Happy Tuesday again everyone! The holiday season is waving. I hope you are all doing well despite these challenging and uncertain times. I hope and pray that you are all healthy and doing well, in body, mind, and spirit. As it is Tuesday, it is also time for a Top 5 Tuesday update. Top 5 Tuesday was originally created by Shanah @ the Bionic Bookworm but is now currently being hosted by Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads.

This week’s topic: Top 5 Book Covers of 2021

So we have another Top 5 Tuesday post related to book covers. Book covers, after all, are the first things most of us notice in a book. I am guilty of it. For this update, book covers can be from reprints, redesigns, or alternate covers released this year. This can also be covers of books published this year. Without more ado, here are some of my favorite 2021 book covers.

The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen. Danish writer Tove Ditlevsen is one of my most recent literary discoveries. It was while browsing through books on sale that I have come across The Copenhagen Trilogy. The title reminded me of Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy and Pedro Juan Gutiérrez’s Dirty Havana Trilogy (which I haven’t read yet). Apart from the title, the book cover was one of the things that immediately captured my interest. The image of a woman juxtaposed on a black background was effective in conveying what to expect of the book. I have yet to read the book but I have learned that it is a memoir. I do plan to read it in early 2022.

A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam. I would have never encountered Anuk Arudpragasam had his latest work not been longlisted, and eventually shortlisted, for the prestigious Booker Prize. A Passage North is a meditative literary piece that provides the readers deep insights into how war alters a nation’s landscape, and how it impacts its denizens. But it is not just about wars, it is about relationships, history, love, passion, desire, the entire lot. As riveting as the story is the book’s cover; is akin to a portal to a different world. Indeed, Arudpragasam makes his readers enter the soul of contemporary Sri Lanka.

Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Alire Saenz, after a long while, finally published what many readers have been looking forward to: a sequel to the story of Ari and Dante. I was actually surprised when I learned about his new novel but what really caught my attention is the books’ interesting cover. Funnily enough, I recall buying Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe because of its cover. Nevertheless, I loved the book that I am looking forward to unraveling the next chapters of their story.

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. Like with Alire Saenz, I was also surprised to learn that two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Colson Whitehead is going to release new work. I have read his two latest works, the aforementioned Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpieces. I immediately added Harlem Shuffle to my reading list. The cover is rather fancy and I liked the eclectic mix of colors. It was a dead giveaway that the book is a work of historical fiction, and it gives off this unique charm of Harlem.

Things Remembered and Things Forgotten by Kyoko Nakajima. So yes, I love works of Japanese literature that I rarely research on books before buying them. In the case of Nakajima, I was captivated by the landscape of the book’s cover. The vivid colors are arresting to the eye and the scenery was just pleasant to look at. It also evokes memory and poignancy. I was bummed when I learned that this is a collection of short stories, something that I am rather averse to. Nevertheless, it is an interesting addition to my growing reading pile.

Here are other book covers that I loved, and for different reasons.

And that’s it for my Top Five Tuesday update. I hope you liked it. How about you fellow reader? What are 2021 book covers that you loved? Do share it in the comment box. For now, happy reading!

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