love mixed stacks like that. Adds character! 🖤
@@SandrasLibrary I loved your video on this though!
@@ellarose8696 ahhhhh...thank you! This was one of my early ones and I was so nervous! Thanks for the boost of confidence this morning! I hope you have a lovely day! 🖤
@@SandrasLibrary you too!!!! 💛
i just wish silver flames matched the new covers too. i wish the mask was in the center, first of all, and that it wasn't orange, but grey and then have the text be orange.
I hope you’re liking it more now! I just finished ACOSF yesterday and omggggg-it is now my favorite book in the series. I personally think the cover work is perfect for Nesta’s story the more I see it!
Wow does anyone know where can I get the new hardbacks in the uk
If you have the ISBNs for each of the hardcover versions, you can paste them into Book Depository to order since they ship worldwide! In my pinned comment, I linked out to the US Amazon for each book, but just scroll down and grab the ISBNs there!
I’d try different retailers. Some of the books could be sold out and awaiting another round of printing for availability, but try looking around!
@@SandrasLibrary thank you so much
I‘m so confused about the fact that ACOMAF is bigger than ACOWAR even tho ACOWAR has more pages... Can someone please explain, haha?
This confused me, too. They used a different weight of paper, a thinner page, for ACOWAR than they did the other 3 books, so I wonder if maybe there were paper limitations at the time of printing. Because margins and font size are all consistent across the 4 books.
I'm guessing they'll use the same thinner paper weight they used in ACOWAR for ACOSF, because ACOSF is supposed to be nearly 800 pages long and I think it has a higher word count than even Wings and Ruin.
Even though Frost and Starlight came after ACOWAR but has the thicker paper, I think it was a good call, otherwise book 4 would've been sooooo thin using the newer, thinner paper.
@@SandrasLibrary ohhhh thanks for clearing it up... I was struggling to decide whether I should buy these editions or not and I was sort of scared when I thought that there might be content missing. Now everything is clear, thank you!!!
@@miri_w02 believe me, I’m the same way-can’t miss out on any content! 🖤
I’m not sure why everyone hates the new covers 🤷🏻♀️ they’re not my personal favorite but they’re also not as terrible as everyone is making them out to be lol
I’m all about change... embrace the change, folks, and life’s a prettier place!
It irks me that the spines for the books (ACOSF vs ACOTAR trilogy) aren't the same style EVEN THOUGH they created new covers. Also how the color of the text is different.
I don't hate the new covers either, I understand where the marketing decision came from. The books do look more grown up now. But I also get where some fans are coming from - and this has nothing to do with the artist - the illustrations on the covers look like they were inspired by asian paintings and art styles and SJMs books have nothing to do with asian mythology. So it's not very fitting to put art like that on books where there is no reference to it - it can be very misleading. But that is a marketing decision and is on the publisher not the artist or cover designer.
Exactly!
Hillo new friends her I injoy listen to your topic see you
Hi Teresa! Thank you! Are you filipina by chance?
If I wanted to get the old covers, where would I buy it? I personally prefer the old ones but I can’t find them anywhere for a decent price
oh man-if I were you, I'd try and track down the ISBN13 for whichever version you're looking for (hardcover vs paperback) and then copy/paste each ISBN13 into different online retailers like Book Depository or Thrift Books. I recently did this for a different author I was trying to find good/used books from and was able to piece together a set.
Since SJM is such a popular author, it'll be difficult to find any of the old covers available. You might try someplace like Ebay. When new covers are announced, some people tend to buy up all the old versions and then sell them on a platform like Ebay. I just did a quick check and looks like some old ones are available there! *Good luck!!*
I can’t say I’m a massive fan of the covers - I don’t dislike them, but they’re not particularly special imo, but neither were the old ones - however, I think the spines look really cool haha
The spines are definitely rad! Video doesn’t do the hardbacks justice, but they’re actually really stunning in person! I couldn’t commit to buying the old covers, so I was glad to see the cosmetic change. The new hardbacks offer a good compromise for those who don’t like the bright paint-themed paperback copies.
i find both eidtions ugly so i am trying to decide which one is less ugly
Yeah I guess it comes down to a choice of the animated Feyres on each cover OR the pop of color and tattoo art. I personally like the new editions quite a bit! I’ve also seen some lovely dust jackets fans have designed on Etsy and that sort of thing
The new cover is anything but pretty. ITS JUST EWW. And I wish I could have bought Silver Flames in the old edition. LIKE PLEASE!! UGH!!
Ha! We can totally agree to disagree on this one. ACOSF is LUX and gorgeous and fits perfectly with Nesta’s storyline! The others were way too cartoony/YA for me!
I can't stand them. For me, they don't fit the tone of the series at all, so I feel very disconnected when I look at them. I also don't like the bright colors they've chosen to represent the books themselves. Super gaudy and ostentatious and just doesn't go with the feel of the series :/
Hey, that's fair enough. I'm typically not a bright-colored person myself, but I do prefer the new hardcovers over the old style. I'm really just sad the tattoo artist and graphic designer got so much hate on something that was most likely not their call. Marketing judgments aside, I appreciate the intricate details that went into the new design because they are meaningful. Feyre is a painter and throughout the books, she is drawn to the colorful paints and looks at the world through that sort of artist's lens. They're meant to signify the Rainbow of Velaris, and I absolutely love the colorful touch just for this reason!
@@SandrasLibrary yeah, I can appreciate the symbolism for sure. But the tattoo style of the art itself doesn’t feel very fantasy to me. Way more urban. And that freaks my brain out lol
@@jessicapennington8938 HA!! I can get that! On a side note, I did get curious and look at the tattoo artist Insta account and their work is amazing. But yeah, can totally see how the tatts would feel more urban (almost vibes more with Crescent City in that sense)
@@SandrasLibrary Yes! CC would have been perfect for it. Actually, another reason why I dislike them so much is because the covers were only changed because they moved them to the adult fantasy genre. But CC is also adult and still got an insanely gorgeous fantasy-like cover. So what gives? It’s just so weird to me and I’m not sure why they went the direction they did. Though I hear some artists are going to make a dust jacket out of their fanart for ACOSF, so that might be a nice alternative.
The only reason why I don't like these covers as much is because they are kinda boring, the dark grey makes it boring, completely different from the original ones, wich are just beautiful, I just don't understand why was there any need for new covers, mostly mid series.
The gray is only on the hardcovers but the “paint” touches on the spines and front and back are honestly so intricate and beautiful. The paperbacks are solid bright colors that channel the vibes of the Rainbow of Velaris. These redone covers were purely for remarketing efforts to try and capture more demographics of readers. But I totally feel you on the mid-series switch up and how obnoxious that is!
The new covers are ugly